If I Should Die_ A Novel of Suspense - Allison Brennan [143]
“Alan,” Heather said, “do you remember that postcard Vanessa asked us to mail?”
“Of course.”
“Who did she mail it to?”
“Nelson Russell.”
“There you go,” Heather said to Lucy. “Why do you want to know?”
Lucy shrugged. “Just curious.” She glanced at Patrick, nonverbally telling him she’d clue him in later. “Patrick, Trevor is drinking heavily. You might want to talk to him now.”
“I’m bringing him this food—” Heather began.
Lucy took the plate. “I’ll take it for you.”
“I am frozen solid,” Alan said to his wife. “Let’s go upstairs.”
Lucy followed Patrick into the library. Kyle joined them. Angie sat with Trevor, holding his hand while he sobbed. The room reeked of Scotch. Angie looked to be at her wit’s end.
Lucy said to Kyle, “We’ll relieve Angie. She needs a break. You two should get some food and relax. It’s going to be a long night.”
“Good idea,” Kyle said, escorting his wife from the room.
Patrick shut the door. He sat down across from Trevor. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Two years. We waited two years to get married. Two wasted years.”
“I know this is difficult. But—”
“We were both married before. But her ex-husband was an asshole and my ex-wife was just nuts. That we met up again after all those years—”
“Again?” Lucy asked.
“We dated back in high school, after my family moved to Phoenix from California. Vanessa and Nelson—her brother—became my closest friends. Then we went to different colleges, got married, all those things that people do. I always loved Vanessa, and when my divorce was final I moved back to Phoenix and we started seeing each other again. For two years. Taking it slow, because we wanted to make sure—” He coughed to cover up his distress.
“You come from a wealthy family?”
“We both do. Vanessa’s dad was in the construction business. He always did well, but in the eighties his business took off. He retired ten years ago, left it to Vanessa and her brother. They’ve done even better. She’s so smart.” He put his hand to his mouth. “She was. She was so smart. She wouldn’t kill herself. She loved life. Everything about it.”
“We don’t know that she killed herself,” Patrick said. Both he and Lucy were closely watching Trevor’s reaction. His grief seemed genuine.
“She didn’t,” he said as if Patrick’s statement needed additional emphasis.
“Was she on any medication?”
Lucy hadn’t found any prescriptions in the Marshes’ room other than the Seconal.
“No.”
“But she took sleeping pills.”
“Sometimes, but only when we travel because she doesn’t like sleeping in strange beds. She took one last night because she couldn’t sleep, but that’s it.”
“Was she acting depressed lately? Did she get any bad news?”
Trevor shook his head.
“And your relationship was good?”
“Yes! We just got married!” He wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “I love her so much.”
He reached for his Scotch glass and saw it was empty. He stood and grabbed the arm of the couch for support.
“Maybe you should slow down,” Patrick cautioned.
“Leave me alone. Just leave me alone!”
Patrick put an arm on Trevor to steady him, then eased him back onto the couch.
Lucy asked, “Was Vanessa close to her brother?”
“Very. Two peas in a pod. Nelson was one of my best friends. We’re a year older than Vanessa. He’s my brother-in-law now—” Trevor choked back a sob. “This will kill him. Why did this happen to Vanessa?”
“A coroner will make that determination,” Lucy said.
“I need to know. I just need to know that she was happy. That she didn’t—” He pressed his palm against his forehead.
“What did you do today after breakfast?” Patrick asked. That had been the last time he and Lucy had seen the Marshes.
“We went on a walk. A long walk to this vista with an amazing view. We talked. Thought about how nice it would be if we could have a vacation home up here. Phoenix is so damn hot—and I suggested we go to Kirkwood and check out some properties. Vanessa asked if I would do it alone; she wasn’t up for snowmobiling. Beth went with me, and it only took thirty minutes to get there. We