Blood Vines

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Sunday, March 7

2:35 A.M.

Schwann had been found on a gravel T-bone off Thornsberry Road, the narrow road that led to his family winery. The T-bone was hardly even a drive. Tucked back that way, cars could have driven by all night long and not seen him.

Reed moved his gaze, taking count of the vehicles at the scene. Tanner and her team had already arrived. The scene lights lit up the night like an urban parking lot. In addition, a patrol car and a banged-up Honda Civic sat by the roadside.

Schwann and his wife both drove big-ass sedans. So, how had Tom ended up here, dead?

Reed shoved his hands into the pockets of his bomber jacket. His breath made frosty pillows on the air. He couldn’t help thinking this was a damn rude ending to what had been a pretty spectacular night.

Wow hadn’t quite covered it.

He signed in, then ducked under the crime scene tape. His boots crunched on the gravel path and Tanner turned and looked at him. She didn’t have to say a thing; he knew what she was thinking.

This was going to blow the valley’s tight-knit wine community apart.

His comment to Alex about Schwann’s family roots had been spot-on. Tom’s great-great-grandfather, Albrecht Schwann, had settled here and begun growing grapes before the Reeds, Sommers or Mondavis and their effort had helped bring California wines to international prominence. Tom had been a patron of the arts and a local philanthropist as well. And he’d had a lot of friends in this town. Reed’s brother Joe had been one of his closest.

“Who found him?” Reed asked, squatting beside the body, grimacing at the gruesome sight. Someone had planted a secateur in Schwann’s throat, then yanked, nearly decapitating him.

Known by the brand name Red Rooster, the small curved blade implements used for cutting clusters of grapes from the vines were as common as quarters in the valley. Pretty much every field hand had one on him, whether in the field or not.

Conveniently, the killer had left his Red Rooster behind.

“Meri Calvin. Worked for him. Said he called and asked her to come get him.”

Reed nodded. “Where is she?”

“Keeping warm in the patrol unit.” As if reminded of the cold, Tanner stomped her feet to warm them. “Unfortunately, she’s not covered in blood.”

“That’d be too damn easy,” Reed muttered, studying the bloodied plastic handle. It’d been a clumsy job. And a messy one. He glanced at Tanner. “Depending on the exact strike point, blood spray would have been significant.”

“Like puncturing a high-pressure hose.”

He nodded and carefully scanned the ground around the victim. Even with the scene lights, the blood trail would be a bitch to follow. Gravel, leaves and other debris made evidence collection a game of hide-and-seek. “Whoever did this didn’t walk away clean, that’s for sure.”

He straightened. “Doesn’t look premeditated. Perp didn’t think it through. I’m guessing there’ll be prints all over the weapon.”

“Wallet’s cleaned out,” Tanner offered, indicating the wallet on the ground, a foot from the body. “Watch is gone. So is his wedding ring. Crime of opportunity.”

“Or crime of passion, made to look like a robbery.” Reed glanced at his partner. “I saw him tonight. A wine launch party. At my folks’.”

“What time did you last see him?”

“Eleven or so. Right before I took Alex home.” Her eyebrows shot up at the woman’s name. “What?” he asked.

“You have something going on with her?”

“None of your damn business. She’s not a suspect.”

“She may be a witness.”

To a twenty-five-year-old crime she didn’t remember. “Just introducing her around,” he said. “Trying to jog her memory.”

“Bullshit, partner. But it’s your ass.” Tanner motioned to the victim. “Was he drinking?”

“Ask a better question, Tanner. Like, was he drinking heavily?”

“Was he?”

“Of course. The wine was free.”

“Who was he with?”

“His wife. I saw them together at one point.”

“So where is she now?”

“That’s a very good question. Maybe Ms. Calvin knows the answer.”

He found the young woman in the back of the patrol car, wrapped in a blanket. The door stood open and he bent down and introduced himself. She burst into tears.

“I can’t believe this has”-she sucked in a sobbing breath-“that this has… Oh, my God! Tom’s dead!”

He handed her a tissue. She blew her nose and lifted her tear-streaked face to his. “What do I do now?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to have to find a new job. Another place to live. How am I going to do all that?”

He didn’t respond, directing her to the events of the night. “I need to ask you some questions, Meri. Do you think you can remain calm enough to answer?”

She still looked a hiccup away from total hysteria, but she nodded. “I’ll… I’ll try.”

“Good.” He spoke slowly, keeping his tone as nonconfrontational as possible. “Tell me how you happened to be here.”

“I told the other officer-”

“I need to hear it from you. I hope you don’t mind?”

“Okay.” She shredded the tissue he’d handed her. “He called me. He said he needed a ride home.”

“What time was that?”

“About midnight.”

“Why did he call you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why you? Instead of someone else?”

“I work for him.”

“You’re an awfully dedicated employee, to come out at midnight. I’m impressed.”

She shifted her gaze. “I like my job… and I want to make certain I… keep…”

Her words trailed off, as if she knew how lame they sounded. As gently as possible, he said, “You weren’t just Tom’s employee, were you?”

She shook her head. “We were friends.”

“Friends?”

She started to cry again, though this time softly. “More than friends,” she whispered.

“You were lovers, weren’t you?”

She nodded. “He and his wife were splitting up.”

Doubtful, Reed thought. He had heard that Tom had a weakness for women nearly half his age. If the rumors were true, young Meri here was just one in a long line of Tom’s dalliances.

He kept that to himself. “He was at a launch party with his wife tonight. Right up the road. Red Crest Winery.”

“It wasn’t fair! She got to go to all the really cool places and events, while I stayed home and waited for him to call.”

Reed didn’t point out that as Schwann’s wife, that was her right. Nor did he mention all the crap the woman obviously put up with. Seemed to him both women had been getting the short end of the stick. “Tell me what happened tonight.”

“I was already in bed when he called. He said he and his wife had had a huge fight and she’d kicked him out of the car.”

“What did they fight about?”

“He didn’t tell me.”

“And you didn’t ask?”

“I figured I’d ask when… I didn’t get the chance.”

“How long between when he called and you arrived here?”

“Maybe an hour.” She hung her head, looking miserable. “I was really mad. I figured he could wait, that it’d serve him right.”

“When you arrived, did you see anyone? A car driving off? Anything like that?”

She hadn’t, and after exacting her promise to call if she remembered anything else, Reed decided his next move had to be a face-to-face with Schwann’s wife.