Ida squinted in the direction Ruth was pointing. “You think they hid the drone under that big freezer?”
“I don’t know if it would fit,” Nans said.
“Maybe they have more than one hiding place,” Lexy suggested. “I know Sprinkles has places all over the yard.”
“I know what we’ll do!” Ida said. “We’ll come back, and I’ll bring the controller. Maybe that drone has some life left in it, and if I try to fly it, we’ll see something move somewhere. It might just be wedged under something. Then we can run right in and grab it.”
“Good idea,” Ruth said. “Maybe later tonight when it’s a little darker and Rupert can’t see us so good. There’s no fence around the perimeter, so we can run right in and grab it if we need to.”
“We’ll have to bring some dog treats to distract those dogs,” Ida said. “They’re biters.”
Helen shot Ida a look. “Those sweet little things? I think they’d sooner cuddle you to death than bite you.”
Ida held up her purse. “Really? Look what they did to my purse!”
“Never mind your purse,” Nans said as they came to a stop next to Lexy’s car. “Let’s go over what we learned from Kingsley.”
“Well, we learned that Olive and Rupert were pretty chummy with the sister. Maybe that’s who Rupert’s having the affair with,” Ruth said.
“But we don’t know that it’s Rupert having the affair. It could be Olive,” Helen pointed out.
“No, I don’t think so. Kingsley didn’t see any men coming over,” Nans said.
“Maybe she was discreet about it,” Ida suggested.
“We’ll have to keep that as a possibility until we know more,” Lexy said.
Helen’s eyes flicked over toward the Jensens’. “ Maybe Mrs. Jensen has more information.”
Lexy thought she saw someone watching out one of the windows but couldn’t be sure if it was just a reflection. “We definitely need to put her on our list of people to talk to.”
“But not tonight,” Nans said. “It’s suppertime, and we don’t want to disturb her. Plus I think our visit will be a lot better received if we bring some pastries from Lexy’s bakery.”
“Good idea!” Ida said. “We can pretend we’re bringing sample pastries to all the neighbors on account of the Kingsleys’ party. You know, Lexy could pretend she’s trying to drum up more business.”
“Hey, maybe she even really will get more business!” Ruth said.
“Maybe.” Nans opened the passenger door of Lexy’s car and flipped the seat up for Ruth, Ida, and Helen to contort themselves into the tiny back seat. “One other thing we found out from Kingsley is that Olive didn’t need the money from her books. If what Kingsley said is true, they were living off of Olive’s inheritance.”
“Which gives Rupert an even bigger reason to pretend that she’s alive. He wouldn't get any of that money if she were dead.” Helen ducked her head, stuck her left leg into the car, and folded her body up as she slid into the back seat.
“And with the new book coming out, the royalties will go straight to their bank account.” Ruth followed Helen into the back seat.
“But what about the sister?” Ida asked, pausing at the car door. “If they were close, the sister would notice Olive was missing.”
“Not if the sister was in on it with him,” Nans said.
“Good thinking,” Ida said. “Which means tomorrow we need to take a trip out and talk to Olive’s sister.”
* * *
Lexy dropped the ladies off at the retirement center, where they rushed in and hurried to catch that night’s bingo game. She had texted Jack about dinner earlier in the day, and they’d settled on Chinese food, which she picked up on the way home.
Jack pulled in just as she was wrestling the takeout bag out of the back seat of her car.
“I’ll get that.” He grabbed the handles of the bag and placed a kiss on the top of her head, sliding his free arm around her as they walked up to the front door. Sprinkles erupted in a chorus of barking as soon as Lexy slipped her key into the lock.
“Hey, girl.” Lexy bent down to pet the dog as she wiggled and shimmied in front of them.
“I’ll set out the plates. I’m starving.” Jack headed toward the kitchen. Sprinkles, smelling the Chinese food, immediately abandoned Lexy to follow him.
Lexy wasn’t far behind and pulled the cardboard containers out of the bag while Jack got plates out of the cabinets. Soon the aroma of sweet-and-sour chicken, beef teriyaki, and jumbo fried shrimp filled the small kitchen.
They loaded their plates and settled at the small kitchen table, with Sprinkles on the floor between them, eagerly looking up for a handout. Lexy cut off a little piece of broccoli that didn’t have any sauce on it and handed it to the dog, who seemed oblivious that she was getting the least desirable piece of food.
“So what trouble did you guys get yourselves into today?” Jack asked over the piece of teriyaki.
“We didn’t get into any trouble.” Lexy poured some duck sauce on her rice. “Well, Nans and the ladies might have. They insisted on accompanying me to the consultation I had with Caspian Kingsley about the brunch I’m catering for him, and they almost fell into the Pendletons’ pond.”
“Uh huh.” Jack dipped his teriyaki into the puddle of sauce on his plate. “What were they doing near the pond?”
“I’m pretty sure you could make a good guess.”
“Looking for a body?”
“Spot on. But they didn’t find one. It’s too murky.” Lexy chewed sweet-and-sour chicken thoughtfully then ventured a question to Jack. “Did you find out anything more?”
“No calls have come in, so as far as the police are concerned, there was no murder, but I did manage to take a little detour when I was out on a call, and I scoped out the backyard. I did see a big stain on the cement just like you said.” Jack sighed. “Unfortunately, I can’t get out there to test it to see if it’s blood.”
“But you do think it is,” Lexy said eagerly.
“Of course. Based on what you told me. The trick is trying to prove it or find some kind of evidence that gives us probable cause to go in there.”
“I found out a little bit of information on the Pendletons from Caspian Kingsley,” Lexy said.
Jack’s left brow quirked up. “Really? I’ll tell you what I found out if you tell me what you found out.”
“You found something out?” Lexy’s heart warmed at the fact that Jack was investigating the case even though it wasn’t official police business. Their relationship had really progressed. Once he would have scoffed at her. Now he took what she said more seriously and was helping out even though he could get in trouble at work.
Jack nodded. “You first though.”
Lexy relayed the information Kingsley had told them about Olive’s sister and the inheritance. She reiterated their suspicions that Rupert wanted Olive out of the way because he was having an affair, but he didn’t want to lose out on her money, so he’d hidden the body somewhere.
“Since Olive is known to be reclusive at times, it’s not hard for him to pretend she’s just hiding away in her home office, writing,” Lexy said.
“That’s what I was thinking too. I did some more digging because I figured the motive probably has something to do with money. Olive did inherit a lot. Unfortunately, I can’t look into their bank accounts or other finances without a warrant, which I won’t be able to get. I was able to determine that their mortgage is current, and there’s no foreclosure, but there were a couple of late payments and some dings in the collections database. Looks like they have…or had money trouble.”
“But don’t they have a lot of money if Olive inherited a bundle?”
“I’m not sure about that. But even a bundle can be spent pretty quickly.”
“But if that money is gone, then why kill her?”
“Well, you did mention something about him having an affair, right? We both know that’s the other reason most murder
s occur.”
“Yeah, we were thinking maybe it’s the sister, because they are close, and I think she would have said something by now if she’d lost contact with Olive.” Something niggled at Lexy’s brain. Something that Kingsley had said. “Kingsley said he saw another woman over there that he thought was either the maid or Olive’s assistant.”
“That’s right,” Jack said. “The little research I was able to do did come up with an assistant.” Jack scrunched up his face and thought. “I think her name was Connie… yeah, that’s right, Connie Davis. I’m not sure about a maid. Doesn’t seem like they could afford one.”
“Connie Davis. Huh. Never heard of her.” Lexy filed the name away for future use. She’d have Nans and the gang do some research on this Connie Davis. Maybe she was the one Rupert was having the affair with? If not, maybe she would know something about the affair or at least could be questioned about what was going on with Rupert and Olive. She could be a gold mine of information if she was Olive’s assistant. They just had to approach her the right way.
Lexy reached across the table and put her hand on top of Jack’s. “Thanks for having faith in me and helping us out. I know you’re taking a risk at your job, so I really appreciate it.”
“No problem, cupcake. I’m happy to help you, and besides, if there was a murder in town, I want to solve it even if there isn’t any official evidence right now.”
“Yeah, well, I just hope we can solve it.”
“Don’t worry. Either you, Nans, and the ladies will break the case, or some evidence will come to light. Something’s bound to break soon, because you can’t hide a body for very long. Sooner or later, they always turn up.”
8
Even though Ruth drove a big blue Oldsmobile and the ladies were not without transportation, they’d talked Lexy into driving them over to Susan’s house the next day. Lexy hadn’t resisted much. She wanted to hear what the woman had to say herself, not to mention that she wasn’t exactly sure that it was safe—or legal—for Ruth to drive. On the way over, she told them about Jack’s visit to the house and how he’d noticed the stain on the patio, as well as the research he’d done on the Pendletons’ finances and the identity of the assistant.
“I knew Jack wouldn’t let us down,” Nans said. “It’s great that he’s helping us out on the sly, but since he can’t do anything officially, I think it’s up to us to find the evidence to nail Rupert.”
“And to find my drone,” Ida chimed in from the back seat.
“I figured he wouldn’t be able to look into their financials,” Ruth said. “So last night I went to the community center to watch Wheel of Fortune. You know Mildred Dowse always watches it on the big screen in there on Fridays.”
Nans swung around in her seat. “And Mildred still works at the bank!”
“Yes, she does, and when I happened to just casually mention the Pendletons, she told me that Rupert had come in every other Tuesday and gotten a whopper of a cashier’s check.” Ruth lowered her voice. "She's not supposed to tell anyone specifics about people's banking, but Mildred and I go way back."
“How much?” Nans asked.
“Ten thousand dollars!”
“Well, that certainly is interesting,” Ida said. “I wonder what he would need that for. Maybe he’s buying property or something.”
“My bet is on the ‘or something,’” Nans said.
“This case is shaping up! We have more research to do on Connie Davis and those mysterious cashier’s checks,” Helen said.
“Yeah, but maybe after we talk to Susan, we can head back over to the Pendletons’. I have the controller in my new purse,” Ida persisted.
“Maybe, Ida, but the research is of the utmost importance. We have to get all the information and clues together before we make an incorrect assumption. Kingsley mentioned a maid, and we’re not sure if the other woman he saw was this Connie person or a maid. Susan could be a totally innocent party, but I hope whatever she tells us today will shed some light on this situation,” Nans said.
“That’s the house, number seventeen.” Ruth pushed her face into the front seat of Lexy’s car as she pointed toward a small, blue, ranch-style home. Lexy pulled over to the curb. The neighborhood was modest, the houses probably built about twenty-five or thirty years ago. Well kept up but not rich by any means.
“You think that’s Susan’s house?” Nans frowned at her smartphone, where she’d used her GPS app to guide Lexy to the address they’d Googled earlier. “I guess it is. She sure doesn’t live the high life like her sister.”
“That’s what Kingsley said.” Ruth pulled the lever on the back seat and tried to push it up even while Nans was still sitting in it. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go question her and see if we can trip her up.”
Nans popped the door open then got out and pushed the seat up for Ruth. “Now Ruth, this isn’t an interrogation. We have to speak to her gently.”
“Maybe if we’d brought some pastries, it would’ve broken the ice,” Ida suggested.
“You’re just saying that because you wanted to eat some on the way over,” Nans said.
“I still don’t know what you’re going to ask her, and the pastries are always a good excuse to start a conversation. No one ever turns away old ladies with pastries,” Ida said.
“It’s easy. I’m going to tell her that Helen here is doing a piece in the paper on what it’s like to be the sister of a famous author.”
Helen had been a journalist her entire life, and now that she was retired, she worked part time for the local paper. Her contacts at the paper came in handy, as did the excuse that she was working on an article. Anyone who got suspicious could check that she really worked there, but the paper would never verify exactly on what, and if anyone got too nosey or demanded to know when the article would be printed, Helen simply told them it had been cancelled.
“That sounds like it really would make a good article. Maybe I’ll actually write that,” Helen said as Nans knocked on the door.
They stood lined up on the stoop, waiting for Susan to answer. When no one came, Nans knocked again.
Ida shaded her eyes and looked through the window at the side of the door. “Darn it, just our luck. She must not be home.”
“Where do you think she could be?” Ruth asked.
“Probably with Rupert now that Olive is out of the way.” Ida wiggled her eyebrows mischievously. “All the better for snooping around.”
Ida hopped off the steps and sidled past the bushes, pressing her face right up to the big picture window.
“What do you see?” Helen asked as she skirted the hedge, angling her body sideways to move in beside Ida.
“Nothing much. Looks like a regular living room to me.”
“Maybe we can see more through one of the other rooms.” Nans walked around the side of the house. “And the neighbors won’t be able to see us snooping over here.”
They followed Nans, peeking in the windows of a room which must’ve been the spare bedroom. A white quilt lay on the bed. The walls were cream colored, and a blue-and-white area rug covered honey-colored hardwood floors. A little white bureau sat against one wall, and on top of it were dozens of pictures of a little black dog.
“Oh, that must be her precious Peekapoo,” Helen said. “Isn’t that sweet. She has pictures of him.”
“No pictures of the son, though,” Nans observed.
“Kingsley said they were estranged, so maybe she doesn’t keep pictures of him out. Too painful,” Ruth said. “I wonder how long they’ve been on the outs.”
They moved on to the next window. This one must’ve been the master bedroom, as it featured a queen-size bed with a colorful comforter. The room was neat as a pin. On the opposite wall was a low dresser with a TV on top. The closet door was slightly ajar, and some clothes were laid out at the foot of the bed. “She sure is different from the sister. Everything’s in its place. ’Course, that makes sense if she was a librarian. That’s what you found
online, Ruth, right?” Helen asked.
“That’s right. She’s retired now, though. Looks like she has enough money to live comfortably but doesn’t spend it frivolously like the Pendletons.”
“I’m surprised with all that family money that she lives in this tiny little ranch,” Ruth said as they went around the other side of the house and peeked in the doorway to the kitchen. Like the rest of the house, it was neatly apportioned. A modest kitchen table sat in the eat-in kitchen, sheer curtains on the windows. It was serviceable and clean but looked like it hadn’t been updated in several years.
“Maybe she likes the security of having the money. Or maybe they didn’t inherit as much as we’re thinking,” Nans said.
“Even if she did have a lot, that doesn’t mean she wants to spend it all. Look at Myrna Hastings. She’s a millionaire but lives like she’s on Social Security,” Ruth pointed out.
“Well, one thing’s for sure: she doesn’t have much to hide,” Nans said as they came back around to the front. “There was nothing online that indicated anything out of the norm. She was married. Had a son. Worked in the library.”
“Boring,” Ida said.
“Hardly the type of person that would have an affair with her brother-in-law,” Lexy added.
“Ha! Those are the type that usually do. All those repressed emotions or something.” Ida peeked into the side door to the garage. “Her car’s not here.”
“Well, I wouldn’t expect it to be if she didn’t answer the door.” Nans squinted toward the end of the driveway. “She must have been here at some point, because the mailbox flag is up.”
“Oh, goody.” Ida rubbed her hands together and rushed down to the mailbox. “Let’s see what she’s sending out. Maybe it’s a love letter to Rupert.”
Ida flipped the door open and reached her hand in then pulled it back out, a small square letter clutched between her fingers. The envelope was a thick cream-colored paper. The address on the front was neatly done in black pen
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