Death In The Garden

by Caroline Clemmons

  The snippy maid apparently had hors d’oeuvre duty and offered me a canapé. I took a slice of noiri rolled rice and Devlin handed me a flute of champagne.

  Clustered at one side, looking very uncomfortable, were Millie Ormond and her sons. She wore a navy dress, simple but flattering. Bubba and Buck looked almost presentable in khaki slacks and short-sleeved knit shirts. Sharee stood beside her mother. Although her body language appeared defensive, maybe she just needed a cigarette. She looked gorgeous in a lavender dress with handkerchief hem. Her hair was styled in an elaborate upsweep that would have looked like big hair on most women, but was elegant on her.

  Bootsy cleared her throat. “Now that we’re all here except our dear Sam, I want to propose a toast to his good health.”

  We all toasted Sam. I looked around to judge if anyone looked askance. No one did, except the snippy maid. You’d think an inheritance would have sweetened her face.

  I expected Bootsy to sit at the head of the table, but Devlin took that place. He seated me on his right with Sharee, Millie, Buck and Bubba following. Bootsy sat on Devlin’s left, with Chelsea, Lionel Wyatt, and Kay. Thank goodness, neither Chelsea nor I had to sit beside witchy Kay, but I wondered at him seating his Aunt Kay at the end of the guests.

  Both Kay and Lionel Wyatt, who was dressed in a gray business suit and red tie, now appeared preoccupied. I guess with Sam so ill, things like seating placement weren’t important to the family. Besides, why should I care? I had my chair.

  Bootsy said, “Too bad Sam has to miss this. It’s been a long time since he’s had dinner with his cousins.”

  Chelsea patted her hand. “He’ll be home soon, you’ll see.”

  “We’ll have another celebration then.” Devlin smiled at his mother.

  From beside me, Sharee asked, “What kind of pills were given to Sam?”

  “Almost half a bottle of my Secomazidonol. It’s a wonder so many at once didn’t kill Sam.”

  Sharee watched me de-shell my escargot then mimicked my actions on one from her plate. “Is that why it’s taking so long for Sam to recover?”

  I imagined Devlin was sick to death of repeating the same information, but his voice was friendly. “No, the doctors still don’t know what else he was given.”

  Chelsea said, “They’ll know soon.”

  Sharee asked, “Any chance of brain damage?”

  “We don’t think so.” Devlin frowned at Sharee.

  “Let’s talk about something pleasant.” Bootsy gazed at each of us before she asked, “Sharee, what do you think of your inheritance?”

  “I’m shocked, of course. I mean, I figured there was something and that’s why my family and me were invited. I hardly expected we’d get shares in the company.”

  Each of her brothers made a rude noise that sounded like a snort. I wasn’t sure if they were expressing their opinion, or if they were eating too fast. Millie pushed the food around on her plate but said nothing.

  Chelsea looked at Bubba and Buck and I could see her amusement. Lionel and Kay stared at the brothers with disdain.

  As if oblivious to anyone’s regard, Buck asked, “Reckon I could get another piece of that beef?”

  Devlin stood, “Of course. I’ll just alert the cook. Would anyone else like seconds?”

  Bubba said, “I believe I could eat another helping myself. And maybe some potatoes too.”

  While the snippy maid brought out more roast and au gratin potatoes, a pleasant-faced woman carried in ramekins of crème brûlée.

  After dinner, Bootsy said, “Let’s all go out on the terrace. I want to show off the garden Heather designed for me.”

  While Devlin helped his mother, Chelsea hurried around the table to talk to Sharee and me. Together, we walked through the wide French doors onto the terrace.

  Chelsea asked, “Did you know Mr. Rockwell had planned to sell the company?”

  “Grandpa found out, but not the details.”

  “Doesn’t matter. He died before he could sign anything. It’s all the family’s now.” Sharee nudged me, “Counting me as family.”

  I smiled at her. “That’s wonderful, Sharee. Will you move to Dallas now?”

  “Damn right, and the sooner the better. Devlin offered me a plum job in the company. Mom wants to stay here and so do the boys, but I may be able to talk her into staying with me some of the time. Guess that leaves Walter looking for a new manager.”

  I stared at her. “Manager? For what?”

  “You didn’t know?” She laughed. “He owns the convenience store. Bought it so I'd have a secure job. Not that it makes much money, but it’s a steady income for me and for Walter. He socks his share away.”

  “I didn’t know he owned anything but the lot where his house burned.”

  “I got a little wild when I was a teenager. Hell, I’m still a little wild. Walter and I are close friends.” She rolled her eyes. “You know he comes to me for sex, but mostly, he comes for companionship.”

  I did not want to know about Walter’s sex life. Or Sharee’s. “That’s almost TMI, too much information.”

  She laughed again and touched my arm. “I’m only telling you this because I worry about him. He’s a good man, and your family and I are the main people in his life. But I’m over the top with excitement about my inheritance. Can’t wait to shake this town and move to Dallas.”

  Seemed prying was my life now, so I asked, “I guess everyone else’s settlement was pretty much what was expected?”

  Sharee gave a feminine version of her brothers’ snort. “Barely. But if the sale had gone through, turns out Devlin, Kay, and Lionel would have been out of luck. Uncle Vance was shutting them out and taking it all for himself. Bootsy and Sam would have inherited from him then, of course.”

  So Kurt was right and Devlin had a big motive for killing his stepfather. The news hit me hard, but I managed to respond. “That would have been rough. I mean, I neither know nor care about Mr. Wyatt’s part in the company’s success. But Kay has worked for the business since it started, and Devlin is his stepson and the son of his former partner.”

  “It wouldn’t be fair to Bootsy and Sam, either, to pit them against the others.” Chelsea said.

  “I’d give a lot for a cigarette.” Sharee looked around. “Anyway, Uncle Vance had it figured so the others got nada. And much as I dislike her, Kay’s inheritance was part of what started the company. She deserved better for putting up with Uncle Vance’s lies for thirty-something years.”

  I asked, “How could he do that? Surely Bootsy wouldn’t have let him cut out Devlin?”

  Sharee nodded. “You’d think, but you can bet she didn’t know about it. Turns out even Lionel didn’t know. Uncle Vance had another attorney draw up the sale. If he’d lived another day or two, it would have been a done deal.”

  Chapter Twenty Four

  I watched Kay and Lionel Wyatt accompany Bootsy to the chairs of a glass-topped table, one of three tables on the terrace. Bootsy sank down onto a chair as if she were exhausted. Devlin stood with his hand on her shoulder. Millie and her sons clustered around and peered off in the direction Bootsy pointed.

  I knew she was talking about the garden and I probably should have gone to help her describe the design. I was still struggling with the news that Devlin would have been out of his inheritance if his stepfather had lived, so I remained with Chelsea and Sharee near the door to talk.

  “I’ll bet Wyatt suspected about the sale, and so did Kay,” I said. “There had to have been rumors in the company. Besides, Kay was in charge of finances and bookkeeping, so she would have known about financial statements, a prospectus, whatever it takes to sell a company like that one. For heavens sake, Grandpa found out.”

  “Mr. Gillentine is resourceful.” Chelsea stared at me. “But it shouldn’t have been possible if the sale was supposed to be secret.”

  Sharee said, “True, so Kay and Lionel had to have heard the same scuttlebutt.”

  Devlin left his moth
er and walked toward us.

  Sharee said, “Here comes the new CEO of the company.”

  He laughed. “And I’d like a little respect, please.”

  Chelsea laughed. “It appears to me that’s what you have—a little respect.”

  Devlin put his hand on my elbow. “Why don’t we go sit down?” He guided me to one of the other tables. “It’s a nice night to relax out here.”

  “Wait until the garden has grown into itself. You’ll love it.” Chelsea beamed at me with pride. You’d think she was my personal PR person.

  “That’s what Mom says. She said she never wants to leave this place.” He looked at me. “But I’m a city boy at heart.”

  “Excuse me, I think Mama wants me.” Sharee stood and walked toward where her mother was standing near Bootsy.

  “I’ll check to see if Bootsy needs anything. She looked so tired earlier.” Chelsea followed Sharee.

  “Looks as if we’ve been abandoned.” Devlin took my hand.

  “And none too subtly.” I was feeling uncomfortable, holding hands with a man who might have murdered his stepfather and tried to frame his own brother. Surely I couldn’t be that wrong about him.

  My glance fell on two small pots at the edge of the terrace. A small plastic container of lavender and one of lemon grass were tucked under an azalea bush. “Isn’t that odd? Who would have left those there?” Now why did that tickle my memory? There was something about it.

  “Maybe one of your workmen put them there and forgot them.”

  “No, we aren’t using lemon grass. And the lavender we used is from three-gallon containers.” I stood and walked for a closer look. With a sudden flash of insight, I said, “I’ll be right back.”

  Hurrying toward the others, I tapped Chelsea on the arm. “Would you come here a moment?”

  She followed me back to where I’d left Devlin. I pointed at the two containers. “Remember when you told me Kay had been in and bought three plants?”

  “Sure, how could I forget?” Her voice sounded bitter at the memory of that visit.

  I nudged her. “Chelsea, think. Three plants.”

  “What? Oh. Ohmygosh, I see what you mean. There’re only two of them, but I’m sure those are exactly like two of those she purchased.” She poked at them with her toe. “Except, of course, that these need watering.”

  As we spoke, I saw Kay glance our way then head into the house.

  Chelsea ignored her and looked around nearby. “Where’s the third container, I wonder? Kay said she wanted them for her herb garden.”

  The three of us huddled on the terrace, staring at the two withered plants.

  Devlin shook his head and frowned. “Aunt Kay? You must have misunderstood. She doesn’t have an herb garden.”

  “Are you certain?” I asked.

  “We could ask her, I suppose. Never known her to have even a live houseplant. She jokes that she prefers silk plants that her brown thumb won’t kill.” Devlin shrugged.

  Chelsea chewed on her lip and looked at me. “She might have changed her mind. You know, she saw how healthy our plants were, might have made her decide to try growing some.”

  Devlin asked, “Hey, what difference does it make anyway? Maybe she changed her mind about starting a herb garden.”

  I grabbed his arm. How could a pharmaceutical chemist be so slow? “Devlin, the third plant was valerian.”

  He looked cross. “So?”

  Did I have to draw him a picture, or was he being purposefully difficult to throw me off? “Surely you know it causes drowsiness.”

  “Valerian? Yeah, I guess. So?” He shrugged.

  Chelsea grabbed his arm. “And Sam had something besides sleeping pills. Get it?”

  He stared from her to me, a horrified expression on his face. “Damn. It’s effect is additive for central nervous system depressants. Makes the depressant work faster, and as if the dose were larger.”

  I said, “Right. Depressants, like your mom’s sleeping pills.” Had he sent Kay to purchase the plants? I didn’t think so, but perhaps he was a good actor.

  “Surely you don’t think Aunt Kay is responsible? No, not Aunt Kay. My God, she’s, she’s—“

  “I’m sorry, Devlin,” I put my hand on his arm to comfort him, “but I think your aunt tried to kill Sam.”

  He closed his eyes and sunk his head. “No, I can’t believe it.” But I could see the logic of my accusation was sinking in.

  Chelsea said, “I don’t think there’s another explanation.”

  “I’m calling the police.” I intended to whirl and dash inside for a phone, but I felt something hard prodding my back, and not in a good way.

  Cold.

  Hard.

  Like a gun barrel.

  Kay pushed the gun against my vertebrae. “No, Heather, I don’t think you’ll be calling your policeman tonight.”

  Devlin shook his head, and his eyes were wide with shock. “Aunt Kay? What are you doing?”

  “I’m saving myself, dear. Damn, I meant to get rid of the plants, but I’ve been busy. I saw these two snoops talking about those plants and knew they’d figured it out.” She gave a nervous laugh, sounding almost hysterical.

  “What do you mean?” Devlin asked.

  “I mean Heather has figured it out, dear. That means she’d soon be asking too many questions and calling that policeman. Can’t have that, can we?”

  “Aunt Kay, why involve Heather?”

  “Unfortunately for your clever little friend, she’s my ticket out.”

  He leaned around me as if to take the gun. Or maybe he couldn’t believe there was one.

  “Stay back,” she warned. “Any fast moves and Heather gets a bullet in the spine.”

  “Please don’t do this.” Devlin pleaded. “Think about this, Aunt Kay.”

  Something in his voice must have alerted the others. Bootsy screamed. Sharee stepped to shield her mother.

  “I’m going to shoot Heather unless she backs up very slowly.” Her free hand clenched on my throat. “Don’t anyone else move.”

  Devlin held out a hand as if pleading. “Where are you going? What will you do?”

  “You won’t mind if I use the company plane, will you, dear Devlin? Maybe I’ll let your friend live to accompany me to an island I scouted out. No extradition from there, of course. Just a bank full of money.”

  Chelsea said, “Please let her go. Don’t hurt her.”

  Kay tugged at me again and I almost choked.

  She said, “Or, maybe halfway there I’ll push her out for being such a smartass.”

  Devlin shook his head in apparent disbelief. “No, Aunt Kay. Please.”

  She laughed. “Don’t look so shocked, Devlin. I did it as much for you as for myself. Don’t you see? Vance would have cut us all out of anything.”

  “But we have all we need,” he said. “More than any of us can spend.”

  “Maybe for you. But your friend has ruined it for me. Fortunately, knowing Vance’s nature, I skimmed enough to set up my own retirement account. Rather nicely, in fact. I’d planned for him to join me, but he wouldn’t leave his“—she spit out like venom—“precious Bootsy.”

  “Aunt Kay? You can’t mean you killed Vance.” He stepped toward her. “And Sam. My God, you tried to kill Sam?”

  “Stay where you are, son.” Her voice changed from vitriolic to trembling. “Son. That’s how I’ve thought of you all your life, you know. The son who should have been mine if that cheating Vance had kept his word and married me when he was supposed to.”

  “It doesn’t matter now. Whatever was between you and Vance is over now. All that counts is that you don’t hurt anyone else.”

  “You think it doesn’t matter? All I went through for him? But no, he had to have your mother and her pile of money. Always promising me he’d leave her, only he never did, did he?”

  “Aunt Kay, please don’t do this. Let Heather go. We’ll give you a head start before we call the police. Hours, days, whateve
r you say. I promise. You can be away safely and no one else will be hurt.”

  I pried at her hand, but her fingers tightened as she jabbed her gun’s barrel harder against my back. “I think not, son. I’m afraid you’d better say goodbye to your little friend here.”

  She jerked me backward by my throat and I almost fell. “Slowly, now, until we’re out of the house and into my car.”

  There was nothing I could do but hope she tripped instead of me. So far, I wasn’t doing too well. I couldn’t walk well in these shoes under normal conditions, now I was wobbling like a child’s toy. I couldn’t speak—not with her grasping my throat as if she’d rip it open.

  Vaguely, I was aware of everyone staring in shock. Tears streamed from Chelsea’s eyes. I wanted to cry, but I was too scared. We inched backward until we were through the doorway.

  Chelsea’s eyes widened. Devlin shook his head. Something in his expression must have alerted Kay, because she jerked me around.

  Too late.

  Kurt grabbed Kay’s wrist that had held the gun at my back. “Give it up, Ms Douglas. It’s all over.”

  “No!” She let go of my throat to scratch at his face.

  I stomped on her foot with my spike heel.

  “Bitch!” She screeched in pain. To Kurt, she said, “You can’t do anything to me. Do you know who I am?”

  Kurt captured her other hand, and neatly turned her to clap her in cuffs. “Yes, Ms Douglas. I’m arresting you for the attempted murder and abduction of Ms Cameron, and for questioning in the death of Vance Rockwell and the attempted murder of Sam Rockwell.”

  Kurt’s eyes met mine. I saw the questions there. Here I was at Devlin’s when he’d warned me, asked me not to come. What did that mean?

  I saw the hurt and doubt on Kurt’s face and didn’t know how to respond. I wanted to hurl myself in his arms and tell him he’d been right all along and I’d been wrong.