Death Takes a Holiday (25 page)

“Well,” Felicity said, “why else did Robert move so quickly to have him committed?”

“Oh, I don’t know,
maybe because he believed Jack set the guest house on fire?” Grace asked sarcastically. “Do you know where Jack is right now?”

Felicity
’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know. If he was still on this train, I know he would have come to see me by now.” She glanced to the window. “He must have jumped off the train with Henry last night. I sure hope he’s all right. He tried to call me this morning, but I missed his call.”

“This morning?”
Grace asked quickly. “Did he leave a message?”

“’Fraid not. I tried to return his call, but there was no answer.”
She shook her head in bewilderment. “Surely, that’s not all you want to ask me. Don’t you want to know about my life? Most of my fans like to hear about my childhood. It makes them feel closer to me.”

“
Thanks,” Grace said with a smile, “but I don’t think we have to go that far back. I would love to hear more about you and Victor Kirby.”

“Hmm. Well
, that is quite the topic. What can I say about Victor?” She reached up and tugged at her necklace. “Victor was my fifth—”

“Seventh,” Parker corrected.

“We don’t count the first two,” she said snidely. She turned back to Grace. “My fifth husband. The others were such lovely men. Every single one of them. I was so sorry when they passed away.”

“How did they die?” Grace asked.

“Let’s see . . . Harry fell overboard during our honeymoon cruise. Sal . . . well, he died of natural causes. Skydiving.”

Kyle looked up from his book. “His parachute didn’t open?”

Reaching over and patting Kyle’s knee, Felicity chuckled. “No, silly. Nothing gruesome like that. He had a heart attack after his chute opened, but before he landed.”

“How old was he?” Grace asked.

Felicity’s face crumpled. “Oh, too young. Far too young.”

“He was ninety,” Parker said.

“It was something he always wanted to do. Then there was Trevor . . . We never did find his body.”

Grace felt Kyle shift closer, as he set down the book. He caught her eye and glanced
at the door. She slightly shook her head. “That’s a shame,” Grace said far more calmly than she felt.

Kyle coughed.

Felicity instantly reached for the crystal water pitcher on the nightstand. “Where are my manners? Would you two like a drink?”

“No,” they said simultaneously.

“We’re not thirsty,” Grace said quickly. “Thank you anyway. How long were you and Victor married?”

“Years,” Felicity said.

“Seven months,” Parker corrected.

Felicity spared a moment to glare at her assistant. “Seven months is a long time when you’re being tortured daily.”

“I take it yours was not a happy union?” Kyle asked.

“That’s putting it mildly.” She shook her head sadly. “I thought I
had finally found the one. We met in Vegas. I was on a book tour and he was at a conference. He was so sweet and charming. Just swept me off my feet. That weekend we spent in Vegas was like a fairy tale. That whole time while we were dating, I never once saw the monster that he was. Not once. I don’t know how he was able to hide it for so long.”

“How long did you two date before you got married?” Grace asked.

Felicity waved her hand. “Oh, a long time.”

“Forty-two hours,” Parker said.

Felicity’s eyes narrowed angrily.

Grace smiled, suddenly glad that Parker had tagged along.
“How did his family react when he brought you home?”

“They were thrilled,”
Felicity said, pointedly glaring at her assistant.

Grace and Kyle turned to look at
Parker. He looked ready to argue but instead smiled tightly. “Absolutely thrilled.”

Felicity
nodded smartly.

“What about Lucas’ and Robert’s mother
, Ellen?” Kyle asked. “Was the ex-Mrs. Kirby just as thrilled?”

Felicity’s eyes hardened. “Unfortunately, there was no ex-Mrs. Kirby.
Victor got rid of her years ago.”

“What do you mean?”
Kyle asked.

“He killed her when the boys were just children.”

Grace leaned forward. “Was he convicted?”

“They never found her body.
Victor assured me that they never would. He convinced everyone that she had abandoned him and the kids. My understanding was that she was a flighty little thing. No one was very surprised when she disappeared. Well, except for Asa.” She leaned closer. “I think he was a little bit in love with the woman. Apparently, they had been college sweethearts at one time.”

Parker snorted. “I doubt that.
Why would Wellington be at Victor’s beck in call if he had murdered the woman he loved?”

“I don’t know
,” Felicity said, “but I know Victor liked having him around. He used to laugh at him. I think he enjoyed playing with Asa.”

“How do you know that
Victor killed her?” Grace asked.

“Because he told me. He was proud of it.
Scared me half to death.” She visibly shuddered.

“Why would he admit to such a thing?”
Kyle asked suspiciously.

“I guess he was try
ing to scare me.” Felicity narrowed her eyes. “I don’t scare easy.”

Grace and Kyle leaned back and shook their heads. “No, of course not,” Grace said.
“How old were the boys when Ellen died?”

“I’m not sure. Young, I think. I think it hit Lucas the hardest, being the eldest and all. I
heard that he had been especially close to his mother.” Felicity’s pretty face twisted into a grimace of distaste. “Victor was a monster.”

“Does
Lucas know?” Grace asked.

“That
Victor was a monster?” Felicity asked in confusion. “Of course.”

“No,” Grace said, “that
Victor killed his mother?”

“Oh, no. No one knows. Just me and Parker.”

“Are you sure?” Kyle asked.

“Positive,” Felicity said. “Victor wasn’t stupid. He probably figured it was safe to tell me because no one would believe me. I don’t know why. I’m the most honest person I know.”

Grace
glanced at Parker. Eye’s widening, he softly shook his head at her.

“What about you, Felicity?
” Kyle asked. “Do you have any idea who killed Robert?”

“In my books
it’s usually the jealous wife, but I can’t see Tracy killing Robert. After all, what would she be jealous about? No, she just doesn’t have a motive,” she said slowly. She looked out of the corner of her eye at Parker and then back at Kyle and Grace. When Parker didn’t say anything, she gave him another look.

Parker cleared his throat.
“No motive?” he asked as if reading from a cue card. “She has a motive. A big one. She’ll probably inherit Robert’s share of the company. Not only that, but Robert was a cheater.”

Felicity
feigned an expression of complete and utter shock that would have been comical if it hadn’t been so badly acted. Her eyes opened wide as she pressed her hand to her chest and gasped audibly.

Grace caught Kyle slightly rolling his eyes and smiled. He’s such a critic, she thought in amusement.

“Cheating? Robert?” Felicity asked in a horrified voice.

Parker nodded his head
robotically. “He was as bad as his father in that respect.”

Felicity blinked
a few times before saying, “Poor Tracy. I had no idea we had so much in common.” She suddenly smiled. “That means Tracy has a motive, too,” she said slowly and obviously for good measure just in case Grace and Kyle didn’t get the hint.

“Does she have a motive for killing Victor?” Grace asked.

Felicity’s face fell. She tilted her head to the side. “Well . . .” she said looking at Parker.

“She wasn’t at the house the night he died,” Parker blurted out while ignoring the look Felicity gave him.

Grace crossed her arms. “But if he was poisoned . . .”

“She hadn’t been at the house since the fire.” Parker shook his head emphatically. “I don’t think she killed him. I think she actually liked the old man. Looked up to him like a father.”

“Well,
I’m not surprised,” Felicity said in irritation. “He treated her better than any of the rest of us. She still could have killed Robert. She probably harbors some deep resentment for the way she was so ill used.” She laid her fist against her chest and pounded lightly. “A deep dark festering wound in her heart—”

“Well, she hid it well,” Parker countered. He gave his employer a side-eyed look. “Deep dark festering wound?”

Felicity nodded. “Robert was just as much of a cad as Victor. My late husband never focused on one woman too long. If it moved, he’d sleep with it.” She scrunched up her face and dabbed at her dry eyes. “He was such a creep and he had the nerve to accuse me of infidelity. After all the years—”

“Months,” Parker corrected.

“Months,” she agreed with a snarl at Parker, “I gave that man and he slept with every woman in the county. Do you know that two months after our wedding, I caught him in bed with his secretary? I was so humiliated.”

Kyle shook his head.
“If you were so miserable, why didn’t you divorce him?”

“Divorce?
” Felicity raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, but I truly believe in the sanctity of marriage. When you make a commitment ‘till death do you part . . . ,” she said, clutching her hand to her heart, “it should be with your whole heart and soul. No one makes a commitment ‘till divorce do you part. It is always ‘till death,” she lectured sweetly.

“I completely agree,”
Grace leaned over and whispered under her breath. “I think it’s time to go.”

E
yes flashing, Felicity continued her lecture. “I know that has always been what I committed to in
my
wedding vows and I expect no less from my husbands. When you marry it should be for life.”

Grace started to rise. “Well, I think—”

“Or at least until your husband dies. But then I’ve always been accused of being a romantic.” Felicity sighed dramatically. “Parker says that I should commit to just writing romance books.”

“How
‘bout horror?” Kyle asked. “I have a feeling you’d be a natural.”

Grace
grabbed his arm and dragged him up with her.

“Thank you
, but no, I think I’ll stick with the romance suspense genre. It’s what I’m best at,” Felicity admitted proudly.

Grace
opened the door and stepped out of the room. “Well, this has been fun, but we don’t want to overstay our welcome.”

“Oh,
you two come back anytime,” Felicity said happily. “I do enjoy entertaining.”

“Oh, we will,” Grace said over her shoulder as she made her way down the corridor, anxious to be away from the strange couple.

Kyle, a few steps behind Grace, turned around and grabbed the edge of the door. “Tell me something, Felicity. What were you doing on the stairs Christmas morning?”

Felicity
suddenly appeared uncomfortable. She nervously played with the diamond necklace at her neck. “Wrapping presents. It was Christmas, after all.”

“That’s it?” Kyle asked.

Felicity nodded. “Of course.”

Parker moved away from the dresser and stood directly in front of Kyle. “If I were you I’d be more worried about Grace. She seems to be making someone nervous. I doubt that
racquetball flying through her room window was an accident.”

Felicity leaned back and
smiled. “Sounds like a warning to me.”

Chapter twentyone

Grace dropped her
suitcase on the floor of Kyle and Steve’s room. “Some warning. You know, when someone sends a warning it should be clear. You should know who’s being warned, why they’re being warned and what they can expect if they don’t stop doing whatever it is the person sending the warning doesn’t want them to do. A racquetball through a window in a room two people share is not a warning. It’s bad aim.”

“I’m kinda glad
,” Kyle said with a smile. “Now we’ll be in here all nice and cozy. Just like I planned from the beginning.” He bit his lip before reaching for her waist and pulling her closer.

Grace laid her hands against his chest. She leaned her head back and
grinned. “I think I just came up with another suspect.”

“Yeah, who?”

“Ever play racquetball?”

Kyle chuckled. “If I was going to do that, I would have done it last night.”

“Well, I hate to burst your bubble
, but we’ll be at the hotel soon.”

“You’ve been saying that since yesterday.” He looked out
the window. “And we’re still here. I think we should just dig in and relax in here until we arrive at the hotel. We’ll close the curtains, snuggle up and—”

“This is even worse than our room,” Meredith said from the doorway. She tossed her bag into the corner. “
You’d think they’d at least provide plenty of walking room.” Grunting, she pushed aside Kyle’s suitcase with her foot before hauling another bag inside and depositing it by their feet.

“It’s ten times the size of our room, Meredith,” Grace pointed out.

“Yeah, but we didn’t pay for our room. With the price, handsome,” she said, indicating Kyle with a nod, “paid, he should have gotten a room ten times this size.”

Grace felt Kyle’s hands tighten on her waist. She glanced up at his scowling face. “She
needed a place to put her stuff,” she explained quickly.

Hands on her hips, Meredith surveyed the room. “Okay, which one is my bed?”

“Your bed?” Kyle asked.

Grace
patted Kyle’s chest reassuringly. “Don’t worry. We’ll be at the hotel in just a few hours.”

Meredith snorted.
“Look, Pollyanna, we’re in this for the long haul. Who knows what Jack has planned now? We could be here for weeks.” Her gaze roamed over Kyle’s body. “How much do you weigh?”

Kyle’s eyebrows drew together.
“Um, about one seventy.”

Meredith’s face twisted. “I better go back to the galley.”

“I didn’t think there was anything left,” Grace said.

Meredith pointed to her bags in the corner of the room. “Don’t touch those.” She just started
for the door when something caught her eye. “What is that?” she asked, pointing toward the floor of the bathroom.

Grace and Kyle looked over the edge of the bed as
Abry hopped out of the bathroom and stared at the new visitor intently.

Meredith immediately started sneezing. “I knew someone was hiding an animal on here,” she said between sneezes.

Kyle was less than sympathetic. “Oh, you’re allergic. That’s too bad.” He dropped his hands from around Grace’s waist and reached for Meredith’s bag. “Here, I’ll help you find some other place to stay.”

“No, that’s okay. I have my allergy medication. I’ll just suffer through it,”
Meredith said, closing the door behind her.

Kyle looked at the door in disappointment and then at the bag in his hand. “What is in here?
It weighs a ton.”

“Supplies
,” Grace said distractedly, looking around the room. She walked to the bathroom and back out. “Where did Abry go to?”

“O
h, not again,” he groaned. Dropping to his hands and knees, he reached behind the bed.

“
What are you doing?”

“Looking for Abry,” he explained as he shoved his arm as far back behind the bed as he could. “He found a hiding place underneath the bed.”

Grace crawled onto the bed and felt around the edge of the mattress and the wall. “I thought these things are built into the wall. How could he get underneath?”

“
There’s a little gap in the corner near the floor.” Kyle flattened himself on the floor and pushed his arm in as deep as it would go. “I think I . . . Gotch ya!” Carefully pulling the rabbit out of his hiding place, Kyle squirmed back until he was on his knees.

Lying
on her stomach, Grace leaned over the edge of the bed and petted the bunny wiggling in Kyle’s arms. Something red near Abry’s nose caught her eye. Reaching out, she took his face into her hands. “What’s this?” she asked, gently removing a small piece of paper from his mouth.

Kyle
lifted the rabbit up and stared at his face. “What did you eat this time, Buddy?”

“Look at this.” Grace showed Kyle the paper. “It looks like
the edge of a water coloring.” She rolled off the bed. “You know those nursery rhymes the killer has been leaving? You don’t think . . . ,” she trailed off as she pointed to the bed.

Kyle shook his head. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“I’m sure,” she agreed, still staring worriedly at the bed. “Abry could have gotten that piece from anywhere.”

Kyle nodded. “Right. Anywhere.” Sighing, he
placed Abry onto floor before lying back down on his stomach and sticking his hand back through the hole in the bed. He reached in as far as his arm would go. “There’s something back here, but it’s just out of my reach.” Grunting, he pulled his arm back out and rose to his feet. Picking up the mattress, he lifted the edge high enough to slide it to the side. He did the same thing with the box springs until there was enough space to see underneath the bed.

They peered between the slats of the bed.
An open book lay on the floor. Glancing at Grace, Kyle reached forward, but stopped when Grace grabbed his wrist. “Fingerprints,” she warned.

Using the end of a sheet, he pulled the book out and laid it on the bed
. “Abry’s been having fun. He’s chewed through this whole section.”

Grace turned around. She opened the closet and searched th
rough pockets of Kyle’s overcoat until she found his gloves. Handing one to him, she slipped her hand into the other. She pulled the glove down as far as possible. A bit too big for her fingers, but it should serve its purpose, she thought, lifting the edge of the book up high enough to allow her to read the cover. “Mother Goose,” she read out loud. “I think we found the book the killer’s been using, but what is it doing in here?”

Using his gloved hand,
Kyle moved the book to the dresser before turning back and sliding the mattress further out of the way. He bent over and tilted his head. “There’s something else here.” Bending over, he reached down into the bed. A few seconds later, he rose up holding a bloodstained snowboard.

“Is this yo
ur bed or Steve’s?”

“Steve’s.”

“The killer must be trying to set him up.”

“Or . . .
,” Kyle said, placing the snowboard back where he found it. “How well do we actually know Steve?”

“I hate to say this
, but I’m pretty sure if Steve was the killer he would be smart enough not to leave evidence under his bed.”

Kyle looked at her doubtfully.

“Well, at the very least, he’d put it under your bed. You’ve kept this room locked, haven’t you?” At his nod, she asked, “Who else has had access to it besides you and Steve?”

Kyle snapped his fingers.
“Wellington! He could have tossed the book and the snow board back here when he searched everyone’s rooms last night.”

“
Why would Wellington kill Robert Kirby?”

“Who else could have gotten in here last night?

Grace sat down on the other bed. “You’re forgetting something. Henry’s the conductor. He has a master key. Anyone with that key can come and go as they please.”

Kyle stood there for a second
considering what she said. “You may be right. We know he helped Jack get everyone on this train. Maybe they both killed Robert and the chef and then escaped together when the train stopped.”

Grace shook her head.
“Why would he help Jack kill Robert? It makes no sense. Henry’s just a friend of Jack’s father. I can see him helping Jack get settled, even help him arrange a family reunion, but why would he help him commit murder.”

“Money? Jack apparently inherited some from his uncle. Perhaps
Henry’s hoping to cash in. Money is a great motivator.”

Grace had to admit that he was right, but she still wasn’t convinced. “Okay, maybe so, b
ut then why would Henry run away? Everyone’s convinced Jack is the killer. There’s no reason for him to run off.” Grace bit her lip. “I just have a bad feeling that he’s dead. You know . . . if I’m right that means the killer probably has Henry’s master key.”

Kyle made a face. “Nice. That’s comforting.”

“Hmm. Meredith’s going to love that.”

“I don’t think we should tell her or anyone else just yet.”

“We should at least tell Mr. Wellington.”

Kyle made another face.

“What?”

“Let’s just keep this to ourselves for right now.”

“Wellington is in charge of this investigation. I think we should tell him what we found.”

Kyle
picked the book up and placed it back underneath the bed. A few seconds later, he set the snowboard next to it and slid the box springs and mattress back into place. “Wellington has no authority here and don’t forget, he’s a suspect just like all the rest of them.” Straightening, he turned around and faced her. “What do you think we should do next?”

“I think all of this mess stems from the events last year. Robert knew or saw something, either about who set the fire or who killed his father. That’s why the killer
stabbed him. Same for Oscar, he knew something about Robert’s death that he wasn’t telling us, so the killer got rid of him, too.” She walked to the door. “I’m going to talk to Tracy. See if she knows anything about Ellen Kirby’s murder.”

“
You’re assuming Felicity was being honest with us. She doesn’t seem to be that enthralled with the truth.”

*

Grace slid into the seat next to Tracy in the observation car. It took a while to raise the subject Grace wanted to talk about. Lucas seemed determined to make himself as much of a pest as possible. No sooner than Grace had walked up to Tracy than he had hopped into the seat next to her where he proceeded to monopolize the conversation. He became so loud and boisterous that he drove almost everyone away until only Tracy, Grace and Meredith remained.

Tracy and Grace exchanged annoyed looks
, but politely listened as he rambled on about the plans he had for the family business while Meredith, book in hand, curled up in a chair as far away as possible.

“
I’m surprised, Lucas. I figured you’d already be on the phone trying to sell everything,” Tracy said with a sigh.

“
You know I can’t sell anything until the will’s been probated, Tracy. But I’ve been thinking that maybe I should keep it in the family. I could run the business.”

Tracy gave him a look.

Lucas’ face reddened. “I know my father and brother thought I was an idiot, but I’m not you know.”

“Lucas, let me give you some advice
,” Tracy said tiredly. “Just sell your interest in the business now while it’s still profitable.”

“You have no faith in me. You’ll see
. I have plans . . .” He suddenly trailed off and looked toward Meredith.

Trac
y followed Lucas’ gaze. “Oh, I’m sure you do. Tell me, what’s the sudden interest in the company, Lucas? You’ve never been concerned about it before.”

“Before?”
Grace asked. When Tracy didn’t elaborate, Grace added, “Before your father and brother died?”

Suddenly uncomfortable, Lucas shifted in his seat. “You’ve got me all wrong. I’m not happy about Robert’s death. Just ask Tracy, she knows how much I loved Robert.”

Tracy’s polite smile grew tight. “Yes. We all know you loved Robert.

“I’m thinking about restarting the gaming division. I want our company to compete with the big boys. We’re a joke. I want to show them that w
e cannot only keep up with them, but blow them out of the water.”

“
I understand Lucas,” Tracy said softly. “You still want Victor to be proud of you.”

“I think it’s
painfully clear that making my father proud of me has never been one of my goals in life.” Lucas sighed. “My father didn’t care about me.” When Tracy looked ready to object, he added, “He never did. I always wondered why he adopted me. He certainly never wanted me.”

“You were adopted?”
Grace asked.

Glancing
over at Meredith, Lucas nodded. “How about you, Merry? What are your plans for the future?”