Hot and Irresistible (23 page)

“I’m betting we find something.” She hooked her arm through Vincent’s. “And whatever you’re cooking, it smells like heaven on a plate.”

“The chicken Marsala, garlic focaccia, and espresso crostata invertita, that is an upside-down cake with a cocoa glaze.”

She stopped on the front porch and hugged him. “Forget Spider-Man and Batman, I’ll take Food Man. You’re my hero.” Vincent gave her the you-are-a-crazy-woman look as they went inside.

Donovan sat at the kitchen table with Prissy and Sam, Charlotte and Griff, Brie and Beau. Anthony stirred something on the stove behind them, little wisps of steam scenting the air. Normally Bebe’s stomach would do little flips of joy because of the scenting wisps and stirring, now the flips were over seeing Donovan.

He winked, and she wanted to jump him right there in the kitchen and take up where they left off last night. Of course that couldn’t happen, because they weren’t alone and it wasn’t night and she wondered if there’d ever be another night between them like last night. Donovan said, “We’re ready to get started.”

“And I’m here to help,” Joe Earl said as he came in the side door, forcing her to think about the purpose of the day instead of the hunk of the day. “I heard what you all are up to, I suppose everyone in town has by now, and figured you could use an extra hand in the search.”

The lights blinked and Prissy gasped. “Uh-oh, it’s starting already. The ghosts don’t like us being here on their territory.”

Anthony shook his head. “That is Mr. Cleveland reconnecting the electricity in the casket room and the hallway. He’s been here all day cleaning out the mess from the fire.” Anthony smiled at Bebe. “I understand he is your father. You are a lucky girl.”

“Thank you. I think so, too, and in some way it’s like getting reborn.”

She exchanged looks with Donovan. Gone were the memories of a great night replaced by the business of he day. What did she expect, romance forever? Well…actually…yeah. As long as they could be on the same side of finding evidence and it not implicating Ray, she had a good shot at the forever romance thing. “I’ll go help Ray,” she said. “You all start the search up here when you’re ready.” And that was code to Donovan for “I’ll watch what Ray’s doing because I know you think he’s guilty as homegrown sin.”

Bebe took the stairs and short hallway to Ray standing on a ladder screwing in a lightbulb. Temporary lights hung off the sides of the ladder, an orange extension cord stretched out the open door probably to a power source beyond.

He grinned when he saw her. “Well there you are, sweet pea.” He climbed down and kissed her cheek. “Beau said you were going whole hog today, looking for those jewels, so I thought I’d come on over and help clean up a little and maybe work on getting some light on the subject and see if anything showed up that way.”

He gazed up at the one lit bulb. “Been a while since the electricity’s been on. The funeral parlor closed right after the murders, bad press does that to a place. New owners never stayed long enough to fix it proper. They said it was haunted.” He laughed. “But Vincent and Anthony never said anything about ghosts or with all the racket they made tearing the place up they never heard anything else.”

“I’m betting it’s all that garlic around. The ghosts never stood a chance.” They laughed together and for a moment she nearly imploded with happiness. How could something so simple as a shared laugh make her feel so good? Being with Ray now and Donovan last night was almost too much to take in all at once. It was like eating oatmeal her whole life and suddenly finding Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs. Euphoria! At least for now. “You didn’t have to come, you know.”

“I wanted to. You pretty much grew up without me being around, but I am now. And there’s another little matter we needed to discuss. I heard about Dara. No one deserved to die more, but I want you to know it wasn’t me who pulled the trigger. You and I just got ourselves together and I wouldn’t chance us being separated again for all the tea in China. I didn’t do in Jimmy, either, or any of the other things going on around here. Someone’s going to a powerful lot of trouble to make me look damn guilty.”

He took her hand. “You’re a cop, so I don’t have to go spelling this out for you in great detail, but your daddy here isn’t looking all that good in the eyes of the law these days. The gambling’s one thing, but these murders are serious and they’re all pointing straight at me. I don’t want you to do anything to jeopardize you being a police officer and get yourself in the middle of some ugly trouble. I didn’t come into your life to ruin it.”

This time she kissed his cheek. “You couldn’t ruin my life if you tried. Just having you around makes me happy all over. And the plan for the day is to not have any bad things happen to you or me.”

“From your lips to God’s ears, sweet pea.” He handed her the bulbs. “You finish up there and I’ll scrape up the rest of the grime. Maybe that necklace fell between some floorboards or Addie and William stashed it behind a panel that’s come loose by now.”

He picked up a shovel. “We pretty much tore apart all the caskets and furniture here after the murders but never found anything.”

Bebe took a roll of paper towels and container of spray cleaner up the ladder with lightbulbs as Ray shoveled debris, stirring up the ashes, the place smelling like fire all over again. She screwed in another bulb, making the room brighter and dismal at the same time. She could imagine what the place looked like once a long time ago and with some serious effort the morgue could look that way again.

Voices came from outside. “And now we’re late as usual and we would have been on time, but you had to have that second piece of apple pie. You’ve gained ten pounds since we got here.” Edwina and Shipley hustled into the room, Daemon Rutledge behind them, looking proper as always, though Daemon’s expression at the moment hinted he’d rather get boiled in oil than be with these two.

“Well where is everyone,” Edwina asked in a huff, looking around. “Where is this all-out effort to find my jewels?” She peered up at Bebe. “This morning you were at the hotel talking to Charlotte about that and I insist on knowing what you’ve found so far. Mr. Rutledge was kind enough to bring us over here so we could get to the bottom of this situation once and for all.”

Bebe screwed in another bulb. “We haven’t found anything yet, but you’re welcome to help.” Ray and Daemon both did an eye roll as Charlotte and Prissy and Brie came into the room. Brie said, “What’s all the noise down here? Did you all find something?”

Bebe sprayed cleaner. “Edwin and Shipley found us.” She sprayed more, soot and grime sliding from the light. “We can settle who owns the necklace once we find it so you all better quit standing around like sparrows on a cow pie and get cracking.”

“Donovan!” BrieAnn yelled. “You better get yourself down here. You’re not going to believe this.”

Good grief, Edwina and Shipley weren’t all that bad. A little mouthy perhaps, but Brie didn’t have to go yelling her head off for Donovan. Bebe sprayed again, watching dirt give way to crystals glistening in the light.

Donovan, Beau, and Joe Earl hustled into the room and stopped dead. Anthony and Vincent followed and did the same thing, all of them mesmerized by the emerging chandelier. Bebe added another blast of cleaner. “I think this piece should go in the entrance hall.” She sprayed more. “I’ve never seen anything like it in all of Savannah.”

No one agreed or disagreed with her comment, and with this crew someone always had an opinion about something. She glanced down to a whole lot of eyes staring right back up at her.

“Bebe,” Donovan said. “Look what you’re doing. It’s damn amazing.”

“Good to know. If I don’t cut it as a cop I can do housekeeping.” She smiled and sprayed a few more times, all the crystals coming into view now. They swagged around the chandelier in graceful loops, one glistening more than the other like strands of sparklers going off on the Fourth of July. She climbed down the ladder, then looked to the light to get the full effect and…“Oh Lordy!”

“I’ll be damned,” Edwina Raeburn said on an appreciative sigh mixed with a good deal of awe.

“And if you don’t do exactly as I say, that’s what’s going to happen to Charlotte here.”

D
aemon Rutledge’s voice came from the back of the room, though it sounded like weird-Rutledge and not usual polite hotel manager Rutledge. Robot Rutledge. All eyes cut to him now…and the gun in his hand pointed to the back of Charlotte’s head. Bebe’s blood went cold and Prissy and Brie looked as if they would faint.

“That necklace is mine,” Rutledge said, bitterness dripping from each word. “I’ve looked for it for thirty years, thirty long years, and now you find it and it’s not fair. Not fair at all.”

“Put the gun down, Daemon,” Griff Parish said, sounding a lot more calm than Bebe felt. “We’ll give you whatever you want, just don’t hurt Charlotte.”

“I want the necklace. I killed the Carswells when they wouldn’t tell me what they did with it, and here it was all the time.” His voice broke and he looked deranged. “They hid it in the crystal chandelier right over my head. It just blended in with all the glass. As many times as I looked down here and scared folks away so I could look more, I never saw it. The jewels belong to me, dammit, me.” He waved his hand, the old .22 still on Charlotte. “Everyone against the wall and you best move fast.”

Edwina huffed, “That’s enough. You are completely insane. It is most certainly not your necklace, it’s ours, our daughter’s, and—”

Daemon fired a shot above Edwina’s head, making her eyes bulge and mouth snap shut. Never call an insane person insane, but then maybe Daemon wasn’t all that crazy; he got Edwina to finally shut up. Bebe could appreciate that a ton more if he didn’t have a gun on Charlotte. Charlotte looked afraid but not in panic mode. Guess she was leaving that to Prissy, BrieAnn, and the resident female cop, who had to do something but didn’t know what.

Daemon grabbed Charlotte’s arm and steered her toward the ladder. “Nobody be doing anything dumb now or the blood sisters here will be minus a member and Griff can forget all his fancy wedding plans. You cops put your guns on the floor real careful like.”

Donovan put down his weapon, followed by Bebe, then Joe Earl. They all moved to the edge of the room. Bebe said, “You can’t hurt Charlotte. She’s been your friend all these years. We all have.”

“I’ll be doing whatever I want to do for a change. I’ve fetched and carried for you all. Took care of Magnolia House like it was my own and it should have been mine. None of you can manage it like I can, and with that necklace I could have bought it. It should have been mine.”

He put Charlotte in front of the ladder as he climbed up. “You hold right still, missy, if you want to keep breathing. I’m a mighty good shot. I got Donovan easy enough in that attic, could have done him in but I didn’t need the police crawling all over the hotel and asking questions. I figured Donovan would keep his mouth shut since he didn’t know who to trust.”

“What about Dara?” Donovan asked making an attempt to keep Daemon focused on himself and off Charlotte. “Why did you kill her?”

“I figured I’d give the police someone to keep them busy, and Ray Cleveland fit the bill since McCabe came to town and stirred things up against him.”

Daemon deftly unwound the necklace from the chandelier while keeping the gun perfectly aimed. “He was the prime suspect after I killed Jimmy. Our daddies collected guns, and he remembered the .22. I told him I was selling the necklace to Cleveland and would cut him in if he kept his mouth shut. After I took out Jimmy, Cleveland was your man. I added Dara to make him look guiltier still to give myself more time to look for the necklace. No one suspected me. Then you all got this idea for getting together today to look for the jewels and I figured you’d find them. I’ve come to get what I should have had all along. You were all rich and it wasn’t fair. I needed a break, too. It was my turn, dammit. The necklace was my turn to get what I wanted, what I deserved.”

The necklace twisted around other crystals in the chandelier. “You’re never going to get out of this,” Donovan said.

“I’ve been in tighter places. Got out of that attic, didn’t I. After I killed Addie and William I got out of that. Now I’m taking Charlotte with me and if any of you follow us I’ll—” He yanked the necklace, making the ladder wobble, then grabbed the chandelier to steady himself. Suddenly, he shook violently all over, then fell to the floor in a heap.

Prissy tsked, “Well dang. We never give ghosts enough credit.”

Donovan felt the pulse point in Daemon’s neck. “Nothing.” He quickly rolled Daemon over and started CPR as Bebe dialed for an ambulance.

Joe Earl sprinted toward the door. “I’ll meet the paramedics and lead then back here.”

Vincent looked to Anthony. “We’ll get dinner.”

BrieAnn stood close to Beau, Griff held on to Charlotte as if he’d never let her go, and Prissy had her arms around Sam. Shipley held a weeping Edwina. Who would have thought he was the strong one in that relationship? Brie said, “How could Daemon do this? Treat us so poorly and threaten Charlotte? We all liked him, he liked us.”

“Apparently not so much.” Bebe watched Donovan work. “Daemon was obsessed with the necklace. I think after all this time of looking for it and not finding it, it drove him mad. It’s like he was two different people, the Daemon Rutledge we knew and loved at the Magnolia House, and Daemon Rutledge the killer and thief who would do anything to get a necklace he really thought belonged to him.”

The wail of sirens drew nearer, then stopped, giving way to the clatter of a gurney as the paramedics rolled it and their equipment into the dismal room. They started in on Daemon, hooking him up to machines and oxygen.

“We have a pulse,” one of them said. He turned back to Donovan and gave a thumbs-up. “Nice job, buddy.”

Bebe stood by Donovan and they all watched the paramedics usher Rutledge into the ambulance. Sirens screaming again, the sound faded into the distance. No one said anything, each of them trying to figure out what happened.

Prissy looked up at the diamonds dangling over her head. “So did the ghosts get Daemon? Is that why he fell?”

“Looked like a heart attack.” Ray touched the dripping wet ladder. “A heart attack brought on by a dose of electrocution. Old wiring mixed with all this here water and a metal ladder thrown in for good measure and you get yourself a sizable charge. That and a weak ticker and—”

“You get toast,” Prissy said, then made the sign of the cross. “I’m never going to get to heaven with this mouth. I’m doomed.”

Bebe held up her hand. “Wait a minute. I think the ghosts had more to do with all this than you think. I was up there on the ladder, even doing all the spraying, and I didn’t get electrocuted.”

“You didn’t touch the light after you added water, sweet pea.” Ray picked up the half-empty bottle of cleaning solution. “I think you damn-near drowned the thing. And even if you did happen to brush against the light, your unique taste in fashion saved your pretty self. Your Hush Puppies have rubber soles, nice thick rubber soles. You were grounded. Rutledge and his perfect appearance of immaculate suits and fine leather dress shoes let the electricity pass right on through his body, sending his heart into overload.”

Prissy looked bewildered. “You’re kidding.” And Bebe added, “Well, there you go.” She stuck her nose in the air. “After taking all this grief all these years I have finally been vindicated. The fashion gods have smiled on me at last.”

“I don’t believe this,” Brie said, “Now we’ll never get her out of those ugly suits. And we get the poster girl for Hush Puppies-r-me.”

Prissy studied Bebe’s gray suede shoes. “Personally I’d rather be electrocuted.”

The lights suddenly went out, and Ray came in the room with a flashlight. “Thought I’d cut the power before any more damage was done.” He climbed the ladder and unwound the necklace from the chandelier. “Hard to believe one piece of jewelry can cause so much trouble.” He came back down and dropped the stones in Donovan’s hand. “Fire and ice and they’ve brought nothing but sorrow and heartache to everyone who’s been involved with them.”

He shined the light on Charlotte. “Her mama and daddy were killed for it.” The light went to Prissy. “Her mama went and left her on the nunnery doorstep because she couldn’t find the necklace. Bebe’s mamma wanted revenge because she couldn’t have it. Even the Raeburns gave the necklace all that love and attention that rightfully belonged to their daughter and granddaughter and Anthony and Vincent’s family was disgraced over its loss. Now I’m not one to believe in ghosts or curses, but this time it sure seems true enough. If ever something had bad mojo, this necklace is it.”

“Well, I don’t care about mojo or curses,” Edwina said. “Shipley and I have waited years to get that necklace back. I intend to have it.”

“No,” said Shipley with more force in his voice than Bebe thought he possessed. “We will not have those diamonds in our home. We lost our Addie over it and I almost lost you; Mr. Cleveland is right; the necklace poisons everyone who touches it. It’s eaten up enough of our lives, and it’s time to quit, Edwina.”

“But…” started Edwina until Shipley interrupted. “The necklace needs to go back to where it came from, the town in Italy. Perhaps that will bring an end to all the evil and no one else will suffer.”

“That is very nice of you,” Anthony said from the doorway. He came in. “Even after all these years, my town still offers a reward for its return. It was a big tourist attraction, like your Disney World but no rides, and we have better pizza.”

Ray picked up a strand of the jewels, their blaze of color amazing even in the weak beam of a flashlight. “That reward smacks of blood money and just as cursed…if you believe in such things and I’m guessing right now after all that’s gone on over the years we all believe a little bit.”

“After the police are finished with it as evidence and the necklace is returned what if some of the reward goes to Daemon? He’s probably—”

“Completely off his rocker,” Prissy said.

“I was going to say mentally unbalanced but you get the idea. Money could go for his care. The necklace messed up a lot of lives, including Daemon’s. Seems fitting for the money to go for some good.”

Bebe cleared her throat and made the sign of the cross. “And,” Donovan added. “The good sisters and their shelter. Lots of good there, too.”

“Amen,” Prissy said as Donovan passed the necklace to Anthony, adding, “I hope this brings your family much happiness in the future.”

Anthony took Donovan’s shoulders and kissed him on both cheeks. “It is finished. Our family name can be restored. It is a fine day for the Mateos.”

“Does that mean you’re going back to Italy?” Bebe asked, thinking of all that great food leaving the country and having the sudden urge to weep.

“As you say here in Savannah…not a snowball’s chance in hell. Since the gossips have already been talking Vincent and I have had five calls to come see the chandelier where the necklace was found today. We have decided to open the morgue as a restaurant. Crystals.” He beamed. “We will make what is called a fucking killing. But now we have much good food upstairs waiting for us.
Permette di mangiare
, let’s eat!”

The parade of people filed toward the stairs, but Bebe took Donovan’s arm and pulled him toward the outside door. “Okay, it’s just us now. So why did you suggest using the reward money for Daemon and it wasn’t because you saved his life or that the money should be used for good…though that might figure into it some way. I think there’s more.”

“And I think you’re overthinking.”

“I know you…well.” She kissed him. “Very, very well. I can see the
more
part in your eyes. We’ve shared getting shot at and finding bodies and Dara alive and dead and chocolate chip cookies. We can share this. Spill it.”

“Sometimes ignorance is bliss and I want you to trust me in that this is one of those times. I’m not just saying that to be cryptic. I mean it. Trust me on this one, Bebe.”

“I’ve lived with this necklace and what’s surrounded it all my life. It’s defined my life, and I’m not letting this final part go.”

Donovan took a wallet from his front pocket, but it wasn’t his wallet. He opened it and pulled out a newspaper clipping about a benefit garden party with BrieAnn’s picture as the hostess. “Daemon’s wallet. When he fell, it slid from his pocket.”

“Maybe he just had a fondness for BrieAnn. He’s known her for years, and they’ve always gotten along.” Bebe read the article. It was recent, only a few weeks old. She felt sick and cold like when she used to take a test in school and was afraid she didn’t know the answers except this time she was afraid she knew the answer all too well. “I’ve heard talk about how long ago Daemon and this maid at Magnolia House had a thing for each other. It was talk, gossip talk. Brie’s adoption was private, so there’s no way of checking. The papers are sealed and a new birth certificate issued at the adoption. Yesterday at Magnolia House when we all learned Brie was engaged, Daemon was thrilled, over-the-moon thrilled.”

“And he has her picture. Something BrieAnn said or did recently must have gotten him thinking about this, tipped him off to who she was. What do you want to do with the article?” He tapped the paper.

“Brie’s happy and in love and has a diamond the size of Rhode Island and a mama and daddy who adore her beyond words even if they’re not thrilled about who she’s marrying. To throw this information into the mix when all we have is an article would serve no purpose and more than likely cause a lot of pain.” She ripped the clipping into tiny pieces and scattered it out the door.