Dying to Have Her (23 page)

“Allona, people don’t always know—”

“Serena, I’m uncomfortable, and I’m miserable, and I’d like to be left alone.”

“Sorry,” Serena said simply, and left her.

The tests on the candies remaining in the box turned up no more arsenic. Apparently, only the chocolate Jinx had eaten had been poisoned.

Out in the hallway with Bill and Liam again, Serena suddenly had a flash: “Cherry!” she exclaimed.

They both stared at her.

“Don’t you see?” she explained. “Whatever is going on, Jeff didn’t do it. He wouldn’t have put cherry chocolates in an order for me. He knows I hate them. And you’re all being far too certain. Everything you have against Jeff is entirely circumstantial,” she told Bill.

He and Liam both looked at her as if she had seen one cop movie too many.

“It’s all right, Serena. You hadn’t done anything wrong to anyone. The truth always comes out,” Bill told her. “Listen, I have to get back to the station. It sounds like Jinx is going to be just fine.”

Right after Bill left, Jay Braden, who hadn’t been scheduled on the set until the late afternoon and had apparently just discovered what had happened, arrived.

He stormed down the hallway, blond hair uncharacteristically mussed. He stopped abruptly in front of Joe and instantly began shouting. “She’s alive, thank God she’s alive, if she were to have any recurring problems … she should sue the shit out of you, Joe. She should sue the show for every penny that it’s worth!”

“Dammit, Jay!” Joe thundered in response. “This isn’t my fault!”

“You’re supposed to be watching the set. There’s a maniac in our midst—”

“I have someone watching the set!”

“Hey! This is a hospital!” Liam reminded them sternly, just as an irate nurse appeared and glared at them.

“Take it outside, gentlemen, if you must shout like children,” she commanded.

But Jay wasn’t going anywhere. “Jinx is a friend of mine. A good friend. I’m going to sit with her,” he told the nurse.

The woman, tall and stout, with matronly gray hair, wagged a finger at him. “She’s resting quietly. No one is to disturb her. She has a nurse around the clock—and a cop at her door, I might add.”

The last was said in warning. Jay scowled and took a seat in the waiting room, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked at Serena. “If she were to die … that chocolate was intended for you!”

“That’s enough, Jay,” Liam grated harshly.

“Who the hell do you think you are, Murphy?” Jay demanded.

“I’m calling the cops,” the nurse announced.

“No, we’ll take it outside,” Liam said.

Jay shook his head at that, looking down at his hands. They were shaking, Serena noted. “No, it’s all right,” she said. “We’re all just upset here.”

“That’s better,” the nurse muttered.

As the nurse left, a doctor appeared. “The young lady really is going to be all right,” he told them. His manner was Hollywood pleasant. “Your friend is resting quietly; she’s sedated, but she’s going to be just fine. You should all go home now.”

“Good enough for me,” Jay muttered. He walked past the others, hesitating briefly as he looked at Serena. Then he hurried on out.

“I guess we can go now, too,” Andy said.

They trudged toward the emergency exit from the hospital as if they were all half dead themselves.

“I may never sleep again,” Joe Penny said wearily. He shook his head. “Where did we go so wrong?” he asked helplessly. “What do we do now? Where do we go from here?”

“We should plan on closing down—before they close us down,” Andy said despondently.

Joe shook his head. “We didn’t do this, Andy, don’t you see? We were never careless or negligent on our set.”

“Maybe you should get Serena off the set,” Liam suggested.

“Wait! Don’t talk about me as if I’m not here.”

“I’m not suggesting you should be taken off the show,” Liam said. “Just off the set—for a while.”

“Maybe the cops will figure out who pulled this candy bit right away,” Andy argued. “I mean …” He looked at Serena with an unhappy shrug. “You even think that your brother-in-law sent you the candy.”

“It’s what I had thought—”

She never finished the sentence. She broke off because she saw that her sister was coming down the hallway of the hospital exit, striding along with tremendous agitation.

She didn’t seem to see anyone but Serena, passing by the others without a glance.

“Melinda—” she began.

She never finished that sentence either.

Melinda stepped right up to her, in tears, threw her arms around her, and nearly fell. “Do you know what they’ve done?” she cried, near hysteria.

“Melinda—”

“Oh, my God, Serena! They hauled my husband in for attempted murder! They’ve pulled him in for trying to kill
you
!”

F
EELING HELPLESS,
S
ERENA SMOOTHED
back her sister’s hair.

“Melinda, I knew that they were going to talk to him, but as for arresting him …” Serena looked at Liam accusingly. “Did they
arrest
him? Did you know about this?”

“No.” His eyes fell on Melinda. “But I’m afraid it isn’t surprising that they brought him in for questioning.”

“Bill Hutchens didn’t tell you about bringing Jeffrey down to the station, and anything he might have said?” Serena demanded.

“No,” he repeated irritably. “You know everything I know.” He turned away from her and spoke to Melinda. “I’m sorry, but as I said, it’s not surprising. And it may not be that serious. Has Jeff called his attorney?”

Melinda didn’t answer right away. She was now sobbing in Serena’s arms, great gulping tears.

“Melinda, did Jeff call an attorney?” she persisted quietly.

Melinda regained some calm, straightening. “I … yes, he’s gotten an attorney.”

“Melinda,” Liam said evenly, “I don’t think you need to be so upset, honestly. They didn’t tell me they were arresting Jeff, but Hutchens did tell me that they traced the candy and that it had been charged to Jeff’s card.”

“You might have told me that!” Serena said angrily.

Melinda let out a shuddering sigh, getting angry. “And did he order
poisoned
candy?” she demanded.

“Melinda,” Joe Penny said, stepping forward, “of course he didn’t. He ordered the candy and then …”

“Someone injected a piece with rat poison,” Andy said wearily.

“Jeff didn’t even go in today,” Melinda said.

“That’s right. He wasn’t in,” Serena said.

“That’s funny—” Andy began.

“What’s funny?” Melinda asked sharply.

“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking out loud,” he said.

“About what?” Joe demanded.

“Nothing, nothing. Melinda, if Jeff has called his lawyer, he’ll be out in no time.”

“All they have against him is circumstantial,” Liam explained quietly to Melinda. “You’re right—it’s unlikely that the candy came from the store poisoned.”

Melinda’s cell phone started ringing. She dug in her oversized bag for it, couldn’t find it, and cried out with frustration.

“Let me help you,” Serena told her, but before she could, Melinda dumped the bag on the hallway floor. Her wallet, change, phone book, checkbook, lipsticks, compact, tissues, gum, mints, and calendar fell to the floor along with the phone. Melinda grabbed the phone, and the men politely stooped and helped Serena to put all her sister’s belongings back in the bag.

“Hello?” Melinda said. “Yes, yes, yes, of course! I’ll be right there.”

She flipped the phone closed and looked at Liam. “He’s out. They interviewed him, but he hasn’t actually been charged yet, just told not to leave town. His lawyer took care of things. They’ve warned him he might well be charged with attempted murder, and that he’ll definitely be needed again for questioning. But he can come home, and I’m going over.”

“Melinda, you’re upset. Let me drive you,” Serena said.

Melinda smiled, shaking her head. “I’m okay, now that he’s been released. But you can walk me to the car.”

“We should drive you—” Liam agreed.

“Liam, honest to God, I’m fine to drive,” Melinda said. She looked at Serena. “Walk me to my car,” she said, then paused, staring at them all with stricken eyes. “Jinx! Is Jinx … oh, my God, I didn’t even …”

“Jinx is going to be all right,” Serena assured her quickly.

Melinda lowered her head and nodded. Then she stared at Serena, her eyes widening. “Oh, Serena! Someone
is
out to get you. You’ve got to hide, go somewhere—”

“Melinda, I’m all right, I’m not alone, I … I have Liam.”

“Jeff would never hurt you,” Melinda whispered. She looked as if she was about to burst into tears again.

“We really should drive you home,” Liam insisted.

Melinda straightened her shoulders and wiped her face. “No, honestly. I’m all right, Liam. You just watch out for my sister. Serena … walk with me for a minute.”

“Go ahead,” Liam said softly, and he smiled at the skeptical glance she gave him. “Yes, I’m going to follow you, but I’ll stay at a decent distance. How’s that?”

Serena put an arm around her sister’s shoulders, and they started across the parking lot. “Serena,” she whispered softly, “I need to talk to you. Really talk to you.”

“Melinda, don’t you worry, I know that Jeff wouldn’t hurt me, and we’ll find a way to prove it, I swear—”

“No! No!” Melinda glanced over her shoulder. Liam was a good distance away, true to his word.

“Serena, I don’t know what’s going on. I was nervous before … but not scared for you. I was worried about what had happened because … Jeff slept with her.”

“What?” Serena said, completely lost.

“He slept with Jane Dunne. Oh, it was terrible when I found out!”

“You should have told me.”

“I was humiliated! And it ended before she died, and then I was afraid to tell you, and now—now I’m so afraid that the police will find out, and use it against him.”

“Melinda, apparently many men slept with Jane Dunne.”

“Oh, Serena, I was so upset, and I couldn’t even tell you, and now … I love my husband. I really have forgiven him, and he’s been in such agony over this, he’s paying in an awful way for what he did to me. But he would never, never hurt you. Please, please, you can’t tell anyone.”

“But, Melinda, it’s better to admit the truth.”

“No! Especially not now. Swear to me, swear! Don’t say anything, especially to Liam. I had to tell you because I couldn’t stand it. He said that you had called the other day, that you were worried, and oh, God! Serena, I was even afraid myself for a while, but you know, if you love someone, you believe in him. He fell prey to temptation, but not to the point of murder.”

They’d reached the car. Melinda whispered, “I had to tell you, but please, keep this secret.”

Serena hugged her sister tightly. “I won’t say anything to anyone. I love you, Melinda.”

“I love you, too. So much.”

“I’d feel better if I drove you.”

“Jeff will be home when I get there. I just want to be with him. I’m all right now. And I want you home. Locked in. Safe. With Liam watching over you.”

Serena nodded. “Call me, and if you don’t get me, leave a message on my machine saying that you got home okay.”

Melinda nodded and slipped behind the steering wheel. Serena stepped back, waving as she drove away.

Liam came up behind her. “You sure she’s going to be all right? Maybe we should follow her.”

“No, I know my sister. She’s all right.”

“Did she confess to you that Jeff was sleeping with Jane Dunne?” he asked, nearly catching her off guard.

She didn’t look at him. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she murmured.

He shrugged. “The thing is, the police will find out.”

“She was just upset because someone stole his credit card number and used it to order the chocolates.”

He didn’t say anything more before they rejoined the others at the hospital exit.

“Don’t look so glum,” Joe told Serena. “Even if Jeff ordered the candy, it came to the studio. Anyone could have tampered with it there. And Jeff didn’t even come in.”

Andy shuffled his feet uncomfortably. “Jeff did come in this morning. Jim Novac said he saw him leaving the studio very early, right when the writers were arriving.”

“You’re sure?” Serena demanded.

“No, I’m not sure. Jim is the one who saw him. He asked me if there was anything wrong with the Egyptian set. I guess that’s where Jeff was. If there was anything wrong with the set, I didn’t know about it; they never told me. Oh, well. There’s nothing more to do here. I’m calling it a night.” Andy waved and started for his car.

“I’m going for a drink,” Joe told them. “Maybe I’ll go see Kyle Amesbury. Tell him what’s happened before he reads it in the papers. He’s always got plenty of alcohol on hand. I might as well go get numbed while he threatens to swing the axe on me.”

Serena put a hand on his arm. “Joe, it will work out. Hey—there are lots of other sponsors—”

“Yeah. And they’ll all want to take on a show with poison on the set. Sure.”

“Joe, go home. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

He sighed, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say more, then shook his head and walked away. Liam looked at Serena.

“Let me take you home,” he said.

When they reached the house, he opened the door and went through the routine of checking the house.

Serena sat on the sofa in her living room. A minute later, Liam came back and sat on the richly upholstered chair opposite her. “Everything seems to be all right.”

She stared ahead, biting her lower lip. “You’re staying here, right?” she asked softly. “You’re not going to decide to leave me now, are you?”

“Why would I leave you now?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Would you?”

He smiled at last. “Come over here.”

She stood up and walked hesitantly over to him. He reached up, and before she knew it, she was sitting in his lap, leaning against him, and he was smoothing her hair back.

“Never,” he said softly. “I swear to you, whatever the future might bring, I’d never leave you in danger.”

“I don’t know how it happened,” she murmured. “My life is suddenly such a mess. The cops are after my brother-in-law, Allona is pissed at me, Jay is losing it, and Jinx. Poor Jinx! I always think that I’m standing up for her, protecting her … and she’s in the hospital because she ate my candy.”