Chapter 7

"Nothing's ever really as it seems"

The next morning Jessica started again with a run at the beach. It was a beautiful, clear morning that promised to become a mild spring day. The moment she had opened her eyes about an hour ago, she had known what to do. Before she had even brushed her teeth, she had dialed Seth's number in Cabot Cove. Of course, he hadn't been up and about, but as soon as he had heard her voice, he had been fully awake - and on alert. She smiled when she thought about how he must have jumped out of bed.

"Jess! Is everything all right?"

"Of course I'm all right. I didn't wake you, did I?" she asked in her best innocent voice.

"Of course, you did, woman! For heaven's sake it's... two minutes after six!"

"Oh..."

"Anyway, I hope the reason you call at this forsaken hour is to ask me to pick you up from the airport this afternoon."

"No, Seth. I'm afraid I have to ask for your professional help instead of your service as a chauffeur."

"You need a doctor?"

"I need you to make some calls, Seth," she said and added a precise description of what she wanted him to find out.

"Aye, that could take me a while," Seth admitted after she had finished. "Jess..."

"Yes?"

"Be careful. It sounds to me as if you have managed to settle yourself into a real snake pit."

"I'll take care of myself," she promised and gave him the telephone number of the house. "Drop me a message in case I shouldn't be back yet – and Seth… thank you!"

Sweaty and satisfied with her achievement she returned almost an hour later. To her surprise she saw Melanie Myers standing on Blake's terrace while she did some stretching exercises in the garden. Blake was nowhere to be seen. Convinced this was the perfect opportunity to talk to the young woman alone, Jessica raised her hand and greeted Melanie with a wave. She was surprised, but after a short hesitation Melanie beckoned her to come over. Mentally preparing the questions she wanted to ask, Jessica crossed the lawn.

"Good morning," she said warmly.

"Mrs. Fletcher," Melanie put on a smile. "You are an early riser!"

"In good company!"

Melanie pointed at her coffee cup. "Can I offer you a coffee?"

"Yes, why not?"

Together the women walked inside. This time Jessica took a closer look at the library than the day before when she had talked to Blake. The shelves were filled with nonfiction volumes about economy and politics. If Blake was a avid reader of Jessica's novels, as he had told her at the dinner party, he was hiding them somewhere else. A beautiful chippendale desk was covered with papers and a keyboard. The two computer screens gave the library the look of a study rather than a room for relaxation. Jessica's eyes fell on a golden letter opener that lay on a pile of unopened letters. Didn't Blake say Doreen had injured him with a letter opener?

There were no paintings on the wall to smarten up the room. Just one framed photograph was standing on Blake's desk. One Jessica had seen before. It was the same picture that stood in Aaron's study. It showed Aaron, Aidan, and Kate sitting in a tree. No vase with flowers eased the working atmosphere. There wasn't even a carpet, just a small, colorful rug on the floor that was horribly misplaced in the otherwise severe looking room. It was definitely a man's refuge without any female touch. She also noticed that the desk stood at an angle to the window that allowed it to observe the whole garden, as well as the first level of Kate's house. From his chair Blake had the perfect view of the balcony where Carter McIntyre had to found his death.

Jessica contemplated the meaning of this as she followed Melanie inside the kitchen.

"You know the place well," Jessica remarked as Melanie absentmindedly picked a mug from the cupboard and filled it for Jessica.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Melanie said. "I hope to move in here one day. But you've figured as much by now, didn't you?"

"I figured as much," Jessica confirmed with a chuckle.

"Blake still hesitates to tell Kate that he wants us to get married. He thinks she has enough on her mind these days."

"How considerate of him," Jessica said and Melanie missed the hint of irony in her voice.

"He wants everybody to be okay," Melanie said. "The whole mess about Aaron is wearing everyone's nerves - not to mention the problems it causes for the company."

"Of course, you know all about that," Jessica said suggestively.

Melanie shrugged. "As a matter of fact, I don't. I only know what Kate tells me and she's telling me very little these days."

"Why is that?" Jessica wanted to know, and the answer was not what she had expected.

"I think it's because of Preston Giles or whatever his name is."

"But why? As far as I know Preston is not involved with the company."

Melanie chuckled. "He isn't. He's not a share holder or a board member, but Kate's asking him for advice. In a way she has switched Blake for Preston, which is unfair to Blake."

Now Jessica understood. She nodded deliberately slow, saying, "And Blake feels threatened by it."

"No!" Melanie said, perhaps a little harsher than intended. "Preston can't threaten him. He knows that he'll be back behind bars, as soon as he steps out of line. No, it's more that Kate wants to show Blake that she doesn't need him, although he has never given her anything but support!"

"Of course," Jessica agreed. "He raised her, after all."

"Yes, when she was a girl and wanted to become an athlete he did everything in his power to help her. He got her the best coaches available. Her success at the Olympics wouldn't have happened, if it weren't for Blake... or think of Aaron. He really wanted to help him to stay out of jail."

Jessica was amazed. It was hard not to grin with amusement. Obviously Melanie was someone who loved to gossip. Perhaps this wasn't the best trait for a good secretary, but a dream for every investigator. The blonde was becoming a source of information. Her obvious admiration of Blake and her dislike of Kate's rejection of him would easily lead her to reveal information Blake possibly wanted to keep a secret.

"But how could he?" Jessica asked, her voice low and secretive. She was leaning towards Melanie, indicating an exchange of secrets. "I mean, the evidence against Aaron was overwhelming! I've been trying to find something that could exonerate him, but to be honest, I haven't found anything."

Melanie nodded eagerly and also lowered her voice. "Because there's nothing to exonerate. You know, Blake really wanted to help Aaron. He did his best to stay out of everything and it worked. He didn't have to testify in court. Fortunately, no one's asked him to."

"And did you have to testify? I mean, I heard you were in the house, the night the murder happened."

Melanies froze, her hand closed around her cup, and all of the sudden she avoided Jessica's gaze.

"I was," she finally admitted and Jessica knew she was onto something.

"And did you see anything? Aaron and Carter had an argument that night... did you witness it?"

Melanies cheeks turned red. "Well... not really... I just heard something about it."

"What did you hear?"

"Listen, Mrs. Fletcher..."

"Please, call me Jessica."

"Jessica... I talked to the police about it, but I doubt whatever I said really made a difference. The case against Aaron was solid from the get go."

"I don't think I understand you," Jessica said, now sure that, whatever it was that Melanie tried to downplay had been vital for Aaron's conviction.

"I know Aaron and Carter had been arguing that night."

"You overheard them?"

"No... Blake did. He told me... the next morning. He didn't know what to make of it. It must have been awful for him."

Jessica knew she had to be careful not to destroy the woman's trust. She didn't know since when Blake and Melanie were an item, but she had the lingering suspicion that Melanie had already been Blake's mistress before his wife had died. Jessica didn't want to give her the impression she could be judgmental of Melanie's relationship and so decided to tip toe around the issue as long as possible.

"But why didn't he talk to the police?"

"Because he wanted to protect Kate! But he told me, because he needed to tell someone! It was a heavy burden for him."

Jessica wasn't so convinced of that, but the eagerness with which Melanie was talking told her she believed it.

"So, you told the police?" Jessica asked.

"Not directly... I talked to this FBI agent. He was not officially part of the investigation. What's his name again?"

"Thomas Chambers?"

"Yes, that one. He promised me I wouldn't have to testify and he kept his word."

"And Kate never knew about this?"

Melanie shook her head, "And I ask you not to tell her either. Now that Aaron is on the run, she has enough to worry about. But..."

"Yes?"

"Maybe you could ask her to mend fences with Blake?" Melanie smiled shyly at Jessica. "I think she's better off with Blake's support. Preston doesn't know her the way Blake does and in the end, he's a convicted killer. I can't understand why she trusted him in the first place."

Jessica decided not to comment on that. Instead she asked Melanie for another coffee.

"Let's go out on the terrace," Melanie suggested. "It's such a beautiful morning."

Jessica took her refilled mug and took the lead on the way out. She had almost reached the French doors when she heard a sharp hiss and a repressed curse. Alarmed Jessica turned around. Melanie's foot was stuck under the ugly rug Jessica had wondered about earlier. The young woman lost her balance, fell, and the mug with the coffee ended up on the floor, too. The hot liquid and the shattered porcelain spread all over her bare legs and feet.

"Damn it!" Again Melanie swore out loud and Jessica was quickly at her side, helping her up. She had some cuts on her legs and feet.

"You cut yourself? Does it hurt a lot?" she asked, worried.

Melanie shook her head. "No. God, I hate this rug. It's not the first time I've stumbled over it."

Curiously Jessica examined the small, thick carpet. Aside from a carpet under the Chippendale desk, it was the only one in the room, definitely in the way and out of place.

"Don't move or you'll cut yourself even worse!" Jessica was quickly on her knees, picking up the broken pieces. Following her gut feeling Jessica pushed the rug a bit aside and pretended to search for tiny pieces of the china. As she had suspected the rug had been placed there to cover something. In this case a dark spot that could have been caused by a lot of things – from coffee to blood. She quickly put the rug back in place and got back to her feet.

"I think I've got it all."

Melanie picked up the bin she found under Blake's desk.

"Thank you. Why don't you sit down on the terrace?" Melanie asked. "I'll clean myself up."

When Jessica returned to the Kate's house about half an hour later, she met Kate who was about to leave in her sports car. When she saw Jessica, she stopped and opened the car window.

"Good morning, Jessica," Kate greeted her and pointed at the gate. "No reporters yet. I wanted to use my chance to get some things done."

"Is there any news about Aaron?" Jessica asked.

"Not yet. I'm on my way to our lawyers. Perhaps they have heard something. I haven't heard from anyone since yesterday. It makes me nervous."

"Oh, I understand. I mean…. The uncertainty would drive me mad."

"I'm really not as collected as I look," Kate assured her. "We've been in this state of chaos for almost a year now and my nerves are wrecked. I'm still hoping against hope that everything will turn out… differently."

"I'm sure things will get better eventually," Jessica said in a weak attempt to say something comforting.

"Let's hope you are right. So… what are your plans for the day?" Kate asked.

"Well… I think I'll start with having breakfast," Jessica answered. She had already made up her mind about her plans, but she didn't wish to share them yet. Right now there was something else she was deeply interested in. "Kate…. What do you know about your assistant?"

Kate seemed surprised, "Melanie? You mean aside from the fact that she's Blake's mistress?"

She chuckled amused, when she saw the surprise on Jessica's face. "They are incredibly bad at hiding their affair. She really thinks I'm not noticing how she enjoys her morning coffee on the terrace right across my own."

"Doesn't it bother you? I mean, you know Blake is interested in regaining control of the company. Aren't you afraid Melanie could betray your trust?"

Now Kate was laughing, "Perhaps…. But honestly, there isn't anything Blake wouldn't know without Melanie. Sure, she can feed him some gossip, which she is quite good at, but since he is a member of the board, it's hard to hide things from him. Melanie is not the valuable source you might think she is."

"If you say so."

"I know so…." Her voice trailed off and she traced the steering wheel with her finger. "Jessica, I want to ask you something, but I don't want you to get me wrong…."

"Oh my, just shoot."

"Is everything all right between you and Preston?"

The question startled her a little. "Yes, why?"

Kate hesitated, "I'm not sure. He is in a strange mood this morning. That's all."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Jessica said, unsure who she wanted to convince of that. Their last conversation the night before was still on her mind. It had left her with a strange feeling of uneasiness. Was it the same for him?

Kate gave Jessica one last smile and started the car. Jessica sighed and slowly walked over to the house.

After a long, hot shower Jessica went downstairs to have breakfast. Preston had already finished and was reading the newspaper. The headline of the day was Aaron Harper's prison break.

"Isn't it good that the reporters usually know more about people than people themselves?" he asked, irony coloring his voice.

"That's part of selling newspapers," Jessica said and filled her cup with coffee.

Preston laughed, "I'm sure you would have made a great reporter."

"Actually, I once considered becoming one," Jessica admitted. "A million years ago."

"And what happened?"

"I decided to get married instead of racing across the country for the next big story."

"I see," Preston said pensively.

"Why do you ask?"

"I saw you talking to Melanie earlier on."

"That was just coincidence," Jessica said. "I thought it was a good opportunity to talk her without having Blake around."

"And what did you find out?"

"I'm not sure," Jessica mused. "Some things don't add up."

She laughed when she saw his puzzled expression. "I'll tell you as soon as I know what to tell you," she assured him. "And until then, you could do me favor."

"Anything." Did she just imagine it, or did his face light up?

She smiled at him and filled her plate with scrambled eggs and toast. "You could take me for a walk."

"That's all?" he asked, a little disappointed.

"I want to talk to Aidan," Jessica explained. "He told me he owns a house at the beach."

"He does," Preston confirmed. "A very modern monstrosity, if you ask me. Why do you want to talk to him?"

"I think aside from the fact that I want to know what he knows about his brother's escape from prison, I would like to hear his version of the nights Deidra Chambers and Carter McIntyre died," Jessica explained. Aidan was the one person she hadn't talked to yet and she had this feeling that he was the one who could help her find the missing pieces of the puzzle.

Preston didn't follow her. "Deidra Chambers?" he asked, astonished. "But Jess, her death has nothing to do with the murder of Carter."

"Not to you, but to someone else thinks both deaths are connected," she explained. "Listen, this is what I was thinking..."

~tbc~