She glanced at her watch. Ken would be arriving home within the hour. Panic rose in her heart. Hurrying down the hallway, she looked into each room until she found the two detectives in Ken's home office. "Tom, could I speak to you?"
He stepped out into the hallway and pulled the door closed. "What is it?"
Her hands were clasped in front her so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white. She stared at the floor. "I'd like to call Angie Nevers."
Tom leaned up against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. "I'd rather you didn't call anyone right now."
"I feel like my privacy is being invaded and it's making me very nervous. I can't stay here and watch. If Angie's home, I'll go see her."
He let out a sigh and nodded. "Okay." He pulled away from the wall and followed her into the kitchen where she dialed the number.
"Angie? Sandy. Can I take you up on your offer? Thanks, I'll be there within thirty minutes."
After she hung up, she dashed into the master bedroom, threw some clothes into a duffel bag and grabbed her makeup kit.
Tom observed the nervous woman's actions, noticing the already packed makeup kit. He walked her outside and held the car door open as she tossed everything into the back seat, then climbed into the driver's seat. "Looks like you plan to hide out awhile."
Sandy never looked at him as she turned the key and gunned the engine. "As long it takes to get this mess settled." She backed out the driveway and sped down the street toward's the Nevers' home.
*****
Cliff waited for Tom at the front door. "What's happening?"
Tom backed toward the door as he watched the car disappear into the distance. "She's scared. You can't tell me she slipped on a wet floor. Those bruises were caused by punches."
"Where's she headed?"
"The Nevers' place. I listened to her conversation with Angie. Sounds like they'd planned this in case Sandy needed an escape."
As the two men walked deeper into the house, they were startled by the squeal of car tires and screeching brakes. They dashed back to the front door and met Ken Weber entering the house, his face contorted in anger and fear.
Tom raised his hand. "Sandy's fine. She isn't here right now. We have a search warrant and are conducting a murder investigation."
Ken's eyes flared. "Here? At my house? I thought Ryan killed himself."
Cliff stepped forward. "No, Mr. Weber. Mr. Conners was murdered."
"You think I'm the murderer?" Ken snapped, pointing a finger at his own chest.
"No one is accusing you of anything. Yet." Cliff stared into Ken's eyes.
Grabbing Tom's arm, Ken jerked his head toward Cliff. "Where the hell did you pick up this guy? He acts like he's in charge. I thought you were."
Tom looked into his face. "Settle down Ken, he's my right-hand man. We're both in this equally. Whatever he says is fine with me." With that Tom removed Ken's hand from his arm. Then he and Cliff walked into Ken's office and closed the door behind them.
Ken lurched forward, but stopped abruptly when an officer stepped in front of him, his hand resting on his gun.
*****
Only after the big gates to the Nevers' property closed behind her did Sandy Weber breathe a sigh of relief. She drove over the crest and viewed the mansion as a safe haven. At least for the moment.
Angie stood at the open front door and threw her arms around her, then pushed her back at arm's length and frowned. "Dear God. What has he done to you?"
Sandy put her hands to her face. "All hell is breaking loose. Tom and his detective friend are searching my house. I'm sure Ken is home by now and he's probably furious. I don't know what's going on."
Taking one of the bags, Angie put an arm around Sandy's shoulders and brought her inside, closing the door with her foot. "I'm surprised Tom didn't bring you himself."
She bit her lip. "He doesn't know Ken hit me. I told him I slipped and fell. But I don't think he believed me. It surprised me when he agreed to let me call you and then let me leave. I guess I'm not a suspect in whatever they're looking for."
Angie led her into the kitchen. She'd excused Marty for the rest of the day after receiving Sandy's call. Marty loved to gossip with her friends and there was no need to give her more to talk about. "Have you eaten anything?"
Sandy shook her head.
Angie busied herself warming up some chicken Marty had prepared earlier, and fixed a plate for each of them. They ate in silence for several moments before Sandy spoke, her eyes brimming with tears. She dropped her head into her hands and sobbed. "What am I going to do? Ken's in big trouble."
Angie reached across the table and patted her arm. "I'll call Tom later. Maybe he can enlighten us." But her fears were escalating and she didn't like the thoughts going through her mind. Did Ken have something to do with Ryan's or Bud's murder? The thought of it made her stomach tie into knots. Having lost her appetite, she pushed her plate away.
Chapter Eighteen
After two more hours of searching through the Weber household, Tom stood and stretched his aching back. "So far we've found nothing concrete to connect Ken with either Bud's or Conners' deaths. But my gut tells me he's guilty of something. Let's take the stuff to the office and go through it there. I'm ready to call it a day."
Cliff lifted his hat a ways off his head, ran his fingers through his unruly hair, then shoved it back on. "Strange how the criminal mind never takes into consideration how many innocent people are going to be hurt. Already, we've seen Mrs. Weber suffering. And look at the grief Mrs. Nevers is going through. Makes one wonder if a warped mind is capable of loving or caring."
Tom shook his head and went out into the hallway, looking for Ken. He finally found him in the back yard, pacing the side of the pool.
"Ken, we're through for now. I apologize for the inconvenience, but we may be back."
Ken's eyes narrowed. "Where's Sandy?"
Tom hesitated about telling him, yet she hadn't indicated that he conceal her whereabouts. "She's visiting Angie Nevers. It upset her that the police were searching her home."
"No kidding?" Ken sneered.
Tom went back into the house just as the two officers assisting them prepared to leave. He and Cliff, each with a plastic bag, followed them outside. They dropped the bags into the trunk of the police car and slammed it shut. He gave the officers instructions to take the evidence back to the station.
He then went to the unmarked car and slid behind the steering wheel while Cliff climbed into the passenger side. "You want to go with me out to the Nevers' place?" Tom asked.
"What you have to say won't take two detectives. Drop me at the station. Hell, I could have ridden with those officers."
"No problem." He let Cliff out at the station and continued on his way. He called Angie on his cell phone. Her voice sounded strong and capable. She seemed to be holding up well. Sandy's presence would force her to think about other things instead of her recent tragedy. The gate stood open, the electric eye closing it once he'd whipped through.