Now or Never

Chapter One

Chapter One

Tate Valley, California

A female officer led Detectives Alexis Adams and Penelope Dao into the parlor. A blonde woman in her late-fifties to early-sixties sat on a floral ottoman, surrounded by antiques.

“Mrs. Myers, you already know Detective Dao.” The officer pointed to the curvy, Vietnamese woman with long, dark hair and blonde streaks.

Carolyn Myers dabbed her eyes and looked up at the detectives.

“Yes.” Carolyn sniffled. “How are you, Penelope?”

“I’m fine, Mrs. Myers.” Penelope stepped from behind Alexis. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” She gestured to the tall, slender black woman beside her “And this is my partner—”

“My God...” Carolyn batted her long eyelashes. “You look just like Elizabeth Adams.”

“I’m Alexis Adams.” She held out her hand. “Elizabeth was my mother.”

Carolyn took Alexis’ hand. “You look exactly like your mother. She’s been gone a long time.”

“Nineteen years.” Alexis nodded. “She moved us away when I was fifteen. I’m so sorry for your loss.” She cleared her throat.

“And we all know why your mother left,” Carolyn said. “I always felt so bad for how everyone treated Elizabeth because of that affair with Grant Copeland.” She lowered her eyes. “They practically burned the woman at the stake. She didn’t deserve that.”

“I just moved back to Tate Valley from Los Angeles,” Alexis said, desperate to change the subject.

“Wait.” Carolyn squinted. “You didn’t even come back to town when Stossel died, did you?”

Even though Alexis wasn’t surprised Carolyn had brought her father up, she didn’t wanna face how she’d been so angry that she didn’t even come to his funeral two years ago. How no matter what she did, she’d never regret anything more than that.

Carolyn stared at Alexis with an accusatory glare. “I went to his funeral. We all did.” She squinted. “But neither you nor your mother came.”

“Uh, yeah.” Alexis sat in the chair beside the window. “I didn’t get a chance to make it.”

“Didn’t get a chance to make it to your own father’s funeral?” Carolyn’s face had an odd expression. “I’m not sure how things had gotten through the years with Elizabeth and your father after their divorce, but I was shocked Elizabeth didn’t come too.”

“My mother passed away three years ago.” Alexis laid her hand on her thigh.

“I’m so sorry.” Carolyn spoke under the tissue. “May I ask how?”

The cancer killed her but Grant took her soul.

“She had breast cancer.” Alexis took out her notepad. “Can we get back to why we’re here? I know this is a difficult time for you.”

“Yes.” Carolyn sniffled again. “You don’t come home expecting to find your husband of over thirty years beaten to death in bed.”

Officers passed by the parlor as they collected evidence.

“That must’ve felt horrible for you.” Alexis studied Carolyn’s mannerisms. “You mind going over how you found him?”

Carolyn dabbed the corner of her eye. “I came home around fifteen minutes after midnight. I’d been in Belize for two weeks.”

Alexis jotted. “May I ask why?”

“A routine vacation. I always take vacations in the summer.”

“So you came in like you usually do?” Penelope walked over to Carolyn and glanced at Alexis.

Even though Alexis had been gone a long time, Penelope was still her best friend and one hell of a cop. If there were any clues Alexis missed concerning Carolyn, she was confident Penelope would pick up on them.

“Yes, but I didn’t turn any lights on because I was tired and just wanted to get into bed. I went upstairs and found...” Carolyn closed her eyes. “Brett.”

“It’s okay.” Penelope patted her shoulder. “Take your time.”

“I found him facedown with his head bashed in.” Carolyn sobbed. “There was blood all over the sheets and...and I kept thinking about what he might’ve been thinking, you know? I blame myself for not being here. I loved my husband. We had four beautiful sons together and I can’t believe this happened.” She choked up between tears. “God, how can this happen?”

Penelope rubbed her back. “It’s okay.”

“I was going to stay another day in Belize but I’d gotten homesick.” Carolyn pulled at the tissue. “I came back early to surprise Brett. But I was the one surprised.”

“I understand that you don’t have security guards or an alarm or anything?” Alexis asked. “Whoever came in broke the front window.”

“We didn’t feel we needed alarms or security.” Carolyn shook her head. “This is a small, mostly upper-class town and this kind of thing doesn’t happen around here.”

“Even upper-class small towns have murderers, rapists, and all kinds of shady people looking to do harm,” Alexis said. “You and your husband are one of the richest couples in Tate Valley. You have to think of your safety. At least install a security alarm.”

“I told you we haven’t had anything like this happen in Tate Valley in a long time. Security wasn’t on our minds.”

“Anyone else live here?” Alexis asked. “Anyone else have access to the home?”

“No.” Carolyn put her hands in her lap. “The housekeeper comes daily but leaves by six every evening.”

“You understand that we have to look at everyone at this point, right?” Alexis scribbled on her notepad. “Do you know of anyone who might want to hurt your husband?”

Carolyn’s expression hardened. “This wasn’t random.”

“We know it wasn’t,” Penelope said. “To bash someone’s head in like this is a crime of passion. Someone wanted your husband to not only die but to be tortured.”

“No, he wanted to show he was in control.” Carolyn’s lips shook. “He wants everyone to remember that he’s in control.”

“Who?” Alexis asked.

“You know who, Detective. You might’ve been gone a long time but I bet nothing’s changed since you left. There’s always been only one family who runs this town and that will never change.”

“Jesus.” Alexis dropped her pencil. “Grant Copeland?”

“The devil himself.” Carolyn put her hand to her mouth.

“Wait.” Penelope moved in front of her. “Are you saying that Grant killed Brett?”

Carolyn looked away.

“Brett and Grant were extremely close,” Penelope said. “Brett worked for Copeland Enterprises for thirty years. Why would Grant kill Brett?”

“Because he knows he can get away with it.” Alexis picked up her pencil. “Mrs. Myers, you’re right. I have been gone a long time but I still remember the hold the Copeland family has always had on this town and now Grant runs everything.” She wiggled her pencil. “It’s the one thing that almost stopped me from moving back here.”

“I never liked Grant.” Carolyn’s face twisted. “I thought he was a weasel the first time I met him. Brett swore I was wrong but something deep inside told me that Grant was a snake.”

“But you and your husband would not be rich if it weren’t for Copeland Enterprises,” Penelope said.

“Brett loved working there but I’d rather throw the money away than have anything to do with Grant.”

“Why does Grant piss you off so much?” Alexis straightened her legs. “I hate him too but why do you feel this way?”

“I don’t like the way he treats people,” Carolyn said. “He thinks his money and power make him invincible to morals or law.”

“In other words he’s a greedy, slimy, two-faced bastard.” Alexis grinned. “We definitely agree on that, Mrs. Myers.”

“I’ve always thought Brett knew something about Grant that Grant didn’t want anyone to know,” Carolyn said.

“So you’re saying you think Grant killed Brett because of a secret?” Alexis asked.

Carolyn shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe he was afraid Brett would tell what he knew after what happened between them.”

“And what happened?” Penelope asked.

“Brett and Grant had a huge blowout during the last company meeting,” Carolyn said. “Grant fired Brett in front of all the senior executives. Can you believe that? He claimed to care for Brett but didn’t have the decency to fire him in private.”

She straightened in the chair. “Grant had the nerve to announce in the meeting that he was making Kevin Reed his successor.” She grimaced.

“What?” Alexis shrieked. Just hearing that name sent a tremble down her spine that she hadn’t experienced since the day she left.

Kevin Reed.

Her boyfriend in high school. Her first love. Her first kiss...the first man to ever touch her underneath her skirt.

Her n*****s stiffened.

The only man who even after nineteen years made the hair on her arms stand up. Of course she’d had relationships since him but no man ever touched her emotionally or physically the way Kevin did. She remembered that day she left and how he’d touched her cheek at the beach while seagulls squealed over their heads. She’d never forget the pain in his eyes and even though he said no one would ever take her place in his heart, she knew he’d probably never forgive her.

“Lexi?” Penelope asked. “Are you all right?”

Alexis shook from her memory. Of course she wasn’t all right. She knew she wouldn’t be able to come back to town and not face Kevin again, but she just wasn’t ready. She didn’t know if she ever would be.

“Lexi?” Penelope stared at her.

“I’m...I’m fine.” Alexis shook her head. “So Kevin works for Copeland Enterprises? How in the world did that happen?”

“Grant kind of took him under his wing.” Penelope shrugged. “It’s hard to explain but they have this weird, father-and-son bond thing going on. I think Kevin thinks of him as the father he never had an in return Grant sees Kevin as the son he never had.”

“I can’t believe Kevin would work for a man like Grant.” Alexis huffed. “I suppose he’s getting paid extremely well being Grant’s toy.”

“He’s an executive and he’s worked hard to get where he is,” Penelope said. “Grant didn’t give him any handouts.”

“Interesting.” Alexis jotted, wanting to vomit at the thought of Kevin being so cozy with the man who’d ruined her parents’ marriage. “I’m just shocked that Kevin has taken this road.”

“You’ve been gone a long time, Lexi,” Penelope said. “A lot has changed.”

“Apparently so.” Alexis focused on Carolyn. “You were saying Kevin is going to take over Copeland Enterprises?”

“I thought Brett was supposed to run the company after Grant,” Penelope said.

“We all did,” Carolyn said. “Kevin is only thirty-five years old and Grant wants to leave the company to him? He couldn’t run that company. When Grant fired Brett...” Carolyn scooted to the edge of the ottoman. “Brett told him he would expose the world to the real Grant Copeland. That was a week ago and now my husband is dead? Too much of a coincidence if you ask me.” She scoffed. “But I know this is falling on deaf ears. Grant will never pay for anything he’s done.”

He’ll pay when I get through with him.

“We’re going to follow-up on what you say,” Penelope said.

“Yeah.” Carolyn balled up her tissue. “Like I don’t know how the Tate Valley Police force works when it comes to Grant and his money.”

“I’m not like that Mrs. Myers,” Penelope said.

She rolled her eyes. “But you put up with it. The whole department is in Grant’s pocket and we all know it.”

“Well I’m not in anyone’s pocket.” Alexis stood. “You can depend on Penelope and me to do the right thing. Believe me, there’s nothing I want more than to see Grant Copeland pay for all the bad things he’s done, so if he’s involved in this I will definitely make sure he pays for it.”

“Is there anyone else that you think might have something to do with Brett’s murder?” Penelope asked. “Anyone at all?”

Carolyn avoided eye contact. “No.”

“Are you sure?” Penelope asked.

“Yes.” Carolyn stood. “I sincerely believe that Grant Copeland murdered my husband and I hope to hell you won’t let him get away with it.”