White Lies (The Arcane Society #2)(44)
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz

Guilt assailed her. “Maybe I shouldn’t stay here. I don’t want to put you on the spot. You’re working for Archer, after all.”

“You’re staying.” He sat down at the kitchen table and took out a notebook. “There’s no point arguing about it. Archer will do whatever he thinks he has to do. I’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

She eyed the notebook. “What’s that for? Are you going to make notes about my conspiracy theories?”

He looked at the notebook. “I was thinking more in terms of a grocery shopping list. Now that I’ve got a guest in the house, I’m going to need more food.”

Chapter Twenty-seven

“You want to know who Brad was sleeping with?” Elizabeth leaned back in the clean-lined red leather office chair, clearly startled by the question. “Why?”

They had agreed to meet at Elizabeth’s office even though it was a Saturday afternoon and Glazebrook Interiors was technically closed for the weekend. There were a couple reasons for that decision. Clare knew that Elizabeth would not be comfortable discussing her relationship with Brad in front of Jake, which nixed Jake’s house as a meeting place. The second reason was that Clare had no desire to go back to the Glazebrook estate.

Elizabeth’s elegant business was located in a modern, upscale shopping arcade filled with high-end gift shops, exclusive furniture galleries and a variety of boutiques that featured one-of-a-kind accessories for the home.

“Because I’ve decided that I need to know more about what really happened when Brad was killed,” Clare said.

Alarm flashed across Elizabeth’s face. “I thought we agreed that it would be best if we both kept quiet about our conspiracy theories. No one wants to hear them, Clare. Not Mom and Dad, not the cops, no one.”

“Yes,” Clare said. “But things have changed. Trying to pretend that Brad really was killed by a burglar has been driving me nuts for months. Now, given what happened to Valerie Shipley, I can’t stand it any longer. I need to know what really happened the night Brad died.”

“I’m starting to think Mom is right. It’s probably best not to stir up that hornet’s nest.”

“We’ll be discreet,” Clare said.

There was a short pause.

“We?” Elizabeth said cautiously.

Clare stacked her heels on the little red leather hassock in front of the black leather and chrome chair in which she was sitting.

“Jake and I will be discreet,” she clarified.

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Jake thinks this is a good idea?”

“No. He thinks the idea sucks. But he realizes that he can’t talk me out of it so he’s doing the only other thing he feels he can do under the circumstances. He’s helping me.”

“Why?”

“He claims he’s doing it for his own sake. He was telling the truth, as far as it went.”

Elizabeth drummed her fingers against the polished surface of the desk. “He’s afraid that you’re going to stir up trouble. This way, at least, he’s got some control. The question, of course, is why does he feel it’s his job to be in charge of you?”

Clare almost laughed. “Nature of the beast, I think.”

Elizabeth blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“Let’s just say that Jake’s the kind of guy who always likes to be in charge. But in this case he’s my partner, whether he knows it or not. He is definitely not in control.”

“Where is he, anyway?”

“Grocery shopping.”

“Hmm. Odd thing for your average take-charge kind of guy to be doing, isn’t it?”

“Jake’s not average. In any way.”

Elizabeth sighed. “Clare, if you and Jake start asking questions, everyone is going to get upset all over again.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“Given the circumstances, that’s going to be a little tricky, isn’t it?”

“Hey, I’ve been in the charitable foundation business for the past few years. You think I don’t know how to be discreet? Half my work involved finesse and diplomacy.”

Elizabeth raised her brows. “What did the other half involve?”

“Detecting frauds and scam artists.”

“I know you’re good when it comes to picking out the cons, but we’re talking about a murder.”

“Maybe two murders, if I’m right about Valerie Shipley.”

“That just makes it twice as dangerous,” Elizabeth said. “The Stone Canyon police haven’t been able to turn up any leads in Brad’s death. What makes you think you can learn anything new after all this time?”

“I have to try, Liz. I can’t stand not knowing any longer. I want the truth.”

Elizabeth sat forward abruptly. “Is Dad aware of what you’re planning to do?”

“Jake’s going to break it to him gently when they play golf tomorrow morning.”

“There’s no gentle way to do it. Dad’s going to be furious. I’ve told you, he does not want anyone in the family to even mention the subject of Brad’s death.”

“I know,” Clare said.

“Why are you so determined to find out what was going on six months ago? It’s finished. Brad is dead, and speaking personally, I’m certainly not shedding any tears.”

“Neither am I. But I told you, I’ve got a feeling that Valerie’s death is linked to it.”

“So what? Let the authorities deal with it.”

“They’re going to conclude she drowned accidentally. You know they are.”

“I hate to sound cold-hearted about all this, but do either of us really care?” Elizabeth asked. “The woman tried to kill you. Twice. If we’re right, she was the one who sabotaged your engagement and your career. Frankly, I’m relieved that she’s gone, too.”

“Don’t you see? If we’re right, it means that Brad wasn’t the random victim of a home invasion robbery and neither was Valerie.”

“Don’t tell me you feel an obligation to avenge Brad and Valerie.”

“No,” Clare said. “What I don’t like is that the killer took advantage of the fact that I happened to be in town to kill twice. Whoever he or she is, the murderer had to know that if there were any suspicions about either death, they would point toward me. I think I was the fallback plan in the event that questions were asked.”