The Investigator (12 page)

“You’re right. Again. There is something going on. I’m just not sure what it is, yet.”

“Have you spoken to her husband?”

“Yes, of course. He told me she’d gone on a holiday. Did Rosemary say anything to you about going away?”

“No, she didn’t mention anything like that. She wanted to have the will prepared and finalized as quickly as possible, but she said nothing about leaving town.”

“How quickly?”

“Normally, I take instructions at the first appointment and then get the client to come back in a couple of weeks later to approve the draft. Once that’s done, the will is finalized and executed before the requisite witnesses.

“Mrs Watson didn’t want to do that. She waited outside in reception until I’d prepared a will based on her instructions and she signed it the same day.”

“How long did she wait?”

“I guess it must have been at least a couple of hours.”

Riley sat forward again. “That’s a little odd, don’t you think? Especially given that she lives in town. Did she say anything about why she was in such a hurry?”

Westport shook his head. “No, the only thing she did say was that she didn’t want to have to make another trip downtown to see me. Something about the cost of the disabled taxi, if I recall.”

Riley pulled out his notebook and scribbled in it.

Westport frowned. “This is all off the record, Detective. I probably shouldn’t be saying anything at all.”

“Mr Westport, Rosemary Watson is missing. No one’s seen or heard from her for over a month. Not even her daughter.”

The lawyer’s face paled. “Not even Kate? Rosemary would never cut off contact with Kate. Not after what happened.” His eyes narrowed. “You do know about…?”

Riley offered a tight nod. “I know Kate ran away from home at fourteen.”

Westport nodded. “Rosemary told me about it when she attended upon my office. I’d heard the rumors, of course. Watervale’s a small town and we were talking about the daughter of the Local Area Commander.”

“Stepdaughter,” Riley said.

Westport shrugged. “Stepdaughter, whatever. I understood from Rosemary she married Darryl when Kate was a small child?”

Riley opened his mouth to answer, but the lawyer cut him off with a shake of his head. “It doesn’t matter. Rosemary said she was devastated when Kate left. I can’t believe she’d cease to have contact with her. If what you say is true, there must be something terribly wrong.”

Dread slowly uncoiled in Riley’s gut. Was Kate right? Maybe Darryl
had
done something to her mother? But, if so, what was in it for him? Rosemary’s will had left everything to her daughter.

Another thought occurred to him. “Did Rosemary tell Kate about the contents of her new will?”

“Without Rosemary’s consent, I’d rather not say any more.”

Riley gritted his teeth. “Mr Westport, I’m investigating Mrs Watson’s disappearance. It’s possible the woman’s been murdered. I understand your obligation to your client, but in the circumstances, surely you can see how your information might assist me.” Riley fought to keep his voice even. “I’d like to ask you again: Did Rosemary Watson tell you she’d spoken to Kate about it?”

The lawyer closed his eyes. His shoulders slumped. When he opened them again, the expression in them was one of sadness and finality. “Yes, she did.”

Thoughts ricocheted through Riley’s head.

Kate had lied to him
.

She’d told him she’d never discussed the will with her mother. Why had she lied? He was on her side.
Wasn’t
he?

The truth of it was, he didn’t know what to believe. Kate’s distress over her missing mother seemed genuine, but she appeared to have a lot of reasons for wanting to make Darryl’s life difficult—including her as yet untold reasons for running away. He still hadn’t gotten to the bottom of that, but his suspicions were more than a little disquieting.

Kate had made no effort to hide how she felt about Darryl: She despised him. She’d used that very word. Was she capable of framing him for something he didn’t do? Like
murder
?

Riley frowned and looked across at the lawyer. “What about Darryl? Did he know about it?”

“I don’t know. When Rosemary asked for him to be written out of her will, I advised her on the rights of a spouse, in particular their right to challenge a will.”

“What did she say?”

Westport’s lips compressed and his gaze turned somber. “She told me that challenging the will would be the last thing on Darryl’s mind.”

CHAPTER 10

Kate pushed open the glass door that led into the waiting room of the Watervale Police Station. Her earlier panic had made her short of breath, but she’d managed to quell the nausea and now just wanted to get it over with.

“Can I help you?”

She walked closer to the high counter and tried to smile at the young officer who stood behind it. His cheeks were as shiny as his hair. He looked fresh out of the Academy.

“Yes, I’m Kate Collins. I was wondering if Detective Munro’s available?”

“I’ll phone upstairs and find out for you. Won’t be a minute.”

Kate turned away from the boy’s appreciative gaze and willed her apprehension to settle. Minutes later, footsteps sounded in the stairwell. Bracing herself for his assault upon her senses, she turned to face Riley.

It wasn’t him.

Disappointment flooded through her. An unfamiliar, plainclothes officer strode forward, his arm extended.

“Miss Collins? I’m Detective Chase Barrington.”

Kate shook the proffered hand and tried to reorientate her thoughts. She gave him a quick once-over. Dark curly hair grew thickly over a broad, unlined forehead, the riotous waves in keeping with the mischievous glint in his emerald-green eyes. Something tugged at her memory, but she couldn’t place him.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I was looking for Detective Munro.”

“Yeah, so Marty said. Riley’s out on a job at the moment. I work with him. I thought I’d come down and see if there was anything I could do to help?”

Kate shook her head and tried again to stem the disappointment. He wasn’t there. She’d psyched herself up for nothing.

“You can come upstairs and wait for him, if you like. I’ll call him on his cell and let him know you’re here.”

She shook her head again, more vehemently this time. “Oh, no. Um, I mean, that’s fine. I can come back another time.”

“He’s been gone all morning. He’ll probably be back any minute.” He extended his arm toward the staircase.

Feeling like she had no choice, Kate reluctantly gave in to the detective’s silent encouragement and headed in the direction he indicated. She’d made it this far; she might as well keep going.

Chase’s deep drawl followed her up the staircase. “You probably don’t remember me, but I used to go to Watervale High. I was a couple of years ahead of you.”

Kate wracked her memory, but still came up blank. Irritation surged through her. Any ordinary teenage girl would have branded such a good-looking face into her mind forever and yet, she couldn’t place him. It just went to show how screwed up her childhood had been. Looking at boys was the last thing she’d wanted to do.

A flush crept up her neck. Chase drew even with her at the top of the stairs and she turned her face away.

“Hey, don’t feel too bad. People are always telling me I have a common face.” His grin told her he was joking. Of course he was. He wasn’t blind to his attractiveness. And he was very attractive, yet when she stood next to this officer, her heart rate remained steady. Not at all like it was when Riley was around.

As her thoughts returned to the absent detective, she wondered again if she was doing the right thing by waiting for him. The more time she spent in the place, the tenser she became. She hated the station. It had always been Darryl’s domain. She’d lost count of the number of times he’d threatened to lock her in the cells if she dared to breathe a word. At the time, she’d had no reason to believe he wouldn’t carry out the threat.

“Can I get you a cup of coffee? A can of Coke, maybe?”

Kate stepped into the bustle of the squad room and her feet slowed. She glanced up at Chase and tried to remember what he’d just said. Something about a drink. She shook her head. “I’m fine, thanks.”

“No worries,” he grinned affably. “I’ll go and call Riley and let him know you’re here. Why don’t you take a seat at his desk? It’s right over there.”

Kate turned to follow the direction he’d indicated. A cluttered desk, identical to the other half dozen desks that crowded the room, stood about thirty feet away. She drew in a breath and made her way over to it. She’d wait for Chase to call Riley, but if he couldn’t reach him, she’d leave.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t little Miss Kathryn.”

Kate tensed as an unfamiliar voice came from behind her. Hesitantly, she turned in her chair and took in the portly build and thinning gray hair of the man who had spoken. He was smiling at her with a smugness she found disconcerting.

Did she know him?

He thrust out a fleshy hand and she took it with reluctance. Uneasiness settled like quicksand in her belly.

“Detective Sergeant Mike Hannaford, Local Area Commander,” he announced, as if it would jog her memory.

Kate stared at him. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

Hannaford rocked back on his heels. “Of course you do. I’ve known you since you were knee high to a grasshopper.” His gaze slid over her. “Although I must say, you’re not so little anymore. I’m surprised you don’t remember me. Your father and I have been friends for years.”

Her uneasiness instantly morphed into fear. A pulse hammered in the side of her neck and her hands grew slick with sweat. A friend of Darryl’s was no friend of hers. She rose from the chair and backed away from him, her gaze darting around the room as she searched for Chase.

“Kathryn, are you all right? You’re looking faint.” His greasy voice glided over her, searching for cracks.

“I’m sorry; I have to go. Tell Detective Munro I’ll catch up with him later.” She turned and stumbled toward the stairs, biting her tongue to keep the panic at bay. She fled down the steps to the waiting room, almost falling through the glass doors as they opened and released her onto the street below.

* * *

Riley glanced at his watch. He hadn’t meant to spend so long with the lawyer, but the information he’d discovered had been worth it. His stomach grumbled loudly, reminding him it was going on for lunchtime. His usual chicken and mayo roll and carton of chocolate milk was sitting in the fridge in the tearoom at the station. He’d expected to be back by now.

The phone in his shirt pocket vibrated. He tugged it out and answered the call.

“Chase. What’s happening?”

“Yeah, Riley. Kate Watson was just at the station. She wanted to see you.”

Riley’s pulse leaped. “Was? Where did she go?”

“I don’t know. I sat her at your desk and went to take a leak. Next thing I know, she was hurtling out the door.” He paused. “I think Hannaford spoke to her.”

“That would make anyone head for the door.”

Chase laughed. “You’ve got that right.”

“Did she say what she wanted?”

“No, mate. She told Marty she needed to speak to you. I only took her upstairs. I will say one thing, though. She’s still a looker.”

Riley tried to stem his annoyance. “Did she recognize you?”

“No, I don’t think so. She gave me one of those brief, polite-stranger smiles when I introduced myself.”

Riley’s annoyance was replaced by a surge of satisfaction. “I can see you made a lasting impression in high school.”

“Jealousy’s a curse, mate.”

“As if. It’s me she asked for.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell someone who cares, Munro.”

Riley changed the subject. “Did Hannaford say anything to you?”

“Only that Kate said she had to go.”

Riley sighed. In a way, he was relieved she’d left. He didn’t know whether he was ready to see her again. He hadn’t had enough time to process the information Westport had given him and he had yet to talk to Margaret Fitzgerald, the Watsons’ housekeeper. After the information he’d received from the lawyer, he was keen to speak to the elusive woman who was a part of the Watsons’ daily lives—or at least had been a decade ago.

“Listen, I’m going to be out of the office a bit longer. There’s someone else I need to talk to.”

“Is this about Kate’s mother?”

“Yeah. But keep it to yourself, all right? I want to see if I can work out what’s going on. A few things aren’t adding up.”

“Anything you want me to do?”

“Nah. It’ll be fine. It’s all hypothetical at this stage. I might catch you for a drink later at The Bullet.”

As he ended the call, Riley’s thoughts returned to the woman who’d been stealing his sleep. He liked her. He really liked her. And he really wanted to believe her.

He just didn’t know if he could…or should.

* * *

Much to Riley’s relief, when he knocked on the door of the house owned by Margaret Fitzgerald, it was opened almost immediately.

“Mrs Fitzgerald?”

Inquisitive brown eyes set amongst a lifetime of wrinkles studied him through large tortoise-shell glasses. “Who wants to know?”

“I’m Detective Riley Munro from the Watervale Police Station. I’d like to ask you a few questions about Rosemary Watson.”

The elderly woman stared at him. After a moment, she nodded and invited him to follow her inside. After hastily putting together a pot of tea, she ushered him into a sitting room.

“Do you take milk, Detective?” The housekeeper’s cloud of gray-blue hair wafted above her ears and across her forehead like cotton candy. Riley was amazed her slight frame had the strength to drag around a dusting cloth, let alone a vacuum cleaner.

“No, thanks Mrs Fitzgerald. Black’s fine.”

“Call me Maggie, please.” The old lady poured tea into matching china teacups and handed one to him. Taking the other cup and saucer, she sat back against the chintz-covered armchair opposite and sighed. “You remind me of my Laurie.”

Riley took a cautious sip of tea, mindful not to burn his lips. “Is he your husband?”