Snow Blind - Lori G. Armstrong [131]
“Why are you waffling on this, Luella?”
“Because I don’t know which one is worse. Amery getting the money or PTF.”
“But wouldn’t you get five percent of the five million as a finder’s fee?”
Another bout of silence.
“I don’t want it.”
“Why not? That’s like . . . a lifetime supply of cash.”
“It’s blood money. Do you really think Bradley Boner is just gonna hand it over?” She shook her head.
“He’s been trying to get rid of me since he took over. He’s racist. He thinks I’m too old. Mark my words, he’ll find some way to keep every penny and make me look bad and where will I be?”
Was her paranoia justified? Was that why she 466
hadn’t told Boner?”
“Doesn’t matter if Amery or a staff member killed Vernon; it doesn’t change the fact I’m benefiting from a man’s death, when the man shouldn’t be dead. When I should’ve been more vigilant about protecting him.”
“Luella. It’s not your fault. But I missed something when you said a staff member might’ve killed him. Why?”
“What if Vernon told someone else who works at Prairie Gardens besides me about changing his will?
That would give Prime Time Friends the exact same motive as his granddaughter. And when I really think about it, it’d be easier for someone who’s there all the time to lead him astray. If Amery did it, why didn’t anyone see her?”
I hadn’t thought of that. Sharp-eyed Reva hadn’t seen Amery at all in the last few months, and if anyone knew the goings on at Prairie Gardens, it was Reva. I didn’t see Boner trusting any of his shitty staff to do the job and keep their mouth shut. Nor did I see him doing the dirty work himself. Leading me back to square one: Amery.
Again, I listened to my gut instincts. Amery was responsible for Vernon Sloane winding up dead. She flat out admitted the cold and snow didn’t bother her. No one would’ve noticed her in the middle of a blizzard, with her back against the brick wall as she watched her grandfather die.
Like you knew in your gut your father had nothing to 467
do with Melvin Canter winding up dead?
What a fucked-up mess.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Luella, besides the five million will make lots of older, lonely people like Vernon happy. In Amery’s case, it’ll make one person happy. Sloane left the responsibility to you because he trusted you to do the right thing. I think you know what the answer is.” I didn’t need to pander and remind her of the Lakota philosophy, which, in a nutshell, was “share and share alike,” nor did I interrupt her internal struggle.
Luella sighed. “You’re right. What do I do now?”
I glanced down at the long silvery ash in the ashtray. Another cigarette burned to nothing. “I think you should talk to Bud Linderman, CEO of Linderman Properties Limited, before you approach Boner. Do you know him?”
“I’ve met him a couple of times. He hangs around the offices some nights.” She looked at me expectantly. “Since you know him, will you come with me?”
Not with a bodyguard dogging my every move. “I can’t. But I’ll call him. I’ll send my partner, Kevin, along with you.”
Her silence was weighted between fear and anger.
“Trust me. He’s the best choice. Hang on.” I dialed Kevin’s office and he scooted right in. I smoked and listened to Kevin’s quiet assurance and Luella’s acceptance of it and him.
Kevin said, “Call Linderman. Give him my cell 468
phone number.”
After a very brief conversation with Linderman, and Kevin and Luella’s departure, I was back to staring at four walls, feeling distracted and . . . disappointed?
Why? Had I figured there’d be a bloody end to this case? Amery and I wrestling in a snowbank in frigid temps before I attempted to rescue a bound and gagged Luella from certain death? Amery laughing and balling up the only copy of the will and tossing it into the creek? Me diving into the icy water to save it? Managing to retrieve it, fighting with Amery and knocking her unconscious, trussing her up like a turkey until the cops came, after I’d saved Luella to boot?
Right. Most cases ended with a whimper, not a bang. Some semblance of justice had