Proposals and Poison Read online

  Tim clenched his fists. “It’s such an obvious plant, but even I can’t figure out how someone got the euthanizing agent.”

  “Why? Is it that hard to break into your office?”

  “We have a security system, but no cameras. The euthanizing agent is locked up—with a double lock system.” He glanced at his hands and unclenched his fists.

  “Meaning two separate locks have to be opened to get the poison?” I leaned forward in my chair.

  “Yes. Vickie and I are the only ones who have access to the poison,” he said. “And there is only one second key. Vickie can’t open the locks without me.”

  “What about Vickie? Is she capable of something like this?” I still didn’t want to let go of my suspicion of the grouchy assistant.

  Tim scoffed and shook his head. “She can be ornery sometimes, but no. And she has a solid alibi.”

  “I still don’t see how that’s enough evidence,” I said. “It all seems circumstantial.”

  “Except for the part where the murderer left the empty bottle of poison from my office in a trash can near the murder scene.” He paused. “Handy that my fingerprints were the only ones on the bottle.”

  I gasped. “But how?”

  Tim shrugged. “It’s all Houdini to me now.”

  I stopped and jotted down a few notes. The evidence was definitely incriminating, but I had the sense that Tim was speaking with me carefully, perhaps holding something back. I tapped my pen against my notepad. “Can you think of anything that was strange around that time? Anything at all?”

  I was thinking of the text Lily had sent me that was only slightly out of the ordinary. I sat on the edge of my seat, hoping Tim would remember something that would tie in to the text she’d sent me.

  “Well, I already told the police that there was this foreign guy at the construction place that was giving her a hard time. They questioned him and he had an alibi—he was at a bar with several friends. I guess he mostly had a crush on her, and the language barrier made some things come across as inappropriate.”

  I straightened, thinking of the foreign person I knew who worked at Lost Trails Construction—Drago Kovacevic. “Do you remember his name?”

  “Uh, I think it was Boris something? But I asked around and found out he’s just a harmless kid. I worried that I was trying too hard to find someone to blame, so maybe I saw more than there was.”

  I relaxed. “Well, I’m sure they’re keeping an eye on him anyway.”

  Tim nodded. “That’s what Detective Ford told me. But that was the only thing I could think of. Lily was as open and honest as they come, and everyone knew she wore her heart on her sleeve. She didn’t have secrets.”

  “What about money issues? Did she ever talk about that?”

  Tim rubbed a thumb across his lips and rested his chin in his hand. “No, Lily was great with money. She had a knack for figures. She did the books for the construction company, and they were meticulous. Sometimes she got stressed if things didn’t balance correctly. She’d go at those figures like a hound after a coon until she got things right.” He stopped, and his eyes widened. “You know, I just remembered something.”

  My heart pounded against my ribs. “Yes?”

  “Last week Lily was going on about an issue with the expense sheets at Lost Trails. She was on the hunt again.” Tim paused; his eyes held a faraway look, and a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

  I sat expectantly, watching him. He turned his hazel eyes back to me, and I saw again the heartache he was suffering. He rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “I guess I forgot because it was kind of a normal thing for Lily to get excited about bank statements and accounts and stuff, but, well, she just didn’t look as satisfied as she usually does when she finds the source of the problem.”

  “So she figured out what the problem was?”

  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s what she said.”

  “Do you remember what she said, exactly?”

  “She said she’d found the error but it hadn’t solved any problems.” Tim hesitated then tapped his chin. “I remember now: she said once she found the error and fixed it, all the other accounts started having problems. To be honest, I’m not good with numbers, so I’m not sure I understood what she meant.”

  I wrote down what he said in my notebook and clicked my pen back and forth. “I heard that there were some problems with Lost Trails Construction. Do you know anything about that?”

  “You mean about Phil losing his head in that imported tile business?”

  I nodded.

  “Yes, but I thought that had been taken care of several months ago.”

  “Did you ever hear Lily mention other names of people who might have been involved?”

  “No, she liked pretty much everyone she worked with, and Lily was quiet. A lot of times she went into the office early so she could work uninterrupted. She wasn’t there for socializing. She was there for the numbers.”

  “She was a sweet girl.” I decided not to mention the embezzling accusations against Drago just yet. But there was one question that I did need to ask. “Tim, who do you think killed Lily?”

  Tim licked his lips. “I really don’t know. Phil is cousins with criminals, if you know what I mean, so for some people it’s easy to imagine him in this. But I don’t see it.”

  “What about the life insurance money?”

  Tim sat back, and his face lost some of its color. “What life insurance money?”

  “Everyone’s talking about how Phil had a two-million-dollar policy on Lily.”

  Tim’s Adam’s apple moved up and down three times, and he cleared his throat. “Is he the sole beneficiary?”

  I shrugged. “I have no idea. But why would he have a policy like that on his stepdaughter?”

  “Phil used to sell insurance, or his brother did, or something like that. Anyway, he’s big into life insurance. When Lily and I started getting serious, he told me I should get a policy. It was a little strange, but once he gave me his pep talk, it made sense. He’s pretty gung-ho about taking care of the family.” Tim was talking faster and not making eye contact with me. Maybe he did suspect Phil but didn’t want to voice it in the presence of the police officer.

  I glanced at my watch and hurriedly closed my notebook. “I’ve got to go. I’m sorry if I upset you.”

  “No, it’s just a lot to process,” Tim said. “But you’ve given me a few things to think about.”

  “I’d like to talk to you again soon. Do you think you’ll be able to make bail?”

  “My dad flew in from Florida, and he’s working on getting a loan against my vet clinic. He put a mortgage on his home and liquidated his savings. Hopefully only one more day, but I don’t know.”

  “I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could do to help.”

  Tim sat up straight and blew out a breath. “The fact that you believe me is a great help. Maybe someone else does, too.”

  “Keep thinking. Maybe there’s something, some little clue that could help you.” I gave him a weak smile. “Thanks for your time.”

  “I’ll do that. Thanks for the visit.” Tim waved, and the screen went dark.

  After I left the station, I drove as fast as I dared to get to my condo before Luke arrived. The car was silent and the roads were moderately quiet, leaving me to mull over my conversation with Tim. He had seemed surprised about the life insurance policy, but now that I thought about it again, maybe it was more worry than surprise. He hadn’t seemed surprised about the amount. I thought about Tim’s question of the life insurance beneficiaries. Would the police be privy to that information? And why did that matter to Tim?

  ZESTY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

  1 chopped onion, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can mushrooms, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 can green chilis, 1 pkg corn or flour tortillas, ½ lb. grated pepper jack cheese, 1 lb cooked, shredded chicken. Extra Zesty, add 1 seeded jalapeño

  Brown onion, add soup, broth, chilis,
mushrooms, and chicken. Mix well. Fill each tortilla with about 3 Tbsp filling and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up tortilla and set in 9 x 13 baking pan. Sprinkle cheese over entire pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

  Serve with rice and chopped lettuce. 6-8 Servings

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

  I pulled into my parking lot and breathed a sigh of relief that Luke wasn’t early. I didn’t want to tell him about my visit to Tim until after church. I had just enough time to park in my single-car garage, dash in through the side door, and check the mirror before I saw Luke arrive in his dark blue Dodge pickup. He approached the door, looking relaxed and unruffled, a slight smile on his clean-shaven face. I opened the door before he could knock.

  “Good morning,” I said.

  “It is a beautiful morning, and you look nice in that color.” He indicated the light-yellow blouse I wore with a white skirt. He reached out and took my hand. “Are you ready?”

  I nodded, feeling the tingles zing up my arm. Holding Luke’s hand felt natural, and I loved how something so simple brought happy butterflies to life in my stomach. “Yes, thanks for the invite. I’ve been looking forward to this.”

  Luke squeezed my hand. “I’m glad.”

  I locked my front door and walked with Luke to his pickup. He wore a short-sleeved button-up dress shirt in a light blue that brought out the color of his eyes. The silver rimless glasses he wore hid a few tired lines around his eyes. “I’m sorry you’ve had to work so hard lately.” I touched his cheek. “You look a little short on sleep.”

  Luke turned toward me, and some emotion that I didn’t recognize flickered through his eyes. But the way he smiled, it must have been a good feeling. “When I’m done with this case, we need to celebrate.”

  A thrill passed through me. “I would love that. Fried pickles or ice cream?”

  Luke chuckled. “Something better. I’ll think about it.”

  “Something better than fried pickles and ice cream? I’m game.”

  The church was less than two miles from my condo, so we arrived a few minutes early and took a seat in a pew about halfway back. Luke greeted several people, and I also found a couple parishioners that I knew. After the publicity from my attempted murder last year, I’d stopped attending for a while to avoid awkward questions and well-meaning do-gooders, but with Luke at my side I felt safe. Enough time had passed that I could probably become a regular attendee of the services again.

  When the preacher took the stand, I grinned because it was the same preacher who had married Gladys and Hank. Now I understood why he knew “Mr. Luke.” I elbowed Luke, and he winked at me before sliding his arm around me and resting his hand on my shoulder with a gentle squeeze. His nearness made everything a little fuzzy, like I was looking into the sun as it set. The warmth of Luke’s arm around me was definitely something I could get used to.

  “Good morning. I’m Preacher Dan, for those of you who are visiting. I’m glad you could come out this morning, and I hope you will leave uplifted and with a closer connection to Christ.”

  The sermon was a good one with an emphasis on the importance of family. I especially liked it when Preacher Dan quoted a scripture about a man cleaving unto his wife. Luke didn’t flinch, and it set my mind to thinking about the possibilities that might be in our future. It was forbidden territory; I had banned myself from going there because Luke had first introduced himself as someone against marriage. But I knew him better now. I could see him for the hurt and grieving widower he was and how hard he was trying to do well with living.

  After the service, Luke took my hand and walked with me to his pickup. “Would you like to come over to my place for lunch? I made a little something in the hopes you were hungry.”

  “Oh?” I smiled up at him. “That sounds like a great idea.” And hopefully there would be an opportunity for me to confess that I’d gone to visit Tim before church that morning.

  When we arrived at Luke’s two-story house just a few blocks off Main Street in Ketchum, he opened the front door for me with a flourish. “Welcome.”

  “I haven’t been in your house before. This is really nice.” I examined the dark hardwood flooring and the white staircase that swept up to the left of the entryway. “Did you remodel it?”

  “I did some of it. Hired out most of it,” he said. “It was in pretty sad shape when I moved in.”

  He led me into the kitchen, where I admired the white cabinets and gray granite countertops. “This is gorgeous.” I ran a hand over the cool surface.

  “I made a pan of chicken enchiladas and even set the timer on my oven to cook them while we were gone.”

  “Hey, it smells like it worked.” I noticed the spicy and sweet aromas wafting through the air. “I’m impressed.”

  “Wait until you taste them.” Luke held up his hands with fingers crossed.

  I laughed, liking the feeling of closeness Luke and I were sharing. It was the relaxed version of us that I’d been hunting for ever since I found out he was “the hottie” who loved to run the trails of Sun Valley. I would never admit that I’d ogled his shirtless abs for months before discovering who the man behind the sunglasses and ball cap really was. Even in a dress shirt and tie, Luke’s body held a strength and definition that made my heart quiver.

  He leaned over the oven and pulled out the pan of steaming enchiladas. “Did I let it cook too long?” he asked as he set the pan on a cooling rack.

  “It looks perfect.” The edges of the white sauce were crisp and dark brown, the tortillas a golden-toasted mass of cheese, and the green chiles mouthwatering.

  My stomach grumbled loud enough for Luke to hear. He smiled. “Let’s eat.”

  Sitting next to Luke at his round dining table felt different, in a good way. It was like we’d walked from dating stage one, right into dating stage three. While we were busy fighting over marriage, divorce, solving mysteries, and whatever else sparked our fires, we’d grown closer than either of us realized. I took another bite and caught Luke watching me. The side of my mouth quirked up, but I didn’t drop my gaze. The look he gave me was deeper—intimate. My mouth grew warm from the spiciness of the enchiladas; at least, that’s what I told myself as the heat sizzled right through my middle.

  “Wow, this is delicious,” I finally said. “I didn’t know you could cook like this.”

  “I’m glad you like it. Not too hot?” Luke asked with what seemed like a knowing smile.

  “I like it with a little zing.” I wondered if my cheeks were turning pink, because we were definitely full-blown flirting.

  Luke leaned forward and took my hand. “Thanks for coming over today.”

  “Thanks for the invite.” I found myself leaning toward him. “Maybe I can make you dinner sometime.”

  “I’d like that,” Luke said and his voice sounded husky.

  His mouth looked so kissable. I pulled my eyes back up to his, certain he’d seen me just check out his lips. I swallowed. What was I doing? I wanted Luke Stetson to kiss me, but not with enchilada breath.

  I pulled back and cleared my throat. “So, I have a little confession to make,” I ventured, and immediately kicked myself for dousing the heat building between us.

  Luke raised his eyebrows. “I’m listening.” He picked up his fork and took one last bite of enchilada.

  “I went to visit Tim Esplin today at the jail.”

  “You what?” Luke coughed and started choking. He swigged his lemonade and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

  I took the opportunity to explain before he could say anything else. “It was all on the up and up,” I said. “I went during normal visiting hours. There was an officer there. I just asked Tim a few questions.”

  “Adri, I thought Tony told you no more detective work.” Luke’s voice was even, but I could tell by the tightness in his eyes that he was upset.

  I bristled. “Look, I didn’t even have to tell you, but I figured you’d probably hear about it anyway since you and T
ony are so tight these days.” I leaned back and folded my arms. My jaw was tight with annoyance; I didn’t understand why Luke was so upset.

  Luke blew out a breath of frustration. “Tony is doing his job. Why can’t you just let things be?”

  “Because. I’m involved whether I want to be or not.” I raised my voice to match his authoritative tone. “Tony asked me to go through all of my notes and conversations with Lily. I did that and I gave him everything I had, but I had a few questions that I wanted to ask Tim myself.”

  “Tony would ask any question you needed if you’re helping him in an investigation.” Luke put his fork down and placed his palms on the table. “Why are you so determined to put yourself in danger?”

  “I’m not putting myself in danger. Tim is not a murderer, and if he was, then I was in just as much danger when I took Tux into his clinic last week. I needed some answers. Lily was my friend too.” My voice cracked, and I hung my head, blinking back the tears that had abruptly appeared.

  I heard Luke’s chair slide across the floor and he was at my side. “I’m sorry.” He touched my arms, but I pulled away. “I just don’t want you to get hurt. Don’t you understand how I feel about you?”

  My anger immediately dissipated. In two sentences we’d gone from fighting to somehow having a define-the-relationship chat. I pressed my lips together and took a slow breath in through my nose. If I turned the situation around, it made sense that Luke was worried about my sleuthing. He’d helped me out of two pretty scary situations. I couldn’t think of anything to say. I didn’t understand for certain how he felt about me, because Luke was always sending out contradictory signals. One minute he was holding my hand, and the next he was making fun of people getting married. But I had to admit that there was something between us that lately, he hadn’t been denying.

  “Speechless, huh?” Luke’s voice was low and appealing. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, and my cheeks twitched from holding in a smile. Luke took my hand and pulled me up to a standing position beside him. “Adri, it’s really scary when something happens to someone you care about. I’ve seen you almost die twice now. I don’t ever want to see that again. I hate feeling helpless, like there’s nothing I can do to save you.”