Authors: Betty Sullivan LaPierre
Angie's gaze followed a nurse, scurrying through the hospital waiting room.
Then she turned a worried face toward Tom.
"I'm almost afraid to ask what news could make matters any worse."
Tom took both her hands, squeezed them and looked deep into her eyes.
"Some of the lab tests have come back on the autopsy of Conners.
The examiners found traces of cloth fiber under his fingernails, which they feel came from a dark-gray wool material.
They studied the suit Conners had on and the ones confiscated from his home, but found no match.
This morning they're going through Ken Weber's clothes."
"Oh no," she said.
He waved a hand in front of her stunned face.
"Now, they might not find a thing.
But I have to tell you that Ken Weber is now one of our prime suspects."
She dropped her head into her hands.
"Oh, Tom.
I just can't believe he'd do such a ghastly thing."
"You'd be surprised what people do for money."
"But Sandy said they had no financial burdens."
"We've run a check on Ken.
He's been involved in some heavy horse-race gambling and lost almost thirty thousand dollars in three months.
I also ran a check on Ryan Conners after I saw how his family lived in poverty.
We discovered he'd invested heavily in the stock market and lost his shirt."
Angie hugged herself.
"Are you trying to tell me that these two men were in this together?"
"It's forming a picture."
Suddenly, they were aware of a shadow standing over them.
Angie and Tom lifted their heads to confront a sneering Ken Weber.
"You two appear mighty cozy with your heads together.
I received a call from the hospital that Sandy has been admitted.
I should have known you two were behind it."
Angie stood.
"I resent that, Ken.
Sandy is sick from the stress you've caused."
He turned on his heel and left.
Angie frowned as she watched him stop at the nurse's station.
"If he gets in to see her, it will blow her away for sure."
"Maybe I can prevent that."
Tom said, hurrying down the hall.
He reached Ken, who had been forced to wait behind some people questioning the nurse.
He motioned him aside.
"Look Ken, as I told you earlier, there's a restraining order on you.
If you insist on seeing your wife, I'll have to arrest you."
Ken's face turned crimson.
"Why in the hell don't you butt out of my life?"
Tom looked into the searing green eyes.
"Because, you're a danger to your family."
Ken leaned toward Tom and hissed, "Get your damn police out of my house.
They've been there all morning.
I don't know what you're after, but you're not going to find anything."
Ken turned on his heel and stalked out of the unit.
Tom returned to find Angie engrossed in a deep conversation with a doctor.
He stood to one side for several minutes until she finished and joined him.
"That's the doctor who operated on Melinda."
"Is she going to be all right?"
"Yes.
The wound to the head only grazed the scalp.
The one in her shoulder did nick the bone, but exited cleanly.
They think she'll heal rapidly and be back to good health within a few weeks."
"That's good news.
Especially for Marty."
Angie glanced around.
"How did you get Ken to leave?"
"I told him there's a restraining order out on him and I'd arrest him if he tried to see Sandy."
She looked puzzled.
"Did he fall for your lie again?"
Tom shook his head.
"It's not a lie this time.
Judge McArthur signed one for me after I described Sandy's situation."
Angie sat down on one of the chairs and wiped her hand across her forehead.
"I think I should call the twins.
And I better get a lawyer for Marty."
"You look exhausted," he said, sitting down beside her. " Why don't you get some rest first.
And what will you tell the girls anyway?"
Her eyes clouded with disdain.
"I'll let them know about their mother's condition, but encourage them to stay with their grandmother.
It wouldn't be advisable for them to come home."
"They definitely couldn't stay with Ken.
They'd end up at your place and you don't need the added responsibility."
She forced a smile.
"The girls are no trouble.
If they insist on coming home, they can stay with me."
Tom looked perplexed.
"I still don't think that's a good idea."
At that moment, a nurse walked up.
"Are you Angie Nevers?"
"Yes," she said jumping up.
"Mrs. Weber would like to see you."
Angie hastened to Sandy's room, but stopped at the door and observed how relaxed Sandy appeared, lying there with her eyes closed.
Not wanting to startle her, she approached the bed slowly.
"Sandy."
She opened her eyes and gave a faint smile.
"Hi.
Guess I gave you quite a scare."
Angie returned the smile.
"Yes, but you certainly look better now."
"How's Melinda?"
"She's going to be fine."
"I'm thankful for Marty's sake."
Then she grimaced.
"I saw Ken in the hallway.
I don't want him here.
I kept my head turned with the sheet pulled up so he couldn't see me.
Then I saw Detective Hoffman talk to him and he left.
What did Tom tell him?"
"Tom had a restraining order put on Ken.
He's not allowed to see you."
"Please tell him 'thank you.'"
Angie noticed Sandy struggling to keep her eyelids open.
She touched her shoulder.
"You get some rest, I'll talk to you later."
Tom and Angie left the hospital and went to the courthouse, where Angie posted bail for Marty and drove her home.
They brought her up to date on Melinda's and Sandy's conditions.
*****
Ken Weber pulled up in front of his house and found a woman with two small children standing at his gate.
"Hello, can I help you?"
His stomach knotted when she lifted her eyes to search his face and he recognized her.
"Hello, Mr. Weber?"
"Hello, Mrs. Conners."
What a pathetic-looking woman, he thought.
No wonder Ryan stayed at the office all the time.
Who'd want to go home to her and those two filthy children?
"I'm very sorry about your husband, Mrs. Conners, but there's nothing I can do.
The company lawyer is handling all the financial papers.
You'll have to talk to him for any guidance."
Her sunken eyes stared at him.
"That's not what I'm here about, Mr. Weber."
He frowned.
"What is it then?"
"My husband left me a letter.
Told me to talk to you about anything I needed and you'd see to it that I would be well taken care of."
Her voice darkened.
"If anything happened to him."
His chest tightened as he narrowed his gaze on the woman.
"I don't understand what you're saying."
"You see, I know what the two of you were doing.
My husband described it all in his letter.
He said if you didn't honor my request, I should go to the police."
Ken glared at her.
"I'd like to see that letter.
Why don't you come inside and we'll discuss this further."
"No.
My husband also warned me not to be alone with you at any time.
You frightened him, Mr. Weber.
And Ryan didn't scare easily.
I have a copy of the letter for you.
But don't underestimate me either.
I have the original in a sealed envelope in the hands of a lawyer.
If anything should happen to me or my daughters, it will be opened."
She handed him a long white envelope, picked up one of the young girls and balanced her on her hip, then took the hand of the other and walked away.
Suddenly, she stopped and turned around.
"I'll let you know what I need."
Tapping the envelope on his hand, Ken watched her until she disappeared around the corner.
He'd definitely miscalculated the shrewdness of Ryan Conners.
And now his wife.
Ken headed straight for his bedroom when he got inside the house, anxious to see what the police had confiscated.
When he slid open the closet door, he hit the wall with his fist.
"What the hell!
They've taken all my goddamn suits."
He then walked through the house and out into the back yard, where he noticed they'd messed with the dead coals of the barbecue.
"What'd they think I did?
Burn something?"
Slumping down on one of the lounges, he stared into the pool.
He'd made a big mistake in turning his family against him.
But the pressure of their accusations and questions had almost sent him over the edge.
He went into his home office and sat down at his desk.
He slit open the envelope.
The letter consisted of five pages.
When he finished, he sat back in his chair and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"That son-of-a-bitch had balls, more than I ever gave him credit for," Ken muttered aloud, wadding the letter into a ball.
Chapter Twenty-five
A grim expression shadowed Detective Maxhimer's face as he left the local Goodwill store carrying a bundle under his arm.
His hunch had paid off after hitting several charity outlet stores and coming away empty-handed.
This one even had a record of a Mrs. S. Weber having donated several bags of clothes and miscellaneous items.
Fortunately, the store had gotten behind schedule in sorting their items and several pouches stood untouched in the store's holding area.
Cliff went through several bags without success until he came to the last one.
Mid-way through the sack, he found a neatly folded dark gray sports coat.
It showed little wear and no damage.
A seam tag bore the inscription:
"Made especially for Ken Weber by Amos Jackson, Tailor."
"Pay dirt," he mumbled.
"You made your first mistake, Ken Weber."