Flames, Frames, & Murder by Jenna St James

Author:Jenna St James [James, Jenna St]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-10-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

I’d just pulled onto Redwood Drive when my cell rang. It was Mike. “Oh crap. I hope he isn’t going to chew me out about Carmen.” I pushed the hands-free button. “Hey, Mike. What’s up?”

“Just calling to let you know there’s not been a change on Sophia’s status. She’s still in a coma in ICU.”

My stomach lurched. “Well, I know I should be happy that it’s not bad news, but I’m still worried.”

“And you should be,” Mike said. “The doctor says she’s not out of the woods yet.”

“Have you gotten ahold of Victor?”

Mike sighed. “No. I finally tracked down his cell number, but when I called this morning it went straight to voicemail.”

“Not good,” I said.

“Where are you?” Mike asked.

I knew what he was asking me, but I played dumb. “On Redwood Drive. Why?”

He snorted. “You know what I mean. Have you been anywhere today I need to know about? Maybe visiting and questioning people you shouldn’t be?”

“Nooooo,” I said. “Of courrrrse not.”

Silence.

“I hope if we ever have children,” Mike said, “they learn to lie better than you.”

He hung up…leaving me speechless.

“Did he just say he wanted you to have his babies?” Heidi asked. “Because that’s how it sounded to me.”

I shrugged, pretending I wasn’t affected. Mike had never joked about children before. “I’m sure he’s just joking.”

“Most men don’t joke about babies,” Bridget said. “I’m thinking you could be in trouble soon. Like ring on your finger and pushing a baby stroller kind of trouble.”

Am I ready for that? I don’t think I am!

“Anyway,” Bridget said, “tell me what you found out upstairs. Heidi just told me to go with it when we put the ladder back where it belonged and ran to help you out.”

Grateful to have something else to focus on besides Mike’s declaration, I turned onto Hwy 116 and headed back out toward Sophia’s place. I wanted to make sure Wyatt hadn’t gone back, plus I wanted to snoop around inside. “Heidi and I found a day planner with the name Paul Renault circled on October 10.”

Bridget gasped.

“I see you recognize the name too,” I said. “Anyway, I feel that proves Carmen is in on it. However, because she was so cocky in telling us her alibi, she obviously knew ahead of time she’d need an alibi.”

“So who does that leave to be her partner?” Heidi asked.

“I guess Carl,” I said.

“But how do they fit together?” Bridget asked. “We’re still missing something.”

“Maybe instead of focusing on Carl, we should shift to Marco,” I said. “Wouldn’t that make more sense? I mean, at least Marco would know about paintings and maybe even know this Paul guy.”

“You’re right,” Heidi agreed. “I think the whole bandana thing is causing us to focus too much on Carl.”

I was about to turn into Sophia’s long drive, when I gasped. “Is that Victor?”

Cruising up the driveway in no particular hurry was Victor Brockman’s black Mercedes.

Heidi raised her eyebrows knowingly at me. “I thought he wasn’t supposed to be back until Sunday?”

“And if he’s around, why isn’t he answering his phone?” I asked.

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