Murder in Hillsboro

by Jane T O'Brien

  The girls told Jonathan the stories of how they were found and eventually adopted. The awkward conversation quickly became comfortable and pleasant. Jonathan told them about their brother and sister and his wife, Angie.

  “Angie is anxious to meet you; she’d like you to come by the house for dinner tonight? Would you be willing to meet my family?”

  “We’d love it, are you sure your wife won’t mind us popping into her life?” asked Molly.

  “I want to meet your family, Jonathan but I have a date tonight. I can call Adam to cancel.”

  “Don’t do that, bring him along. Molly, if there is someone in your life, bring him too. Angela cooks for an army and you will save me from a week of leftovers.”

  “There is someone in her life although she won’t admit it. She’ll be there with Luke Sullivan,” said Stephanie with a sly smile.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Elizabeth, it’s Molly, if the shop isn’t too busy this morning? I will run a few errands and stop for lunch. I was nervous about meeting Jonathan and couldn’t eat breakfast. I’m famished. Will Joanie be all right by herself?”

  “Joanie’s doing fine, we’ve had little traffic and if she gets busy, I’ll help her out. She’s a good kid and eager to please. Take your time and we’ll see you after lunch. How did the meeting go with bio pop?”

  “It went well, he’s a terrific guy, we’ll be meeting his wife and our brother and sister tonight for dinner. That reminds me, I must call Luke to see if he’s free to join us.”

  “He’ll be free, that guy can’t get enough of you, Molly.”

  “You and Stephanie are imagining things, I’ll be there by twelve thirty, if not before.”

  Luke agreed to join the family tonight. He was headed to the police station to talk to one of his contacts there and would report any information. He had a theory he didn’t want to mention before he had answers.”

  Molly’s heart beat a little faster when she heard his voice. How she wished Luke felt the same way about her but despite what Stephanie and Elizabeth said, he was only interested in her because of her story.

  Molly’s errands didn’t take long, and she stopped at a sandwich shop in the mall. When she took the last bite of her tuna on rye, her cell phone sounded.

  “Molly, dear,” came a sweet-sounding voice on the other end, “this is Alexis Beresford, Avery Conway’s mother, I could not attend my daughter’s dinner party the other night but I am eager to meet you and your sister. I know you are busy with that little flower shop of yours, however, I wonder if you would stop by the mansion for lunch.”

  A chill ran through Molly. This is the woman who took Avery’s babies out of her arms and left them to die on their own. What kind of woman does that to her own flesh and blood? I’m being judgmental again, I’d better give her the benefit of the doubt she didn’t mean us harm.

  “I’d be happy to meet with you, Mrs. Beresford. I’ve already had my lunch and can’t stay long but I can come by for a short time now.”

  “Wonderful, dear, I’ll send my car for you.”

  “That won’t be necessary, I have my car and I’m sure I can find your home.” Everyone in town knew the location of the senator’s mansion, it was in an exclusive neighborhood. Avery’s house was beautiful but nothing like the lavish homes in the country club area of town.

  Molly’s resentment toward her grandmother was replaced with curiosity about the house where her birth mother grew up. She knew she wouldn’t see the attic where she spent the first few days of her life; being in that house would be enough for now.

  Upon her arrival, a man in a top hat and morning coat opened the massive front door. Molly chuckled when she saw him. She wanted to ask if this was a joke but she could tell by the serious look on the gentleman’s face he took his job seriously.

  “Hello, sir,” she said, “I’m Molly Ryan, Mrs. Beresford is expecting me.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” the man said without emotion, “right this way.”

  Molly was led down a long hallway to the back of the mansion. She glanced from side to side as they walked by rooms filled with exquisite furniture, famous artist paintings, and fine décor. She was relieved when the room at the end of the hallway was informal and comfortable. It was a sunny room overlooking a large inviting pool that sparkled in the sunlight.

  “Hello, Molly,” Mrs. Beresford held out her hand but remained seated.

  “Hello, Mrs. Beresford, I’m pleased to meet you.” Molly felt the chill returning to her body. Was it her imagination or was this woman as cold as she appeared?

  “I know you’ve had lunch, dear, however, would you like something to drink?”

  Without waiting for an answer, Alexis Beresford rang a tiny hand-held bell, and a maid dressed in black and white appeared carrying a tray filled with a pitcher of lemonade and a decanter of clear liquid.

  “Because this is a special occasion, I thought we should celebrate with a touch of spirits.”

  “The lemonade will be fine with me, Mrs. Beresford, I must leave soon to get to the flower shop.”

  “Oh please, dear, don’t admit you’re a shop girl. As much as I would prefer it not to be true, you are a Beresford after all.”

  “Mrs. Beresford, I’m not ashamed of being a shop girl. I love my work.” Why did I agree to come here? She is nothing like Avery. Molly was uncomfortable with this woman who was her grandmother.

  “Never mind, it doesn’t matter what you are,” she said under her breath as she poured herself a hefty glass of the clear liquid that smelled to Molly like expensive gin.

  “Mrs. Beresford, it was nice to meet you but I must be on my way.”

  “Don’t be silly, you aren’t going anywhere.” The old lady pulled a small pistol from the cushion of the chair she was sitting on. “Your sister will join us. You two should have been dead years ago, but you came back to destroy me.”

  “Mrs. Beresford, I can assure you Stephanie and I want nothing from you or your family. We didn’t set out to find our birth parents and we don’t wish to upset anyone’s life.”

  “My dear, you already have upset our lives. I should have known Avery wouldn’t keep her mouth shut about you two. She was a stupid girl who filled the pages of a diary with her wicked behavior with that boy. She left it where her vile daughter, Candace could find it. Candace threatened to expose what I did and cause a scandal that would ruin my marriage and my standing in the community. I didn’t want to shoot the girl but what choice did I have? I did the right thing and I’ll do the right thing now.”

  Molly heard a commotion in the hallway and prayed it was someone to help her. She looked at the doorway and saw Stephanie standing there with a shocked expression on her face.

  “Molly, I had a call that said you needed me. What’s going on here?”

  “Stephanie, run, she has a gun.” Molly knew the old woman couldn’t shoot them both at the same time and wanted to save her sister from a bullet.

  Instead, Stephanie rushed toward her sister distracting Alexis long enough for Molly to grab the old woman’s arm and dislodge the gun from her grip.

  In an instant, Luke rushed into the room and held Alexis down as the woman kicked and screamed.

  The police were the next to arrive and restrained Mrs. Beresford.

  Molly and Stephanie held to each other and watched as their grandmother’s face contorted into an evilness they had never seen on a person before.

  “She called me and said you were about to die and you were asking for me. I didn’t know what to do, so I came as quickly as I could.”

  “You saved my life, Stephanie, the woman was about to shoot me.”

  “We saved each other’s life, Molly.”

  “Luke, how did you know we were here?”

  “Elizabeth called, she was worried about you because you said you’d be at the shop by twelve-thirty. She said it wasn’t like you to not call if you were running late. Mrs. Beresford called the shop and Joanie thought it would be all rig
ht to give her your phone number. I was at the police station when Elizabeth called and learned that the suspect who confessed to killing Candace had come clean and admitted he didn’t kill her but watched as an old woman shot her at close range. It could only have been Mrs. Beresford. Officer Cummings had to fight the commissioner to get the squad car here, and that’s why I arrived before the police.”

  “I’m glad you did. I don’t know how much longer I could have kept that woman from using the gun. She’s strong for her age.”

  “Father, I’m worried about Mother,” said Avery when she reached the senator before he boarded his plane for Washington. “I called over there this morning and She had been drinking already. I know you are upset with her; however, she needs you to reassure her that everything will be all right.”

  “Nothing will be all right, Avery. What your mother did was despicable. I will never forgive her for keeping your daughters from us. I knew she was a selfish woman when I married her and only have myself to blame.”

  “Father, you know you won’t forgive yourself if mother harms herself. I’m going over there now; I wish you would join me.”

  “I’ll be there, Avery, if your mother is drunk, I don’t want you to handle her alone.”

  Avery pulled into the driveway of her childhood home within seconds of her father’s arrival. Her heart sank when she recognized cars belonging to Molly and Stephanie parked on the circular driveway and police vehicles surrounding the front entrance.

  Father and daughter rushed into the house and watched as Alexis was being held down by two police officers.

  “Hamilton,” Alexis cried out when she saw him in the doorway, “tell these goons to let me go. Avery’s bastard daughters tried to kill me. They killed dear Candace because she would expose their plan to blackmail our family.”

  Harvey Shantz arrived and demanded Lance Cummings release Mrs. Beresford immediately. “Heads will roll over this abomination, Senator.”

  “Harvey, you’re a pompous ass, shut up.”

  Hamilton nodded to the paramedics who appeared through the commotion, “Take care of my wife, young man.”

  Alexis was lifted on a gurney, restrained and wheeled out of the mansion she loved above any member of her family.

  Avery held her daughters close to her. “I’m so sorry about this, I should have known what my mother is capable of, are you two all right?”

  “We’re fine, Avery, you have nothing to be sorry about. Your mother was worried we planned to cause trouble for your family. She was protecting you.”

  “No, Molly,” said Hamilton, “my wife was protecting herself. She killed Candace, isn’t that right Officer Cummings?”

  “I believe so, sir, there was an eyewitness to the murder who claims he saw an older woman shoot her.”

  Hamilton collapsed on the love seat and held his head in his hands. “It’s my fault, I should have insisted she live in Washington with me. I was busy passing laws for the country and ignored my wife and daughter. Thanks to me, Avery was deprived of her daughters for years and lost the only girl she could raise as her own. Can you ever forgive me, Avery?”

  “Father, there is enough guilt to go around. I made terrible mistakes, but giving birth to Molly and Stephanie wasn’t one. I blamed you for arranging my marriage to Charles and never gave the poor man a chance. I’m seeing him in a new light now and only hope I can make up for the years I resented him.”

  “Senator,” said the butler in the morning coat as he stood holding his top hat in his hand, “reporters are waiting for you on the portico, shall I send them away?”

  “No, Boris, I’ll talk to them; why are you dressed in that ridiculous outfit? Get rid of that hat and coat.”

  “But sir, Mrs. Beresford insists I dress in formal attire.”

  “Mrs. Beresford isn’t here, do as I say, man.”

  Jonathan Malloy returned to his office after the meeting with his daughters. His longtime assistant, Mary Louise, listened intently to the story of his long-ago love and the daughters he’d met earlier in the day.

  After returning from her lunch break, Mary Louise tapped on Jonathan’s door. “Sir, you should hear this,” she turned the volume higher on her radio. Senator Beresford gave a brief press release about his wife and the unfortunate incident at the Senator’s home involving his granddaughter’s Molly Ryan and Stephanie Anderson. He reported that everyone was safe and his wife was admitted to the hospital for evaluation.

  “There have been too many lies through the years. I will tell the truth to my constituents from now on and if they ask that I resign my senatorial seat, I shall do so without regret. It’s time I taught young Grayson how to fish. If I remember correctly, the fish are itching to be caught in Lake Hillsboro this time of year.”

  Jonathan placed a call to Molly’s cell phone. “Molly, are you and Stephanie all right? I heard there was an incident at the Beresford house.”

  “We’re fine, Jonathan. Not even a scratch, we’ll tell you all about our adventure when we see you tonight.”

  “Are you sure you still want to come? Angie and I will understand if you aren’t up to it this evening.”

  “The normalcy of a family dinner is what Stephanie and I need tonight. Tell Angie with all the excitement we have worked up an appetite.”

  “She’ll be happy to hear that, I’m glad you’re all right and I look forward to seeing you both again.”

  “Jonathan, I’m glad you are home,” Angie called when her husband opened the door. “I wanted to learn more about your visit with your daughters today. It was a madhouse at school and I couldn’t take a break to call you back this morning.”

  “Angie, as I told you earlier, they are terrific. They have clefts in their chins like mine. I know, in my heart, they are my daughters. Where are Jake and Lily? I dread telling them they have two grown sisters.”

  “They’re in their rooms doing their homework. I told them we are having company tonight although I didn’t say who was coming.”

  Jonathan called for his children and they came running along with their dog, Spike.

  The four of them sat on the couch with Spike at Jonathan’s feet.

  “What’s wrong, Dad, are we in trouble?”

  “No, son, nothing is wrong. I have something to tell you and I’m not sure you will understand.”

  Jonathan told his children about the visitors who would join them for dinner. Without going into detail, he let them know they had two sisters their father wasn’t aware of.

  “You mean I have two more sisters? I wish they were guys, we have too many girls in this family already.” Jake made a face at his sister and Lily stuck her tongue out at him.

  “Jake, I made a mistake when I was young but Molly and Stephanie are the happy results. They were adopted into families who loved and cared for them and now they are grown. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

  “Sure, Dad, we see that stuff on TV all the time. Mom, are you mad at Dad?”

  “No, dear, I’m not mad, I’m happy he finally knows his daughters and I want them to be a part of our family, is that all right with you, Lily?”

  “I guess; I’m still the littlest one, I wish I could be the older sister.”

  “They will be here shortly, I hope you two won’t start scrapping with each other the minute they walk through the door,” said Jonathan.

  “Don’t worry, Dad, we won’t make you look bad,” Jake said with sincerity.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Mom, is it true,” asked Grayson when he rushed through the front door of the Conway home. “The kids at school are saying Grandmother killed Candace. Did she murder my sister?”

  “I believe she did, Grayson, I’m sorry you had to hear it that way. Your grandfather and I wanted to tell you ourselves. He’s on the patio, let’s go join him and your father.”

  “Hello, my boy, I can see by the look on your face you know what your grandmother has done. I suppose after hearing how she treated your older siste
rs, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise.”

  “Grandfather, before Candace died, I talked to the counselor at school about her. He recommended several books for me to read all dealing with mental illness. I know I’m only a kid but Candace had serious problems. Did Grandmother think we were in danger? Is that why she killed my sister?”

  “No, son, your grandmother wasn’t being heroic, she was protecting herself from exposure for what she’d done in the past.”

  “Grayson, I wish I’d known of your concern about Candace,” said Avery. “That’s another example of my dismal failure as a mother.”

  “Mom, you were a victim too; we all suffered because of Grandmother’s actions. You were afraid to give your heart to Candace for fear it would be broken again. I told you I’ve been reading about this subject.”

  “Grayson,” said Charles, “I admire your interest in the human psyche, is it a field you would like to pursue?”

  “It’s interesting, Dad but I know I’m expected to follow in Grandfather’s footsteps.”

  Hamilton rose from his chair, “No, Grayson, you should not follow me. I know that has been my dream for you but it is my dream and I can see it’s not yours. Son, I want you to be your own man. I will be proud of you no matter what line of work you choose. Avery, that goes for you too. If you want to drop out of this race, I give you my blessing. Politics is in my blood however if it’s not in yours, I understand.”

  “I might not have a choice, Father. When all is said and done, the good people of Hillsboro will make that decision for me. As painful as it is, I am determined to be honest about what has transpired in my life.”

  Charles smiled at his wife, this is the woman he always knew was inside that rigid façade. No matter what the future would bring, he knew they would face it together.

  “Are you ready to meet another brother and sister, Stephanie?” asked Molly.

  “Yes, I’m a little nervous, I don’t know how to talk to adolescents. I haven’t been around that age group since I was one.”