False Pretenses - Kathy Herman [38]
“Well, you were right. But that’s not the point now, is it?”
“No, ma’am.”
“I’d like to know what happened after you took my ring, Zoe.”
“I hid it in my closet, in the zippered pocket of a jacket I never wore. Six months later, I found someone in New Orleans who paid me fifteen thousand for it. I opened three bank accounts there and deposited five thousand dollars in each. Then, to avoid suspicion, I waited almost a year before I changed my name. Once it was legal, I gave you notice.”
“You’re even more resourceful than I thought.” Adele’s eyes turned to slits. “Why did you choose Les Barbes?”
“I fell in love with the place the first time I laid eyes on it—the live oaks draped with Spanish moss, the old-world architecture, people who seemed connected to each other. I did some checking, and according to the chamber of commerce, the tourist trade would easily support another eating establishment. I picked the surname Benoit so I could pass for Cajun. It worked. The community accepted me with open arms. I can’t tell you how much better it felt to be Cajun than poor white trash.”
Adele stared out the window. Finally she said, “How did you use the fifteen thousand dollars? That doesn’t seem like enough to fund a business.”
“I started small, and I worked hard. I signed a lease to rent half an old building in the downtown. I lived in the apartment upstairs and opened the eatery downstairs. I painted the walls and refinished the floors by myself. I bought used tables and chairs and furnishings. I made curtains and tablecloths. It was darling.”
“I see. And what name did you give it?”
“Zoe B’s. I read everything I could get my hands on about Cajun culture and cuisine. I’m a pretty good cook, and I experimented with recipes until I perfected a few. I hired a chef for several years. And after I married Pierce, he became the chef. We make a good team. I didn’t even have to change the name Zoe B’s, since my married name is Broussard.”
“So you were able to make a go of your business?”
Zoe nodded. “Finally. We’re doing really well, but I’ll be ruined if the people in Les Barbes find out I acquired the eatery with dishonest money. And my husband, Pierce, can’t know. He just can’t. It’ll break his heart, and it’ll be the end of my marriage. That’s why I came here today. I figure whoever left those notes will have nothing to hold over me once I confess everything to you and work out a plan to pay you back.”
“You make fixing it sound so simple.” Adele’s chin quivered. “Did you know my late husband, Alfred, had the ring specially made for our fiftieth anniversary? It was a surprise. He had gone all the way to South Africa to find a perfect diamond for the solitaire. He died a few months later. That ring was the most precious possession I ever had. It was worth twice what you got for it, but no amount of money could ever replace the sentiment.”
Zoe’s heart sank. Could she feel any lower? But would it really have stopped her from stealing it, had she known Adele felt that way about it? “I’m sorry. I was only thinking of myself and what it would take to be out on my own. I never meant to cause you pain. Let me make this right without involving the police and without Pierce finding out. I’d die if I lost him. I never thought I could love or trust a man, but he’s more important to me than anything.”
Adele was quiet for a moment and seemed to be pondering something. “So you think the person who left you the notes knows how you got the money to start Zoe B’s and plans to extort money from you to keep quiet?”
“Sure looks that way. There’s nothing else for anyone to hang over my head.”
“Do you have any idea who it might be?”
Zoe shook her head. “Absolutely none. But it’s irrelevant if I can square things with you, without involving the police.