Deadly Valentine (20 page)

Tess held her coffee cup in both hands letting the warmth drive the chill from her fingers. She'd been operating under the assumption that the Senator was Jack's father, but maybe Agnes was right. Cora didn't strike Tess as being the most reliable source of information. It could be that in her grief and need to blame someone for Delia's death, she accused the Senator of setting the fire. But why did she believe that the Senator was Jack's father?

Delia could have told Cora and the Senator lied to cover up his involvement. Or Agnes could be lying. The staff of important people usually knew the truth, but very rarely gave out truthful details. Perhaps Agnes was giving her the line the Senator had told them to give over 30 years ago.

"Who has a mother somewhere?" asked Walter as he entered the kitchen carrying a tray of empty cups.

"You remember Delia don't you Walter?" Agnes asked as she took the tray from him. "Walter's been here even longer than me," she said to Tess.

"It's my wrinkles that give it away," he said with a grin. Turning to Tess he asked, "How is it that you're talking about Delia?"

Tess shrugged not wanting to tip her hand. Fortunately Agnes responded. "Wasn't she a sweet girl?"

He nodded. "Sweet as my mama's homegrown honey. But not very smart. If she'd moved back to the house like she was supposed to, she might still be with us today."

Agnes nodded. "Stubborn. How was she going to raise that baby without a job?"

"I thought you said she worked for the Senator?" Tess asked.

"She did," Walter said. "Until she got it in her head to quit."

"Did something happen?" Tess asked trying to sound nosy instead of like an interrogator.

"Someone else would have fired her," Agnes said with a shake of a soapy wooden spoon. "But not the Senator. He said he'd keep her on even though it could reflect poorly on him."

Walter nodded in agreement. Tess figured even in the late 1980's in the south, unmarried mothers carried a stigma. For a conservative, family values senator it could raise a few eyebrows.

"He even made arrangements for her to stay here and have a nanny. Isn't that right Walter?"

"That's right."

Tess frowned. Nannies weren't cheap. It's unlikely Delia would be able to work enough to cover the cost of one.  "That's very generous of him," Tess said.

"The Senator's a good man," Walter said. "He knew she wasn't very worldly and that's why she got in trouble. So he did the decent thing, but she was too dumb to accept his help."

"Don't talk ill of the dead," Agnes said as she made the sign of the cross. "I do hope that Delia and baby Brady were there to meet Asa in heaven."

Walter snorted. "I'm sure Asa is nowhere near Delia and her baby."

Agnes looked stricken. "You can't think he's … he's…there?" she said pointing her finger downward.

Walter picked up the tray with a shrug.

"He was a hard man and sometimes unchristian, but he did so many good things for the community," Agnes said.

"For his sake, I hope it was enough," Walter said making his way to the door. "But it sure is calmer around here now, dontcha think?"

"Bite your tongue," Agnes snapped. "You shouldn't speak ill of the dead." As if to make sure she was safe, she grabbed the salt shaker and threw a dash over her shoulder, though most of it stuck to her wet fingers.

Walther laughed. "I don't think he can make my life any worse now than he did when he was alive." Then he stepped out the door.

"What did he mean by that?" Tess asked.

Agnes waved his comment away. "Oh, it's just a little rivalry."

"Rivalry?"

"The Senator is like a father to Walter. And Walter just adores him, looks out for him. Asa would sometimes do things to remind Walter of his place. Not that Walter ever forgot his place, but … well…"

Tess thought that kind of behavior could make someone mad, but could it make someone mad enough to kill? She gave her head a shake. The butler did it? Her lips twitched at the idea. Wouldn't that be something? And Agnes could be Ms. Marple. But as much as Walter disliked Asa, he cared for the senator more. It was doubtful that Walter would do anything to upset the Senator, especially killing his only son.

Just then the door shot open. "I swear to God that man-"

"Sarah!" Agnes snapped like a mother reprimanding a child.

Sarah blinked in surprise and then noticed Tess.  She bit her lip as she made her way, with a tray full of plates to Agnes.

The two women stood at the sink with their backs to Tess. It was reminder of her place as well. Or at least where her place wasn't.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Tess wasn't able to get much work done when she returned to the office. She told herself it was because of the tension building between her and the Showalters. In one afternoon she'd upset Daniel and Tom. But she knew that was only a small part of her restlessness. Jack hadn't called, emailed or texted. It worried her. And if she was honest with herself, she also felt disappointed, which in turn caused her to feel guilty. Why would he be thinking of her when his life had just been turned upside down? She wanted to call him, to help him. But he'd been clear that he didn't want or need her.

To distract herself, she decided to visit her favorite boutique. Tess had learned to live on less in her modest new life, except when it came to couture undergarments. Her favorites were Carine Gilson, but she could make do with La Perla or Damaris as well. Tess was rarely able to afford her undergarment fetish anymore, but after all the drama and angst of the last 24 hours, just looking at the pretty lace clothing would make her feel better.

She walked the block and a half to the historic section of downtown Jefferson Tavern to Cezarier's Boutique. She pushed open the door, hearing the familiar bell jingle as she walked in.

"Ah Tess! Bonjour, bonjour. Vien."

"Bonjour Cezarier.  Comment allez-vous?" The other perk of visiting Cezarier is that Tess could practice the French she learned from the nanny she had until her mother fired her for playing bedroom games with her father.

"Good, good. I'm so glad you came by. I just got the most beautiful La Perla set in the other day. It made me think of you. And just in time for Valentine's Day, yes?" Cesarier said in her heavy French accent.

Was it Valentine's day already, Tess wondered. "You know I don't need a man to enjoy your lingerie."

"Ah, but it's more fun, n'est pas?"

Tess was about to say she couldn't remember, except the image of Jack's face as he'd sneaked a peek at her getting ready for bed flashed in her mind. Admittedly, she'd liked his reaction. Unfortunately, it appeared that she wouldn't have a Valentine for Valentine's day this year. It was the first year in many that the idea made her sad. But if there was one thing that could make her feel better, it was lingerie shopping.

"Show me what you have," Tess said.

Tess had only meant to look, but ultimately walked out with the La Perla set Cezarier showed her. She justified the $400 purchase by reasoning that it was less than half the price of the Carine Gilson set she'd really wanted. Once home, she made herself a frozen diet meal for dinner. After eating, she made a fire and sat in her chaise chair to go through files she'd neglected over the last few days. She'd barely gotten through the second file when there was a knock at the door. It wasn't too late for visitors, but most people called first. To be safe, she peered through the curtains to see who was at her door. The figure was dark, tall, and sad.

“Jack,” she said opening the door.

He looked up at her with tired eyes. “I owe you an apology.”

“For what?” She opened the door wider to invite him in.

“For last night. I was rude.”

She waved it off. “It's understandable. You'd just had the rug pulled out from under you.” She closed the door and looked up at him. “I should probably apologize to you for how it all came out.”

He didn't say anything. She hated how beaten down he looked, but was relieved he was here. That he'd come to her.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Sure.”

“Wine is the strongest I've got.”

“Wine is fine.”

She left him in the living area as she went to the kitchen. When she returned he was standing by the fire, his eyes lost in the glowing embers.

“Thanks,” he said taking the wine from her. He swallowed half the contents and waited as if he expected the wine to sooth some part of him. “When I saw you again at Asa's, I promised myself that this time I'd do everything right. And yet, I've been a complete jerk. Twice.”

“No you haven't. You were hurt and angry. With good reason.”

“Not at you.”

“It doesn't always matter.”

“I told you to get out.”

“It wasn't my business. You and Cora needed to talk.”

“I needed you to stay.” The look in his eyes touched her deep in her soul. He had needed her.“I was too proud to have you watch as my life unraveled. Would you have stayed?”

She reached out, wanting to touch him, to reassure him. “Yes.”

Some of the storm in his eyes cleared. He set his glass on the mantel and reached for her, gathering her close and holding on as if she was the only thing keeping him together. “I was afraid you wouldn't let me in the door.”

“I didn't realize I was that unreasonable.”

He brought his head up enough to look at her. “I would have deserved it.”

“No.” She shook her head. “No you wouldn't have. Why don't we sit down and you can tell me what happened. If you want to.”

Jack picked up the glass and swallowed the last of his wine.

“Do you want more?”

“No.” He replaced the glass on the mantel. He took her hand, and pulled her with him as he sat on the couch.

“Did you and Cora work things out?”

“It'll be a process.”

“So...” Tess wasn't sure if she should ask. “Is Delia your mother?”

He took a deep breath, let it out. “She gave birth to me.”

“And the Senator?”

“Cora is convinced of it – that he got Delia pregnant and killed her.”

“But?”

“Delia never actually told Cora who the father was.”

“The story given at the time is that the father was in the military.”

Jack's head tilted to look at her. “Where did you hear that?”

“I was at the funeral today and ended up in the kitchen. Agnes and Walter worked with her. They remember her as a sweet but naïve girl. The Senator had made arrangements for her, but she'd quit, wanted to go it alone.”

“Did they know this guy?”

“No. In fact, I'm not sure they buy the story they were told.”

“They think it was the Senator too?” he asked.

“We didn't get that far. But he was doing a lot for her, considering her position and his.”

“I heard he'd done things for his staff. He took Walter in as a teenager.”

“You've done your own investigation.”

"I want to know what I'm in the middle of."

"There's one more thing. Asa had cancer. Terminal."

Jack's eyes widened. "How long did he have?"

"A few months."

He let the information soak in. "So either the killer could have waited or Asa's impending death had him making plans the killer didn't want him to implement."

Tess nodded. "I'm more inclined to believe the latter. It's a desperate person that murders someone in the middle of a dinner party."

"This just gets crazier and crazier." He let his head fall back on the couch and closed his eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"I will be. I'm still having difficulty coping with the idea that I may have Worthington blood flowing in my veins.”

“Biology doesn't make you who you are.”

He lifted his head to look at her, this time his eyes showed annoyance. “You think I'm being unreasonable?”

“Not at all. I think you have every right to be hurt and angry, out of sorts even. But who you are- that's not from your DNA it's from the people who loved you, raised you.”

“Do you really believe that?”

Tess gave a short laugh. “I have to, otherwise I'm doomed to end up like my parents and I've fought very hard to be nothing like them.”

His face dropped. “Christ, I've done it again. I forgot you had the parents from hell. At least I had a great childhood.”

Tess reached out with her other hand to pat their linked fingers. "It was no picnic, that's for sure. That's how I know breeding, blood, DNA, whatever you want to call it, doesn't determine who we are."

“Do you know what's really bothering me?”

“I can only choose one?” she asked.

She was pleased when his lips twitched upward. “One of several. It's the adoption. It couldn't have been legal, could it? Don't parents have to sign papers agreeing to give their kid for adoption? Delia didn't have a chance, but what about the dad?”

“I don't know what the adoption laws were back then, but adoption used to be very secretive. Delia was dead and no father is listed on the birth certificate. So if Cora could show she had custody of you, then I imagine that the adoption was legal.”

“Except that there is a father somewhere.”

Tess studied Jack, trying to identify the source of his concern. Was he really worried about an uninformed birth father or that the adoption wasn't legal? If it wasn't legal, then technically the parents he'd grown up with were not parents, adoptive or otherwise. She shuttered at the idea of being a child without a family.

“If Cora doesn't have the adoption papers, we can try to get them although it will be difficult. Adoption records are closed in Virginia. Without some very compelling reason, we may not be able to see them. But Jack,” she lifted their linked hands and  pulled them to her heart. “They're just papers. The love you received from your parents is all the validation you need that you were theirs.”

For the first time since he'd arrived, he looked like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. “I knew I needed you.” He leaned toward her, pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. She could feel the tension slowly dissipate as his lips slid silently, smoothly over hers.