Vermilion/Totaled/Ike and Mamie/The Dark Horse/Fortress [antikvár]

"You are Jed Phillips' daughter and you should be interested in the facts behind his death. You should know about the role your sister played in what happened. Come to Sedona. Once I have confidence in you, I will tell you everything. . . . When you are ready for the truth, you will know who I am----"Lindsay Phillips was far too sensible to pay heed to anonymous letters, far too absorbed in her career even to think of traveling to Arizona. She had no desire to confront Sybil, the vindictive half sister who had poisoned her childhood. No desire either to see Sybil's husband. Rick, the man who'd been her own secret love. No, there were far too many problems to be faced therethe mystery surrounding Jed's death and the mystery of her own shrouded identity.It WHS the alter ego she called Vermihon who gave Lindsay the courage to go to Arizona. And there, amid the brooding red rocks of Sedona and the thunder of Hopi drums, she confronted a rising crescendo of terror that brought her face to face with murder.chapter 1The first step that would take me to Arizona began at the time of Jed Phillips' murder. Jed was my father, and for most of my life I'd both loved and resented him. I had seen all too clearly what he was doing to my mother, and some time ago, in spite of the wrench it cost me, I'd made the choice to stand by her when she needed me. Now that she wa5 so terribly ill in the hospital, she needed me more than ever.The telephone call that told me of my father's death didn't come from my sister, Sybilmy half sisterbut from her husband. Rick Adams. I sat at my desk in my Manhattan office, feeling only disbelief as I Hstened to Rick's well-remembered voice.Jed had died in a hotel in Las Vegas, he said. Rick and Sybil had been invited to a lavish party Jed had thrown at a luxury hotel thereundoubtedly to raise money for some new scheme. His schemes were always large, imaginative, and disastrous."Lindsay, are you all right?" Rick was asking in my ear."I'm all right," I said, and heard the break in my voice. "I'm listening.""Early this morning," Rick went on, "someone got into Jed's room and struck him down with his own ivory-headed cane. His money and keys are missing. So perhaps it was robbery."As he spoke, I remembered that frightful cane. How I'd hated the dragon's head that decorated it. One of Jed's macabre littie jokesand now the weapon for his death.