“Sometimes love can turn to hate,” Ryan said. “Were you having any problems?”
“No,” Kelly said. “Things were wonderful. We were so happy.”
“His family doesn’t seem that fond of you,” Heather said simply.
“That’s because B.W. thinks I did it. I didn’t do it, but he thinks I did. I’d be mad at who I thought killed Ben if I had some idea of who could have done it,” Kelly said, miserably.
"Why does he think you did it?" Heather asked.
“Because of the kiss,” Kelly said. “And I agree it looks bad. But I would never have kissed him if I knew it would hurt him. And Mr. Shellingsworth never hated me until he thought I was a killer. He said terrible things at the party, but he’s never said anything like that before.”
“He said that he thought you were after his money,” Heather prompted.
“I’m not wealthy like they are,” Kelly admitted. “But I wasn’t with Ben because of his money. I was with him because he was sweet, and smart and kind. He knew how to make me laugh. I can’t believe he’s gone.”
Heather thought about it. “Did both of his parents feel the same way about you? We saw you with Mrs. Shellingsworth a few times throughout the night.”
“B.W. was always formal but polite,” Kelly said. “Until Ben’s death. Maybe he didn’t approve of me completely, but he wasn’t mean. Meg Shellingsworth might talk down to me, but I think she enjoyed my company. We're not that far apart in our ages. She's Ben's stepmother."
“And did both parents get along with Ben Shellingsworth?” asked Heather.
“Oh, yes,” Kelly said. “They loved him. He was their pride and joy. And he was supposed to carry on the family legacy. They must be devastated now.”
"Miss Catrin,” Ryan said. “I’d like to talk to you more about the murder weapon.”
“You said it was my lipstick that was tainted?” Kelly asked.
“That’s right,” Ryan said.
“Murder makeup,” Amy whispered again.
“You told us earlier that it was a special lipstick,” Heather said.
“Yes,” Kelly said. “But because of its color. Not because it was deadly.”
“But no one else would have this specific color?” Ryan asked.
“I don’t know,” Kelly said. “I had it made to match my dress. It was my splurge purchase for the party. I wanted to look pretty. Maybe someone else had a similar color?”
“But you were the one wearing it and who transferred it to a man who was allergic,” Ryan pointed out.
“But why would I kill him that way?’ Kelly asked. “It ties right back to me.”
“He died because of an allergic reaction,” Ryan said. “Maybe you were hoping that it would look like an accident and that you could get rid of the evidence in time. You weren’t counting on B.W. Shellingsworth watching what happened.”
“No,” Kelly said. “And I was the one screaming. I was trying to call attention to what happened so I could save him. If I had only been a little calmer, maybe I could have gotten to my purse and his EpiPen sooner. But we thought that the party would be safe. Mr. Shellingsworth had made the party preparations so it would be.”
“Don’t let Chief Chet hear that you don’t think it was him who did the planning,” Amy said.
“Why wasn’t Ben Shellingsworth carrying his own medicine?” Heather asked.
“It was the suit he was wearing,” Kelly said. “None of his pockets were large enough to fit it.”
“I have a question,” Amy said. “How could you not have known about the lipstick once you put it on? Didn’t it have a peanut-y smell?”
“I don’t know,” Kelly said. “I don’t have a great sense of smell. Maybe it wasn’t strong-smelling. I didn’t notice it.”
“Did anyone else handle your lipstick that night?” Ryan asked.
"They must have," Kelly said. "I was wearing this shade all day, and I kissed Ben before the party with no reaction. Someone must have tampered with it at the party that night."
“Did you remember anyone touching the lipstick or near your bag?” Heather asked.
"No." Kelly frowned. "No one touched my bag while I was holding it. But I had my purse at the coat check most of the night. Someone must have gotten it while it was there."
“Do you have any idea who might have wanted to hurt him?” asked Heather.
“No,” Kelly said, tearing up again. “He was the kindest, noblest man. I can’t believe anyone would want to kill him. All I know is that it wasn’t me.”
“Well, thank you for cooperating with us,” Ryan said, starting to end the interview.
“Wait,” Amy said. “What about that lady in the bathroom?”
"That's right," Heather said. "Who was that woman that gave you a dirty look?"
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen her before,” Kelly said. “But she did act very suspiciously. She told me my lipstick was smudged, remember?”
“I think we have another suspect,” Heather said to her friends.
“Please find whoever did this,” Kelly pleaded. “I know Mr. Shellingsworth thinks I did it and will use all his influence to make things harsher on me. But more importantly, you need to catch this person because they hurt Ben. And that’s inexcusable.”
“We’ll find the killer,” Heather promised.
She and the other investigators left the interrogation room.
“I know we’ll find the killer,” Ryan said. “But we have to admit that there is a chance that the killer is already caught and is in that room.”
“It’s possible,” Heather admitted. “But I think there are some more questions that still need to be answered.”
Shellingsworth’s Opinion
“You’re the private detectives that the police chief said were the extra help on the case?” Mr. Shellingsworth said after Heather and Amy were admitted to see him.
“That’s right,” Heather said. “And we want to make sure that every aspect of the case is covered correctly.”
“If you want my opinion, you already have the killer in custody,” Mr. Shellingsworth said.
“We’re more interested in facts than opinions,” Amy said.
"Why the audacity!” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “Do you know who I am?”
“A grieving father,” Heather said. “And we want to make sure that there is justice for your son. We just also want to make sure that no one jumped to any conclusions.”
“But that woman killed him,” Mr. Shellingsworth said.
“Calm down, B.W.,” his wife said. “They’re just doing their jobs.”
“Couldn’t the chief have come and talked to me? Why did he have to send them, Meg?”
“I’m sure they’re good at what they do,” Meg Shellingsworth said. “Let’s tell them what they want to know so they can be on their way.”
“If you’re trying to unravel the case against my son’s killer, I won’t stand for it,” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “You’re falling for her tricks as well.”
“We just want to make sure that the right person is behind bars,” Heather said. “If what you tell us supports the case, then there’s more reason to keep her there. If there are any flaws in the case, I’m sure her defense will try and exploit them at the trial. It might be better to know what they are now. And if she is innocent, we want to find the real guilty party.”
“Fine,” Mr. Shellingsworth said, finally sitting down. “What do you want to know?”
“First,” Heather said. “What did you mean when you said we’re falling for her tricks as well?”
“It’s how she trapped Ben,” he explained. “She pretended to be so nice and sweet. She also pretended to be in love. He was falling for her charms, but it was all an act. She was a gold digger.”
“How do you know that?” Heather asked.
Amy had taken out her tablet and was taking notes on their interview.
“Well, of course, she was a gold digger,” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “Do y
ou know what she did for a living?”
“Actually, no,” said Amy.
“She was a dental assistant,” he said with disdain.
“What’s wrong with that?” asked Heather.
“Dental assistants belong to a different echelon than us,” Meg Shellingsworth explained.
“She wanted his money,” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “It’s obvious.”
"How did they meet?" Heather asked, wondering if it would seem like Kelly Catrin had been conniving to meet Ben Shellingsworth and get him into her clutches like his father seemed to think.
“I believe he had a toothache,” Mr. Shellingsworth said, shrugging off the question. “He told her after his appointment that he felt bad that people couldn’t talk to her while they were in the dental chair and he asked her out to dinner. But it doesn’t matter who initiated it. She was a gold digger who was out for his money.”
“But how was she going to get the money with him dead?” asked Heather.
"Clearly, he discovered what she was up to. She decided that if she couldn’t have him, she would dispose of him,” Mr. Shellingsworth said.
“They seemed pretty happy to me,” Amy said.
“Perhaps. But Ben had just gotten out of a relationship. This was clearly a rebound one, and Kelly was unhappy about it,” Mr. Shellingsworth said.
“Who was his last girlfriend?” asked Heather.
“Oh. I don’t remember her name,” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “She didn’t come by the house. Apparently, she was intimidated by me or something.”
“Imagine that,” said Amy.
“She was someone I would have approved of,” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “She was an heiress.”
"Maybe she's also a killer," Amy suggested.
“Don’t be silly,” said Mr. Shellingsworth. “Why would she have killed him? She was rich.”
"She might have been heartbroken over the breakup," Meg said. "It's possible."
"Is there anyone else who could have had a reason to hurt your son?” Heather asked.
“I know who did it,” he protested.
“Let’s pretend for a moment that it wasn’t Kelly Catrin,” Heather said. “Who could it have been?”
"Well," Mr. Shellingsworth said. "If I had to think of other suspects... Perhaps Lester Wilton."
“Who is he?”
“A business rival,” Mr. Shellingsworth explained. “I can’t think of anyone who would want to kill Ben, besides the obvious. He was a perfect child. But it’s possible that someone might have wanted to hurt me by hurting my son.”
"We'll speak to Lester Wilton," Heather agreed.
“He’s a ridiculous man,” Meg Shellingsworth said. “He walks around with a monocle and thinks he’s better than us.”
“A monocle?” Heather asked. “Then he might have been at the party.”
“Right,” Amy said. “Because how many other people in town wear them?”
"But I think it might have been Kelly,” Meg Shellingsworth said. “She was very sweet to me, even that night. But I heard her and Ben arguing the day before. I don’t know what about, but it sounded heated.”
“See?” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “Why are you wasting our time?”
“Did you and your son get along?” Heather asked.
“Perfectly,” said Mr. Shellingsworth. “And if you’re trying to suggest that I would do something to harm him it’s impossible. Firstly, because he was my beloved son. And secondly, because I also have an allergy. It’s not as severe, but I would have had a reaction if I were the one handling peanuts.”
“Kelly was at our house before the party,” Meg Shellingsworth said. “We all left for it together. Who could have known what she was plotting?”
“If you want my opinion,” Mr. Shellingsworth started.
“Well,” Amy said before Heather shushed her.
“She just wanted to wait until there was a crowd until she enacted her plan,” Mr. Shellingsworth said. “She thought she would get away with it. But I won’t let her.”
“Thank you for your help,” Heather said before she and Amy left.
“This sounds serious,” Amy said. “If she didn’t do it, we need to figure out who did.”
“And quickly,” Heather agreed.
Another Suspect
From speaking with the Shellingsworth couple, Heather and Amy had found two new potential suspects. Because they still didn’t know who Ben’s former girlfriend was, they decided to focus on B.W. Shellingsworth’s rival, Lester Wilton.
“I do hope this is exciting,” Lester Wilton said as he showed the women into a large sitting room. “Talking to private investigators sounds thrilling. But I was speaking to a reporter the other night, and it was frightfully dull."
“We’re not fans of talking to the press ourselves,” Amy said.
"But we do appreciate that you are talking to us," Heather said.
“I hope it is worthwhile,” Lester Wilton said. He cleaned his monocle with a cloth and then replaced it on his face. “I am a terribly important, you know. Or did you know? Is that why you’re here? Do you need my influence in a case of yours?”
“We’re here about Ben Shellingsworth’s death,” Heather said.
“Oh, yes, that,” said Lester Wilton. “Ugly matter. Him dying at the party like that. I assume it was his allergy that did him in.”
“You knew about his allergy?” Heather asked.
Amy had taken out the tablet again to record notes.
“How thrilling,” Lester Wilton said. “Are you writing down everything I say? Will the police be looking at this? Am I going to help with a crime?”
“Well, I’m not going to write down that,” Amy said.
"How did you know about Ben Shellingsworth's allergy?" Heather repeated.
“Everyone knew about it,” Lester Wilton said. “B.W. was already careful about peanuts when it was his allergy, but when he learned how bad his son’s was, he made sure that everyone he came into contact with was careful about it.”
“Would you say that you knew the Shellingsworths well?” Heather asked.
“I knew B.W. well enough,” Lester Wilton said. “You might say we were rivals.”
“Mr. Shellingsworth did say that,” Amy said.
“But I don’t see what any of this has to do with his son’s death,” Lester Wilton said, adjusting his monocle and peering at them. “Wasn’t it just a tragic accident? I know B.W. Shellingsworth was yelling about a killer that night, but that was just his way of mourning, wasn’t it?”
“I’m afraid not,” Heather replied. “We’re investigating his death as a murder. We believe his allergy attack was triggered by someone’s intentional actions.”
“This is exciting,” Lester Wilton said with a mischievous smile. “Horrible, of course. But also thrilling. Private investigators are questioning me about a murder.”
“And you’re behaving rather suspiciously about it,” Amy said.
“You believe that I may have had something to do with it?” Lester Wilton said. “Interesting.”
“You were at the town’s New Year’s Eve party, weren’t you?” Heather asked.
“Of course,” he said. “Anyone who is anyone was there. It’s a fun way to show support for the community without having to get too involved.”
"Did anyone accompany you to the party?” asked Heather.
“You know, I can’t tell if you’re asking whether someone was there to keep an eye on me and be a witness to say I committed no murder, or if you are asking whether I’m single.”
“The first one,” Heather said.
“Fine, fine,” Lester Wilton said with a sigh. “But it’s the same answer to both. Since my wife passed away several years ago, I’ve been going to these sorts of events alone. I didn’t remarry like B.W. did.”
“Did you talk to the Shellingsworth family the night of the party?” asked Heather.
“I don’t believe I spoke to Ben. I suppose I nodded to B.W. in passing. We�
��re not exactly friends. We are rivals, after all.”
“How fearsome is this rivalry?” Heather asked.
“Well, I wouldn’t kill his son, if that’s what you mean,” Lester Wilton said. “What a terrible thing to imply. You know, I don’t think I like talking to investigators after all.”
"Maybe you didn't mean to kill Ben,” Heather suggested. “Maybe you meant to go after B.W. and miscalculated.”
Amy gave her friend a look. How could someone have miscalculated poisoning Ben’s date’s specialty lipstick? Heather just wanted to keep Lester Wilton talking to see what else he would say.
"I'm no murderer," Lester Wilton said. "And it's becoming less and less charming to be accused of it. I didn't like B.W., but I didn't want him dead either. I enjoyed our feud. It was like a hobby for me. I'd speak ill of him, and he would do the same. It looks like he might have evolved and is now accusing me of crimes. But I never did anything to harm him, and I would certainly never have hurt his son."
“Can anyone verify what you were doing right before Ben Shellingsworth’s death?” Heather asked.
“I was in a room full of people,” Lester Wilton said. “I’m not sure who saw me and who didn’t. I was near a man who was doing magic tricks. And rather poorly, I might add.”
“If he was near Wally the Wonderful, then he was on the other side of the room,” Amy said.
“And how am I supposed to have killed him?” Lester Wilton asked. “Why would he have eaten anything that I gave him? He knows his father and I feud. You wouldn’t just accept a snack from a supposed enemy. Not that I would actually do anything to hurt him.”
“Do you know anyone who would want to?” asked Heather.
“To hurt Ben? No. He seemed like a nice enough young chap,” Lester Wilton said, cleaning his monocle again.
“Seriously,” Amy said. “What’s with the monocle? Couldn’t you just have gotten glasses?”
“Ah, but where’s the fun in that?” Lester Wilton asked.
Heather thanked him for answering their questions, and the private investigators left.
Champagne Cream & Murder-An Oceanside Cozy Mystery - Book 14 Page 4