“She said they needed to talk.”
“About what?”
“She didn’t tell me.” Jenny returned to her book and made a quick note.
From her rigid body language, I could tell it was time to change the subject. “I have a date again on Saturday, so I’ll need some wardrobe consultation.”
“I’m always happy to help, but I need to finish this term paper now.”
“I’ll let you know when dinner’s getting close.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Chopping vegetables for a salad and mixing up some Italian dressing, I ran through the list of people who had visited Father Tom the day of the murder. I knew Patty, Cindy, Jenny, and I hadn’t been involved. So that left Rob Jenson, John Gordan, Michael Kinsley—Cindy’s boyfriend—Gloria Krump, and potential stragglers from the Elderflower funeral as well as Belinda and Father Tom. I really had to rule out Father Tom, and my heart told me that Belinda couldn’t have done it. What about Rob and John? I really didn’t know them that well, but they seemed like nice men. And Gloria had just been dropping off a coffee cake.
Feeling I was back to square one, I pulled out the frying pan to get it hot for the scallops. Some salt and pepper, a quick sear on both sides, and a quick toss of the salad meant it was dinnertime. Setting some places on the island, I bent over Jenny with a kiss. “Dinner’s ready.”
“Thanks. I’ll wash my hands and be right with you.”
I sat at the island. “What do you know about Michael Kinsley?”
“He seems to be a nice guy. He’s in some of my classes at school, and he really likes Cindy.”
“How long have they been dating?”
“I don’t know—five or six months? Why all of the questions? Don’t tell me you’re into younger men now.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m just trying to learn more about him, especially since it seems he was in your vicinity the night Mr. Ford was killed.”
“Mom, you can’t think that a seventeen-year-old killed Mr. Ford!”
“Worse things have happened.”
“Well, I can’t believe it. What would make him do it?”
I speared a mushroom. “He could be hiding something.”
“I’ve known him since freshman year. He’s on Instagram and Snapchat. What could he be hiding that we wouldn’t know about?”
“People aren’t always what they seem, but I guess it is a long shot.”
“It is a really long shot, and it didn’t happen.”
I rubbed Jenny’s shoulder. “I just want to help Cindy.”
“I want you to as well. But I don’t think she’d appreciate you throwing her boyfriend under the bus.”
I stood. “Message received. I’ll clean up since you need to finish your paper.”
After loading the dishwasher, I curled up in the living room with my book. Staring at the same paragraph for five minutes, I tossed the book aside and called Rob. He picked up on the third ring.
“Hi, Merry.”
“Hi, Rob. I was wondering if you had heard back on the autopsy results.”
“I just got them emailed to me and was planning on reviewing them. Do you have time for coffee tomorrow? I could meet at eight?”
I checked my phone. “That should work. I have a meeting at nine fifteen I need to leave for.”
“I have some things to do too, but eight should give us enough time. the Morning Pastry?”
“I’ll see you there tomorrow. Thanks.”
“Looking forward to it.”
Feeling like I had made some minimal progress, I was able to read my book until it was time for bed.
Chapter 9
At 7:55 a.m., I stood in front of the pastry shelves, narrowing down my selection. It was a tough choice between my usual blueberry scone and something more exotic like an apple fritter that looked bigger than my head. Since I was meeting Rob, I decided to go with the more diminutive scone. That and a skim milk latte ordered, I sat down to wait for him. At eight on the dot, he entered.
As he ordered, I took advantage of my chance to study him further. He had really good hair. I bet it’s soft, and it looked thick. It would be nice to run my fingers through it. And his eyes were green, like mine, but with better hazel accents. It was also obvious he worked out. Too bad he was a reporter. Even worse, too bad he was a reporter who wrote well. He came over to join me at the table. Time for woolgathering ended, I looked up at him with a smile.
“You beat me here,” he said.
“The siren call of the scone was too much for me.”
“Did you see the apple fritter? I was really tempted.”
“No. I didn’t notice it.” I winked. “Do you mind talking about the autopsy report while we eat?”
“No problem. There wasn’t a lot there we didn’t know.” Rob handed me a copy of the report. “He died from blood loss resulting from the stab wound in his back. Plus, it looked like the knife was moved after he was killed.”
“How powerful of a blow was it?”
He pointed to one of the sections. “It indicates the first blow was pretty powerful and was the cause of death. There was a contusion where the hilt of the knife hit. And it states that the person who did it had to have been relatively tall. The second blow was incidental.”
I turned the page. “The second blow was probably caused by Cindy when she tripped over him and cut her hand. She couldn’t have caused the first, though. Cindy’s a small girl. She’s only five-two. There’s no way she could have done that.”
“She might have been able to if she was standing above him on the steps.”
“Whose side are you on?”
“Yours. I’m just trying to point out some of the troublesome areas in your story. However, I agree. It’s a stretch to think someone that small would be able to commit this crime. But her boyfriend could have.” He sipped his coffee.
“Wouldn’t he have to have a motive? I just can’t see it. What would make two seventeen-year-olds want to kill someone?”
“Unfortunately, it’s happened before.”
I inched forward and made sure I had full eye contact with him. “Yes, but not this time.”
“Have you talked to Cindy?”
I sat back in my chair. “No. But I get your point. I should do that sooner rather than later. Do you think I should talk to her and Michael together?”
“It’s probably best to see them separately. Who knows, maybe they saw something that would incriminate someone else. Do you want me to join you?”
“No. I think they’ll give me more information if I’m alone.”
“Your call. Would you like to have dinner tomorrow so we can continue this conversation?”
“Yes. I’ll try to talk with both of them before we meet. Where would you like to go?”
“I’ve heard the Iron Skillet is good. Should we meet there at six thirty?”
I checked my calendar. “That would work. I need to run now or I’ll be late for my staff meeting. See you tomorrow.” I left the table and hurried to the office.
On my way, I juggled my phone and texted my daughter: “Would you see if Cindy would meet me at four at the house and if Michael would be willing to meet with me at four thirty?”
“Sure, if you promise to be nice.”
I sent her back a smiley face and picked up the pace. Striding into the conference room, I took my seat just in time. There were some price changes coming from some of our insurance companies, and I wanted to make sure everyone knew the reasons for the changes. It was important that we be able to talk about them in the same way to our clients. Role-playing accomplished, we moved on to other matters and finished early. The day flew by, and before I knew it, I was going to have to hoof it to beat Jenny and Cindy to the house.
I unlocked the door. “Anyone home?”
Jenny answered, “We’re in the kitchen.”
Dropping my briefcase by the sofa, I joined them. I gave Jenny a quick hug and then gave Cindy a tighter one. “Thanks for
coming to meet me, Cindy.”
Cindy eyed the door. “I guess you want to talk about Mr. Ford’s death.”
“Yes, honey. I know you’re probably tired of talking about it, but your mom asked me to see what I can do to help.”
“It’s just so frustrating. And it’s hard to believe anyone would think Michael or I had anything to do with this. We’re just kids.”
“Would you take me through that day?”
“If you think it will help.”
“It might.”
“My mom took me to the church for Mrs. Elderflower’s service. Jenny was waiting for me on the stairs. After that, Jenny and I helped out in the kitchen setting up the buffet and then serving the people who attended. I was there about twenty minutes when I remembered I told Michael I would try and sneak out so we could spend some time together to talk.”
“Where did you meet Michael?”
“We met in the cemetery, behind the mausoleum with the angel on it. There’s a bench back there under the big oak.”
“What was so special you needed to sneak out?”
Jenny protested, “Mom, that’s none of your business.”
“Let me ask the questions,” I said. “I’m not sure what’s going to end up being important, and it’s best to get as clear a picture as possible.”
“You promise you won’t tell anyone?” Cindy asked.
“I’ll try not to, but if it ends up giving you an alibi, I’m not making any promises.”
Cindy didn’t look too happy, but she nodded. “We were talking about where to apply to college. My parents have been pretty vocal that my decision should be totally separate from Michael’s, but I just know he’s the one for me. I love him, and I can’t stand the thought of being separated. We were trying to figure out how we could make it look like a coincidence that we ended up at the same school. It would be a lot easier if we were going to major in the same thing, but right now he’s interested in writing, and I want to be an engineer.”
“What did you decide?”
“We didn’t come to a decision. We’re still looking for schools that offer a good curriculum for both. That means we may have to go to a larger school, and we both wanted a smaller one.” She started to cry. “It’s tough.”
“That’s unfortunate.” Rubbing her back, I handed her a tissue. “It’s going to make your school decision harder than normal. But let’s get back to that day now. When you and Michael were having your discussion, did you see anyone else?”
She blew her nose. “I saw some of the people who had been at Mrs. Elderflower’s service returning to their cars, and I saw Miss Belinda going over to the rectory. That’s about it.”
“What happened next?”
“It was starting to get dark, so I kissed Michael goodbye and ran back to the church. Jenny and I finished cleaning up, and the rest you know.”
I hugged her. “Don’t worry. Everything has a way of working out for the best.”
“I know you’re just trying to help. Thank you. Michael’s going to be here in a few minutes. May I stay while you speak with him?”
“No, I really think it’s best I talk with you separately.”
As Cindy was leaving, Michael ambled up the path. She gave him a quick kiss. “Tell her everything.” His eyes widened, but he continued on to where we stood by the door.
I shook his hand. “Come in. I have some lemonade in the kitchen.” I poured him a glass. “Mrs. Twilliger asked me to see if I can try to figure out what happened to Mr. Ford.”
“I know. Cindy told me.”
“Have a seat.” I gestured to the chair next to me. He slid into it and put down his lemonade. It spilled a little on the table. “Don’t be nervous. I just want you to tell me in your own words what happened that day.”
He wiped the spill up with his napkin. “Cindy and I decided to meet in the cemetery. Do you know the big mausoleum with the angel on it?”
I nodded, and he continued, “We sat on the bench behind it. We were talking about which colleges we should apply to.”
“What time did you leave?”
“I’m not sure. It started to get dark, and Cindy was worried someone would notice she wasn’t there.”
“Did you see anyone while you were talking?”
He took a sip of the lemonade. “There were some people leaving the funeral and Miss Belinda strolling toward the rectory. Mr. Gordan hurried by, going toward the rectory as well. He looked pretty angry.”
“Mr. Gordan?”
“Yes, you know, the new school superintendent.”
“Anyone else?”
“Not sure of his name, but the new guy at the paper. He rushed by, going away from the church. Those are the only people I remember.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “Oh, wait. I saw that woman who works in the bakery. She was in a hurry too. I love their stuff, especially their donuts. And their apple fritters...”
I put my hand on his arm. “I agree. It’s a great place, but you’re making me hungry. Let’s get back to that day. Where did you go after Cindy left?”
“I sat there for a few minutes, and then I went to the library to study. I’m still working on one of my papers, so if you don’t mind, I really need to leave.”
“No problem, but please call me if you remember anything else. And thank you, Michael, for your time. Jenny, would you please see Michael out?”
Jenny scrambled out of her seat. “Will do.”
Chapter 10
The next day dawned bright and crisp with a hint of leaves burning in the air. I threw a load of wash in before preparing breakfast.
Jenny sprinted past me as she gathered her books. “I’m late. Love you!” I barely had time to shove a Pop Tart in her hand before she ran out the door.
I thought about my conversations with the kids the day before. Why was Rob Jenson hurrying away from the church? Why was John Gordan going toward the rectory? And why had John looked angry? I stuck two frozen blueberry muffins in the microwave to defrost, then wrapped them in a towel and grabbed my tea. Crossing the garden, I popped next door to see what Nancy knew about John. Elbowing the gate open, I managed not to spill anything. As usual, she sat there drinking her coffee.
“Good morning, Nancy. I thought you might enjoy a blueberry muffin and some company with your coffee.”
“Don’t mind if I do. It’s a beautiful morning. We may only get another few weeks of this before winter sets in.”
“We should have a little time before the snow. I’m not ready to start shoveling yet.” I sat next to her and handed her a muffin.
She took a bite. “I love your muffins. I’ve just been sitting here looking at seeds. Never too early to start planning for next year.” Her gaze sized me up. “I guess you didn’t come over here to talk about gardening. What’s up?”
“I was wondering what you knew about John Gordan.”
“That’s one good-looking fellow.” She sipped her coffee. “I haven’t met him yet, but I’ve seen him around. I believe he’s from Clear Creek originally.”
“Isn’t that an old coal town?”
“Yes. It’s pretty much a ghost town now.”
I bit into my muffin. “It’s so sad to see once vibrant towns die.”
“It is, but I guess that’s the way of things. I also seem to remember hearing something about an ex-wife and a messy divorce. Apparently, it wasn’t amicable. Thank goodness there weren’t any children.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Ex-wife? I was under the impression he never married.”
“He was married. Her maiden name was Sanders, Paula Sanders. She went back to it after the divorce. I think she moved away as well.”
I nodded. “Interesting. Thanks for the intel. I guess I should get moving—work is calling.” I turned to go. “Oh, by the way, is Melissa going to clean out Ben’s house?”
“Yes. She spoke to Ben’s heir, his nephew. He lives out of town, so he asked her to get things organized to prepare it for sale.”
“Have the police released the house yet?”
“Yesterday, so she’s planning on going over there early next week. Apparently, it’s a big job.”
“Would she be interested in any free help?”
“She’s always interested in free.” Her eyes narrowed. “Meredith March, what are you up to?”
“I was just thinking it might be beneficial to be there. I might find something that would tell us why this happened.”
“The police didn’t find anything. What makes you think you can?”
“Just a hunch. The worst that could happen is your cousin gets some free labor.”
She sighed. “I’ll give her a call. Thanks for the muffin. I’ll let you know.”
Why hadn’t John mentioned he’d been married before? I grabbed my briefcase and headed out for work.
My assistant quickly followed me into my office to discuss urgent business. Next, I turned to my emails. I texted Patty: “My house eight forty-five tonight?”
“Can do. Have wine uncorked, rested, and poured.”
“Really? Rested?”
“Okay, lowering standards. Just uncorked and poured.”
“See you then.”
The brisk breeze felt good on my face as I strode home after such a hectic day. I opened my front door. “Anyone here?”
Jenny’s voice answered from the living room. “In here.” She lay sprawled on the couch.
“Tough day?” I asked.
She held up her phone. “Not too bad. Just making sure I didn’t miss anything.”
I rolled my eyes. “Heaven forbid. Is this outfit good enough for the Iron Skillet?”
“Should be. Who are you meeting?”
“The reporter.”
“Again? Is that a good idea? Isn’t he one of our suspects?”
“I’m sure he has a good explanation. I plan to ask him about it tonight.”
“I guess mothers know best.” I started to smile, and then she continued, “Or at least some mothers, not necessarily you.” She smirked.
I threw a pillow at her and climbed the stairs. “Not that you deserve it, but I defrosted some shepherd’s pie for you—it’s in the fridge. All you need to do is nuke it.”
Murder So Sinful Page 5