Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight Read online

  A cool, hard smile touched his lips. “I don’t plan on needing assistance concerning marriage any time soon.”

  She picked up his hand and pressed the card into his palm. “You might find you need my skills in some other capacity.”

  “You’re kidding me,” Tara groaned.

  Vanessa opened her mouth, but an odd recurring squeak from behind had the trio return their attention to the investigation. The medical personal wheeled the stretcher from inside the house. A covered lump lay over the top. A body bag.

  Jack didn’t know the person under the tarp, but seeing the gurney guided out by a hoard of authorities was nothing short of surreal.

  The police officer who’d interviewed him earlier walked to the group and addressed the women, though he centered on Vanessa. “Excuse me. Did you ladies say you worked for the owner of this house?”

  They murmured a simultaneous yes.

  “We need the body identified. We’d like one of you to look and tell us if this is your boss.” He hesitated. “A warning though. It’s a pretty gruesome sight.”

  “How did,” Vanessa choked, “the victim die?”

  “Stabbed in the back multiple times. Looks like with a smaller knife. Marks are in a six inch cluster.”

  Tara’s expression was grim. She stared at the officer. “Do you think this might have been a robbery or—something else?”

  “I can’t tell you much more. Preliminaries show very little inside disturbed to be a break-in. There will be a thorough search after the coroner’s office removes the deceased, but if I had to guess, I’d venture some foul play was involved.” The policeman raised his brow at Vanessa and pointed toward the group. “Would you come with me to view the remains, please?”

  Vanessa nodded, fluttering her eyelashes at the officer. She took the cop’s arm as he escorted her up the walkway.

  Her demeanor changed again. Now she appeared almost helpless. Together they walked to where the corpse lay.

  The officer motioned for a medical team member to unzip the bag.

  As ordered, he opened the carrier and lifted the upper side. Vanessa’s exterior was poised, as if seeing dead people were the norm for her. She stepped closer. She leaned over the bloody cadaver, and then straightened with a solemn nod.

  Tara gaped at Vanessa, who continued to speak with a detective. The cop seemed listen to her closely. He bobbed his head while he took notes.

  Jack turned to observe some new commotion across the street. He released an internal moan. Several news vans and an animal control vehicle had shown up. Film crews crawled from the automobiles and set up to shoot the grisly scene. The animal people removed traps. The bloody pawed cat may contain DNA or give the authorities other clues.

  Either way, time to disappear. He pivoted and took two steps.

  “Oh, Katherine,” Tara murmured.

  He paused and twisted toward her. “Did you say something?”

  “Katherine. Hazel’s top consultant. At least she was until yesterday.”

  “What happened yesterday?”

  “Hazel fired her. She worked for Weddings Fantastic for a long time.” She indicated at Vanessa. “Those two became instant bitter enemies the second Hazel hired her on. The police will want to speak with Katherine once they’re done with Vanessa.”

  Jack spun in Vanessa’s direction. Her animated movements indicated her eagerness to give the detective an earful.

  Tara brushed away a tear. “Vanessa hates Katie. She’ll make sure her name is at the top of list of people to speak with.”

  Chapter 2

  Jack rounded the corner to his friend’s home and re-followed the pristine, tree lined path to the two room guesthouse where he’d resided the past week and a half.

  What a day. Discovering a dead person—especially a murdered one, wasn’t on his to do list—ever. The dead woman’s employees kept him from making a quick getaway, and the news media bombarded him when he finally did get to leave. Reporters shoved microphones in his face, peppering him with questions from every direction. He hadn’t intended on finishing his jog yelling “no comment” over his shoulder.

  Nope. His entire weekend plans consisted of buying a lot of beer and drinking a lot of beer. With a case under each arm, he shouldered the door open, eager to get started.

  Glad his stomach settled after the sight of way too much blood, he placed his purchases on the counter, and then strolled to the pantry. After he inserted two pastries into the toaster, he unloaded the boxes into the near-empty refrigerator.

  Brunch was heating. He walked into the adjoined living area with his drink in hand, ready to get comfortable in the leather recliner. He folded his newspaper so the crossword faced outward and stretched across the coffee table for the remote. An anxious a rap came from the front. He stopped in mid-reach and whirled in the direction of the knock.

  Who the hell would show up now? He squinted toward the entrance and frowned. Who’d visit him period?

  A woman stood under the overhang. Although unable to make out her features, the dim light from the early afternoon sun revealed a thick, auburn mane.

  He sensed her gaze on him. He tossed his hair off his forehead and lumbered to the entryway. Uneasy honey eyes peered inside, confirmed his suspicions. He wished whoever designed this place had used wood instead of the lead glass panes around the doorway. The exposure invaded his diminutive private space.

  A faint snap of his toaster popped from the kitchen. The aroma of fruited pastry filled the room. He disregarded his meal and progressed in the direction of the woman. Spinning the knob, he opened the door, inviting a blast of cool air inside.

  Delicate sunlight haloed her face. “Jack?” Her expression displayed astonishment.

  He didn’t respond. His palm rested onto the entrance’s edge as he struggled to attain some recognition. She obviously knew him, though he had no idea who this lovely lady was.

  She put a hand directly below her neck and double patted the top of her chest. “It me, Jack. Katherine Drapier. Aaron’s sister, remember?”

  Jack took two steps back, clutching the jam to keep from losing his balance.

  He was sure his mouth plunged to the ground as he gawked at the tall, slender woman. She wore faded, but expensive looking jeans that tapered down her long legs. Wavy, chestnut hair flowed over her shoulders, shimmering from the sun’s muted glow. The only feature that resembled the girl he once knew was the golden gaze staring back at him.

  “Shit,” he mumbled. Double shit. He’d said that out loud. What the hell was she doing here?

  She thrust her hands into a short, suede jacket. She either ignored his blunder or she didn’t hear him, as she peeked around the corner. “I thought Aaron might be here.”

  Jack pointed to the main residence. “Your brother lives in that monster size spread with all the luxuries.” He cerebrally kicked himself for his second lack of filter within the matter of moments.

  Again, she let his flippantness pass. “Aaron told me he wanted to do some renovations in the guesthouse over the weekend, so I thought he might be around.”

  “Change of plans.” Jack’s lips turned upward. “I showed up.”

  She returned his smile with an uneasy one and remained at the threshold.

  Jack sighed softly. Though she presented a lovely picture, the death screwed his morning up, and he preferred the same thing not to happen with his afternoon. He intended to stick to his schedule. Besides, no matter how attractive she’d turn out to be, she’d forever be the annoying sibling of his closest, childhood friend.

  But because he was a guest in her brother’s place, he had no choice except to extend an invite. Reluctantly, he stood back and waved a hand. She hesitated for an instant, then nodded, and walked into his temporary residence.

  She twirled to face him with another nervous smile. “I’m sorry for being a bother. I need to speak with my brother.” Her voice sounded cool, laced with a southern drawl, huskier than he remembered. “Do you know wh
ere he is?”

  “I don’t.” Jack ran his palm over the back of his neck. Stiffness settled in after today’s incident. Added with the crap he’d endured over the past several months, his tension gage was sky high. “You can always call him.”

  “I did. Dozens of times. He won’t pick up.” She trekked across the tiles, her boot’s heels ricocheted a delicate tap against the floors as she scanned the small space.

  Completed crosswords and folders littered the room, used pizza boxes, and empty beer bottles were scattered in abundance. Her tight expression tried to hide her disgust. Jack’s lips twitched as he scrubbed a hand over his unshaven jaw.

  Okay, he wasn’t the neatest housekeeper. Must she look so appalled?

  “It’s been a long time,” Jack said trying to divert her attention away from his living conditions. “The last we spoke was when…” She snapped a frosty glare toward him, her body visibly tensed. A tiny, buried memory churned from deep within his sub-consciousness. He mentally paused to process the recollection and perceptually recoiled. Didn’t want to go there. He smiled. “Can’t remember, but it’s been a while.”

  Her frame relaxed as she wandered into the small kitchenette. She turned a pert nose in the air, and sniffed. “Smells like you’re burning fruit.” She glanced at the boxes sitting on the counter and raised her brows at him. “Two cases of beer? Really?”

  Jack smiled lazily. “You see a lot of beer. I see a Friday night.”

  “What’s the point? Imbibe until you forget your name?”

  “Down enough to forget everything.”

  “Well, at least there’s a goal in mind,” she said dryly.

  “Keep an eye on the objective. That’s my motto.”

  Her look skated across his disheveled form without a hint of emotion. “I hear you’ve gone through a bad time.” Her poised gaze lowered to the opened bottle in his hand. “I’m assuming your recent downfall coincides with your efforts to lose consciousness. You haven’t hit rock bottom, have you, Jack?”

  “Me? On the skids?” Jack released a bitter laugh. “No. I like to think of myself in a transitional phase.” He lifted his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. “So what if I’m sponging off my old school friend while I try not to drown in life.”

  Katie’s stare dropped further, her expression uncomfortable. “Mom’s kept me up to date, and of course your name’s been in the media, too. Really, how’ve you been since—everything?”

  “Couldn’t be better.” He smiled, though his voice sounded cynical.

  Katie stole another glimpse at the string of empty beer bottles strewn around the room before returning a tawny stare to study him. Pity. Jack had seen the look before. God, he hated it when they felt sorry for him. Now she really needed to go.

  “I understand things are difficult for you, Jack.”

  “Difficult?” His eyes narrowed as his chest rose and fell in a rapid pace. “Difficult hardly sums up my circumstances. My reputation is damaged forever.”

  “Isn’t what happened to you kind of your fault?” she suggested timidly.

  To-fucking-uché. She had to go there. “Thank-you for reminding me how I screwed up my life.”

  She heaved a deep breath and softened her tone. “What happened to you is—unfortunate. Regardless, you’ll find employment elsewhere.”

  Gulping hard, he turned away. He inhaled then exhaled. He shouldn’t take his frustrations out on her. Katie had nothing to do with his situation. Like she said, his whole fucking nightmare was his doing. However, he preferred not to think about it nor did he want to draw attention to his personal shit again. What he did want was to expel her from the premises ASAP.

  He rotated to her and spoke in a calmer manner, “I found another job. I’m going to work for your brother’s security company. Though it’s not exactly the caliber of vocation I’m accustomed to, I am grateful for the opportunity.”

  “Lucky for you.” She folded her arms around her middle. “Finding something so quick is rare. I just lost my job too. I don’t have anything at the moment.”

  Jack’s chin dropped to his chest. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

  “True, I’m fortunate. But nothing happened fast. My law firm put me on unpaid suspension, and I’ve been in limbo for four months now. And because of the negative publicity, no one would talk to me much less hire me. Even McDonald’s wouldn’t return my calls. I’m sorry for whatever you’re going through, but I refuse to engage in a pissing contest to figure out which of us is in the worse shape.”

  What was she worried about, anyway? Her parents were loaded. They wouldn’t allow their little darling to suffer financially or in any other way.

  “Nothing’s changed, has it?” She paced the short path between the kitchen and living room. “It’s constantly you and your troubles, never any regard for anyone else’s problems. Seriously, Jack, you need to grow up.”

  He didn’t even stop to wonder about her outburst. She’d remained arrogant as ever, which is why he’d always done his best to avoid her. How this woman and his good friend came from the same parents was beyond him. Nevertheless, he refused to continue with this argument. They could go on all afternoon, but he’d preferred not to. She’d never concede defeat.

  Besides, he’d scheduled his day, and damned if he’d let her ruin it.

  Jack jerked his gaze away from her, no longer in any mood for her, even if she were a faux family member. “Sorry, I’ve yet to reach your level of maturity. On a brighter note, you grew up nicely. You’re not the Katie Drapier who out-caught, out-threw, and outran every boy in the county.”

  She froze. “You realize I haven’t gone by Katie since school, right? It’s Katherine now, thank-you.”

  “Give me a break, Katie—excuse me, Katherine. I’ve been away for what, fourteen years. When I left, you were Katie Drapier, Allytown High School all-star softball pitcher, and if I remember right, you thought the name Katherine sounded proper and didn’t work for a ballplayer. Too girly, is how I believe you spouted off to your mama. And so you’re aware, I’ve been dealing with my own crap and haven’t had time to sit around and worry about what name you went by nowadays.”

  Katie bit her bottom lip and stared at him. Her eyes dampened.

  Oh shit. Tears. Crying shouldn’t be an option. He wasn’t good with waterworks, and he couldn’t deal with any sort of weeping now. He jammed his hands in his pockets, wanting to disappear.

  “I’m sorry, Katie, I mean Katherine.” He lifted a shoulder. “My attitude’s sucked for months.”

  She awarded his apology with a weak smile, swept away a tear, and sniffed.

  “I’m the one who should apologize, Jack. I just barged in here, ragging on you when I had no right. This is the first time we’ve seen each other in a while. Please forgive me. I’m a little upset.”

  A little upset. Right. Jack massaged the back of his neck again. Still, he should be friendlier. For no other reason than respect for his friend, who gave him a job when no one else would and allowed him crash in his guesthouse, rent free.

  She resumed roaming. “I didn’t realize you were back in town.”

  “I avoided announcing my arrival for obvious reasons.” Okay, done with the niceties. He’d already told her everything he knew, and she was disrupting his afternoon. Time for her to vacate. He inched toward the door and extended a hand to the knob. “Look, I have no clue where Aaron is, but I’ll tell him to call you.”

  She stopped and spun to him. The calmness on her face altered into anguish, her cool disposition clearly ready to snap. Her golden eyes welled once more. “I gave the woman the best years of my professional career. My reputation is impeccable, despite her behavior. Clients seek her company out to coordinate their weddings because of me.”

  “What?” Jack shook his head in an effort to comprehend her explosion.

  “That bitch Vanessa had her nose up Hazel’s butt since day one, finally got her to do it.”

  He hurried to the fridge, pulle
d out a bottle of water, and held it up. She paused a moment before she offered a slight nod and a trembling smile.

  “Do what?” He took a step toward her.

  “Fire me.” Her voice cracked. “My boss let me go. That bitch Vanessa’s been after my job from the moment Hazel brought her on, and yesterday she succeeded. Hazel informed me my services were no longer needed.”

  “Hazel? The bitch Vanessa?” Jack stopped in mid-stride and stared at her.

  “Hazel Nutt is my—was my boss.” Her vocal cords vibrated. “Vanessa is another wedding consultant who works for her.”

  Hazel, Vanessa, Katherine, Nutt. Oh shit. Katie. Katherine was the fired employee of the deceased woman he found this morning, and she obviously hadn’t heard the news. How would he tell someone he never cared for, her boss was dead?

  Or could he just be a jerk and let her find out on her own?

  He inhaled deep and motioned for her to sit. She swept a glimpse over the room and walked to the sofa, which surprisingly was void of clutter. He placed the water bottle on an end table and fell into his recliner.

  She picked up the drink to take a dainty sip.

  Jack sighed again. “Katie, um Katherine.” His eyes met hers. He scooted out of his chair and relocated to the couch to sit next to her. “I have something to tell you, and it’s not good.”

  She stiffened. “Nothing’s happened to Aaron or my parents?”

  He shook his head. “No, your family is fine.” He leaned for his opened bottle, lifted his beer, and held it out to her. “You’re going to need this.”

  She didn’t move.

  He picked up her hand, shoved the drink between her fingers, and put his hand over hers to hold the bottle in place. He positioned a palm onto her shoulder to give her a reassuring squeeze, and then let it slide to the cushion. He cleared his throat. “Hazel Nutt, your former boss, is dead.” He paused. “She’s been murdered.”

  Katie shot off the sofa, sloshing the beer onto her shirt. She ignored the wetness and choked. “What?”