Cut (28 page)

Leslie patted her eyes with a tissue. “I don't want to put you on the spot. Brent is the one who called me about you. He brought you here and the manager let him in through a back entrance and up to your room. You were out of it.”

“I can't talk about it.”

“At least tell me where you've been all night.”

“I was with Brent, at an auction.”

“I couldn't get ahold of you.”

“I'm sorry.” Jessie seemed to float back until her head met the pillow. “I've been trying to help Melanie with something.”

Puzzlement crossed Leslie's face. “Helping Melanie? With what?”

“What I've been up to isn't important now. I failed her.”

“I think you're being too hard on yourself. Melanie loved you, even if you didn't speak.”

Jessie held up her hand to stop the direction of this topic. “What are we going to do?”

Leslie picked up a cup of tea off the nightstand. “I've called your father, he'll arrive later tonight. I also called the prison. Mark's lawyer is working to arrange for him to attend the funeral.”

“The funeral has already been set?” The finality prevented Jessie from saying anything more.

“Not yet, but approval for your brother to attend will take time.” Leslie looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. “We're to go to Luke's in one hour and discuss the plans. I'll leave to let you get ready.”

Jessie moved off the bed. “I'll shower and come right to your room.”

Leslie patted Jessie's face. “I am glad you're here and that you're safe.”

“What are we going to do without her?”

“I'll never be able to answer that question.”

Her mother left. The room felt big and empty, despite the small size. The next five minutes felt like an eternity. She sank back down in the pillows and blankets. Her head hurt so bad she felt bile rise in her throat but managed to swallow it back. She forced herself out of bed, one iron limb at a time. Several clunky steps later, she undressed and got into the shower. Once dressed, she met her mother in the lobby.

To Jessie's surprise, her mother drove to Luke's house. The woman was stubborn about driving in new places, but she managed to pull herself together and get them through downtown traffic, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and the rest of the way.

The security guard opened the gates for them before her mother could brake long enough to give him her name. A coffee cup from the hotel jiggled in Jessie's hand and splashed lukewarm liquid on her leg. She put the cup in the console in time to see Brent's car parked in front of the house.

Brent has a son.

A thought Jessie couldn't get past. A son connected to the diamond. The story stalled right at the part Jessie needed her sister the most. Without Melanie, she may never find out how it would end. Melanie was gone, gone, and gone with all the answers.

She would have to fight for her sister on her own, without the safety net of her one day waking up. She would have to face Brent too, and she wasn't ready. She didn't want him looking at her the way he did when he found out about the diamond. His wrath was a cold room to be inside and today she couldn't handle it.

“Are you ready?” her mother said, and pulled up alongside Brent's car.

“No,” Jessie answered and ran her hand over her stomach. She didn't want to face Brent or Luke or anyone. “I don't want to go in there.”

“I don't either. We'll go together.”

Kendra met them at the door. Despite the all-black outfit and somber face, she managed to look very pretty. Jessie followed her inside. Several other people occupied the house. Jessie recognized none of them, and she noticed with her heart falling flat, her nieces didn't appear to be anywhere.

“Hello ladies,” Kendra said in a voice ready to fall apart.

“Don't offer me anything to drink,” Leslie said. “I don't want anything.”

“I won't. I'll take you back to Luke.”

The door to Luke's office was open. Jessie stepped inside. Automatically her eyes found Brent.

Luke walked straight over to Leslie and embraced her. She cried on his shoulder. Next, he gave Jessie a brief hug. The strain of the last hours stained his face in shadows and bloodshot his eyes. Brent's eyes appeared to be the only dry ones in the room.

“I'd like Melanie's body to be laid to rest here in Belvedere,” Luke said, cutting through Jessie's thoughts.

She looked up sharply. “I disagree,” she said.

“Jess,” her mother chastised.

Jessie didn't know what to expect from coming here, but she hadn't been prepared for this subject so soon. “I don't want to leave Melanie just anywhere.”

“This is her home,” Luke said, flashing her a scathing glance.

“I think we get a say.” Jessie looked to her mother for support and found none. “I'm not trying to be difficult. I just…” Jessie stopped herself from crying in front of them.

“Jessie, I know this is difficult, but I have to agree with Luke. Melanie's life has been here. This is her home now. As much as I want her closer to me, I want her to be at peace. I want her daughters to be able to visit her grave.”

“You can side with him all you want. He's going to close his gates to us the second we bury her and all of your trying to please him and get on his good side will be futile.”

“I can assure you that you're the last person qualified to weigh in on this discussion,” Luke said with such wrath that Jessie flinched. “You didn't even talk to her at the hospital.”

“I had my reasons.”

Luke shook his head. “Do you want to tell them or should I?”

Frozen by his expression, Jessie asked bravely, “Tell them what?”

“I know what Melanie left you. A diamond and a note.” He walked over to his desk and picked up a piece of paper.

She looked to Brent. She tried not break down. “You had no right. That's mine,” she said.

“What is he talking about?” Leslie said.

Luke proceeded to explain, “Your daughter kept sensitive information—information that could have been useful to the investigation. Melanie's death is being ruled a homicide, in case you can pull yourself out of Jessie's world for five minutes to care about that.”

A lump of something nasty broke free in her stomach. A gurgle sound followed. The sickness she felt this morning returned in full force. She looked to Brent. He had told Luke about the diamond.

Luke rounded on her. “What do you have to say for yourself?

“Melanie didn't want anyone else involved. She gave it to me.”

“You're justifying your actions?”

“I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt.”

“You also didn't
mean
to latch yourself onto my brother instead of going to sit with your sister in the hospital. You didn't
mean
to withhold crucial information from me. You didn't
mean
to lie to us all those years ago.”

Jessie's heart shrunk to the size of a pea. Tears burned her eyes. She blinked them away, unwilling to let them fall. Not like this. She wouldn't grieve for her sister on the heels of Luke's inquisition.

She ran from the room.

Her own footsteps echoed throughout the hall. No one ran after her. She moved on light feet. Such speed and force that she thought she might slam into the sliding entryway doors before they opened.

She burst outside and put her hands to her knees. The emotion clogged up her brain and her head felt like a one of those spinning toys that keeps going until it pops.

“You're better outside than in there,” said a familiar voice.

Jessie's face bolted up and she saw Daniel leaning against his SUV with a cigarette in one hand and a lighter in the other.

“Can you get me out of here?” she said.

“No.”

“They don't want me around.”

Daniel clicked the lighter. The flame teased the end of the cigarette. “Maybe you don't want to be around them.”

“You're right, I don't.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I have no idea. I've made such a mess.”

“How big a mess?”

The wind blew between them and she shuddered. “Brent has a son.”

“Yes, I'm aware.”

“Then tell me the full story.”

He inhaled his cigarette and exhaled. “You have to go to the Source for the answer.”

“The Source won't talk to me. I blew it.”

“(A) Depends on the person we're talking about and (B) there are still six other diamonds out there. Don't underestimate the power of leverage. I suggest you spend more time looking for what Melanie wanted
you
to find.”

“She gave me no clues!”

“She told you all you needed to know. Your sister was smart. She thought ten steps ahead of her husband and his brother. She lived in that house and learned a few things. Don't brush her off because the solution isn't obvious. Melanie made it so you'd find out; you haven't been looking hard enough.”

“I presume you've read the note she left me.”

“I have.”

Of course Brent showed him the note. Jessie didn't go down the path of questioning Daniel. “The only name I have to go on is a woman named Elizabeth,” she said. “Unless she appears at the funeral, I have no idea where to find her. Ambiguity won't solve the mystery.”

“Retrace what you know about the day. How did she get the note to you?”

“I assume she brought it to the Ritz herself. I think that's something Detective Brennan would like to know.”

“Yes.”

“After she dropped off the present, I don't know about what she did next. My friend Clara checked us in and she got the package Melanie left at the front desk.”

“Okay, good. Melanie supposedly went to work in the morning, but she must have not stayed very long. It would take her at least forty minutes without traffic to get to the hotel. She goes to the front desk and she leaves the box.”

Frustration tinged Jessie's skin. She felt like she entered a conversational roundabout.

“Your sister didn't leave you all of the diamonds. She left you one.”

“I know. I don't understand why.”

“The diamonds in the tiara are priceless. It would be a big find for anyone to get their hands on all of them, let alone one. She didn't want to risk all of them getting taken.”

Jessie glanced up at Luke's house. “Maybe. I wish I could find Elizabeth.”

“What makes you think Brent and I haven't found her?”

“Wait. What?”

“Elizabeth Downey is a lawyer. She works for Luke.”

“She works for Luke?” Jessie's face became hot. Her stomach felt sick.

“Yes.”

“Does Brent already know this?”

“Yes; he's already spoken to her.”

“He's met her? He didn't say anything to me about her last night. God, this just keeps getting worse.”

Why wouldn't Brent have said anything during or after the auction?

She looked at Daniel with critical eyes. “Why are you telling me this?”

“I considered Melanie a friend. She would want me to give you a nudge in the right direction if you got stuck.”

“I don't want a nudge. I need a push.”

“Then start with Elizabeth Downey.”

“I bet she's sleeping with Luke.”

“She's not.”

“Is that another guess?”

He shrugged. “She works in a law office in Union Square. You'll have no trouble finding her.”

Jessie narrowed her gaze. “Does she have the other diamonds?”

“No.”

“How can you be sure?”

“I'm not. It's a hunch I have.”

“A
hunch
? That's what you're going on?”

“A strong hunch, yes. People are easy to read if you know what you're looking to find when you ask them a question.” Daniel flicked his cigarette to the ground and mashed it out with his foot. “You're getting summoned.”

Jessie turned around. Kendra stood on the front steps.

“Good luck,” Daniel said, and turned away from her.

“Wait. Daniel, is there anything else you can tell me? Do you know where the diamonds are?”

“I told you everything I know,” he said over his shoulder.

The conversation with Daniel impaired Jessie's thoughts. Brent had visited Elizabeth. Luke had hired her at some point. A headache budded at her temples. The voice of her mother rang out from another room.

“I need your help,” she pleaded to Kendra and put her hand on her arm.

“What kind of help?” Kendra said in a low voice.

“You and Melanie were close.”

“She was my best friend.”

“There's something I don't understand. Brent sold the diamonds to a client and he needed to get them back. Why wouldn't he just talk to Luke?”

“I ask myself the same question. I suppose because Brent and Luke don't always see eye-to-eye on business. The diamonds belonging to the Abbott Tiara were a big deal.”

“Does Luke know the diamonds belong to the tiara?”

“Yes, although, I'm not sure he knew initially. Brent wasn't clear on the subject when he first sent them or the details of how they came to be in his possession.”

Jessie saw Kendra's face pale. “Kendra?”

“I know I shouldn't say anything, but did you know that Luke sold the diamonds to another competitor?”

“After Brent already had?”

“Yes.”

“Oh my God.” Jessie let the information sink in. Brent and Luke must have been fighting about this while Melanie was in the hospital. “What about the vault, how did Melanie get the codes?”

Kendra shifted her gaze to the floor. “I pointed her in the right direction, as I found out by accident where Luke keeps his codes.”

“But didn't you know she would take the diamonds?”