Maybe there was a whole stash of sexy clothing that would lead her to the truth behind Julia’s murder. If these clothes belonged to Stacey, there was no doubt in Sydney’s mind that Marcus had killed his own wife to be with the one he loved. He’d have had easy access, and this would have given him his motive.
Sydney listened carefully before she stood on the chair. She had put the lingerie back on the floor where she’d found it. She slowly put one foot on the chair, knowing that if she wasn’t conscious of her every move, the chair could easily roll, knocking her off balance and causing a commotion that would send at least Marcus running.
She steadied herself with her sweating hands on the back of the chair, just barely touching it, hoping her fingerprints wouldn’t be lasting. She stood up and was just tall enough to see the top of the filing cabinet.
She nearly lost her footing when she saw her engraved knife, bloody and hidden, on top of the filing cabinet.
CHAPTER 4
Sydney jumped off the chair as silently as she could. She rushed to put the chair back in its place behind the desk and wiped it clean of any fingerprints. She pocketed the pen she had used and headed back to the hall. She wiped both the inside and outside doorknobs on her way, and ran back down the hall toward her room at the back of the house.
She sat down on her bed, catching her breath. She knew she’d look guilty when she went back downstairs if her face was as flushed as she thought it must look. She headed to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, trying to cool herself down.
She rifled through her bag and found her stash of business cards, grabbing a stack she knew would be too big and stuck them in her pocket as her cover for disappearing upstairs.
She slowly walked down the back staircase, breathing deeply to help regain her composure.
“Where have you been?” Grace hissed when Sydney walked into the kitchen. “I know you’re trying to clear your name, but you’re starting to look guilty. Marcus came in here looking for you—they’re ready to have desserts put out.”
Sydney was still trying to find her voice again.
“What happened to you?” Grace asked, realizing something was terribly wrong.
“I found the knife.”
Now it was Grace’s turn to find herself speechless. “Where?” she managed to ask after several moments of staring.
“In Marcus’ office. The same room Maria was in earlier. I think she was there again because things had changed, and she was the only one who went up there.”
“You think she planted the knife to make it look like Marcus is the killer? Or do you think he really is?” Grace asked.
“I’m not sure. But she knows something.”
Sydney caught Grace up on the events in the main room with the guests.
“I think you need to go check on Maria. Take these parfaits and make sure she’s recovering.”
Once again, Grace nearly pushed Sydney into the party.
Sydney looked around for a place to put the tray of parfaits. She was spared the task because guests gravitated toward her. They’d made two different kinds and she had some of each. The fruit ones disappeared first—layers of yogurt, strawberries and blackberries, topped with pomegranate seeds. Sydney had made extras for her and Grace to enjoy as well. The cookies and cream parfaits were slower to disappear, but they were gone before Sydney could find a place for her now-empty tray.
Sydney had immediately spotted Maria sitting in the same chair Eduardo had helped her to, and she now made her way over to her.
“Maria, can I get you anything?” she asked innocently.
“Thanks Sydney. Eduardo is getting me food. I haven’t eaten all day, I think I just fell from low blood sugar and those two cats running around at my feet. Where did Eduardo go? He should be back by now.”
Sydney walked a few paces away, looking for the man
Sydney listened carefully before she stood on the chair. She had put the lingerie back on the floor where she’d found it. She slowly put one foot on the chair, knowing that if she wasn’t conscious of her every move, the chair could easily roll, knocking her off balance and causing a commotion that would send at least Marcus running.
She steadied herself with her sweating hands on the back of the chair, just barely touching it, hoping her fingerprints wouldn’t be lasting. She stood up and was just tall enough to see the top of the filing cabinet.
She nearly lost her footing when she saw her engraved knife, bloody and hidden, on top of the filing cabinet.
CHAPTER 4
Sydney jumped off the chair as silently as she could. She rushed to put the chair back in its place behind the desk and wiped it clean of any fingerprints. She pocketed the pen she had used and headed back to the hall. She wiped both the inside and outside doorknobs on her way, and ran back down the hall toward her room at the back of the house.
She sat down on her bed, catching her breath. She knew she’d look guilty when she went back downstairs if her face was as flushed as she thought it must look. She headed to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, trying to cool herself down.
She rifled through her bag and found her stash of business cards, grabbing a stack she knew would be too big and stuck them in her pocket as her cover for disappearing upstairs.
She slowly walked down the back staircase, breathing deeply to help regain her composure.
“Where have you been?” Grace hissed when Sydney walked into the kitchen. “I know you’re trying to clear your name, but you’re starting to look guilty. Marcus came in here looking for you—they’re ready to have desserts put out.”
Sydney was still trying to find her voice again.
“What happened to you?” Grace asked, realizing something was terribly wrong.
“I found the knife.”
Now it was Grace’s turn to find herself speechless. “Where?” she managed to ask after several moments of staring.
“In Marcus’ office. The same room Maria was in earlier. I think she was there again because things had changed, and she was the only one who went up there.”
“You think she planted the knife to make it look like Marcus is the killer? Or do you think he really is?” Grace asked.
“I’m not sure. But she knows something.”
Sydney caught Grace up on the events in the main room with the guests.
“I think you need to go check on Maria. Take these parfaits and make sure she’s recovering.”
Once again, Grace nearly pushed Sydney into the party.
Sydney looked around for a place to put the tray of parfaits. She was spared the task because guests gravitated toward her. They’d made two different kinds and she had some of each. The fruit ones disappeared first—layers of yogurt, strawberries and blackberries, topped with pomegranate seeds. Sydney had made extras for her and Grace to enjoy as well. The cookies and cream parfaits were slower to disappear, but they were gone before Sydney could find a place for her now-empty tray.
Sydney had immediately spotted Maria sitting in the same chair Eduardo had helped her to, and she now made her way over to her.
“Maria, can I get you anything?” she asked innocently.
“Thanks Sydney. Eduardo is getting me food. I haven’t eaten all day, I think I just fell from low blood sugar and those two cats running around at my feet. Where did Eduardo go? He should be back by now.”
Sydney walked a few paces away, looking for the man
Similar Books
