Page 6 of Tough as Steele

“I’ll try.”

Wendy placed her phone on her lap and pressed out wrinkles in her skirt. “Mimi doesn’t like Charles. Never has. She thinks he’s a gold digger. That he married Clarice for her money. Not that Clarice has any real money yet, but as Mimi’s only child, she’ll inherit everything when Mimi dies. Since Mimi has a serious heart condition, that could be sooner than we would hope.”

Londyn had to work hard not to reveal her concern over the heart issue and took a moment to pray that the kidnapping wouldn’t trigger a fatal episode. “Does she take medicine for the condition?”

Wendy nodded. “She keeps some in her bedside table and some in her purse, which she stores in her top dresser drawer. I hope whoever abducted her took some meds with her. She could die without it.”

Londyn swallowed hard in an effort to drown out thetick, tick, tickof the clock in her head, telling her to move faster. “Tell me more about Charles and Clarice. Does she work?”

“Mimi has a charity for children with heart issues, and Clarice manages the charity. I don’t know if she gets paid for that, but I know she gets a monthly stipend from her mother.” Wendy leaned closer. “And between you and me, it’s much more than two people really need, but Charles likes to live the high life.”

Could Charles be behind the kidnapping? After all, the note said they’d taken her for the money. “What about Clarice’s marriage? Is it strong?”

“Charles cheated on Clarice several times that she knows about. Mimi was upset about it, but for some reason Clarice doesn’t want to leave Charles. Mimi could never figure out why, but they seem to have a bond that can’t be broken.”

So the couple might not have the wedded bliss that they portrayed in public but something was keeping them bound together. Londyn made a note to check into the affairs and the finances. “Anything else I should know?”

“I know Mimi was giving up control of the company because of her health, but once Charles got going she disagreed with the direction he was taking the company. They fought about that often too. She said he was out to rape the company reserves and make as much money as possible. That he didn’t have any integrity or desire to provide a quality product, and he didn’t represent the company brand well. If not for Clarice, Charles would’ve been out on his ear.”

“Do you think he’s capable of abducting her?”

“Charles? Not really.” She sighed. “But you never know, I guess.”

“What about Clarice?”

“Clarice? No. No. She loves her mother and would do anything for her. And Mimi feels the same way about Clarice.”

“Detective Steele,” Ryder’s deep voice boomed from the hallway.

She quickly got out a business card and flicked it across the table to Wendy. “If you think of anything else, please call me.”

“I’ll probably have to tell Nate. He’s like part of the family, and I know Mimi would want me to tell him things first.”

“Fine tell him. But update me too.”

“Sure, if he says it’s okay.”

Londyn heard his booted footfalls at the end of the hall. Time to take off.

She tore her notes from the pad and grabbed the picture. His steps sounded even closer.Hurry.She bolted for the French doors overlooking the patio. Outside, the air had gotten nippy, and she rushed down the path that carried a heavy fragrance of rosemary and thyme. The party had gone as flat as stale ginger ale, and the guests looked stunned and confused.

Her parents had taken Charles and Clarice off to the side and were talking to the couple who were dressed in evening wear that fit them both as if tailored. Londyn put them in their mid-fifties and both were fit. Charles still had a full head of hair that had turned a silvery gray, giving him a refined look. Clarice’s black hair—no hint of gray—was a perfect backdrop for her teardrop diamond earrings.

Londyn had lucked out. They were far enough away from the guests that she could update them along with her parents. She slipped back into her shoes and made sure her expression didn’t reveal anything she’d learned. She approached the couples, a new eye for Charles after hearing about his conflict with Mimi and his affairs.

Don’t form an opinion yet.Something about the man kept Clarice married to him, and he might not be quite the scoundrel that Wendy had made him out to be.

“Is everything okay?” Her mom held out Londyn’s purse.

Londyn stowed the picture and notes in her evening bag and shifted her attention to Clarice. “I’m sad to have to report that Mimi is indeed missing.”

Clarice gasped. “But how? Who?”

“There’s a ransom note pinned to her pillow.” Londyn held her phone out to Clarice, then Charles, and finally her parents, allowing them to see the photo she’d taken of the note.

“This won’t be good for the business,” Charles said.

Clarice fired an angry glare at him. “Now’s not the time to think about business, for goodness sake. Someone has taken my mother.”

---