Until death, p.34
Until Death, page 34
“I need you to meet me right away,” she informed her sister while trembling. “There’s been some trouble. Big trouble.”
“Where are you?” Elana announced in a more serious tone. “We’ll be down in two minutes.”
Callie could hear the caterers bustling around in the kitchen. By the sounds of raised voices and Jimmy Love squealing, something must have happened.
“No, I’m in the dining room,” she announced. “There’s too much commotion in the kitchen.” She looked at the glass terrace doors and the dark gazebo in the distance. “Meet me in the gazebo. I can make it out there without anyone seeing me.”
“We’ll take the main stairs and slip around the side of the house to avoid being seen,” Elana informed her. “Give us five minutes.”
Callie hung up the table phone and hurried from the dining room through the French doors leading to the terrace. She hurried along the stone walkway while nervously looking around. Hanson was seen darting from the garden and heading for the garage. A commotion coming from the garage was far enough away that no one would hear or see her heading for the gazebo. She hurried into the dark gazebo and sat on the built-in bench. Elana and Keefe appeared within the gazebo only a few minutes later. Both had hastily dressed, indicating they had been engaging in their own wedding festivities before being interrupted. Elana approached her distraught sister as she stood. Callie threw her arms around Elana and hugged her while nearly down to tears.
“What is it?” Elana asked and pulled away.
Callie trembled and began pacing. “Nole had damaging information he intended to share with Otto,” she informed them. “He demanded sexual favors for his silence. Otto walked in on us together.”
Keefe rolled his eyes and groaned with annoyance almost as if he knew she’d somehow blow it. Elana stared at her sister in disbelief.
“He demanded sexual favors from you on your wedding night?” Elana gasped with horror.
“Why, Callie?” Keefe demanded while glaring at her. “You should have called us right away. What could he possibly have had to warrant such a foolish decision on your behalf?”
Callie glared at Keefe and immediately turned angry. “He secretly videotaped a private conversation,” she snapped demandingly. “And don’t you dare put this on me because you were in the video too.”
Her look told Keefe exactly what Nole had caught on video. Keefe frowned and looked away. Elana attempted to calm her sister.
“We can fix this,” Elana insisted.
“How?” Callie demanded. “I can’t tell him Nole blackmailed me into having sex with him. Nole will simply show him the video and make it even worse.” She threw her arms in the air. “It’s possible he’s already showing him the video.”
“Leave that to me,” Keefe huffed and looked nervous for the first time. “I’ll get his cell phone from him and destroy the video.”
“The marriage is over,” Callie insisted and shook her head while fiddling with her engagement ring. “All Otto’s money is gone. I’ll be left with nothing.”
“We didn’t come this far to leave empty-handed,” Keefe announced in anger. “I’ll get Otto’s money. It’s going to take some time, but I can siphon it from his accounts a little at a time without him noticing. By the time his accountants figure out what happened, I’ll have moved most of it.” He shifted a demanding look at Elana and raised his brows as if silently commanding something from her.
Elana understood the look and returned her attention to Callie then frowned. “This is going to cost you big time, Callie,” she announced. “We’re not going to bail you out of this for free.”
She stared at her sister with surprise. “What do you want from me?” Callie demanded. “All I have access to is my jewelry, and he’s going to demand all that back too.”
Elana indicated the emerald necklace. “You took that from Brenda’s jewelry box in the attic,” she insisted. “He won’t even realize it’s missing. It’s worth a small fortune. Consider it a down payment.”
Callie frowned, removed the necklace, and reluctantly handed it to Elana. Keefe eyed Elana and indicated the necklace in her hand.
“You’d better find a good place to stash that for now, Elana,” he informed her. “I want to work on some damage control with your sister. I’ll meet you back in the room in half an hour.”
Elana nodded and slipped from the gazebo. She headed around the opposite side of the house away from the garage area and any reception activity, so she wouldn’t be seen. Keefe turned to face Callie with a disgusted look and shook his head in annoyance.
“You really are stupid,” he snapped in anger.
“Me?” she demanded while glaring at him with an accusing look and took a bold step toward him. “You were the one who insisted we mess around before the wedding. Nole only got that video because of your arrogance.”
He wasn’t pleased with the tone or the accusation. “Do you want my help or not?” Keefe demanded in anger. “Maybe I’ll just go upstairs right now and tell Elana all about how you secured your position as lady of the house.”
Callie stared at him with horror then turned angry. “That was all your idea,” she hissed while keeping her voice down. “You hired those men. You have just as much to lose as I do. I can tell Elana all about your little side deals like blackmailing me to be your little concubine. I’m sure she’d love to hear that.”
A strange, twisted smile crossed his face as he stared her down. “Watch yourself, Callie,” he snarled. “You don’t want to make me angry. Your sexual favors are the only thing keeping me from destroying you.”
“Go ahead,” she snapped back. “I’ll take you down with me.”
He chuckled in his throat. “That would be quite an achievement,” Keefe announced while grinning. “A police investigation will reveal you and you alone were behind the hit on Brenda Steele. I’ve covered my tracks far too well. You’ll go down alone.”
She stared at him with horror. “That’s impossible,” she gasped.
He shook his head while smiling deviously. “No, that’s called framing your partner,” Keefe replied mocking her. “You’ll continue to do what I say and when I say it. Are we clear?”
Callie stared at him and attempted to read his eyes to see if he was possibly bluffing. She fidgeted then sneered and nodded. “Lucky for you I’m not really in a position to take you on right now,” she scoffed while remaining angry. “But I promise; your day will come.”
“You can’t threaten me,” he informed her and chuckled. “It doesn’t work that way. I threaten you.” He studied her a moment and raised an arrogant brow. “And since your antics cost me a fun-filled evening with your sister, you can make me happy by taking her place.”
She rolled her eyes and sneered at him with disgust. “Fine,” Callie scoffed.
He grinned and laughed at her. “Come on,” Keefe announced playfully. “You have to love the irony. You have sex with Farley to blackmail him then I blackmail you for sex. It’s like the circle of life.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re not even a little bit funny, Keefe.”
“And yet I’m still laughing,” he announced with humor.
“You make me sick,” she snarled. “Let’s just get on with it.”
Chapter 65
Return of Bridezilla – Part 4:
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Gilda walked along the terrace, needing some fresh air and wanting to escape her husband’s drunken antics with ‘the boys’. The faint sounds of male and female groans were heard coming from the gazebo. Gilda appeared curious and approached the path. As she got closer, she saw Keefe taking liberties with a woman bent over the gazebo bench. Anger and jealousy were clearly seen on her face. She’d just about had enough of Keefe’s pretend relationship with Elana. It needed to come to an end, and she no longer cared how. Gilda approached the gazebo, prepared to interrupt their little side quickie, when she saw the white wedding dress bunched against Keefe as he thrust wildly.
Gilda held back her horrified gasp, ducked out of sight, and then crept closer to make sure she hadn’t been mistaken. She could see Otto’s bride on the receiving end of Keefe’s greedy thrusts. He was with her? Of all people, Keefe was banging Callie? Anger consumed Gilda as she crouched behind some shrubs and watched the entire encounter, listening to every grunt from her man! When he finished, he zipped his pants and gave Callie a somewhat disinterested look as she pulled her dress down and faced him. She avoided looking at him while her anger boiled over.
“Your old room in the servant’s quarters is still vacant,” he informed her without emotion. “I suggest you spend the night there and let Otto cool down. I’ll come up with something by morning.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Callie snarled and turned her back on him while folding her arms across her chest.
“Don’t be so dramatic,” he scoffed with annoyance while rolling his eyes. “You’ve given a piece of ass to others for less in return. I’m a prince compared with the hundreds of men you’ve fucked.”
Callie didn’t respond and kept her back to him while silently seething. Keefe chuckled then left the gazebo. Gilda watched him leave while remaining hidden. She looked back at the blushing bride with her back still turned. Gilda looked around the area surrounding her. She picked up a large, decorative rock, slipped out of her shoes, and crept up the gazebo steps.
“Think you can steal my man, bitch?” Gilda snarled from behind her.
Callie was about to turn when Gilda struck her on the back of the head with the rock. The bride let out a quick, shrill cry as she collapsed to the wooden gazebo floor with a thump. Keefe spun around on the stone-paved path and saw Gilda in the gazebo with the rock in her hand. Keefe looked around, didn’t see anyone, and then ran for the gazebo.
“Gilda,” he gasped in a hushed tone and stared at Callie motionless on the wooden floor. He met Gilda’s gaze. “What the hell--?”
“I saw you,” she snarled and dropped the rock, which only contained a little blood on it. “You were fucking her.” She pointed demandingly at Callie, who remained motionless. “Her of all people!”
“Keep your voice down,” Keefe shushed her then looked around.
There wasn’t anyone around to hear them. He crouched alongside Callie and checked for a pulse. Keefe sat back on his feet and stared in horror at the motionless bride. He then looked back up at Gilda.
“She’s dead,” he gasped.
“Good,” Gilda scoffed while folding her arms across her chest.
“Good?” he demanded. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“Yeah,” Gilda snapped. “I killed the whore who was sleeping with my husband.” She glared at Keefe. “And fucking my lover.”
“We can’t let anyone find her like this,” he insisted while staring up at Gilda, who seemed to be returning to her senses. “They’ll put you away for life.”
Gilda nervously ran her fingers through her hair. “You’re right,” she gasped as reality swept over her then stared into Keefe’s eyes. “What are we going to do? You’re not going to let them arrest me, are you?”
“No, of course not,” Keefe insisted. “Give me a minute to think.”
Gilda sat on the bench, held her head, and stared at the dead woman near her feet. “I don’t know what came over me,” she gasped.
Keefe glanced across the garden and toward the house. They were still alone. He indicated the gazebo railing in the back.
“Over the railing,” he announced and picked up Callie, who lay draped in his arms. “I’ll pass her off to you.”
Gilda nodded and climbed over the gazebo railing. She landed on the other side. Keefe lowered Callie over the railing and into Gilda’s arms. She was a strong woman and was able to hold her up. Keefe jumped over the railing and joined her on the other side. The gazebo and dark garden would offer cover for them all the way to the crypt. Keefe held the dead bride draped in his arms.
“We’ll take her to the woods behind the crypt,” he announced. “Keep watch for anyone outside the house.”
As Keefe carried the dead bride, Gilda watched the house and surrounding area while following him. He saw the gardener’s workshop not far from them.
“There’s some rope alongside the gardener’s workshop,” he informed Gilda. “Grab it and that small stool next to it.”
She nodded, ran for the items, and returned only a few minutes later. They headed toward the crypt.
“What are we going to do?” she asked with concern.
“Distraught over ruining her marriage to Otto, Callie decided to take her own life,” Keefe informed her. “I’ll take care of setting the scene in the woods. I have the wedding program in my jacket pocket and a pen.”
“What do you want me to do?” she asked with surprise.
“I want you to jot down a quick suicide note,” he informed her. “Guilt over what happened with Nole and how sorry she is for what she did to Otto. She can’t live with herself. The usual suicide note stuff. Write in print not cursive. She always wrote in print.”
Chapter 66
A Bitch to Remember – Part 2:
The Sleepy-time Memorial Service
The memorial service for Callie was still going strong in the game room, although almost everyone remaining was just about wasted. Dane and Raina talked while heading into the kitchen, passing the partially open study door. As they turned the corridor for the kitchen, the study door opened the rest of the way to reveal Keefe. He peered into the hallway, made sure everything was clear, and then entered the hall. Nole stepped out of the library, startling Keefe. He was surprised to see Otto’s business partner, considering he’d been escorted out half an hour earlier.
“I just realized what’s been bothering me,” Nole informed Keefe. “It’s you.”
“What are you talking about?” Keefe asked while acting bored.
“I know you deleted that video from my phone,” Nole announced. “The one incriminating you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Keefe insisted. “I don’t know anything about a video, and your reputation around here is about as good as shit, so no one will believe a word you say.”
Keefe was about to walk away when Nole stopped him. “Yeah, well, we’ll just see about that,” Nole remarked. “I was questioned by that Detective Payne, and something he said finally makes sense.”
Keefe leaned against the wall looking bored and impatient while staring at Nole.
“When he questioned me about my indiscretion with Callie that night, I had to admit we had sex,” Nole informed him. “When he mentioned semen samples and DNA, I never even thought about it until now.”
“I don’t know what you’re getting at,” Keefe remarked with little interest while glaring at Nole, “but I wish you’d get on with it.”
“I had a friend read the police report to clarify what the coroner had found,” Nole announced then cocked his head with a strange look on his face. “He told me the report said they’d found semen when they did the autopsy, and they also found traces on her wedding dress. I realize I had a lot to drink that night, but I know for a fact they couldn’t have found my semen on her. We were interrupted by Otto.” He raised a cocky brow. “That leaves me to wonder who she had sex with after me. After what I’d recorded with my cell phone before the wedding, I think I have a pretty good idea who’d be a match for what they’d found.”
Keefe continued to stare at him with little reaction, although his body twitched slightly.
Nole grinned and nodded. “Yeah, that’s right,” he announced with a chuckle. “You just assumed I would accept responsibility for that since there were witnesses, but I think the police should do some DNA tests on you and see if they come up with a match.”
“They’d be wasting their time,” Keefe announced while straightening. “I didn’t kill Callie, and I certainly didn’t have sex with her after you were found with her.”
“I’m going to talk to Otto whether he wants to listen or not,” Nole insisted and made a motion toward the noisy game room. “Otto and I may have had our differences, but he’s still my friend. I won’t let you railroad him into a murder charge. No, I suspect you were blackmailing Callie and maybe even killed her.”
“I could say the same for you, Nole,” Keefe informed him with little interest while taking a step closer to him.
“Does your girlfriend know you were doing her sister?” Nole demanded. “I’m willing to bet she doesn’t. I say we get Otto and Elana together and let them compare notes on you. I think you’re attempting to frame Otto for Callie’s murder, and I won’t let you get away with it.”
As Nole turned toward the open game room doorway, Keefe suddenly spun into a high roundhouse kick and struck him on the back of the head. Nole dropped to the floor not far from the game room, but no one heard it since it had been so noisy inside. He looked around with concern then dragged Nole into the nearby study. He found some duct tape in the desk drawer and bound the unconscious man’s hands and ankles before placing some tape across his mouth, just in case he came to. He hid Nole behind the door and hurried back into the hallway while fixing his jacket and hair.
Keefe cursed softly to himself and then entered the game room while attempting to look casual. He saw Gilda looking bored at the bar and slipped alongside her but kept his eyes focused elsewhere.
“Nole has incriminating evidence against us. He was going to tell Otto everything,” he muttered to her, causing her to react. He placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to relax her. “Just remain calm. I have him contained for the moment, but we’re going to be exposed. We need to do something fast.”
“Like what?” she asked while sipping her drink and avoided looking at him.
“Do you have any pills on you?” he asked. “We need to knock everyone out, so I can deal with Nole unnoticed. I can’t do anything with so many witnesses.”
“Yeah, I have a bottle,” she replied. “What do you want me to do?”
