I heard a buzz in the crowd near the gym’s entrance. Valerie Harcourt stormed across the floor looking like she wanted to kill someone!
Richard’s wife wore a loose white linen shirt, her skinny jeans tucked into designer cowboy boots. Her casual attire was at odds with her irate expression.
As far as I knew, Valerie had never attended the wine festival before, even though Richard had judged the wine competition for almost a decade. I suspected Valerie was here to confront both Desiree and Richard about their affair in a very public way.
I pulled out my phone to call Tyler and was relieved when he answered instead of my call going to voicemail. “Valerie just walked in the door looking like she wants to kill someone. You better get in here fast. Things are about to come to a head between her and Desiree.”
“I’ll be right there,” he said.
It couldn’t be soon enough.
Valerie crossed the gym floor so fast it was almost a run. She scanned the gym and then veered toward Desiree’s Verdant Valley Vineyards booth.
Suddenly the gym grew silent. The loud voices fell to a murmur, then everyone stopped talking. All that broke the silence was the click-clack of Valerie’s boots as she marched toward Desiree.
“Where is he?” Valerie stood defiantly in front of Desiree, hands on hips.
“Where is who?” Desiree replied a little too sweetly.
“Cut the crap, Desiree. You know who I’m talking about—Richard, my husband.” She emphasized the words ‘my husband’.
I looked desperately at the door, wondering why it was taking Tyler so long to walk inside from the parking lot.
My mind raced to come up with an excuse to interrupt them.
Desiree threw her hands up in the air. “I have no idea where that man is. He’s around somewhere. I don’t watch his every move the way you do. You must have seen his car in the parking lot.”
“He’s not here though.” Valerie stamped her foot, her face flushed with anger. “Is he at your place?”
“Of course not. We—I mean he—just drove—” Desiree stopped mid-sentence as the enormity of Richard’s absence sunk in.
“Oh, for cryin’ out loud, Desiree. Just tell me where he is.”
Desiree’s eyes widened. “Something’s wrong.”
Something was more than just wrong. I knew exactly where Richard was but couldn’t say a word. I glanced uneasily at the gym entrance. Where was Tyler?
Finally, the gym door opened and Tyler walked in. He weaved his way past the many small groups of wine tasters and shoppers. He walked briskly toward us. His face was expressionless, a professional demeanor designed to give nothing away.
I glanced at Valerie and Desiree, who by now had stopped arguing. We all watched silently as Tyler approached us, ignoring drunken hellos from everyone in his path.
Chapter 16
“What’s going on?” Valerie asked as Tyler headed toward her. Her face had turned a ghostly white, and she wavered unsteadily on her feet.
I put my arm around her and steered her toward a chair a few feet away. Just in time, it turned out. I felt her legs buckle under as she sank into the chair. It struck me as odd. Was her reaction a premonition or something more?
Tyler knelt beside her and spoke in a low voice.
Desiree stepped toward Valerie and Tyler. “What’s going on? What’s he saying?”
I stepped in front of Desiree and blocked her path forward with my arm. “No, Desiree. Let them talk.”
She eyed me warily and muttered under her breath, “If this is about Richard, I have a right to know too. In fact, I probably have more of a right to know.”
My intervention made zero difference in the end.
“He’s gone!” Valerie shrieked. Her whole body shook as she lowered her head and sobbed into her hands. “What am I going to do?”
“Thought she was filing for divorce,” Aunt Pearl whispered. “What a drama queen.”
I placed my index finger to my lips. “Shush, Aunt Pearl.”
At that moment, Desiree charged past and almost knocked me to the ground. “Gone where? He really needs to get back here to judge the wines.”
“Shut your mouth, homewrecker!” Valerie jumped from her seat, seemingly recovered from her earlier shock at the news. “Nobody cares about your stupid wine. We all know you’re a cheater.”
Tyler moved between the two women and extended an arm in each direction to distance them.
Valerie retreated back to her chair.
“I’m not shutting anything.” Desiree crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. “And don’t call me names, Val. Somebody, please tell me what’s going on.”
I placed my hand on Desiree’s arm. “Why don’t you grab a seat? I think Tyler wants to talk to you too.”
Desiree eyed my hand in distaste but she did sit down.
Aunt Pearl followed her. “Richard’s dead, that’s what’s going on.”
“How did you—” I stopped myself mid-sentence. Aunt Pearl couldn’t have possibly known. I hadn’t told her and neither had Tyler. The only other people who knew Richard was dead, other than the volunteer firefighters, were Trina and Antonio. Antonio was in Shady Creek being questioned and Trina was with him.
Nobody else knew.
Aside from the killer, of course. A shiver ran down my spine.
Desiree scowled. “Don’t make up such ridiculous stories, Pearl. That’s impossible! Richard was here this morning. He just stepped away for a while. He’ll be back any time now.”
“Wishful thinking,” Aunt Pearl said. “But it’s not gonna happen.”
Tyler walked over to talk to where Desiree sat and knelt beside her.
“When did you last see Richard, Desiree?” Tyler asked.
“I don’t know…it’s been a few hours. Have you seen him? I’ve been so busy setting up that I can’t remember. You need to talk to him? Maybe he had an errand to run.”
Tyler scratched his chin. “What sort of errand?”
“How would I know? I’m not his keeper.” Desiree looked pointedly at Valerie. “Why the theatrics, Val? You told Richard you wanted to call it quits.”
“No, I didn’t. That’s a lie!” Valerie spat
