“Momma, you broke up their marriage,” Hope chastised with bright, big eyes that judged her mother's actions.
“Child, you have no right to suggest such a thing. I made a mistake. I thought Hiram loved me, and as much as I felt bad for what our relationship would do to Prudence, I was a young girl in love for the first time. I was impetuous and admit my mistakes now.” Raelynn explained that Hiram had taken advantage of her, convincing her to help him with the legal documentation to have Prudence declared mentally incompetent and placed in an insane asylum. Raelynn had also assisted with overseeing the inheritance bequeathal from the Garibaldis to their daughters Constance and Prudence. “Hiram promised me he'd marry me if I lied, to help him divert the money from the Garibaldis. Unfortunately, I never knew how ruthless he was until the day Prudence disappeared.”
Once Hiram told Prudence he was leaving her and she disappeared inside the library, Hiram had met with Belinda to plan their future together. After that conversation, Hiram had located Raelynn to end the affair with her. He'd gotten everything he'd needed from her and planned to dump her so he could move on. “Hiram told me he couldn't marry me, that I wasn't the woman he loved. He'd been cheating on me too. I just hadn't known it at the time.”
“Why didn't you tell the police what he was doing to Prudence?” Hope asked, her voice disillusioned and slightly peevish. “You helped him get away with stealing money from another family.”
I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to the story. I patiently waited for Raelynn to finish, after dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
“There's something else I need to tell you, child.” Raelynn stood and faced the opposite direction. An entire minute passed by before she turned around with desperation in her eyes.
“You can tell me anything, Momma.” Hope cupped her mother's hands and led her to the chair. They both sat, huddled together in a moment that would forever change their relationship.
“Hiram Grey is your biological father.”
Oxygen dissipated from the room at an unstoppable pace. Like standing in the eye of a hurricane, the room silently prepared for the inevitable devastation. They were both eerily calm only because no one knew how to respond to Raelynn's shocking news. As Raelynn attempted to comfort her daughter, Hope's body trembled at being forced to accept the truth. Everything she'd ever believed about herself was methodically questioned in those ten seconds while the room remained tense. “I'm speechless. Based on all the research I've completed, I should hate this man.”
Raelynn bit her lip and held back her own tears. “Let me finish, Hope. I'd been prepared to tell Hiram I was pregnant with his child, but he dumped me before I could. Then, the fire broke out during the Vietnam War protest, and Prudence disappeared. I left because I was afraid of Hiram. I was certain he'd either killed Prudence or locked her away in an asylum. He'd used me and wasn't the kind of man I wanted any child of mine to call a father.”
Hope gasped. “But how did you meet Daddy, the father… the man I thought was my father?”
“I waited to see what happened with Hiram, but he never sought me out again. I knew then that I was in danger, so I had to leave Wharton County. I took a bus to New Orleans to start over.” Raelynn had met her future husband on that bus, and within a month, they'd gotten married.
“Did Daddy know I wasn't his daughter?”
Raelynn nodded. “He loved us enough to raise you as if you were his biological child.”
“And Hiram Grey has no idea he's my real father?”
Raelynn affirmed, “I never told him. I came back throughout the years to check on the situation, but every trip showed me how grateful I was to escape. That man has married so many unsuspecting women and had so many sons he hardly knows how to love himself, let alone another human being.”
“Why are you telling Hope now, Mrs. Lawson?” I felt the need to insert another voice into the mix, hopeful to understand the larger story.
Hope raised her head, curious to know why. “Tell us, please.”
“Your adoptive father has been dead your whole life. I'm getting older, and we had no other children. Your auntie is the only family you have left, and when we're gone, you'll be alone. You're fifty years old, Hope, and you haven't married or had your own children.” Raelynn wanted her daughter to have a family to rely on.
“Does Hiram know now?” I asked, curious if that's why he'd changed his will.
“Hiram and I talked about it last week, when I first arrived. I confessed the truth about Hope. He and I agreed we would tell her after he had proof I wasn't lying. Even in his old age, that man is still a venomous cad.” Raelynn confirmed she'd provided a few strands of Hope's hair to Hiram. He'd arranged for them to be tested. “We would've talked to Hope together soon, but then he had the accident.”
I understood now why Hiram had changed his will. Had he told Raelynn that he'd leave the money to Hope? Her tender confession felt genuine, but I also wondered whether this was a setup to ensure I didn't suspect them of trying to kill Hiram. “You never said why you revealed the truth today.”
“I didn't know Hiram had been in an accident until this morning. I went to the hospital to see him, but they wouldn't let me visit because I'm not family. Damien and Belinda sat by his side, at least he has someone who loves him.” Raelynn wanted Hope to know the truth, so she could have a moment with her father should things take a turn for the worse.
“I need to get to the hospital. Will they let me see him?” Hope jumped up in a panic.
“I'm not sure, child. No one else knows he's your father. We should talk to Belinda or Damien. They might let us visit him. It's been fifty years since I last interacted Belinda, but she was a reasonable woman back when I knew her.”
Still unsure whether to believe the full story, I felt compelled to help Hope contact her father, in case something happened to him. “I could speak to the nurse. Brad is a friend of mine, and he might find a few minutes if he knows you are Hiram's daughter. He's trustworthy and won't reveal your secret.”
Raelynn and Hope thanked me for my generosity and agreed to let me intervene. I began to wonder whether it might be a ploy to finish killing Hiram Grey. I would need to loop in April as soon as possible. She might have better insight on how to proceed. Contrary to popular belief, I unequivocally did not think I knew everything. After leaving the office, I headed straight home to my daughter and Ulan. They'd arrive at Danby Landing soon, and given all the strange things going on, I wasn't letting either spend a single moment alone. We were sharing several hours of crucial family time this evening.
* * *
Once the kids were in bed, Nana D and I chatted. She confirmed Raelynn's story about them working together on the farm fifty years ago. At least I felt better about trusting Raelynn, knowing Nana D liked the woman. I checked with Brad, who agreed to let both women visit with Hiram if the sheriff and his boss approved it. I told him I planned to loop in April and would contact him the following day with confirmed next steps. I called April and updated her on the conversation with Hope and Raelynn, but she was in the middle of reviewing another case, so we agreed to speak the next morning.
As I laid in bed, analyzing everything that had happened, the clues assembled like a movie organizing someone's hidden secrets. I noodled over the different conversations I'd had with all the potential suspects and knew I was on the cusp of solving the crime. I verified the kids and the puppy were sound asleep, switched off my light, and begged the slumber gods to deliver a more concrete theory before sunrise. In the middle of the night, they answered my prayers. I shot straight up in the bed, gasped, and called Nana D.
She picked up after four rings and shouted, “What's wrong? Who's in trouble? Where do I need to be? Am I on fire? What's going on?” Nana D rarely crawled into bed before midnight, but this time, she sounded inordinately groggy and irritated.
“I think I know who killed Ian O'Malley and Prudence Grey. Only I'm not sure how to prove it yet.” I couldn't help but
bounce on the bed like a small child anxiously waiting for Christmas morning.
“That's great, brilliant one. Call me back after dawn when you have the answers. For the love of all things sacred, don't mess with my sleep schedule now that I'm the mayor.” Nana D pressed a bunch of buttons on her phone, cussed like a well-educated truck driver, and hung up in quite the fury.
Chapter 17
Late the next morning, I crashed the Wharton County Sheriff's Office to discuss the investigation. I'd been trying for an hour to convince April of the killer's identity. While pointing to a photo of the person I'd grown convinced was guilty, I stressed, “That's who we should focus on. Everything leads me back to the same place. This might be our only opportunity to lure the killer out of hiding. What other plan do you have?” I urged April to lend my idea more consideration before refusing to give it a chance.
Connor grunted, leaning in April's direction. “I hate to admit it, boss, but Kellan might be right. We're no closer to solving Ian O'Malley's murder from fifty years ago or Prudence Garibaldi Grey's murder from several days ago. Let's walk through all the suspects one more time to be certain.”
“Listen to Connor, if you don't want to accept what I'm saying. Fair?” I pleaded with April who nodded in partial consent. “Forget what I just told you and take a fresh look at the clues.”
We began reviewing all the evidence they'd collected from fifty years ago. Ian's skeleton had revealed his head was bashed in, either before or during the library fire. No one had known he'd snuck back into town. He'd been found with half of a key to the Garibaldi basement. Prudence had been trapped nearby at one point. Ultimately, the man had been in Vietnam for the previous six months, and there was no trace of potential suspects from that part of his life who'd wanted him dead.
“Let's start with Ian's wife. Minnie claims she didn't know her husband had returned, yet once said he'd called her. Then again, no one remembers seeing her near the library during the protest.”
Connor added, “Father Elijah thought Minnie was guilty and tried to protect her, but he also indicated Ian never contacted him or Minnie about his impending arrival home. The priest confessed to being Damien's real father, but I don't understand what that has to do with Ian's death.”
“Lloyd thought Ian's skeleton belonged to Prudence and confessed to locking her in the library's basement where construction had been underway that day,” I interjected, pacing the floor of the Wharton County Sheriff's Office. “Madam Zenya, who is really Prudence's sister Constance, told me Prudence wasn't involved with Ian in any way, shape, or form. Whoever clobbered Ian with the two-by-four probably did so because he saw them trap Prudence. Ian was never meant to die that day.”
April slammed her hands on the desk. “We're just going around in circles. What if the previous and current killers are two different people? Perhaps the person responsible for Ian's death died years ago and has muddied up these waters. You don't know for certain that the two events are linked—”
I interrupted April because I felt assured that they had something in common. “It can't be coincidental. Madam Zenya… Constance… however she refers to herself these days… and Prudence stirred up a lot of trouble by trying to trap Hiram into admitting he'd done something years ago.”
“Let's continue assuming the same killer committed both murders,” Connor tempered.
I tossed out the multiple options. “It could be Hiram. Constance might be lying to me. Bartleby's been stalking me for a month. I can't discount Raelynn Lawson and Lloyd Nickels. Even his sister Belinda was around back then. They all had connections to either Prudence or Ian, and in some cases, both.” I drew lines on the whiteboard to show how it was all related. “That's why I'm certain this is our killer.” I practically pushed my index finger through the pad on the center photo.
April jumped up, shoved me out of the way, and rolled out a second whiteboard from the closet. “Let's keep going with this craziness for a few minutes. What about the attempt on Hiram Grey's life and the murder of Prudence Garibaldi? It must have something to do with Hiram changing his will.”
“Don't forget most people think it was Madam Zenya who was stabbed with the pitchfork. We haven't released the truth to the public yet,” Connor reminded us.
“The same lot of people could be guilty for this last round. If either Constance or Prudence had discovered the original killer's identity, the second killer might've tried to erase her from the picture. We can now add in Damien Grey, Xavier Grey, and Hope Lawson. All of them might've learned about the changes to Hiram's will and thought they'd inherit the vast majority of his fortune.” I added those notes to the whiteboard and tossed the marker at April. “What evidence can you share about those suspects?”
Connor replied, “I talked to Xavier Grey. He arrived yesterday to see his father. He was definitely out of the country and couldn't have caused the haunted hayride incident. Maybe he hired someone.”
“Finnigan Masters, Hiram's attorney, validated that no one had access to the changes in the man's will. We also found the copies you saw Finnigan hand to Hiram at St. Mary's. They were in his briefcase in his car. No fingerprints other than his own and the attorney's.” April crossed out Xavier's name and put a question mark above Damien's. “I'm worried about his lack of an alibi. If he almost lit Lloyd on fire, he's capable of killing someone. I'd be shocked if he committed patricide, but….”
“Imogene and I spoke about her father. I also followed up with Lara Bouvier. Damien is not a violent man. Never has been,” I added, to play Devil's Advocate, ensuring them I understood people could change under a difficult or stressful situation. “Imogene's husband is partnering with her father to open the new business. Damien didn't need the money anymore.”
“No one recalls seeing Hope or Raelynn in the rest area. It's possible Raelynn wounded her back on the hayride, but neither Chip nor Lloyd documented the incident happening under their watch.” Connor flipped through his case files to confirm the details from his previous interviews.
“Madam Zenya has been in hiding. Minnie O'Malley hasn't returned my phone calls in nearly thirty-six hours. We know she handled the pitchfork at some point, and you were told about the cuts on her hands later that day. Fingerprint tested proved it too.” April underlined both women's names in dark ink on the whiteboard. “Those are our best two options, but the motives are still unclear and flaky.”
“That's why you need to accept that my proposal has potential.” I suggested a two-pronged approach to smoking out the killer. First, we'd publicly share a news report that doctors would awaken Hiram Grey from his medically induced coma the following day. Second, I'd invite all the potential suspects over to the Garibaldi house, using a variety of reasons and excuses. Then, a ghost would appear pretending to know who killed Ian O'Malley. “It's not ideal, but it could apply enough pressure.”
“If the killer thinks Hiram might regain consciousness and remember who attacked him, he or she could strike again. We need to ramp up security around his hospital room,” Connor suggested.
April raised her eyebrows. “It's a long shot. We should post a guard twenty-four-seven at Wharton General. Would the murderer be foolish enough to break in and risk getting caught?”
“What's the harm of doing it, April?” Connor asked, tapping a pencil against the desk. “Worst case, we learn nothing. Best case, we trap a killer?”
“You indicated many of these people are on the approved list to visit him. My friend Brad is considering whether to let Raelynn and Hope enter the room, given Hope is his daughter.” Part of me still wavered on the killer's identity, but I had to go with my instincts about who had the most to gain.
“Our budget isn't large enough for massive security. Let me think about it. Have you spoken to anyone else about this, Kellan?” April looked inquisitively at me, waiting for an answer.
I stepped closer and rested a hand against her shoulder. Even though Connor was in the room, I wanted her to know that I was only trying
to help the situation and that she meant a lot to me. “I gave Lara Bouvier a heads up that we might need to get something on the air tomorrow.”
April closed her eyes, then whispered to me, “You're incurable. I do not understand how to handle you anymore.”
Connor had taken the hint and turned the other way, embarrassed enough for all three of us. “Is this painful moment ever going to end? For the love of all things holy and innocent, get a room and work this out so the rest of us don't have to place bets on you two killing each other anymore.”
April pulled away from me and turned to Connor. “Keep it up, detective, and you'll walk a beat for the next month. Capiche?”
When April picked up her office phone and was out of the line of sight, I stuck out my tongue at Connor and did a mini happy dance. I had a temporary win coming. I could feel it.
“If you want to survive our next workout, buddy, back down.” Connor twisted our college ring on his finger in circles and smirked at me. “You know I don't make idle threats.”
Had I not known he was joking, I might've backed down. Instead, I responded, “If you can't handle the heat, take a walk to cool off, man.”
Connor strolled toward me with a sly, menacing grin on his face. “That's it. You're going down like a sinking ship at the gym tomorrow.”
April ended her call. “Quit it, you stubborn meatheads. You've got my approval to go ahead with this plan. But…” April advised, staring us both down at the same time. “Connor will handle the communication with Lara, and Kellan… you will stay out of his way.”
I opened my mouth to object but thought better of it. Again, I'd won a small battle today whether either of them could admit it. “That sounds like a fantastic plan. I have an important errand to run, anyway. I'll let you know when I communicate the invitations for my fake housewarming party.”
After we agreed on the details, Connor left to discuss the timing and message with Lara. April and I rescheduled our dinner for the umpteenth time to Halloween night. I conveniently left out that it was also my birthday. I began reaching out to everyone, including Nicky who could help get my new house ready for company. Since April had her own tasks to execute, I took off for the lighthouse.
Haunted House Ghost: Death At The Fall Festival (Braxton Campus Mysteries Book 5) Page 25