Murder in Evergreen

by Jane T O'Brien

  “Laura, don’t you have family?”

  “I haven’t seen or spoken to my parents in several years. They were seldom at home when I was growing up. Father was always away on business in Europe and Mother traveled with him. They were furious when I told them I wanted to be a teacher. They couldn’t understand why a daughter of theirs would degrade herself to teach in a public school. I had a teacher in the fifth grade who took an interest in me and encouraged me to teach.”

  “I’m sorry about your childhood, Laura,” said Joanna. “You never let your sadness show.”

  “I wasn’t sad, I didn’t have what most would consider a normal life, but it wasn’t bad. The servants were always kind. Miss Agnes, the cook, gave me hugs and cookies every day when Mother was away. I had more love from the household staff than I ever did from my mother.”

  “Laura, what happened to the ring Alec gave you?”

  “It’s strange you should mention the ring. I should have returned it to Alec. I had no intention of keeping it but I couldn’t get myself to send it back to him. I kept it in the top drawer of my dresser in a small jewelry box. Sometimes, when I felt lonely, I opened the box and looked at the ring. I keep my room locked when I’m not at home but one day around six months ago, I opened the box and the ring was gone. I didn’t remember taking it out of the box and possibly misplacing it but the only other explanation is someone took it. I don’t want to think it was my landlord or my neighbor, Louise, they are the only two people who have been in my apartment since I’ve lived there. The ring never belonged to me and I took its disappearance as a sign it wasn’t mine to keep.”

  “You don’t think your landlord or your neighbor are responsible for the ring’s disappearance?”

  “No, Louise is in her eighties. She doesn’t have family and uses a walker. Her hands are gnarled with arthritis. She couldn’t wear a ring if she wanted to. Silas Kramer and his wife, Agnes are a dear elderly couple. Silas has been in my room several times to do repairs but always when I’m there. He is the sweetest man, I can’t believe he would steal from me. Louise told me one time that the Kramer’s didn’t need the income from the boarding house. They take pleasure in filling the rooms of their home and caring for their tenants.”

  “Do the Kramer’s have children or relatives who visit them?”

  “Their only son was killed while serving in Viet Nam. He was barely twenty at the time and wasn’t married. I’ve don’t know of visitors.”

  “Did your fellow teachers visit you?”

  “No, I don’t see the other teachers outside of school. They are all busy with their own lives. I’m more likely to have my nose in a book than entertain friends. The only time anyone from school came to see me was when Ms. Blanchard, the principal’s assistant, brought me flowers when I was recuperating from an appendectomy. I vowed after being disillusioned by Alec, I would not open my heart to anyone and that included friendships.”

  It was time for Laura to return to her classroom. Joanna embraced her former teacher and told her she would like to visit her again if she agreed.

  “I would like that Joanna, it’s time I trusted people again.”

  Chapter Ten

  It was nearing closing time at Buds and Blooms by the time Molly and Joanna returned to town. Molly dropped Joanna at her home to get ready for her date with Dylan.

  When she arrived at the shop, Stephanie was in the office talking to Carol Hancock.

  “Hi, Carol, what brings you to Buds and Blooms, I hope your mother is well.”

  “Mama is fine, her memory fades on her and that is why I’m here. She remembered something she thought might help you with your ‘murder investigation’ as she calls it. It seems the young lady who claimed to be the wife of Alec Danforth stopped by the boarding house around five or six years ago. She was looking for Laura Abbott. Apparently, she was paid for confronting the schoolteacher and wanted to tell the truth and clear her conscience. Mama searched for the girl’s name in her desk and finally found the slip of paper she’d written it on. Her name is Sharon Lodge, she lived in Evergreen when she visited Mama. I don’t know if this address and phone number still apply, but Mama insisted I get them to you.”

  Molly thanked Carol and asked her to assure her mother she and Joanna visited with Laura Abbott and she is doing well.

  ***

  After Carol left the shop, Molly placed a call to the number on the slip of paper. After several rings, a hurried voice answered.

  “Lodge Construction, how may I help you?”

  “Hello,” said Molly, “I’m trying to reach Sharon Lodge, my name is Molly Ryan and I’m a friend of Laura Abbott.”

  “This is Sharon, I’m surprised to hear from anyone regards Ms. Abbott. I’d didn’t know where to find her. I’m sorry I’m out of breath. The number I gave to Mrs. Barkley is to the landline in my husband’s office. We seldom get calls on it anymore, we planned to have it taken out, but I’m glad we didn’t. I so wanted to talk to Ms. Abbott about my deception.”

  “I’d like to talk with you too, Sharon. May I stop by your house, I have your address. I don’t want to disturb your dinner but I have questions.”

  “Now is a good time, my husband, Greg, works late at the site and the kids and I had hot dogs tonight.”

  “I’ll leave my shop in Evergreen and be there in less than fifteen minutes.”

  “Molly drove to the end of a quiet street to a pleasant looking house on a cul-de-sac. Flowers lined the walkway and the aroma of roses greeted Molly as she reached the front door. She could hear children’s voices and the shrill bark of a dog as she rang the doorbell.

  “Buster, calm down, Sam hold the dog while I let Ms. Ryan in.”

  “Hello, Sharon,” said Molly as she extended her hand so Buster could take a whiff of her. He was quiet after his nose gave her the once over.

  “Hi, Ms. Ryan,” replied Sharon. “you can tell what a terrific watch dog our Buster is. He’s a pushover. Please come in, these are my two little guys, Sam and Jack. Boys, take Buster and yourselves to the playroom while I talk to Ms. Ryan.”

  Sam and Jack did as they were told. They smiled at Molly on their way and Molly smiled back thinking of the day when she and Luke would have little ones in their lives.

  “Your children are adorable, Sharon, please call me Molly.”

  “Molly, I’m ashamed of what I did ten years ago. I was a college student. I’d been working at odd jobs to help pay my expenses. My mother is a widow, my dad’s life insurance policy paid for my tuition but it left little for anything else. I worked part time in the Danforth Art Gallery. I didn’t know Alec well, he worked from his studio behind the gallery. I loved his work and he was always pleasant but he was such an intense man, I was uncomfortable in his presence. I was nineteen and had never been around anyone like him before. Alec’s sister, Beatrice, was my boss and told me some schoolteacher was distracting Alec from his work. She told me Alec was traumatized when he was a child and suffers dangerous mood swings. She wanted me to pose as Alec’s wife and convince the teacher I was married to him. I told her I didn’t think I could pull it off, I’ve never been able to tell a lie without it showing on my face. That was when she told me to wear a lot of makeup and dress like a bimbo and it would make it easier to be deceptive.

  “I didn’t want to do it but then she offered me a bonus of one thousand dollars. I should have turned her down, but I needed the money. My friend, Jill, helped me with the makeup, we found some tacky clothes in the thrift shop and I wore those along with some high-heeled shoes I could barely walk in.

  “I was nervous when I knocked on Mrs. Barkley’s door and asked for Laura Abbott. She was a nice lady and didn’t seem to notice I looked like a hooker. I told her I’d be back later.

  “I washed the makeup off my face after I got home. I was glad my mother was at work and didn’t see me dressed like that. I changed clothes and went to see Beatrice. I told her I could use the money but I couldn’t do as she’d asked. She to
ld me she would fire me and blackball me so I couldn’t get another job if I didn’t follow through with the plan.

  “I realize now, she couldn’t have prevented me from getting a job elsewhere but I was naïve and I believed her.

  “I returned to the boarding house. I saw a woman I suspected was Laura walking toward the house. I stopped her and asked if her name was Laura Abbott. She answered yes, and I recited the speech Beatrice had made me memorize. The tears I’d shed were real, I felt terrible being the one to break Ms. Abbott’s heart. I saw the color drain from her face and I will never forget that image. Within a week, the art gallery closed and I was out of job.

  “I graduated and found a well-paying job in my field. I saved most of my pay until I had enough to repay Beatrice. I went to the Danforth estate and handed Beatrice one thousand dollars and told her I didn’t like what we had done to her brother’s relationship. The old bat grabbed the money and cackled when she said” ‘Too late now, girlie.’ I had a picture of the witch in The Wizard of Oz whirling around in my head.”

  *****

  Molly told Sharon about finding the ring and what Laura said about it disappearing.

  “I’m glad Laura is all right. My part in this deception was nagging at me. About five years ago, I stopped by the boarding house. Mrs. Barkley said Laura moved away and she didn’t know where to find her. I told Mrs. Barkley my story and she wrote my information down on a slip of paper. So much time had passed since then, I was surprised to hear from you. I tried to contact Alec Danforth but Beatrice must have given orders to the butler to send me away.”

  “I don’t think you should feel guilty, Sharon. If Alec Danforth wanted to find Laura, he could have done so before this. It didn’t take much doing on my part to discover where she is living and visiting with her. I don’t want to judge another person but Alec is a peculiar man. Maybe Laura is better off without him in her life. He and Laura were engaged to be married over ten years ago and he wanted their relationship to be kept secret from his sister. That doesn’t sound like normal behavior.”

  Laura left the Lodge home with the promise of keeping Sharon informed about what she discovered in her investigation.

  *****

  Molly stopped at the super market on her way home. She picked up a readymade sandwich and a cupcake for her dinner. She looked at her watch and hurried home before Luke called. She didn’t want to be in the middle of traffic when she heard from him. He was adamant about never talking on the phone and driving. Molly agreed but never would let Luke’s call go to voicemail. Her mind wandered to Luke and their plans for a baby. She tried not to worry she wouldn’t conceive, if it was the case, she knew they would adopt. It was silly to think that way because they hadn’t yet tried to get pregnant. She drove into her driveway and saw Travis Kincaid pulling weeds while his daughter, Lucy tossed a ball to Brooke.

  “I never thought I’d see this sight,” she called as she got out of her car. “Travis Kincaid pulling weeds.”

  “If I’d known it was this much fun, I’d have done it years ago,” Travis laughed.

  Travis’s life changed when he married Brooke. He was a much happier man than in the days when he was treated like royalty. He’d sold several of his businesses and helped pay for the building of Evergreen. Travis seems to have the Midas touch when it comes to making profits and the same is true with the town. He reinvested the money in the town and has helped provide affordable housing for those who needed it.

  “Travis enjoys the simple things in life now. Last week he fixed a dripping faucet in the kitchen and he talked about his accomplishment all evening. Here’s a man who can handle a million-dollar deal before breakfast and then gets excited about stopping a drip,” Brooke said with pride.

  ******

  Before Molly entered her house, Joanna and Dylan drove up.

  “Molly, what did you find out from that woman who claimed to be Alec’s wife.”

  “Not too much except Beatrice is the one who forced her to deceive Laura.”

  “How could she be forced to do that, Beatrice wasn’t holding a gun on her, was she?”

  “No, she was holding her education over her. Sharon needed the money Beatrice promised for doing the job. When she tried to back out, Beatrice blackmailed her. She is a lovely woman with two adorable little boys. She has felt guilty for her part in the charade and has tried to contact Laura and Alec.”

  “I can see Beatrice using blackmail threats to get her way; she’s a nasty woman. I’m trying to convince Dylan to question her but he claims he needs evidence before he can talk to her.”

  “That’s a detail that Joanna wants to ignore,” said Dylan rolling his eyes.

  “Dylan, you should be ashamed of yourself for wanting to follow the law,” said Molly laughing. *****

  Travis Kincaid knocked on the back door as the threesome were talking.

  “Hi, Joanna, Dylan, I’m sorry to intrude but I know you are all involved in the ring mystery. I had a call from Alec Danforth a few minutes ago, he asked about renting a vacant shop on Main Street. He said a young lady by the name of Joanna Garretson told him he should open his gallery again and he did. He asked me not to say anything to his sister about it until the deal was signed. That woman has a hold over him that I don’t understand.”

  “She controls him, that’s for sure,” said Joanna. “Alec is a weird but his sister is weirder.”

  “Molly, can you talk sense into Joanna’s stubborn head? She insists she is going back to the studio tomorrow. I wish she would stay away from the place altogether.”

  “Joanna, Dylan is right, I know Sharon Lodge was intimidated by Beatrice and you and I both had bad vibes with Alec. It’s a good idea to stay away from the Danforth Estate.”

  “I could go with her tomorrow,” said Travis. Alec has an interest in one or two of Kincaid properties. I can get by Beatrice if I tell her I want to talk business with Alec. She doesn’t like to talk about investments and such. She prefers everything is handled through her accountants.”

  “Would that make you feel better, Dylan? It bothers me you think I’m a helpless female and need a big strong man to keep me safe,” said Joanna.

  “I agree with Dylan,” said Molly. “I’d feel more comfortable knowing you won’t be alone with Alec.”

  “Okay, you guys win, what time should I be ready, Mr. Kincaid?”

  Chapter Eleven

  The following morning, Molly received a call from Dylan.

  “Hi, Molly, I’m at the station looking through the emergency calls close to the time you found that ring in the lake. I found a report of a fatal automobile accident off the MacGregor Highway in Evergreen. The lone passenger was Arlene Blanchard, a fifty-six-year-old female who lived in Pineridge, New York. I know that’s where Joanna’s friend, Laura lives now and wonder if there is a connection.”

  “Dylan, Laura mentioned someone by the name of Blanchard, I believe she was the principal’s assistant. If it’s the same person, I wonder why Laura didn’t mention her death?”

  “I don’t like this, Molly. I wish you and Joanna would drop it and let the police do the investigating.”

  “Dylan, what does the report say about the cause of the accident?”

  “She apparently fell asleep at the wheel. An autopsy was performed, she had ingested a mild sedative prior to the accident. Seth Russo was the investigating officer. There is a memo in the file stating the sister, a Mrs. Ada Pierce, argued the victim never swallowed a pill in any form including an aspirin. She suspected Ms. Blanchard was drugged by someone in the Danforth mansion.”

  “What on earth was she doing at the Danforth mansion? That is too much of a coincidence,” said Molly.

  “I agree, and I wish we stopped Joanna from going to that place today. I know Travis Kincaid is with her but I’m worried for their safety. I’m meeting with Officer Russo in a few minutes, I want to find out if the sister’s claims have any veracity or if the woman is in denial.”

  “Let me k
now what he has to say, Dylan and thanks for the update.”

  *****

  I can’t believe I’m sitting in a car next to Travis Kincaid. He is handsome and seems so nice. I thought he was a rich playboy, Joanna thought to herself.

  “You are deep in thought, Joanna, are you nervous about seeing Alec Danforth this morning?”

  “No, to be truthful, Travis, I’m nervous sitting next to a celebrity like you.”

  “I’m hardly a celebrity, in fact, I live a quiet life in the suburbs with Brooke and the children.”

  “To a wide-eyed teenager, you were the epitome of glamour when your picture was often on the pages of the newspaper with some gorgeous female on your arm.”

  “Those were the bad old days. I did what I thought was expected of me and I barely knew most of the women in those photographs. It wasn’t until Brooke came into my life that my world changed and I’ve never been happier.”

  “It helps that you are still rich,” Joanna said realizing she was thinking aloud.

  Travis laughed, “I can’t argue with that, I’m not hurting financially but I try to live a less complicated life. You might be surprised to learn my happiest moments are watching Brooke sitting on the sofa with our baby while Lucy plays on the floor with her dolls. Glamour isn’t what it’s cracked up to be and sweatpants and a sweatshirt are more comfortable than a tuxedo any day.”

  “I’ll tell you what, the next time Brooke and I are required to be at a formal event, you and Dylan are invited to join us. You will see firsthand what a

  drag it is to be with a bunch of society snobs. I’ll be sure my mother is in attendance, she is the queen of snobs.”

  “Don’t you like your mother?”

  “Not particularly, Mother doesn’t like me either, she only tolerates me because Father left me his money to dole out to her as I see fit. It bugs her that I control what she spends although I’m more generous than Father ever was. It makes her happy to live in a pampered world and I don’t fault her for that. My father wasn’t an easy man to live with.”