Murder So Sinful

by Eileen Curley Hammond

  “Cupboard above the fridge.”

  He retrieved a bottle. “I made some coffee. I’ll put a bit of Irish whiskey in it.”

  “Whipped cream on the door of the fridge.”

  He mixed me an Irish coffee with two spoons of sugar and plenty of whipped cream.

  Jenny ran down the stairs and rounded the corner, a concerned look on her face. “Mom, what happened? You look terrible. You’re white as a sheet.”

  Taking a sip of the coffee, I patted the seat next to me. “Sit here, Jenny.”

  She sat, and I put my arm around her. “Something terrible has happened. Mrs. Piedmont is dead.”

  Her eyes widened. “Did she have a heart attack or something?”

  “No. Someone killed her.”

  “What?” Rob and Jenny said simultaneously. “What happened?”

  “I remembered I hadn’t seen her last night, so I went over to check on her. She was stabbed.”

  There was a knock at the back door. Rob opened it. “Detective Ziebold.”

  He came in. “Is there any more of that coffee?”

  Rob brought him a mug. “What happened?”

  “All I can say at this point is that Nancy Piedmont was murdered in her home sometime between five last night when she spoke with her cousin and eight this morning when Merry discovered her. Merry, I need to take your statement. Is there somewhere private we can go?”

  Rob frowned. “She’s had a shock. Can’t this wait?”

  I groaned. “I want to get this over with. Let’s go to my office, Detective.” I saw Jenny crying silently. I hugged her. “Rob, will you make Jenny some hot chocolate?”

  At his nod, Detective Ziebold and I went to my office and shut the door.

  He took out his pad. “When was the last time you saw Nancy?”

  “Yesterday morning. I was in a hurry to get to Mass on time. She wanted to talk to me.” Tears ran down my face. “Why didn’t I stop?” I grabbed a tissue and wiped my eyes.

  “She asked you to stop?”

  “No. She asked me to come by last night, if I had time. I forgot and went to the basketball game. She wasn’t on the porch when I got home after work, nor was she there after the game. That’s what disturbed me this morning. I suddenly realized I hadn’t seen her.” I studied the tissue. “I should have sat with her instead of going to church.”

  “What did she want to talk to you about?”

  “I don’t know. She just said she had something interesting to tell me.”

  “Do you have any idea what that might have been? Do you think it had anything to do with Ben’s death?”

  “I don’t know, but I sure hope so because I’d hate to think we have two murderers in town!”

  He frowned. “Are you and Rob still investigating? You need to leave it to us. Nancy’s death should be a huge warning to you.”

  “Maybe it’s time for us to compare notes.”

  He stood, towering over me. “If you have information you are withholding…”

  “No, nothing like that. We just have some theories we’re working on.”

  “I expect you and Rob at my office at four o’clock today with any and all information you have. This is not a game.”

  “I know that. We’ll be there.” I got up and returned to the kitchen.

  He followed me. “You’ll also need to sign your statement then.” He inclined his head toward Nancy’s house. “I need to get back over there.” He sighed. “Can I have some more coffee? I’ll return your mug later.”

  “Sure.” I topped off his mug.

  I found Rob and Jenny in the living room. Sighing, I dropped down next to Jenny.

  “Are you okay, Mom?”

  “Slightly better. This Irish coffee is great. Thanks for fixing it for me, Rob.” I took another sip. “Detective Ziebold wants both of us at the station at four.”

  “What for?”

  “He told me it’s time for us to share any suspicions we have.”

  Rob held me with his emerald-green eyes. “Does he know we don’t have any proof?”

  “He’s aware of that. Nancy’s death scares me. I want the police to know everything we do. I want Nancy’s killer caught and punished.”

  “How does he know Ben and Nancy’s killer is the same person?”

  I shrugged. “He doesn’t, but it’s not a wild jump. Also, yesterday morning Nancy told me she had something interesting to tell me. I’m kicking myself I didn’t go over there sooner.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up about it. It may not have been anything.”

  I gave him a steady look. “I think it was something. Something very specific. Something the killer didn’t want us to know.”

  Jenny cried, “I want this killer caught! Mrs. Piedmont was a nice lady who always looked out for us, and she also looked out for our cats.” She buried her face in Drambuie’s fur.

  I grimaced. “I have such a headache. I need a bath and a nap in that order.”

  “What’s your network password?” Rob asked. “I’d feel better if I worked from here today. I don’t want to leave you two alone right now.”

  I summoned a smile. “I don’t want you to leave either. Have whatever you want to eat.” I handed him the paper with the network code on it and went upstairs.

  Jenny said, “I don’t want you to leave either. I’ll be up in my room catching up on schoolwork.” She ran up the stairs behind me and gave me a hug before opening her door.

  I soaked in the tub for quite some time. I couldn’t get the sight of poor Nancy out of my head. I hoped she hadn’t been in too much pain before she died. All cried out, I dried off and pulled on some sweats and a T-shirt. Sinking onto the bed, I covered myself with an afghan. I slept, amazingly enough.

  At one, I woke with a start and looked warily around my bedroom. Why was I in bed so late? It all came rushing back: Nancy, dead. I rose and brushed my hair. Noises came from the kitchen. I headed down. Jenny pulled the panini press out of the cupboard, while Rob slathered slices of bread with butter. Jenny noticed me first.

  “Mom.” She ran over to give me a hug.

  Rob was right behind her. “Group hug.”

  We all embraced. “What are you two doing?”

  Jenny said, “We decided on grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. You said when you were my age and sad, your mom used to make it for you.”

  “They are the true comfort food. Thank you both, but I’m not sure I can do them justice.”

  “Normally I’m more humble, but my grilled cheese is one of the true wonders of the world,” Rob said. “I think if you try it, you’ll finish it.”

  I smiled. “I’ll certainly try.”

  They bustled about, finishing the sandwiches and heating the soup. It occurred to me that I should set the table, but I didn’t have the energy. After a few minutes, there was a wonderful-looking grilled cheese sandwich in front of me, along with a cup of soup.

  I tried the sandwich first and gestured with it to Rob. “You may have understated; this is really tasty. Nice and gooey, just the way I like it.”

  “The secret is equal parts Velveeta and Havarti with a sliced tomato on it to make it healthy.”

  “I’m not sure it’s healthy, but it sure hits the spot.” Looking down at my plate, I was surprised to see I had eaten the entire sandwich. “You were right. I finished it.”

  “You needed the energy.”

  Jenny and Rob finished their sandwiches and soup. “What time do we need to be at the police station?” I asked.

  Rob answered, “Four.” My head snapped toward Jenny, and Rob put his hand on my arm. “Patty stopped by while you were sleeping. She’s going to pick Jenny up at three forty-five. She’ll be staying overnight with Cindy at their house.”

  “Thanks for arranging everything. I seem to be stuck in molasses mode today.”

  “I’m going to finish up some of my homework and pack a bag,” Jenny said. “I’ll be down in time to leave.”

  Rob gave me a quic
k hug and started cleaning up. I shook my head. “No way, fella. You cooked. I clean up.”

  Acquiescing, he slid back onto one of the stools at the counter. He studied me. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m still a little numb. It’s such a shock. How could this happen here?”

  “How could it happen anywhere?”

  “Please take the lead with Detective Ziebold. I’m not sure my brain is functioning well enough to handle it.”

  “No problem. We’re a team.”

  Chapter 19

  When we arrived at the police station, the sergeant ushered us into one of the interview rooms and said Detective Ziebold would join us. After a few minutes, the detective came in with a couple of bottles of water.

  “Tough day.” He handed us both a bottle and slid onto one of the rock-hard chairs.

  “It’s just so sad. Do they know if she was killed immediately?”

  “Not yet. The autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow, so we’ll know more then. Merry, you mentioned this morning that Nancy had something to tell you. Have you thought of anything more?”

  “No. She was aware that Rob and I were still looking into Ben’s death. I’m assuming that had something to do with it, but it could have been anything.”

  “Let’s talk about what you and Rob found out.”

  Rob jumped in. “Let me give you a summary.”

  “Please do.”

  “You remember that Merry found that ledger at Ben’s place. Have your people been able to figure out the code?”

  “It seems really simplistic but hard to crack without having a place to start.”

  “Merry and I started with John Gordan.”

  The detective’s eyes widened. “The school superintendent? Why?”

  “Because he had opportunity. Plus, we felt he had something to hide.” Rob explained what we knew about John and his ex-wife.

  “You think that John killed Ben so he’d keep quiet about the fact that John treated his ex-wife badly? Seems a little thin to me.” He shook his head.

  “That’s why we were reluctant to bring you this information,” Rob said. “We didn’t have proof. As we see it, three people were potentially being blackmailed: John Gordan, Suzie Krump, and Belinda Harper. Before you ask why the other two, it was because their initials lined up. And each of them had secrets they wanted to keep.”

  “Everyone has secrets they want to keep. It doesn’t mean they are murderers.”

  I crossed my arms. “It may not mean they are murderers, but it could mean they were being blackmailed. It seems like you’re belittling all the work we’ve done. The police haven’t solved Ben’s murder yet, and now Nancy is dead! This has to stop.”

  Rob held my hand. “Merry’s right, Detective Ziebold. I’m sure you and your team are working away at this, but we’re frustrated because we’re not seeing any progress.”

  “My team is frustrated too. But you really need to leave this to us. We know what we are doing, and I don’t want either of you taking unnecessary risks. There is a murderer out there, and we don’t need any more bodies.” The detective took a sip of his water. “That said, I do appreciate your work and the fact you are sharing it with us. And please call me Jay. There’s no need to be so formal. Now, was there anything else?”

  Rob said, “No, that’s it.”

  “Thank you for coming in and sharing your ideas. We take them seriously and will be looking into them. Merry, here is your typed statement from this morning. Please read it, make any corrections necessary, sign it, and leave it with the policeman outside the door.” Jay stood and turned to leave. Pausing, he gave us a long look. “Please be careful, both of you. This is not a game.”

  Rob scowled. “We never thought it was.”

  “Well, that was depressing.”

  “He’s going to look into what we found. We should view this as a win.”

  I gave him a measured look. “You must be one of those glass-100 percent-full people.”

  “Yep, and proud of it. We should heed Jay’s warnings. I’m going to stay at your house tonight. I don’t think you should be alone. Do you mind if we make a quick stop so I can pick up a change of clothes?”

  “You don’t have to do that. I’ll make sure the locks are on and the alarm set.”

  Rob held my arms and looked deeply into my eyes. “If I don’t stay over, I won’t get any sleep. I’m grumpy without sleep, so you better say yes.”

  I put my arms around him. “I appreciate it. I don’t know if I’ll sleep tonight anyway, but at least this gives me a chance.”

  Rob and I made a quick pit stop at his place. I went inside with him and was surprised at the décor. He had sleek dark-gray leather sofas paired with a chevron-patterned chair in a grouping with a quarter-sawn coffee table. “This is so nice.”

  “Why do you sound shocked?”

  I moseyed over to his bookshelves to examine some of the lovely art. “I figured you to be more minimalist—bachelor traveling the world kind of thing. But you’ve collected some lovely items.” I bent down to caress his Persian rug. “Eclectic, I would call it, but the effect is stunning.”

  He smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

  I continued to look at the photos, the paintings on the walls, and the souvenirs from his travels on the bookshelves. Rob came back in. “Where did you keep all this stuff when you were traveling?” I asked.

  “Storage places mostly. Friends kept some of the more valuable pieces for me. It’s really nice to be somewhere permanent so it’s all in one place.”

  “It’s lovely.”

  We returned to the car, and he asked, “Do you want to stop for something to eat?”

  “No. Let’s just call for a pizza when we get back.”

  I handed Rob the phone as we entered. “Would you call the pizza place? I hate to admit it, but I have their number on speed dial. I’ll make up the spare bedroom.”

  “No need to bother. I can just sleep here on the couch.”

  I shot him a look. “No guest of mine is going to sleep on the sofa. The bed’s way more comfortable. It’ll just take me a minute.”

  “What do you want on your pizza?”

  “Anything but anchovies.”

  I made up the spare bedroom and put a new toothbrush and towels in the bathroom. Changing back into my sweatpants and T-shirt, I rejoined Rob. I sat next to him on the couch. “What do you think Nancy was going to tell me? I keep going over and over it in my head.”

  “Don’t drive yourself crazy.” He put his arm around me.

  “I’ll try not to. Want some wine?”

  “I’d love some.”

  I retrieved the wine and sat back down next to him. I handed him a glass. “To Nancy.”

  “To Nancy.”

  The pizza came, and Rob paid. He brought it into the kitchen, and I followed with our glasses. Topping them off, I took another sip. “Hmm. Maybe Melissa will know something.”

  He kissed the top of my head. “It’s late now. Let’s eat the pizza and figure out our plan of attack later.”

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Jenny bounded through the front door first thing in the morning just as Rob was coming down the stairs. She stopped in her tracks. “I, uh, forgot my math book.” She sidled past him to get to her room, then she ran back down the stairs, book in hand, as I came out of the kitchen. She gave me a long look. “We need to talk when I get home.”

  “It’s not what it looks like,” I yelled after her as the door banged shut.

  Rob and I looked at each other. “Why am I explaining myself to my daughter?”

  “Plus, we didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “And we’re adults anyway.” I smiled as I brushed past him on my way back into the kitchen. “Coffee?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “I defrosted some muffins. I hope you like strawberry.”

  He nodded. “I love all muffins equally.”

  We sat companionably at the kitchen counter, drinking our coffee an
d eating. I asked, “What’s the plan today?”

  “I think you’re right. We should try to talk to Melissa.”

  “Let me call her.”

  I punched in her number, and after a few rings, she answered. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Melissa. It’s Merry. I’m so sorry about Nancy.”

  “The police told me you found her. Would you come over today so we can talk?”

  “Yes, I can. Is nine thirty too early?”

  “No. I didn’t get much sleep anyway, so come ahead.”

  I hung up. “I didn’t mention you’d be with me. I’m not sure how comfortable she’s going to be talking in front of a member of the press. Maybe I should go on my own.”

  “No more going on your own. We’re a team.”

  “Yes, we are. I’ll just have to talk fast.” I took a casserole from the freezer and started for the door.

  Arriving at Melissa’s house, I handed Rob the casserole to hold and rang the doorbell. She answered with a tear-streaked face. I gave her an extended hug as she asked us in.

  “Melissa, I’m not sure if you’ve met Rob Jenson?”

  “Yes. I met him briefly when we were cleaning Ben’s house.” She eyed Rob. “You’re the new newspaper guy.”

  “That’s right.”

  “I don’t want to talk to you.”

  I jumped in. “He’s not here as a newspaper man, Melissa. He’s here as my friend. We’ve both been looking into Ben Ford’s death and now, unfortunately, Nancy’s.”

  “It’s just so hard,” she sobbed. “I can’t believe it! I spoke with her the day before yesterday about our plans for Thanksgiving. Who would do this kind of thing?”

  “I’m so sorry.” I patted her arm with my free hand. “Let me just stick this casserole in the fridge. I’ve got instructions taped to the top.”

  “Thanks for bringing it. You may have to rearrange some things in there. Quite a few people have been by.”

  I took it from Rob and walked into the kitchen.

  When I returned, she said, “We may as well sit down.” She sat heavily. “Did you really find her?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Did she suffer?”

  “I don’t think so, but the medical examiner will give us a better idea after the autopsy.”

  “We were more than just cousins. We were best friends. Being the same age, we went through everything together. When we were young, we were hardly ever separated. My mom used to joke that there was a revolving door between Nancy’s house and mine. We discovered boys, had our hearts broken more than once, and told each other everything. Neither of us kept a diary because there wasn’t any point. I always thought after we got old we’d move in together and look after each other.” She sighed. “That’s not going to happen now.”