2 A Dyed Blonde and a Dead Body (8 page)

“Just, do me a favor, and stay out of my business,” Dan said, his tone short. “I don't need a media frenzy right now. I just need some time to say goodbye.”

Bekki nodded, but she knew that she couldn't promise him. She knew that with everything she had discovered she could not simply let this go.

When she felt Nick's hand curl around her elbow she could tell from the tension of his grasp that he had quite a bit to say to her about the incident. He steered her out of the bakery and around to the parking lot behind it where his car was parked. He was silent as he opened the passenger side door to his car.

“Oh it's a nice night, I could walk,” Bekki said lightly and started to pull away from him. He settled his gaze on her with absolutely no compassion, and she felt her next words stick in her throat. She recalled his extreme sense of justice, and his belief that breaking the law was never justified. Maybe he was still going to take her to the station, just to make a point. He continued to hold the door open for her. Feeling a sense of dread rise within her, Bekki slumped into the seat. He closed the door sharply behind her and walked around to the front of the car. As he was opening the door, his cell phone began to ring. He shot her a look of warning, and then answered the phone.

“Malonie,” he said with more animosity than was meant for the caller. “Are you certain?” he asked with a slightly milder tone. “Make sure you have that information on my desk by the morning. Right, yes, we'll need to change the status of the case. Thank you.”

He hung up the phone and slid into the driver's seat of the car. He tossed his phone into the console between the seats and grasped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white as the skin pulled taut.

“Can you please tell me one thing Bekki?” he asked through gritted teeth. Bekki braced herself, prepared for a lecture, or worse, for Nick to make it clear that he wanted nothing to do with her.

“Anything,” she agreed nervously.

“How is it that you are always right?” he demanded and shot a glare in her direction.

“Nick it's not what you think…” she started to defend herself, and then blinked slowly. “Wait, what did you say?”

“You heard me,” Nick said smacking the heel of his palm against the steering wheel. “How am I supposed to get it through your head that what you're doing is wrong, if it always turns out to be right?”

Bekki fell silent as she wondered just what kind of game he was playing. Was he trying to get her to confess something? Was it some kind of trick?

“Well?” Nick asked again. “Any explanation?” he narrowed his eyes.

“I just like to get to the truth,” Bekki said quietly.

“I see that,” Nick nodded and wiped his hand across his face, rubbing lightly at his eyes as he did. “I sent in the note for handwriting analysis. I just got the results.”

“Oh?” Bekki asked.

“The note was forged Bekki, it wasn't written by Lydia,” he shook his head in disbelief. “You were so sure this whole time.”

Bekki was silent as her heart thumped against her chest. “Can they tell who wrote it?”

“Not without a sample to compare it to,” Nick explained. “But it certainly means that the case will be looked at more closely now. Thanks to you we already have a suspect.”

“Why does it seem like that doesn't make you happy?” Bekki asked hesitantly.

He sighed and stared through the windshield. “Bekki I just don't want you to put yourself in these dangerous situations. What if it hadn't been Dan that walked in? What if it had been Julie? Do you think you're immune to danger?”

Bekki shook her head. “Of course not. But I can take care of myself, Nick,” she said firmly.

“Until you can't,” he said sharply. “Then what? I'll be showing up to investigate?”

“Nick, I was never in any danger,” Bekki said, her eyes narrowed with determination. “Lydia was the one who was in danger, and no one was there to help her. No one was there to stop it from happening.”

“What makes you so different from Lydia, Bekki?” his voice raised some as he struck the steering wheel hard with his palm again. “That's my point. What makes you different from her?”

Bekki sat back in her seat, a little startled by his anger. She lifted her eyes to his and spoke with pure confidence.

“I have you.”

Nick grumbled and tightened his lips into an even line, but she could see the warmth rising in his eyes. “Well, I guess we should get back in there and start an investigation,” he sighed.

“We?” Bekki asked hopefully.

“Yes we,” he reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. 

***

Nick knocked on the front door of the bakery, but no one answered. The door was locked.

“Dan must have left,” he frowned. “I'll have to get someone over here to open the door,” he pulled out his cell phone.

“Or...” Bekki drew out her word with a subtle smile.

“Or,” he frowned and then rolled her eyes. “All right fine, but just this once.” Bekki smiled and deftly withdrew the hair pin she had recently discovered doubled very well as a lock pick. She fiddled with the knob until the lock gave way.

“You really are good at that,” Nick said begrudgingly.

“One of my many talents,” Bekki quipped and swung the door open. As they stepped inside Nick flipped the light switch on. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he studied what was left of the scene.

“Lydia really was murdered,” he said solemnly. “You were right all along, I really thought it was a suicide.” 

Bekki was silent as she stared into space. She still could not comprehend how Lydia had ended up in the noose. How could a person be murdered and have only what appeared to be self-inflicted wounds?

As if taking the thoughts right out of her mind Nick shook his head. “Someone had to be really sick to do this Bekki,” he turned to look her straight in the eye. “This is why I ask you to stay out of things like this. If it really was Julie that did this, who knows what else she might be capable of,” as his lecture continued Bekki could barely hear him. Her eyes were slowly widening as a horrible thought formed.

"You're right," she whispered again, tears beginning to fill her eyes as she stared at the empty chair in front of her still positioned right beneath the area where the noose had hung.

"Bekki," he reached out to grasp her shoulder gently when he saw the tears. "Don't cry, please, I don't mean to frighten you."

"No, it's not that," Bekki shook her head slightly. "I mean you're right, Lydia did kill herself."

"No," he shook his head. "Didn't you hear me Bekki? The handwriting analysis came back, it doesn't match Lydia's. Someone forged the suicide note."

"Oh yes they did," Bekki nodded as she reached up to wipe at her eyes. "But Lydia still killed herself."

"I don't understand," Nick frowned. "Did you figure something out?"

"There was one piece I couldn't understand," she explained. "How did Julie get Lydia into the noose. She couldn't lift her, she didn't drug her, so how did she do it?"

"I don't know," Nick shook his head. "Forensics is going to have a hard time figuring it out, since the crime scene has already been compromised."

"She made her," Bekki uttered, absolutely horrified by the idea. "She made her do it herself."

"How? How could someone force someone to do something like that?" he asked, scratching at his light brown hair.

"There's only one way, and there's no way to prove it,” Bekki felt her horror transform into hopelessness as she murmured her next words. "She's going to get away with it, isn't she Nick?"

Nick slid his arm around her shoulders and studied her intently. "Not with you on the case Bekki," he said firmly. She took a deep breath and felt her resolve to capture Lydia's murderer return. Maybe there would be no evidence to prove her claim. But evidence wasn't the only way to get a conviction. A confession could be just as damning.

“I'm going to go,” Bekki said suddenly as she walked towards the door.

“Bekki wait,” Nick followed after her. “I don't want you to be alone. If this woman already knows that you're on to her and finds out that we suspect her, she may come after you again.”

“I can take care of myself Nick,” Bekki said sternly. “I'll be careful.”

“She's going to try to confront you,” Nick frowned. “She'll wait until you're alone.”

“That's what I'm counting on,” Bekki said under her breath.

“What was that?” Nick asked, as he did not hear her clearly.

“Nothing, I just said I would be very careful. I have my phone. I'll call you the minute I sense any danger, okay?” she smiled a little at him. “Remember, I'm always right.”

“Until you're wrong,” he warned her with one furrowed brow.

“I'll be careful,” she assured him a final time. “You see what you can figure out here, I have an idea I need to follow up on.”

“Call me,” he reminded her as she stepped out of the bakery. As the door fell shut behind her she caught a glimpse of him through the window. She could tell from his expression that he was not at all convinced she would be safe. She was surprised that he let her leave.

Chapter Five

Bekki hurried across the street to the salon. She ducked inside and kept the lights out so that no one would notice she was there. She began digging through the drawers in the receptionist desk. She knew exactly what she was looking for. Bekki had found that having a voice recorder around when you needed it could be very helpful. The only problem was, she was having a hard time finding it.

“Aha!” she smiled as she closed her hand around the device in the bottom of the lowest drawer. She pulled it out and flipped it over to put in fresh batteries. Once she had it stowed safely in her pocket she sat down at the desk to consider her options. She knew with Dan being suspicious of her, and Julie likely knowing that Bekki was aware of what she had done, the entire situation was going to be quite complicated. Bekki needed to find a way to contact Julie without alerting Dan. She recalled the app that Julie had been using to track Dan, and an idea formed in her mind. She knew that Dan was now staying with Julie at the Harroway Harbor motel.

As she sneaked out the back of the salon she knew that Nick would not approve of what she was about to do, but as long as it worked out the way she hoped, it would be worth the risk in the end. When she arrived at the motel most of the staff were gone for the day. The front desk was empty. Using her cell phone she called the number of the hotel and selected room nine. She waited a few moments, but no one answered. She crept closer to the room and called again. This time she could hear the phone ringing inside the room. She also heard a frustrated huff.

“Answer it, just see who it is,” Dan's voice demanded.

“Who would be calling us here?” Julie protested. “It's probably a wrong number.”

“It could be the police,” Dan pointed out.

“They have your cell phone number,” Julie reminded him. Bekki hung up, and then blocked her phone number before calling Dan's cell phone.

“See it is them,” Dan said. “Hello?”

Bekki hung up the phone. Then she called back immediately.

“Hello?” Dan said with more frustration.

Bekki hung up right away. Then she called once more. When she did, she heard the frustration in Dan's voice.

“This place must have terrible reception,” he said as his phone began ringing again. “Obviously it's important. I'm going to take it outside.”

“Don't be long,” Julie called after him.

Bekki hurried back out of the motel before Dan could spot her in the hallway. She waited out of sight at the corner of the motel as Dan walked back out. This time when she called his cell phone, she didn't hang up. Instead she disguised her voice.

“Is this Daniel Brentwood?” she asked in a more nasally tone.

“Yes it is,” he replied.

“This is Harroway PD, we need you to answer a few questions for us,” she made her voice fade in and out as if the connection was bad.

“I'm sorry I can barely hear you. My phone isn't working well. I'll just meet you at the station,” he growled with annoyance at his phone as he hung up. Bekki watched as he shoved it into his jacket pocket. Then he headed straight for his car. She waited until he had the door open before jogging out to meet him.

“Hi Dan, remember me?” she said with a cheerful disposition.

“Of course I remember you,” he glared at Bekki. “Aren't you supposed to be staying away from me?”

“Oh, I know I am,” she frowned. “But I just felt so bad about what happened. I was just hoping to apologize to you again.”

“Fine,” he said dismissively, his aggravation clear in the way he narrowed his eyes. “Now please, just leave me alone.”

“Do you think maybe…” Bekki scrunched up her nose and tilted her head slightly to the side. “I just feel like you don't believe me, I'd just really like to give you a hug,” and before she finished she had her arms around him.

“Would you please!” Dan shouted with irritation. “Enough, are you crazy?” he demanded. Bekki slid her hand into his jacket pocket as she was releasing him, and retrieved his cell phone.

“I'm sorry, I just keep making things worse don't I?” she sighed sadly. “I honestly don't mean to.”

“Just go,” he demanded. “I don't want to hear about you bothering my wife either, understand?”

“Of course,” Bekki nodded and apologized again. He shook his head and climbed into his car. As he drove off, Bekki held his cell phone in the palm of her hand. She made sure it was turned on. Then she walked back towards the bakery.

***

After several minutes had passed and Dan didn't return, Julie started to get suspicious. She tried calling his phone, but he didn't answer. She frowned as she checked the tracking app she had on her phone. She saw that he was headed for the bakery. If he had spoken to the police and then went to the bakery without telling her why, it could have something to do with the investigation. Julie couldn't take that chance. She had to find out what he was up to. She grabbed her jacket and headed out of the motel, watching the blip on her phone the entire time.

Bekki paced back and forth inside the dark bakery. She had left the back door open, just as it had been on the night that Lydia died. She had Dan's cell phone on the counter. She knew it wouldn't be long before Julie came looking for him. In the few minutes she had, she did something that left her feeling very uncomfortable. She hung a noose from the rafter and let it dangle above a chair. In the shadows it was hard to see, but she knew it was there. Just the silhouette of it was enough to send shivers up and down her spine. She checked the voice recorder again to make sure it was still on. Within moments she heard the creak of the back door opening.