Laurel Jenner was in a bathrobe when she opened the door. Virginia watched the expression on her face change from bewilderment to deep wariness.
“I know who you two are,” Laurel said. “Josh warned me about you. What are you doing here?”
“Tucker Fleming is dead,” Cabot said.
Laurel seemed genuinely startled. “Did the police shoot him? I heard he was wanted for arson, kidnapping and attempted murder. The evening news last night made it sound as if he was more than a little crazy.”
“Fleming wasn’t gunned down while resisting arrest,” Cabot said. “But he was shot. They found his body on a dock in a cove not far from here.”
“I don’t understand.” Laurel glanced uneasily at Virginia and then looked at Cabot. “Why did you two come here to give me the news? Tucker and I were just people who happened to work at the same company. We weren’t close. What is this about?”
“Are you alone?” Cabot asked.
“Yes,” Laurel said. She stiffened in alarm. “Why are you asking me that?”
“We just want to be sure you’re safe,” Virginia said, going into her soothe-the-temperamental-artist voice. “We were worried about you.”
“You think I’m in danger?” Laurel gasped.
“Maybe,” Virginia said, “but not in the way you think. To answer your questions, we’re here because we think Fleming’s murder is related to our investigation.”
Laurel frowned. “Josh said you were looking into the death of an artist who exhibited in your gallery.”
“Hannah Brewster,” Virginia said.
“We came here to talk to you because I’ve got a hunch that the person who shot Fleming may have set you up to take the fall for his murder,” Cabot said. “If I’m right, you’re at risk of being arrested. Time is not on your side.”
Laurel caught her breath.
“What are you talking about? You’re crazy, both of you.” She started to close the door. “Leave. Get away from me. I’m going to call the police.”
Cabot stuck his foot in the door.
“Before you do that, answer one question,” he said. “Do you still have that gun you bought when you were concerned that your ex-husband might stalk you?”
“How did you —? Yes, I still have it and I swear I’ll use it if you don’t leave right now,” Laurel said.
“Do me a favor,” Cabot said. “Go see if it’s still in your possession.”
“What?”
“It’s all right,” Virginia said quickly. “We don’t mean you any harm. We’ll wait out here. We just want to be sure that your gun hasn’t been stolen.”
“I’d know if it had been stolen,” Laurel said. “I’ve got a security system. Now get out of here. Leave me alone.”
“Please,” Virginia said. “Just make sure you still have it. If you find it, we’ll apologize and leave. You have my word.”
Laurel narrowed her eyes. “You really think my gun was used to kill Tucker?”
“Maybe,” Cabot said. “Fleming was murdered sometime late last night. The body was found a short time ago. If your gun was stolen and used to kill Fleming, it will be missing – unless you had a late-night visitor?”
“No.” Laurel shook her head. “I was alone all night.”
“In that case the killer hasn’t had an opportunity to return the gun so that it can be discovered in your house.”
“You’re both crazy,” Laurel said. “I haven’t even looked at that damn gun in months. It’s still in the gun safe. Stay where you are. I’m going to close and lock the door. I’ll open the safe. If the gun is missing, I’ll let you know. If it’s not, I’m going to call the police and tell them that you two are trespassing and threatening me.”
Cabot politely removed his foot from the threshold. Laurel slammed the door closed. Virginia heard the bolt slide into place.
“This might not have been one of our better ideas,” Virginia said. “What are we going to do if she finds the gun in the safe?”
“We’ll think of something,” Cabot said.
A short time later Virginia heard muffled footsteps in the hall. Laurel unlocked the door and looked at them, stricken.
“It’s gone,” she croaked. “That bitch stole it.”
“Who are you talking about?” Virginia said.
“Kate Delbridge.” Laurel shook her head, torn between rage and something that bordered on panic. “She’s the one who told you I owned a gun, isn’t she? I knew she hated me. She was jealous. But I never thought she’d go this far. She set me up for murder just to get revenge? She must be crazy.”
“What makes you so sure Kate Delbridge took your gun?” Cabot asked.
“It had to be her. She was one of the few people who knew I bought the damned thing. That was before —”
“Before you and Josh Preston got involved in an affair?” Virginia finished quietly. “When you and Kate Delbridge were still friends?”
“Kate is convinced that I stole Josh away from her. But that’s not how it was. She was just a weekend fling. He got bored with her.” Laurel grimaced. “Just as he’s getting bored with me. That’s his pattern. I can see that now. I just don’t understand why Kate would murder Tucker Fleming.”
“I don’t think she did murder him,” Cabot said. “One more question. Ever hear of Quinton Zane or the cult he founded a couple of decades ago?”
“Oh, shit.” Laurel shuddered and wrapped her arms tightly around herself. “I was afraid this had something to do with that old cult.”