Fatal Trust (19 page)

Besides, Lexie didn’t trust anyone so organized he could
swear he wasn’t missing a single button.

Trey had hired him and would know more about him. She’d ask
him when she returned for dinner tonight.

Right now she needed to check out one last thing—the
lakeshore where Max’s body had been found. She wasn’t about to trust that the
police had been thorough. Who knows—she might even find a matching button.

Lexie followed the path, then stepped out of the trees onto
the lakeshore and paused, her chest tightening. In her mind she could see Max
lying there, a bloody hole in his chest. She closed her eyes, took a couple of
deep breaths. Then she headed for the rocks and grass where Ben said he’d
discovered the body. She looked around, found nothing.

When she’d finished, she sat down on the boulder she’d
selected the first day she and Ben had met about the murder, staring at the
sparkling water in front of her, at the lush forest across the lake. Her heart
felt bruised. Max was dead, and it seemed somehow worse that he’d been murdered
somewhere he obviously loved, somewhere this peaceful.

Somewhere this deserted.

Lexie shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, the sunny
day suddenly ominous. Igor said the family was all gone, but someone could have
returned. Or maybe Igor had followed her.

Her phone rang, piercing the silence and shocking her
twitchy nerves. She jumped, and then checked the number.

“Sorry to hear about your accident,” J.P. said when she
answered. “Hope you’re following my advice to be careful.”

“I am,” Lexie lied, since standing on a deserted lakeshore
where she’d be an ideal target was the definition of a death wish. She had the
urge to hurry back to Nevermore’s relative safety, but the trees could very
well swallow her signal. J.P. wouldn’t have called solely to check on her
health. “Did you learn something about Max’s murder?”

“Not exactly,” J.P. said. “I heard Ben got back with that
ex-wife of his, so I looked into her. I was hoping to find something you could
use to make her leave Ben alone or at least convince him he was a fool to pick
her over you. I lucked out.”

“What did you learn?”

“That she’s got a couple of problems. One, this past
February she had a big investment tank and lost a bundle. And two, in March the
SEC started investigating her. Not sure why, but word is she’s gonna be facing
a major fine. We’re talking seven figures, plus mega attorney fees, which her
company ain’t gonna pick up. So maybe her interest in Ben has a little
something to do with his inheritance.”

“How do you know this?”

“I might not be the Mafia, but I’ve got connections. One
more thing. The broad showed up at Lakeview for the first time the day Ben was
arrested, right?”

“Right. She flew in from New York and came to the jail to
pay his bail.”

“She didn’t fly in from New York. She’d been staying at the
Lake Superior Inn in Grand Marais for a couple of days. Less than thirty miles
from Lakeview.”

“Are you sure?”

“Like I said, I got connections. She hasn’t been alone
there, either. Day after she got there she had a visitor. Ben’s cousin Jeremy.”

“I need to talk to you.”

Ben turned from the Ford Focus he’d just finished servicing
and looked at Trey. “If you need a rush repair, you’ve got great timing. I just
finished today’s last job.”

“That’s not why I’m here,” Trey said.

“What do you need?” Ben asked when Trey didn’t elaborate.

Trey hesitated, which was out of character. He always seemed
so confident, so sure of what he was doing. “Lexie says I should tell the
police about it, and she may be right,” he finally said. “About the fight I
overheard you have with your grandfather right before Easter. The fight where
Max threatened to disinherit you.”

Ben slammed the Ford’s hood shut.
Damn.
“You’re
right. We should talk.”

She hadn’t missed sherry hour, Lexie thought as she stood in
the parlor of Nevermore that evening, sipping a glass of white wine and talking
to Cecilia. And this one was more annoying than usual. So what if she and Ben
had agreed they shouldn’t let anyone know they were again working together—let
alone sleeping together. He was getting a little carried away pretending to be
enthralled with Olivia. Lucky for him, his eyes were on Olivia’s face, not her
plunging neckline.

Cecilia grabbed Lexie’s arm. “Let’s go talk to Ben.”

Lexie dug in her heels. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I told him you don’t think he’s guilty, if that’s why you
want to avoid him.” Cecilia marched across the parlor to Ben and Olivia,
dragging Lexie along.

“Cecilia,” Ben said, pointedly ignoring Lexie. “How’s Peter?
I haven’t seen him since the street dance.”

“He’s fine,” Cecilia said. “We went out to dinner last
night.”

“I’d love to meet him, especially if he might be a member of
our family soon,” Olivia said. She shifted deliberately so that her barely
covered left breast rested against Ben’s arm.

“I think that’s pushing things a little,” Cecilia said.

Olivia nodded. “You probably want to take your time before
you get married again. Now that you’re an heiress, you have to make sure you
aren’t being married for your fortune.”

“I was referring to the fact you’re not a member of our
family.” Cecilia’s disdainful look and tone would have made Lexie’s mother
proud.

Olivia wasn’t fazed. “I’ve always considered myself a member
of your family.” She brushed her fingertips over Ben’s cheek. “I’m hoping to
become an official one again very soon.”

Ben smiled down at Olivia. “This isn’t the place to discuss
that.”

Lexie pressed her arms against her sides, fighting the urge
to slug him. Granted, she and Ben were just having a vacation-type fling, and
Barringtons didn’t do jealousy—Rule Number 21—but
really
.

“Aren’t you going to greet Lexie, Ben?” Cecilia asked.

“It’s nice to see you again,” he said, barely sparing her a
glance.

Olivia fastened both hands around Ben’s arm in an obvious
show of possession. “I thought you’d have left by now, Lexie.”

“The trustee wants me to stick around a while longer.”

“Has anyone asked for Grandfather’s ’67 Corvette yet? “ Ben
asked, finally meeting Lexie’s eyes.

Lexie’s fingers tightened so hard around her wineglass stem
she was surprised it didn’t snap. “That was Max’s car?”

“Have you seen it, Lexie?” Cecilia asked. “Isn’t it hot?”

“It’s definitely hot.” As were her cheeks, which were
probably also turning the same hue as the car.

“I’d like it as part of my share.” Ben smiled, his eyes
darkening and still on Lexie’s. “It’s got some terrific memories.”

“Like when you nailed Savannah what’s-her-name in it, and
Grandfather found out and got so mad he refused to let you drive it anymore?”
Cecilia asked.

Ben’s lips quirked, and he shifted his attention to Cecilia.
“He eventually relented. And she was the only one. Grandfather told me that
only a special woman was good enough for that car, and he was right.”

“How come you never showed it to me when we were married?”
Olivia asked.

“I didn’t think it was your style.”

“Well, it might be now.” She smiled slowly and touched Ben’s
cheek with her finger. “Maybe it’s time you nailed someone else in it.”

“Excuse me, but I need to talk to Trey,” Lexie said. She
went over to where Trey was sipping a drink.

“Did you talk to the police?” she asked.

“Not yet. I wanted to talk to Ben first, and I didn’t do
that until a couple of hours ago.” Trey pursed his lips. “He told me their
argument hadn’t been a big deal, and that if I felt I should tell the police,
then to go ahead. I’m still not sure what to do. It could end up causing Ben
problems he doesn’t deserve. I told him I’d sleep on it.”

“What do you know about Igor?” Lexie asked.

“The current Igor? Not much, other than he works hard and
he’s willing to be called Igor. Max hired him.”

“Max did? Was that unusual?”

“Max always handled hiring employees,” Trey said. “He found
numbers boring, but he was fascinated by people. I have a feeling he viewed
everyone he interviewed as a potential character. Why are you interested in
Igor?”

“Because he arrived only a few months before the first
attempt on Max’s life,” Lexie said. “I’m sure it’s a long shot, but I thought I
should check whether anything in his history gives him a reason to hate Max.”

“That’s a good idea,” Trey said. “His résumé should be in
the files in my office. I’ll get you a copy.” He set his drink on the high
table and left the parlor.

“Cecilia told me that you and Ben had a one-night stand.”

Lexie shifted her attention to Olivia, who’d suddenly
appeared at her side. “Really.” It was currently a two-night stand, but Lexie
didn’t feel like sharing that information with Olivia.

“I think she was trying to make me jealous, but it didn’t
work,” Olivia said. “I wanted to reassure you that you shouldn’t feel
uncomfortable about it. I don’t hold it against you. I wasn’t in the picture
then.”

“No, you weren’t.”

“And it’s not like you’re Ben’s type.” Olivia gave Lexie her
version of a condescending look.

But then she hadn’t been trained by the master. “Really,”
Lexie said again, this time delivering a condescending look of her own that
would have made her mother proud.

It was so effective it made Olivia look away.

“Here’s your wine, Olivia,” Ben said, approaching them with
a glass of white wine. “What are you two talking about?” His expression seemed
a little leery, but maybe that was Lexie’s imagination.

“Girl talk,” Olivia said, taking the glass from Ben. She
kissed his cheek. “Thanks for the wine.”

Muriel clapped her hands, her bracelets and rings clanging.
“Your attention, please.” She was standing in front of the fireplace, wearing a
burgundy silk caftan and matching turban, hot pink lipstick, and an abundance
of sparkly jewelry. The drink table and a folding chair were beside her.

“We are gathered here tonight to honor my dear brother.” She
folded her hands together and pressed them against her heart. “I believe the
best way to do that would be to identify his murderer.”

Jeremy groaned from across the room. “Not another séance.”

“Of course not,” Muriel said. “When he appeared to me,
Maxwell said he doesn’t like séances. I have no reason to think dying has made
him any fonder of them.” She lowered her hands. “I am going to gaze into my
crystal.”

Seth appeared at her side like a well-trained magician’s
assistant. “Aunt Muriel is an expert at crystal reading.” He was holding what
looked like a basketball covered by a cloth the same burgundy silk as Muriel’s
outfit.

Muriel’s fingertips fluttered. “To be perfectly honest, tea
leaves and tarot cards are more my specialty. But this will work better for the
task at hand. Please help me clear the drink table, Seth.”

“What did I miss?” Trey asked.

“Muriel’s going to try to identify Max’s murderer by looking
into her crystal,” Lexie said.

Trey rolled his eyes. “I think I’d better retrieve my drink
before she starts.” He handed Lexie a sealed envelope. “I think you’ll find
this interesting.”

“Thanks,” Lexie said.

“What’s that?” Jeremy asked.

“Some information about the trust,” Lexie said, sticking the
envelope into her purse.

“Please position the crystal for me,” Muriel said. She and
Seth had moved the wineglasses to the lower shelf of the drink table and the
liquor bottles onto the fireplace mantel. Seth picked the covered object off
the floor and placed it on the table.

“Dim the lights.” Muriel sat down on the folding chair so
she was facing the crystal. “And close the drapes.”

“This is ridiculous,” Jeremy said as Seth complied.

“Look on the bright side,” Cecilia said. “Maybe Aunt Muriel
will discover you killed Grandfather. If you’re in jail, you won’t have to sit
through more of these kinds of things. Or any more sherry hours.”

“Hush,” Muriel said.

“Let Muriel work,” Olivia said. She and Ben were sitting
close together on the love seat.

“Thank you, dear,” Muriel said.

“Since I know Ben’s innocent, I hope you can find the
truth,” Olivia added.

“The crystal never lies.” Muriel pulled off the cloth and
dropped it onto the floor.

“That looks just like the one in
The
Wizard of Oz,”
Lexie whispered.

“Maybe she swiped it from Grandfather’s movie memorabilia
collection,” Jeremy said, not bothering to lower his voice. “If she starts
talking about witches or tornados, I’ll be suspicious.”

Muriel leaned over the crystal and looked down into it. “I
can see a mist, swirling around,” she said in a breathy voice.

“That’s almost a tornado.”

“Be quiet,” Muriel told Jeremy. “Someone is trying to come
out of the mist.”

“Is it Grandfather?” Seth asked from the side. As usual, he
was snapping photos.

“It’s too foggy to see who it is. It’s a person, but I can’t
even tell if it’s a man or woman.”

“Is the person at Nevermore?” Seth asked.

“I can’t tell that, either. The surroundings are obscured by
the mist.” Muriel tapped the crystal a couple of times. “That’s better. I can
see someone else. It must be a woman since she’s wearing a skirt.”

“Unless the mist is in Scotland and it’s a kilt,” Jeremy
said.

Seth glared at him. “Who is the woman, Aunt Muriel?”

“I can’t see her well enough to be able to tell.”

“Did she kill Grandfather?”

“I don’t know. The first person has disappeared. I can’t see
anyone besides the woman.”

Everyone was quiet, so quiet Lexie could hear the
grandfather clock in the living room mark six forty-five with the haunting
Carmina Burana
.
She shivered.

“I can see the first person again—at least I think it’s the
same person I saw before,” Muriel said when the clock had finished. “The person
is carrying something.”

“What? Can you make it out?” Seth asked.

Muriel rested her hands on both sides of the crystal and
looked directly at the camera. “The object is a gun.”

“Like the one that killed Grandfather?” Dylan asked.

“It looks the same, but all revolvers look alike to me. The
figure is moving toward the woman.”

“I thought you were going to find out who killed Max,”
Olivia said.

“The crystal doesn’t always show what you want to know. It
sometimes shows what you need to know.” Muriel studied the crystal for a moment
longer, breathing heavily. Then she raised both hands as well as her voice. “Oh
my God! The first person shot the woman.” She shook her head, her hands moving
spasmodically over the crystal, her bracelets and rings flashing. “She’s been
shot. She’s bleeding and falling to the ground. The person’s moving away,
letting her fall.” Muriel’s agitation seemed so genuine that not even Jeremy
made a sarcastic remark.

“Who’s the shooter?” Seth asked.

“I can’t tell, and the shooter has disappeared from the
crystal. The mist is breaking up enough that I can see the woman. She isn’t on
the ground; she’s in the water. It could be a lake or the ocean; all I can see
is blue water.” Muriel’s words were coming fast, her voice an octave too high.
“The water’s turning dark from the woman’s blood. She has blood coming from her
stomach, and she’s sinking into the water. I can see her—”

Muriel broke off, slumping forward, covering her face with
her hands. She was statue still, so quiet she didn’t appear to be breathing.

Seth immediately ran to his aunt and rested his hand on her
shoulder. “Aunt Muriel, are you all right?”

Muriel slowly lifted her head. The spotlight gave her face a
ghostly glow. “I am fine. But I saw something horrible.”

“The killer’s face?” he prompted.

“Not the killer but the woman, the woman who was shot and is
sinking into the water. The woman the crystal felt it important to warn.”
Muriel’s words were low and round, as if she were making a pronouncement. She
turned to Lexie and pointed. “The woman was you.”

The blood drained from Lexie’s head.

Muriel picked the cloth off the floor and covered the
crystal. “This has been very upsetting. I need to lie down. Please eat dinner
without me.”

“I’d think it’s a little more upsetting for Lexie,” Jeremy
said as the lights came back on and Muriel hurried out of the room.

“You do look pale,” Cecilia said. “Are you okay? You know it
doesn’t mean anything.”

The dramatic announcement coming on the heels of her brake
failure had momentarily unsettled Lexie. But this had a logical explanation.
“I’m sure Muriel subconsciously chose me as a victim because she’s upset I was
spying on everyone,” she said, firmly enough to convince herself, she hoped.
“Or maybe because I was the victim of an accident yesterday.”

The dinner gong clanged.

“The end of yet another delightful sherry hour,” Jeremy
said, offering Lexie his arm. “I hope you’ll sit beside me. I promise I’ll
protect you.”

“As tonight’s in honor of Grandfather, I think we should
toast him before we start eating,” Cecilia said when everyone was seated at the
dining room table. “You should give the toast, Ben. You’re the oldest
grandchild.”

“Only by two weeks,” Jeremy said. “In case you’ve forgotten,
Ben’s also been arrested for killing Grandfather.”

“I didn’t do it,” Ben said.

“How do we know that?” Jeremy said. “I think it’s
inappropriate for you to give the toast.” He got to his feet. “I’ll do it.”

“No way in hell,” Ben said, also getting to his feet.

Trey stood, coughed, cleared his throat. “Sit down, both of
you. I will give a toast to Max. I’ve known him longer than either of you.”