Chapter Four
La Jolla, San Diego, California
Leo Sherman, it turned out, had three sisters. And, as their luck would have it, his daughters were staying with the third sister on their list.
Sam parked on the curb a few houses down from the aunt’s address, because the driveway—and the street—was filled with cars. “Three’s a charm?”
Kit made a frustrated sound. “Seems like the whole neighborhood is here. Fat chance we’ll get the twins alone to chat.”
“Maybe we just give them our condolences and come back later,” Sam said.
Kit shook her head. “All these cars and not a single black Audi. Leo isn’t here and I’d like to take advantage of that.” She turned around to talk to Baz in the back seat. “Have you heard from Marshall and Ashton?”
“Nope. I asked if we could meet them somewhere, but I haven’t heard back.”
Kit frowned. “Same. I texted them twice and haven’t gotten a reply. That’s not like them. I hope they’re okay.”
“Maybe they’re upset that we’re investigating,” Sam suggested.
“Nah,” Baz said. “They told me that they figured Kit would be poking her nose into things. They just asked that we give them whatever info we find.”
That made Sam feel much better. He didn’t want to be going behind the other detectives’ backs. “Well, we know they interviewed Glenda Baker. They may have already been here, too.”
“Let’s find out.” Kit got out of the car and rolled her shoulders, wincing.
“You’re in pain,” Sam said when he’d rounded the SUV.
“A little,” Kit confessed.
Sam sighed. “Kit.” He pulled a bottle of pain reliever from his pocket and shook two into his palm. “Baz? Can you get a bottle of water from the back seat? Betsy sent a cooler. Thank you,” he said when Baz had done so. “Take these. Or I’ll tell your mom.”
Baz snickered. “He already knows you so well. That’s the only threat that works.”
“I know,” Sam said dryly, gratified when Kit took the medicine with only a little bit of attitude. “Thank you.”
“Hate pills,” she grumbled.
“I know,” Sam soothed.
She scowled. “Don’t manage me, Sam Reeves.”
“Wouldn’t even dream of trying. Shall we? We’ve accumulated an audience.” He gestured to the front of Ella Sherman’s house, where he counted at least five people watching from the window and the now-opened door.
“Yep. But first, let me get the plant.” She retrieved the succulent that Betsy had taken from her own indoor garden and had potted prettily. It would make a lovely bereavement gift for the victim’s daughters.
Kit led the way, solemnly walking to the front door where an older woman stood. She bore a strong resemblance to Leo Sherman.
“Miss Ella Sherman?” Kit said when they’d reached the door. “I’m Detective McKittrick. My associates Dr. Reeves and retired detective Constantine.”
“Why are you here?” Ella asked, an edge of impatience in her tone.
“To talk to Raisa and Dahlia.” Kit held out the plant. “We’d like to express our condolences and maybe ask the girls a few questions, if we can.”
Ella studied them for a long moment but finally nodded once.
“You upset them and I’m throwing you out.
I don’t care who the hell you are. You may sit.
” Ella pointed to a sofa, a love seat, and some chairs in a comfortable-looking living room.
“I can offer you a plate of any one of ten casseroles.” One corner of her mouth lifted sadly.
“My neighbors figured we’d be gathering here. People always bring food.”
“Kind neighbors,” Kit said.
“They are,” Ella agreed. “They mean well.”
Baz sat in one of the chairs and Sam and Kit took the sofa under the watchful gaze of Ella and four other women—two about the same age as Ella and two much younger.
Ella gestured to the other two older women. “My sisters, Liz and Hannah.” The sisters nodded a greeting but said nothing. “My nieces,” Ella continued.
The two younger women glanced at each other warily before sitting on the love seat.
“I’m Raisa,” the smaller of the two said. “This is Dahlia.”
Like Akiko, they were brunettes, but their facial features more closely resembled their father’s. Raisa was petite like Akiko, but Dahlia was taller, closer to five-eight.
Raisa had streaks of bold purple in her long, curly hair, while Dahlia’s was cut short with wispy bangs. Raisa wore four necklaces while Dahlia’s throat was bare. Raisa’s nails were painted the same color purple as the streaks in her hair. Dahlia’s nails were ragged and short, her cuticles torn.
A nail biter, Sam thought. He wondered if she’d always been so or if the stress of her mother’s murder had initiated the habit.
Both young women had red eyes, but their shoulders were squared, their postures battle-ready. Dahlia appeared defiant, like she’d punch anyone who came too close.
Kit introduced herself, then Sam and Baz. “First off, we’re not here officially. Mostly to express our condolences, but we do have a few questions if that’s okay with you. Your mother contacted my sister. She said she knew my sister’s mother.”
Again, the twins shared a look, then Raisa nodded. It appeared she was their spokesperson. “Our father mentioned that.”
“We are so sorry about your mother,” Sam said quietly. “We were too late to help her.”
“I know,” Raisa said, then took her sister’s hand. “We both know. It’s a shock, not gonna lie. Our mom is an accountant.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Was an accountant. She was a mom. Normal and ordinary. A little boring but very sweet. We don’t understand any of this.”
Dahlia pursed her lips, her eyes filling as well.
“Murder isn’t usually understandable,” Kit said. “Is your father here?”
Raisa shook her head. “He had surgery. He’s at the hospital.”
“He’s always at the hospital,” Dahlia muttered. “Nothing new.”
There’s animosity here, Sam noted. Definitely anger.
Kit gave Dahlia an assessing look, then turned the conversation in a different direction. “Did your mother ever mention being afraid of anyone?”
“No,” Raisa said. “But we haven’t been home too much the past few weeks. The semester just started and we’ve been…” She sobbed once, then sucked in a breath. “We were too busy.”
Ella laid a hand on Raisa’s shoulder. “She understood. She wanted you to be busy. To have full lives. Don’t feel guilty.”
“She’s right,” Kit said, “although I know that it’s hard not to feel that way right now. We just talked with Glenda Baker, who told us that your mom had been doing some traveling. Did you know your mother had gone out of town several times recently?”
Once again, the twins shared a look. “I didn’t,” Raisa said.
“But you did, Dahlia?” Kit prompted.
Dahlia nodded. “I knew about one of the times. I had to go home to get a book I’d left in my bedroom and nobody was there. Not even Pochi. The house had an empty feel to it. So I called Mom. She said she was at a training seminar in LA.”
“When was this?” Kit asked.
Dahlia glanced at her sister. “October.”
“But you know now that it wasn’t training?” Sam asked gently.
Dahlia looked miserable. “Yes. Dad checked up on her and decided that Mom was cheating on him, but…I can’t believe that.”
Raisa set her jaw. “Me either.”
Sam glanced at Ella, who appeared torn. “I don’t think so,” the older woman said. “But she was unhappy.”
“She was,” Liz agreed. “But I don’t think she was a cheater.”
“I don’t think she was unhappy with Leo,” Hannah added. “Not until he started accusing her.”
“Then you all knew about his accusations,” Kit said.
“Oh yes,” Ella replied wearily. “Leo isn’t one to suffer in silence.”
“He’s the baby,” Liz said. “We coddled him.”
“Too much,” Hannah muttered.
It appeared the sisters were Team Mary.
“Why don’t you think it was Leo who was making her unhappy?” Baz asked.
Hannah hesitated, choosing her words carefully, it appeared. Which was interesting. “Mary was always…content. She was grateful. It was a little annoying, to be honest. She deserved so much more. Leo was…well, he loved her, in his own way.”
“In his own way?” Sam repeated, because that phrase never boded well.
Hannah and her sisters nodded in unison. “He provided,” Hannah clarified, then sighed. “I hate to say anything negative about him in front of the girls.”
Raisa turned to fix her gaze on her aunt. “Say it. I don’t think we’ll be all that surprised.”
Okay, Sam thought. So Leo Sherman was not the family man he’d portrayed himself to be.
“He kept other women from time to time,” Hannah said with a sigh.
Raisa closed her eyes. Dahlia clenched her teeth. Neither seemed surprised.
“You knew?” Kit asked softly.
Both girls nodded. “Mom knew, too,” Dahlia said bitterly. “I hated that for her. I hated him for doing it to her. But…I love him, too. I always felt like I was betraying my mother by loving my father.”
Raisa opened her eyes and gripped her sister’s hand.
“Same. I didn’t find out about the other women until this past year.
” She grimaced. “When I came home to get something for school, I wasn’t lucky enough to find an empty house.
Mom was at her garden club. It was their yearly sale of rosebushes, so she’d be gone all day. Dad had a…a guest.”
Ella made a hurt sound. “Oh, honey. I’m sorry.”
Raisa shrugged like it didn’t matter when clearly it did. “Me too. I heard them. In Mom and Dad’s bedroom.”
Hannah’s mouth twisted. “I’m going to murder him.” Then her gaze shot to Kit in dismay. “I didn’t mean that.”
“I know,” Kit said, although Sam thought it was possible Hannah had meant exactly that. “But,” Kit continued, “we really need to find out where exactly Mary went and who she saw the three times she went to LA. Who might know?”
The twins looked at each other, as did the aunts. As one they shrugged.
“We’re not trying to be unhelpful,” Raisa said. “But Mom wasn’t a traveler. She never went anywhere. Not that I knew about. She worked from home from the time that we were in kindergarten. She was always there when we got home from school, always went to our events. She was always…just there.”
Dahlia choked on a sob. “And now she’s gone.”