Free Zinnia by Jayne Castle

Chastain’s Palace has you followed after you leave the casino and you think it’s just business as usual.”
    â€œIt probably is for Chastain,” Byron said.
    Zinnia had had enough. “Look, I can’t hang around here all morning just to entertain the two of you. If you need me, I’ll be at home, working. I’ll be screening my calls with my answering machine, so stay on the line if you want to talk to me.”
    Clementine gave her a level look. “If you have any more problems with Nick Chastain, call me. I don’t know what the hell I can do about it, but I’ll think of something.”
    Zinnia smiled wryly. “Thanks, Clementine, but I really don’t think there’s any need to worry about Mr. Chastain. My biggest problem at the moment is my family.”
    â€œHey, everybody’s biggest problem is family,” Byron said cheerfully.

Chapter
6
    * * * * * * * * * *
    â€œZin? Are you there? It’s me, Leo. I just saw the papers. Talk to me, big sister. What’s going on? Are you really seeing that Chastain guy? Aunt Willy and Uncle Stanley are having fits and cousin Maribeth is making an appointment with a therapist. She says she can’t take this kind of stress.”
    Zinnia put down the letter she had been about to open and picked up the phone. “Leo? I’m here. Hang on a second.” She stabbed various buttons in a random manner until the answering machine clicked off with a last beep of protest. “Sorry about that. I’ve been screening my calls.”
    â€œI don’t blame you. Unfortunately when no one in the family could get hold of you, they all decided to call me. I had to go out and buy a paper to see what was happening with my own sister. What’s this about you and the owner of Chastain’s Palace finding a murdered man last night? I assume the reporters got everything screwed up, as usual?”
    â€œNot entirely.” Zinnia leaned back in her chair andstared at the stack of mail that she had just started to open.
    It was good to hear her brother’s voice. Leo was the one person she could depend on to remain calm and rational in the face of a family crisis. He was in his senior year at the University of New Seattle. A class-nine psychometric-talent with an intuitive feel for the age and past history of old objects, he was majoring in Synergistic Historical Analysis.
    As far as Zinnia was concerned, Leo was destined for a career in academia. He had a passion for his studies and she was certain that he would leave his mark on his field. The rest of the family was already starting to fret about that very possibility.
    For four generations, the Spring fortunes had been firmly founded in the world of business. The bankruptcy which had followed the death of Edward Spring had stunned the family. Everyone except Zinnia was obsessed with the notion that Leo should assume the responsibility of rebuilding Spring Industries. Zinnia was determined to protect him from the mounting pressure.
    â€œOne of my focus clients was killed yesterday,” she explained. “I found the body late last night. Mr. Chastain happened to be with me at the time. We both had to give statements to the police.”
    â€œChastain just happened to be there, huh? Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to wash with the family. This is your brother speaking, Zin. Tell me what’s going on.”
    â€œIt’s complicated. Mr. Chastain was involved in negotiations with my client, Morris Fenwick.” She gave Leo a quick summary of events. “So, you see,” she concluded. “We had a mutual interest in poor Morris.”
    â€œHmm.”
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?”
    â€œI’m not sure,” Leo admitted. “But I think Iunderstand why Aunt Willy and the others are in hysterics. Especially after what happened eighteen months ago when that bastard, Eaton, set you up to take the fall as his