The Second Wife Read online

  “We still haven’t found it if that’s why they sent you back. Dr. Williams told that detective we’d call if it showed up. Sorry.” She spoke into her headset. “No, he cancelled. You have a root canal at two.” She turned back to me and flashed me her perfect white smile.

  I leaned on the counter as if I was settling in for a chat. “So, how well did you know Marjory?” I asked.

  “Marjory replaced Brit. Brit was hit by a car and broke both legs, so we had to use a temp agency. Lucky that a card for the Hampton Agency arrived in the mail that week. Anyhow, Marjory showed up and we were impressed. She volunteered to stay late and sort out the files. We miss her.”

  I pretended to hesitate. “Cindy, you seem like a person who can keep a secret. There have been rumors brought to our attention that Marjory might have been seeing one of your dentists. I wonder if you can confirm this information.”

  “Seeing how?”

  “Seeing as in dating. Having a relationship.” Boinking.

  Cindy laughed. “No possible way. Three of our dentists are women and married. The other dentist is a man but definitely not interested in women.” She puffed out her chest. “I can attest to that personally.”

  “No married dentist with four children works here?”

  “Nope.”

  I was confused. I’d been sure Marjory was having an affair. Why else would she have demanded to work here? Too many random events had happened with Marjory at their center. My mind was making connections but they weren’t adding up. I needed to find out more about her past. That meant tracing back through her life and anyone who knew her.

  “Do you happen to know who her last dentist was before she transferred here?”

  Cindy’s face clouded over and then brightened. “I only remember because I overheard her cancel an appointment when she first arrived and thought what a small world. Dr. Bloom is my mother’s dentist too. That’s why his name stuck in my head. He’s not taking on new clients though. He plans to retire in the fall.”

  “Thanks so much for your help,” I said. I tapped the counter twice with the palm of my hand. “Have a nice day.”

  I put my head down and trotted for the door.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  I’d gotten behind on my work at the station. The chief wanted some forms filled in before I left for the day. That put my investigation on hold. I sat at my desk typing in information with a knot of frustration in my stomach. It was hard to concentrate on paperwork when I would rather be tracking down clues on Marjory’s murder. My mind had been sprung out of a box, and I couldn’t put it back in. The thrill of the chase and the excitement of solving a puzzle had given me energy. I now had a reason to get up in the morning. I hadn’t even known what I was missing. I wondered if I would ever be happy sitting at a desk again.

  The nightshift had arrived by the time I stepped outside. It was still daylight, but the sun was on its way down. I wasn’t paying much attention to anything as I walked toward my car. I was thinking about Brian and what a sitting duck he’d been. He was a middle-aged man working in a shoe store. Marjory had played on his memories of youth—offered him a chance to find the excitement long gone. It made me sad to think he hadn’t tried to find it in our marriage.

  I waved at two police officers heading out on patrol. I just needed to make a few more phone calls before I had all the information to prove how the murder had happened. I was starting to like being a detective. It was exciting when the facts began to make sense.

  It wasn’t until I reached the parking garage that I noticed somebody behind me. I’d caught movement out of the corner of my eye. My first thought was to run, but I didn’t want to go deeper into the garage. I’d be trapped like a bug in a jar. I turned to face whoever was standing across the sidewalk from me in the shadows. I could make out a man’s shape but not his face. He stepped forward and started running toward me. It was a shock to see Jason bearing down on me like a tank. His face was red and angry. He was bigger than I remembered.

  “Can I help you, Jason?” I tried to sound in control. Even so, I could hear my voice tremble. I put my hands on my hips. I wouldn’t let him know that he scared me. For the first time since I took the desk job, I wished I had my gun. It was locked up in a safe at home. There’d been no need for a gun or a uniform when I was doing paperwork. I looked around. We were alone and all but hidden from view.

  Jason stopped a few feet away from me. “You told me you were a friend of my mother’s. Then I find out you’re a cop, asking about her murder. I also find out you were married to Brian. You lied to me.” He shouted the last bit. His fists were clenched at his sides. “Your name isn’t Wendy. It’s Gwen Lake. You must have thought you were so smart lying to me.”

  “I should have been more honest. I’m sorry. I was just helping the detective.”

  “Brian killed my mother.”

  “I know. All the evidence points to him.”

  “Then why are you still asking questions?”

  “I’m done as of today.”

  Jason’s shoulders relaxed. “Good because I want Brian to pay for what he did.”

  “Oh, I’d say he’s paying already.”

  Jason nodded. “You know when you asked me where my father lives and I said Wisconsin? Well, I meant New York. I get confused.”

  “That’s okay. Geography isn’t my strong suit either.” If a girl needed to roll over and play dead, I could give lessons.

  “Okay, well, I just wanted you to know that you shouldn’t be tricking people. Some of us don’t like it. We might have to stop you.”

  “Consider me stopped. It was wrong of me to act like I was friends with your mom.”

  Jason started to back away. He looked confused. He’d probably been expecting more of a fight. “Okay,” he said. “I guess I’ll see you around then…or not.” He cocked his hand at me like he was firing a gun. “Just so long as you leave me alone.”

  “You can count on it.”

  He turned and started walking away from me. I held a hand up to cover my wildly thumping heart. I watched him until he was gone from sight.

  “Got you worried, Jason?” I whispered. “It seems that I’m making you sweat. Now what’s that all about?”

  I turned and started walking toward my car. Tomorrow I would track down the last few people I needed to talk to. I’d start with the doctors’ office where Marjory last worked. I needed to find out if she was having an affair with one of them. I would follow every lead to the end. I knew I was getting close. But I was still a long way from bringing the killer to Cal on a platter.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Doctors Anders, Neil and Carlson had a booming practice, judging by the number of people in the waiting room. It was eight am, and I thought I’d beat the morning rush. I was wrong.

  I walked up to the woman behind the glass divider and waited until she got off the phone. She was late forties with curly black hair and coffee-colored skin. Her eyes said smart and no-nonsense.

  “Which doctor are you here to see?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure. I’m here to make an appointment.”

  “I’m sorry, but none of the doctors is taking on new patients at this time.”

  “But I was told that one was. I just forget his name.”

  “Well, we have two male doctors on staff. Dr. Anders and Dr. Carlson.”

  “Marjory said the doctor I should ask for had four kids.”

  “Marjory?”

  “Marjory White. She told me to mention her name.” I stole a look at her name tag. “She said that Pam would be able to help me out.”

  “Well, I’m Pam. I guess you haven’t heard. Marjory White died a few months ago. I hope you weren’t too close.” There was no sadness in her voice.

  “Oh my god! This is such a shock. I just knew her from the gym. I wondered why she’d stopped coming. She told me that she liked working here.” It was scary how easily I’d taken to lying. It was like a hidden talent.

  If a fa
ce could snort without snorting, Pam somehow managed it. “I’ll bet she liked it here. I was as surprised as anyone when she took another job.” Pam leaned closer. “Dr. Carlson is the one with four kids. She chased him like a dog in heat. She was always staying late, trying to cozy up to him. It made me sick.”

  “Did Dr. Carlson fall for her?”

  “At first I’d say he was…flattered. Marjory was good at roping them in. I’ll say that for her. He seemed to like the attention for a while. Then he found it disturbing. He told me after she left that he was going to let her go.”

  “Maybe he was just covering his tracks.”

  “No. The last few weeks that she was here, he was going home early to avoid her. He loves his wife.”

  “So he resisted Marjory’s charms,” I said.

  “You could say that.” Pam held up a finger as she picked up the phone. She called to one of the patients to take waiting room two. Then she said, “I can’t say I was shocked she ended up murdered. There was something nasty about her. She came across so sweet and needy with the men. But Dr. Carlson saw through her. Most middle-aged men probably wouldn’t have. I know it’s awful to speak ill of the dead. It’s just that women like Marjory get me going. They waltz in and break up families and couldn’t care less.”

  “You’re preaching to the converted,” I said. I couldn’t help myself. I added, “Marjory gave women a bad name.”

  Pam smiled for the first time. “If you really would like an appointment with Dr. Carlson, I can put your name on the waiting list.”

  “Thanks. I’ll take you up on that. Dr. Carlson sounds like the kind of man I’d like having for a doctor.” By the sounds of it, I should have picked him for my husband too.

  I was late to work again, but nobody noticed. My in basket was loaded with f iles. I moaned at the sight of them. I worked through lunch. There was no chance to make my phone calls until late in the afternoon.

  Rose Gatto picked up on the first ring. “Any progress on Marjory’s case, dear?” she asked.

  “Some. I have a few more questions for you.”

  “Fire away. I got nothing but time.”

  “You said that a man used to visit when she first moved in. What did he look like?”

  “He was in his fifties. Rough-looking. Bald with a five o’clock shadow. There was a tattoo of a rose on his left arm and a scar across his left cheek under his eye.”

  There was nothing wrong with Rose’s eyesight. Sadly, she wasn’t describing anyone I knew. I checked back through my notes. “You also said she had a girlfriend named Alice.”

  “She and Alice spent a lot of time together. I’d say that Alice was in her late thirties. She was short and mousy. I never saw what the two of them had in common.”

  “Do you know her last name?”

  “I was never formally introduced. However, my window looks out over the visitor parking lot. She had a vanity license plate that said Coates. That would be my guess.”

  “Alice Coates. I seem to remember seeing that name somewhere.” I couldn’t place where, but I’d read her name recently. I was too tired to think.

  “I never saw her again after Marjory moved out.”

  “Well, thanks again, Rose. Are you still up for bingo on Saturday night?”

  “Yes, dear. I’ll be waiting downstairs. I ordered a new dress a few nights ago. Some fancy fabric that they wear on the moon. The lady on the Shopping Channel said it would make any body type look twenty pounds lighter.”

  “I should have gotten you to order me one. I have a few craters that could use some slimming moon fabric.”

  Rose giggled. “Wouldn’t we be a sight. The two of us showing up to bingo in the same dresses. Like we were trying to be twins or something.” She was still chuckling when I hung up the phone.

  I sat without moving. My mind was sifting through information, making connections. I let out a whoop. The last piece of the puzzle had just slotted into place.

  “Rose, thank you, thank you,” I yelled. I grabbed my handbag. If I hurried, I might be able to get to wrap this up before closing time.

  I felt like a bloodhound on the scent. I hardly recognized my bright eyes and the determined set of my jaw in the elevator mirror. An old man with a cane stopped and raised a hand to give me a thumbs-up as I passed by him at the entrance to the station.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  A few hours later I knocked on Cal’s apartment door. He wasn’t thrilled to see me. “How did you know where I live?” was how he put it.

  “I spend my days reviewing forms. I’ve seen your address so many times, I know it like my own.” I stepped inside. Kids’ toys were scattered down the hallway. Cal kicked aside a fire engine and dump truck as he led me into the living room.

  “I looked after my niece’s kids the last few evenings so she could have a break,” he offered as way of explanation. “Her mom, who is also my sister, lives in another state. I was recruited by my sister to keep an eye on Valerie and the grandkids.”

  “I never figured you for the babysitter type.” I grinned.

  “Not only is Valerie my niece, but she also made me her boys’ godfather. She wanted to be doubly sure I’d be on call when needed.”

  I pulled a half-eaten red sucker from the cushion before sitting down.

  “Don’t tell me. Val and Cal. Your niece was named after you, and your sister was a fan of Dr. Seuss.”

  “What can I say? She likes names that rhyme.” Cal clicked off the television with the remote. He sat down at the opposite end of the couch. “So what couldn’t wait until the office?”

  How to begin? Always start with some sugar.

  “You’ve put a solid case together to prove Brian killed Marjory. I have to agree the evidence is all there.”

  “Good to hear.”

  “But…”

  “I’ve got a feeling I’m not going to like what comes after the but.”

  “But I know Brian. I needed to convince myself because he was the kind of guy who caught flies in the house and let them go outside. It was hard to believe he’d kill a person in cold blood.”

  Cal’s eyebrows rose together in an untidy arc. He sighed deeply.

  “I knew you were up to something. I hoped whatever you found would help you to accept what Brian did.”

  “Actually, I’ve found evidence that proves Brian is innocent.”

  Cal clicked on the tv and muted the sound. His eyes fixed on the baseball game. “Lay it on me then…tell me what brand-new evidence you’ve come up with all on your own.”

  “Okay, I will.” I ignored the sarcasm. I turned on the couch so that I was facing him. “Marjory White wasn’t the woman she appeared. She lied about everything.”

  “So?”

  “Too many things about her weren’t adding up. Why did she want us to believe that she moved here from New York, but her son Jason goofed and said Wisconsin? Why did she demand the job at Pine Tree Dental when she had a doctor in her sights? And maybe strangest of all, why did she marry Brian? He owns a shoe store, but he’s not exactly a babe magnet.”

  “She fell for Brian and married him. Then they fell out of love. He got angry and she found out he had a violent streak.”

  “Brian is not violent. She set him up and I can prove it.”

  “Please, fill me in.”

  “The first real thing that tipped me off was when I found out there were no married men at the dental clinic. Add to that, it was way across town from where she lived. Why did she insist on working there? She even switched her dentist to one at the new clinic. She wiped out the file that gave her dental history. I noticed it was missing in the records from Pine Tree.”

  “How did you know where we got her records?”

  “Oh, I might have read it somewhere.” I waved off the detail with a flick of my hand. It seemed best to hide the fact I’d copied his case file. “Marjory was laying the trap.”

  “I’m still not following.” Cal was running a toy car up and down his leg.
His eyes were fixed on the silent television screen.

  “It got me wondering why she’d gone to all that trouble. Then it hit me. Marjory needed to work and be a patient there to switch the records—the dead woman’s for hers.”

  The toy car flew across Cal’s leg and clunked against the wall on the other side of the room. Cal sat up straighter. I had his attention. “The problem with your logic is that we don’t have another dead woman.”

  “But I think you do. Marjory had a girlfriend from her hometown named Alice Coates. Alice was the same size as Marjory. In fact, I was told by a reliable source that they could have been sisters. Alice didn’t have any family in Duluth. Marjory probably looked Alice up when she moved here.” I took a deep breath. “Marjory and Jason killed Alice and cleaned out her bank account. They dumped her remains beside Interstate 35 and put her dental records in Marjory’s file. I checked. Alice was a patient at Pine Tree Dental. Someone reported that she moved to Florida. None of her family in Wisconsin has heard from her.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I remembered her name. We opened a file on her a few months ago. A cousin in Wisconsin phoned the station to say they were worried. Nobody had heard from her. One of our guys looked into it and said there was no crime. I entered the data into the system. The officer reported that she’d quit her job and cleaned out her apartment and bank account. Everyone thought she’d moved south. There’s no law against not telling your family.”

  “But she hadn’t?”

  “No, she was already dead. Marjory and Jason kept her body somewhere to give it a chance to, uh, cook. Then they dumped her not too far from the restaurant where Marjory asked Brian to meet her. Marjory lied in her diary. She wanted you to believe that Brian had invited her to the restaurant. After that lunch, Marjory left town and pretended to be dead. They even put some of her blood in the trunk of Brian’s car to make it look like he’d murdered her.” I was on a roll. “When Marjory worked at the clinic, she stayed late to put Alice’s dental X-rays into her file. That way, you’d match the teeth from the body with Marjory’s dental records. Remember, it was Jason who identified the wedding ring and what was left of the clothes.”