Death Between the Pages

by Beth Byers

  “It is always interesting to me how many of the people involved in a case like this,” Joseph said, “when you pick apart their lives, have multiple persons who have a solid motive to kill them.”

  “Now that we’ve looked further and set aside the lies that Mrs. Hobbs was telling and start to look into Hobbs’s life,” Charles agreed. “My goodness, I want to kill him. Annemarie Yancey is sixteen years old, Eunice told me, and we don’t know how long she’d been in a relationship with Hobbs.”

  Robert growled low in his throat and Joseph cursed.

  “Realizing that your son isn’t your son is a large motive too,” Joseph said. “That boy that looks like Hobbs is named Dean Junior. I tried to see them, but they went to spend time with her mother. I’d like to lay my eyes on the boy and talk to the wife.”

  Charles looked up as Georgette came into the room with Evelyn. “We’ve decided she needs to get her things. She needs clothes for work tomorrow. We were thinking of taking the auto and gathering them up quickly.”

  “Not alone. Not with that Hobbs woman being murderous,” Charles told Georgette while Joseph said, “I’m not sure working tomorrow is a good idea.”

  “Evelyn is concerned. Her position at Scotland Yard has never been more important.” Georgette gave Charles a fierce look which was a clear demand to make Evelyn welcome.

  Joseph harrumphed but they could all understand Evelyn’s point. Whatever refuge she had with her aunt and cousin, as terrible as it had been, was gone. She had to stand on her own now.

  “You can stay with us,” Charles told Evelyn.

  “I meant to tell you,” Joseph cut in, “that Marian was just explaining to me that she thought renting out one of the extra rooms in our house would be a good idea. I work such long hours and having another warm body around if I have to work late would make us both more comfortable. What would you think about that?”

  Evelyn seemed to be searching his face in order to justify the truth of it.

  “He wouldn’t lie about that,” Georgette said. “Marian is quite used to a busy house. I know she’d find it a favor, after the wedding. Until then you can stay with us.”

  “If I can afford it,” Evelyn whispered. “That would be most welcome.”

  “Until then, you’ll have refuge with us,” Charles told her. “We’d be happy to have another young person for Lucy and Janey to look up to and company around the house.”

  “But you don’t know me.” The last bit was barely out of her mouth and she was holding her throat.

  “That’s true,” Charles told Evelyn gently. “I think it’ll be fine for you to be here. We have the room, but if it makes you feel better, I’ll be honest with you. If you end up not being a comfortable housemate or things are harder for my wife, I’ll tell you directly and ask you to find somewhere else. Agreed?”

  Evelyn nodded. “That does make me feel better.”

  “I don’t, however, expect such an outcome.” Charles smiled at her gently. “I’m sure we’ll rub along just fine and Marian will be glad to have you there.”

  Evelyn was biting her bottom lip again, her eyes on the ground. Joseph guessed she was fighting tears.

  “She still needs her things,” Georgette said simply, taking Charles’s cup of tea from him and stealing a sip. “No woman would feel comfortable endlessly living in other people’s clothes. She’ll feel better with a bedroom, her own clothes, her books, her little things.”

  Joseph glanced at Robert and Charles and then faced Evelyn. He waited until she looked up before he spoke.

  “First, your job isn’t under threat. You’ve been attacked. You work for Scotland Yard, and your supervisor told me that you were his best file clerk. He has no desire to lose you, and I will speak to him on your behalf. Trust me.”

  Evelyn nodded and a tear did slip out. “I just….Warren is dead. I hated him, and he’s dead, and I feel bad. And my home, such as it was, is gone. My job—” She struggled to continue and Joseph found himself giving her his own teacup. She really did need to have a water cup or teacup with her at all times until she was better.

  “I’ll take them and make sure she gets her things,” Robert said. “Think it out, Miss Hobbs, what you need to get. I doubt we can push our way in more than once.”

  Evelyn nodded as she glanced among them all. “I’m not sure how I got so lucky.”

  A thought struck Joseph. “Where does Martha Lenz’s mother live?”

  Evelyn’s head tilted in confusion. “She’s dead.”

  Joseph cleared his throat and leaned in. “And Dean Lenz’s mother?”

  “With her daughter, Harriet Poston, in that small neighborhood off of the green.”

  Joseph could get the actual address from Rogers and head over to discuss things with Mrs. Lenz when her husband wasn’t lurking. That and get a look at the boy. “All right, Robert. You take the girls to get Miss Hobbs’s things. I’m going to visit with Mrs. Lenz and then re-evaluate at the local office with Rogers.”

  Georgette smiled at Evelyn. “Will you need more than myself and Robert when you get your things if we need to be in a hurry?”

  Evelyn shook her head, and they were off to see the woman who had tried to murder Evelyn and lost her son the night before. Joseph waited until the three were out of sight before setting off on his own errand.

  GEORGETTE AARON

  “I’m concerned that Mrs. Hobbs will refuse us entry.”

  “I’ll handle it,” Robert told them both.

  “How?” Georgette asked, voicing the expression on Evelyn’s face.

  “She attacked you, Evelyn. You weren’t hurting her son. You could press charges against her, and maybe should.”

  Evelyn shook her head immediately.

  “The key is whether or not she believes you might. We just want your things, and I will come back with the constable to get them if necessary.”

  Robert’s frown was fierce as he faced the house. Evelyn kneeled down as a rough-looking tabby cat came up to her and twined around her legs. She rubbed the cat’s ears and murmured to it. Georgette frowned at the sadness on Evelyn’s face.

  “Put the cat in the auto.”

  Startled, Evelyn looked at her. “Aunt Hobbs is the one who brought the cat home. She’ll call it stealing.”

  Robert eyed the cat and then gave Evelyn a gentle look. “Put the cat in the car. I’ll take care of it.”

  Evelyn started to object, but it was clear she didn’t want to argue. Instead she put the cat in the car, whispering to him and then closing the door.

  Georgette gestured to the door and Robert knocked on it. There was no answer. Robert tried again and then tried the door handle. It wasn’t locked, so he opened it slowly.

  “Somehow this feels creepy,” Georgette whispered and Evelyn giggled, but she took Georgette’s hand, squeezing it tightly.

  Robert walked through the door and then groaned. Frederica Hobbs was lying in the hallway, a pool of drool on her chin. Her snore rattled the house and the scent of alcohol filled the air with enough strength to send poor Evelyn into a coughing spasm.

  Georgette paused and then whispered, “Perhaps this is better. Get your things,” she told Evelyn. “I’ll keep an eye on the woman.”

  “If she gets up,” Robert said, “call me.”

  Robert followed Evelyn up the stairs and Georgette stared down at the woman, who snuffled and then rolled onto her side. A low groan filled the air and Georgette asked, “Do you need water?”

  Mrs. Hobbs coughed and then slowly pushed up into a seated position. “Who are you?”

  “Georgette Aaron,” Georgette replied, stepping back carefully, just in case.

  “Why are you in my house?” Mrs. Hobbs rubbed her nose and swiped the drool from her chin before wiping her hand on her skirts.

  “I came to convey my condolences over the death of your son.”

  Mrs. Hobbs cursed. “Stupid boy. Stupid to get murdered like that. Stupid to leave me. Men are entirely unreliable.”


  “I can’t imagine that he wanted to be murdered.”

  Mrs. Hobbs snorted and then sniffed. She slowly rolled onto her knees and then pushed up to her feet. “A big man like him and taken down by my scrawny little niece.” She lost her balance and staggered into the wall.

  Georgette made no move to help the woman. “But you didn’t see her killing him. You saw…what? Your niece putting pressure on his wounds and asking for help.”

  “What do you know about what I saw?”

  “I know the police know you were lying,” Georgette said precisely. “Your niece was with you until she stepped outside. She called almost immediately for help, and there wasn’t time for her to stab him. You know it. She knows it. And now the police know it. Did you realize it was a crime to lie to them about a murder like this?”

  “They don’t know nothing.”

  “Were you lying to protect your grandson? Or the grandchild on the way from that poor little girl?”

  Mrs. Hobbs stared at Georgette as though she had seen a ghost. “What you know about that?”

  Before she could answer, Evelyn and Robert stepped into the hall with only two trunks.

  “You knew?” Evelyn’s voice was hoarse, but the pain was clear.

  “Course I knew. He wasn’t the smartest of men, my boy.”

  “You tried to kill me.”

  Mrs. Hobbs shrugged. “Knew Dean would pull me off. He always liked you. Made you look guilty, didn’t it? Whatever it takes to look after those that matter.”

  “And Evelyn doesn’t?” Robert finished.

  Mrs. Hobbs’s mean laugh was the only reply.

  17

  EVELYN HOBBS

  “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised,” she said, staring at the house. “I knew she didn’t care for me. That was always clear. I knew that I didn’t matter to her or Warren, but…I am surprised, and I hate myself for being hurt.”

  “It’ll be all right,” Robert told Evelyn as Georgette reached out and took Evelyn’s hand. “Of course it hurts, but it will be all right.”

  Evelyn shook her head and then she looked towards where she’d found Warren’s body. “Aunt Hobbs knows who killed him. She’s protecting someone else.”

  “Who?” Robert asked, but Evelyn didn’t reply.

  Her head tilted as she stared where she’d found her cousin, thinking back. She’d only seen the boots because of the tall grasses. There hadn’t been anyone about. She’d been alone as she walked towards her cousin, worrying about being too whiffy at the tea. Had someone been there? Watching her? Knowing the whole time what she would find?

  Evelyn looked towards the other houses and then looked towards Thorland Farm. Mr. Thorland…no. There was no way he would have killed Warren. Mr. Thorland and his wife were kind and generous. They had given Evelyn refuge more than once. They had given her book after book. They wouldn’t murder Warren. There was no reason.

  Dean and Martha had been home. The children hadn’t been outside. So unusual for those three on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Why? They weren’t ill. Martha always asked Evelyn to help when the little ones were ill.

  Evelyn turned back to the house where Aunt Hobbs stood at the window. She didn’t like anyone. Not anyone really except Dean Lenz, her son’s closest friend.

  And then Dean Junior. Aunt Hobbs despised little Charlotte Lenz and the baby, but DJ could do no wrong. DJ and the little boy who had been raised with her own son and was far kinder to an old widow.

  Evelyn met Mrs. Hobbs’s gaze and knew who killed Warren and why Mrs. Hobbs had covered for him.

  Her aunt threw open the window. “You stay out of it,” she warned in a hard voice.

  Evelyn shook her head.

  “You stay out of it you, you useless girl!”

  Evelyn faced Robert. “I didn’t want to believe that Warren would do something like that to his friend. It was easy to ignore when no one else seemed to care. But Dean Lenz must have realized. I thought he would eventually. Every month that passes, DJ looks more and more like Warren.”

  “Shut up!” Mrs. Hobbs yelled.

  “Did you see it?” Evelyn asked her, her voice cracking as she raised it. “No, you couldn’t have.” Her gaze narrowed. “You saw them go into the trees.”

  “You don't know anything.”

  “I can’t hear much in the attic, but maybe you did.”

  “I don't know what you’re talking about,” Mrs. Hobbs shouted. “Shut your mouth, girl!”

  Georgette squeezed Evelyn’s hand. “Mrs. Lenz will know.”

  “She was quite upset over Mr. Hobbs.” Robert moved slightly to glare as Mrs. Hobbs stormed out the door. He put himself between the angry old woman and the women. If Evelyn’s aunt attacked again, Georgette and Evelyn would be protected. “Perhaps upset enough to answer our questions,” he told the old woman. “Especially when the detective inspector explains to Mrs. Lenz what happens to those who lie to the police as you have done. If you knew where Warren and Dean were and could guess what happened, perhaps she could as well. Did Mrs. Lenz love your son? Or is she afraid of what her husband will do to her now? After all, he’s capable of murder. What will he do to a woman who cuckolded him for years and placed a cuckoo in the nest?”

  “Dean is a good boy.”

  “Are you referring to the man or the child?” Robert asked. “Because the man is a murderer, and you know it.”

  Aunt Hobbs’s devil eyes narrowed on Robert and her gaze darkened. She started to reply but a scream filled the air. All of their gazes turned towards the path that Evelyn had intended to follow.

  “Martha,” Evelyn gasped and then ran towards the path.

  ROBERT AARON

  “Wait!” Robert called. He grabbed Georgette by the arm, pulled her to the auto, and said, “Go get help!”

  Georgette nodded and started the auto as Robert raced after Evelyn. All sign of her was gone, but he suspected where she’d gone. Joseph had described the walk through the wood.

  “Evelyn! Martha!”

  Robert raced long enough to feel certain that he should have come across them and then called again. “Lenz!”

  There was another girlish scream and Robert followed the sound, bursting through the trees to find a bruised Martha Lenz in the grasp of Dean Lenz. He had his arm around her neck, a knife in his hand, and his three children nearby. They were completely silent as they watched their father, the two girls clutching one another. Evelyn stood between them and the distraught man holding a knife to his wife’s throat.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” Dean told Evelyn. “Ev. You know me. I’m a good man.”

  “You were going to let me hang for Warren.”

  Dean shook his head, heedless of the knife near his wife’s throat. “You couldn’t have killed him. I barely did it. They’d have figured it out.”

  “Dean—” Evelyn whispered. “You don’t want to do this.”

  “She put a snake in my nest! I loved her. I worked hard for her. I sacrificed for her, and she slipped out of my bed into my best friend’s!”

  “It was wrong, Dean,” Ev said and then coughed darkly. “It was so very wrong what they did to you.”

  A tear slipped down his face. “He’s not my boy, Ev. He’s not my boy.”

  Evelyn reached out with one hand, tears tracking down her face as she approached the man and his captured wife.

  “Get back, Evelyn!” Robert hissed.

  “Dean won’t hurt me. He knows me. We’re friends. I’m on your side, Dean. I always have been.”

  “Ev,” he said low. “Ev, it hurts.”

  “I know. Let Martha go, Dean. People will understand what happened with Warren. He was a monster. They won’t understand Martha. Not in front of the children. Please, Dean.”

  His gaze met her eyes, hollow with grief. And shame. His arm dropped and Martha scrambled away with a choked sob. DJ and the girls were staring in horror. They’d moved past tears into a silent, unholy shock.

  “What hav
e I done?” Dean’s voice was as hollow as the look in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” His eyes turned to Evelyn. “He was a monster.”

  “He was,” Evelyn agreed.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t…I just…I was so angry. And he laughed about it. Said he told me Martha was a whore before I married her. Said I should have expected it.”

  Martha took in a shuddering breath at that, gasping as though Warren were saying it to her directly. Robert wanted to shake the woman for being so blind.

  Evelyn reached out to Dean, taking his hand, and smoothing back his hair. “He was mean and he didn’t care about anyone but himself.”

  “That…that’s not true,” Martha said. “He loved me. I loved him. I didn’t mean to, Dean. I didn’t mean to fall in love.”

  “He didn’t love anyone but himself,” Evelyn said, choking again as her voice failed her.

  “He loved me,” Martha said. “Me and the children.”

  “Then why was he leading Annemarie Yancey on?” Robert asked, unable to keep silent any longer. “Georgette said she thinks Annemarie is expecting a child. Warren’s child. Mrs. Hobbs knows she is.”

  Martha wailed and at the sound of it, Dean laughed meanly.

  Joseph had arrived with Constable Rogers but Dean hadn’t seen. Robert saw a torturous look cross Evelyn’s face.

  Robert stepped towards Dean. “Warren drove you to murder, Dean.”

  Dean nodded.

  “He slept with your wife, fathered a child in your house, mocked you about it. He drove you to the edge, and then laughed at your pain.”

  “He did.”

  “I always wanted to hit him over the back of his head,” Evelyn said quietly, “when he was being mean like he was. Especially if he crowded in to push me around.”

  “He was mean to you too.”

  “Why did you have your knife?” Robert asked. He knew Joseph and the constable had paused to listen, letting Robert and Evelyn draw out the truth.