Lethal Attraction: Against the Rules\Fatal Affair Read online

  “He might’ve killed John.”

  “Why do you say that?” Sam asked.

  Nick noticed that she’d slipped into her cop mode, all signs of her earlier dismay over Peter gone.

  “He’s been acting funny, leaving at odd hours, long silences. He seems very angry, but he won’t tell me why.”

  “When I talked to you earlier in the investigation, you didn’t mention any of this.”

  “I hadn’t put two and two together yet.”

  “Tell me what you think you’ve put together.”

  “That night,” Natalie said haltingly, “the night John was killed, we went to bed together, but I woke up in the middle of the night and he was gone.”

  “You never mentioned that before.”

  “He’s my husband, Detective.” Natalie’s eyes flooded with new tears. “I couldn’t believe it was even possible. I didn’t want to believe it’s possible.”

  “So what changed?” Nick asked. “Why did you come here?”

  “You were John’s friend,” Natalie said to Nick. “I thought you’d want to help find the person who did this to him.”

  “Of course I do! But I want the truth!”

  “So do I! I loved him! You know I did. Noel was jealous of him. I couldn’t even mention John’s name without setting him off.”

  “What do you think set him off enough to want to kill him?” Sam asked.

  “We saw John a couple of weeks before he died. It was at a cocktail party the Virginia Democrats had at Richard Manning’s house.” Natalie wiped new tears from her cheeks. “John came over to me, gave me a friendly hug and kiss. We talked for a long time, just catching up on each other’s lives. It was nothing. But I looked over at one point and saw Noel watching us. He looked like he could kill us both on the spot.”

  “Why didn’t you mention any of this to us the other day?” Sam asked.

  “I didn’t want to believe it.”

  “You still haven’t said what changed your mind.”

  “I asked him.” She ran a trembling hand through her disheveled hair. “Straight out. ‘Did you kill John?’ He denied it of course, but I don’t believe him.” To Nick, she said, “I didn’t know what to do, so I came over here, hoping you’d put me in touch with Detective Holland.”

  “Do you have somewhere you can go where you’ll be safe?” Sam asked.

  Natalie nodded. “My parents’ home in Springfield.”

  “Give me some time to look into this,” Sam said.

  “He’s powerful,” Natalie said. “You’ll never be able to pin this on him.”

  “If he did it, I’ll pin it on him,” Sam assured her.

  Natalie stood up to leave. “I’m sorry to barge in on you. I heard about what happened earlier. I’m glad you weren’t seriously hurt.”

  They walked her to the door. “Tomorrow, I’ll want to get all of this on the record.” Sam pulled her ever-present notebook from her back pocket. “Write down your parents’ address and a phone number where I can reach you.”

  Natalie did as she asked. “Thank you for listening.” To Nick, she added, “I know I was never your favorite person—”

  “That’s neither here nor there.”

  “Anyway, thank you.”

  They watched her walk to her car.

  “She’s full of shit,” Nick said, his eyes intensely focused on Natalie’s car as it drove away. “I don’t believe her for one minute.”

  “What don’t you believe? That her jealous husband could’ve killed the man his wife never stopped loving? That’s as good a motive as I’ve heard yet.”

  “I know Noel Jordan. He’s not made of that kind of stuff. If you ask me, she is, though. I could very easily see her losing her shit with John and killing him for not loving her enough. After what we heard earlier about her ex-boyfriend dying in a suspicious fire, you believe it’s possible, too.”

  “Why would she come here, seeking out the lead detective on the case, if she was the one who did it? Think about that, Nick.”

  “Why didn’t you ask her about what happened to her boyfriend in Hawaii?”

  “I didn’t want to tip my hand on that just yet. As long as she thinks we don’t know about it, she might be more forthcoming.”

  “I don’t like her. I’ve never liked her, and I don’t care what you say, she’s lying. She’ll do anything it takes to advance her agenda, even if it means tossing her husband under the bus.”

  Sam checked her watch. “I wonder what time Noel goes to bed.”

  “You’re actually going to do something with that pile of bullshit she just fed you?”

  “Of course I am. This could be the break we’ve been waiting for.”

  He ushered her out of the house and locked the door behind them. “You’re wasting your time.”

  “It’s my time to waste.”

  “It’s almost midnight.”

  “I know what time it is. If you’d rather stay here, I can go by myself.”

  “You’re not going anywhere by yourself as long as your ex-husband is out there waiting for another chance to kill you.”

  “I don’t need you to protect me, Nick. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”

  Silently, he ushered her into the car and a few minutes later took the exit for the George Washington Parkway, heading toward Alexandria. “You really think I could go home and go to bed and actually sleep, knowing you’re out here by yourself confronting a potential killer while your ex waits for his next opportunity?”

  “I’ve been in tighter spots.”

  “That was before.”

  “Before what?”

  “Before me.”

  “I’m not one of those women who finds this whole alpha-male act sexy. In fact, it’s a major turn-off.”

  “Whatever.”

  They rode to Belle Haven in stony silence. Sam didn’t speak until she had to direct him to the dark house. She retrieved her gun and badge from her purse and tucked them into her coat pockets. “Wait here.”

  As if she hadn’t spoken, Nick emerged from the car and followed her up the walk.

  “I told you to wait!”

  “You’re not going in there alone, Sam. It’s either me, or I call 911.” He held up his cell phone defiantly. “What’s it going to be?”

  They engaged in a silent battle of wills until Sam finally said, “Don’t say a word. Do you hear me? Not one freaking word.” She spun around and marched up the front stairs to ring the bell. It echoed in the big house. They waited a couple of minutes before a light went on upstairs. Through the beveled windows next to the door, Sam watched Noel come down the stairs.

  He peeked through the window before he opened the door. “Sergeant Holland?” Blinking, he glanced at Nick.

  “Yes,” Sam said. “I’m sorry to call on you so late.” Begrudgingly, she added, “I believe you know Nick Cappuano.”

  “Of course. Come in.” Noel’s blond hair stood on end. He wore a T-shirt from a road race with flannel pajama pants and hardly resembled the second-ranking attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice she had met the other day.

  Nick and Noel shook hands as he ushered them into the house.

  “What can I do for you?”

  “Is Natalie here?” Sam asked, feeling him out.

  Noel’s genial expression faded. “She flew out of here in a rage after we had a fight earlier. She must be at her parents’ house.”

  “Is that something that happens often?” Sam asked. “The rages?”

  “It’s not the first time, but I think it’s going to be the last. I can’t believe what she accused me of! She thinks I could actually kill John O’Connor. Can you even imagine?”

  “People have killed over jealousy before.”

  “I see that she’s voiced her suspicions to you.” Noel ran his hands through his hair. “What do you want, Detective?”

  “Why did you tell me that you attended the Big Brother/Big Sister event the night John was killed?”