Jacqui’s Nemesis

CHAPTER 4 PART 3

“Thank you, Jacqui, but you must at least let me help you.”

“That you can do Anna.” Jacqui smiled.

A young constable approached Blair and spoke to him softly.

“Brian is out of the theatre and is waking up. Jackson and the sergeant can take Anna home to pack, Jacqui you and I shall go see Brian.”

Brian was propped up against pillows but still a bit groggy. When he saw Jacqui, he smiled a lopsided smile.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Jacqui gave him a hug, careful not to go near his left shoulder.

“Okay I guess…I was lucky, the bullet did not do much damage to nerve or bone, it went straight through!”

“Hah… that will mean that our forensic team should be in possession of three largely undamaged bullets… as far as I know they have retrieved two already, hence the thought that the other was still in your shoulder Brian.”

“They should look in the table or one of the chairs as the doctor removed a fairly large wooden splinter from my arm…”

“I’ll make sure to tell them. Once it is daylight or the light in the dining room had been repaired it would be easier to find.”

“Oh, stop talking ballistics you two. Lowe is dealing with the investigation, and I have not as yet seen him like that.  He gave Jackson and me a grilling…”

Jacqui stopped herself, this was not the time and place to tell Brian what she found out about Jackson.  Once he was back home, they could tell him, for now he had to rest…”

“Oh, I would not pay much attention to our Chief’s moods Jacqui.  He is frustrated as there are hardly any leads in this case and it is driving him nuts, he is not a man who likes to lose.”

         “By the sounds of things, he now has at least one lead to pursue…”

“Oh really? He did not say anything to me…” Blair looked surprised.

“I am sure he will.”

“Are there any suspects yet Jacqui?” Brian grunted as he shifted in the bed.

“No, I do not think so, but Lowe now has a lead I am sure that he will pursue with the tenacity of lion his prey…”

“Strange that he did not say anything to me about it…”

“I think that tonight was not the time and place Detective Blair.  I am sure he’ll fill you in in the office tomorrow…”  Jacqui hoped that Blair would take the hint and not ask further questions.

“Yes, I am sure he will…” Blair smiled, and Jacqui realised that he did indeed understand.

“Brian, are you up to answering a few questions for me?”

“Sure, fire away…”

Jacqui found a chair and stared off into the distance while the men spoke. It had been a heck of a day. Having her bag grabbed, meeting her brother, seeing him shot… Up until that moment she had remained as brave as she could, but sitting there she felt fatigue and utter despair setting in.  Her father had obviously tried to set right his past mistake and Brian had only arrived that day. What could anyone have against him or her father for that matter? Jacqui felt inclined to agree with Lowe that the Delano family had to be involved somehow, but with Jackson and Delia’s father dead, Jackson not involved in their sordid business for years, why now? If the old man did not know about Brian, how would Jackson’s cousins know? Or was the killing spree aimed at Jackson himself? But then why was he not attacked in the cottage the night her parents died? Why did they come into the house and murder her parents? And why kill her mother? If they had an axe to grind with her father why not get at him when he was out doing business, why her mother? Jacqui closed her eyes to prevent the tears welling up from spilling over.

She must have dozed off in the chair as Blair shook her gently.

“Come Jacqui, we have to go. Our men outside will watch over Brian tonight, but you need to get to bed.”

As Jackson and Moody had taken the vehicle they drove to the hospital with, Blair instructed one of the constables to drive them back to the estate.

Jackson and Anna were there already and were in the kitchen having hot chocolate.

“Hey you two, want some?” Anna offered.

“Oh yes… I am parched. But you stay where you are, I’ll make it.” Jacqui looked at Anna sternly.

“Oh gosh Jacqui, I have a plaster on my arm, it isn’t even impressive enough a wound to have my arm in a sling…” Anna laughed.

“Sit…stay…” Jacqui smiled back. “Some hot chocolate for you Detective?”

“That would be great thank you.”

Jacqui busied herself with making the chocolate, while Blair pulled out a chair for himself.

“How are we going to get any sleep with all the people still in the house?” Anna asked Blair.

“I’ll go ask them…”

“Have your hot chocolate first.  You have been up all day watching me and now this.  Detective or not, you are a human being. I am sure Moody was allowed to go home once she dropped Jackson and Anna off…”

“I guess she did. Lowe is not here anymore either. But I want to go ask the guys in there whether they had found the bullet which hit Brian anyway…”

“Come on, those guys seem to know their job, I am sure they did.”

“Well then… We need to talk about something else anyway… Jackson, I would be happier if you stayed in the house tonight. Having the three of you under one roof would make things easier.  Lowe ordered that there will be four policemen on watch here until morning, two at the back and two in front. During daylight there will be only two here at the house, but none of you are to leave the house alone or without letting me or Lowe know. Please, we do not want to carry any more bodies out of here.”

Jackson agreed to use the bedroom he had stayed in before.

It was nearly 4 am when the group in the kitchen were informed that the police were pulling out, leaving only those on watch behind.

Jacqui did not have the energy left to change fully, but instead brushed her teeth and flopped onto her bed. In less than a minute she was fast asleep.

A sudden loud noise woke her up. She had no idea what time it was or how long she had been sleeping. She waited and listened, there were voices, but she could not make out whose it was. She tip toed to her door and listened. The two male voices were too low for her to make out who it was or what they were saying.

Jacqui entered the corridor, stopping every few paces to listen. Then, as she approached the lounge, she heard Blair and an unfamiliar man talking. Jacqui entered the room.  Blair was talking to a policeman in uniform.

Noticing Jacqui standing there Blair interrupted himself and turned his attention to Jacqui.

“Morning Jacqui. I apologize if we woke you up. Constable Reese accidently allowed the front door to slam…”

“Have you been here all this time Detective?”

“Yes, and now I’ll have to leave for the office. Lowe had called twice already, and I am afraid that he may have my head if he has to call me again.”

“But you haven’t slept in more than a day…”

“Oh no, I slept…a few hours on the couch right here…” Blair indicated a floppy sofa, one which her father loved and her mother had wanted to burn a million times. “I have a clean shirt and a toothbrush in my locker at work. So do not fret, I’ll soon be as right as rain and fresh as a daisy…” Blair laughed. “Lowe or I will be around later in the day, but in the meantime Constable Reese and Constable Arnold outside will be at your beck and call. I shall also drop in on Brian and let you know when he can be released.”

As the two men walked out Jacqui was left alone in the room. Something seemed out of place, but she could not quite make out what it was. Thinking that perhaps the stress of the last few weeks was making her paranoid and delusional, Jacqui turned on her heel and went back to her apartment.

She ran a shower and tried to relax, breathing deeply and allowing the warm water to soothe her body. Then it hit her. Again, there was a chair moved from its usual spot in the lounge, standing practically under the overhead light fixture.  Would Blair have done it for some reason? If not, was it worth mentioning it to Blair or Lowe? Jacqui decided to do so anyway and called Blair’s cell phone.

“You were right to call Jacqui, I am nearly at the office, but I am going to turn around straight away.  I’ll call Lowe and ask him to send a fingerprint technician. Please do not let anyone into the room until I get there.”

Noticing that it was already just after ten Jacqui went in search of Jackson. As she approached the bedroom, he had been using, she heard a tap being closed in one of the guest bathrooms.  Jackson emerged from the bathroom.

“Morning Jackson. I hope you slept well.”

“It was difficult at first, but once I had drifted off a bomb going off next to my bed would not have woken me up.”

“Where is Anna? Still asleep?”

“Oh no, not our Anna.  She is in the kitchen making breakfast.”

“Stubborn girl…” Jacqui laughed.

“That she is. Were you looking for me or Anna?”

“Both.  Did you perhaps move a chair in the lounge?”

“No. I have not been into the lounge in weeks, maybe months.  I never have any reason to go in there.  Why are you asking?”

“Someone moved a chair and left it in the middle of the floor.”

“Maybe Anna vacuumed there and forgot to move the chair back into its place...”

“Perhaps, but I was in the day before Brian arrived, and yesterday Anna did not vacuum the house, unless she did so while I was out to meet Brian… I’ll ask her.”

Anna was in the kitchen just like Jackson said. The air was filled with the smell of coffee, toast, sausage and eggs and Jacqui’s stomach rumbled.

“Morning Anna.  I am not even going to attempt to tell you how stubborn you are…and purely because it all smells so wonderful.”

“Morning Jacqui.  Honestly, my arm feels fine. If it was not for this bandage, I would not even haw known that I was injured.  I had a look at my arm this morning and it looks fine. I promise though that I shall not move furniture today or lift anything heavier than a frying pan and that only because I do not want the stitches in my arm to come lose…”

“Talking about moving things, did you perhaps move a chair in the lounge yesterday?”

“No, why are you asking?”

“Someone left a chair in the middle of the floor in the lounge.”

“Not me. I have not been in there for days…”

“A chair was moved in my apartment on the night my parents were killed as well.”

“Oh gosh Jacqui, what do you think that means?”

“I have no idea, but Blair is on his way back.  He seems to think it is significant.”

Blair arrived about fifteen minutes later.  Asking Jacqui to join him he donned pair of gloves and headed for the lounge.

Not touching the wooden armrests Blair stepped onto the chair and reached into the light fitting.

“Just as I thought…” he said and stepped back down.

He had a small device in his hand which he held out to Jacqui.

“I am no expert but am nearly sure that this is an amateur listening device. Definitely not something the police or PI would use, but rather something a kid would buy over the internet. Yes, these days one can buy anything off the internet…”

“There was a chair moved in my room the night my parents were killed…” Jacqui felt a shiver run down her spine.

“Please come show me where it was.”

Jacqui led Blair to her room and showed him exactly where the chair was. Looking around the room for something to stand on Blair finally decided to risk standing on the dressing table bench.

He retrieved a replica of the device he found in the lounge.

“Why would someone listen in on us?  What were they trying to learn? I hardly ever had people here in my suite… This is madness.”

“As far as I am concerned Jacqui, this is good news. These devices have a very short range. Considering the size of your property and considering that it is very unlikely that someone could be parked or lurking in your garden unseen by Jackson, yourself or the contractors it would be a reasonable assumption that they could not have been stationed more than a few meters away from your front gate. I am sure that if we should question the neighbors again someone would come up with something. This could mean that someone may have seen the killers lurking around…”

“Detective Blair… I do not want to tell you your job, but Detective Lowe, as I am sure he was about to tell you at the office, is under the impression that Jackson may have been the target all along, or at least this last time.  If that is the case, then surely there would be a listening device in his cottage as well. If not, would it mean that he was not involved at all?”

“Miss Bruckner, you may very well be right and yes we’ll search the whole premises for devices such as this, but with the complete lack of evidence or ideas as to who may have been responsible, I agree with Lowe that we have to investigate every possibility.”

Just then Anna appeared with the fingerprint technician and Blair excused himself to show the man where to start.

Shortly after Blair left Lowe arrived.

“Morning Miss Bruckner, can you tell me where to find that darn Blair.  He is like the Scarlet Pimpernel this morning.”

“He is in the house somewhere with the fingerprint guy.”

“Can you perhaps fill me in as to why he rushed back here?”

Jacqui told Lowe what happened.

“And so the plot thickens… I would love to be wrong, but this does not sound like the work of the Delano’s.”

“I do not know any of the Delano’s and until a few days ago I did not even know of their existence, but somehow it does not make sense that they would attack the house if they were after Jackson… the Delano’s did however have an issue with my father, so they still cannot be ruled out.”

“You would have made an excellent detective Miss Bruckner.”

“Thank you, Detective…I guess... somehow, I think, I would prefer sticking to my chosen profession.”

The shrill ring of a telephone somewhere in the house interrupted their conversation and Jacqui rushed to the extension line in her suite.

“Hi Jacqui, it’s me, Brian. The doctor had just been, he said I could go home, just have to be back here in a day or two for them to check the wound.”

“Oh Brian…please do not think we had forgotten about you, things are just hectic here at the house.  Both Lowe and Blair are here right now, I’ll speak to one of them and we’ll come collect you.”

“Please do not come all the way here.  The two policemen babysitting me just needs permission from Lowe and then they can bring me.”

“Well put one of them on and I’ll hand the phone to Detective Lowe.”

Lowe spoke to the policeman on the other end while Jacqui went in search of Anna to tell her that Brian was on his way back.

Anna was talking to Blair in the lounge.

 Jacqui explained that Brian was one his way back.

“Jacqui, perhaps I should prepare finger food for lunch. People are in and out and who’s to say how many of us will be here in the house in an hour.”

“I think that is a brilliant idea.  I have not seen Blair eat anything since he arrived last night.  The poor man had been putting up with us for a day now. Do you need any help, Anna?”

“No Jacqui, I’ll be fine.”

Jacqui was left alone with Blair.

“Any other listening devices?”

“Only one more so far, in your father’s study.  The men are now searching the cottage.”

“You look tired Detective Blair.” Jacqui studied the young man. He had obviously run his hands through his short dark brown hair and the stubble on his face created dark shadows on his cheeks.

“Thank you, Miss Bruckner, but as pretty as you are, you look as if you can do with another few hours’ sleep yourself.”

“Well, I could, but with everything going on it would just be impossible.”

“And then you do not even have a boss glaring at you from the doorway…” Blair laughed as Lowe entered.

“We need to talk Detective Blair.  Miss Bruckner, may I have your permission to use your father’s study for a heart to heart with my detective?”

“Sure, go ahead. I am going to help Anna in the kitchen and make sure that we can all have some lunch after Brian gets here.”

Anna and Jacqui had just finished the food when Brian arrived. Jackson followed on his heels.  Except for Anna, who looked her usual self, it was a rather tired and haggard looking group of people in the kitchen. Jackson looked as if he had not slept in days, his eyes were red rimmed and blueish shadows were forming underneath. Brian’s clothes were wrinkled, his shirt hanging out and the bandage and sling his arm was in did nothing to better his appearance.

“Hey, look at the bunch of us…one would swear we were shot at last night…” Jacqui tried to laugh, but her attempt at a joke only got her a few sidelong glances.

“Come Brian, let me go help you change into a clean shirt, while the girls finish up the food…”

Brian followed Jackson out of the kitchen. 

“I’ll go call the cops…” Jacqui left Anna in the kitchen.

Blair and Lowe were just coming out of the study when Jacqui approached.

“Please join us for a light lunch on the patio…and the other men on the premises are welcome to.”

“The other men can come get some food but will not be able to join us.  Blair and I shall do so though.  It will give us an opportunity to talk to you all.”

After the other policemen had helped themselves to food and left Lowe and Blair sat down with Jacqui, Jackson, Anna and Brian. Once they all had plates of food in front of them Lowe spoke.

“I am sorry to do this in this way, I know it is a sensitive family matter, but Blair brought me up to speed on what had happened and unfortunately we need to put our heads together and come up with something soon or no one will be save in this house. Jackson, have you told Brian about your connection yet?”

“No, I… there had not been any time yet to do so…” Jackson looked at his boots and Jacqui felt sorry for him.

“I shall let you have your family discussion later, but Brian needs to know right now that you are his uncle and that your family may be behind all of this.”

“What? Why didn’t any of you say something before?”

“Nobody knew until Lowe found out about my past and told Jacqui last night… I am sorry Brian. Lowe is however right. My family, my father in particular, has not been exactly model citizens…organized crime and so forth, but my sister, your mother, and I had distanced ourselves from all of that. My father, your maternal grandfather, passed away five years ago and I was sure that all the nonsense that had been going on was finally over.  Now I do not know anymore. None of it makes sense.”

“Do you have any idea as to what happened to my mother?” Brian was sitting on the edge of his seat.

“No, I don’t.  I did not even know that she came to Britain…or that she had disappeared again.”

“I am sorry to interrupt, but we need to get back to business, so to speak… I need to recap quickly. Jon Bruckner had a child with Delia, Jackson’s sister, Delia opted to disappear to save Jon Bruckner from becoming involved with the Delano family and to save her child from growing up in the Delano family.  After Jackson got into trouble with the law and Delia disappeared again ten years ago, Jon Bruckner found Jackson and helped him in the hope that he could help him trace Delia and his son. It is known that Delia came here ten years ago, but why?  Was she going to see her father or was she here to see Jon Bruckner or both? Who knew she was coming and where did she go first?  Somehow, I think that mystery has something to do with the death which had occurred, maybe the same person or persons are responsible for both crimes. Any ideas?”

“The only person who would have an axe to grind with Jon Bruckner after hearing the truth would have been my father, yet my father is dead, had been dead for five years and I am practically sure that none of my cousins would even care about Delia or Jon Bruckner anymore, thus I cannot see them acting on an old grudge in this manner or in any way for that matter. I am sure that they have other concerns and things keeping them busy these days. I am also sure that my father would not have harmed his daughter.  Even if she had come here to tell him the truth, he may have been upset, but no matter who he was, he adored Delia and missed her every day she was away.  I cannot imagine him harming her.”

“I tend to agree with you Jackson.  I am fairly up to date with the present-day Delano activities. Your cousins have managed to turn a few of their businesses legit, but there are still a few possible illegal activities they may be involved in.  Whatever they are involved in, be it legal or illegal, all four of your cousins are now rich men in their own capacity and what they inherited from your father no longer makes up the bulk of their wealth. Neither you nor Brian would be a threat to them anymore. However, they are an unpredictable bunch of people and cannot be ruled out. Who else is there that could have an issue with Jon Bruckner?  Jacqui told me about the will.  Any surprises there Jacqui?”

“No.  It all panned out as expected.  The only person who was not satisfied was my uncle. What he expected to get from my father, a property in Scotland, would however not have been a reason to kill my father for as my father could have and probably would have given it to him whether he was dead or alive.”

“The other people mentioned in the will?”

“Certain staff members received some cash, Jackson was left an apartment in the city, which my dad asked him to keep should Brian ever find out about him and returned here, and in the meantime, Jackson was to rent it out. Most of the cash inheritances were small gifts and no one knew about it beforehand… I do not think there is anything in my father’s will that would have anybody want to kill him for…”

“What would happen if something should happen to you Jacqui?”

“If I was to die, the business would go to Bill and the properties would be sold and the money dispersed to various charities…”

“And now that Brian had been found?”

“Oh gosh I have not even thought about that yet! Jackson can correct me here, but it was my father’s wish that the apartment would be kept as a nest egg for Brian should he one day re-appear, something my father could not be sure of at the time of his death, but now…” Jacqui felt a lump in her throat.  It was difficult to try imagining what her father would have wanted for his only son.

“Please continue Jacqui…”

“I had been so flabbergasted with everything that had happened that I have not thought about any of this... I suppose I shall have to look at my father’s portfolio, properties, stocks, bonds…I could discuss it with Brian and if there is anything he particularly wants it would be fine with me…”

“You cannot possibly imagine that I…” Brian looked upset.

“No Brian, your story checked out…you were in South Africa at the time of the murders, and you have no known affiliations with anyone in Britain that we could find, but is there anyone who would have benefitted had you inherited a large sum of money?”

“No!  I am not married, do not owe anybody anything.  I have paid off my study loan only last year, earn an above average income from my research and lectures…”

“So, the only person who would benefit from either you or Jacqui dying now would be Bill, Jon Bruckner’s friend and business partner…”

“Yes, but…” Jacqui was not able to complete the sentence. It was unimaginable that Uncle Bill could kill her father.

“See, talking this through we are getting somewhere… or nowhere as the case may be… what puzzles me, and this was a seed planted by Jacqui, why was her mother killed? The Delano’s had no beef with Mrs. Bruckner.  Jon Bruckner could have been attacked on his way to work, on the golf course, anywhere where he could have been waylaid or alone.  Jacqui what would have happened had your mother lived?”

“I would still have inherited the estate, but my mother would have had life rights on this property and would have earned a proportionate share of income from the other properties and the business.” Jacqui sobbed.  Discussing business and money while her parents were rotting in their graves and the idea that someone whom they had known well could be responsible was all too much.

“I am truly sorry Jacqui, I know how hard this must be for you, but unless we talk about these things we will not know where to start looking for the person or persons responsible, or whom to protect for that matter…”

“Sir, perhaps we can finish our lunch first before resuming this…Miss Bruckner has a lot to deal with…” Blair reached out and put his hand over Jacqui’s, when she continued to sob, he pulled a handkerchief from his pants pocket and handed it to her. Anna got up from her seat and proceeded to pour Jacqui a cup of tea.