The Very Worst Man, Page 3

  She’d gone to high school with both Bromleys, and since she knew Stan, she’d been a great asset when Hayden needed a quick answer to motive. He’d had to work at not grilling her about Alexandra’s personal details irrelevant to the case. “I’ve read that about them. Tough luck, but no excuse. A man kills his wife and there’s going to be consequences.”

  Chloe shrugged, settling into a chair opposite him. “It explains her blind spot for him anyway.”

  “I suppose.” He leaned back in his seat, enjoying the leather sound it made. “If David strangled Jane, I’d nail him to the wall, whether he was my brother or not.”

  “You’d be first in line to kick his butt, I’m sure.” At his look, she laughed. “I mean that as a compliment. You’re a straight arrow.”

  “All right, I’ll take it as that.” He grinned at her. “So what do you say to helping me review this one last time in case I missed something?”

  She ticked off the list on her fingers while saying, “No and do it on your own time. Also you have enough to do without indulging some guy who’s making his sister dance to his tune.”

  He stared at her, examining her face for signs of sarcasm. Finding none, he said, “You’re one of the few women who dislikes the guy. Every other gal I’ve talked to couldn’t say enough good about him.”

  “I’ve known him since grade school. Plus, my bullshit detector bells ring loud whenever he talks.” She shrugged. “He’s a nice enough looking guy. I’ll admit he was my eighth grade crush.”

  Hayden grinned at his outgoing paralegal being shy. “What happened, besides wisdom and college men?”

  She made a face at him. “Stan happened to himself. One day we were in the lunchroom. I was sitting as close to him as possible without him noticing.”

  “Why? Didn’t you want him to see you?”

  “Not at the time. I had braces and was content with staring, no talking. So anyway, he was there with his friends, I was there with mine. Neither group spoke to each other until one of the teachers walked by. When that happened, Stan said something nice about her dress. She looked pleased, said thanks, and went on to the teacher’s table. The second she was out of earshot, Stan said something hateful to all of us about her dress.”

  “What did he say?” he asked, wanting to know what Chloe would think of as hateful. Not that it made any difference now, but most adults had been sarcastic teens, trying and failing at being funny.

  She stared off into space for a moment before coming back to him. “You know, I don’t remember, it made me so angry. It doesn’t matter. He was nice one minute and a jerk the next. Once I saw how different he was to a person’s face and behind their back, I saw it all the time from him.”

  He’d remembered reading about some study on pigeons and gamblers. How scientists had rewarded the birds randomly when they pressed a bar for food. Those who were fed every time they pressed the bar only did so when hungry. The pigeons who ate randomly would then compulsively press the bar, never sure if the pellet would drop. Had Stan done the same to Alexandra, only being a decent brother intermittently? If so, it explained a lot about her need to help him despite his guilt. Wanting to know if this was a childhood pattern, he asked, “Were you around him much after that?”

  “Some. Enough to where I remember the mean stuff being funny until one day when it wasn’t. After that, all the nice comments never wiped out the hateful. Sometimes, he’d cracked jokes at someone else’s expense, and other times he had to tell us later he’d been kidding.”

  Ah, yes, the ever-popular war cry of the cruel about how their victims couldn’t take a joke. He’d heard that a few times too. “I’ll bet he ticked a lot of people off in school.”

  “Yep. I wonder how many of those kids are still his friends.”

  Scanning his memory from the Bromley trial’s courtroom, he said, “From what I saw at his hearing, very few. Just his sister.”

  She frowned. “It would be sad if he didn’t make new friends all the time. Don’t get me wrong; when he’s a personable guy, it’s wonderful that he likes you. Makes you feel like the member of an exclusive club.” She stood. “I’m assuming you didn’t want to spend all day on a closed case.”

  He glanced at the time, his lunch hour almost over. “You’re right. I don’t, but this is somewhat interesting. Ms. Bromley’s loyalty to Stan even after I’d presented evidence always puzzled me until now.”

  “It shouldn’t. They’re blood, the only family each other have that I know of, and from what I’ve heard, she’s paying his bills. He has to be nice to her. He’s probably buttering her up like a hungry guy does a biscuit.”

  His eyebrows rose. Alexandra paid for everything too? No way Hayden could ever convince his brother to do that for him. “The guy has a life sentence. Why doesn’t she hand over the bills he’s incurred to him? What are they going to do to him if he doesn’t pay? Throw him in jail or ruin his credit rating?”

  She grinned. “I don’t know how all that works out. It’s above my pay grade, boss.”

  “Mine too.” Hayden turned back to his computer and closed the file. His assistant had explained the family dynamic a little better, but it didn’t answer his every question. Alexandra had to be intelligent to be a veterinarian. What made her so dumb when it came to her brother?

  Before she pulled the door shut, Chloe said, “Oh, and you need to know, Lily needs a new vet. Dr. Olsen is retiring next month. You have time but might want to start scouting around now. I’ve pulled all the Yello reviews on vets between here and your house with a few extra thrown in.”

  Not wanting to assume anything, he asked, “In my email?”

  “Yes and that’s it. You’ve checked everything else I sent and are up to speed.”

  Her initiative and efficiency always amazed him. “Thank you, Chloe. You’re the best.”

  “I know.” She winked at him. “I’ll be out here. Just minding my own business and not meddling or anything. Holler if you need me.”

  She closed the door behind her. Suspicious, he brought up his email window. A quick check and he grimaced. No wonder. Bromley’s Veterinary Clinic was top of the list with the highest rating. He appreciated her assistance, but she was about as good at minding her own business as Lily was.

  He rubbed his eyes and flagged the email for later. Prosecuting someone for armed robbery took priority over Lily’s rabies shots. He smiled, thinking about the little cat. They had a morning ritual: She liked to stand on the end table next to his apartment door, give him a bump on the arm with her forehead, and he’d be on his way. He hadn’t considered himself a guy who liked cats until Lily adopted him on a clichéd stormy night. She’d peered up at him from under his car and he laughed, wondering where were the dogs she must have rained down with. She let him pick her up and that was all it took. He grinned at the family photos on his desk of his brother and new wife with him and their parents at the wedding. Various other vacation photos of landscapes dotted his desk. He went back to reading emails, proud of himself for resisting the urge to display Lily’s photo too.

  After a while, he had no more reasons to procrastinate and opened the vet list in his email. He punched in the number for Alexandra’s office. It rang once before someone answered, “Bromley’s Veterinary, this is Ginny. How may I help you?”

  “Hi, Ginny. I’m wondering if you’re taking new patients.” He tapped a pencil eraser on the desk calendar that doubled as a note pad. The part of him wanting to see Alexandra again voted for yes while the practical side hoped not.

  “We are. Let me guess, you’re one of Dr. Olsen’s patients?”

  Tamping down his wayward side’s urge to cheer at the prospect of seeing Alexandra again, he said, “That’s right.”

  “He’d mentioned some of his patients might transition to us, so we’re ready. Who will we be seeing?”

  “Lily, my tabby cat. Female. Really sweet and she’s due for her rabies shots.” Overdue, really, but he didn’t want anyone to think he’d b
een negligent in Lily’s care.

  “All right, I’ll put her in the system. Her last name?”

  He grinned at his pet having a last name. “Wells.”

  “Her age?”

  “Around two years or so. She was a stray when I got her.”

  “All right and I understand. We have a couple of openings today. In case that’s too soon, would tomorrow or later in the week work for you?”

  Lily hated the vet and distrusted Hayden for days after her rabies shots. Putting off her discomfort until later only delayed the inevitable. He was in favor of getting it done now rather than later. “Today would be good, depending on the time.”

  “Looks like we have a noon or a five forty-five that canceled. Either time is fine, but the later appointment would give us time to get Lily’s records.”

  “Five forty-five it is, then.” Typing the appointment time into his calendar’s reminders, he asked, “Is Dr. Wells the only vet you have?”

  “Who?”

  Hayden’s mind went blank. What was Alexandra’s last name again? He didn’t really just call her Dr. Wells, did he? He must be more tired than he’d thought with a mistake like that. She probably didn’t care but he had to explain. “Ah, excuse me, my brother is a doctor, and I’m in the habit of saying Wells after doctor. I meant Dr. Bromley.”

  Ginny laughed. “Good, because I’d wondered if I’d come to the right place for work. Yes, Dr. Bromley is our only vet. Brenda is our vet tech if you’d like to see her instead. She might have an earlier time available if you’d like.”

  “No, no. Dr. Bromley is fine. Whichever person is free at Lily’s appointment time is good, really. No preference.”

  A little bell sounded over the phone before she said, “Very well. See you this evening at five forty-five.”

  He heard the distraction in her voice. “Until then.” He hung up the phone, a little nervous about seeing Alexandra so soon after yesterday. In any other place or time, he’d pursue her. The woman drove him crazy every time their eyes met. She had the clearest baby blues he’d ever seen, and her hair? Long, nearly black, and curly in a Wyoming wind-friendly way. She’d worn a messy bun sometimes in court, a sleek ponytail other times, and every look suited her. He picked up a pen, tapping it on his desk. What did she feel like in a hug? Hayden wondered. Did she tuck in neatly under his chin like he suspected, or did she stand just tall enough to look over his shoulder? Yesterday was the only time she’d been near enough for him to smell her perfume.

  Her floral, soapy fragrance reminded him of something. He wasn’t sure what. His stomach flipped inside him at the thought of seeing her today. How big were those exam rooms anyway? Smaller than the jail hallway, he was sure. Dear God, to be that close for even ten minutes might be too much for him to keep his cool. Maybe in her own element, she’d smile at him like the first time they’d seen each other. Her cheeks had turned a sweet shade of pink, and he knew he grinned like an idiot at her. Alexandra had looked so professional in her dress and heels that he’d mistaken her for a paralegal student there to watch the murder trial. He’d been sick when she stood and went to the defendant’s side at the beginning arguments. She’d seemed familiar, and when he saw them together that first day, he knew why: She resembled her brother way too much. They had the same dark hair and blue eyes with hers in a perpetual worry and his in a perpetual scowl.

  Hayden hated the man. From everything he’d learned, Sheila Bromley had been a good wife and person. She waitressed in one job and worked at a daycare for the other. Neither husband nor wife had shown up on the law enforcement radar until Stan punched on her enough for Shelia to call the cops. That one tidbit of information gave him second thoughts about Alexandra’s personality. How much had she known about Stan’s abuse? Hayden’s mind knew better, but his heart wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Abusers and their victims were good at hiding the signs. He could always subtly question her during Lily’s appointment on what she knew about her brother’s domestic troubles.

  He stared at his computer screen, thinking. Even worse than Stan getting his sister’s support was how the entire community had rallied to his side after his wife’s death. No one wanted to believe the handsome and charming man was capable of murder. Chloe hadn’t said so, but he’d bet Stan had skated through most of his life on his looks. He had that scruffy pretty boy look women went for.

  Seeing Dr. Bromley at the clinic this afternoon might help him figure out why she’d cover for a murderer, family or not. Hayden grinned, considering himself an expert on pulling information from the unsuspecting. She’d be telling him anything he wanted after a couple of questions. He stretched his neck while checking the clock. He needed to get started on researching his next case. These criminals weren’t going to convict themselves.

  Chapter 3

  Alexandra picked up the stack of afternoon files and flipped through them. The last name stood out, Lily Wells. She looked at the ceiling, not believing how common the name was. What were the odds that this Wells was no relation to Hayden? “Brenda, is this a new patient?” She held up the file for her vet tech to examine.

  Brenda took it from her and slid out the papers. “Yes, from Dr. Olsen. Here are her records from him. I picked up the new ones on my way back from lunch this afternoon.”

  Seeing the owner’s name, she stifled a wince in favor of a more professional expression. Hayden’s cat. She might have known he’d be more of a cat than a dog guy. Wasn’t taking Lily on as a new patient a conflict of interest? Shaking her head, she realized it didn’t matter. Despite how she felt about Wells, she wouldn’t make an innocent kitty pay for her owner’s evil. “All right. Sounds good, thank you.” Alexandra took an extra minute to read over Lily’s file before going on to her next patient.

  She couldn’t deny Hayden loved his pet. The shots were up to date, she’d been neutered, and he’d even brought her in for a sore paw. Included was a small digital photo of the cat. Adorable little tabby, of course. Alexandra smiled and found herself looking forward to seeing the animal and how she interacted with Wells. His attention to detail hinted at how he might view Lily’s care as an automatic checklist. He probably needed a pet to remind him to be human. She shrugged off the annoyance at having to see him again so soon and concentrated on her next patient. A puppy not eating his food, she read and went in to see the little guy.

  A few hours and patients later, she took a deep breath before entering exam room two. After putting on her best professional smile, she said, “Hello, Mr. Wells. How is Lily today?” Her heart skipped when he looked up at her. Did he have any idea how sexy he was? Probably, and she still hated him but being this close to a well dressed, handsome man? Easy to forget what a dirt bag he’d been to her family. He stood behind one of the largest cat carriers she’d ever seen. The file photo showed a small feline. Was she examining a house or jungle cat? She waited as he opened the top and pulled out a cat on the smallish side.

  “Hello, Dr. Wells, she’s fine, just needs a checkup.” At her odd look, he blanched. “I did it again, didn’t I? God, I am so sorry.”

  She chuckled, glad to see he could make a mistake. He’d made a huge one with her brother. It’d all be great if he’d ever admit that. She’d rather have Hayden reexamine the case instead of her discrediting him as Stan had suggested. One of the words in his statement tugged at her while she held Lily on the table. “Did you say again?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  She glanced up at him and seeing his embarrassment made Wells seem a lot more charming. She stopped herself just short of teasing him about trying to give her a bad name, suspecting his cologne had to be the reason. He smelled really good up close without being overwhelming. His dark blue eyes pulled her in and didn’t let go. Variations in his hair color, the black, dark brown, and a couple of silvers showed under the fluorescent lighting. With an all female jury, the guy would win every time. She narrowed her eyes. Heck, he’d do well even with a few all male juries. She shook her
head a little, not wanting to dwell upon him in such a positive way.

  Refocusing her attention back to her patient, she began feeling Lily’s tummy. “Is calling me by a different name a habit with you or something?” The cat purred and Alexandra smiled while checking that everything was in its place. She also felt for anything out of the ordinary, keeping her eyes off Hayden.

  “It would appear so. I said it this morning while making the appointment, reminded myself to say Bromley, and of course had to get it wrong.”

  Holding a protesting Lily’s tail, she took her temperature. “Is there a reason why you’ve given me your last name?” She glanced up at his face to see if he’d tell her the truth.

  “My brother is an m.d. Nine times out of ten when I say doctor, it’s followed by Wells.” He shrugged. “It’s a habit I need to break.”

  Sounded reasonable, more like a true reason than an excuse. She could always search online and see if he was being honest. Her patient’s temperature was normal, and she pressed the button that pushed the thermometer cover off into the trash. Putting the stethoscope in her ears, she listened to the cat’s heartbeat and purr before saying, “You didn’t call Dr. Olsen ‘Dr. Wells’ did you?”

  “No, I wasn’t so formal with him.” He scratched behind Lily’s ears, and she leaned into him as much as Alexandra’s hold would allow.

  “Ah, I see.” After another glance at him, she stifled a chuckle at his flushed cheeks. She wore a lab coat and didn’t think it was that hot in here. The poor guy seemed embarrassed enough, so she decided to take it easier on him. Plus, his pet was healthy and she liked anyone who took such good care of an animal. She took the stethoscope out of her ears. “Well, Lily’s temperature is fine. Her heartbeat is great. She’s a sweet and lovely cat with a healthy weight and coat.” Alexandra examined the cat’s ears and teeth. “She could use a wipe with a dry tissue, not wet, in her ears and maybe crunchier food. Otherwise, she’s doing very well and I’ll go get her rabies shot. I’m assuming two years is fine?”