Chapter 8
Andrews Farm
Bent parked beside Eve’s little sedan. Vera stared at the sporty SUV Geneva Fanning drove. Vera remembered it from Sunday. Judging by the scene playing out on the front porch, she was extra thankful Bent had come along. Eve and Geneva, arms waving, appeared to be in a shouting match.
Vera exited the truck before Bent could reach her door and headed for the steps, Bent right behind her.
“What seems to be the problem, ladies?” Bent asked as they reached the porch.
“She”—Eve stabbed a finger at the older woman—“showed up here and got Luna all upset. I’ve asked her to leave, but she refuses.”
Eve wasn’t into anger. She was generally the calm one who tried her level best to stay out of family drama. The fact that she was visibly pissed off said loads about Geneva’s behavior.
Geneva was Jackie’s younger sister and—not to speak ill of the dead—the one who’d gotten all the looks.
According to Eve, by the time Geneva was twenty, she had won every beauty pageant in the state.
Vera mentally rolled her eyes. And dear old Jackie got all the bossiness and judgmentality.
Vera knew little about the sisters other than what Eve had told her.
Luna rarely talked about Jerome’s family. With good reason, it seemed.
“Sheriff, I’m glad you’re here.” Geneva turned her attention to Bent. “You need to listen to what I’m saying.” The woman was literally vibrating with fury. “I know what my sister said in her text messages to me just this morning—right before that . . . that Boyett girl murdered her.”
Vera clamped her jaw shut to prevent herself from defending her sister. It was best to let Bent handle this. The woman had clearly lost her mind. To ensure her sister didn’t launch a rebuttal either, Vera pulled Eve close. “Go inside and make sure Luna is okay.”
Eve nodded and sent Geneva one last blistering look before disappearing into the house.
Vera took a breath and turned back to the ridiculous situation at hand.
Unlike Jackie, who’d preferred to dress comfortably and didn’t bother with makeup, Geneva outfitted herself as if she were headed to a meeting with the mayor himself.
Her makeup and hair were meticulously done.
No gray in sight and not one wrinkle. Frankly Vera didn’t see how she accomplished the latter without the assistance of BOTOX.
Also unlike Jackie, Geneva maintained her figure, also according to Eve, as if her life depended on it.
Vera had to hand it to her, she looked damned good for a woman on the back side of fifty.
“See for yourself.” Geneva thrust her cell phone at Bent.
Bent accepted the woman’s phone and scanned the messages.
Geneva glanced at Vera with suspicion in her eyes. “Jackie has been having trouble with Luna since she and Jerome got married. We were all worried about the situation, and now look, Jackie is dead.” Her lips tightened with the fury vibrating in her words.
Vera held her own anger in check. “When you say we, Mrs. Fanning, who do you mean?”
“Jackie, her husband, me, and my husband.” The way she glowered at Vera as she answered warned that the question had only made her angrier.
“Jerome has never mentioned any trouble.” Vera hoped like hell he hadn’t. Luna surely would have revealed an issue at that level.
Geneva huffed a breath. “Of course he hasn’t.
He does all in his power to make her happy.
” She shook her head. “But I’ll bet he changes his mind now.
Your sister killed his mama, and there is no way he’s going to forgive that.
” She pointed a finger at Vera. “You Boyett sisters should all be in jail. You killed Luna’s mother.
And what about all those other bodies found in that cave on your farm?
Jackie said that girl would be the death of her. ”
Before Vera could launch a rebuttal, Bent stepped in.
“Mrs. Fanning, I don’t see anything here that suggests Mrs. Andrews was concerned for her safety.
I reviewed those same text messages on her phone earlier today.
” He passed the phone back to the older woman.
“What I do see is a woman who wasn’t happy with another’s choices. ”
“You would see it that way,” Geneva snarled. “I guess I’ll just have to call another law enforcement agency if you refuse to properly investigate what I am telling you was a murder!”
Vera thought of the time stamp on the receipt from the hardware store. A lump swelled in her throat. No way. The time stamp had to be a mistake.
Bent held up his hands. “Mrs. Fanning, you’ve made an accusation, and I have an obligation to look into it.
Rest assured we will investigate the situation.
For now, I believe everyone involved would be best served if you go home and let us do what needs to be done.
Under the circumstances, you need to stay clear of Luna and her home.
” When the woman would have argued, he added, “Anything you do could interfere with the investigation.”
This appeared to appease her. “Very well then. I’ll go home and inform my husband that you are taking this seriously.”
Of course she would. Her husband was on the county council.
She would throw that bit of leverage into the mix.
Vera despised that sort of attempt at intimidation.
Well, the woman was wasting her time. Bent would not be intimidated or blackmailed or pushed around.
Frankly Vera didn’t see how the man kept his cool.
“You keep me posted on Mr. Andrews’s condition,” Bent called after her as she stormed away.
Fanning gave him a nod as she climbed into her SUV. Vera said nothing until the woman was flying along the driveway, headed for the road.
“I cannot believe she would do this. No one who knows Luna would believe such an absurd accusation.” Vera glanced at the front door, dreading even the idea of Luna going through a ridiculous investigation like this.
“You’re right.” Bent rested his hands on his lean hips. “But I have to look into it, or it’ll only get worse.”
Vera understood. “I’ll let you explain that to Luna. She’ll take it better coming from you.”
Bent chuckled. “Thanks.”
They found Eve and Luna in the kitchen. Vera was glad her little sister had been far enough away not to overhear what was happening on the porch. She walked straight up to her and hugged her.
“I’m so sorry this is happening.” Vera drew back and gave Luna a sad smile.
“That woman is out of her mind.” Eve looked to Bent. “Can you make her stop throwing those unfounded accusations around?”
“It’s a free county,” he reminded Eve. “Luna could sue for defamation. But, in my opinion, the best way to handle the situation is for me to prove her claims are baseless.”
Luna turned to Bent. “I understand she’s upset, but this is preposterous. As much as I wished Jackie would stay out of my marriage, I would never have wished her harm, much less harmed her myself.” Luna sighed. “No matter how much the hateful woman deserved it.”
Vera groaned. “Never say that out loud again. Ever.”
Luna wilted against the island. “You know what I mean. I couldn’t do anything to make her happy.”
“She was a crazy bitch,” Eve grumbled. “That’s the problem.”
Vera held up her hands. “You don’t say anything like that out loud again either, okay?” Eve reluctantly nodded. “First.” Vera turned to Luna. “How is Jerome’s father?”
“The same. He’s in and out of consciousness but hasn’t been able to speak yet. Anything he tries to say is gobbledygook. They’re planning surgery in the morning. They want his vitals a little more stable first.”
Damn. “I’m sorry to hear that, Lu. Poor Jerome.”
Bent leaned against the counter next to the sink.
“Luna, let’s go through what happened this morning one more time.
Then I want you to make a list for me of all the inappropriate things Jackie did since you and Jerome married.
The things she said. Also make a list of any arguments you and she have had.
Anything you said to anyone else about Jackie that could come back to haunt you.
You can pass all that along to Vera when you’ve finished. ”
Luna shook her head. “I have never said anything about her to anyone. I know better.”
“She hasn’t,” Vera pitched in. “Luna doesn’t do that. She’s barely mentioned anything to us.”
“That’s good. It’ll work to your benefit.” Bent glanced from Luna to Vera and back. “You need to find a way to tell Jerome about this before Geneva does.”
Luna drew in a big breath, her hands bracing her belly. “I will.”
This was enough. “When Bent is through with his questions, I’m taking you to the farm.” Vera didn’t want her sister staying here alone. “Just until Jerome is back.”
When Luna would have argued, Vera went on.
“You have to protect yourself, Lu. If Geneva shows up and you’re here alone, she can say anything about how you react, and it’ll be her word against yours.
You don’t need to be alone. And if she catches you alone, take your cell phone out immediately and start recording. ”
“I need to finish the nursery.” Luna looked ready to cry, and Vera didn’t blame her. This was insane.
“Eve and I will help you finish. But you can’t be alone right now.”
“Suri’s out of town for a conference.” Eve shrugged. “I can stay here with you at night and help with the nursery. You’ll be at the library most days.” She looked to Vera. “Vee will have her hands full helping Bent with this.”
Vera was surprised at Eve’s initiative and, at the same time, tremendously grateful. She did need to focus on clearing up this mess, and there was the triple homicide investigation. She held her breath as she waited for Luna to make her decision.
Luna nodded. “Okay. Let’s do that.” She turned to Vera. “I can come to the farm when Eve goes to work on my days off from the library.”
“That sounds like a really good option.” Vera was grateful Luna hadn’t put up a fuss. Being alone right now was too risky on more than one level.
“You two are going to be busy.” Eve looked from Vera to Bent. “I just heard about the murders at the Wilton place.”
Luna looked surprised. “Who was murdered?”
“Thomas Wilton,” Bent answered, “and two visitors we’re assuming he or his wife invited for the weekend. Alicia, his wife, survived, but she’s in critical condition.”
“What about Valeri?” Luna asked. “Is she okay?”
“You know Valeri Erwin?” Vera shouldn’t have been surprised. Luna had been the library director for a while now. She knew anyone and everyone who ever checked out a book at the local library.
“I do. She came to the library a few times.” She frowned. “I haven’t seen her in a while, though.”
“Maybe you can tell us more about Valeri while we’re here.” Vera needed a better grasp on the woman.
“I don’t know that much.” Luna eased onto a stool. “She picked up two or three books on a few occasions. She was always friendly.”
“Has she ever come to the library with a friend?”
Luna appeared to think about that one for a moment. “Not that I’ve seen.”
“What genre does she read?” Bent leaned against the counter next to the sink.
Bent was quite the reader himself, Vera had learned. Westerns. True crime and even a few romance novels had made their way onto his bookshelves at home. She loved the idea of Bent reading a romance.
“Mysteries or something on that order, I think. I’ll check tomorrow to be sure.” Luna sighed. “I’m sorry, but I think I need to lie down. I am utterly exhausted.”
“Come on.” Eve offered her hand. “Let’s get you propped up on the sofa, and I’ll start dinner.”
“One other thing,” Bent said. “If Jackie’s handbag and phone are still here, I need to take them in.”
Luna pointed to the countertop behind him. “They’re right where she left them. I didn’t want to touch them. I intended to have Jerome take care of getting them to Leonard when he was home.”
“You were smart,” Bent assured her.
Vera gave her sisters a hug and reassured them while Bent rounded up an evidence bag for Jackie’s things. Then she and Bent headed out.
Outside, he hesitated at the hood of his truck. “I have to finish up a few things at the office.” He held up his phone. “Just got a text from Conover. The wife’s prints were on the knife.”
Vera raised her eyebrows at the news. “Looks like Alicia stays in that number-one-suspect spot for now.”
“Looks like.” He opened her door for her. “Your place or mine tonight?”
And there it was, the million-dollar question.
“I’m coming to your place.” She slid into the passenger seat. “I’ll even start dinner.”
He grinned. “I should invite you to a crime scene every day.”
A smile tugged at Vera’s lips. It really was time to make a decision about the future.
The idea had butterflies taking flight in her belly.
Made her feel a little off balance. She had long assumed she was too old and too jaded to get excited by a potential step toward a more permanent relationship. She’d been wrong, apparently.
Then again, maybe she should wait until they got through this investigation and straightened out the business about Jackie’s death. It was best to make the really big decisions with a clear head and from a place of calm.
Vera almost laughed out loud.
When had her life ever been calm?