Dr. Goulden was a gentle woman whose array of family photos said she might empathize, but would never understand how the unwillingly childless portion of her clientele felt. “Anything’s possible,” she said. “But not likely. I’m sorry.”
Possible, but not likely. The words would not go away.
But now she was back home and needed to refocus. It was a beautiful May afternoon, and even inside the house, she could hear birdsong. It was the kind of day where anything should be possible.
Possible, but not likely.
“I don’t have any words,” she said to Niki. It was true. She couldn’t think of any way to express the weight of this awful turn of events.
“I know,” was all Niki said. No arguments, no nagging, no in-your-face ‘talk to me’.
Eventually, tea and saltines stayed down, and Grace moved to the old high-back rocker. Niki went upstairs and, finally alone, Grace let the doctor’s words sink in.
Possible, but not likely.
Murder investigations aren’t scheduled, and a double-booked lawyer is rarely an excuse to delay an arrest. She was on her way back from Easton, where Whitney had been arraigned and delivered to the Talbot County Detention Center when she received a call from Mosley. The news that the State Police wanted to interview Melanie and Hallie wasn’t a surprise. While Mosley agreed to run interference with the police and act as the Overtons’ fairy godfather, he’d made it clear that would be the extent of his involvement. He was waiting for her at the Egret.
At the office, she briefly conferred with Lily, outlining her plan for handling their clients to the extent ‘handling’ was possible. If Lily seemed cold, Grace was grateful no questions were raised about her absence. She was trying hard to wall off the morning’s events and just be thankful that the prescription the doctor had given her seemed to work. She was even beginning to feel hungry and found a packet of gingersnaps in her tote bag. Niki to the rescue again.
“Cookie?” Grace said, holding the bag out to Lily.
Without looking up from the briefcase she was packing, Lily said, “No, thanks. Wouldn’t want to catch that twenty-four-hour bug you’ve got.”
“You know I haven’t got a bug.”
“Now that you mention it, I did hear that from a client,” Lily said. “Congratulations. We need to get going. Mr. Mosley is waiting.”
Mosley met them in the lobby of the Egret, looking both tired and exhilarated.
“Ready for some golf, Cyrus?” Grace asked and gave him a hug, surprising herself as much as Mosley, when she found it hard to let go.
“The boys can get along without me for a while,” he said, referring to the trio of octogenarian golfers who usually commandeered the lion’s share of his days. “The mother and daughter upstairs are a handful, but I don’t think they killed anybody. Proving it will be a challenge, but we’re up to it.”
Breaking her silence, Lily said, “But, sir, you said you wouldn’t represent them. And you,” she gave Grace a dark look, “are leaving. Are you just going to prop these people up for right now and then drop them? That seems to be the operating plan these days.”
Mosley frowned and said, “I don’t care for the tone, Lily, but you have a point.”
“She has an attitude, is what she has.” Grace was ready to drive home her point, but the tea she’d been so grateful to keep down was ordering her to find a restroom. When she returned, she found Mosley and Lily sitting in a quiet corner of the lobby, briefcases open, and papers spread out between them.
Mosley stood as she approached them, and this time, he hugged her. “Congratulations, m’dear,” he whispered in her ear. “What can I do to help?”
“She told you.” Grace pulled away from him and got a legal pad and pen from her own bag. She was furious with Lily, but this wasn’t the time to sort it out. At least the problem of how to tell Cyrus was solved. “We have clients upstairs. This conversation needs to wait, okay?” She made herself look Mosley in the eye until his smile faded and then turned to Lily. “I’d appreciate it if you keep what you think you know to yourself. The Overtons aren’t going to be put off by a lawyer with morning sickness, and other than frequent bathroom breaks, I’m fine.”
“Now, Grace,” Mosley interrupted. “Let’s not argue. Your condition — ”
“It’s a baby, Cy, not a virus. I’m not incapacitated, I just need short breaks at inconvenient times.” She told herself it wasn’t a lie; she was feeling better. Better and tired of trying to manage other people’s feelings. “Who’s going to understand the situation better than Melanie Overton? She knew I was pregnant before I did.”
Mosley still looked worried but quit arguing. He briefed her on the current situation while Lily kept her head down, reading and sorting the paperwork they were discussing.
“I’ve arranged for Melanie and Hallie to be interviewed here,” he said. “All I got from Detective Marbury is that results are in on the autopsies, and there are questionable circumstances surrounding both deaths.”
“What does that mean?”
Mosley shook his head. “That’s all I have. I’ve told Melanie they’re coming, but try to prepare her. Marjorie found a second certified nanny. I hope having two professional caretakers will forestall the removal of the children by Social Services. Unfortunately, if they arrest both Melanie and Whitney, I’m sure that will be the result.”
“Have you heard anything to make you think that’s imminent?” Grace asked.
“You mean other than Whitney’s repeated confessions? Not yet. Melanie says Whitney will fix everything.”
Grace groaned. “Any idea what that means?”
“Just wishful thinking, I’m afraid. But in better news, the three older boys arrived this morning. At least for now, they’re distracting their mother and sister. They’re polite and well-spoken and make a good impression. In fact, all the children seem to be taking their unstable circumstances more or less in stride.”
“We should be so lucky with the adults. What about Felicia’s children?” Grace asked.
“DSS arrived without notice last night and collected them. They’re together in a temporary foster home until Ms. Jones’ parents can be found. Apparently, there are no fathers named on the birth records.” Mosley stopped for a breath, and his phone rang before he could continue. His end of the conversation consisted of a string of acknowledgments and a short ‘thank you’. He disconnected and motioned for Lily and Grace to move in closer.
“I have a connection in the medical examiner’s office. I’ve never had to call in this particular favor before.” He shot Grace a look that said before you. “Test results prove that the John Doe in the morgue is Heath Overton. He was killed by a blow to the head that appears to result from a fall. He may have hit the edge of a dumpster.”
Grace winced and asked if the fall was accidental.
“Unlikely, according to my source. And while the unfortunate man died on impact, he was also damaged rather severely after death by a trash truck compactor.”
Lily accepted the information without flinching, while Grace gave a prayer of thanks for the anti-nausea pills.
“Are you up to telling Mrs. Overton and her daughter?” Mosley asked.
Grace stood and gathered her things. “I’ll do the best I can. But you know they will talk, especially now.”
Mosley offered to stay, but Grace insisted she could handle things. She tried to send Lily with him but was secretly glad when she lost that argument. They rode the elevator to the fifth floor in silence.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Grace expected to find bedlam on the penthouse floor, not the laughter that filtered down the hallway between the two suites. A door burst open, and several small children in swimsuits ran out followed by a tall young man and two shorter boys, each of whom scooped up a giggling child before nodding to Grace and Lily and trotting off to the elevator. An efficient looking woman carrying an armload of flippers, goggles, and bottles of sunblock hurried after them.
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br /> “You’ve met the big boys and Nanny Williams, I see.” Melanie held the door for them. Her face had a grayish cast, and there were shadows under her eyes. Grace and Lily followed her into a surprisingly neat living room.
“We can talk over there,” Melanie pointed to the far end of the room where a dining table sat next to a window with a view of the town square and the harbor. “I can’t possibly describe how grateful we are for your partner’s generosity. Lightning Strike officially notified me this morning that as of today, we are off the payroll and the series is canceled.” She handed a Fed Ex envelope to Grace. “We do still have money, but not enough to pay for all this and whatever else is coming. We’re fortunate that the rent on the house in Mallard Bay was paid in advance. We can stay there until the end of June. The only good thing is Sawyer’s gone. No need to be nice to him now.”
“How are the children handling everything?” Grace asked, then regretted it when Melanie looked like she would dissolve.
“The three oldest boys know their dad is missing, but not about the man in the morgue and that he might, you know.”
“And how are you and Hallie,” Grace said, hoping to forestall the hysterics that appeared to be a heartbeat away.
“We’re beside ourselves, naturally. Did Whitney stick with her story?”
Grace could feel Lily glaring at her, but there was no time to lecture Melanie on truthfulness. “Let’s handle your police interview now. We’ll work out the rest later. Where’s Hallie?”
“She’s napping — ”
“No, I’m not,” Hallie said as she came into the room. Slumping into a chair next to her mother, she tossed a credit card onto the table. “When have you seen me nap? I signed up for another SAT prep course. Dad said I had to keep my skills up.”
“And I told you we need every penny to make it through the next few months. What part of ‘no money’ don’t you get?”
“What part of ‘insurance settlement’ do you think I don’t understand?” Hallie snapped.
Melanie froze, then glanced at Grace before answering her daughter. “You must have misunderstood everything I said about that. Felicia’s policy won’t pay out until the insurance company has delayed every way they can. And your father’s policy is still up in the air.”
“Dad’s policy?” Hallie said slowly, looking from her mother to Grace and back again. “You said the police made a mistake. Dad’s alive. You promised.”
“Oh, of course he’s alive,” Melanie said. “They’re wrong about that poor man they found.”
She didn’t have time for a soft spin of the truth. Grace said, “Melanie, I’m sorry, but the identification was confirmed. The police will give you the details.”
Hallie didn’t seem to need a translation of the conversation. She sat motionless as tears rolled down her cheeks. Melanie untwisted herself and put her arms around her daughter.
Grace let them have a moment and then reluctantly interrupted. “Ladies, the police will be here soon. When they leave, one or both of you might leave with them. I’ll do everything I can to prevent that from happening, but you have to help me, okay?”
Hallie nodded. Melanie just looked blank. Grace decided it was the best she was going to get.
“Detective Marbury will interview you. You’ve met her, so that will be helpful. She’ll want to ask about Heath, and about Felicia’s death. You have to accept that she was murdered. She didn’t overdose, and she didn’t die in her sleep. The police have arrested Whitney, but they want to know if she had help.”
“They suspect me?” Melanie gasped.
Grace let that image sink in, then added, “We have to assume so. You and Hallie.”
“But why?” Melanie wailed.
Grace hung onto her temper, but she saw Lily roll her eyes.
“The marriage, Felicia’s behavior, your arguments, her attack on Hallie — take your pick. If Felicia was the woman who was in Baltimore with Heath, they’ll consider it another motive for you to kill her. We don’t want to add to their suspicions, so let’s discuss what you’ll say when they ask you about the night she died.”
“Whitney’s handling that,” Melanie said. “So, we aren’t saying anything, right, Hallie?”
Hallie nodded.
Grace tried from a different direction. “They’ll ask where you were and what you were doing between the time you last saw Felicia and when you called 911 on Saturday morning.”
Melanie didn’t hesitate. “We were asleep, right, Hallie?”
“Stop it!” Grace shouted and was glad to see both mother and daughter jump. Even Lily was startled. “This isn’t make believe — it’s real. What happened to Felicia?”
Melanie hugged herself tighter.
Hallie looked lost for a moment, then said, “Felicia caused all of it. She deserved to die.”
“Oh, shut up.” Melanie got up and went to the wet bar, took a bottle of vodka out of a cabinet, and poured herself a healthy slug. When she came back to the table, she said, “This is all wrong. Grace, you and this girl,” she jerked a thumb at Lily, who gave her a ‘no you didn’t’ look, “work for me, not the other way around. Now, what do I need to do to get my children out of here?”
Grace checked her watch. She’d been talking for a half hour, apparently to no avail. She had to find a way to get her clients through the MSP interview without incriminating themselves. “When the police come, don’t speak to any of them unless I tell you to. Not even Chief McNamara or Corporal Banks. Understand?”
Melanie nodded, but Hallie said, “Aidan wouldn’t do anything to hurt us.”
“No one’s trying to hurt you,” Grace said. “But the police have to find the person who killed Felicia. Corporal Banks has taken an oath to uphold the law, and yes, Aidan would act on anything you said. You’re a minor, so unless they have cause to arrest you already, they can’t interview you without your lawyer and your parent’s permission. They can’t make you talk. All you have to do is to be quiet unless I tell you to say something.”
“I don’t want them to talk to her at all,” Melanie said. “I want her out of here. Hallie, go pack your things. You,” she pointed at Lily, “can make yourself useful and take her somewhere safe.”
“No,” Grace said. “Detective Marbury has a warrant to interview her. We can only control how you handle the questions. You both had motives to kill her, and the police won’t stop until they have answers.”
“I did it,” Hallie said. “Make them leave Mom and Aunt Whitney alone. It was me.”
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous,” Melanie said, dismissively. “Grace, why are the police even bothering with Felicia? She took too many sleeping pills, so anything Whitney did to her is irrelevant.”
“But it wasn’t Aunt Whitney. Tell the truth, Mom. Tell her how you found me with the pillow — ”
“Stop it.” Melanie was speaking to her daughter but looking at Grace. “I will not lose a minute’s sleep over that woman’s death. Do you understand me?”
“I’m not asking you to,” Grace said. “I’m simply trying to keep you both from being arrested.”
“And Aunt Whitney?” Hallie asked. “She — ”
“Not. A. Word.” Melanie said. “Remember?”
A knock at the door ended the argument.
Grace rose and looked at the mother and daughter, once again huddled together. “Listen to me. No matter what the police say, wait for me to tell you to answer, then only answer what they ask you. No explanations, no side comments, no questions. Understand?”
“And then it will be okay, right? They’ll leave us alone?” Hallie still held onto her mother, but she sounded stronger.
“I don’t think so, honey,” Melanie said with a gentleness Grace had never seen in her. “You’re my big, strong, beautiful girl, and you’ll be able to take care of things. Just remember what I told you.”
“No, please,” Hallie begged. “I can’t.”
“You’ll do fine,” Melanie said.
The knocking was getting louder. Grace had no time left to find out what her clients were up to. She gave them a last stern look and opened the door to Marbury and McNamara.
“Come in,” she said, moving back and waving them inside. “I’d like to set the ground rules first thing — ”
“I did it!” Hallie was on her feet so fast her chair flipped sideways and crashed into a small glass table with a sound like a gunshot. “I killed Felicia.”
“No, no! Not like this.” Melanie reached for her, but Hallie twisted away.
“I did it,” she said again, backing away from her mother but watching the police.
Detective Marbury said, “You have the right to remain silent…”
Hallie heard her mother crying as the detective talked on, Grace’s objections rising over the perfunctory words. She also heard her own pulse pounding through her head, a rhythm that had been growing louder the past few days, synching with a litany of her father’s last words to her.
Hallie, how could you?
It’s your fault.
You never listen.
Help your mother.
“… do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you?” Marbury finished.
Hallie understood everything.
“You can’t do this to her,” Melanie cried. They were all watching her when Hallie began to run.
“Stop!” Marbury shouted.
The next moments would replay over and over again for all of them in the days and weeks to come. Desiree Marbury would feel the pistol in her hand, her only thought to keep it away from the girl charging toward her. Grace would remember being frozen where she stood, watching Lily moving to stop Hallie. McNamara would see them slam into Marbury, and all of them fly backward into Grace before he could pull her to safety.
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