“I was in LAX today, and I could have sworn I saw him. Scott, my husband,” she clarified. “But I felt like a fool because—” she shrugged “—he’s dead. I buried him nearly three weeks ago. Then I came home, and the detective who has been investigating the explosion showed up and told me that the man I buried was not my husband. In other words, Scott isn’t dead. At least, if he is, he wasn’t killed by the explosion.”
Ben frowned. “But his body was found…”
Brenda shook her head. “No. That body belonged to someone else. DNA confirmed it wasn’t Scott.” She made a face that saidI think I’m losing it. “So maybe I did see him at LAX today all hugged up with a tall, leggy blonde.”
She pressed her fingers to her lips. She hadn’t meant to say that last part.
“Wow.” Ben’s eyebrows reared up. “That’s a hell of a day you’ve had.”
“How could he be alive?” She moved her head side to side and stared at the stranger eating pizza and drinking wine in her kitchen. “I have known Scott for nearly seven years. He has been—more often than not—a bit of an arrogant…” She drew in a deep breath, then took another healthy swallow of wine. “Anyway, his business has always been very important to him. His partner and associates more important than his family, it seemed at times. Why would he do this? I mean, I have to assume—or at least the police do—that he set up the explosion.”
Brenda laughed out loud at her own words, then her fingers went back to her lips. Oh God, she should stop talking. No laughing either.
“So, he’s a suspect now,” Ben offered.
She nodded. Shelton had said that. “Which means, I think, that he’s suspected of having arranged the explosion and faking his death—killing three people in the process.”
“Did the detective offer a motive, or do you know of any reason Scott might do such a thing?”
The question was so calm. His eyes—really sweet eyes—showed genuine concern. If her judgment could be trusted, and she didn’t have a stellar record so far.
“Shelton—the detective—said the business was in serious financial trouble.” She thought about that for a moment. “Since it’s an investment firm, I’m assuming trouble means client money is missing.” Which also meant that everything Scott owned outright or jointly would be on the chopping block. Apprehension slid through her. “I need to go to an ATM.”
He looked surprised. “Can it wait until morning?”
She shook her head. “Shelton said they would probably freeze all assets and accounts.”
“I see.” He thought for a moment, then offered, “Why don’t we let Janey watch her show, and then I’ll drive you to the ATM.”
“I could walk,” she argued. “It’s just down the street.”
“Probably not a good idea since the bank is closed.”
He had a valid point. Five Points was a great neighborhood, but that bank had been robbed numerous times. It was one of those strange enigmas. “If you’re sure you don’t mind.”
“I do not mind at all.”
Brenda closed up the leftover pizza and started to clean up. She had to think about all this. It was unbelievable. And she needed to do something rather than sit here and puzzle over the insanity.
“Do you have any family you can call?” he asked as he wiped off the island with a damp paper towel.
The question startled her, but it was a fair one. He didn’t know her. He had no idea if she had family or friends or whatever.
“No. There’s no one but me and Janey.”
“What about Scott? Does he have any family you might be able to contact? Maybe they’ve heard from him.”
“No one. At least no one I know about.” Suddenly everything Scott had ever told her was in question. “He said his parents were deceased and he had no siblings—just like me. Our only friends were his work friends, my literary agent and Mallory.” She managed a smile that was likely pretty pitiful. “How sad is that?”
“Busy people don’t always have time for all the usual social trappings.”
She paused as she put the lid back on the wine. “The man who was here when you arrived with the pizza was from the FBI.”
This new twist was very bad. Really bad. She didn’t need a law degree to see that. The FBI didn’t investigate low-level local crime… This had to be something far bigger than she dared to suspect.
Ben lifted one shoulder in a vague shrug. “Not surprising in Scott’s line of work. Embezzling, money laundering would likely warrant the involvement of the federal authorities.”
She closed her eyes a moment. Good grief, he was right. “Money laundering. I never even thought of that. So, he might be involved with criminal people or entities.”