not her sister, which he found odd.
“What have you learned?” the mayor asked.
“Unfortunately, not much. How is your wife?”
“She’s fighting for her life. That’s how she is,” he said angrily. “I want to know who did this to her.”
“So do I. We’re going over forensics and witness statements, and we’ve conducted an extensive search around your property. With the nearby beach and the thick cluster of trees, there’s a lot of ground to cover.”
“I don’t care how difficult it is. I want every officer in the department working on this case. What about Charlotte Adams? Has she been brought in for questioning?”
“She’s cooperating fully with the investigation.” On a good day, the mayor was impatient, short-tempered, and egotistical, and this was far from his best day. His eyes were bloodshot, and he hadn’t slept in twenty-four hours. He wanted someone to blame, and right now the only person in his sights was Charlotte. “When you have a chance, I’d like you to take a look around your house to help us determine if anything else is missing besides the jewelry your wife was wearing.”
“I don’t know what Theresa had in the way of jewelry. She was always shopping for something.” Robert drew in a deep breath as he looked through the glass at his very still and pale wife. “She has to make it through this.”
He could hear the fear in the mayor’s voice. He’dnever thought of the mayor as a man capable of having deep feelings, but he certainly seemed to be in love with his wife.
“I can’t leave here until Theresa wakes up,” the mayor added. “Whatever may or may not be missing from the house will have to wait.”
“Perhaps your sister-in-law could help with that.”
“I doubt that. Just find who did this, Silveira. If you don’t, you won’t have a job.” With that threat, Robert returned to his wife’s side.
Pamela moved across the room, pausing in the doorway. “He’s worried about Theresa,” she said.
“Completely understandable. Are you and your sister close, Ms. Baines?”
“We’re sisters,” she said with a shrug. “Our blood makes us close.”
“When did you last see her?”
“I can’t recall. We’ve both been busy. Robert tells me that Charlotte Adams is a suspect.”
It was an adept change in subject. Pamela obviously wasn’t going to give him much on her relationship with her sister. “Dr. Adams was one of many people in the house last night,” he conceded.
“Charlotte and I have a history. She doesn’t like me because I stole her boyfriend.”
“And how do you feel about her?”
Pamela shrugged. “I couldn’t care less about her. She might have thought we were rivals, but as far as I was concerned, she was no competition whatsoever.”
“And your sister’s opinion of her?”
“I have no idea. Until I saw Charlotte a few minutes ago, I hadn’t thought about her in years. I must admit I’m a little curious about why Theresa invited her to the party, though.” She paused, tilting her head thoughtfully. “We should meet later for coffee. You can fill me on the investigation, and maybe I can help you in some way.”
It was a good idea. He needed to know the players, and with Theresa unconscious and the mayor stressed out, Pamela was his best bet at getting some insight into the family. “Call the station. They’ll get in touch with me.”
“I’ll see you later, then.”
She gave him a flirtatious smile that seemed out of place in this very serious hospital room. Despite the fact that Pamela had rushed to her sister’s bedside, she didn’t appear to be all that upset about Theresa’s condition. Or was her flirting a cover for something else? If she had a hidden agenda, as Charlotte suspected, he intended to find out what it was.
F OUR
After leaving the hospital, Charlotte stopped home to change into jeans and make up a tray of sandwiches to take to the party. Then she headed across town. Kara and Colin lived in
“What have you learned?” the mayor asked.
“Unfortunately, not much. How is your wife?”
“She’s fighting for her life. That’s how she is,” he said angrily. “I want to know who did this to her.”
“So do I. We’re going over forensics and witness statements, and we’ve conducted an extensive search around your property. With the nearby beach and the thick cluster of trees, there’s a lot of ground to cover.”
“I don’t care how difficult it is. I want every officer in the department working on this case. What about Charlotte Adams? Has she been brought in for questioning?”
“She’s cooperating fully with the investigation.” On a good day, the mayor was impatient, short-tempered, and egotistical, and this was far from his best day. His eyes were bloodshot, and he hadn’t slept in twenty-four hours. He wanted someone to blame, and right now the only person in his sights was Charlotte. “When you have a chance, I’d like you to take a look around your house to help us determine if anything else is missing besides the jewelry your wife was wearing.”
“I don’t know what Theresa had in the way of jewelry. She was always shopping for something.” Robert drew in a deep breath as he looked through the glass at his very still and pale wife. “She has to make it through this.”
He could hear the fear in the mayor’s voice. He’dnever thought of the mayor as a man capable of having deep feelings, but he certainly seemed to be in love with his wife.
“I can’t leave here until Theresa wakes up,” the mayor added. “Whatever may or may not be missing from the house will have to wait.”
“Perhaps your sister-in-law could help with that.”
“I doubt that. Just find who did this, Silveira. If you don’t, you won’t have a job.” With that threat, Robert returned to his wife’s side.
Pamela moved across the room, pausing in the doorway. “He’s worried about Theresa,” she said.
“Completely understandable. Are you and your sister close, Ms. Baines?”
“We’re sisters,” she said with a shrug. “Our blood makes us close.”
“When did you last see her?”
“I can’t recall. We’ve both been busy. Robert tells me that Charlotte Adams is a suspect.”
It was an adept change in subject. Pamela obviously wasn’t going to give him much on her relationship with her sister. “Dr. Adams was one of many people in the house last night,” he conceded.
“Charlotte and I have a history. She doesn’t like me because I stole her boyfriend.”
“And how do you feel about her?”
Pamela shrugged. “I couldn’t care less about her. She might have thought we were rivals, but as far as I was concerned, she was no competition whatsoever.”
“And your sister’s opinion of her?”
“I have no idea. Until I saw Charlotte a few minutes ago, I hadn’t thought about her in years. I must admit I’m a little curious about why Theresa invited her to the party, though.” She paused, tilting her head thoughtfully. “We should meet later for coffee. You can fill me on the investigation, and maybe I can help you in some way.”
It was a good idea. He needed to know the players, and with Theresa unconscious and the mayor stressed out, Pamela was his best bet at getting some insight into the family. “Call the station. They’ll get in touch with me.”
“I’ll see you later, then.”
She gave him a flirtatious smile that seemed out of place in this very serious hospital room. Despite the fact that Pamela had rushed to her sister’s bedside, she didn’t appear to be all that upset about Theresa’s condition. Or was her flirting a cover for something else? If she had a hidden agenda, as Charlotte suspected, he intended to find out what it was.
F OUR
After leaving the hospital, Charlotte stopped home to change into jeans and make up a tray of sandwiches to take to the party. Then she headed across town. Kara and Colin lived in
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