Read and Gone

by Allison Brook

  “No mention of the murder.”

  “It will be all over the news within the hour,” Dylan predicted.

  I went into the living room and scooped up Smoky Joe. He’d been sitting at the window, watching the antics of two squirrels on the back lawn. “Talk to you later.” I dropped a kiss on Dylan’s head and stepped outside. The cold weather chilled my nose and cheeks.

  I buried my face in Smoky Joe’s neck as I strode out to my car. “What a morning, eh, Smoky Joe?”

  My thoughts jostled against one another as I tried to absorb all that had transpired in the past twenty-four hours. I’d driven to Benton’s cabin to search for the gems and had been struck on the head for my troubles. I’d riled up Dina and Mariel, hoping to force one of them to admit Richard might have killed Benton, but instead my father ended up unconscious on the living room floor. I had been forced to admit to myself that I loved my father. Dylan had told me he loved me, and we had taken our relationship to the next level. Last but not least, Mariel Parr had been murdered.

  I was glad the traffic was light enough to allow me to ruminate about the events that had impacted my recent life.

  Dylan loved me! How I adored hearing him say it, knowing that he really meant it. Because I loved him and had probably fallen in love with him the morning I had gone to see the cottage for the first time. Still, giving my heart so completely was scary. Now I was vulnerable to another person’s words and actions. Dylan could stop loving me at any time. Find fault with me. After all, I was far from perfect.

  Then there were the real and practical considerations. Dylan had said we were a couple. But what did that mean? He spent most of his time away from home—traveling around the country, retrieving stolen art objects and gems. How could a relationship sustain itself when one person was always out of town?

  Not wanting to burst my happy bubble of feeling loved and adored, I decided to focus on the murders instead. It was safe to assume the same person had stabbed Benton, Mariel, and Tom Quincy. Had the victims been killed because of the gems? Mariel and Tom Quincy were both found murdered near the Darbys’ home. Paul Darby had been seen with the two male victims shortly before their deaths and had found Mariel’s body. Paul was involved because his wife had had an affair with Benton Parr.

  Was it possible that Jennifer had killed three people?

  Most unlikely. Which brought me back to the gems. Was the killer after the gems, and did he or she think that Jennifer had them in her possession?

  Then why not break into the Darbys’ house and search for them?

  By the time I approached the outskirts of Clover Ridge, I was no closer to a theory, much less a preferred suspect. On impulse, I called Dina.

  “Oh, it’s you. What do you want, Carrie?”

  Inwardly I cringed at her hostility, but I forced myself to be pleasant.

  “Hi, Dina. I heard about your mother. I’m so very sorry.”

  “Really? After the way you treated us last night? And now she’s dead.” Dina burst into tears. I waited for her sobbing to subside, hoping she wouldn’t hang up.

  “Do you know what she was doing outside at three in the morning?”

  “No!”

  The way she shot out her answer made me wonder. “Are you sure? Whatever you know can help the police catch her murderer.”

  “Right! The way they caught the person who killed my father. For all I know, he’ll come after me next.”

  “I doubt it. The killer must be after the gems.”

  “Then why did he kill my mother?” Dina asked. “She didn’t know where they are.”

  “Maybe she managed to find them, and the killer took them from her.”

  Dina sighed. “Those damn gems! All they do is bring bad luck. If they even exist.”

  “I think they do,” I said. “Someone hit me over the head and searched me, thinking I might have found them.”

  “I wonder why he let you live.”

  Thanks, I thought but didn’t say out loud. But actually, I wondered the same thing.

  “No one knows where they are,” Dina said. “Not even the stupid murderer.”

  “Did you know your mother was found near Jennifer and Paul Darby’s house?”

  “No, Lieutenant Mathers didn’t say. But I’m not surprised. Mom suddenly got it into her head that Dad gave the gems to Jennifer for safekeeping. Maybe she was right. Wasn’t that where that goon Tom Quincy was murdered?”

  “I don’t know, Dina. The police searched the Darbys’ house after your father was killed and didn’t find them.”

  “I told Mom that. I told her to forget about the gems, but she wouldn’t listen.” Dina started sobbing again. “She said she needed the gems. She needed the money to lead a decent life. We started arguing. I told her she was selfish and only cared about living well, that she didn’t care about me.” She sniffed. “She didn’t deny it.”

  I felt a rush of sympathy for her. “My mother never said she cared more about living well than she did about me, but if pressed she’d have to admit it.”

  “Lucky us, getting stuck with the two most self-centered mothers on the planet.”

  “I know. Mothers aren’t supposed to be that way. If I ever have kids, I swear I’ll put them first.”

  “At least you have a father that adores you,” Dina said, the hostility back in her tone.

  I laughed. “Right. Cast your vote for Jim Singleton, father of the year. Did you forget he’s a thief, and I hardly saw him when I was growing up?”

  “Regardless, he loves you, Carrie. My father put on an act that he cared about his family and the welfare of Clover Ridge. He did it all for show, so people would say he was a good and trustworthy person and would want to shop in his store.” She made a sound of derision. “The truth is, he was as self-centered as my mother.”

  “I’m sorry, Dina.”

  I pulled into a spot in the library parking lot and was about to end our conversation when Dina asked, “Who found the—my mother?”

  “Believe it or not, it was Paul Darby.”

  “Him again? He’s always around when there’s a murder, but there’s never any evidence, so the police can’t hold him.”

  “I don’t think he killed your mother,” I said. “Why would he?”

  “Maybe he’s after the gems like everyone else.”

  “I never thought of that,” I said. “He’s been out of work for months…”

  “I hope the police see that as a motive,” Dina said.

  “Don’t you want them to catch the person who’s guilty?”

  She hesitated, then said, “I might as well tell you, since Richard’s a wuss when it comes to coping with stress, and the police will worm it out of him.”

  A tremor snaked down my back. “Are you saying your brother killed your mother?”

  “Of course I’m not saying that,” Dina said, sounding annoyed. “But Richard was out most of last night, driving around.”

  “He told you this?” I asked.

  “Yes. He called me this morning after the police informed him that our mother was found stabbed to death sometime between midnight and sunrise. He was upset because he realized afterward that he’d witnessed the murder.”

  “Really?”

  I must have sounded as skeptical as I felt because Dina rushed to her brother’s defense. “He and Ginny have serious money problems. Their son, Danny, has medical issues, and they can hardly keep their heads above water. Rich said they had a fight about finances, and then he went out driving. It’s what he does when things get to be too much for him. Anyway, he remembered passing two figures standing in an alley or a driveway leading to a detached garage at the back of a house. He couldn’t even make out if it was two men or a man and a woman. They appeared to be arguing. Since it was none of his business, he drove past without thinking too much about it. It was only when he got the news that he realized he must have seen the killer and Mom just before she was murdered.”

  “Maybe he saw something that
can help the police identify the killer.”

  “Maybe the police will think my brother did it. I gotta go, Carrie. Merry Christmas.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  I tried to call Dina back, but the phone rang and rang. Clearly, she didn’t want to talk to me any longer. I couldn’t blame her. Both her parents had been murdered, and once her brother admitted he’d passed the site where Mariel had been murdered, the police would be on him like dogs after a rabbit, at least for a while.

  I carried Smoky Joe into the library. It was like entering a sanctuary after spending time in a war zone. All around me were wreaths and menorahs and snowmen in celebration of the season: winter, Chanukah, Christmas, and Kwanza as well as the New Year.

  Smoky Joe dashed off to entertain the patrons. I headed to the staff room for a much-needed cup of coffee. I eyed the colorful array of Christmas cookies and gingerbread men and the stack of festive paper plates beside the coffee urn. Heaven! I filled my coffee mug and selected an assortment of cookies and a chocolate gingerbread man, then headed for my office.

  I was too agitated to get much work done that day. Another murder had been committed—another member of the Parr family—and I had no idea who had killed Mariel Parr or why. Though I wasn’t in the proper frame of mind to make any decisions regarding new projects, I intended to fulfill my responsibilities and see to it that the library’s programs and events ran smoothly. And, of course, be available if Sally needed me. That said, three o’clock couldn’t come soon enough for me!

  I exited the staff room and nearly banged foreheads with Jennifer Darby.

  “Oh, you’re still here!” I said in surprise.

  “Yes. I won’t be leaving Clover Ridge until early tomorrow morning.” She frowned. “Sally said I’d be docked if I didn’t work today.”

  I lowered my voice. “The police found Mariel Parr’s body near your house early this morning.”

  “So I heard. That’s the second murder in the same spot,” Jennifer said. “Good thing I wasn’t there. I’ve been staying at my sister’s.”

  “I understand your husband found the body.”

  “Paul didn’t kill Mariel! Why would he?”

  I pursed my lips. “I have no idea.”

  Jennifer’s laugh sounded like a cackle. “My poor husband’s such a loser. He always manages to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can’t wait to get away from here and lead a normal life. An exciting life. One with meaning.”

  “Where are you planning to go?” I asked, curious to hear what place she thought offered a normal life that was exciting and had meaning.

  “I’m moving to Manhattan, where else? It’s the only place filled with all sorts of possibilities and a new start in life.”

  “Can you afford it?” I asked.

  Jennifer dismissed my concern with a wave of her hand. “I’ll stay with my cousin until I find a job. It shouldn’t be that hard.”

  “Really?” I asked. “What can you do?”

  Jennifer frowned at my question. “Lots of things. Now I have to open the coffee shop or Sally will have a fit. And Carrie, please see to it that your cat stays away from the shop. He’s been disturbing the customers these past few days.”

  “Really? What has Smoky Joe been doing?”

  “Running through the tables and sniffing around the back room. Yesterday I almost tripped over him. It’s really annoying having him underfoot.”

  “I’m sorry, Jennifer, but I think he’s after a mouse that gets into the woodwork through the grate at the back of the shop.”

  “Just keep him away, okay?”

  “Sally’s hoping he’ll catch the mouse. Or mice.”

  “After today I’m gone; then he can catch all the mice he likes.”

  I’d taken no more than five steps when I heard a familiar voice: “Our Jennifer’s gotten a bit snippy, don’t you think?”

  I turned to Evelyn, grateful that no one was in hearing distance and would wonder why I was talking to myself. Today she wore a fitted gray jacket over a blue silk dress. Her gray hair looked as if she’d just stepped out of a beauty salon.

  “I sure do,” I agreed. “Sounds like she can’t wait to leave Clover Ridge.”

  “Do you like my new dress?” Evelyn asked as she unbuttoned the jacket to show me the pleated bodice of her dress.

  “I love it. And I see you’ve had your hair done.”

  She patted the back of her head. “I thought I’d try a new style for the holidays.”

  Again, I was about to ask Evelyn where a ghost got new clothes and had her hair done, when she said, “Interesting how Jennifer didn’t even blink when you told her Mariel had been murdered near her home.”

  “I noticed, but it was old news to her.”

  “Mariel was the wife of her dead lover. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?” Evelyn said cryptically.

  “Not really. Jennifer told me she realized that her affair with Benton was nothing more than a fantasy.”

  “And you believed her?”

  “Oh, no!” I stared at Evelyn. “You don’t think—I mean, Jennifer couldn’t have killed Mariel. She’s too—”

  “Gentle? Passive? Naïve?”

  “No, actually. I might have thought so at one time, but I don’t anymore. I wonder how she found out about Mariel.”

  Evelyn shrugged. “Perhaps she heard the news on the radio.”

  “I doubt it. They weren’t talking about it on our local TV channel when I left the cottage. But maybe Paul called to tell her what happened.”

  “Do you really think he would?” she asked.

  “I know Jennifer left him and they’re not on good terms, but there’s the possibility that he’d want her to know.”

  Evelyn disappeared without commenting, and I walked the rest of the way to my office, pondering the possibility that Jennifer had killed Mariel. I’d be sure to tell John how unfeeling she’d been when I mentioned the murder. I was unlocking my office door when Marion Marshall walked over.

  “Carrie, stop by the children’s room at eleven. We’re treating the pre-Ks to a light lunch and a visit from Santa.”

  I chuckled. “Uncle Bosco had his costume cleaned for the occasion. Aunt Harriet told me he’s gained so much weight, this year he didn’t need a pillow to stuff in his suit.”

  I stepped into my office and hung up my jacket. There were emails waiting for me on my computer—mostly Christmas greetings from presenters and librarians who worked in nearby libraries, whom I’d gotten to know at the few library association meetings I’d attended. They gave me a feeling of belonging and continuity, both of which I’d never felt before, despite the fact that I’d only been living in Clover Ridge since May.

  I smiled to think that coming to live here, the hometown of my father’s family, had been the wisest decision I’d ever made. Now I had a job that I loved and a boyfriend I cared for. My relationship with my father was improving, and I was learning to accept him for the person he was. I had no idea how long he planned to stay with me at the cottage before taking off to parts unknown. I supposed it would depend on how long he continued to look for the gems that Benton had so successfully hidden.

  I was beginning to believe that finding them was a lost cause. So many people were searching for them, including the killer. I wished I knew how to help John discover who it was. Whoever it was had already murdered three people.

  My cell phone rang. It was my father, sounding distraught.

  “I can’t believe Mariel’s dead, Caro. We were with her last night.”

  “I’m sorry, Dad. I know she was a friend of yours.”

  “This place has turned into a killing zone! That makes three murders since I came to town, not to mention you and me being attacked.”

  Dylan must have told him about the incident at the cabin. “I’m pretty sure they’re all connected to the gems everyone’s after.”

  “As far as I’m concerned, those gems can rot wherever they are. The minute the doctor says I’m okay,
I’m off.”

  “Oh,” was all I could manage.

  “Sorry, honey. I didn’t mean that I want to leave you. It’s been wonderful spending time together, but you knew I wasn’t planning to stay in Clover Ridge.”

  “Where will you go?”

  “I have no idea now that South America is out of the picture.”

  When I didn’t answer, he said in a false bright tone, “We’ll keep in touch. I promise.”

  “What time did the doctor say you can be released from the hospital?”

  “One, one thirty. Dylan knows I’ll call him as soon as I get my walking papers.”

  “Will you be okay on your own till I get home shortly after three?”

  “Of course, Caro. Don’t you worry about me.”

  I hung up feeling blue. Of course I knew he’d probably leave after the new year, but hearing it stated so baldly made me sad. I’d gotten used to having my father close by. Once he was gone, traveling God knew where, I’d worry about him and hope he wasn’t getting into trouble.

  The usual programs were in session that day, needing no assistance from me. The only special event was a group of local carolers who were coming in at two o’clock to sing holiday songs in the main reading room for half an hour.

  “Guess what!”

  The door to my office flew open. Angela stormed in like a gale of wind. “Mariel Parr was murdered last night!”

  “Early this morning,” I corrected

  “You knew and didn’t tell me!” she said.

  “Things have been hectic. My father fell after dinner and was taken by ambulance back to the hospital. Then Dylan and I—” My face grew warm as I remembered our night together.

  “Go on!” Angela urged. When I didn’t say another word, she grinned. “Are you not saying what I think you’re not saying? That things between the two of you are finally taking off?”

  I nodded. “He told me he loves me.”

  “That’s terrific.”

  “I’m still getting used to—everything. Then this morning, John called him to say Mariel had been murdered. She and Dina were at the cottage for dinner last night.”