Alibis & Angels Page 11

  Heather sat taller on her seat. “No, please come in. Arneeka Laguda, my chief of staff, I’d like to introduce you to Sister Lou LaSalle. She’s here to see what it’s like to be mayor.”

  Arneeka’s black flats were silent on the office’s wall-to-wall carpeting as she crossed to the conference table. Her bronze hijab covered her head and chest, and complemented her warm olive complexion. Her sapphire pantsuit was fitted to her slender figure.

  “Sister Lou.” Arneeka offered her right hand and a warm smile. “I’ve read all about you in the Telegraph. It’s a pleasure to meet Briar Coast’s Sleuthing Sister.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, too, Arneeka.” Sister Lou stood to shake Arneeka’s hand. Her smile was puzzled. “‘Sleuthing Sister’?”

  Arneeka released Sister Lou’s hand but her smile remained in place. “That’s what some of us are calling you because of the alliteration, and because of your investigative skills. We’re really impressed.”

  “Oh. Thank you.” Sister Lou returned to her seat. Her disconcerted expression was amusing.

  Arneeka sat on one of Heather’s guest chairs. “Today’s a good day to host Sister Lou. Your schedule’s pretty quiet for a Thursday.”

  “It’s quiet for now.” Heather tossed Arneeka a skeptical glance. “Let’s see how long that lasts.”

  “Oh, ye of little faith.” Arneeka deadpanned her response. She handed a folder across the wide desk to Heather. “If the fates favor us, you should have plenty of time today to review the plans for the spring fund-raiser.”

  Heather took the proffered folder with a groan. “Do we have to do this event?”

  “Yes. We do.”

  “Every year?”

  “Every single one.” Arneeka spoke in a singsong voice.

  Heather sighed. “Have I told you how much I hate event planning?”

  “I fail to understand how you can hate something you don’t actually do.” Arneeka made a note in her computer tablet. “This event is only once a year. Do you need me to remind you how important it is?”

  “Do you need me to remind you that you’re a bully?”

  “Only because you need bullying.”

  Heather scanned the contents of the folder. She loved matching wits with Arneeka. These exchanges often were the only bright spots in her often stressful days. “I know how important the event is. This is a hoity-toity gala designed to shake loose future big dollars from the who’s-who of Briar Coast for our nonprofit community organizations.”

  “In the crudest terms.” Arneeka sighed as though disappointed. “I prefer to think of it as a charity fund-raiser to support the missions of our community’s public service agencies like the libraries, public schools, aging programs, shelters, and food banks.”

  “That’s the only reason I opened this folder.” Heather lifted a memo to study it more closely. “You and your team have made great progress on the planning. Thank you.”

  Arneeka lowered her gaze. A slight smile lifted her lips. “It’s a start, but there’s still a lot of work to do and less than three weeks in which to do it.”

  “You’ve pulled off miracles with less time and fewer resources than this.” Heather reminded Arneeka of her recent successes, including Heather’s election victory. “I’m glad you expanded the invitation list. The additional registration fees should help reach our fund-raising goal for the proposed health clinic.”

  “I’m glad you made that suggestion.” Arneeka looked to Sister Lou. “We’ve already received the paid registrations for your congregation, Sister Lou. Thank you.”

  Sister Lou looked up from her laptop and smiled. “Our leadership team always enjoys the gala, and this year, it’s for an exceptionally good cause.”

  Heather’s meeting with Arneeka continued for almost an hour. Finally, Arneeka reorganized her folders and rose from her chair. “I hope you enjoy your day with us, Sister Lou.”

  “Thank you. Good luck with the gala.”

  Arneeka nodded good-bye before leaving Heather’s office.

  “You have a good rapport with Arneeka.” Sister Lou kept her attention on Heather’s office door. “Do you have a similar rapport with all of your cabinet members?”

  Heather made a final note on her writing tablet before spinning her chair to face Sister Lou. “I think so. As I mentioned, we became very close during the campaign. That’s why I think you’d be wasting your time by interviewing them. They’re not involved.”

  “We need to be sure, Heather, which means we not only have to rule people in. We also have to rule them out.” Sister Lou tilted her head to one side. “Which brings me to another question. What’s your relationship with Diego DeVarona?”

  “Diego?” Heather’s eyebrows lifted. The question amused her. “If I didn’t know better, Sister Lou, I’d think you were using this investigation to get gossip.”

  Sister Lou returned Heather’s skeptical look. “Luckily, you do know better. I understand that you and Diego knew each other fourteen years ago in El Paso.”

  Uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation, Heather looked away. “You’d be wasting your time checking into his background, too. Diego isn’t involved in these threats.”

  “How can you be so certain of that?”

  Heather shrugged a shoulder. “What would he have to gain by my not running for reelection?”

  “I understand that the two of you had a contentious relationship in El Paso.” Sister Lou’s tone grew pensive. “You certainly continue to butt heads now.”

  “Diego has nothing to do with these threats. He’s a decent person.” Heather turned back to Sister Lou. She managed to drag a smile to her lips. “Now if Diego was the one receiving these threats, I’d be the first to encourage you to add me to the suspect list.”

  Sister Lou’s arched ebony eyebrows knitted. “Why would you do that?”

  “Because I’d have a motive for the crime. Since Diego is the reason I had to leave El Paso, my motive would be revenge.”

  Chapter 13

  Sister Lou wasn’t certain how she should respond—or even if she should respond. “Apparently, Diego hasn’t told us everything. What happened fourteen years ago, Heather?”

  Heather sat behind her desk, staring fixedly at her dark wood bookcase across the room. She seemed fourteen years and nineteen hundred miles away. “I worked for the city’s Department of Environmental Services, but I had big dreams of becoming the mayor of El Paso, the twentieth largest city in the United States.”

  “That dream may still come true.”

  “I think that ship has sailed, Sister Lou.” The mayor of Briar Coast’s voice held no regrets. She settled back on her chair and crossed her arms and legs. “Diego was the city beat reporter for The El Paso Crier. I know; it’s a stupid name for a newspaper.”

  Sister Lou was startled. “I didn’t say anything.”

  “But you’re a smart woman. You were probably thinking it.” Heather shifted on her chair. “Diego was smart, handsome, and charming.”

  “He’s still all of those things.”

  Heather’s violet eyes widened. “I didn’t think sisters were allowed to notice things like that.”

  Sister Lou gave a dismissive sniff. “We’re not blind.”

  Heather smiled. “No, you’re not.” She stretched her shoulders as though trying to relieve a knot in her muscles. “Our attraction was immediate and mutual. It wasn’t just physical, though. I was impressed by his intelligence and I think he felt the same way. We had a mild flirtation, but it never went anywhere.”

  “Why not?” The question was out before Sister Lou realized she’d spoken.

  “I suppose we were waiting for the right time. Too bad it never came.” Heather’s gaze strayed to her bookcase again. “The chief of staff for one of our city council members came to me for help. Graham Irsay. I’ll never forget his name. He said the city had won the bid to have a national real estate developer open an office in El Paso. It was a highly sensitive move becaus
e of the competition. It required strict confidentiality, and he couldn’t trust anyone in his office. I was so flattered. And so stupid. I agreed to relay messages and packages between them.”

  Sister Lou could see where this would end. “How did you find out he’d misled you?”

  Heather’s lips tightened with what appeared to be residual self-disgust. “Diego told me he’d learned about a corrupt land deal coming through my office. It involved this real estate developer. You see, Irsay wasn’t helping the company open an office in El Paso. He was helping the developer bypass environmental laws. Diego said the information he’d been given on the corruption allegations implicated me.”

  “Oh no.” Sister Lou’s right hand pressed against her chest. She studied the clean lines of Heather’s profile. The mayor’s features were taut and pale.

  “Oh yes.” Heather’s voice was tight with anger even fourteen years later. “I told Diego that he’d been fed lies. I wasn’t involved in anything corrupt, then I warned Irsay about the rumors.”

  The deception and betrayal made Sister Lou sick to her stomach. “How did he respond to what you’d told him?”

  “Oh, he was reassuring.” Heather shook her head in disgust. “He told me Diego was an ambulance chaser who worked for a disreputable rag, and that we were honorable public servants who had nothing to worry about.” She gave Sister Lou a dry look. “Right.”

  Although this misfortune had happened almost a decade and a half ago to someone else, Sister Lou felt the tension in her neck and shoulders as though she was going through Heather’s experience now. “How long did it take for the fallout to occur?”

  “That was instantaneous, thanks to Diego. The Crier ran the article on its front page the next morning.”

  “Oh dear.”

  “My reaction was a little stronger.” Heather paused, taking a deep breath. “I didn’t keep the news clipping, but I can still remember the headline, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES INVOLVED IN PAY-TO-PLAY SCANDAL. Diego hadn’t named me as a suspect, but the Ethics Office called me in the same day his article ran.”

  Sister Lou’s eyes stretched wide with concern and shock. “How did they know to contact you if Diego hadn’t included you in his article?”

  “Someone else must have contacted them—and given them everything they needed to convict me on fraud: my phone number on the call logs with the developer, my e-mail address on the message exchanges, and my signature on the package delivery slips. If they’d charged me, my reputation would’ve been destroyed.”

  Sister Lou was puzzled—but relieved. “What stopped them from charging you?”

  “Not what, who.” Heather spun her chair back to face Sister Lou. “Diego linked the package deliveries to Irsay. The account for the courier service Irsay had used was in his name. And the courier’s records showed that I signed for each package just minutes before I signed the visitors’ log at the security desk at Irsay’s office. When the city’s Ethics Office confronted him, Irsay admitted that he’d been using me to throw suspicion off of him.”

  Sister Lou sniffed. “Well, I’m glad he did the right thing in the end by confessing his guilt.”

  “I wish he’d never involved me in the first place.” Heather groaned, tugging both of her hands through her hair. “I wish I’d never involved myself.”

  “Your mistake is far away in the past, Heather.” Sister Lou softened her voice as she expressed her understanding. “You’ve learned from it and moved on.”

  * * *

  Heather wasn’t as confident that she’d learned from her past. She heard Diego’s voice in her head. Do you remember El Paso?

  The newspaperman was reminding her of the Irsay incident and the way she’d worn blinders while the people around her made her their dupe.

  Am I still wearing blinders?

  Heather turned to Sister Lou. “Let’s do the background check on the members of my team—just so we can exclude them from the suspect list.”

  “We will.” Sister Lou’s expression didn’t reveal her reaction to Heather’s change of heart. Good. “We’re also developing a list of other more viable suspects like our former mayor, Owen Rodney.”

  “I’ve been thinking about him as well. The guy’s such an as—totally unpleasant person.” Heather’s face heated. That slip would have been mortifying, and she’d been doing so well in cleaning up her language while she was with the congregation.

  Sister Lou’s eyes twinkled as though Heather’s dilemma amused her. The other woman’s reaction allowed Heather to relax.

  “Mr. Rodney did refer to you as the Outsider throughout the campaign,” Sister Lou pointed out. Heather remembered the incumbent’s childish name-calling. “I’ve read that he’s considering another run for the mayor’s office, but how would he get the messages into your in-box?”

  Heather’s attention moved to her open doorway. Her mind rebelled at the stray thoughts forcing their way in. “It’s possible that the stalker has an accomplice, which is another angle that implicates the people in my office.”

  Sister Lou shifted on her seat, turning back to her laptop. “I should let you get to work. We can talk more about this later.”

  Heather opened the manila project folder Arneeka had left behind for the Mayor’s Charity Spring-Raiser. She refocused on her work. She wouldn’t let some deranged control freak affect her job performance.

  Several hours later, a knock at her open door shattered Heather’s concentration. Ian Greer stood just outside her office. The town council president looked startled to find that Heather wasn’t alone. Heather noticed Sister Lou regarding Ian with curiosity and her customary warmth.

  “Come in, President Greer.” Heather waved a hand between Ian and Sister Lou. “Allow me to introduce Sister Lou LaSalle. She’s a member of the leadership team of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Hermione of Ephesus. Sister Lou, this is Town Council President Ian Greer, but I’m sure you recognize him from the many council meetings you’ve attended.”

  “Yes, I do. It’s nice to formally meet you, President Greer.” Sister Lou rose to her feet.

  Ian crossed the room to accept Sister Lou’s outstretched hand. His clean-shaven brown pate and salt-and-pepper goatee gave him a regal bearing. He was of average height. His long legs crossed the room with a grace that almost masked his slight limp. His dark brown suit fell fashionably over his slender form.

  “The pleasure is mine, Sister Lou.” Ian inclined his head. “I’ve read about you in the Telegraph. You’ve helped our law enforcement solve the last two murders in our town. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, President Greer.” Sister Lou returned to her seat.

  Heather sensed her companion’s discomfort. She glanced at her rose gold wristwatch. It was nearly noon. The morning had almost disappeared.

  “What can I do for you, Ian?” Heather gestured toward the guest chairs. She noticed Ian’s hesitant glance toward her guest. “You can speak freely in front of Sister Lou. She’s the essence of discretion as you can tell from her work with our sheriff’s office.”

  “I heard about your accident the other night.” Ian settled onto the seat closest to the conference table. “How are you?”

  “News travels fast in a small town.” The muscles in Heather’s back stiffened. She didn’t like the implication that she was somehow frail and vulnerable. She especially didn’t like that implication coming from one of her critics. “I sometimes wonder if we really need the Telegraph. The residents of our town do a fine job getting the news out on their own.”

  “There’s no need to be defensive. I’m just concerned.” Ian crossed his legs and rested his elbows on the arms of the guest chair.

  “I’m sure you are, Ian. You’re probably wondering how you can work my fall to your advantage when you challenge me for the mayor’s office.”

  “Now you’re sounding paranoid, which means you must be fine.” Ian’s smooth reply had the rough edge of irritation. Good. “We need to reschedule the finance me
eting with the rest of the council. Is Penny up to speed?”

  A weight pressed on Heather’s shoulders. She thought of Penelope del Castillo, the finance manager and interim finance and management director, struggling to keep up with her work and Opal’s. Earlier this morning, she’d discussed with Arneeka the need to promote Penelope to director and bring in a consultant to serve as a temporary finance manager until they could hire a manager full-time.

  “Yes, Penny’s ready to address the town’s budget.” Heather gave Ian a challenging stare. “But regardless of what you do, Ian, you won’t be able to get the numbers to support a tax abatement for new businesses.”

  “The numbers add up when you factor in the revenues the new businesses will bring in to Briar Coast.”

  “The revenue that you’re assuming the abatement will generate amounts to paper money. We need real money to support Briar Coast.”

  “Heather, will you see reason?” Ian pushed himself up on his seat and leaned forward as though to emphasize his argument. “We need to grow Briar Coast. Young people are leaving. If we don’t do something to attract jobs and entertainment, we’re going to become a ghost town.”

  “If we do the wrong thing, we’re going to go bankrupt.” Heather leaned into her desk and folded her hands on its surface. “I’m not going to change my mind about opposing the tax abatement, Ian. Briar Coast needs those corporate taxes.”

  “You’re going to make the party look fractured if you oppose the abatement while the majority of us support it.”

  Heather unclenched her teeth. “My priority is not representing the party. It’s representing my constituents, the majority of whom do not need a business tax abatement. They need a solid education, medical facilities, and emergency services.”

  Ian was silent for a time, considering Heather. She could sense him looking for additional points to bolster his position, searching for weak spots in her argument to challenge her decision. Finally, Ian nodded. “Fair enough, Heather. I won’t change my mind, either. I’m supporting the tax abatement.”