The Wicked Wife (Murder in Marin Book 2) (34 page)

“I don’t know about the two of you,” Holly began, “but I struck gold.”

“I think I did too,” Sylvia added.

“I’m all ears,” Eddie said. “Holly, go for it.”

“Jacques Allard told me that several new pieces that he made were from jewelry that Willow claimed she bought at an estate sale. And, here’s the best part—I told him I was writing some article—
not
!—about the new pieces that Willow wore to the Belvedere Ball, all of which he designed. Jacques offered to send me pictures of the pieces, both before and after.”

“I have a feeling that Pamela and Julia’s pieces are going to be in that collection,” Sylvia said.

“I wouldn’t bet a dime against that,” Holly replied.
 

Sylvia brought over three cups of tea and some cookies, setting everything in the center of the table. “I think everybody at the reception had time to eat a little something, except the three of us.”

“I was shocked at the story Willow’s mother told me.” When Sylvia finished telling her story, Eddie said, “Sounds like a sociopath to me!”

“That’s what I told Sylvia,” Holly added quickly.
 

“But did this, or any other theft, serve as a motive for her murder?” Eddie asked.

“I have something else,” Holly said. “Eddie, did you get to talk to William’s partner, James Finch?”

“No, but I’m speaking to him at his office sometime tomorrow, why?”

“Allard told me he knows a private investigator in France, who was hired by James Finch to spy on Willow—a few weeks ago, when she was in Paris. Apparently, she was having a tryst with Viktor Kozlov, whom I remember reading in one of the celebrity magazines was one of her many pre-William Adams relationships.”

“Well, that puts a new light on Finch,” Eddie said. “I wonder if Adams asked him to do it?”

“Allard didn’t know. He told me it was the reason the Paris PI reached out to him in the first place. The man was wondering if Adams was the one who put Finch up to contacting him about Willow’s late night frolics.

“Eddie, it sounds as if your list of suspects keeps getting longer,” Sylvia murmured.

Holly chuckled. “It sure as hell isn’t getting any shorter.”

As Eddie drove home, he realized that his investigation was beginning to spiral out of control. Canning and the media would be satisfied only for the next few days. But it would not be long before they started asking again about progress.
 

I’ve got to keep moving the ball forward, he thought.
 

When he got home, he wrote up his case notes from the time that he learned of Willow’s disappearance, through what Holly and Sylvia learned today. When he was done, it was past seven.
 

He called Rob. “What are you doing for breakfast in the morning?”
 

“Wheaties, milk, orange juice, and coffee. Why? Do you want to join me? Fair warning…Karin won’t let any donuts anywhere near the house.”
 

“I’ve got a different idea. Can I come by and grab some breakfast with you down at Bridgeway Café? We can head up to your office afterward. I need to borrow that twisted mind of yours for a short while.”

“Sure, meet you there at seven-thirty.”

“Deal.”

Armed with a couple of breakfast biscuits filled with eggs and sausage, along with a healthy side of hash browns, Rob and Eddie turned the corner from Bridgeway onto Princess Street. The road was quiet now, but in two hours it would begin to fill with tourists looking for souvenirs of Sausalito to take back home.
 

Rob unlocked the door to the
Standard’s
offices and climbed the steep steps to his office. Eddie followed somewhat slowly. He was still groggy from a mostly sleepless night.
 

They spread out their food on the production room’s design table, which Rob and Holly often used to look at a new edition of the paper in actual size.
 

Eddie pulled his notes from his inside jacket. “I’m in too deep with this Willow murder case. I need you to read over my notes and give me a fresh perspective.”

“Sure, no problem.”

After the first few hits of black Kona coffee, Eddie’s focus began to sharpen enough to take notes as Rob went through his summary, making random comments.
 

When he had finished, Rob looked up. “I agree with you, Willow had to know the person who flagged her down on Tennessee Valley Road.”

“She was not the type to pull over to help a driver with a flat tire.” Eddie agreed. “That narrows the field.”

Rob nodded. “I think this law partner of Adams, this James Finch guy definitely needs checking out.”
 

“Agreed. I’m calling his secretary this morning to get on his calendar for later today.”

Rob stroked his chin as he thought out loud. “Given the calls and the PI in Paris, the natural assumption is that Finch was blackmailing Willow. But killing the person you’re blackmailing is killing the golden goose. Not smart, particularly when that goose is worth a fortune.”

“With what Holly learned from Allard after yesterday’s service, that could cut two ways,” Eddie pointed out. “And if it turns out that Adams put Finch up to hiring the French PI, that opens up a series of questions regarding Adams.”

“True,” Rob conceded, “but I suspect you’re thinking what I’m thinking—that it’s unlikely Adams would go down that path. Finch is his longtime partner, so using him as a go-between with the Parisian PI is certainly possible. However, it wouldn’t explain the number of calls from Finch to Willow. Plus, everything you’ve told me about Adams sounds like he’s been totally devastated by Willow’s murder.”

“Rob, if you’d seen him at the morgue when he had to identify her body, you’d know it.” Eddie shook his head. “If that guy had her killed, he’s my choice for best actor of the year! And if Adams ever did know he was playing second fiddle to Kozlov—pun intended—with his money, he would have had his house staff pack up her things, and he’d have his chauffeur drive her away, probably giving her another hundred million bucks if she promised never call him again.”

“Who does that leave? I can’t imagine it was one of the Peninsula society women. They’re more likely to disinvite you from all the right events than drive a hammer through your skull.”

Eddie shrugged. “I agree. Pamela Botherton doesn’t fit the bill. I met the woman; she’s far more likely to talk you to death.”

“I do have one other thought, but you’re going to probably think it’s wacky.”

Eddie laughed. “That’s why I’m here. I come to you for all the wacky thoughts that don’t come to me so easily.”

“Okay, well here goes…What about Finch’s wife?”

Eddie sat up straight. “Where does she come in?”

“All those phone calls to Willow that Finch placed might have had something to do with the two of them having some sort of ongoing lover’s spat. Maybe he was paying the PI to spy on her for him—not for Adams, and not to blackmail her for money, but out of either sexual jealousy or to coerce her into becoming, or staying, his lover.”

“And you’re thinking that the wife might have learned about their relationship, or about the spying that Finch was doing on Willow?”

“Exactly.”

“I’ve got to admit, it’s an interesting theory! But what put Finch’s wife on your radar?”

“Do you remember that Holly hustled an invitation for Karin and I to attend the wedding?”

Eddie nodded. “How could I forget? Holly talked about that wedding for at least a month.”

“I met Finch and his wife early in the evening. Jade told Karin and me about how her husband had put his client, Willow, and his partner, William, together. I guess she thought it was a cute-meet story. After the dinner, which was disgusting—”

“I know; you’ve told me several times.”

“I noticed Jade looking across the veranda with what I could only describe as dagger eyes. Out of curiosity, I turned to see who she was staring at. It was her husband, standing close to Willow and leaning in to whisper something in her ear.”

“And that stayed with you, why?”

“It was just strange. An hour or two before, she was all bubbly about the happy newlyweds. But, in that moment, her look said, ‘I don’t trust that bitch.’” Rob frowned. “Let’s just say it stuck in the back of my mind.”

“Well, if nothing else, it gives me a different perspective. Thanks for that, Rob. I always knew you were good for something, but I could never figure out what that was.”

“I love you, too, pal.”

Eddie called James’ secretary and learned that he was, “working from home today.”

Without any hesitation, James suggested that Eddie come up to his home, which was just off Shady Lane in the central Marin County town of Ross.
 

As he turned off Highway 101 and west onto Sir Francis Drake to Ross, Rob’s description of Jade’s “dagger eyes” came to him.

Maybe that crazy son-of-a-bitch is on to something, he thought. Maybe I’m chasing the wrong Finch.

James greeted Eddie with a broad smile, and ushered him beyond the entry foyer of what appeared to be a recently renovated Craftsman style home, onto the home’s comfortable veranda that overlooked a shaded side yard covered in lush, deep green ivy, high above Ross Creek.
 

“Can I offer you something to drink, detective?” Finch asked.

“No, I’m great, thanks. I have just a few questions, and I’ll let you get back to the balance of your day.”

Eddie, who had resolved to keep his comments simple and non-threatening, for the time being, ran through a set of easy questions:
 

How long had James known Willow?
 

What was his experience working with her?
 

How long had he known William and worked as a partner in the firm?
 

James made every effort to be exceedingly pleasant. He gave comfortable, wordy responses, and he had great praise for both Willow and William. He confirmed that he and William were playing golf at Peacock Gap on the morning of Willow’s murder and James told, once again, the story of how he introduced them on the night of the symphony’s gala, and how delighted he had been to “watch as they grew in love.”

“Yes, they seemed like a very happy couple,” Eddie said, and then added, “but given their age difference, do you think she ever considered, well, having a relationship with a younger man?”

“Unimaginable,” James snapped back without hesitation.

Wow, this guy is good, Eddie thought, considering the PI in Paris reported back to him, undoubtedly in detail, that Willow and Koslov were having a tryst.
 

There was so much more that Eddie wanted to ask James, but he resisted. He wanted to leave James with the impression that the man had done a wonderful job in hiding the truth. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Finch. I’ll let you get back to your work. It’s such a wonderful day. I was thinking of going home early too. My wife and I live in Sausalito, and I’m going out with her for a bike ride. We love going out to Baker Beach and up into the Headlands.”

“Oh? So, you like to mountain bike?”

“No other way to go.”

“My wife and I both have mountain bikes, but often on the weekend Jade heads out riding, while I go off to play golf.” He chuckled. “You get a much better workout on the bike.”