Deadly Valentine (11 page)

“Not necessarily. We'd have looked into email correspondence and known that an email was sent to Mr. Valentine around the time of Mr. Worthington's murder.”

“Which would prove nothing,” Tess said. “In fact, if Mr. Valentine had taken the computer, he'd have been better off not to say anything. The email could have just as easily been sent by Mr. Worthington as your trace of the email would have shown Mr. Worthington was still alive when it was sent.” Tess wasn't so sure that was true. Forensic science was good, but she wasn't sure it would have been able to pinpoint Asa's murder to a time that was a few minutes after the email's date and time stamp.

“Except the fingerprints.”

“Fingerprints you don't actually have,” she said.

"His fingerprints on are on the glass,"

"You mean the glass he used to douse the fire? I wonder who else's prints were on the glass."

Detective Johnson didn't flinch, but neither did he respond, giving Tess the impression that another set of prints were on the glass. “Detective Johnson, Mr. Valentine has been over this before. Do you have anything new to ask?”

“Look Mr. Valentine," Detective Johnson said directing his cool steel eyes on Jack. "There's a lot here that looks bad for you. You fought with the deceased minutes before he was found dead. You stole information off of his computer, a computer that is conveniently missing.”

“But there is no evidence." Tess pointed out. "You don't have his prints on the murder weapon. You don't have the computer in question. You don't have a motive. In fact, there is more motive in Mr. Worthington's family. He embarrassed and belittled his son in a room full of guests and nearly manhandled his ex-wife out of the house.”

“But they both have alibis,” Detective Johnson cut in. “Philip was with his wife and the ex-Mrs. Worthington was getting a speeding ticket on Marshall Street.”

Tess considered challenging Philip and Shelby's alibi, but determined it wasn't the time. “The point is, you don't have enough to arrest Mr. Valentine otherwise you would have done so already. Do you have something new you'd like to ask or are you going to continue to rehash a statement that Mr. Valentine has given twice and not wavered on?”

“Who is Delia Jackson,” Detective Johnson pressed on.

“I don't know any more than what the article says. She worked for Senator Worthington and was killed along with her baby in a fire over thirty years ago.”

“An article about her is in the file you stole from Mr. Worthington's computer.”

Jack shrugged. “I don't know her. How could I? She died when I was an infant.”

“You have no idea why the article about her death would be filed with your information?”

“No.”

“It could have been a mistake on Mr. Worthington's part,” Tess said. “He must have had many files on people. It was probably meant for one of them.”

"We don't know that of course because the computer is missing," Detective Johnson said.

Tess stopped herself from rolling her eyes. She understood his suspicion.

Detective Johnson sat back, studied Jack and then Tess. “You're free to go, but I'd like you to stay in town.”

“Mr. Valentine has business that takes him to Washington,” Tess said.

“Stay available.”

Chapter Fifteen

“That wasn't so bad,” Jack said once they'd left the station.

“It was bad enough.”

“What do you mean?”

Tess rubbed her gloved hands together. “It's freezing. Let's get some coffee.”

His eyes lit up. “How about dinner?”

“We're still working. How about coffee?”

“How about ice cream? There's place just up the street.”

“It's 10 degrees and you want ice cream?”

“Ice cream is 32 degrees. It will warm us up. Come on. I'll buy you ooey gooey chocolate chunky decadence.”

She did like chocolate. “Two scoops?”

“Two scoops,” he agreed slinging his arm around her shoulders and guiding her up the street.

Tess sat in the ice creamery with a double scoop of  chocolaty ice cream on a cone. The place was empty except for Mr. Sorenson, the owner who was busy wiping off the counter. Tess figured that everyone else was having a hot chocolate in the java joint across the street. The ice cream was cold, but Tess had to admit, it was good.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”

“Must be disconcerting to be out talked, considering you're a lawyer.”

She looked up at him over her ice cream. “It would be different if we were in court.”

“After what I saw today, I don’t doubt it. But now I know where you are vulnerable.”

Tess shivered, not from the cold ice cream, but from his use of the word “vulnerable”. She didn't like being vulnerable. She hated even more that he was right. Somehow with him, she was very much at risk.

“The way to your heart is through chocolate.” He grinned and then bit into his own ice cream. Chocolate was her Achilles' heel. But she wasn't about to let it become the way to her heart.

"Maybe we can get to the business at hand," she said.

“So what did you see that I missed in that interview?”

“It's not something you missed. They didn't have anything new except that Lauren didn't do it. Getting a ticket is a pretty good alibi. But there is no doubt that you're at the top of the list."

“That I figured out yesterday. Do you think I'm the only one they're looking at?”

“Officially, no." She lapped up a drip of ice cream before it could land on her hand. "But unofficially, I think they're focused on you and only you. There is strong circumstantial evidence. They just need proof to back it up.”

"There is no proof. I didn't do it."

"Jack, proof comes in all forms. Innocent people go to jail all the time."

Again there was that flash of heat that came to his eyes when irritated. "So what do I do? I'm not going to sit around while they take evidence and skew it to make me a murderer."

"I think you should hire a private investigator."

“A private investigator?”

“I think the best way to get the attention off of you, is to offer up more compelling information on someone else. And the only way that will come to light is if someone else is looking into it.”

“More compelling than the son and the daughter-in-law lied?” He ignored the drip of his ice cream that fell on the table.

"That is compelling, but it has to be proven." She reached over towards him with her napkin. “You’re dripping.”

He let her clean up his mess, watching her face as she did so. He was studying her, she realized. She didn't like it. What was he seeing? Talk about feeling vulnerable.

“I didn't imagine that when I ran into you again that I'd be embroiled in a murder mystery. Did you?”

She decided not to tell him again that she'd hadn't imagined ever meeting him again. “No.”

“Perhaps we could spend a few minutes talking about something other than Asa and his family.”

“Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

“Is there anyone, besides Deputy Dan, who is going to beat me up for kissing you?”

Her jaw dropped. How could he move so quickly from talking about murder to kissing? “Me maybe.”

“If it's only you, I think it’s a risk worth taking.”

Tess went on high alert. Sure, she was attracted to him. She even considered indulging that attraction. But she didn't think she'd have the opportunity. He wasn't really interested in her, was he? Now that the opportunity was staring at her with his gorgeous green-blue eyes, she realized that she wasn't brave enough to indulge in whatever he offered.

Jack laughed. “Don't look so panicked. I'm not so bad at it.”

“I'm sure you aren't. But I'm not in the market for a relationship.”

“Now that’s a waste.”

“A waste?”

“You’re smart, confident, beautiful.”

“That may be, but as I said earlier, I’m not interested," she said despite the fact that the tingling in her body suggested otherwise.

“Oh, you’re interested alright.”

“Your arrogance is showing," she said taking a bite of ice cream to cool the heat growing inside her.

He grinned. “It makes me irresistible.”

“It makes you annoying.”

Laughing, Jack reached across the small table to push a loose curl out of her face. “That too. Do you always wear it up?”

“Huh?”

“Your hair? Do you always wear it up?”

“Yes, why?” Reaching around her, he pulled the pins from her hair. “What are you doing?”

“I want to see it down. I think it will be prettier down.” He ran his fingers through her hair, sending a delectable shiver through her. She bit her lip to keep from sighing.

“Jack.” She pushed his hand way and then used her own fingers to brush through and manage the curls he’d set free.

“I was right. It’s prettier down.” He reached across again to play with a stray curl. Capturing her gaze with his, “You’re beautiful.”

“I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t practice your charms on me.”

“This is no practice," he said, his voice turning from playful and amused to serious, intent.

Placing his hand on the nape of her neck he pulled her to him. Her slight resistance didn’t stop him from taking what he had to have. With his free hand he pulled her chair closer to his. She let out a small yelp as her chair jerked towards him. Taking advantage, he let his tongue explore her open mouth. Her brain told her to push him away, but her hormones had other ideas. She tilted her head, letting him take the kiss deeper. What could one kiss hurt after all? She broke her own rule and let the kiss take over, giving into the thrill of him.

Even as her ice cream dropped to the floor, the kiss went on and on. She was oblivious of their surroundings. He was the only thing in her mind. He wasn't wrong when he said he was pretty good at kissing. He tasted like chocolate and sin. Even a strong woman like Tess couldn't overcome the heady temptation of such a combination. She returned his kiss, lacing her fingers through his hair and pulling him closer. She heard him groan and his hand slipped to her waist pulling until she was nearly on his lap. That was when her brain finally regained control, and she jerked away from him. That had been way more than a little kiss. Too much more.

“Tess.” Jack dropped his brow to hers. 

She reassembled her senses, rebuilt the wall that had for three years kept her heart safe. She pulled completely away, moving her chair back to its starting position. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.” She grabbed a napkin to clean up the spilled ice cream.

“Leave it.” His voice was dark, rough.

“I can’t leave a mess like this-”

“I said leave it!” He let out a frustrated sigh. “How can you do that?”

“What?”

“I feel like I just had a life altering experience and you’re acting like it was nothing.”

“It was just a kiss, Jack.”

She saw hurt and irritation in his eyes. “That was more than just a kiss.”

“We haven't seen each other in a long time. It's only been a few days. It can't possibly be more.”

He stared at her as if she had grown a horn on her head. Then he rolled his shoulders and stood. “I need to go. Cora is expecting me home soon. I can walk you to your car.”

“It's parked on Jefferson. I can get there on my own," she said surprised at the dismissing tone in his voice.

He gave a quick shake of his head she took to mean,
Have it your way.
Without another word, he left.

~~~~

Tess cleaned up the ice cream mess made by Jack’s devastating kiss. It had so immobilized her that she dropped her guard, as well as her ice cream. It would have been so easy to give into to him. To let him use those magnificent lips on her, let his large warm hands caress her. But she couldn't do it. She couldn't put herself in a vulnerable position.

Still, it was mean to tell him his kiss meant nothing. The truth was it had knocked her socks off. It wasn't easy to lie to him, but it would have been too easy to get lost in him. And then what? He’d sow his oats until another more exciting woman came along. And surely one would. He lived in Northern Virginia, socialized with the elite of D.C. Woman draped themselves all over him, she was sure. They'd be prettier and more dedicated to ensuring his happiness. Tess had her career; a career that was once derailed by a man. She wasn't going to let that happen again.

Tess shook off the mixed feelings. She'd hurt him, but it had been the right thing in the long run. She’d ended it before it started and now they could focus on business and she could maintain her safe, ordered life.

Slipping on her coat and picking up her purse, the threw her napkins the trash and exited the ice cream shop. She turned right heading towards Jefferson Street where she'd parked her car. Any other time of year, the streets would be full of people enjoying the ambiance and activities offered in the historic district. But the cold and early darkness of winter kept most people away.

The street lights reflected off the piles of snow still bordering the streets from a storm the previous week. As she reached the corner, she navigated around the snow bank to cross the street. To save time and get out of the cold faster, she took a diagonal route across the street.

She was in the middle of the road when she heard the car sliding around the corner as it turned onto Jefferson Street. It righted without slowing down and made its way up the street, straight towards her.

Adrenaline kicked in as she watched the car barrel down on her. She turned, tried to run, but lost her footing, slipping and nearly falling. Finally she found traction and took off towards the sidewalk. It was just like in her dreams; the feet were running, the heart was pounding, but the body wasn't moving fast enough.

She heard someone yell, “Look out!” but she wasn't about to look. She didn't have to. She swore she could feel the car moving closer and closer. If it were an animal she'd have felt its breath on her heels.

The wall of snow drew closer. She willed her feet to move faster. She closed her eyes and prayed for the best as she dove over the snow barrier. She landed hard on her shoulder, her temple hitting the icy pavement. Stars flashed in her eyes disorienting her. But the sound of metal on hard icy snow had her rolling on the sidewalk until she literally hit a brick wall of the building. Curling up in a ball, she hoped the car wouldn't make it over the snow bank and crush her. She waited for what felt like an eternity pressed against the building.