“I suggested that, but he was adamant that you meet him at the house.”
“No.”
“Casey, listen to me. Darcy said he’d hurt Summer if you didn’t show up.”
Casey inhaled sharply. “What?”
“I’m sorry, but his search for the money is making him desperate. I’m suggesting you go, but that you have Detective Lalonde meet you there.”
“I don’t—”
“Please, Casey, for Summer’s sake, and Rhonda’s and mine, I’m begging you to meet him at six. Call Lalonde.”
“Why can’t you?” The question was barely out of her mouth before Mother hung up.
Fear coursed through Casey. Had Darcy threatened Mother? Forced her to make the call? Casey checked her watch; almost four now. Lord, she didn’t want to go there and especially not alone. She needed to talk this over with someone she could count on. She dialed Lou’s number and sighed with relief when he answered.
“How was your meeting with Simone last night?” he asked.
“It didn’t happen.”
After she described events, Lou groaned. “I don’t believe it.”
“There’s more.” Casey hesitated. “Mother just phoned and begged me to meet Darcy at Dad’s house in two hours.”
“You’re not going, are you?”
“I have to. She said Darcy would hurt all of us if I didn’t, but she did say I should bring the police, and I was wondering if you’d go with me, kind of as second pair of eyes.”
“Have you told Detective Lalonde yet?”
“That’s my next call.”
“Casey—”
“You wouldn’t have to face Darcy. I’m just looking for a little moral support. We’ll take off the second Lalonde shows up.”
“You know I’d do anything for you,” he said, “but—”
“Great, I’ll pick you up in an hour.”
She hung up before he could finish turning her down. She wouldn’t have much time to convince Lou that she needed his help to do this and that she was running out of courage fast.
After wolfing down a mini microwave pizza, Casey hurried downstairs and found Rhonda stirring something garlicky on the stove.
“Summer will be back from Whistler soon,” Rhonda said. “Want to have supper with us?”
“Thanks, but I just ate and I’m on my way to see Lou.”
“You’ve been avoiding me all day.” Rhonda glanced at her.
“Sorry, but I’ve been really busy.”
“Do you know if the police have arrested anyone for that poor woman’s murder?”
“No.” Late last night, after she’d told Rhonda about Simone, they’d cried. She hadn’t wanted to rehash the whole thing again today. “But I did learn one interesting bit of news.” And Rhonda wasn’t going to like it. “Darcy and Mother are lovers.”
“What a lot of bull crap.”
“It’s true.”
Rhonda’s paling face made the blue smudges under her eyes turn dark plum. “Who told you that?”
“Theo Ziegler, and Mother sure didn’t deny it when we talked on the phone a few minutes ago.”
Her hip bumped against a chair. “They’re playing games with you. Isn’t Ziegler the man you saw running away from this house last night?”
“Yes, but now I’m not so sure he’s the killer. In fact, Darcy’s a suspect, too, and last I heard he’s avoiding the police. Now that Lalonde has a man watching this place, I doubt Darcy will be back. Please, Rhonda, you’ve got to believe me. The guy’s no good.”
Rhonda bit her lower lip. “I suppose Lillian’s the one he’s been phoning so much. I’m throwing that shithead’s junk on the street.” She started to pace the room, then stopped. “If Darcy’s involved in crime, chances are Lillian is too. God, what if they both killed Marcus?”
“Which is why I need to know how deeply Mother’s involved. I’m going to search her place tomorrow, whether she’s there or not.”
“Not smart, Casey.”
“There’s not a lot of choice here. Mother is up to her neck in this, and I know she’s not telling me everything. Besides, if she catches me, she won’t call the police. Despite Lalonde’s good opinion of Mother, you and I know that she was raised to hate cops and probably still does.”
“True, but what if Darcy’s with Lillian?”
“Then I won’t go in.”
Rhonda stared at her, then turned away and sighed. “I found your lock pick set on the floor while I was trying to put your apartment back together that night. I put them on the top of the fridge because I didn’t know if you still kept them in your junk drawer.”
“I do, and thanks.”
Casey opened the back door and stepped outside, feeling guilty for not revealing Gustaf Osterman’s existence. Rhonda should be told, but the news would lead to questions she didn’t have time to answer.
When Lou answered her knock ten minutes later, he was buttoning his shirt. Before he could finish, Casey spotted two large bruises on his ribs. Guilt made her want to sink through the floor.
“That looks like it still hurts a lot.”
“It’s not bad. Come on in.” He sat with her on the sofa.
She glanced at his sparse chest hair, the injuries to his face. “Asking you to go was a mistake. Sorry.”
“You shouldn’t go either.”
“Listen to me.” She gripped his hand. “Darcy will hurt Rhonda and Summer if I don’t.”
“The cops can pick him up before that happens.”
“What if he makes bail?” She watched Lou cross his arms and frown. “I have to do this.”
“For shit sake, Casey.”
“Face the fear, act quickly, then move on,” she said. “It’s what Dad would have done.”
“You wouldn’t do a lot of things Marcus did, which is good.”
Casey glanced at the giant get-well card on Lou’s coffee table. She’d read it when she’d stayed over. Seeing Marie’s flamboyant signature with the two hearts beneath it still irritated her.
“What about asking Theo Ziegler to go in your place?” Lou said.
“I don’t trust him. He showed up on the M8 and said that Darcy paid a waiter to give Dad the botulism.”
“Shit.” He slumped back against the sofa.
“Supposedly, there’s proof, but he left before I could see it. Needless to say, I have a problem with his credibility.”
She watched Lou scratch the eczema on his hand. The rash always appeared when he was under stress.
“He left a phone message while I was napping this afternoon, but I haven’t returned it.” Casey checked her watch. “I should go.”
Lou gripped her wrist. “I thought you wanted to move on with your life and let Lalonde handle things.”
“That was before Simone died.”
“Have you called Lalonde yet?”
“I got his voice mail and left a message.”
“What if he doesn’t get it in time? He won’t want you near the place.”
“I’ll drive out there but stay in the car, and leave when Lalonde arrives.”
“Bad idea, Casey. A million things could go wrong.”
“I’ll keep the doors locked and let you know how it went.”
He wouldn’t let go of her. “You’re not leaving.”
“Lou—”
“Don’t try and explain or rationalize your way out of this. I mean it.”
She couldn’t remember when she last saw Lou this angry. He’d never been much for arguing or physical fights, but even Lou had a breaking point. Slowly, she pried his fingers off her wrists and met his beseeching gray eyes.
“I’ll be okay, I promise.”
“Call Lalonde again.”
She removed her cell phone from her jacket pocket and dialed his number. “Still voice mail.”
Lou grabbed the phone from her and stood up. “This is Lou Sheckter. Casey’s on her way to the Marine Drive house right now and she’s in danger.” He paced the room. “Can you go there now, or send help, or at least call us back?” He gave the date and time, then disconnected.