Murder at Vista Heights: Chapter 8
Series: Law’s End
Episode 1: Murder at Vista Heights
Fandom: The Royal Romance (loosely, there’s not much canon in here).
Pairings: None yet
Word Count: 1,961
Rating: MA
Warnings for series: adult themes, any given chapter may contain murder, violence, language, drinking, drug use, etc.
My other stuff can be found on my main blog @angelasscribbles here is the Master List.
Liam was apocalyptic when he burst through the apartment door. “What happened to collaboration, Walker?”
“I called you, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, you called me.” Liam fumed as he pulled on a pair of gloves before entering the kitchen. “After you contaminated my crime scene!”
“Oh, calm down. No one contaminated anything. I know how to—”
“And you brought a reporter here!” He shot a withering glare across the room at Riley.
The unflappable reporter smiled and gave him a little wave. “I’m a witness now.”
Drake held both hands up in the air in front of him. “To be fair, she brought me here so…”
“Just shut up, both of you.” He shook his head as he made his way over to the body where the medical examiner was already crouched over the victim. “Hey, Hana. How’s it going?”
“I can’t complain,” she smiled up at him, “But this poor girl…”
“Yeah. What do we know so far?”
“Blunt force trauma to the head.”
The apartment was swarming with officers. One of them approached him, “You must be the homicide detective from the seventh precinct.”
“That’s right, Liam Rys.” He shook the squat balding guy's hand.”
“Steve Carlson. The twelfth precinct is happy to collaborate with you, but this is our case.”
“Of course, but the vic was a suspect in my case.”
As the two detectives hammered out jurisdictional concerns, Drake made his way over to Riley. “You sure know how to get a guy sideways with people he’s supposed to be getting along with.”
“How was I supposed to know our witness was going to be dead when we got here?”
He just smiled as he shook his head. “I told you that you were going to be trouble.”
“Nothing you can’t handle, I’m sure.” She teased.
“I’m not so sure about that,” he mused.
“Have you learned anything new?”
“You’ve been with me the entire time we’ve been here.”
“Not true. You were with the police when they searched the place while I was exiled to this couch, waiting to be questioned.”
“Well, I didn’t learn much except…”
Riley perked up. “Except what?”
Drake paused to consider what he should tell her. His client had only hired him to investigate Trent’s murder. Sarah’s murder was likely related, but he couldn’t fathom a motive for either Katie or William Sloan to have killed her. So what he had learned didn’t fall under client privilege. He didn’t see how the information could hurt his client, and that’s all he cared about.
“Except that the murder weapon was her own rolling pin.”
“She was killed with a rolling pin?”
“It was one of those heavy, marble ones.”
“Huh.”
“Huh, what?”
“Weapon of opportunity.”
“Looks like it.”
“Just like Trent’s gun.”
“That’s a pattern.”
“Yeah… but…. “
“What?”
“Ok, so the motive was jealousy. Sabrina kills Trent, then gets in her car and goes to kill Sarah, right?”
“That’s the working theory, yeah.”
“Why didn’t she just bring the gun with her? I mean, she didn’t know there would be a handy murder weapon lying around this place. She could have just brought the gun.”
“Maybe she wasn’t thinking clearly. She shot Trent and panicked.”
“Panicked.” Riley raised her eyebrows skeptically. “Then drove across town to kill the mistress?”
“Am I supposed to understand how murderers think?”
“Yes. I would think so. It’s your job.”
“I mostly track down cheating spouses and runaway kids, Riley.”
“This is your first murder?”
“Well, no, but still—”
“Come on. What else have you got? You must know something.”
“I know that the police found two airline tickets in Trent’s possession, and Sarah’s bedroom looks like she was packing for a trip.”
“So, Trent and Sarah were about to skip town together?”
“Looks that way. And there was an engagement ring with the tickets.”
Riley’s eyes widened. “So, Sabrina found out he was about to wife up her competition?”
Drake nodded. “Motive enough for you?”
“Maybe,” Riley’s gaze swept around the room distractedly.
“What are you looking for?”
“I don’t know. Something doesn’t add up.”
“Seems pretty cut and dried to me.”
They were distracted by a disturbance at the door. A plainclothesman was yelling, “Sir! Sir! You can’t be in here!”
They turned to find Max in the doorway. “I was just—”
The man yelling at Max whirled on the uniformed officer who seemed to be escorting him and continued, “What the fuck are you doing letting a reporter up here?”
“Reporter?” The cop recoiled. “I thought he was the crime scene photographer!”
Returning his attention to the man with the camera, the plainclothesman shook his head. “You do realize it’s a crime to impersonate—”
“I wasn’t impersonating anyone! I was called to the scene!”
“By who?”
“That would be me.” Riley stood up and waved to Max.
“You have no authority to—”
She blinked innocently at the officer. “I just needed a ride home. I’m too shook up to drive.”
The man grunted in consternation. “Fine. But he can wait for you downstairs.” Turning back to Max, he made a shooing motion, “Go!”
“I’ll be waiting outside,” Max called to Riley as he was roughly escorted from the apartment.
Drake turned to her in astonishment. Lowering his voice so the police wouldn’t overhear, he hissed, “You drove yourself here. And if you’re really too upset to drive…which I sincerely doubt, I could have given you a ride home. I’m right here.”
She shrugged and gave him a devious grin. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.” Her fingers flew over her keyboard as she texted Max to get photos of the outside of the building and the police going in and out.
He reached out, grabbed her arm, and dragged her closer. “Yes, they can actually! Do not give them a reason to charge you for impeding an investigation!”
“I’m happy to know you care, but they can’t arrest me for calling a friend for a ride.”
“Don’t play stupid, Riley. It doesn’t suit you. You’re a reporter, he’s your photographer, and he totally just tried to bullshit his way into a crime scene.”
“Max just gets enthusiastic—”
“Max does whatever you tell him to do. I’ve known you for a day, and I already know that. He’s young and naïve, and if you’re not careful, you’re going to get him in trouble.”
“And you’re underestimating him. Max can take care of himself.”
“Yeah? And how would you feel if he got arrested because of your antics?”
“Antics?” She arched an amused eyebrow at him.
“Yeah, antics. It’s a valid word!”
“Ok, grandpa.”
“Grandpa? Really?”
Riley shrugged. “If the shoe fits…”
Drake grunted in consternation. “Whatever. Just answer the question. How would you feel if you got him arrested?”
“Well, if he managed to get himself arrested, which is highly unlikely, mind you, then I’m sure his family would send a cadre of lawyers to get him out and probably sue the police for arresting him in the first place.”
Drake blinked. “Who’s his family?”
Riley’s mouth fell open. “Seriously? He’s a Beaumont! Didn’t you notice his last name when you were writing those checks to him?”
It took Drake’s brain several seconds before the pieces fell into place. “Wait. You mean those Beaumonts?”
“Yeah. Why do you sound so surprised?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Riley! Maybe because it never occurred to me that a member of a notorious crime family would be moonlighting as a photographer for what amounts to peanuts!”
“First of all, all the crime was committed by his great-grandfather, and allegedly his grandfather, not him. The Beaumonts are legitimate now! Second of all—”
Drake snorted loudly. “Yeah, okay.” Everyone knew that Beaumont Enterprises was a front for organized crime. Or at least suspected it. No one had ever been able to prove any accusation. Probably because of all the lawyers.
“They are! And even if they weren’t…. that’s hardly Max’s fault.”
“Hey, I get it.” He put his hands up in the universal sign of surrender. “No one likes to be judged by their family.”
Something in his tone drew a sharp gaze from her. “Judging from my research, your family seems pretty exemplary. Something I missed?”
He shook his head emphatically. “I’m just saying, some people may be trying to live down their family’s infamy, while others are busy trying to live up to an impossible standard.”
Her demeanor softened. “I get that.”
“Really?” He sounded skeptical. “Judging from my research, you’re the most successful person in your family.”
“Really.” She nudged him gently. “All that success is a stunning disappointment to parents who saved all their lives to pay for their daughter’s wedding and want nothing more than grandchildren.”
“Ouch. I’m sorry.”
“Nah. It’s fine. I’ve learned to live with it.”
“For what it’s worth, I think you’re amazing.”
“Thanks. You’re not too bad yourself.”
They both looked up at the sound of a throat clearing. Liam fidgeted uncomfortably. “Am I interrupting something?”
Drake was the one who answered. “Nothing we can’t continue later. Did you need something?”
“I just wanted to let Miss Brooks know that she’s free to go and to remind you not to keep spilling secrets to the press.”
“I didn't spill anything she wouldn't have found out on her own.” A note of admiration crept into his voice as he continued, “Have you read any of her articles? Do you know how many awards she’s won?”
Liam frowned. “What’s your point?”
“My point is, she's really good at what she does. She doesn’t have to steal information from me. She’s the one who pointed me to Sarah in the first place.”
“Did she now?” Liam turned a thoughtful gaze to the reporter. “How did you find out about Sarah?”
“I’m an investigative journalist, Detective. I investigated.”
“If you had information pertinent to the case, why didn’t you share it with law enforcement?”
“I did.” Riley gestured to Drake.
“Right.” Liam scoffed. “In the future, please refer any and all relevant information about my active murder investigation to me. The officer in charge. Got it?”
“Got it.” She gave him a mock salute.
“Riley,” he pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. “I know you’re mocking me, but I’m serious. There are protocols and procedures for a reason! I’m simply trying to do my job, catch the bad guys and keep the general public, including you, safe!”
“I know, Liam. I just—”
“Do you? Because I have a code of conduct that I live by, and I take my oath to the badge seriously!”
“I do know that. You are an honorable man, Detective Rys. Which is something I really admire and respect about you.”
Surprise flashed across his face. “Do you really feel that way?”
“Yes, Liam, I do.”
Drake cleared his throat. “Ok, I don’t mean to interrupt a moment here, but—"
“There’s no moment.” Liam snapped.
“Are you sure? Because to me, it looked like—”
“I’m sure. I just wanted to impress upon Miss Brooks the importance of staying out the way of an active investigation.”
“So just to be clear, you're not interested in dating her?”
“No!”
“Great!” Drake crowed before turning his attention back to Riley. “Now, about that dinner…”
Liam paled. “Wait—"
Drake slapped him on the back with a grin. “Too late, no take backs!”
Riley shook her head. “Guys, I’m standing right here!”
“Detective!” A plainclothesman approached Liam with a cell phone in his hand. “The chief has a question for you.”
“Alright, I’ll be right there.” He gave one last look over his shoulder before walking away. “I mean it, stay out the way, Riley.”
“Yeah. I will.”
Drake laughed. “Sure you will.”
