Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies (An Adams Grove Novel) (24 page)

“Let’s go through it one more time for my benefit.”

Cody went through the chain of events. It sounded even more stupid every time he had to tell the story.

“It’s motive, and they can charge you with the assault, if for no other reason than just to hold you. Well, let’s see what they’ve got,” his lawyer said. “I’m betting they don’t have anything they can hold you on. I’ll have you out of here shortly. We’ll answer their questions and get on with it.”

Three hours later Cody’s lawyer dropped him off at Hillcrest, but at least he had more information now than he’d started with.

Denise, Kasey, Jake, Pete, and Tori all looked up when he walked into the room.

“I’ve been so worried,” Denise said. “Son, what the heck has gotten into these people? They can’t possibly think you had anything to do with Arty’s death.”

He hugged her. “It’s okay, Mom. Can’t blame them for trying to get to the truth.”

Cody tried to swallow the concern that he felt when he looked at Kasey. Yesterday she’d looked so relaxed and alive. Today she looked like the Kasey going through hell a year ago. Still beautiful, but the pain in her eyes was there
again and it just about killed him that he was the reason for it.

“Anything I can do?” Pete asked.

“Be sure the guys know everything’s cool and keep the album on schedule. And when y’all go to Arty’s funeral, don’t talk to anyone about the incident.”

“You’re not going to the funeral?” Pete asked.

“No. My attorney advised against it.”

Pete pushed his long hair over his shoulder. “You got it. I can take care of that. Kasey, I can take Jake back down to the studio to hang out with us for a while. Give you some time if you want.”

Kasey put her arm around Jake. “Do you want to go with Pete?”

“We’ll shoot some hoops or something. Sound good?” Pete said to Jake.

Jake raced over to Pete, and as they turned to go out the back door Tori yelled after them, “I made fried chicken for dinner. Bring the gang back up around six thirty.”

“Wouldn’t miss that.” Pete pulled the front door closed behind them.

“I’m going to be in the kitchen if y’all need anything,” Tori said.

Cody walked over to Kasey and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m so sorry I’m putting you through all of this.”

“It’s not your fault,” she said. “You’re the one going through it all. I wish there was more I could do to help.”

“I can see the worry on your face. I’m so sorry for that.” He interlaced his fingers with hers. “Thanks for hanging with me.”

He’d been so afraid she’d be gone when he got back. That thought had been more frightening than being falsely accused for the murder of Arty. If there was one true love for everyone, he knew now more than ever that she was his. He just didn’t know how he’d convince her of that.

Kasey sighed. “I hope this whole thing today isn’t my fault.”

“Your fault? How could it be your fault?”

“Scott called me earlier. I told him I was here. He wasn’t happy about it. He may have had something to do with them picking you up again.”

He shook his head. “I really don’t think so, and even if he did, it doesn’t matter. I’m easy to find, and I don’t have anything to hide. They are just putting more pieces of the puzzle together. And they’re likely to find a lot more connections to me as they continue the investigation. Arty and I have years of history.”

He sat down on the couch next to his mom and guided Kasey next to him by the hand.

Kasey kept hold of his hand. “When I talked to Von, he said he’s getting statements and revalidating every single piece of your timeline. I ran into one of my photographer friends at Arty’s party so I contacted him while you were gone. He’s sending me his pictures just in case there’s anything in them that can help or jog a memory. He’s e-mailing them to me tonight.”

“That’s good.” Weariness enveloped him. “What an emotional ride. I want to feel bad for Arty, even though part of me is still so mad at him.”

“Do they know how he died yet? They’re being so evasive on television,” Denise said.

Cody nodded. “Someone shot him. They wouldn’t say much more than that, or even if it was the cause of death. I guess it’s confidential until they get more answers.” He took his mom’s hand in his other and squeezed both of their hands. “Y’all need to know that it was my gun that they found at the scene,” Cody said. “That’s why they picked me up.”

The color drained from Kasey’s face.

“What?” Denise looked concerned. “You didn’t take a gun with you that night, did you?”

“No. Hell, no. It’s my old Beretta nine millimeter. Mom, you remember it. I used it in that music video. Pretty gun, but I didn’t have a use for it. It was really more of a collector’s gun. I sold it to Arty a couple years ago. It’s still registered to me.”

“That’s the one with all the engraving on it. The real fancy one?” Denise asked. “I don’t think I knew you’d sold that one. I remember Arty salivating over it.”

“That’s the one,” he said.

Kasey pulled her arms across her chest and then ran her hands up and down her arms. “Guns always freak me out a little.”

“Don’t you worry,” Cody said. “I made sure every gun I own is locked up in the gun safe before you and Jake got here. You’re safe here.”

“No one heard the gunshot?” Denise asked. “Cody, that just doesn’t make sense. There are always people hanging around that estate.”

“I guess not,” Cody said. “They think the time of death was between midnight and one in the morning. Maybe everyone was gone for the night.”

Kasey scooched forward on the couch. “That’s good news though, right? I mean you were at my house by one and I’m a couple hours from Arty’s so there’s no way you could have been there during that time.”

Cody realized she was reconvincing herself of his innocence.
Ouch
. “My alibi still stands. My accountant will have a receipt from the gun transaction too. Can’t blame them for bringing me in. Between the gun and one of my bandannas being there they wouldn’t have had much choice.”

“There’s more. The safe was open, so they’re looking at robbery as a motive, but there were so many valuables around, they don’t think that’s likely.”

“Maybe Arty had it open when someone surprised him.” Kasey shrugged. “Or maybe he caught them in the middle of breaking into it and they panicked.”

“Possibly, but the kicker is that part of what they found in the safe has to do with me too. Arty
was
skimming money off all of my merchandising. Had been for years, I guess.”

“Oh my goodness gracious.” Denise shook her head.

“Guess he couldn’t get enough,” Cody said.

Denise frowned. “Well, I’m glad you’re not going to that good-for-nothing’s funeral. I’m sure not going either.”

“Von and I talked about it earlier. He’s going to meet me there. Pete said I can fly down with them.” Kasey’s phone signaled she had a message. She lifted the phone and flipped through the contents. “Can I use the printer in your office? Andy just sent me his pictures from the party and I have a few that I took too. We may as well see if there is anything we
can add to solve this mystery and get it out of our lives.” She leapt from the chair.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll show you where everything is.”

“I’m going to go upstairs and get my laptop. I’ll be ready in one sec.” She ran up the stairs, and Denise turned to her son. “Honey, I’m going to go back to the house and get some chores done. Let me know what I can do.”

He hugged her. “Thanks, Mom. For always believing in me. I think they’re getting closer to figuring things out. At least I hope so. I have that private event scheduled for day after tomorrow. So far they still want me to play. I’m hoping Kasey will come with me.

Denise started to leave and then walked back over to Cody. “She’s really special. I had a good chat with her earlier today, before things went nuts around here. I can see why you’re so drawn to her. I like her.”

“I like her too.” He didn’t need his mother’s approval, but he sure did like the validation. “I just hope this whole mess doesn’t ruin our chance for something together.”

She left just as Kasey came back downstairs with her camera and laptop in hand.

Cody led Kasey to his office, and turned on his printer. “Anything else you need?”

“No. I think I can handle it from here. I’ll print them all out, but we might even see them better right here on your screen since it’s gigantic.” She did her best Vanna White impression in front of the twenty-four-inch monitor.

“You think that’s big?” He hit a toggle on the desk and a seven-foot screen slowly lifted from the floor to the ceiling, and on it, the computer image projected.

“That’ll teach me to be impressed.” She shouldered him out of the way to take the chair and start downloading pictures.

“Maybe you can give me another chance to impress you.” He stepped behind her and rubbed her shoulders.

“I’m already significantly impressed with you.” She leaned her head back against his belly and looked up at him.

He leaned over and kissed her, his hands working their way from her shoulders down her arms.

She wriggled from him, sat up, and put her attention back on the computer screen. “I’m not going to get anything done with you doing that.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“This is important.” She reached for the mouse and began clicking and moving stuff around the screen.

“Okay, I can see I’m not going to be much help for a while. I’m going to go down to the studio and I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Okay. I’ll see you in a little bit.” She stopped him before he got out the door. “Can you bring me what you had on the timeline? I told Von I’d send the updated list to him. He’s going to give me a call later so we can compare notes.”

“Yep. I’ll bring them down.”

He went upstairs and changed into running clothes and then peeked into his office as he headed back out. Kasey had her hair pushed behind one ear and was leaning in toward her laptop screen working. She was a girl-next-door knockout, and right this minute she looked more beautiful to him than any of the Playboy models he’d dated.

He put the list on her desk. “See you shortly.”

Kasey watched Cody from the office window as he stretched and then jogged through the garden toward the studio path. She couldn’t pull her attention away until he was out of sight. Her stomach cramped.
What will I find in these pictures? Will it even help?

By the time dinner was ready, she had eight-and-a-half-by-eleven color photos strewn across his desk and a few propped up on the bookshelf behind her. She paper-clipped and shuffled things around like a secretary on speed.

Cody walked in and stopped in the middle of the room. “What is all this?”

“Every single thing I can think of,” she said.

“You’ve been busy. Come eat. This can wait a little while.” He reached for her hand but she just kept right on flipping through papers.

How can he possibly eat? My stomach feels like a volcano erupted in it. We’ve got to find something.
“I just want to get all these marked with the time stamps from the files.” She stopped and asked, “Would you mind making sure Jake eats?”

“Mind? I’d be happy to. I got this.”

He left and it felt good to be able to ask for help. It sure wasn’t something she was used to, but it seemed to just be part of the routine around here—to help one another.
I could get used to that.

She wasn’t even sure how much time had passed when she heard the rustle of multiple footsteps stomping down the hallway. When she looked up Cody, Jake, and Shutterbug were in the doorway.

“Hi, Mom. We brought you dinner,” Jake said.

“Thank you.”

Jake marched over to the desk and put the plate down in front of her. “I put all the best stuff on there for you all by myself.”

Kasey glanced at the selection. All Jake’s favorites.

Cody coughed and muttered. “I tried to work in some salad or something healthy, but Jake wanted to handle it.”

“It’s perfect,” she said.

Cody walked over to the desk. “Everything going okay here?”

“I’ve got everything labeled and I sent copies of it all to Von. He and I talked earlier and went through the timeline again. I gave him the details about the time of death. He’s closing any gaps with follow-ups from our list.”