by Beth Byers
Janey stared at Emmaline as she pressed her hand to her chest and sighed. “What invaders?”
Emmaline was the one who was scoffing at Janey’s disbelief. “Whoever comes.”
“But who would come?” Janey demanded. “It’s not like the Vikings are still raiding.”
“That’s not the point,” Emmaline snapped.
“But he told her he loved her? Isn’t your sister younger than Lucy?”
Emmaline was angry now, and her gaze narrowed on Janey. “Why are you being mean?”
“I’m not! I just don’t understand.”
“What’s to understand?” Emmaline hissed. “They were in love and she’s thinking of becoming a nun now.”
Janey blinked at that too and had to bite down on her bottom lip. Emmaline’s family went to the Church of England. None of them were Catholic, but Janey guessed that if she pointed that out, Emmaline would stop talking.
“I’m sorry,” Janey lied. “I didn’t mean to be mean. I just didn’t imagine that your sister was in love like that. How romantic.” Janey didn’t even choke on her lies that time. She’d lost all sense of feeling guilty. Emmaline and Annemarie Yancey were silly little girls.
“It is romantic.”
“How did she know he loved her?”
“He told her.”
“But how did they meet?”
“She was helping Mrs. Tate plant flowers by the train station and he walked her home since she was a woman alone.”
Janey clenched her hands into fists behind her back, digging her nails in, so she wouldn’t laugh. Instead she tried to imagine what Lucy might want to believe. “Was it love at first sight?”
“Yes,” Emmaline said, nodding. She sighed again. “They started meeting after bedtime. He would come and lift her out of the window, and they’d go for romantic walks and be in love.”
“Be in love?” Janey demanded in a low whisper. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know,” Emmaline whispered. “Annemarie said I was too little to tell.”
Janey frowned, wondering just what that meant. Would Robert tell her? If Annemarie, who was clearly silly, wouldn’t tell Emmaline, Janey didn’t think Robert would either. She was going to try, but he got stubborn when she started demanding things like explanations.
15
ROBERT AARON
“What’s all this?” Joseph asked as he slid unexpectedly into the auto with his brother.
“Just out for a little ride,” Robert lied, smirking at the dark look Joseph cast his way. He knew Joseph would turn up at some point.
“You’re interfering in my investigation,” Joseph said. “Not only that, but you did so with a child.”
“If you’ll hear me out—”
But Joseph didn’t stop. “I empathize with you, I do. I didn’t sleep well because I deemed that Marian was being accused of a crime she hadn’t committed. However, whatever you believe you feel for Miss Hobbs, well…” Joseph fell silent. Robert had the feeling his brother wanted to shout that his feelings were all fancies and daydreams.
“The longer that this goes on,” Robert told him, “the harder it will be for Evelyn Hobbs to stay in this village.”
“Robert—”
“I know,” Robert said simply. “It’s not necessary to state it out loud, but I still have to do what I can. And I knew I had seen that Hobbs character in the bushes over here. I found out where, realized it was a place with a girl Janey’s age, and figured we might as well find out more.”
“The last time Janey was involved, she had to hide from a killer.”
“This is a little girl her age, and I’m watching them. They’re just schoolgirl gossiping.”
Joseph paused as a thought occurred to him. “Janey knows everything.”
“She does,” Robert agreed.
“Probably things all about Eunice and Lucy and Eddie that the rest of us don’t know as well as knowing all about us too.”
“She’s most likely the one person who could answer the most varied questions about our family,” Robert agreed. “She listens to everything even when we don’t want her to.”
“So you think that other little girl probably does too.”
“Mmm,” Robert said. He wasn’t going to rub it in, but a part of him wanted to. Instead he said, “You need to talk to the neighbor. The one who called you about me. He told me that he didn’t kill Hobbs, but the man deserved to die.”
Joseph’s brows rose and Robert nodded toward the house. After a sigh, his brother left the auto and walked up to the house to knock on the door. He was invited in a few minutes later, and Robert noticed the man from the house eye the still-present auto and then shut the door on his gaze.
It took Janey a few more minutes to return, her parting interrupted when one of the girls from the Yancey house came out to bring Janey’s little friend inside.
When Janey got into the auto, Robert lifted his brow.
“He was outside of the house because he and Annemarie Yancey were in love,” Janey announced.
Robert had expected something of that nature given that the fellow in the house next door had said Hobbs deserved to die, but hearing it from Janey’s innocent little voice left Robert choking back his rage.
“They met outside of the train station,” Janey continued, “and he walked her home since she was a girl alone. I thought that was pretty dumb. Emmaline said it was love at first sight, and they’d sneak out together for romantic walks and to show their love.”
Robert gritted his teeth to keep from a foul-mouthed tirade in front of a little girl.
“Annemarie wouldn’t tell Emmaline what that meant, but I think they were probably holding hands and maybe even kissing.”
Robert could see Janey’s clever little gaze land on his face from the corner of his eye, and he was very careful to control his reaction. Janey huffed and looked away a moment later and Robert let out a slow breath so he wouldn’t give himself away.
“Perhaps,” Robert started and then closed his eyes. Hearing it from Janey…he needed to move. Instead of waiting for Joseph, Robert started the auto and drove it back to Charles’s house. “I owe you a fabulous treat.”
“Deal!” Janey said. She paused before she ran inside the house and told him, “I’m going to be as good as Georgette at solving crimes.”
He started to ask her to not say that, but she was gone before he could stop her. Instead he groaned and went inside to admit to Georgette what he’d done. He suspected she’d forgive him and Charles would stew but when he walked into the house, he found Evelyn seated in the parlor, wearing one of Lucy’s dresses and reading from manuscript pages, and he forgot all about what he’d intended to do.
“Miss Hobbs,” he said, “how are you feeling?”
She touched her throat and gave him her wide green eyes. He paused when he saw what she was reading. “Is that our book?”
She nodded, biting down on her bottom lip. “Like it.”
She cleared her throat and then cast him a frustrated glance. She lifted the cup of water next to her and without sipping, set it back down.
“Is it empty?”
She nodded and Robert told her, “Just a moment.”
He disappeared into the kitchens and returned with one of the tea trays with water and tea.
“Thank you,” she mouthed and took the water from him.
He took the opposite seat as Georgette walked into the library. Robert knew he had to share what he’d learned. “May I discuss something with you that is fairly horrible?”
Evelyn tapped her throat and Georgette said, “You’ll have to use yes and no questions and perhaps a pencil and paper.”
Robert nodded and then asked, “Were you aware that your cousin had a relationship?”
Evelyn paused, holding out her hands.
“It’s too complicated for a yes or no?”
She nodded.
“Because it’s scandalous?” Georgette asked before Robert could.
/> Evelyn paused again. Her mouth twisted and she started looking about for something to write with.
Only Robert suggested, “You guessed he had a relationship.”
Evelyn nodded at that.
“Do you also have a guess as to who it was?”
She nodded.
“How sure are you?” Georgette asked.
Evelyn closed her eyes and then held her hand far over her head.
“Very sure,” Robert said for Evelyn, who nodded. He wanted to ask how she’d found out, but instead he glanced at Georgette.
“There was something that made you guess,” Georgette said knowingly. “And since the relationship was scandalous, perhaps someone else realized the same thing.”
Evelyn’s eyes were wide with realization and she rasped, “I don’t know.”
“Did Mrs. Hobbs know?” Robert asked.
Evelyn paused again and then slowly nodded but her expression was hesitant enough that Georgette added for her, “You think she knew, but you can’t be sure.”
Evelyn nodded.
Robert clenched his jaw. “You would think that a woman, even one as foul as your aunt, would be worried about a young woman being taken advantage of by her terrible son.”
Evelyn gasped, spilling her water on her dress as she stared in horror at Robert. “Young?”
Didn’t she know? He slowly replied, “Annemarie Yancey.”
Evelyn started shaking her head over and over again as she strived to speak. Only she breathed in too hard and sent herself into a coughing fit that seemed as though it would never end. Before she’d stopped Eunice appeared with a bottle of something and she waited until Evelyn slowed enough to take a full spoonful to choke down. Robert would have objected but as he started to Eunice gave him a look that promised a dressing down if he didn’t keep his opinions to himself.
“There, there,” Eunice said as Evelyn leaned on her hand, catching her breath. “It’ll be all right, love.”
In a low whisper, Evelyn said, “Martha Lenz.”
“Martha Lenz!” Robert repeated. “That is who you meant? Did you see them?”
“Do not speak out loud again,” Eunice ordered. “The killer will still be there when she can talk without causing herself damage.”
Evelyn leaned around Eunice and shook her head. Eunice muttered low and then ordered Robert, “Make her a cup of tea. Put a sickening amount of honey and lemon in it. Honey soothes throats. You—” Eunice pointed at Evelyn, “—are ours now, and we take care of each other. Don’t feel obligated to push when you shouldn’t.”
Evelyn teared up at Eunice’s matter-of-fact statement that both Robert and Georgette could see Evelyn didn’t believe. That was all right, she would eventually.
“She’s right you know,” Georgette said softly. “We’re a merry band of orphans and you’re one of us.”
Evelyn looked at Robert with a frown and he explained. “My father’s, and Charles’s, parents died just after he finished school. Joseph and I were still in school when our parents passed. Charles took care of us, educated us, started us out.”
“My parents died when I was eighteen,” Georgette told Evelyn. “Luckily I had Eunice and we struggled together until we found the boys. Lucy, Eddie, and Janey were next. Of course, Marian is in there, but she still has her family.”
Evelyn glanced between them as Robert told Evelyn, “You’ll fit right in.”
She shook her head and then dared to whisper, “My family isn’t dead. They just don’t want me.”
Georgette took over then, tucking the teacup that Robert had prepared for Evelyn into her hands and saying, “Then they’re not worth our time, are they? We’ll get your things, you can stay here, and life will reset. You’ll see. Perhaps happier than you could have imagined.”
Evelyn’s lips were shaking as she whispered, “I don’t feel comfortable with this, but I don’t have anywhere to go.”
“That’s all right,” Robert said kindly. “You’ll be comfortable in time. Now let’s get to clearing your name.”
“Martha Lenz is married to your neighbor, is that correct?” Georgette grinned at Robert and told him, “It isn’t just Joseph who can read someone else’s things.”
“You read his investigative notes?”
Georgette’s wicked grin was echoed by Robert, who confessed, “Perhaps you’ll forgive me when I tell you that Janey and I worked together to get the information about Annemarie from her little sister.”
Georgette paused at that, considered and then asked, “You were there the whole time?”
“Of course.”
“Probably better to involve her, to be honest, than to try to tell her to play with the doll we got her and not worry about it. She’ll just take off on her own and get into trouble without our protection.”
Robert sighed in relief and winked at the avidly watching Evelyn.
“Of course, Charles might kill you.” Georgette patted his knee. “Or make you miserable. Probably the latter. Maybe he’ll leave you contradictory notes on your book and make you beg him to clarify and then muse over his pipe.”
Evelyn gasped and then a little giggle escaped her. It was followed by a solitary cough that she immediately chased with tea. Those green eyes of hers. There was mischief there. He wondered if she even realized that she had a dash of it. He wanted to see how mischievous she could get and he wanted to see her stop flinching. Whether his attraction to her faded or not, he was determined to see her stand tall and comfortable in her skin.
“Annemarie?” Evelyn asked softly.
Robert growled. “It turns out your cousin met her walking alone, used it as a chance to slide into her affections, and eventually convinced her to walk with him. Given that Annemarie refused to explain beyond that to her sisters, I assume that things went much, much further.”
Evelyn looked disgusted and Georgette fiddled with her fingers before she asked Robert, “I am guessing she’s quite young?”
“Younger than Lucy. Perhaps, if he weren’t sneaking her out into the darkness, it might have been unexpected and ill-advised but possible. Only he wasn’t—” Robert stopped himself from cursing again. “I suspect that he did not have honorable intentions and now a child is mourning the man who took her innocence and believing in the romance of his lies. It’s disgusting.”
“It will hardly be the first time or the last time a young woman is manipulated by an older man. Hopefully, she’ll learn from it and still find happiness. She’s too young for this to be anything other than a terrible bump in her road.”
None of them voiced speculations that a bump of another kind might grow out of the illicit relationship.
Robert shook his head and then rose to have a small glass of Charles’s bourbon. He really could do with following it with a piece of chocolate cake. There was something about this day and the one previous that had left him feeling adrift. It turned out that chocolate was an anchoring thing and he intended to beg a cake off of Eunice, who made the best one he’d ever had.
“Does Joseph know?” Georgette asked. “Because if there is a motive for murder, it’s that girl’s loved ones realizing what Hobbs was doing to her.”
“He’s getting an idea,” Robert replied. “I’ll fill him in on the rest. But we need to know more about Martha Lenz. She’s your neighbor? His friend’s wife?”
Evelyn nodded.
“But you aren’t sure they were together,” Georgette said, “you just think.”
Evelyn paused and then whispered, “It’s complicated. It’s Martha’s son, Dean Junior.”
“Oh no,” Georgette muttered. “Please say it isn’t so.”
“Tall,” Evelyn said, holding up her hand. “Wide. Same green eyes. Just like mine.”
“Bloody hell,” Robert growled.
16
JOSEPH AARON
The things that Robert was saying to Joseph were enough to send any man who loved a girl—rather like the Aaron men loved Janey and Lucy—to think murderous t
houghts.
“Annemarie Yancey. Who is how old?”
“Younger than Lucy,” Robert replied.
“Roger returned to the route away from the Hobbs’s house,” Joseph told Charles and Robert. “Evelyn or someone from the Lenz house or someone who knows exactly how to get in and out of that corner of Harper’s Hollow could have taken it, but there aren’t a lot of trails. The farm is a blocking of exits. The killer would have to be familiar with the dogs on the farm to get out without being tracked down. Farmer Thorland isn’t messing around with the thieving he’d been experiencing.”
“What about the fisticuffs you saw in London?” Charles asked. “That could be something. Robert and Georgette would definitely follow that in their book.”
Joseph nodded, flipping through the pages of his book until he found his notes and ignoring how his uncle was using authors of fictional detectives as role models. “I tracked down the cop who works that beat. He said he’d seen the build-up to the argument Marian and I witnessed. The beat fellow told them to go about their way and it sounds like they just moved a few streets down and continued their argument. Hobbs said, however, it was some ‘friend’ from his hometown.”
“A friend?” Robert asked. “And a man. Far more likely that whoever followed him to London and then got into an argument on the street with him was the killer.”
“The problem is that there aren’t any defensive wounds. The scenario we built for Evelyn applies to whoever actually attacked Hobbs. Someone came up behind Hobbs, slammed him over the back of his head, and then stabbed him while he was disabled.”
“I’d have done it that way,” Charles admitted. “If I were feeling murderous and that fellow was my target. Assuming I was working off of rage and intended to stab him. To be honest, the girls are right. When you go after someone bigger than you and stronger than you, poison or a gun is the best way to handle that. Some sort of trap perhaps, but a physical confrontation is a bad idea.”
“I hate to say I thought a lot about how you’d kill someone like Hobbs,” Robert admitted. “For the book, of course, but I agree. As tall as he was, as strong as he was, it’s a problem. He could have overpowered any of the girls in our life, let alone any of us.”