Worse Than Being Alone

by Patricia M. Clark

  “So, if we assume Marian killed them,” Dave said, looking around. “How did she do it?”

  “I think she poisoned them,” Roni said. “The survivors report that both George and Dennis got sick before they died.”

  “You said George fell down the stairs,” I said.

  “Lucky accident?” Roni asked.

  “Or else she got impatient,” Dave said. “What about the others?”

  “Husband number three is Forrest Asman,” Roni said. “Marian moved to Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 1981. She married Forrest in 1993. He’s the only survivor except for my father, of course. He gave me a lot of insight into how Marian operates. She swoops in on lonely men, offering lots of attention, lots of sex, and then immediately after the marriage, she starts going after the money.”

  “So, why didn’t she kill Forrest?” Cindy asked.

  “I think she was actually kind of fond of Forrest,” Roni said. “She cleaned out all his accounts and then went to Vegas where she claimed she lost all of it. She filed for divorce and left town in 1994. She told him ‘you’re getting out of this better than the others’ or something like that.”

  “I guess broke but alive is better,” I said. “What about four and five?”

  “Marian moved to Sikeston, Missouri, in 1995,” Roni said. “She lived there a long time at least by Marian standards. She married number four, Walter Forbes, in 1998. He had no pesky relatives to worry about. Two years later, he’s dead, cremated, and Marian ended up with about a million dollars.”

  “How long did that last?” Dave asked.

  “She got about seven or eight years out of it,” Roni said. “She bought a big house and did a lot of traveling but eventually that well started to dry up. Then she latched onto husband number five in 2006. He was the son of one of the wealthiest families in Sikeston. They own a huge car dealership and Marian must have thought she’d won the lottery. Unfortunately, Ben Wright was a druggie, an alcoholic, and a big liar who was a salesman at the dealership because his family didn’t know what else to do with him.”

  “How did that work out?” Lionel asked.

  “Not too well,” Roni said. “They got married and the familiar pattern ensued. Ben got sick, started drinking more, and eventually died in a car crash he caused. Marian wanted Ben cremated, but the coroner and his parents stepped in and an autopsy was done. They found drugs and alcohol but didn’t look for poison. Marian did have Ben cremated but his parents had the ashes. Marian got sued by relatives of the couple who were killed. She wanted the ashes but didn’t have the money to hire a lawyer to sue Ben’s parents.”

  “Let me guess what happened next,” I said. “That would be when Marian left town and moved to Alton.”

  “So, what does all this mean?” Dave asked.

  “An even bigger question looms for us,” Lionel said, looking around the room. “Is there anything we can do with all this information?”

  Chapter Sixty-Three

  The conversation ceased when Italian subs, loaded with meats, cheeses, and plenty of hot peppers were delivered from the deli down the street. The sound of diet Coke can tabs popping filled the room as we grabbed paper plates and picked out a sub. It seemed that everyone was staring at the whiteboard and considering the information as we munched on the sandwiches.

  Dave broke the silence as he grabbed another sub. “Wow, these are really good. So, Roni, what do you think of Marian?”

  “I think she’s heartless bitch who marries men for their money,” Roni said.

  “Tell us what you really think,” I said.

  “You know, Marian could have avoided a lot of these marriages,” Roni said. “Twice, she got a couple of million-dollar insurance payouts. If she had lived more frugally and invested that money, she would have been OK.”

  “Yeah, it’s definitely part of a pattern,” Dave said. “She gets her hands on the cash and spends money like crazy. Then it’s on to the next victim.”

  “I did a search on life insurance payouts,” Lionel said. “She got money from husbands number one, two, and four. They refused to pay on number five because of the drugs. Any idea about number three or if she asked Billy about it?”

  “She didn’t follow through on number three,” Roni said. “Forrest told me she did ask about it, but then dropped it. I don’t think she had the time. He liquidated everything, and she was gone within a couple of months. I’ll ask Billy when we talk about all this.”

  “Do you think she’s killing them?” Lionel asked. “I mean, this is classic Black Widow pathology.”

  “Yes, I do,” Roni said. “But I also realize I can’t prove it. I was able to get Ben Wright’s ashes from his parents. Kitty and I talked to Mary Clare Flaherty about testing the cremains. She agreed, but didn’t give us much hope she would find anything.”

  “Who is Mary Clare Flaherty?” Lionel asked.

  “She’s the coroner for St. Louis, St. Charles, and Franklin County,” Cindy said.

  “We went to high school with her,” I said.

  “I talked to her about a case a few weeks ago,” Dave said. “Wow, has she changed. In high school, she wore those big black glasses with the thick lenses. Never wore make-up, no boobs to speak of.”

  “So, no interest, right Dave?” I asked. “Nice.”

  “I’m just saying,” Dave said as he raised his hands. “I already know I’m a pig. Listen, I think she’s hot now. Let’s move on.”

  “I know testing cremains is tricky,” Lionel said. “I remember that from my time at the FBI. The process the facility uses makes a difference. Plus at this point, they can only detect some poisons and certain heavy metals. I can see why she wasn’t very optimistic.”

  “What about the cremains from the other husbands?” Cindy asked.

  “You know, I didn’t ask that specific question,” Roni said. “Good point, Cindy. I’ll call the other relatives and find out.”

  “Is it possible Marian still has them?” Lionel asked. “The ultimate trophies of her kills.”

  “That’s creepy,” I said. “Do you think Billy would know if she has them?”

  “I guess there’s only one way to find out,” Roni said. “So, Dave, am I wrong about not having enough to nail her?”

  “I wish I could say you did,” he said. “I have to agree with you. You have a ton of circumstantial evidence and a bunch of credible witnesses who don’t like Marian. The problem is that it might be a big leap for a jury to go from heartless bitch who steals money to a murderer. I can see reasonable doubt all over this. It might be hard to find a prosecutor willing to pursue this.”

  “I tend to agree,” Lionel said. “Although, she certainly fits the classic Black Widow profile. She finds lonely men, seduces them, and then once they’re married, she goes after the money. Is that what’s happening to your dad, Roni?”

  “I hate to admit, I’m not sure,” Roni said. “I said some things before they got married, and he basically told me to back off. He was very lonely after my mom died, and he had spent eight years taking care of my mom after her stroke. Marian can be very charming when she wants to be. He was probably an easy target for someone like Marian.”

  “Again, it fits,” Lionel said. “Does he know about all these marriages and the dead husbands?”

  “I don’t know,” Roni admitted. “Obviously, it’s time to lay it all out for him. There are just too many deaths and a trail of survivors who have one thing in common. Overwhelmingly, they all disliked this woman. The same descriptive words over and over. Manipulative, cunning, charming when she needs to be.”

  “If the past is any clue, Roni,” I said, “then she’s probably already gone from charming to demanding. I’ve known Billy a long time. He’s not stupid and he loves you more than Marian.”

  “I just keep remembering him telling me to back off,” Roni said.

  “That was during the charming phase,” Lionel said.

  “He’s right, Roni,” I said.

  “I might ruin
his last chance to be happy,” Roni said.

  “When are you planning to talk to him?” Lionel asked.

  “We’re having lunch tomorrow,” Roni said.

  “Look at it this way,” Dave said, “If he knows about all the others, and she’s not bugging the crap out of him about finances, he’ll just tell you to back off again. On the other hand, if she hid all this and has reverted to form, he’ll be grateful.”

  “Yeah, what’s the worst that could happen?” I asked.

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  Despite her worries, Roni noticed the fall foliage as she crossed the river into Alton. The reds and oranges had been spectacular this year, unlike last year when the color had been muted due to a lack of rain. Roni remembered her childhood as images raced through her mind: stiff, cold breezes, candy apples, carved pumpkins, and Mrs. Wilkens, the neighborhood witch, who owned a funeral home and put a casket on her porch every Halloween.

  And each year, Billy trailed behind her while she went out trick or treating, watching her back, despite her protests. Roni needed to remember how good her childhood had been so she could find a way to protect Billy. Like it or not, the baton had been passed, the roles reversed.

  Roni had secretly dreaded this moment, hoping at the outset of her investigation, she wouldn’t find anything damaging regarding Marian. She wanted Billy to have his last chance at happiness, but it was impossible for her to believe Marian could provide any real semblance of that. The facts alone were disconcerting, but the attitudes of the survivors had caused the most concern for Roni.

  Because it was almost two, Fast Eddie’s wasn’t very crowded. Roni didn’t see Billy’s car as she pulled into a parking spot. She chose a table out on the back deck, far enough away from other patrons to allow for a private conversation. She considered her strategy, hoping to get Billy to open up about his relationship with Marian. If she behaved true to form, Marian should be turning the financial screws at this point. The trick would be to get Billy to admit that, without him getting too defensive.

  Billy appeared in the doorway, thanked the hostess, and strode over to the table. Roni stood and received a bear hug from her father. A pregnant pause ensued, which was just as well as the waiter hurried over to take their drink orders. Roni ordered iced tea, not willing to risk her task to alcoholic consumption that might involve a mistake. Billy wasn’t so inclined, and ordered a Blue Moon. After the waiter left, Billy started the conversation.

  “It’s been awhile,” Billy said.

  “Yes, it has,” Roni said as the waiter arrived with drinks and menus. They studied the menus for several minutes.

  “I always get the same thing when I come here,” Roni said. “It’s hard to beat the cheeseburger and fries.”

  “I agree,” Billy said as the waiter appeared. “Two cheeseburgers and fries.”

  “I’m glad we’re getting together,” Roni said, as the waiter took the menus and departed. “There ‘s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about.”

  “I could tell there was something bothering you,” Billy said.

  “It’s about Marian, Dad,” she said.

  “Not that again, Roni,” he said as a look of irritation appeared on his face. “I thought we had settled that issue.”

  “I know and I’m sorry,” Roni said. “When you got sick a couple of months ago, I decided to check Marian out. Did you know Marian had five other husbands?”

  “Roni, what are you doing?” he asked as the waiter delivered their food.

  “You may not believe this, Dad, but I’m trying to protect you.”

  “OK, Roni,” Billy said as he picked up his cheeseburger. “I’m going to eat my burger. Tell me the whole thing and get it out of your system. That way everything is out in the open.”

  “Four of Marian’s husbands are dead. None of their survivors has anything good to say about Marian. Her own brother can’t stand her, and hasn’t spoken to her in 40 years. She has a pattern of behavior. She’s charming in the beginning and very attentive. After the marriage, she starts demanding information about finances and the charm offensive is definitely over. Does any of this sound familiar?”

  “Some of it does,” he said.

  “Did she try to get you to buy life insurance?”

  “Yeah, but the premiums were a joke,” he said.

  “Dad, remember the first time I met Marian? We were having lunch and Marian said her mother died when she was 10. Well, it was her father who died when she was young. Her mother died when she was 24.”

  “How did the other husbands die?” Billy asked as he picked at his French fries.

  “They all got sick although her first husband fell down the stairs. She had them all cremated.”

  “You actually think Marian killed them?” Billy asked.

  “I think it’s possible. Look, there’s no way to prove it since there aren’t any bodies. Did you know she’s been married that many times?”

  “No, I didn’t know that,” Billy said. “I’m sure Marian would say she was too embarrassed to talk about it. It sounds like you have a lot of conjecture with no real proof.”

  “That’s true, Dad. I realize I’m just kind of dumping this on you all at once. I don’t expect you to say anything right now. Just promise me you’ll think about it. If you want, I can put you in touch with some of the people I talked to. Give you more facts.”

  “There’s no good outcome for this,” he said. “What do you want me to say? That my marriage isn’t going that well? OK, it’s true. It’s not going very well. Marian is kind of a nag. There, are you happy now?”

  “I’m not trying to destroy your marriage, Dad. I love you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “You don’t think I’ll get hurt if I get a divorce?” Billy said. “The bottom line, when you sort it all out, boils down to whether or not I trust Marian.”

  “Do you?”

  “I’m not sure,” Billy said as he stood up and threw some bills on the table. “I guess I’ve got some thinking to do.

  Roni walked over to Billy and hugged him, not wanting to let go.

  “I love you, Roni,” Billy said as he stroked her cheek. ”I always have.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Billy pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to Roni. “Just to be on the safe side. If anything happens to me, call my attorney, Richard Cook. That’s his number there on the card. One more thing, Roni.”

  “Anything, Dad.”

  “I really, really don’t want to be cremated,” he said as he laughed and walked away.

  Chapter Sixty-Five

  Billy Diamond was no longer laughing by the time he reached his car in the parking lot of Fast Eddie’s. He unlocked the doors with his fob, climbed inside, and just sat there shaking. All the nagging doubts that had plagued him for the last several months morphed into one big WTF moment. He was supposed to meet Marian at the new house site to check on the progress, but first he had to digest Roni’s revelations.

  He felt claustrophobic as he lowered the windows, started the engine, and drove out of the parking lot, determined to take the longest route possible to get to the lot. Billy couldn’t face Marian until he had digested the information and developed a strategy. The disaster his marriage had become now seemed crystal clear like blinding sun after a sudden summer thunderstorm. How could he have been so stupid?

  Marian had descended on his life like a shining star after years of care giving and then lonely solitude. She had posed as the bereaved widow looking for a new start just like him. She never mentioned the four other dead husbands let alone the fact there was a divorced survivor. So, was it time for a showdown? Some instinct screamed not yet Billy boy. Time to gather more information before confronting Marian. At least he finally understood what was happening.

  Billy had no sooner said I do when Marian said she had a headache or some other ailment when he tried to initiate sex. The proverbial cow had stopped giving milk, period. Even worse was the constant na
gging about show me the money. At first, he had attributed it to a new wife just trying to learn the ropes. Before long, he began to resent the pressure in a big way. The new house had been Billy’s attempt to placate Marian.

  Nearing the turnoff to the building site, Billy drove past, still needing time to consider his options before meeting Marian. Instead of answers, he thought of more and more questions he should have asked Roni. Once again, he had allowed his stupid pride to get in the way, just like when Roni tried to talk to him before the wedding. There really is no fool like an old fool, Billy thought, as he drove through an unfamiliar neighborhood. It was too late to worry about Roni thinking he was a fool; that ship had already sailed, as they say.

  Curiosity kept nagging at Billy’s consciousness. He knew he would need to call Roni and talk about this again. There was no one he trusted more. Plus, he really wanted to talk to the surviving husband. For some reason, he felt compelled to swap stories to see if Marian’s behavior was similar. Billy was having a hard time reconciling the idea that Marian was capable of murder.

  Time to figure out what to do next. Billy rejected the concept of confronting Marian. That would result in another whining fit. The other thing he realized was that he should let this information percolate for a few days to see if he felt any different. If he verbalized what he felt at this point, he would have a hard time walking it back.

  That’s the ticket; keep quiet for a few days and see if his initial repulsion lingered. If it did, then it would be time to sit down with Richard and figure out an escape route without losing too much. He needed some legal advice. Marian had parsed the truth when he had asked her if she had been married before. Her response had been that she was widow. She had omitted the four times over and the divorced survivor part. Did that constitute fraud, and did it even matter?