by Lee Strauss
Rosa focused on the dimly lit road before her and let her thoughts go back to the night at the fair. Nancy had worn a baby-blue dress with a thick crinoline slip and danced with Eddie. Later, she sat with Pauline on the Ferris wheel.
“Does Nancy understand much about electricity or engineering?” Rosa asked. “Has Marjorie mentioned anything?” While Nancy had worked at the aircraft plant, Rosa didn’t recall her being proficient. Besides, this was Nancy. Rosa just couldn’t believe her old friend was capable of murder.
“Marjorie only talks about clothes and men,” Gloria said with a scoff. “But Eddie’s an electrician.”
Rosa read little into that. A lot of men were electricians by trade, and probably many had been at the fair that night.
“So, tell me about this Alfred?” Rosa said it with a raised eyebrow so her cousin would know this was girl chat, not investigative work, and that Rosa wasn’t judging. One day, she would tell Gloria about her long-ago romance with someone who most definitely wasn’t approved by Aunt Louisa.
Gloria shrugged shyly, but once she opened her mouth, it seemed she was back to her old bubbly self. “I only met him a few weeks ago, so it’s new, and it hasn’t gone beyond a couple of conversations between dance routines. At class, I told him I was going to the Santa Bonita pier on Thursday night with my cousin, and did he want to meet me there. I wasn’t sure what I was thinking.” She rubbed her temples, and Rosa glimpsed the toll the evening had had on her cousin. “Then we happened to see each other at the bandstand, and somehow, the timing worked out perfectly with everyone else dancing so that I didn’t have to say anything.”
“And when he asked you to go for a drive, it just seemed easier not to mention it?” Rosa guessed. “That makes sense.”
“Does it?” Gloria eyed Rosa, still looking for assurance.
Rosa reached over and took her hand. “Perfect sense.”
When Rosa and Gloria stepped out of the Bel Air, Aunt Louisa, Clarence, and Grandma Sally were out on the front stoop.
“What on earth was that all about?” Aunt Louisa braced her hands on her hips. “We’ve been worried sick!”
“It was nothing, Mom.” Gloria stepped past Aunt Louisa and into the mansion. “A simple misunderstanding.”
Aunt Louisa was incredulous. “A simple misunderstanding? Is that what you’re calling it? You! Picked up by the police! Can you imagine the talk that will fly around town?” Aunt Louisa glowered at Rosa as if Gloria getting questioned by the police was her fault.
“They set her free, Mom,” Clarence said with a tone of conciliation. “That means they didn’t have anything to hold her.”
Aunt Louisa shot daggers at her son. “Of course they didn’t have anything!”
Gloria didn’t stick around to engage in a second interrogation. Instead, she hurried up the stairs and left Rosa to face her aunt, Grandma Sally, and a defensive brother, alone.
“It really was a misunderstanding,” Rosa said. “The police were simply doing their job.”
“The mayor will hear about this!” Aunt Louisa spun on a heel of her leather pumps and click-clacked down the tile floors of the hallway.
“Louisa’s experiencing enough fury for us all,” Grandma Sally stated.
Despite her aunt’s brash behavior toward him, Clarence came to his mother’s defense. “She’s just trying to protect the family name.”
“Life is too short for long grievances.” Grandma Sally smiled sardonically. “And I’m too old to be staying up this late. I bid you two young people goodnight.”
Rosa eyed Clarence, who stood casually with his fists in his trouser pockets.
“What?” he said at last. “You’re looking at me like I’ve got my hand in the cookie jar.”
Rosa hated to admit to the thought that had crossed her mind. Had Clarence really wanted those library books for Bernardo’s sake alone? Or did he have reason to brush up on his knowledge on how electrical circuits worked?
“Did you know Victor Boyd bullied Gloria when she was a child?”
Clarence stiffened. “What are you saying?”
“Gloria revealed to the police and to me, that Victor Boyd bullied her and stole a gold necklace. Were you aware of this?”
Clarence’s lips tightened as red flared across his cheeks. He presented his fists and smacked one into the other. “I wasn’t, but if I’d known, I’d have given him a knuckle sandwich. Done the dude in myself.”
“Clarence!” Rosa admonished. “You really shouldn’t say that. Not in the middle of a murder investigation.”
Clarence looked decently chastised. “I didn’t mean to rattle your cage, Rosa. I honestly didn’t even know the guy.” He wrinkled his nose. “You won’t mention it to your cop friend, will ya?”
20
With a mother who owned a highbrow fashion shop, Rosa most often wore dresses. But there was the odd day when she’d wake up in the morning with a sixth sense in wardrobe decisions. Today was one such day. She dressed in a chartreuse pair of capri pants with a floral-patterned, collared blouse. She used a wide yellow headband to push her chestnut hair back and off her face.
As soon as she was dressed, Rosa phoned Miguel at the station. Unhappily, she felt it her duty to relay the threat Nancy Kline had uttered to Gloria about Victor Boyd. As Rosa had hoped, Miguel invited her to join him on his visit to the Klines.
With the windows down, and the radio on—she sang along with Patti Page’s “How Much Is That Doggie In the Window?” giving Diego a quick apologetic look—the drive through town was pleasant. Landmarks that had once felt like home, were welcoming again, like the bakery, the town hall, the brick fire hall, and the school, which now had a new extension. New buildings and businesses like Ralph’s grocery and the Tastee Freeze ice cream parlor were feeling familiar as well.
Pushing her cat-eye sunglasses up along the bridge of her nose, Rosa cast a glance at Diego, who was partially inside the satchel sitting on the passenger seat of the Bel Air.
“Miguel didn’t specifically ask for you to come,” Rosa said. “However, if you behave and stay in the satchel, he might not notice.”
Diego meowed and pushed his little paws against the edge of the satchel, and with his back legs worked himself out of the bag.
“Diego! What did I just say about behaving?”
Perhaps Diego had an issue with the song about the dog, as he jumped onto the dash, then reached down with one paw, patting at the radio dial.
“Get down!” Rosa said. “I’ll turn it off.”
Rosa switched the knob and the car grew quiet. “Are you happy now?”
Diego stretched out on the dash, sunning his furry stomach. Rosa laughed. “Oh, Diego, you have me in stitches.”
When she pulled into the parking lot of the police station, Rosa reached for Diego and placed him back into the satchel. “It’s time to be serious. Now remember, be cool.”
Inside the station, Rosa told the policeman at the desk that Detective Belmonte was expecting her. He left, and soon afterward returned with Miguel on his heels.
Miguel took one look at her wriggling satchel—silly Diego just refused to cooperate—and frowned.
“After the emotional upheaval on display at the mansion last night, I didn’t dare leave him behind,” Rosa explained. “Aunt Louisa’s on a rampage, and I fear for Diego’s life, should he happen to cross her.”
It was an overstatement but had the desired effect of gaining Miguel’s sympathy. “I regret having to put you and your family through that.”
“All in a day’s work.”
Miguel drove the unmarked police cruiser to a middle-class neighborhood on the other side of town and parked in front of a split-level house.
“This is where they live?” Rosa asked. She’d only ever been to Nancy’s family home, which was far smaller and had housed a large family.
Miguel pushed the “three on the tree” gearshift into park. “This is the address Sanchez dug up.”
Rosa eased ou
t of the vehicle, strapped her satchel over a shoulder, and felt Diego squirm inside. “Did you warn them we were coming?” she asked as they walked along the sidewalk and up the short driveway.
“No. In light of what your cousin Gloria told you last night, I thought a surprise visit might work in our favor.”
Miguel knocked at the front door twice, and Rosa’s stomach churned as they waited. Perhaps coming with Miguel was a mistake. Nancy would forever connect Rosa to what was sure to be an uncomfortable interview. Had Rosa had any hopes of mending fences, she was about to crush that possibility.
“Are you all right?” Miguel said.
“I don’t know if you remember, but Nancy was my best friend when I last lived here.”
Recollection dawned on Miguel, but before he could comment, the door opened, and Nancy stood before them, a look of curiosity on her face.
“Rosa?”
Miguel answered. “We’re sorry to interrupt you. Is your husband home?”
“He’s in the backyard with the kids.” Nancy narrowed her gaze. “What’s this about?”
“Just a few questions about the night of Mr. Boyd’s death,” Miguel replied. “We’re speaking with all the witnesses.”
“We’re hardly witnesses. We didn’t see a thing.”
“You might’ve seen something without realizing it,” Rosa added. “Something that will help us. Detective Belmonte only needs a few moments.”
Evoking the authority of Miguel’s position did the trick, and Nancy waved to the sidewalk that wrapped around the house. “Follow that path to the gate and let yourselves in. We’re in the middle of a game of croquet.”
Croquet? Rosa wondered. Croquet was a popular sport in England, and the thought of the game gave Rosa a small pang for home. She had no idea that Americans played it as well.
Rosa followed Miguel to a path along the side of the house, and sure enough, on the sprawling back lawn were several croquet hoops arranged in a course. Eddie Kline stood with three young boys who were staggered in height. Each held a mallet.
Miguel and Rosa stepped through the waist-high gate in time to see Nancy conferring with her husband. Eddie cast them a look of distrust. He then announced to his sons, “Fifteen-minute break, boys. Go get yourselves some lemonade in the kitchen.”
“I’m Detective Belmonte with the Santa Bonita Police Department,” Miguel started, “and I believe you know Miss Reed. She’s an officer with the London Metropolitan Police and is acting with our local department as a special consultant.”
Eddie shot Rosa a look and lifted his chin. “Hey, Rosa.”
“Hi, Eddie,” Rosa said. She’d seen Eddie at the fair, but they hadn’t had a chance to speak, not that they’d ever truly been friends.
Arms folded over her chest, Nancy’s impatience stormed across her face. Rosa imagined that her former friend was holding back on tapping her foot. “You wanted to ask us about the night Victor died?”
“To confirm,” Miguel said, “you were both at the boardwalk when Victor Boyd died, correct?”
“Yes. An unfortunate accident,” Nancy muttered.
Nancy wouldn’t consider the loss of Victor Boyd unfortunate, Rosa thought.
“Actually,” Miguel said, “we’ve escalated the cause of death to murder.” He let that sink in.
Nancy and Eddie shared worried looks.
“If you wouldn’t mind,” Miguel continued, his gaze on Eddie, “I’d like to ask you a few questions in private, Mr. Kline.”
Rosa turned to Nancy. “Perhaps we could have a cup of tea.”
Nancy laughed without mirth. “Only if you want it cold. This isn’t England.”
Rosa didn’t blame Nancy for being brash and defensive and took the snub in her stride.
Inside, the boys were engaged in a raucous game of cowboys and scrambled about the house making shooting noises. “Bang, bang!”
Nancy yelled with little effect. “No running in the house.” Then to Rosa. “We can close the door to the kitchen and get a little peace there.”
Compared to the kitchen at the Forrester mansion, Nancy’s kitchen would be considered cozy with its green walls and white cabinetry. But small. Then again, any room of most homes when compared to the mansion would be small.
Rosa took a seat
Nancy pulled down on the handle of a single-door, new-model Frigidaire to reveal the contents inside. She removed a pitcher that clamored for space beside a half dozen glass bottles of milk, then kicked the door closed with her foot.
Nancy spoke as she poured two glasses of lemonade. “You can’t be having much of a vacation with all the gumshoeing you’ve been doing since you got back.”
Rosa accepted her glass and took a grateful sip. “Once a copper always a copper.”
Nancy grinned. “Copper, huh? That’s swell.”
Rosa was grateful for the smile.
At that moment, Diego’s cute little fuzzy face poked out of the satchel.
“Is your cat thirsty?”
“If you don’t mind a dish of water for him, that would be dandy.”
“Water? Phooey!” Nancy plucked a bottle of milk from the refrigerator and poured a little into a small bowl. As she set it on the floor beside Rosa’s feet, Rosa removed Diego from her bag and placed him on the floor. He eagerly lapped up the milk.
“Thanks,” Rosa said.
“I like cats, but Eddie’s allergic, so we can’t have one.”
“Is it all right that Diego’s here?”
“Oh, a few sneezes won’t kill him.” Nancy put the milk away then took one of the speckled vinyl chairs at the Formica-topped table. “So, Officer Reed. Fire away,”
“It’s just a matter of form,” Rosa said lightly. “You know, crossing all the t’s and dotting all the i’s”
A crash from the other room caught Nancy’s attention. “Fine, but let’s hurry it up before my boys tear the house apart.”
“They’re handsome,” Rosa said. “You must be proud.”
Nancy relaxed. “They’re a handful, but I love them. Can’t imagine life without them now. Sorry I didn’t introduce you to them properly.”
“Another time,” Rosa said, then gently asked, “Did you say that if you got the chance, you would push Victor onto his roller coaster track?”
Nancy’s face went pale. She shook her head. “I didn’t mean it. Did Gloria tell you that? It’s not what I meant!”
“What did you mean?”
“Oh, I don’t know. It was just talk. I wouldn’t kill anyone. Rosa, you know me.”
Rosa patted Nancy’s hand. “I know.”
“Besides, I was with Marjorie and Pauline on another ride when it happened.”
“Eddie’s an electrician now?” Rosa said.
Nancy answered tentatively. “Yes . . . I know Victor died from an electrical mishap, but Eddie wasn’t even in the park at that time. He had an early shift the next day, and had to come home to relieve my mother, who was babysitting. I told you that in the park.”
Rosa nodded, remembering. “Like I said, we needed to speak with you and Eddie as a matter of form.”
Nancy rubbed a finger through the wet ring of condensation on the table left behind by her glass. “I can vouch for Marjorie, so you don’t have to bother her. But I can’t say what Pauline was doing. Although, she’s got a lot of technical engineering knowledge, so you might want to talk to her.”
“Oh?”
“You remember,” Nancy stared at Rosa with meaning. “Pauline Van Peridon of the practically famous Santa Bonita Van Peridons? Robert Van Peridon, Pauline’s father, was the founder of the Aeronautical Research Center,” Nancy explained, “which put Santa Bonita on the map—what with its technological developments in radar.”
Now that Nancy mentioned it, Rosa recalled that Mr. Van Peridon had died at the end of the war in a traffic accident.
“Did you know that Marjorie is interested in Henry Van Peridon?”
Nancy’s brow collapsed. “What makes
you say that?”
“I saw them together a couple of times. The way they look at each other—”
“Ah, that’s a bunch of hooey. If Marjorie was romantically interested in someone, she would’ve told me. She always tells me about her crushes.” Nancy’s lips tugged upward. “Even when I don’t want to hear about them. Besides, I think the older brother, Thomas, would be more her style.”
“Oh?”
“Henry’s a little on the small side. Marjorie’s tall and she goes for the stronger type.
The way Nancy was so certain made Rosa question Marjorie’s motives. Despite her mild denials, Marjorie had definitely shown interest in Henry Van Peridon, or at least pretended to, so why was she keeping it a secret from her sister? Did she really like Henry and didn’t want to deal with Nancy’s surprise? Or was she using Henry to gain information about how to rig the electrical panel at the fair?
“Pauline has been working at the center ever since,” Nancy continued, “and understands electrical wiring and technology better than any person I know, man or woman.”
The memories came flooding back—Victor Boyd pushing Pauline out the school doors during a school blackout. Victor Boyd spouting off that the real heroes put themselves on the front lines. Those that hid at home, he’d said, ‘playing with switches and wires’, deserved to be marched in front of a firing line.
At the time, Rosa had felt bad for Victor—he had been kind to her and had lost his dad. But now, she knew he hadn’t lost his dad in the war. His dad had been in prison while Pauline Van Peridon’s father was making headlines with his work helping the war effort. It was clear why Victor had picked on Pauline so extensively, and so cruelly, that to this day, she could barely bring herself to speak.
Pauline Van Peridon had motive. She had means. She had opportunity.
21
After a stop at the police station, and a phone call later, Rosa learned from Miguel that the Aeronautical Research Center was a family affair with Pauline working as manager of Testing and Research and her two brothers, Thomas and Henry, heading engineering.