Foul Play at the Fair (18 page)

“And what makes…”

“Detective, the man was bleeding from a wound above his ear. And really, no one would climb into an apple press to die.”

Liv could swear someone chuckled.

She was sure of it when the detective snapped, “This is hardly funny, Pollack.”

A mumbled, “No, sir.”

“Thank you, Mr. Driscoll. Now we’d like to ask Ms. Mon—”

Liv hurried away from the door, all those karate lessons making her light on her feet. She was seated at her desk when a strange buzzing sounded in her ear. Not her cell, but the intercom. They never used the intercom. Ted was giving her time to compose herself. She fumbled with the old-fashioned buttons.

“Yes, Ted?”

“Detectives Devoti and Pollack would like to ask you a few questions.”

“Certainly. Send them in.”

She pushed the tea tray aside and replaced it with her laptop. Her document on Chaz Bristow was open, and she clicked out of it just as the door opened and Ted ushered the two detectives in.

Liv half rose to greet them. “Won’t you sit down?”

Ted pulled up an extra chair, catching Liv’s eye before he placed it next to the one he’d been sitting in.

“Thank you. That will be all.”

Ted gave her a look over the detective’s head and left the room.

The detective sat down across from Liv, but the sergeant continued to stand by the door. Probably an intimidation factor. It didn’t intimidate Liv. She’d dealt with the housewives of New Jersey.

“You are Olivia Montgomery.”

Liv winced. “Yes.”

“And you are…” He consulted his notes. “Event coordinator for the town of Celebration Bay.”

“Yes. For nearly six weeks,” she said, anticipating his next question.

“And before that you lived in New York City?”

“Yes.”

“On the morning in question, did you receive a call from Theodore Driscoll?”

“Theodore? Oh, you mean Ted. Yes, I did.”

“At what time?”

“Five thirty.”

“And are you certain about that?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I was asleep and thought it was my alarm. I reached to shut it off and saw the time, then realized it was my phone.”

“And what did Mr. Driscoll say?”

“That there was a problem and could I come out to the Waterbury farm.”

“And do you often get called with problems that would cause you to leave your residence in the middle of the night?”

“All the time.”

The detective looked taken aback.

“In your occupation as event coordinator.”

“Yes.”

His expression said he didn’t quite believe her.

“For instance, the month before I came here, I had to drive to the Bronx before sunrise to pick up a dozen ice sculptures when the refrigerated truck broke down en route to the Plaza. Once, I had to—”

“Thank you,” he said, unimpressed. He continued through his list of questions; the sergeant shifted his weight as if his shoes hurt.

No, she didn’t know any of the people at the scene well. No, she’d never heard of Pete Waterbury until that morning. “Sorry, Lieutenant Devoti, that I couldn’t be more help.”

He got the idea that he was being dismissed, and he didn’t even resent it. He had about as much interest in this case as a turtle. He stood up.

“Thank you for your time, Ms. Montgomery, and if you think of anything else, please contact either me or Sergeant Pollack at this number.” He handed her his card, dipped his chin, and left, followed by the sergeant, who had not said a word.

She followed them to the door, mainly to calm the flutters in her stomach. And to make sure they didn’t sneak back in to catch her and Ted comparing notes. Not that she had anything to be nervous about; she had nothing to hide.

Okay. Maybe she had a little to hide. But mainly she was annoyed at the detectives’ obvious lack of interest. Halfway through Devoti’s rote questioning, she decided not to mention Roseanne’s late-night visit, her Peeping Tom theories, or the altercation between Ted and Pete. If she needed to give information, she would give it to Bill Gunnison.

The detectives had reached the outer door when Devoti turned around. “Oh, does either of you recognize this?” He reached into an inner pocket and pulled out a folded check.

Liv knew even before she looked at it what it was. “May I?” she asked, holding out her hand.

Devoti handed it to her but hovered over her, probably in case she tried to eat it. He was really beginning to make her mad.

She perused the check, not believing what she saw. One thousand dollars made out to Pete Waterbury and signed by both of them, Ted Driscoll and Liv Montgomery. It was Ted’s signature, but it wasn’t hers. Someone had forged her signature.

She turned to Ted. “Looks like we found our missing check.”

Ted moved close to see it.

Devoti moved even closer. “Is that your signature?”

“Of course not,” Liv said. “Ted and I noticed there was a check missing a few days ago. I figured I had forgotten to write it down.”

“Do you often forget to enter expenses?”

“Never. The town hires an accounting firm to balance the monthly accounts, but I keep a running account of expenses and income.”

“You must handle large amounts of income from the various events.”

“Yes, Detective, that’s one of the reasons we require two signatures on each check.”

He turned on Ted. “Is that your signature?”

Ted looked at the check. “Yes.”

Devoti looked back at Liv.

“Ted often signs a block of checks for me to sign when he’s not here. Obviously someone came in and helped themselves to a check and signed my name themselves.”

“Not a very secure system.”

“Perhaps not, but it’s the way we do things here.”

The detective cleared his throat, letting her know what he thought of her business acumen. Behind him, Pollack was practically smirking.

“And do you ever sign the check first and leave it for Mr. Driscoll to sign?”

“Yes.” Liv turned the check over. “It hasn’t been endorsed or cashed.”

“Apparently not.”

“Well, that’s a relief.” She handed it back to him. “Is there anything else?”

“Not at the moment.” Devoti nodded minutely and gave Liv a complacent smile that made her want to deliver a snap kick to his groin. “We’ll be around.”

The sergeant quickly opened the door for him as he made his exit.

Ted and Liv stood unmoving for a long minute after they left; then Liv turned to Ted. “Those were the dullest, most officious policemen I’ve ever met. And what was with the attitude? How on earth did they get assigned to this case?

“Do you think they were trying to be stupid or are they just pissed to have to be working upstate?”

“The detectives? Both, I imagine,” said Ted, and went into Liv’s office. Liv followed him in.

“Did they think they were going to catch us off guard by waiting until they were leaving to pull out that check?”

“This tea is cold.” Ted picked up the tray and carried everything back to his office.

Liv followed after him. “But it is…” She groped for the right word. “Worrisome about the check.”

Ted tossed cups and the remains of their sticky buns into the trash. “How about an early lunch.”

“Fine,” she said, knowing that Ted would discuss this with her in his own time. “I’ll have a cup of butternut squash soup and a roast beef and Swiss wrap.”

“Worked up an appetite, did you?”

“Yes.” Liv sighed. “Answering police questions without volunteering information isn’t easy, and I don’t feel totally good about it.”

“No. I don’t feel so innocent myself.” But he looked innocent.

“About the check.”

“I didn’t forge your signature if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“Of course not, but who do you think did?”

“I have no idea, and I can’t think on an empty stomach.” He picked up the phone.

The outer door flew open and crashed against the wall. Liv jumped. Ted dropped the phone.

Donnie Waterbury rushed in, searching wildly around the room. “Where is she? What did they do with her?”

“Hey, where are your manners?” asked Ted.

“Where is she?” Donnie’s fists clenched and he continued to look around the room.

“I’m right behind you, butthead.” Roseanne appeared in the doorway, then slipped past Donnie to stand behind Liv.

“Oh, for crying out loud.” Ted picked up the phone. “I guess that’s four for lunch.”

“Where were you?” Donnie asked, trying to see Roseanne, who was using Liv as a buffer.

“Why are you following me?”

“Because I knew you were going to do something stupid.” He glared at his sister.

“Who’s for roast beef and who wants turkey?” asked Ted over the yelling.

“Well, I didn’t.”

“They followed you in here.”

“Make that two turkeys on wheat with lettuce and mayo, a roast beef and Swiss wrap, a butternut squash soup, and one pastrami on rye, extra pickles,” Ted said into the phone.
“Delivery. Better throw in a couple of bags of chips, a couple of Cokes, and could you ask Henry to pick up our regular order from the Buttercup? Thanks, Genny. I’m sure it’s going to be fine. Yes, yes. Just the kids being rambunctious. Sure I will. Thanks a lot.” He hung up.

“Now, who would like to go first?”

“I told her not to come here. But no-o-o, she had to sneak off and talk to Miz-z-z Montgomery.” Donnie glared at Liv, his eyebrows knitted forbiddingly, dark curls tumbling over his forehead; Liv noticed he had the beginnings of a pimple in the crease of his nose.

“Stay away from my sister. She’s just a kid and she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“I do, too,” Roseanne answered around Liv’s shoulder. “So just shut up.”

“Both of you,” Ted said. “Be quiet. And apologize to Ms. Montgomery for bursting in like you were raised in a stable.”

“I apologize, but Rose—”

“He doesn’t have any right to—”

“Quiet.”

Both of them stopped talking, Roseanne scowling at Donnie, Donnie scowling at Liv.

“Do you think that between you, you could get out a coherent story?”

They both started talking at once.

Ted raised his eyes to the ceiling. “I guess not. Donnie, bring that chair into the other office. Ladies, after you.”

Liv smiled in spite of the current of agitation ricocheting around the room. One thing she’d learned in the last few weeks: this job wasn’t going to be boring.

They sat around Liv’s desk, Liv in her office chair, and Ted between the two siblings.

“Now, Roseanne, why don’t you start?”

She shot a worried look to Liv. “You didn’t tell them, did you?”

Liv shook her head.

Roseanne slumped with relief.

“And she didn’t tell me,” Ted said.

“Rosie shouldn’t’ve told anybody,” Donnie blurted out.

“You’ll get your chance, so stifle yourself.”

Donnie shut up and slouched down in his seat.

Roseanne shot Liv a beseeching look. “I’ve been thinking about what you said, Ms. Montgomery. About telling the truth and all. I was coming to tell you that I’d decided to talk to Mr. Gunnison. Not those men that were just here. Just the sheriff. I’d just gotten inside and I was kinda standing across the hall deciding, you know. Then I saw those two men come in. They were the same ones that came after Dad, and I was afraid they’d followed me here. So I ducked into the closet right across the hall.

“I knew for sure I was gonna get caught. I was holding my breath, praying that they hadn’t seen me. And then I heard them go into your office.”

“Why didn’t you leave when you had the chance?” Donnie asked. “I thought for sure they’d arrested you, too.”

Roseanne made a face. “I can take care of myself.”

“Is that why you didn’t even see those two before you came in here?”

She scowled at him but shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

Ted automatically went to the window and looked out.

“Don’t worry,” Donnie said. “I wasn’t so dumb. I parked around the corner and waited until they drove away.”

“You think you’re so smart.”

“Smarter than you.”

“Are you two quite through?”

Roseanne shot a quick apologetic look at Ted, then turned to Liv.

“Anyway, I’d been thinking about what you said, and well, I was hoping maybe you’d go with me to tell Mr. Gunnison about what I did.”

“Oh Lord,” said Ted.

“Rosie,” Donnie snapped.

“I know, I know. I shouldn’t have gone there. I shouldn’t have talked to him. But I did. I’m sorry, okay?” Roseanne’s shoulders slumped and she looked down at her hands. “I’ve messed everything up. It’s all my fault.”

Ted stood up. “I think I’ll call Bill Gunnison and see if he can meet us here.”

“No. You can’t,” Donnie said. He turned on his sister. “See what you’ve done. The sheriff will have to tell those state detectives, and they’ll keep Dad in jail forever.”

Ted’s normally pale face turned paler. “What exactly did you do?”

Liv stood up. “Donnie, I don’t think anything Roseanne knows, at least what she told me last night, necessarily implicates anyone. Unless there was a witness or some other kind of hard evidence, whatever Roseanne tells them will only be circumstantial.”

“How do you know?”

CSI
?
Law & Order
? “Well, I don’t know for sure.”

Donnie groaned. “See, Roseanne. I told you. That’s what you get for—”

“But,” Liv said, interrupting. “I do know that Rose cannot withhold the information.” She mentally crossed her fingers, hoping that she wasn’t condemning Joss Waterbury or his son to life in prison. “Ted?”

“Considering I have no idea what this is all about, I can hardly make an informed decision.”

“I saw Uncle Pete. I talked to him. He asked me to open the store for him, so he could surprise Dad. I did it. But I told Donnie, and he locked it again. Right, Donnie?”

Donnie looked everywhere but at his sister.

“Didn’t you? Donnie?”

“Oh my God. Don’t say anything else. I’d better call Bill.” Ted pushed out of his chair and left the room.

“I’m in big trouble, aren’t I?”

“I don’t know, honey. But you do have to tell the truth.” Liv leaned back in her chair, fighting some strange maternal instinct to put her arms around both teenagers. But she knew they would both be embarrassed, so the three of them sat looking into their laps while they listened to Ted talk over the phone.