by Cindy Bell
“Maybe Leanne did that as a way to hide her own actions.” Suzie’s brows knitted together. “She thought she could deflect blame because it would appear that Conner was the last person to see Priscilla alive.”
“There’s still the issue of how Priscilla’s body got out the window.”
“What if Conner and Leanne worked together?” Mary spoke up with a soft voice. “What if they bonded over their dislike of Priscilla and made the plan?”
“Then why would Conner be talking to Neil?” Suzie sighed.
Jason folded his arms. “Maybe Conner tried to play both sides. He offered to help Leanne, and then told Neil what happened?”
“If that’s the case, why wouldn’t Neil be using that information to get Leanne arrested? Why would he keep it to himself?”
“Maybe he plans to use it for leverage. To keep Leanne out of his business. Maybe it has something to do with the real estate deal.” Mary shrugged.
“That’s a good thought, Mary. I bet it has something to do with that. What do you think, Jason?”
“I think I’m going to have another conversation with Conner. I’ll be sending over some crime scene techs, all right?”
“Okay.” Suzie nodded and gritted her teeth. She didn’t want to deal with police combing through the house, but she knew that she didn’t have a choice. It made her feel uneasy to think that something horrible happened to Priscilla under their roof, but the evidence was there.
***
Suzie and Mary spent the afternoon catering for the crime scene techs with coffee and snacks. By early evening they had finished their work. Suzie didn’t expect any more visitors for the day.
“Do you want to hit the hay early tonight, Suzie?”
Suzie was about to answer when she noticed a familiar face through the front window. When the front door opened Suzie held her breath. Seeing Leanne again was like seeing her for the first time, in a brand new light. She couldn’t help but think of Leanne murdering her mother. It broke her heart and horrified her at the same time. Maybe it didn’t happen at the river, but Suzie wasn’t convinced that Leanne wasn’t the one to take her mother’s life.
“Hi.” Leanne walked up to the front desk and looked from Mary to Suzie. “I’m here to pick up Benita.”
“Oh?” Suzie looked over at the bird in the cage. “Are you sure that you’re ready for her?”
“Yes. As much as my mother loved that bird, I know that she would want me to take care of her.”
Mary frowned and met Suzie’s eyes. Neither were completely comfortable with the idea of handing the bird over.
“Well, she has lots of food to go with her.” Suzie picked up the cage.
“Don’t worry about that, I’ve already bought my own supply. You were so kind to come see me after my mother’s death. My mother was so impressed with both of you. I do hope that you plan to attend the funeral. Here is the information in case you do. It’s a bit of a drive.” She set down a small piece of paper. “It won’t be anything extravagant, but I will do my best to honor her.”
“You’ve had quite a change of heart.” Suzie tilted her head to the side. “From what I understand you and your mother were barely speaking.”
“We were. I am so grateful that we had the chance to reconnect. What’s happened is horrible, and I plan to make sure that whoever committed this horrible act will pay for it. But I am so glad that we had the chance to finally see eye to eye. I think for a long time my mother thought that everything I did, I did out of pure spite. She didn’t understand that I saw a need to protect the environment, that it was never about me being against her.”
Suzie narrowed her eyes. From what she had read in Leanne’s datebook she had a very different impression of Leanne’s attitude towards her mother.
“So, in one evening you two were able to resolve all of that?” Suzie asked skeptically.
“Well, I think my mother was starting to appreciate family more as she got older. I guess maybe she was starting to change her perspective on a lot of things. I think she was more willing to listen to my opinion. Or maybe she realized that money really can’t fix everything, sometimes damage is done and can’t be repaired.” Leanne frowned as she looked into Benita’s cage. “My mother had a good spirit, it was just misguided at times.”
“I’m very sorry for your loss, Leanne.” Mary reached out and patted the back of her hand. “I’m sure it was a comfort to your mother to know that you two were able to reconnect.”
“I hope so.” Leanne blinked back tears. “I really do.”
As Leanne carried the bird out through the door Mary sighed. “Poor girl.”
“Maybe.” Suzie arched an eyebrow. “Or maybe not.”
Chapter Sixteen
The next day Suzie, Mary, and Wes drove to the funeral.
“Paul and Jason are going to meet us there,” Mary said as she glanced at Wes.
“I heard that Jason took Conner in for questioning yesterday,” Wes said.
“The driver?” Mary asked.
“Yes, Conner was refusing to give any information at all. Jason called me to see if I could give him some ways to get him to talk,” Wes explained.
“I’m sure you were able to come up with something. You’re very persuasive.” Mary grinned. “I’d love to be a fly on the wall at one of your interrogations.”
“Not me.” Suzie laughed. “You’re intense enough when you’re not on duty.”
“Yes, you certainly have a serious side.” Mary smiled at Wes who was about to protest.
“Here it is.” Suzie pulled onto the gravel lot in front of a small church. As they stepped out of the car Suzie noticed there were quite a few other vehicles, and those vehicles were rather fancy. Mary slid one arm through Suzie’s and one arm through Wes’ and the three began to walk towards the church. When they stepped through the door they were greeted by soft music, faint floral scents, and the commotion of people having multiple conversations. The wooden pews were filled with people that could have been models or movie stars. It was clear that Priscilla had quite an elite circle of friends. Suzie studied each face that she saw. She didn’t want to forget a single detail. In her experience the truth could come out at funerals.
With the way they were struggling to solve the murder it would be a very good thing if some new evidence surfaced. However, the prim and proper behavior of the people around her made her think that there was not much chance of that. They took their seats near the back of the church.
“I’m going to check for Jason and Paul.” Wes turned back towards the door.
“We’ll save your seats.” Suzie made sure there was space for three more in the pew. After a few minutes the noise of conversation settled to a quiet buzz.
“They’re starting.” Mary patted Suzie’s hand and tilted her head towards the minister at the front of the church.
“Okay.” Suzie sat up straight in her chair. “Watch for anyone showing up after it starts, or stepping out in the middle.” She glanced around in search of Paul, but didn’t see him, Wes, or Jason.
“I’ll take the left, you take the right.”
“Good.” Suzie scanned the chairs. She spotted Neil at the front of the room. He glared at Leanne who sat in a chair beside the minister. As the minister went through a rehearsed, but heartfelt speech, Suzie looked around again for Paul. She turned her attention back to the front of the room as Leanne stood up and the minister sat down.
“First, I want to thank all of you for coming. Some of you may not even know who I am. I’m Priscilla’s daughter, Leanne. My mother and I haven’t always seen eye to eye. Many of you know that. Despite all of the times I have claimed differently, she was an amazing mother. We wasted many years through lack of communication and misunderstanding each other. I will always regret that. But as a little girl she always made sure I had everything I needed. I still close my eyes and expect to hear her call me Pumpkin.”
Suzie’s eyes widened at the nickname. She looked over at Mary who n
odded. It was the same word that Benita repeated over and over. Was it possible that the bird was attempting to name Priscilla’s killer, the last person she saw? Suzie stared at Leanne as she continued the eulogy. All of her words were beautiful, touching, but Suzie didn’t believe them. Suzie was starting to believe that Leanne had killed her own mother. The tension must have been visible in her expression because Mary reached out and touched her hand.
“Not here, Suzie. Not here.”
Suzie nodded. She didn’t even hear the rest of Leanne’s eulogy as her head pounded with the revelation of the woman’s nickname. She did however notice when Neil stood up from his seat and walked right down the middle of the aisle and out of the church. She watched the door shut behind him.
“What was that all about?” Mary whispered.
“I’m not sure.” Suzie frowned. “But it certainly was rude.”
As the ceremony came to an end, Suzie stood up.
“I want to find Jason, maybe he’s with Paul and Wes. I want them to know about Leanne’s nickname.”
“I think they’re over there.” Mary pointed out a group of men gathered near the door. As Suzie approached them she noticed that Summer stood beside Jason.
“Jason, I need to speak to you.”
“What is it?” Jason turned towards her.
“Somewhere a bit more private.”
“All right. Excuse me for a second.” He met Summer’s eyes. “I’ll be right back.”
Suzie led him out through the front of the church. When she was sure they were isolated she turned to face him. “Did you hear Priscilla’s nickname for Leanne?”
“Yes, I did. Pumpkin? That’s a pretty common nickname isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is. It’s also what Priscilla’s bird has been saying non-stop, ever since Priscilla was killed. Don’t you think it’s possible that the bird might be trying to tell us something?”
“I’m sorry? The bird? You think that a bird is telling us who the killer is?”
“I think it’s possible. Priscilla loved that bird, and she took it wherever she could with her. It must have heard what she said and seen the people she spent time with.”
“Suzie, it’s still a bird. You can’t be serious. It’s not as if that can be evidence.”
“Jason, you don’t have to be so dismissive. I think it’s possible that the bird witnessed something to do with the murder. Leanne is already a solid suspect, this just adds fuel to the fire. Don’t you think?”
“I think that you’re letting this case get way too deep into your head. Priscilla is dead, and yes Leanne may have been involved, but a bird that says Pumpkin is not going to sway any judge or jury. In fact, if I even try to enter it in as potential evidence I’ll be laughed right out of the police station.”
“I see what you’re saying.” Suzie frowned. “I guess I am getting desperate. I just want to make sure there’s enough evidence to keep Leanne here.”
“Well, I plan to take her in for further questioning. Unfortunately, she is planning on leaving town later tonight so I need to do it as soon as the funeral is finished. I spoke to Conner again and he informed me of some very interesting facts about Leanne’s history with her mother, including the several times he’s witnessed the two engaged in screaming matches. He also said that when he picked up Priscilla she was visibly upset. He tried to find out what was wrong and she refused to talk about it. When he dropped her off, he offered to walk her in, and she refused.”
“That’s not unusual though, Conner told me that Priscilla never allowed him inside.”
“Maybe. It doesn’t sound to me like the two made up the way Leanne claimed.”
Suzie nodded. “Leanne told me yesterday that her mother seemed to be appreciating family more in her old age and she seemed to be opening her mind a little.”
“Or maybe Leanne is lying. I don’t know. The way Conner described her was pretty ruthless,” Jason said.
“And you don’t think Conner was involved and could be lying?”
“He could be but I don’t think so. Once I got him talking he actually seemed quite open about things. He said he was meeting with Neil because he had offered him work as his driver.”
“You believe him?”
“It all adds up. At the moment Leanne is our best suspect.”
“So, you have enough to arrest her?” Suzie asked.
“Not yet, I’m just going to question her further, but it might lead to an arrest. She was in town at the time of the murder. She was seen with the victim not long before her death. She has all kinds of motive.”
“But what about Stewart? He saw Priscilla return to Dune House alone,” Suzie said.
“Stewart isn’t exactly a reliable witness. However, even if he did see her return alone, that doesn’t mean that Leanne didn’t meet her there. Also, I want to try and get a search warrant for Leanne’s room to see if there is any evidence that she was involved.” Suzie was relieved to hear that because if Jason could search the room then he would probably get to see the entries in Leanne’s datebook and he would have more evidence.
“Is there any evidence in Priscilla’s phone records?”
“No. She didn’t receive any calls that night. That’s the frustrating part. Stewart looked like the perfect culprit because he was right there. The only problem is, there’s no motive that we can find. He had nothing to gain from killing Priscilla. Even with his history of assault I find it hard to believe that he would kill Priscilla for fun.”
“So, you’re not going to question him?”
“Once we catch up with him we will. But I’m hoping to get enough information from Leanne to clear him entirely. I think this is one of the only murder cases where I’ve had so many good suspects. One of them did this, and I am determined to figure it out soon.”
“You will!” Suzie said with confidence.
“I hope so.” Jason frowned as he looked towards the church. Leanne exited alone with her gaze towards the ground. “Time to get to the bottom of all of this.” He strode towards Leanne. Suzie followed right behind him. She wanted to see Leanne’s reaction.
“Leanne Kay, I need to take you in for further questioning concerning the murder of Priscilla Kane.”
“What?” Leanne looked from Jason to Suzie. “You think I had something to do with the murder. That’s not true. You can’t accuse me of something that isn’t true. You can’t.”
Mary walked up beside Suzie. “What’s going on?”
Suzie pulled her back slightly and shushed her.
“Ms. Kay, I am not accusing you of anything, I just want to get to the bottom of this. It would be best if you cooperate.” Jason met her eyes. “I don’t want to have to forcibly bring you in for questioning. I don’t want to have to handcuff you here. If you come with me willingly, I won’t have to.”
“How can you do this to me? How could you think that I would kill my own mother?” Leanne looked into Suzie’s eyes. “I wouldn’t do that. You know that I wouldn’t. You have to know.”
Suzie glanced away from her. Jason led Leanne away. When they reached the patrol car Leanne turned back to look at Suzie again.
“The bird. She is still at the motel. Please, will you take care of Benita? If anything happens to that bird I will have really failed my mother.”
“We’ll take care of her, Leanne.” Mary offered her a sympathetic smile. “We’ll make sure that she’s safe.”
“Let’s go.” Jason guided her into the car.
“Why did you say that we would take care of that bird?” Suzie looked over at her.
“Because we will. Someone needs to. Dune House could use a pet, even if it’s not permanent.” Mary frowned. “If Leanne didn’t do this she’ll be out to take her back. It’s the least we can offer, Suzie.”
“Do you really think we should be offering her anything?” Suzie crossed her arms. “She killed her own mother.”
“Allegedly.” Mary shook her head. Wes walked up to both of them. He put a h
and on Mary’s shoulder. “It’s not the bird’s fault.”
“Are you okay?” Wes asked.
“I will be,” Mary said.
“Suzie?” Wes looked at her.
“I’m okay.” Suzie closed her eyes. “I just can’t believe that a daughter could do that to her mother.”
“It is a tragic case.” Wes frowned as Paul walked over to them.
“Where have you been?” Suzie looked at Paul with surprise. “You missed the entire ceremony.”
“I’m sorry. Wes and I were having a conversation with Jason.”
“The three of you?” Mary looked at them both. “About what?”
“Uh, well, that’s personal.” Wes cleared his throat.
“Yes. It was boy talk.” Paul winked at Suzie. Suzie’s throat grew dry. Was Paul talking to them about the ring? She hoped that wasn’t the case.
“Can we go home now?” Mary leaned her head against Wes’ shoulder. “This day has worn me out, I think I need a little beach time.”
“Anytime.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “Suzie, will you join us on the beach?”
“I don’t think so.” Suzie met Paul’s eyes. “Something about this case has left me on edge. I think I just need some time to think it all through.”
“I’ve seen it far too many times. When it comes to murder within the family there is never anything but sadness.” Wes drew his lips into a tight line.
“I couldn’t imagine either of my children ever being angry enough at me to cause me harm.” Mary sighed. “It breaks my heart to think that things were so horrible between Leanne and Priscilla.”
“Love can make you do the strangest things.” Suzie sighed.
“No, it can’t, Suzie.” Paul took her hand in his. “Love doesn’t make you do that. Hate, resentment, anger, can all make you do that. But love never makes you do that.”
“Maybe. But not everyone is cut out for love, or uh, marriage,” Suzie said.
Mary cleared her throat. Paul narrowed his eyes. Wes let out a quiet whistle. “I guess we’d better get going,” Wes said.