“Please,” I said as we entered. “Don’t get up.”
Finnoula remained seated, but George was already out of his chair. He bowed. “Your Graces. This is an unexpected honor. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”
My smile was a little grim, but there was no helping that. Our visit wasn’t social. “We have some questions that need answers. May we sit? I promise we won’t take more of your time than necessary.”
“Yes, of course.” He started pulling chairs out. He’d been a handsome man once upon a time, but the stresses of his life and his losses had worn him down into something far more ordinary.
My heart went out to him. A man so dedicated to his mother didn’t seem like the type to take the life of the woman he loved, even if she had broken his heart. “Thank you.”
We all sat at the end of the table, myself in the middle, Birdie and Sin flanking me.
Finnoula smiled hesitantly. “It’s nice to see you again, whatever reason brings you here.”
“Thank you. Like I said, we need some questions answered. And while I’m very sorry to interrupt your lunch, it’s an urgent matter.”
George wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin, then turned to look at us. “I hope we can give you answers.”
“I’m sure you can. One of the things I need to know is why you canceled the Hangar Nine tours all those years ago.”
He shifted his eyes back to his plate, and several uncomfortable moments went by before he spoke again. “I’m ashamed to say it was for personal reasons. I proposed to a woman in front of the Crystal Carriage. It’s a very romantic object. But I’m sure I don’t have to explain that to you. Anyway, when that engagement fell apart…” He shrugged, and a weak smile bent his mouth. “Not a great excuse, I suppose. But I was hurt. And angry. I hope you can understand.”
“I do. Love and heartache make us do…questionable things.”
He nodded, staring at his plate again. The muscles in his jaw twitched, and the sadness in his eyes was replaced with a cold light. His hand tightened on the cloth napkin until his knuckles went white. “They certainly do.”
The little hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Could he be guilty? I’d briefly thought so before, but now? It was starting to seem like a serious possibility. In fact, in this moment, he seemed very capable of murder.
Then he took a breath and exhaled, and the sudden, sharp darkness surrounding him went with it. He was back to being sad-eyed George.
“What other questions do you have, Princess?” Finnoula quickly turned the conversation away from her son.
I did have questions for her, but it was nearly impossible to stop watching George. I took one last look at him before starting to answer her, but she spoke again.
“Elma, the tea’s gone cold. Could you fix a fresh pot?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Elma left, albeit a little reluctantly. I was sure our conversation was interesting. Especially since Finnoula had told us during our earlier visit that the subject of Rachel was basically off-limits.
Finnoula’s smile grew a little. “I thought perhaps privacy would be better.”
I nodded. “Perhaps it would be. But I have one more question for George.” I looked at him again. “Can you tell me why Rachel broke up with you?”
His gaze turned distant, and his shoulders slumped. “I don’t know. That’s part of what made it so hard, I guess. She just disappeared from my life. From our house, actually. She’d been staying here. Then one morning, we woke up to find her gone.”
Beside me, Birdie practically bristled. His story certainly matched what Sin had seen.
George took a breath that seemed as labored as his mother’s. “I reached out to her in every way I knew how, but all my attempts at communication were met with silence. After a little while, I took the hint and gave up.”
Finnoula grunted in obvious disgust. “She could have at least had the decency to return the ring.”
If George had killed Rachel, he was covering it well. The story about her just disappearing could be a great smoke screen. And so close to the truth of what Rachel had shared with Sin. But if George hadn’t killed her, then that would explain why he had no idea what had really happened.
Not quite ready to reveal everything just yet, I turned to Finnoula. “What can you tell me about Rachel’s relationship with LeRoy Bonfitte? You gave up your own appointment with him so that she could have a wedding dress made, didn’t you?”
“I did. And I was happy to do it. Rachel was…” She glanced at George.
He shrugged. “There’s no point in not telling them.”
Sympathy filled her eyes. “But, George—”
“I’m fine, Mother.” He stiffened a little. Was he bracing himself against the memories? Or was it his anger returning? “Tell them what they want to know.”
With a sigh, Finnoula took a deep, difficult inhale and went on. “Rachel was a beautiful soul, inside and out. That’s why her sudden coldness came as such a shock. Why it hurt so much. But back to the dress. Why wouldn’t I give up my appointment for her? I wasn’t losing a son. I was gaining a daughter.”
Would Sin’s mom think that about me?
A soft smile played on Finnoula’s mouth. “She really wanted to have her dress made here, as a remembrance of the North Pole, and to honor George’s heritage. I thought that was sweet.”
“As a remembrance?” That was an odd word choice.
Finnoula nodded. “They were getting married in California. She was starting a job there as a pharmaceutical sales rep.” She touched the handle of her teacup, but didn’t pick it up. “I was going to move there with them. With my husband passed and my other children already in the mortal world, if George wasn’t going to be here, what reason did I have to stay? And warm weather is supposed to be good for my illness.”
I nodded. “Sinclair told me about that. Was it your idea to move with them, then?”
“No.” She shook her head. “It was Rachel’s. To be honest, I would never have imposed on a newlywed couple.” Her smile faltered. “My other children never offered. But Rachel genuinely seemed like she wanted me to move with them.”
“She did,” George said quietly. “She was like that. Warm. Generous. Kindhearted.”
“Then I can understand why it was such a blow when things didn’t go as planned.”
He nodded.
I couldn’t put it off any longer. I had to tell them what we’d discovered. “There’s more to why we came than just these questions, as you might have imagined. We’ve come with information about Rachel.”
That took the smile off Finnoula’s face, and George looked at me with such expectation that I knew immediately he was going to take my news harder than I’d realized.
He swallowed in what seemed like an attempt to calm himself. “Is she back? Is she here in town?”
“In a manner of speaking.” My heart hurt, but the words had to be spoken. I watched George’s face carefully for any telling reaction as I revealed the truth about Rachel. “I’m very sorry, but we’ve found her remains.”
“Her…” George went pale. He put his trembling hands flat on the table, maybe in an effort to calm them. “You mean she’s deceased.”
“Yes.”
With some effort, Finnoula got up and wheeled her oxygen tank around to George. She put her arm around him, bent her head, and whispered something I couldn’t make out.
Quietly, I continued, hoping, I think, to give them some peace. “She has actually been deceased for a very long while. In fact, I’d say that’s the reason she disappeared on you.” I glanced at Sinclair, looking for confirmation that it was all right to tell them what he’d seen.
He nodded, then opened his mouth as if to speak.
“Go on,” I said softly.
“I’m very sorry for your loss.” He cleared his throat, hesitating. “As you probably know, I’m a necromancer.”
Finnoula looked up. “Yes, I remember the hullabaloo. I’m sorry a small mi
nority made so much noise about that.”
“Thank you.”
Her eyes went wide with sudden realization. “Did you…use your skills on Rachel?”
He took a breath. “I did.”
She sagged into the chair next to George and took her son’s hand. Both of them stared at Sin like he was about to reveal the meaning of life to them.
George swallowed audibly. “What did you find out?”
“She was murdered.” Sin’s head bent with the weight of the words. “I don’t think I can say more than that due to the investigation.”
Birdie shook her head. “No, you shouldn’t.”
I knew what she and Sin must be thinking, because I was thinking it too. We were in the same room with the last two people who’d seen Rachel alive. The last two people she’d shared a meal with. The same meal where she might have ingested poison.
The doorbell chimed, echoing through the house.
George let go of his mother’s hand and pushed to his feet. “I’ll get it.”
“Let Elma get it,” she said. “It’s not important right now.”
Pounding on the door followed.
George frowned. “That doesn’t sound like it’s not important. I guess Elma’s busy with your tea.” He looked at us. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Of course,” I said.
A loud bang came next, then a sharp crack. It sounded to me very much like the front door had been breached.
“George and Finnoula Bitterbark, this is Constable Larsen. Make yourself known.”
George went out into the hall. “What’s all this about, Constable?”
“We have a warrant to search this house.”
Finnoula gasped. I got to my feet, as did Birdie and Sinclair. Birdie and I rushed to the hall while Sinclair gave Finnoula his arm to lean on and helped her out. Elma was already in the hall when we got there. She quickly came to Finnoula’s other side and hooked her arm around Finnoula’s waist.
Finnoula might have been frail in body, but her mind and her spirit were strong. She stared Larsen down. “What’s the meaning of all this, Constable? Why do you want to search this house?”
Constable Larsen straightened. “We received an anonymous tip that Rachel Brightmoore was murdered in this house.”
Finnoula’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. Then she fainted dead away. As petite as she was, she slipped out of Elma’s and Sin’s grasp, crumpling to the floor.
Elma knelt at Finnoula’s side and gently took hold of her shoulders. “Mrs. Bitterbark. Mrs. Bitterbark.”
Anger and concern flashing in his eyes, George stepped between his mother and Constable Larsen. “Go. Search. Do whatever you need. Just leave my mother alone. She’s not a well woman.”
“My apologies. Upsetting her was not my intent.” Larsen gestured to the deputies behind her. “Let’s go.”
As they dispersed, Finnoula came to with a thin, wheezing breath. Her eyes were wild and round, searching for something. She reached out, grabbing hold of the front of Elma’s uniform. “George. George. I need George.”
He was on his knees beside her in an instant. “I’m right here, Mama.”
Finnoula seemed to calm at the sound of his voice. One hand reached for him, the other clenched tighter on the front of Elma’s uniform, pulling it open.
A chain around Elma’s neck swung free.
On it dangled a ring with a big fiery-yellow center stone surrounded by sparkling diamonds.
George’s head turned like it was on a swivel. His eyes widened. In a split-second move, he snatched the ring and pulled his mother out of Elma’s grasp. Fire lit his eyes, and his entire body shook with new energy.
Elma was caught by the chain. She tried to back up, but couldn’t go more than a few inches. “Let me go.”
But George held fast. His voice came out ragged with emotion. “Not until you tell me why you have Rachel’s engagement ring around your neck.”
Elma reared back, snapping the chain. “That should have been my ring. You should have married me.”
“You’re insane,” Finnoula whispered. George helped her to stand.
Elma pushed to her feet. “Don’t try me, old woman.” Her eyes darted toward the front door.
“Sin,” I whispered. “Don’t let her get away.”
Elma glared at me, growling out a single word. “You.”
I jerked back. “What did I do?”
Sin grabbed hold of her. She tried to pull out of his grasp, but he was too strong. “You don’t deserve happiness. No one does.”
Birdie shook her head. “She’s nutty. I’m getting Larsen.” She headed off down the hall.
I looked at George. “Are you certain that’s Rachel’s ring?”
He opened his hand and glanced at the ring, then nodded. “Yes. I can see the words I engraved on the inside of the band.”
Elma twisted in Sin’s grip, trying to break free. “Let me go.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” he said. “Except to a holding cell.”
Birdie and Larsen joined us. Larsen had her radio in her hand and was speaking to someone. “Roger that. Thanks.” She pinched the handset again. “Givens, Thurmon, return to the hall.”
Larsen looked at George. “You can confirm that’s the engagement ring you gave to Miss Brightmoore?”
“Yes. Like I just told Her Highness, I had it engraved. This is definitely the ring I bought Rachel.”
“Very good. Thank you,” Larsen said. “One of my deputies at the station was tracing the anonymous call we got. It came from this house.” She shook her head as she approached Elma. “I guess you thought you could frame George, huh? Or maybe Mrs. Bitterbark? Not a great play bringing us to you, but then again, most criminals are pretty dumb.”
Elma vibrated with anger. “George is the dumb one. For falling in love with that summer elf.”
Larsen gave Elma a look. “So you think keeping that engagement ring on a chain around your neck was a smart move?” She snorted. “Criminals.”
I almost laughed. The constable didn’t exactly have a long history of dealing with these kinds of offenders, but who was I to remind her of that at a time like this?
Larsen pulled cuffs off her belt and, with Sin’s assistance, got them on Elma. “We’ll take her down to the station for questioning, and we’ll be keeping her in a cell there until trial.” She looked at George. “I’m sorry, but we’re going to need the ring for evidence, at least for a little while.”
Finnoula patted her son’s arm even as she held on to it. “It’s all right.”
He nodded. “I understand.” He took one last long look at it, then handed it over to Larsen.
The deputies arrived from wherever they’d been searching in the house.
Larsen took Elma by the elbow and moved her forward toward the older deputy, Givens. “Get her into the crawler.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He led Elma out, the other deputy following along.
Larsen faced us. “We’ll question her thoroughly. Hopefully, we’ll get a complete confession. Even if we don’t, the ring is pretty strong evidence.”
Finnoula kept a firm grip on her son. “Do you really think she killed Rachel?”
Larsen’s mouth firmed into a tight line. “The ME found winter primrose toxin in Rachel’s bones. Would your housekeeper have access to such a thing?”
George and Finnoula both looked perplexed.
Then Sin spoke up. “Winter primrose flowers are dried and ground up as an additive to reindeer feed. It helps the reindeer fly, but the flowers are toxic to elves in large quantities. That’s why the stable workers always wear gloves when they feed the reindeer.” He lifted one shoulder. “I learned that in class recently.”
I thought about what he’d said. “Rachel was a summer elf. I’m guessing the effect on her would have been a lot greater. Probably wouldn’t have taken such large amounts either.”
Finnoula put her hand to her mouth. “Elma’s father works at the sta
bles. He has for years. I think he’s a farrier.”
“That gives Elma access to the toxin,” Larsen said.
It was starting to come together now. “She must have slipped it into something Rachel ate,” I said.
“The cookies,” Sin whispered. “She was eating cookies.”
We all looked at him.
“What kind of cookies?” I asked.
“I don’t know. They were brown with white icing.”
Finnoula’s mouth came open. “My molasses cookies.”
Birdie nodded. “The molasses probably covers up the taste of the toxin. I sure didn’t notice anything off about them.”
A few things suddenly clicked in my brain, but what I was thinking couldn’t possibly be true, could it? Only one way to find out.
“Finnoula,” I said, “how often do you eat those cookies?”
She lifted one thin shoulder. “Almost every day.”
I put my hand on George’s arm. “Get your mother to a doctor immediately.”
Finnoula put a hand to her chest. “You think I’ve been poisoned too?”
I nodded. “At the very least, you need to be checked out.”
“Agreed,” Larsen said. “And if there is evidence of poisoning, I need to know about it.”
“Come on, Mom,” George said. “Better safe than sorry.” He looked at me. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
“You’re welcome. And don’t worry about the house. I’m sure Constable Larsen can spare a deputy or two to keep an eye on things.”
Larsen gave the affirmative. “We aren’t done combing the house for evidence, so we’re going to be here awhile anyway. I’ll get some of my men working on that door too.” She frowned. “Sorry about that.”
George shook his head. “You were just doing your job. I’ll let you know what the doctor says.” Then he helped his mother out.
“Wow. Elma.”
“Right?” Birdie said. “Crazy. Literally.”
“I should get to work,” the constable said. “I’ll be in touch when I have something to share.”
“Thank you. We need to go too.” My head was spinning, but we had Sin’s parents to prepare for. At least we could do it with the mystery of the bones behind us. And Rachel’s killer in custody.
Miss Frost Says I Do: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost Book 7) Page 14