Eye of the Beholder (13 page)

“Kinsey, wait. I’ll drive.”

Guy and Kinsey walked over to his car and got in. He fastened his seatbelt and backed out of the parking space, aware of Kinsey sitting with her arms crossed, ridges across her forehead.

“You okay?”

“Not really.”

“You mad at me because I didn’t get rid of the cocaine?”

“Mad? No. Disappointed? Very. I might as well start looking for another job.”

“Will you stop? Even if I turn the cocaine in and the police question you, Brent’s not going to fire you just because you turned a blind eye to some of your friends using cocaine. You may get a slap on the wrist, but you’ve done a terrific job for the firm, and I’m not about to part with you without a fight.”

“You’d fight for me?” she said.

“You don’t think I want to train someone else, do you?”

Kinsey raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me, Counselor, who trained who?”

“Okay, so you whipped me into shape. I don’t want to start over with someone else. We make a dynamic duo.”

Ellen changed out of her running clothes and into a sundress and sandals, justifying in her mind that if she had refused Mina’s invitation to take her to lunch, it would have been perceived as rejection. How could she hurt Mina by admitting how vehemently Guy objected to her association with the Tehranis?

Besides, after tomorrow, Mina would be working the day shift at the hospital and Ellen would have limited opportunities to spend time with her, other than their chance meetings while out jogging. And since she had to eat lunch anyway, what difference did it make if she spent that hour with Mina? It seemed the loving thing to do. She could work on her book all afternoon.

Ellen checked her cell phone for messages and didn’t find any, then dropped the phone in her purse and left it on. She hoped Guy wouldn’t call when she was with Mina, but if he did, at least he couldn’t accuse her of being inaccessible.

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G
ordy Jameson was talking with four ladies in the back booth and spotted Ellen Jones and Mina Tehrani coming in the front door of the crab shack. He counted out four coupons and laid them on the table. “Ladies, here’s a coupon for each of you for free dessert next time you come in. Enjoy your meal.”

Gordy went over and stood with Ellen and Mina. “I didn’t know you two knew each other.”

Ellen smiled. “We met one day while jogging on the beach.”

Gordy saw the dark circles under Mina’s eyes. He took her hand and held it, his eyes seeming to search hers. “I was thrilled when I saw your R.S.V.P. I’m so glad you and Dr. Tehrani are coming to the wedding.”

Mina’s cheeks flushed. “We were planning to, yes. But now I hesitate. Why bring controversy to happy occasion?”

“Mrs. Tehrani, listen to me,” Gordy said softly. “As far as Pam and I are concerned, there
is
no controversy. And the only thing that would take the happy out of the occasion is your lettin’ what anybody else thinks keep you from comin’. It means a lot to us to have you there.”

Mina’s eyes watered. “Thank you for saying so. I will tell Ali.”

“That’s better. Okay, where would you ladies like to sit?”

Mina looked at Ellen. “Is table in corner by window all right for you?”

Ellen nodded. “Yes, that’s fine.”

Gordy picked up two menus and led the women to their
chosen table. “Someone will be right with you to take your order.” He winked at Ellen and put two coupons on the table. “Enjoy one of Pam’s special new desserts—on the house.”

Gordy went out to the kitchen looking for Pam and nearly ran headlong into Weezie Taylor, his assistant manager. “I’ll bet I know why
you’re
here already. Okay, go ahead. Toot your horn.”

Weezie let out a robust, contagious laugh. “Whooooeeee! We were up twenty percent last night. And I personally
sold
—notice I did not say
gave away
—seventeen pieces of Pam’s melt-in-your-mouth fruit pies, two bread puddings, and five pieces of triple-chocolate mousse cake.” Weezie pranced around in a circle and then stopped, her hand out. “Give me five.”

Gordy slapped her hand with his. “You’re somethin’ else. Keep it up and I’ll be givin’ you a raise.”

“I’m tellin’ you, boss, the staff was pumped. Didn’t I tell you we could get more people in here if you’d let me tend to the advertisin’?”

“Yep, you did. I’m proud of you, Weezie.”

Pam Townsend appeared and locked arms with Weezie. “Hey there, girlfriend. I’ve got six fruit pies hot out of the oven, and six more going in.”

Weezie’s smile was a half moon. “Excellent. Now if we can just get Mr. Congeniality here to stop
givin’
it away.”

Gordy went over and stood between Weezie and Pam, an arm around each. “But I love spoilin’ my customers.”

“I know,” Weezie said. “Can’t you spoil ’em a little less often?”

A waitress poked her head in the kitchen. “Boss, the guys are out back. They’re wondering if you’ll be joining them.”

“Yeah, tell ’em I’ll be right there.” He turned to Weezie. “Hang around here much longer and you’re gonna end up workin’.”

“All right, I’m leavin’. Think I’ll go buy me a new dress with that raise I know I’m gonna get.”

Gordy laughed. “Go on, scat.”

Weezie left the kitchen, and he turned to Pam and pressed his lips to hers. “We’ve got plenty of help out front. I’m gonna go have lunch with the guys.”

“Good, I need you out of my hair. I’ve got to make some more pineapple bread pudding and a triple-chocolate mousse cake before Weezie’s shift starts.” Pam giggled. “This is really fun.”

Ellen looked out the window of the crab shack and nodded at Gordy who was having lunch on the back deck with his friends.

“Gordy’s such a nice man,” Ellen said. “I’m glad he and Pam are getting married.”

Mina nodded. “I remember Ali wept with him when Jenny lost fight with cancer. My husband did not think Gordy would recover from deep loss. But now to see he has found love again … well, it’s great blessing.”

“I didn’t know Jenny, but it’s easy to see how crazy he is about Pam.”

Mina looked out at Gordy and smiled. “Are we ready now to go?”

“Yes, thank you for inviting me. This was so nice.”

Ellen’s cell phone rang.
Not now, Guy
. “Excuse me,” she said to Mina, then reached in her purse, picked up the phone, and pushed the Talk button. “Hello.”

“Hi, it’s me,” Guy said. “Kinsey and I are having lunch and I was thinking of you and thought I’d call and see how your morning went.”

“Uh, fine. Pretty uneventful.”

“Did you get any more written on the book?”

“No, I just couldn’t get into it. You know how that goes. I’ll work on it this afternoon. How was your morning?”

“Productive. I got a mound of paperwork done, and Kinsey did some footwork at the courthouse. This afternoon I’ve got a consultation with a new client and a meeting at four. We’re
through with lunch and need to get back. I just wanted to check in.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“Okay, honey. I’ll call you tonight. Love you.”

“Love you, too. ’Bye.”

Ellen put the phone back in her purse, aware of Mina’s probing eyes. “That was Guy—just checking to see how my morning went.”

There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

“You avoided telling him you were with me,” Mina said.

Ellen’s mind raced with excuses and she finally said, “He’s been after me to get back to my writing, and I told him last night that I’d cancelled my other commitments so I could work on the book. I hadn’t planned on spending the morning with you—I’m glad I did—but I doubt he would agree that it should have preempted my writing.”

Mina’s forehead formed deep ridges. “You are kind, Ellen. But your eyes tell me lack of writing is not real issue.”

Ellen pulled her Thunderbird into the garage, the image of Mina’s hurt expression still fresh in her mind, and her inability to defend Guy picking at her conscience.

She pushed the button and lowered the garage door, then got out of the car and started to open the door to the kitchen and felt something blocking it. She pushed with her shoulder and felt something move, then stepped inside and froze, her heart racing, her eyes flitting around the room. The cupboards were open and everything had been pulled out and dumped on the floor and countertops—silverware, pots and pans, spices, canned goods. Dishes lay broken in pieces across the floor.

Ellen turned around and ran back to the car. She backed out of the garage, drove down the block, then pulled over to the curb. She accessed the menu on her cell phone and found the
number for the Seaport Police Department. She hit auto dial, her mind racing with questions.

“Seaport Police Department, how many I direct your call?”

“This is Ellen Jones at 206 Live Oak Place. I just got home and found my kitchen ransacked—maybe my entire house, I’m not sure. I left as soon as I saw the mess. The intruder may still be in there.”

“Where are you, ma’am?”

“I’m in my car. I drove down the block from my house and called you.”

“Okay. Hold the line, please.”

Ellen took a slow, deep breath and wondered what she had been thinking when she talked Guy out of getting an alarm system.

“You still there, Mrs. Jones?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t go back in the house. Officers will be there in a couple minutes.”

“All right, thank you.”

Ellen disconnected the call and felt at the same time numb and violated. She thought about calling Guy but decided against it. It was probably better to find out what she was dealing with before she alarmed him.

Ellen started the car, made a U-turn, then drove up the block and pulled over in front of a neighbor’s house, her eyes fixed on the front of her own home. She didn’t see any sign of forced entry or anything that even looked suspicious. Was someone still in there? Had he found what he wanted?

Ellen felt a chill crawl up her back and was hit with the same eerie feeling she’d had when she was editor of the
Daily News
and was stalked by a kidnapper who wanted her to print his threatening poems to torment the father of his captured victim. She had never before or since encountered such evil and hoped she never would.

In her rearview mirror, she saw a squad car approaching. She got out of her car and walked over to the curb and waved till the car pulled over in front of her house. Two officers got out and one looked familiar.

“Mrs. Jones, Investigator Backus. Chief Seevers and I came and talked to you about the Hamilton case.”

Ellen shook his hand. “Yes, I remember.”

“This is Officer Rutgers. Tell us what you know.”

“I left the house around 11:40 and came home about 1:20. When I tried to push open the door from the garage into the house, it seemed stuck, as if something was blocking it on the other side. I pushed a little harder and felt something move and the door give way. I went inside and everything had been pulled from cabinets and drawers and strewn across the floor and the countertops. I left and called you.”

“All right, stay here. Rutgers and I will take a look.”

Ellen watched as the two officers drew their guns and jogged over to the front door and tried to open it, then quickly made their way around the side of the house and disappeared. She waited for what seemed an eternity and then saw the officers reappear and walk toward her.

“There’s no one in the house now,” Backus said. “Whoever was in there broke a back window to get in, and then left by the French doors.”

Ellen lifted her eyebrows. “Does the rest of the house look anything like the kitchen?”

“Yeah, I’m afraid so, ma’am. We’ll need you to come back in with us and see if you can determine if anything valuable’s missing.”

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