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“Maybe,” An’gel said, “but I’m uneasy. There was an undercurrent in that room today, once Hadley claimed he has no idea where Callie is.”

“Don’t tell me you’re starting to think foul play was involved.” Dickce shook her head before reaching for the wine.

“No, I wouldn’t go that far,” An’gel said, “but I’d certainly give a lot to know where Callie is right now. Aren’t you curious about her?”

“Yes,” Dickce said after a sip of wine. “I always liked her, and I was sorry when she disappeared like that. It would be good to know that she’s alive and well and happy somewhere.”

“I’m going to call Sarinda,” An’gel said. “If she won’t answer my questions over the phone, I’ll insist that she allow us to come talk to her tomorrow.”

“Fine with me.” Dickce stood and began to clear the table. “You do that, and then you can help me here.”

An’gel went to the phone on the nearby counter and punched in Sarinda’s number. She waited for Sarinda to pick up, but instead the call went to voice mail. She left a brief message, then ended the call.

The phone rang a few minutes later as An’gel placed the last utensil in the dishwasher. She glanced at the display and saw that it was Lottie MacLeod calling. She grimaced. Lottie loved chatting on the phone, and An’gel wasn’t in the mood for an hour-long conversation. She was tempted not to answer, but good manners prevailed.

“Hello, Lottie, how are you?”

“Oh, An’gel, it’s terrible, I’m in total shock. I had no idea Sarinda was such a heavy drinker in private. It goes to show how little we really know each other, doesn’t it? Poor thing. She must have been lonely. She reeked of bourbon when I found her.” Lottie sobbed into the phone.

“What on earth are you talking about?” An’gel asked, bewildered from the gush of words. “Has something happened to Sarinda?”

Lottie sobbed again, then said, “She’s dead. I found her ten minutes ago at the bottom of the stairs.”

CHAPTER 5

An’gel went numb with horror. Lottie’s words began to sink in. Sarinda Hetherington was dead. She didn’t want to believe it. Surely Lottie, who got hysterical over the least little thing, was mistaken. An’gel felt her common sense return. Lottie had got it wrong.

She spoke sharply into the phone. “Listen to me, Lottie. Have you called 911 yet? Sarinda may need help.”

“She’s dead, I tell you. Dead, dead, dead.” Lottie chanted the last three words, and An’gel would have given anything to be able to shake the woman back to reality at that moment.

“Did you call 911?” An’gel noticed that Dickce looked alarmed. “Sarinda fell down the stairs,” she said in an aside. Dickce sank into a chair and stared at her sister.

An’gel repeated her question again, and finally Lottie answered in the affirmative. “The ambulance is on the way. I checked her pulse, and she’s dead. I swear she is.”

“Hang on. Sister and I will be on our way there as soon as we can.” An’gel mimed cranking the car, and Dickce stood and hurried out of the room in search of her purse. “Lottie, did you hear me?” She waited, but no response came.

“Drat the woman,” An’gel muttered when she realized Lottie had ended the call. She debated calling back but figured it would be a waste of time.

Dickce hurried in with her purse and brandished the car keys. “Let’s go. Fill me in on the way.”

Two minutes later the Lexus headed down the driveway, Dickce at the wheel. An’gel shared the gist of Lottie’s call with Dickce.

“I never realized Sarinda had a drinking problem,” Dickce said when An’gel finished. “Had you?”

An’gel stared intently through the windshield into the dark night. “Don’t forget to be on the lookout for deer.”

“I won’t,” Dickce said. “Did you hear what I said about Sarinda?”

“I heard.” An’gel scowled. “It’s the first I’ve heard of it. Either Sarinda was incredibly adept at hiding it, or Lottie has things mixed up. Wouldn’t be the first time she’s gotten carried away on little evidence. I hardly believe Sarinda was reeking of bourbon.”

“Doesn’t sound like her,” Dickce said as she guided the car at top speed down the highway into Athena.

“We’ll find out,” An’gel said as she braced her feet against the floorboards. “If we get there alive ourselves, that is. That was a stop sign back there, or didn’t you notice?”

“I noticed,” Dickce replied. “I could see there was no other traffic, so I didn’t think there was any reason to stop.”

An’gel uttered a prayer under her breath. If they didn’t get killed, they ought to arrive at Sarinda’s house in record time.

Sure enough, five minutes later Dickce screeched into a spot by the curb a couple of houses down from Sarinda’s lot. An’gel caught her breath while she surveyed the scene.