Q. Dr. Zalenkia, you examined the clothes that testimony has shown Mr. Carson wore on the evening that Pandora Wade was murdered, is that true?
A. Yes, it is.
Q. Did those items include the blue cotton shirt entered as an exhibit?
A. Yes.
Q. What did you discover on that shirt?
A. There were traces of cosmetics on the right shoulder.
Q. Were those cosmetics identifiable?
A. Yes. The brand—
Mr. Monroe: Your Honor, the defense stipulates that the cosmetics found on Captain Carson’s shirt were those of Pan Addington Wade. We will even stipulate that they came to be there when she rested her cheek on her friend’s shoulder—
Ms. Frye: Your Honor—
THE COURT: Enough. Mr. Monroe, you are not to testify unless and until you are in the witness chair. Ms. Frye, since the defense stipulates that the cosmetics found on Captain Carson’s shirt were the victim’s, do you have further questions for this witness.
Ms. Frye. Yes, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Proceed.
Q. Dr. Zalenkia, what else did you find on the defendant’s shirt?
A. We found hair, subsequently identified as Mrs. Wade’s, wound around the button of the right cuff.
Mr. Monroe: Your Honor, the defense also stipulates that the hair found on Captain Carson’s shirt was that of Pan Addington Wade.
Ms. Frye: The prosecution accepts the defense’s stipulation, Your Honor, only if it also accepts the hair was wound around the defendant’s shirt button and that the hair had been pulled from the head of Mrs. Wade, the victim.
Mr. Monroe: The defense will stipulate to the hair being around the shirt button. There is no evidence it was pulled, Judge.
THE COURT: The Court strikes the testimony relating to the hair being pulled. The jury shall disregard that. Proceed, Ms. Frye.
Q. Dr. Zalenkia, were there roots attached to the hair?
A. Yes.
Q. Are roots present when hair is pulled out?
A. Yes.
Q. To spare Mr. Monroe further objections, I will ask you, Dr. Zalenkia, if the roots can indicate the amount of force required to pull the hair out?
A. It depends on the phase of growth the hair is in. The hair found belonging to Pandora Wade was in the catagen phase, when the hair can come out more easily. We know that the hair came out, but we do not know if more force than necessary was applied when it came out.
Q. Thank you, Dr. Zalenkia. Were there any other items your lab examined.
A. Yes.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
On the porch, a hand took her arm.
Ed Smith. He tugged her toward the far end. “A word, Maggie.”
“Of course. How are all of you doing?”
“The shock’s wearing off.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?”
“It’s hard. You think it will get easier … This morning, the judge was much himself. And then—” He snapped his fingers. “It was all back.”
“He was truly close to Laurel?”
“He adored her.”
Not the same, not the same at all.
“And Charlotte?”
“The heart and soul of Rambler Farm. And above all, the brains. The place wouldn’t operate a day without her.”
“That was clear today. It was particularly impressive considering the burden of grief and shock she must be operating under.”
“Working is how Charlotte copes. But I do worry about her. She worked hard getting ready for this memorial. Wouldn’t let anyone help. Nobody wants to find this killer more than Laurel’s family. If there’s anything I could—”
“I have heard Charlotte and Laurel clashed.”
“Clashed? That’s a strong word. Sisters, you know. Sibling rivalry and personality differences rolled together.”
“I understand their personalities were very different.” She paused, letting his discomfort deepen. “Ed, was Charlotte jealous of Laurel?”
“Jealous?” His voice rose. Surprise? Discomfort? Nerves? Guilt?
“No. Not at all. They wanted such different things in life. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know Charlotte the way I know her.”
Maggie had her doubts, but this wasn’t the place to press him. “Ed, there is something I’m hoping you can help with.”
“Anything I can do, you know that.”
“I’ve been reading the transcript. There’s something… Damned if I can pin down what it is, though.”
He shook his head. “I read it right after the trial. Several times. I don’t remember anything strange, and I was reading it carefully because I was, uh…” The man actually blushed.
“Looking for what I did wrong. How I lost the case. I know. I did that, too.”
“You didn’t lose the case, Maggie. You handled that trial wonderfully.”
“I did lose the case. That’s a fact. But it wasn’t only that. Maybe this thing with the transcript is all in my head, but I’d appreciate another set of eyes — eyes of someone who wasn’t at the defense table.”
“I’ll take another look at it if you like.”
“Thanks. I’ll send you a copy Scott made for us. There’s something else, if you don’t mind my asking, do you know anything about Laurel’s will?”
He stiffened slightly. “I’m checking on that. One thing I can spare the judge and Charlotte. But I don’t have information for you right yet.” Was that true? “I wish I could spare her more. But you can, Maggie.”
“Me?”
“There are so many questions from the authorities for the official investigation… Yet you and Dallas seem to be asking even more questions. I don’t want you to ask Charlotte anymore questions.”
She considered him. “Ed, you know I can’t agree to that. As long as these murders aren’t solved, there are going to be questions. Some of them by me. The best thing would be for everyone to cooperate to get them solved as quickly as possible.”
“Of course, that would be best. Absolutely.”
She wasn’t sure she believed that, either.
He walked with her to the bottom of the steps, where Dallas was waiting, then remained there as she got into her car.
Escorting her as a courtesy or to be sure she left?
* * * *
“Take the left fork up ahead,” Dallas told her.
“Why?”
“We’re going to talk to Eugene again.”
“When was that decided and why didn’t you say something when we were leaving?”
“It was decided when an interesting tidbit came along this afternoon that he’d tried to cozy up to Pan after she first left Rick, but she was having none of it. Shot him down good was the phrase used. Didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to give Eugene a preview, didn’t want him to get worked up.”
“Eugene doesn’t know we’re coming?” That part she approved.
“No. J.D. will have him feeling all calm and relaxed when we arrive.”
“You cooked this up with Carson?”
“Oh, no. He has no inkling, either.”
Dallas sat back with a satisfied smile. But that word inkling set off a bell in Maggie’s head.
“When you told us about Laurel seeing Zales, you said you had an inkling. That’s what made you talk to him. That inkling, where’d it come from? Carson?”
“J.D.? How would he—? No.”
A piece fell into place. “Scott.”
“That would not be discreet of him.”
No, it wouldn’t be. He shouldn’t gossip about who he saw or what he heard while in the lawyer’s office, no more than he should have told her what he had this afternoon.
Dallas was going on. “To understand Scott, you must understand about his mama, my cousin, Dina.”
Before Maggie could say she didn’t want to understand Scott — or his mother — Dallas plunged in.
“Dina never got used to the idea the family money was gone. She married a nic
e enough fella, but Tomlinson left when Scott wasn’t even in school yet. Dina treated that boy more like a pet than a son. Tried to talk to her, but she wasn’t one for listening.
“Scott was starting high school when Tony came along. Scott and Dina fought something terrible. Well, he fought. She went on doing what she wanted. Married Tony that spring. Things were rocky until Scott left for college. By then, she’d run Tony into debt. I helped a bit with Scott’s schooling, tuition and such. He talked about law, but his grades … When he raised becoming a court reporter, I thought it might remind him of what he’d wanted and didn’t have, but he started strong.
“But damned if he didn’t go into a tailspin when Dina died. You’d think there’d never been the fightin’. You’d think it had always been the two of them, close as after his daddy left. Didn’t work for months, and what with more jurisdictions using recordings and such, it’s been harder.”
She remembered Scott’s disappointment at not working for the sheriff. And Dallas’ response.
“You throw jobs his way,” she said to Dallas. “That’s nepotism.”
He smiled with genuine amusement. “Not in Bedhurst County. Here it’s called helping family. But your experience might have been different.”
“You didn’t say Scott didn’t provide the information that gave you an inkling.”
“No, I didn’t. But what about your family, Maggie?” Uh-huh. This explained the buildup. He’d been trying to work it around to her. “I understand your cousin is in charge of the Sunshine Foundation in Washington. How do you—”
“Here we are.”
Carson held his truck’s passenger door open while Tagner used it to steady himself as he slowly climbed out.
Dallas murmured, “Perfectly timed, my dear.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
She felt justified ignoring Dallas’ comment, since she’d been getting out of the car. Nobody could prove she’d heard it.
Standing at his truck, Carson’s brows rose in question. She shrugged slightly.
Dallas, moving at a surprisingly good rate, was already to Tagner. “Eugene, let me take your arm. Yes, yes, right this way. Up the stairs and — Louelle, it’s a pleasure to see you. We’ll set a while in the card room. No need for refreshments. We were treated to all one could hope to drink or eat at Rambler Farm. Quite the event.”
Carson closed his truck door and gestured for her to precede him as they trailed Dallas and his captive inside, past a puzzled Louelle, and to the opposite side of the house from the previous visit.
This room was significantly smaller and more comfortable, with a poker table and chairs on one side, sofa and upholstered chairs on the other. Dallas deposited Eugene in a chair.
Behind them, Louelle made a protesting sound, but Carson closed the door, and the housekeeper didn’t try to open it.
Eugene roused himself. “Wh — What’s this about?”
“A few questions, a few questions, that’s all.”
“I already answered—”
“That’s the thing with an investigation. Every conversation you learn a little more, and then you need to come back around to those involved and ask again.”
“Involved? I’m not involved.”
Maggie cut in. “For example, when we hear that you not only weren’t changing your agreement with Laurel, but you’d checked to be sure it was still in its original form, just before her death.”
That drew raised eyebrows from both Dallas and Carson.
Eugene didn’t notice their surprise. “No! No, that’s not right. Not right. I didn’t. I never — Renee said don’t and I didn’t.” He breathed audibly.
“We’ll check and we’ll find out,” she said.
“Then you’ll find out I didn’t. Didn’t. You can’t be saying things like that. If Renee…” Apparently realizing he’d been about to say something unwise, he shut his mouth.
Dallas picked up. “As for being involved, of course you are. You’re the bereaved widower of Laurel, well-deserving of all the condolences extended to you at Rambler Farm these past hours.
“Well, yes, but not … you know, with the investigation of Laurel’s, uh, death.”
“Laurel’s death? Oh, that’s what you thought we wanted to ask about?” Dallas asked.
Eugene sent J.D. a look over his shoulder. Why? Did he know Laurel had gone after Carson, at least according to Charlotte?
“Uh, yeah.”
“Not at all, not at all. It’s what happened between you and Pan we wish to discuss.”
Maggie would swear Carson didn’t move or make a sound, yet it was like he exerted a force that whipped Eugene’s head around toward him, even as their reluctant host squeaked, “Pan? Nothing happened between Pan and me. Nothing between Pan and me.”
“I didn’t — Eugene, please look at me when I talk to you.” Dallas waited while Eugene slowly faced him. “I didn’t say anything happened, now did I? Though not for your lack of tryin’.”
“I— I—”
Dallas talked over him. “Several weeks before J.D., here, came back to town. Out at Shenny’s. You’d been in the bar for some period of time. Pan was in the restaurant with two friends. You, shall we say, joined their table uninvited and made statements that also were uninvited.”
“How’d you hear that? Not that I admit—”
“Eugene, Eugene, the exchange took place in front of witnesses. Do you truly believe you can deny it to everyone?”
“It’s not everyone I’m worried about.”
Since he continued to glance at Carson, it didn’t require a guess to know who he was worried about.
“J.D., assure the man you will not pummel him over the incident in question.”
Carson considered Eugene through eyes narrowed to slits. “If I ever hear you talking about Pan—”
“Never, never with anything but the utmost respect. Utmost respect.”
“—or subjecting another woman to unwanted advances.”
“Any other woman?”
“Any other woman.” He held Eugene’s gaze. After receiving an acquiescent nod, Carson concluded, “I will pummel you. I will not over this incident.”
Eugene swallowed at the ominous ring of those final words.
“Excellent,” Dallas said briskly, “now tell us your account of what happened.”
“Nothing. Really, nothing serious. It was like you said, I saw her there in the restaurant when I went to the back to — Well, you know. When I came out I thought I’d go by and say hello. Attractive woman, real attractive. Wasn’t a good time, though. She was busy, that’s all. Busy.”
“You propositioned her for sex,” Dallas said in his sharpest cross-examination tone.
Eugene started to turn toward Carson, then appeared to think better of it. “Looking for some fun. Thought she might be, too.”
“She was a married woman at the time,” Dallas said.
“Suppose so, though she’d left Rick. Oh, you’re thinking that meant she was a no-go.” He shook his head. “Not my experience. Not my experience. I was married, too, and women came on to me most all the time.”
“Not respectable women,” Dallas said. Hard to tell if he was truly shocked or putting on a show.
“Oh, yeah, respectable, too.” Eugene argued. “Like the Blankenship girls.”
Girls. Plural.
Maggie broke the momentary silence to be absolutely sure. “Charlotte, too?”
“Yeah. Pretty sad, really. Not my type. And mostly she talked about what a force we’d be in county politics, maybe the state. Could’ve taken a lesson from her sister and sat on my lap, unbuttoned her blouse, and popped her tits in my face. God, that girl did have great tits.” Tears came into his eyes. “Such a waste, such a waste.”
“How’d it make you feel when Pan shot you down?” Carson asked abruptly.
He frowned. “Kinda surprised she was that sharp, because she’d always been nice to me, but not real tore up, either, you know? Well, maybe you don’t. Un
til I had money it was how most females were to me. With the businesses and all, it changed, mostly, but not entirely. I’m still kind of used to it. Used to it.”
“You called her a bitch and said she’d regret it,” Dallas said.
Carson made a low sound.
“It was the drink talking. The drink. I wouldn’t have ever hurt Pan. I didn’t hurt her. I—”
The door opened abruptly.
Eugene’s second ex-wife walked in, with a smug Louelle momentarily visible before the door closed.
Eugene twisted around. “Renee!” You’d think he’d been rescued from being beaten with hoses.
“Why, this is a surprise to find you all here with my Eugene.” Her sarcasm was too thick to drip.
“My, oh, my,” Dallas said with a reproving shake of his head, “you are most fortunate not to have encountered any law enforcement on your way here, Renee. Even allowin’ for Louelle telephonin’ you with alacrity, you must have severely broken the speed limit.”
Unruffled she said, “I was on my way to see Eugene when Louelle called. How are you, darlin’?” From behind his chair, she put a hand on his shoulder and kissed the top of his head. He relaxed, facing forward. “As nice as it is to see y’all — again and so soon — it’s been a long day and Eugene—”
Maggie cut across Renee. “Eugene, we’d like to talk to your divorce lawyer, clear up some issues. It could help you a lot.”
Eugene looked up at Renee.
She said, “No. Now, if you’ll excuse—”
“I have another question.” Maggie stepped in close, blocking Eugene’s view of Renee, “What does Laurel’s will say?”
“Everything comes to me, of course. We had our wills drawn up same time as our other agreement. Mine has bequests — to Louelle, some charities — but Laurel’s didn’t. She left whatever she had to me. Everything to me.”
“None to her family?” Dallas asked.
Renee interrupted, “Nothing odd in a wife leaving everything to her husband.”
“Do the Blankenships know?”
Renee clicked her tongue. “They have no kick. Laurel hadn’t inherited her half of Rambler Farm yet. Now that would’ve been something.”
* * * *
Proof of Innocence Page 24