Death Vetoes The Chairman (Lizzie Crenshaw Mysteries Book 7) (12 page)

“Long enough to know that contractor is totally screwed if he doesn’t show up in the morning,” I laughed.

“Ugh, men,” she said, shaking her head. “He was supposed to be here at eight, so I got up early to meet him here, even though I closed last night. He never showed up. No call, no text, nothing. I wanted to ring his neck. It’s the third time he’s done this to me during this job.”

“God help him if he doesn’t show up in the morning.”

“Not even God is going to be able to save him,” she replied. “So, what brings you here? Everything okay?” She led me over to the maroon leather couch and we sat down.

“Beats me. Jake drove us over here, and told me to come inside while he made a couple of calls.”

“Weird. How are you doing?”

“Fine.”

Trixie tilted her head to the left with this “why don’t I believe you” look on her face. “This is me you’re talking to, Lizzie. Whenever you say ‘fine’ like that, you’re covering up something. Spill it.”

I took a drink before answering. “Just dealing with different emotions. Your brother just bluntly told me I was a victim, so in a way, I guess that makes me a suspect in Ethan’s murder. Revenge and all that. Good thing I have an alibi.”

“Even if you didn’t, Owen knows you’d never kill anyone. But I do have to agree with him. You
are
a victim, Lizzie, even if you don’t want to admit that to yourself. What he did to you is sexual harassment and assault. It’s not something that you can just shake off and go on with life. What happened to you is going to affect your life for a long time. The way you handle it is the key to surviving.”

“You sound like you’ve been through this yourself.”

“I have,” she replied.

“You never told me.”

She shrugged. “It was when I was in college. One of my professors. Owen drove up to get me, and had a chat with the professor. He threatened to rip the professor’s arm off and shove it where the sun don’t shine if he ever laid a finger on another student. I came home and hid in my room for two weeks. My mother came to my room, and wanted to know if I was going to quit school and become a professional victim the rest of my life. She was being melodramatic, of course, but she was trying to get my attention. I started going to a counselor and participated in a few group sessions, and after three months, I felt comfortable about going back to school. That doesn’t mean I didn’t freak out at the drop of a hat for months afterwards. But going back to school was the best way to take control of my life back, to show everyone that I wasn’t going to let this define who I was. It made me stronger.”

I took another drink of my Dr Pepper. I’ve never been the type of person who talked to others about what I was feeling, especially when something bad had happened. Going to a counselor would mean that I had to admit that a situation had got to the point where I had no control over what happened, and no one likes to admit that. It was a weakness…it made me vulnerable. And a few months of dealing with a crazy serial killer half-aunt had made me realize that was not a good position to be in. “I’m fine.”

“Ha!” Jake said. We turned to find him leaning against the doorway. “You are not fine.”

“Jake,” I said, “not now.”

“If you can’t talk to your friends, then go talk to a professional,” he said, crossing the room and kneeling in front of me. “Until you do, Lizzie, you are never going to get past this, and you won’t be able to go back to work without freaking out.”

“Did you learn anything useful from your phone calls?” I said, changing the subject.

“Stop changing the subject,” he said angrily. “Denial is one thing, burying your head in the sand is another. Going to the support group doesn’t mean you have to talk. If you want, I’ll go with you.”

“Me, too,” Trixie said.

“Just listen to what they have to say. It doesn’t hurt to listen, does it?”

I shook my head. I felt the tears starting, and I wiped my eyes. “Your phone calls? Did you learn anything?”

Jake sighed and stood up. “Yeah, I did. But there are a few people we need to talk to.”

I stood up. “Great. Who do we talk to first?”

“Virginia.”

“Who’s Virginia? Ethan’s secretary?” Trixie said.

“As in the state of Virginia,” Jake replied, taking my glass out of my hand and giving it to Trixie. “We’re leaving in two hours, so let’s go. You need to get packed.”

“I can’t just pack up and drive to Virginia!” I stammered. “I’ve got work to do at the paper. We’ve got the Thanksgiving edition to start putting together…”

“…and Ellen is going to take care of that for you while we’re gone,” Jake said, leading me to the door. “Do you have some nice dresses or outfits in your closet? We’re going to have dinner with Edward tomorrow night.”

“Hold it,” I said, taking a step backwards. “Who’s Edward?”

“Ethan’s father.”

Chapter 17

Trixie drove me back to my house while Jake went home to pack. “You have got to get some new clothes, woman,” she said as she pawed through my closet. “Do you even wear half of this stuff in here anymore?” I gave her a muffled reply. “What did you say?” She gasped when she saw me pull a bundle of money from between my mattress. “Oh my God, where did you get that money? You didn’t rob a bank or anything, did you?”

“No, I didn’t rob a bank or anything,” I snapped. “This is just a teeny tiny portion of my inheritance from Debra.”

“She left you money? How much?” I told her the ballpark figure, give or a take a few numbers. “Are you serious?” she gasped. “Lizzie…you’re rich!”

“Don’t remind me,” I grunted as I got up from my kneeling position. I winced as I put too much pressure on my sore wrist. I grabbed it and held it for a minute.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you, Lizzie,” Trixie said. “When you told me, I wanted to cry.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Because I wasn’t here for you to lean on.”

“I think I’ve done more than enough of that the last few months, don’t you?”

“You’re the closest thing to a sister I’ve got,” she said, placing her hand on top of mine. “If you hurt, I hurt. If you need help burying the bodies, I grab my shovel and dig the hole with you.”

I laughed and gave her a hug. “I feel the same way. Right now, though, I’d better get packed or Jake is going to start lecturing me about how women are never ready on time.”

Three hours later, we were at a small airport, watching a Learjet rolling down the runway. “We’re going to Virginia in
that?
” I gasped as it came to a stop.

“Did you really think we were going to drive?” Jake asked as he got our bags out of the trunk of Trixie’s car.

“Wow, that is a beauty,” Trixie said. “I’d love to take that on a long trip someday.”

“Play your cards right, kid, and I’ll see what I can do,” Jake replied.

“Sweet!”

“We’re not even supposed to leave town,” I reminded him. “Owen was very specific about that.”

“I’ve already talked to him. We’re good.”

The door on the jet opened, and a man hurried down the steps and made his way over to us. “Mr. Mathias, good to see you again,” he said.

“It’s been a while, Garth,” Jake said. “How are Liam and Melinda doing?”

Garth smiled. “They’re good. Liam just made the basketball team, and Melinda is off to Washington D.C. for a medical conference for future doctors. She’s even managed to take a couple of college classes along with all of her regular studies. She’s a smart one. Must get it from her mother.”

“Wow, that is fantastic news! Congratulations,” he said, shaking Garth’s hand. “This is Lizzie Crenshaw. She’ll be flying with us today. And this is Trixie Greene, a very close friend.”

“A pleasure to meet you, ladies,” Garth replied, giving them a half bow. “I’ll put the luggage on board. We should be ready to leave in about fifteen minutes, sir, as soon as refueling is complete.” He picked up the bags and walked back to the plane.

“I’m not sure when we’ll be back, Trixie,” Jake said, “maybe two or three days. I’ll call you as soon as I know for sure.”

Trixie gave me a hug. “Have a safe trip, and be careful.” She hugged Jake. “And you behave yourself.”

“Who, me? I’ll be the perfect gentleman.”

I snorted. “That’ll be the day.”

“Come on, let’s get onboard and get settled before takeoff.”

I followed Jake up the steps, ducking my head as I stepped inside. When I straightened up, I gasped. “Wow.”

The floor was covered in a medium grey carpet. There were four seats in the front area, with a table between them. Further back, a long couch was on the left side of the plane, and across the aisle two light grey leather chairs faced each other, with a table between them. In the back, there was what looked like a small galley area and a door that I assumed led to a bathroom.

Jake sat down in one of the chairs across from the couch. “This is one of Dad’s new toys,” he said as I sat down on the couch. “He uses it for long trips, especially from one coast to the other. The couch is quite comfortable for sleeping, or so I’ve been told.”

“You’re quite correct, sir,” Garth said.

“How long will it take to get to Virginia?” I asked Garth.

“Normally, it would take about four hours. But I’ve just been informed that there’s a front moving down from Canada, and it’s near the route we would normally take. So the pilot is going to go further south, and then swing north. So, closer to six hours this time. But it will fly by, I assure you.” He moved past us toward the galley.

“Are you sure you should be flying?” I said.

“I’ll take something for the pain once we take off,” Jake said.

“Folks, buckle up,” the pilot said over the intercom. “We’re all fueled up and cleared for takeoff.”

Garth sat down in the seat across from Jake, and we put our seatbelts on. I looked out the window and watched as the Learjet gained speed and then lifted off the ground. Jake got an amused look on his face as he watched me. “You’ve never been on a plane before, have you?”

“Just once, and I had an aisle seat. But this feels different than the last time. Faster.”

“Smaller plane, not as much to get off the ground, I guess,” Jake replied.

“Ok, folks, you can move around now if you want,” the pilot said over the intercom. “We’re going to fly toward Houston, then swing east. We’ll stay on that heading until we hit the coast, then we’ll turn north.”

Garth unfastened his seatbelt and stood up. “May I get you two anything to drink?”

“Some water for me, and a Dr Pepper for Lizzie, please, Garth.”

“Of course, sir.”

I took off my seatbelt, stood up and stretched for a minute, before I sat back down. Leaning back, I sighed. “What’s wrong?” Jake said. He took off his seatbelt and moved across the aisle to sit next to me.

“Nothing. Just tired.”

Garth handed us our drinks. “May I get you anything else?”

“This is all I need, Garth, thank you,” I smiled.

“I’m good for now,” Jake assured him.

“Then if you don’t mind, I’m going to go up front and chat with the pilots. They’ve been teaching me about the instruments and all the gadgets they have.”

“Go for it,” Jake said.

“Thank you, sir. Just call out if you need anything.” He made his way forward.

“What are we going to do first when we get there?”

“By the time we get there, it will be a bit late in the day to do anything. So we’ll go to my parents’ house, and just take it easy tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll start talking to people.”

I yawned. “How does your mother feel about having unexpected company?”

“She’s used to it. Dad’s always bringing some business associates to the house. She makes sure that there’s always a guest room available.”

“Will I get to meet your parents tonight?”

Jake shook his head. “They have a banquet to attend. Just you, me and the servants tonight.”

“Servants? You have servants?”

“I don’t. My parents do. The chef will be there, of course, and probably one of the maids to make sure we have everything we need.”

“I can’t imagine what it must have been like, growing up with servants.”

“I guess I never really thought much about it,” Jake admitted. “It was just part of our everyday life. It’s not something I ever stopped and thought about.” I yawned again. He reached over and took my drink. “Why don’t you stretch out on the couch and take a nap?”

“What about you?”

“I’ll probably sleep a bit, too,” he replied as he stood up. He went back to the galley area, opened a cabinet, and took out a pillow and blanket. Tossing the pillow at me, he gestured toward the couch.

I did as he suggested, and he put the blanket on top of me. “I’ll wake you up before we land.”

“I doubt I’ll get any sleep,” I said before I closed my eyes.

Next thing I knew, Jake was shaking me awake. “We’ll be at the airport in a few minutes,” he said. “You need to get a seatbelt on.”

I moved back to my original seat, and buckled up. “Your dad is right. That couch is quite comfortable.”

The landing was uneventful, and we disembarked to partly cloudy skies and a cool breeze. A black SUV sat nearby. Garth took our bags, put them in the back end, then opened the back passenger door for me. Thanking him, I got in and he closed the door. Jake got in on the other side, while Garth sat behind the wheel.

Fifteen minutes later, we turned into a tree lined driveway, which ended in front of an enormous house. The only thing that came to mind when I saw it was Scarlett O’Hara’s plantation in
Gone with the Wind
. White house with black shutters, huge columns in front…it was breathtaking. At that moment, I understood why Scarlett loved Tara so much. “This is…you grew up here?” Jake nodded. “Wow, I had no idea. I mean, I knew your family was rich, but this is more than I ever imagined.”

Garth stopped in front of the house and we got out. “Wait until you see the inside, Ms. Crenshaw,” he said, taking our bags out of the SUV.

I was given the grand tour. Sitting rooms, parlors, a library…there was so much to see. I just shook my head. “I don’t think I could ever live in a place this big.”

“Now you know why I like Dale’s house so much,” Jake said as we went to the kitchen. “Nice and small.”

“Homey, you mean.”

“Exactly,” he said. “This feels more like a museum. I don’t want to be on display when I’m at home.”

That made me wonder what else about his childhood he didn’t like.

The chef growled at us, and ordered us out of his kitchen. Garth escorted us to a small dining room, where the table was set with fine china, crystal glasses, and gold dinnerware. “Good grief,” I said quietly. “Are you expecting the Queen or something?”

“No, ma’am,” Garth replied. “Just you and Mr. Mathias.”

At that moment, I wished I was at Maddie’s café. It was nice and homey.

After dinner, we went back to Jake’s wing of the house. “I still can’t believe you had this whole section to yourself.

“When I was in high school, I enjoyed the privacy,” he said, leading me into the den. “I thought I’d start a fire for us, unless you’d rather go to bed.”

I shook my head. “I’m not tired yet.”

While he worked on getting the fire going, I walked over and looked outside. The big glass door led out to a patio that was covered with dead leaves. It reminded me of the patio at the fundraiser and of Ethan. I must have made a noise or something, because Jake was beside me in an instant. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, not a thing,” I said, turning away from the view.

“I don’t believe you,” he replied.

“The patio…”

“What about it? Do you want to go outside? It’s a bit cold, but we can stand out the…”

“The fundraiser.”

He looked outside and then at me. “Tell me about it.”

“When we were on the patio, he grabbed me and kissed me. When I told him not to, and that you would notice I was missing, he laughed, saying Barbara would keep you so busy you wouldn’t even miss me at all. He kept coming after me, promising me he would take care of me. So I pretended to be interested, and that drew him in. Then I kneed him right in the nuts and ran inside.”

He laughed. “You’ve always had bony knees.”

I couldn’t bring myself to laugh with him. “I’ve never been so scared before that night, not even when Debra held a gun to my head. And then when he showed up at the office, I really thought he was…that he would…” I moved away and walked over to the fire.

Jake followed me. “You thought he would what?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I replied, holding my suddenly cold hands in front of the fire.

“How many years have I known you, Lizzie? I may not have been the most attentive boyfriend in college, but I always knew when something was wrong. I just didn’t always say something.”

Garth came into the room, carrying a silver tray. “I thought you and the young lady might like some hot cider, sir. It’s a bit cold in this wing. If we had known you were coming a day or two ago, we would have warmed the place up.”

“That’s very considerate of you. Thank you, Garth. Just set it down on the coffee table.”

He put the tray down. “Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?”

“We’re fine, Garth. I can show Ms. Crenshaw to her room when she’s ready for bed.”

“I have a fire going in her room. It should be nice and warm for her tonight.”

“Thank you, Garth,” I smiled. “That was very kind of you.”

“Not at all, ma’am. That’s my job. Good night, Mr. Mathias, Ms. Crenshaw.” He bowed slightly and left.

“Okay, he’s gone now. Talk to me.”

“You want some cider?” I said, moving over to the coffee table.

“Sure,” he sighed. I poured some into two mugs, and handed one to him.