Blood Is Thicker Than Wine

by Liz Eagle

  “I was wondering if you had a chance to talk to Phillip lately,” Cynthia said, glancing around the store. “Then I want you to show me your newest dresses. Ha! Not that I would be bothered to buy such dribble in this town.”

  “Why on earth would you, of all people, be asking me that, Cynthia?” Doris asked. “And, if you do not appreciate our fashions, please leave. Remember your credit is not good here anymore. Need I say more?”

  “Oh, come on dear,” Cynthia said, “everyone in town knows you are having a fling with the young lawyer. Why, I was just talking to Louise Chandler about it yesterday…”

  “You were what?” Doris said. “Are you insane, woman? Why I never!” Her voice was so angry and loud that Gus had no trouble overhearing all that was said between them.

  “Calm down, my good woman,” Cynthia said. “I just called her the other day to ask if Phillip was in town because we spoke at the races the other night, and I had more information for him.”

  “Are you intentionally trying to stir up trouble?” Doris asked. “And for your information, I have not seen him lately! Now I have a gentleman customer to help in the back of the store, if you will excuse me.” Doris swiftly turned her back on Cynthia, and she left the store in a huff.

  Doris returned to Gus wearing the best smile she could muster. “I do apologize about that interruption,” she said. “Now, where were we?”

  “I am fine, no need to apologize,” Gus said. “She sounded pretty upset. I hardly doubt it, but was she an unsatisfied customer?”

  “Oh no, just the wife of Dr. Lewis, the town’s only surgeon,” Doris said. “That was his wife, Cynthia. She likes to stir up trouble everywhere she goes. Poor woman, she stays lonely and bored because of her husband’s long hours at the hospital. Keeping the pot stirred seems to be her pastime.” Doris quickly changed the subject, though she desperately wanted to tell the tall stranger that the whole town also knew that Cynthia was screwing young Phillip and that they were broke, she assumed, because of the doctor’s sexual proclivities. “Now, what can I show you?”

  Gus wondered if he should probe Doris for more information, but he had heard plenty and decided to go back to the inn. He was not pleased with Phillip at this point but had to be careful in deciding whether his daughter should know the truth. He also overheard the part about the good doctor’s wife not having credit. Interesting.

  Meanwhile, Max took the opportunity while Gus was out to do some snooping. He noticed that Gus did not take his briefcase with him this morning, so he looked in his room for it. Unfortunately for Max, Gus was always careful to lock his briefcase every time he left the bedroom. He wondered if he could somehow pry the lock open and thought about trying to use a letter opener. Max had heard something about someone using one to open a lock before. He went downstairs to get one to try. Max hated to be so dishonest, but to keep the peace with his wife’s family he felt like he had to do something. Once he got back to Gus’ room, he inserted the letter opener into the key space and wriggled it around. It was more difficult than he thought. Max had to use some force and put more strength behind it. Suddenly, the letter opener jumped out of the lock and scratched its surface. “Damn it!” Max cursed. ‘‘Now Gus will certainly see that someone had tried to open the briefcase.’’

  Max heard the front door open and quickly put the briefcase back under the bed right where he found it. Deciding he would try to appear as though he was tidying up the room, Max began to straighten up the bed covers. It was his house after all.

  “Oh, hello, Max,” Gus said, surprised to see Max in his room.

  “Hello there,” Max said. “I was just doing some tidying up in the guest rooms. Your room has been satisfactory, I hope?” he asked, trying to sound as normal as possible. Max was not usually this nervous, but for heaven’s sake, he was almost caught trying to pry open his guest’s briefcase. He had a right to be nervous. Max felt bad, but not that bad.

  When Max left the room, Gus looked under his bed for the briefcase. He took it out and put the small key into the lock when something out of the ordinary caught his eye. There was a scratch on the lock. He wondered how it could have gotten there. He knew he had never scratched it, and the scratch had not been caused by the key. Then his thoughts turned to Max being in on everything he had learned thus far about the case. This family was having sex nights with other family members, selling homemade wine and lying about it, poisoning people with tainted wine, and now trying to break into his briefcase? That was enough. The inn was not safe anymore, and he needed to discuss these events with Jacqueline as soon as possible.

  Chapter 43

  Winston-Salem, North Carolina

  Lil pulled out the very first document she ever touched at the start of all this, the one on which her grandfather, Gus, had written about his suspicions. She saw there was a second page now that the documents were in order of date and relevance. Lil began to read the rest of his notes, including his opinion that Lil’s dad was a cad, to be nice, and that he suspected him of sleeping with women in town. He wrote as if he had this on good authority. Lil remembered the boutique he referenced, Fraleigh’s. She used to buy clothes there and charge them to her dad after her parents divorced. The dress shop was actually located in a store just below her dad’s law office. She reminisced about how friendly the staff were and how they always helped her find just the right outfit for any occasion.

  Lil put the document on her lap just as Joe sat down beside her on the couch. “Hey love bug, why the long face?” Joe had said that to their dog several times, but he meant it for a horse. Lil knew he was trying to cheer her up. “How are you doing, I mean, how are you really doing?”

  “Well, aside from almost getting killed, or worse, you or one of our friends getting killed, I am alright, I guess.” Lil knew that the reality of that event would take a long time to process, but she would deal with it somehow. She still had a job to do and this family mystery to solve. “What a horrible experience. Anyway, I just finished finding out that my dad was a womanizer, according to Grandpa Gus,” she said. “Is that what was wrong with my family? Did all the scandal and bad behavior start back then, and could my sisters and I have somehow repeated it? Not that we have behaved badly, but all three of us have had failed marriages. I just can’t help thinking about it,” Lil told Joe, “and I wonder if it’s all related, that’s all.” She put her head on Joe’s shoulder, her favorite place.

  Joe turned to face her squarely. “Hey, just...let’s think about this,” he said. “You could not be farther from the truth. I can’t speak for your sisters, but your failed marriages, if you want to call them that, were perfectly reasonable. Listen, we have been together for ten years and I have not seen an ounce of bad behavior in you. You, Lil, are the most loving and caring person I have ever met. That is why I wanted to spend my life with you. If we take a close look at the reasons why each marriage failed, every single one of them would be totally justified. Come on, you know I am telling you the truth.” Joe continued, “Now if you believe that your marriages are somehow related to the things you are reading about, that needs to stop right now. Your father may have done some pretty bad things, but, that is not related to you now. Please stop tearing yourself up so much.”

  “Thank you,” Lil said. “You always know just the right things to say. I hope we stay together forever, Joe.” She hugged him tightly. “I know I have been preoccupied with this family saga and have not been paying enough attention to you,” she said. “You were so sweet to take me to the beach and then some deranged person takes a pop shot at us. The police still have not found the person who did it. I doubt they ever will,” Lil said sadly, wiping away the tears that had fallen on her face.

  “Here’s what I think we should do, not that you asked,” Joe said. “But I think you ought to call Judge Stone again and bring him up to speed. Why don’t you Invite him and his wife over for dinner, so you can discuss this in priva
te? I know you admire his wife, and it would give you a chance to open up about all the things you have learned. We will cook some ‘kill on the grill.’ You just line it up, babe.” Lil was impressed by Joe’s logic. He was amazing, and she planned to line up the dinner date with the judge and his wife at the very next opportunity. She would not, however, leave a voice message for anyone for fear of getting shot at again.

  “Of course, we would love to come for dinner,” Judge Stone said. “I have heard Joe is a great griller. What can we bring and what time should we head over?”

  “How about 6:30?” Lil asked. “I am not sure what Joe has in mind to grill, but we will take care of everything. Just come hungry.” Lil knew Judge Stone and his wife would never come empty-handed. Just talking to him on the phone gave her a feeling of excitement. It would be nice to talk to him in a more relaxed setting.

  Chapter 44

  1945 Warsaw, New York

  Gus was careful to lock the briefcase after making his notes on the information about Doris and Cynthia. Before he closed it, he put a piece of tissue on the top. If anyone was to open it the tissue would fall off and he would know. It was an old trick he learned long ago and should have thought about sooner. He shoved it back under the bed, deciding not to reveal his suspicions to anyone at this point. He saw his daughter pass by his room and called out to her. “Hey there, Jackie,” Gus said. “How are you doing today?

  “Hi Dad.” she said. “I am just fine. Are you alright? Are you busy at the moment?” Jacqueline thought it might be a good time to discuss her wedding plans.

  “No, I’m not working right now,” Gus said, “but I would like to talk to you and bring you up to date on the investigation. Remember, we promised, no more secrets.” He was hesitant to involve her after Max had tried to open his briefcase, Gus now believed the inn was not as trustworthy as he had once thought.

  “Of course, tell me what is going on,” Jacqueline said. “I would love to hear about your work.”

  Gus explained about the letters sent from Attica Prison and how he was assigned to investigate. He told her about the conversations with one inmate in particular, Inmate Harvey and how it led him to investigate his murder trial and the missing jars of wine at the crime scene. Gus then shared about his visit to the hospital to talk to Dr. Lewis, the doctor who Gus believed was also lying. He also mentioned the report from the FBI lab concerning the chemical called copper sulfate and how, if the girls ingested it, like Jacqueline, but in large quantities, it could very well have killed them.

  “Are you implying that Max and Gynnie’s homemade wine was tainted with the chemical and that is what actually killed those poor girls?” Jacqueline said. She did not know what to make of it. That was an impossible thought. How could she even consider marrying someone whose family was capable of such atrocities? Jacqueline had to stop herself from thinking only about herself. There were definitely more pressing issues, other than her wedding, to be discussed.

  “Well, yes,” he said. “As usual, you are very perceptive. The report did say the cause of death was strangulation, but I have come to believe that the good ole’ doctor was not exactly telling the truth about his final report and his examination of the deceased women. It could be that ingesting the copper sulfate caused the girls to be so incapacitated, and possibly quite near death, that it was a small task to strangle them and kill them. The report could have been doctored to show strangulation to throw someone off the track of searching for poison. Not that I believe anyone in this town would dare cross the good doctor or a highly regarded attorney. I believe this town thrives on lies, scandal, and now murder. There are some people who are very good at covering their tracks, and I mean to find out who they are and bring them to justice.”

  Gus saw the expression on her face and tried to reassure her that the investigation was not, by any means, complete. He held her and told her that he had more to learn, but because Max had lied about selling the wine and had admitted possessing the chemical, that they were persons of interest to the FBI. He made a point of disclosing that he was not focusing the investigation on her soon-to-be groom, but rather on the elder Chandler and perhaps the town’s surgeon.

  “Oh, how dreadful,” Jacqueline said. “What can I do to help clear this family of any suspicion? You know I will do anything you ask, Dad.” She was beside herself with worry. “Do you think it could have been accident? I am sure those sweet, but strange, people downstairs did not mean to actually kill anyone.”

  “Well, accident or not, the truth is that an innocent man is imprisoned, and those responsible directly or indirectly are still at large. That is not how our justice system should work. I am charged with the task of trying to find the truth, which I might add is becoming increasingly difficult. That is why I thought it was time to disclose the case to you. We are very close to those who may be potential suspects.

  Max reached under the bed and retrieved his briefcase. The tissue would have to be replaced. He told Jacqueline that his entire investigation was locked inside the case and that he locked it every time he left the room. He pointed to the place on the lock that was scratched, commenting that it was not like that when he left today. Gus went on to tell Jacqueline about finding Max in his room claiming to be tidying up earlier in the day when he came back to the inn. Gus explained that the inn may not be a safe place for them any longer and gave her the option to return to the city, if only temporarily.

  “Oh no, Dad,” Jacqueline said. “‘Please don’t send me back there. I have not been back in so long. I have no life there now. I sent a cable to my seamstress and told her that my life was up here now. I had told her about Phillip when I had the last fitting weeks ago. I want to stay here with you, and with Phillip. I could help you prove that Phillip had nothing to do with this. I know he is oblivious. He is such a kind man.”

  Gus definitely had another opinion about Phillip but had decided he would keep that to himself for now. This was too much to put on his daughter.

  “Very well, but you must promise to let me know where you are at every minute,” Gus said. “I love you so much, Jackie, and would kill anyone who would ever lay a hand on you or hurt you,” he said as he gave his precious daughter a big hug. He really meant what he had just said to her, and he would not hesitate to go to prison for killing any person who would hurt his daughter, no matter what their standing was in this town.

  They both decided it was best to carry on like normal so as not to raise any suspicion with Max or Gynnie. Gus would go where the investigation led him. He promised to keep Jackie informed, and she, in turn, promised to let him know exactly where she was, as much as was possible.

  Gus decided it was time to crank up the heat on this family and see what happened. He secretly hoped and prayed that his daughter did not get caught in the crossfire. She was a very strong girl and could take care of herself, Gus rationalized.

  Chapter 45

  Winston-Salem, North Carolina

  “Welcome to our humble home, Judge and Mrs. Stone,” Lil said. “What a pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Stone. We are delighted to have you both as our guests. Please come in and make yourselves comfortable.” Lil was a little nervous about this plan but decided to make the most of it. Of course, she would have to keep this dinner engagement private as she would not want others in her agency to think she had an advantage with the judge.

  “We have been looking forward to breaking bread with you and have heard wonderful things about your husband’s grilling abilities,” Judge Stone said. “What can I do to help?” Mrs. Stone asked. She and Judge Stone followed Lil into the kitchen, where she served them a glass of California red wine.

  “We have other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages if you prefer something else,” Lil said.

  “Don’t be afraid to ask for another type of beverage. In light of the information about my family, I just thought that having wine, not homemade, I might add, was app
ropriate given the circumstances of our investigation.” Lil smiled slightly at her joke and looked over at Mrs. Stone, who was nodding as if she had been made aware of the circumstances. “Judge, have you informed your wife about the discoveries we have made about my not-so-distant and sometimes shady relatives? I would not be opposed to her knowing, if you had.” Lil was trying to be polite and wanted to make sure that the judge knew she had no opposition to his wife knowing about it all. Perhaps she could chime in an opinion or three about the case.

  “Well, yes,” he said. “After we accepted your invitation to dinner, I felt it was best if she was aware of the type of conversations we could expect to have over dinner. So, yes, she is well aware, and I am glad that you don’t take exception with that. I believe I will have some non-homemade wine, so pour us both a glass. Thank you.” He smiled. Judge Stone had a knack for making everyone feel relaxed and at ease whether he was in his office, in the courtroom or in someone’s home.

  They ate dinner on the deck. It was a lovely afternoon and the temperature was just right for an evening meal outside. They enjoyed more wine, laughed at court jokes and avoided the topic at hand for at least an hour while eating. Lil and the judge’s wife cleared the table and went back into the house to prepare dessert. Joe and the judge were left to themselves.

  Judge Stone said, “I can now honestly say that you are by far the best griller I know. That piece of meat was the best I have ever had. I would ask you for your secrets but am afraid you would have to kill me afterward.” He chuckled, and Joe couldn’t help but do the same. “No, all kidding aside, I had heard a rumor confirming your reputation for being a grill master, but I can assure you, after this meal, I can confirm it as fact.”