Murdered by Words: Midwest Cozy Mystery Series

by Dianne Harman

  “Only one way to find out,” he said, pulling his phone out of his pocket and punching a number in. “Hey, Nick, I’m here with Kat, and we have a question for you. What are the chances that Sally’s father is the murderer? From what you told Kat he would certainly see the book as the devil’s dealings. What we’d like to know is if he’s physically capable of committing murder.”

  “Off the top of my head, I don’t think so, but let me do a little research. It’s actually a pretty good thought. I’ll get back to Kat later tonight or in the morning,” Nick said.

  “Okay, Kat, that takes care of Sally and her father. Carl’s a wild card to me. On one hand he seemed to love his wife, but on the other hand he strongly disapproved, maybe even more than strongly, of Nancy editing your books. Is that motive enough to kill her? And wouldn’t he know that he and his daughter would probably become estranged if he committed the murder?”

  Blaine continued, “On the other hand, he might consider his wife dirty because she edited your books, and if he got rid of her, he would be doing something to help cleanse the world of the filth he thinks is overtaking it. I know that’s a bit of a stretch, but it could cause him to become a prime suspect. What bothers me is his relationship with his daughter. Is his hatred of books such as yours deep enough that he would risk losing his daughter?”

  “I don’t know,” Kat responded. “From what Lacie said, Nicole doesn’t want anything to do with her father. Evidently he and Nancy had words over this subject before, and Nicole thought he was out of line. She was very close to her mother and is devastated over her death.”

  “I know you mentioned Lacie asked you if Nicole could spend the holidays here. You know that’s not going to sit well with Carl. I’m wondering if you could talk to him about it. Maybe you could set up a meeting and you, Carl, and Nicole could talk about the situation in a rational manner. I have a feeling if he just finds out she’s going to spend the holidays here in your home, he not only is not going to be happy, he may want to take it out on you.”

  “Let me think about that, but it does sound like a pretty good idea. I called Lacie, and she’s coming over after dinner tonight to meet Rudy. Why don’t you stay, and we can talk about it then?”

  “I’d be happy to. Now let’s get to Tiffany. What more, if anything, is Nick going to do about her?”

  “I don’t know. He said he’d probably have something more for me in the morning. What's your thinking about her?”

  “Well, I started out this conversation by saying to look at who has the most to gain by killing Nancy. Although, I consider Carl and Sally to be very viable suspects, I’d have to say that Tiffany is at the top of my list. If your book is published, evidently she’s afraid that people will think she’s the person in the book who’s having an affair and working in the porn film industry. It’s not much of a stretch for her to be concerned her husband will find out and divorce her. Without him she’s got nothing, and she’s put on a few years since she was working as a dancer at a strip joint in Kansas City and having meetings with strange men with money in her apartment. She might feel that with Nancy dead, the book would never be published, but there’s always the chance you could write another one. If it is her, your life could definitely be in danger.”

  Kat was quiet and then said, “Blaine, I’m not the only one whose life could be in jeopardy. Remember, Barbara, the hostess at the country club, was the one who found the manuscript under the table where Nancy ate lunch. Barbara’s the one who copied the manuscript, and Tiffany may wonder if Barbara read it. If so, she might feel that Barbara would have to be eliminated. Granted, all of this is a stretch, but it’s still a possibility, and quite frankly, a possibility I don’t like.”

  “This is exactly why I’m glad you have Rudy. Kat, I want to change the subject, but before I do I have to tell you that manicotti smells delicious.”

  “Good, hold the thought because it’s time to eat. I set the table in the dining room. I’m a big candle person, so if you’d light them for me, I'll put dinner on the table.”

  Just as they were finishing eating, they heard Rudy growl and start barking. A moment later there was a knock on the door. Rudy stood next to Kat as she asked, “Who’s there?”

  “Mom, it’s me.” Kat opened the door and let Lacie in. “When I heard that bark, there was no way I was walking in and introducing myself to Rudy. I’ll let you do that.” She looked over her mother's shoulder and said, “Blaine, is that a gun you’re putting in your pocket?”

  Kat whirled around and looked at him. “What is that all about?”

  Blaine spread his hands out in a ‘You Caught Me’ gesture and said, “Just didn’t want you to be surprised. Thought I’d back up Rudy if he needed it.”

  “Mom, you certainly have your protectors. Why don’t you introduce me to Rudy, so I feel safe enough to walk in the other room? Gotta tell you, that is one big wicked looking dog.”

  “Rudy, meet Lacie. She’s a friend and my daughter. She’s safe, Rudy, safe.” She looked from Blaine to Lacie and said, “That’s the word I’m supposed to use to tell Rudy that someone is all right and not to be thought of as a potential enemy.”

  Lacie put her hand on the big dog’s head and petted him. “Hi, Rudy. Let’s be friends. You take care of Mom. Okay?” The big dog continued to stand next to where Kat was as if he understood what Lacie had just said.

  “Mom, if you don't want him, I'll take him.”

  “Down the road, maybe. Don’t see the housemother of the Pi Phi sorority house being too thrilled with having a hundred-twenty-pound-dog living in the house, and probably a number of the girls there are afraid of dogs. We just finished dinner, and if you don’t mind I’d like to talk to you about Nicole.”

  CHAPTER 18

  “Blaine and I were just getting ready to have dessert. I made some brownies, and even though I’m sure snow is imminent and it’s cold out, I thought they’d go well with vanilla ice cream. Would you like to join us?” Kat asked.

  “Mom, you know I’ve never met a brownie I didn’t like, and if you made those killer fudgy brownies that you know I’m crazy about, I’ll take two, thank you very much,” Lacie said, laughing as she pulled a chair out from the dining room table. No one said anything for a few minutes as the three of them enjoyed the brownies and ice cream.

  “I have to agree with Lacie, Kat. I’ll take another one. These are the best brownies I’ve ever had, and they’re one of my favorite indulgences,” Blaine said.

  “Good, glad you like them.” After she’d given Blaine seconds, Kat turned to Lacie and asked, “How’s Nicole doing today?”

  “Better, but I'm not sure you ever get over having your mother murdered. She asked me again if she could stay with me over the Christmas break. I told her I was seeing you tonight, and I’d ask you what your decision was.”

  “Lacie, I’m really uncomfortable about this for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I don’t want to get in the middle of a disagreement between Nicole and Carl. I really think they need to work out their differences. In my opinion, with Nancy gone, they should be there for each other. I know Nicole’s old enough to be considered an adult, but I kind of feel there’s a moral issue here. I don’t want Carl thinking I’m stepping in and trying to become a mother to Nicole, particularly after the things he said to me when I found Nancy’s body.”

  “You never told me about that. What did he say?”

  Blaine answered for her. “I think it could be summed up by saying he thought your mother was a terrible influence on Nancy and an evil person. He more or less blamed your mother for her death.”

  “That’s ridiculous. Why would anyone think that?”

  “I have no idea,” Blaine responded. “Evidently he was pretty brainwashed by his father regarding anything that has to do with sex. Kat found out that Carl’s mother left his father and him when Carl was quite young, and after she left she lived with a number of different men. We think Carl was afraid Nancy might do the same.�
�

  “In a twisted way, I guess that makes some sense,” Lacie said. “Nicole’s never mentioned it to me. The only thing she’s told me is that her father wouldn’t let her date when she lived at home, and she got a late start by having her first date in college. Judging by the number of nights she’s out on dates now, I think she's making up for it.” She stopped and realized how that might be interpreted.

  “Mom, I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong. In her own way, Nicole is very conservative. She loves going out on dates and the attention she’s getting, but that’s it. I'd be willing to bet everything I have, which I know isn’t much, that she’s still a virgin, and I sure can’t say that about the majority of my sorority sisters.”

  “I think you’ve given me enough information about Nicole and that topic. Let's get back to Carl. There’s a second reason I'm a little concerned about having Nicole stay here. If Carl is the murderer, I’m sorry Lacie, but he is considered a suspect, anyway if he is, I could be his next target and getting between him and Nicole would only give him a further reason to do something to me.”

  “Oh, wow! I can see why you’re having trouble with having her spend the Christmas holidays here. I’m sorry to ask this, Mom, but would you meet with Nicole? I know she’s going to be very hurt if you turn her down, but maybe if you explained this to her it would help. How about if I give her a call, and you two set up a meeting? I don’t think I even need to be there. Maybe you’ll feel differently if you talk to her in person, and if you decide she can’t stay here, at least she’ll hear it from you and not me. If I tell her, there’s a good chance she’ll get mad at me, and I don’t want to lose her as a friend. Matter of fact, right now she needs all the friends she can get.”

  “Yes, I agree. I probably do need to talk to her. Go ahead and call her.”

  *****

  “Hi, Nicole it’s Lacie. I’m at Mom’s house. She was wondering if the two of you could get together in the next couple of days and talk about you spending the holidays with us.”

  “Sure, Lacie,” Nicole responded. “I’m going over to my house tomorrow about 2:00 to pick up a dress I need to wear to a fraternity party this weekend. I’m hoping it will take my mind off of everything that’s happened. Would that work for her?”

  “I don’t know, let me ask her.” Lacie turned to Kat and said, “Mom, Nicole says she could meet you at her house at 2:00 tomorrow. Okay with you?”

  “Yes, that would be fine. I have a couple of other things I need to do in the morning, so tomorrow afternoon will work for me,” Kat said.

  “Nicole, Mom says that’s fine.”

  “Tell her to go in the house through the back door if my car isn't parked behind the house,” Nicole said. “She can park in the alley behind the house. I drive a little red car, and she won’t be able to miss it. If she doesn’t see it, there’s a key under the door mat. It looks like it’s going to be snowing tomorrow, so I don’t want her waiting outside in the cold for me. She’s probably gone in the house that way before. Mom, Dad, and I rarely use the front door. It’s more for strangers. Please tell her I hope she’ll say yes about letting me stay with you.”

  “I will. How would you like to have a brownie? Mom just made a killer batch, and I’m leaving now for the sorority house. Sound good? I learned from mom that chocolate makes everything seem better.”

  “She’s right. I think the only thing I’ve eaten today is the coffee cake you brought me earlier. That sounds great. It’s been a pretty stressful day. I think my dad must have called me twenty times. I don’t want to see him or talk to him. Actually, I’d love it if you could snag two brownies from her. That's the only bright thing that’s happened to me today.”

  “Shouldn’t be a problem. See you in a few minutes,” Lacie said as she ended the call. She turned to Kat. “You’re to meet her at her house at 2:00 tomorrow. Would you like me to be there?”

  “No,” Kat said. “I think this should be between Nicole and me, and I really don’t know what I'm going to say. I just hope Carl doesn’t show up.”

  What Kat didn’t know was that Carl showing up would save hers and Nicole’s lives, with a little help from Rudy.

  CHAPTER 19

  “Kat, thanks again for dinner. That manicotti dish was fabulous. Chicken, pasta, gooey cheese, and marina sauce. I loved it. Seriously, that was one of the best things I’ve had in a long time. I know you’re impressed with the new chef at the country club, but trust me, he could take some lessons from you.

  “I’m glad you had a chance to introduce Rudy to Lacie, and he approved of her. I’ll be curious how your meeting goes with Nicole tomorrow. Would you give me a call after you talk to her?” He patted Rudy on his head and put on his heavy winter coat. “Besides Nicole, what else is on your agenda for tomorrow?”

  “I’m going to write in the morning. With everything that’s happened lately, I’m getting behind, and I need to find a new editor. I’ve come to learn that my eyes just don’t pick up my mistakes. I guess it’s because I see what’s in my mind rather than what’s missing on the printed page. That’s why I need another set of eyes on my work. I’m thinking about asking Bev. Do you think Jim would have any objections?”

  “From the rough type of language he uses on the golf course, I think he’d be the last person to complain if his wife edited your books. Why are you thinking of using her rather than getting a professional editor?”

  “What I need from an editor is someone to point out my mistakes, like when I use the wrong character’s name, or there’s an inconsistency in a time line. Bev was an English Literature major when she was in college, and I know she reads several books a week. She was very interested in my books when she heard I was writing under a pen name, and she even ordered a couple from Amazon. She lives near me, she’s very honest, and I trust her judgment. For all of those reasons I think she’d be able to do a good job for me.”

  “Given what you’ve told me, I think that could certainly take care of your editing problems. Would you pay her?”

  “Absolutely,” Kat said. “I couldn’t ask her to do this as a favor to me. Plus, if she’s getting paid she’s going to be a lot more diligent, don’t you think?”

  “Yes,” Blaine said. “I’ve always thought she was one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and I think she’d make a great editor. Uh-oh,” he said, looking out the window. “The predicted snow has arrived. I don’t know how much we’ll get, but from the way the wind is blowing, we may be in for a real storm. Be careful when you drive tomorrow.

  “One last thing, and then I’ll get out of your hair. When you go to meet Nicole tomorrow, would you please take Rudy with you? I’m probably being overly cautious, but I’m worried about you being at Carl’s house, so please also put your gun in your purse. I see your raised eyebrows, Kat, but I’ve been in too many courtrooms and seen too many criminals over the years, so I always err on the side of caution, and I definitely think this is one time you should too. Trust me, strange things happen.”

  “All right. If it will make you feel better, I’ll take Rudy with me. I'm also going to stop by the club and talk to Barbara. If Nancy’s death was caused because of my manuscript, as I mentioned before, whoever did it has to wonder if Barbara made a copy for herself along with the copies she made for Sally and Tiffany.”

  He put his arms around her and gently kissed her. “Kat, I really don’t want anything to happen to you. I like being with you. It feels right to me.”

  “I feel the same way, Blaine. I think you better go now, because if you don’t, I might ask you to stay, and we both might regret it.”

  He opened the door and grinned at her. “Believe me when I tell you that is not something I’d regret.” He turned and walked down the steps to his car as she closed the door after him.

  A few minutes later she said, “Rudy, Jazz. Time to go outside for the last time tonight. I don’t want to have to get up in the middle of the night, so make this visit count.” She turned on t
he security lights in the back yard and let the two dogs out. She could barely see Jazz against the white snow which had started to blanket the back yard, but there was no missing the big black Rottweiler. From the way he was running and jumping in the snow, she wondered if he remembered what snow was like from when he was a puppy.

  I just hope they’ll be as willing to go out in the snow tomorrow. From the looks of it, it’s here to stay for a while, and it looks like it’s going to be pretty deep by morning.

  She let the dogs back in the house, turned off the lights, and walked down the hall, looking forward to a good night’s sleep now that she had a guard dog to stand watch and protect her.

  CHAPTER 20

  The next morning when Kat woke up she looked outside at what appeared to be at least eight inches of fresh snow. It was still snowing heavily and from the looks of the stormy sky, it wasn’t going to let up anytime soon. Refreshed from a good night’s sleep, she went down the hall to the kitchen to make coffee and let the dogs out. She saw that the snow had been cleared from her driveway and sidewalk and she said a silent thank you to the person the homeowner’s association had hired last year to do just that.

  She dressed and went into her office, sat down at her computer, and started writing. It took a while for her to get back in the swing of it after everything that had recently happened, but when her phone rang two hours later, she realized she’d been totally absorbed in what she was doing. She picked up the phone and saw that the call was from Nick.

  “Good morning, Nick, how are you?”

  “Glad to be finished shoveling snow. It was my wife’s turn to carpool our daughter and her friends to school, so I had to get it done before she left. I wanted you to know about something interesting I found out last night. I don’t think I told you that when I was tailing Tiffany Conners she left the porn studio and drove to an upscale condominium building in the Country Club Plaza area of Kansas City. I wanted to dig a little deeper and see what I could find out about the man who was about Tiffany’s age and walked out of the studio with her. They got in separate cars and later met at the condo.