The Divine Appointment by Jerome Teel Read Free Book Online Page B

hair was mostly gray. There was an air of distinction about the man, even in the midst of a crisis, and that impressed Brantley.
    “Nice place,” Brantley muttered to Dodson as he turned to take in a panorama view.
    “Yeah.” Dodson sat on a leather settee across the room from the arched opening where they’d entered. “But money doesn’t impress me. It usually leads to problems.”
    Despite Dodson’s obvious lack of appreciation, antiques and replicas of rare paintings adorned the interior, and the grounds outside were immaculately manicured. Persian rugs covered the floors. Even the settee on which Dodson sat was covered with Corinthian leather.
    “Even so,” Brantley replied, “this place is impressive. The antiques must be worth over a million bucks. Did you say the Caldwells were friends of the governor?”
    “That’s right. My friend at city hall told me Caldwell made his money in the highway-construction business. He got a lot of state contracts, if you know what I mean.”
    Brantley walked over and stood near where Dodson was sitting. “We better find a suspect quick, then,” he murmured. “The press will be all over us on this one, not to mention the politicos.”
    Soon Jordan returned to the sitting room with an attractive, elegant woman. Brantley guessed her to be in her late fifties. She was about five feet four and maintained a shapely figure. Her hair color was similar to Jessica’s, with a few strands of gray. But the one thing Brantley noticed most was the graceful way she entered the room.
    “Mrs. Caldwell,” Brantley said as she and her husband entered, “I’m Lieutenant Mike Brantley, with the Nashville Police Department, and this is Sergeant Lee Dodson.”
    “Is this about our daughter?” Heddy inquired immediately after the introduction. She glanced back and forth between the two men, as if desperate to read something, anything , from their faces.
    “I’m afraid it is,” Dodson replied sympathetically. “Why don’t we sit down?”
    Jordan and Heddy sank onto the settee Dodson had previously occupied, and the two officers sat in chairs across from the settee with their backs to the front door. A cherrywood coffee table covered with Southern Living magazines separated the settee from the chairs.
    “I don’t know of any way to say this,” Dodson said in a solemn tone, “other than to just say it. I’m afraid your daughter is dead.”
    “No!” Heddy cried. “No! Anything but that!” She buried her face in Jordan’s shoulder.
    Pulling her close, into his arms, Jordan compassionately stroked her graying auburn hair. Tears streamed from his eyes, but he brushed them away. Brantley sensed that Jordan knew he had to be strong for Heddy’s sake. Perhaps there would be another time for him to mourn. Perhaps. But right now he had to be strong.
    “How did this happen?” Jordan asked, still stroking his wife’s hair as she sobbed on his shoulder. She refused to look at the two officers.
    It was difficult enough to tell them that Jessica was dead, Brantley knew. But that was easy compared to what came next. He would rather tell them that she’d died in an accident. A car wreck perhaps.
    But that wasn’t true.
    “We believe she was murdered,” Brantley said.
    “Murdered!” Jordan’s head snapped around until he was looking squarely at Brantley.
    Heddy raised her head from Jordan’s shoulder and tried to wipe away the tears. “Did you say murdered ?” Disbelief spilled from her voice.
    “Yes, ma’am,” Dodson replied. “I’m afraid so.”
    “Who would want to murder Jessica?” Jordan asked. “She didn’t have any enemies.”
    “That’s what we’re trying to find out right now, Mr. Caldwell,” Brantley said. “We’re trying to determine who killed her, and why.”
    “How did it happen?” Jordan asked, his eyes focusing on the officers. “I mean, how did she die?”
    Neither Brantley nor Dodson relished telling the Caldwells the specifics surrounding