Vi Agra Falls

by Mary Daheim

  “Yeah,” Renie agreed. “It’s not a pretty sight. You caught me on a bad day.”

  Judith had mixed feelings concerning Renie’s latest outburst. “It might be wise if you kept your rage under control,” she said.

  “Hunh.” Renie looked puzzled. “I thought I was saving your life.”

  “Well—maybe.” Judith’s expression was wry. “Between you and Mother, the carnage around this place is mounting. I’m glad that none of the guests are here this time of day.” She turned to Terri. “What’s your plan? I wouldn’t think you’d want to go back to your mother’s house.”

  Terri ran a hand through her dark hair. “I’m not sure. Maybe I should talk to Caitlin. We’ve never been very sisterly, but she seems like a nice girl. Has she gotten back from carting our mother home?”

  “I haven’t heard her,” Judith replied. “But that’s not a bad idea. Caitlin is very responsible. By the way,” she went on, “I wanted to ask you a couple of questions. Is it true that your dad married a movie actress after he and your mom split up?”

  Terri grimaced. “She wanted to be a movie actress. But she never got more than bit parts, hardly any with lines. I guess she gave it up after she and my dad separated. Her real name was Ellen Marx, but she changed it to Ella Di Marco for the movies. The last I heard, she married some rich guy. I think his name was Rosenthal or Rosenberg.”

  Judith stared at Terri. “Di Marco? Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” Terri insisted. “I lived with her and Dad in L.A. until I turned eighteen. Why do you ask?”

  “Because,” Judith said softly, “that’s the real last name of the dead man in your mother’s backyard.”

  “I don’t get it,” Terri said, eyes fixed on the coffee table between the sofas.

  “It hasn’t been mentioned publicly,” Judith explained. “I learned about it from a…an old friend in the media. His full name was Carlo Giovanni Di Marco. Does that ring any bells?”

  “No.” Terri shook her head several times. “But it might explain why my mother thought I was a murder suspect. That is, she knew Ellen’s movie name.”

  Judith started to say that it was unlikely that Vivian would know the man’s real name because Mavis hadn’t gone public yet. But, Judith thought suddenly, maybe Vivian had known all along. “So you’ve never heard of this man?”

  Terri made a helpless gesture with her hands. “Never. I suppose there are other Di Marcos in this world, but I don’t know any.”

  “Was Di Marco one of Ellen’s family names?” Judith inquired. “Her mother’s maiden name, maybe?”

  “I don’t know,” Terri said. “She’d been married at least once before she met my dad. Marx may have been from a previous marriage.” She paused, plucking a loose thread from her cutoffs. “Do you think I should try to contact my dad and ask him?”

  Judith shrugged. “It might be a good—” Her jaw dropped. “Your dad? What do you mean, your dad?”

  Terri looked even more befuddled. “My father, Johnny.”

  Renie let out a little yip. Judith was on the edge of the sofa. “Johnny Agra is alive?”

  “Of course,” Terri said. “He’s alive and well and giving scuba-diving lessons in the Bahamas.”

  20

  Judith’s obvious astonishment evoked a curious expression from Terri. “What’s wrong?” the younger woman asked. “You look…odd.”

  “I’m sorry,” Judith apologized, “but your mother told me your father died some time ago.”

  Terri uttered a short laugh. “I suppose he might as well have, as far as she’s concerned. Seriously, should I try to get hold of him? He’s hard to reach, because he also handles boat charters.”

  “Yes,” Judith said. “Maybe he can shed some light on the victim’s identity. I assume you’re out of touch with your stepmother, Ellen.”

  “Oh, yes,” Terri said, grimacing. “I haven’t heard from her in ten, fifteen years.”

  The doorbell rang. Renie offered to answer it, grabbing the shovel on the way to the front door. “It’s Caitlin,” she called from the entry hall.

  “Oh!” Judith exclaimed in relief, and realized that she’d been worrying about her stepdaughter, though she wasn’t exactly sure why.

  Renie locked the door behind her and propped the shovel against the wall. “We’re secure. I think.”

  Caitlin had tensed. “What’s going on?” she asked.

  Judith gestured for her to sit. “Your half-brother, Doug, made a nuisance of himself.”

  With a wary look at Terri, Caitlin joined Judith on the sofa. “I thought,” she said, her gaze returning to her half-sister, “you left town.”

  “Is that what our mother told you?” Terri replied angrily. “She wants me to go. Are you taking her side?”

  Caitlin sighed. “No. This is between you and Mom. Why do you think I live in Switzerland? I’d move to the North Pole if I thought it’d save me from getting embroiled in her antics.”

  Terri lowered her gaze. “You’re smart. I never should have come. I…I just didn’t have any other place to go.”

  Caitlin’s face softened. “You’re that desperate?”

  Terri wouldn’t look at her half-sister. “I guess so.”

  Judith started to speak, but stopped. Maybe, she thought, it’d be better if she and Renie left the younger women alone to sort things out.

  It was Caitlin, however, who broke the brief silence. “Surely Mom will give you some money until you find a job. Doug and Barry have been putting the squeeze on her. Mom can afford to be generous, especially if she sells the ranch in Oklahoma.”

  “She hasn’t been generous with me,” Terri said bitterly.

  Caitlin’s short laugh was harsh. “I wouldn’t take it if she offered.”

  “You don’t have to,” Terri retorted. “You have a job and a husband. He’s a lawyer, isn’t he?”

  “We all have choices in life. Look,” Caitlin went on, leaning closer, “your dustup with Mom hasn’t helped your chances of getting any money out of her. Let me help you put together a résumé. I often have to read them when we’re hiring somebody at the chemical company. You’ve done other things besides…being a stripper, haven’t you?”

  “Mostly retail,” Terri said glumly. “My last job was in a bookstore. They went broke.”

  Caitlin nodded. “Are you sure you want to live around here? So close to our mother, I mean.”

  Terri shrugged. “I’ve got to start somewhere and get a nest egg.”

  “Okay.” Caitlin paused. “I’ve seen Help Wanted signs at several places around Heraldsgate Hill. Come upstairs. We’ll use my laptop.”

  Terri looked dubious. “Are you sure?”

  “Of course.” Caitlin was on her feet. Terri slowly got off the other sofa. “Excuse us,” Caitlin said to Judith and Renie. Suddenly she snapped her fingers. “Terri, why did Doug want you to come with him?”

  “I’ve no idea,” Terri said.

  “Doug didn’t say why,” Judith put in. “He was very abrupt.”

  “I wonder,” Caitlin mused.

  “What?” Terri asked.

  “Doug’s dad, Ray Campbell, came by the house while I was trying to calm down Mom after your fight,” Caitlin explained. “Just before I left, I overheard him say something about talking to Mandrake Stokes.”

  Terri looked puzzled. “Who’s that?”

  “Someone who’s involved in the ranch sale,” Caitlin replied. “Mom asked me to meet with Mr. Stokes because she insists she can’t handle it, and Billy…well, he’s not very smart. Not knowing anything about the ranch, I flunked the meeting. Maybe Ray’s leaped into the breach.”

  “I saw Ray a few times after Mom and my dad broke up,” Terri said. “He’s no businessman.”

  “Probably not,” Caitlin agreed as the women left the living room. “But I only knew him from when he’d collect Doug for a weekend or…” They headed upstairs, their voices fading out of Judith’s hearing range.

  “My God,” Renie
exclaimed, “I’m so glad I’m an only child.”

  “Me, too.” Judith smiled at her cousin. “But we had each other.”

  “That’s why we usually get along,” Renie pointed out. “When we fought, one of us could always leave and go home.”

  “A much better arrangement,” Judith conceded. She fingered her chin. “So Johnny Agra is still alive. I hope Terri can get hold of him and find out about this Di Marco connection, if there is one, with his ex.”

  “You look disappointed,” Renie remarked. “You wanted him dead?”

  Judith shook her head. “Of course not, but it blows my theory about the murder. I had this wild idea that—”

  A loud thud and a piercing scream made both cousins jump.

  “What was that?” Renie asked, getting out of the chair and hurrying into the entry hall.

  Groans and moans could be heard from somewhere in the house. “The kitchen?” Renie said, grabbing the shovel on the run. Judith followed as fast as she could. Before reaching the half-doors, she heard her cousin’s voice raised in alarm. “Phyliss! What happened?”

  Lying in a heap at the bottom of the back stairs, the cleaning woman let out several more painful yelps, followed by shielding her face with her forearm. “Begone, Satan’s handmaid! Help!”

  Renie froze, shovel in hand. “I don’t think Phyliss likes me.”

  Judith nudged her cousin aside. “Let me see. Phyliss, what hurts?” she asked calmly.

  “Save me!” Phyliss said in an agonized voice. “Your heathen cousin has a pitchfork! She’s doing the devil’s work before I’m dead!”

  “It’s a shovel,” Judith said, trying to be patient.

  Phyliss moaned and groaned. “My ankle!” she wailed. “It’s broke!”

  Judith tried to bend down, but Renie held her back. “Skip the satanic crap, Phyliss. You drove by ‘dumb’ a long time ago, and you’re coming up on ‘stupid’ really fast. Let me check. I don’t want to call an ambulance for two.”

  Phyliss’s eyes had narrowed. “The Bible has a name for your ilk.”

  “I know,” Renie said. “It’s ‘woman.’” On her knees, she examined Phyliss’s right ankle. “It’s a bit swollen,” she said. “Come on, let me get you into a more comfortable position.”

  “Go away!” the cleaning woman shouted. “You, quoting Holy Scripture! It’s blasphemy! You’re Beelzebub’s henchwoman! You’ve cast your evil spell on me!”

  “Oh, for—” Renie took a deep breath. “Please. I want to help.”

  By sheer force, Renie managed to get Phyliss into a half-sitting position against the bottom stairs.

  “Maybe,” Judith said reluctantly, getting a look at the injured ankle, “we should call nine-one-one. It might only be a bad sprain, but you can’t walk on it until you know, Phyliss.”

  “I need a healer,” Phyliss asserted. “A good Christian with godly powers. Oh, how I suffer for the Lord!”

  “You need a medic,” Renie snapped. She looked up at Judith. “Call nine-one-one.”

  “You do it,” Judith said. “I’m tired of talking to them.”

  Renie pondered for a moment. “I don’t suppose I could take Phyliss to the ER in my car. Unless Carl could help me carry her.”

  “Carl,” Judith reminded her cousin, “broke his leg.”

  “Damn! I forgot. What’s going on around here?” Renie turned to Phyliss, who’d started moaning again. “Can you hop?”

  “I’m not a rabbit!” Phyliss cried. “I know you worship them! I saw that furry creature in the garage! He’s your familiar!”

  “Oh, crap,” Renie muttered. “Where’s my cell phone? I’ll call nine-one-one.”

  Judith gazed around the hallway and into the kitchen. “You had it in your hand when you came in the house after—” She suddenly looked stricken. “Phyliss, are you sitting on my cousin’s phone?”

  Phyliss’s eyes widened. “So that’s what I slipped on! I knew it!” She pointed a finger at Renie. “You tried to kill me! You’re going to hell!”

  “I’m beginning to think I’m already there,” Renie retorted. “Move your butt, Phyliss, and let me get my phone.”

  The cleaning woman recoiled. “Don’t touch me!” Struggling to sit straight up, Phyliss pressed both hands on the bottom step and lurched to her feet. “There! Take your infernal contraption! Demon’s tools, that’s what those walkie-talkies are!”

  Renie snatched up her cell phone and stomped off down the hall. “She’s all yours, Coz.”

  As Phyliss tested her ankle, Judith apologized. “Serena was upset when she dropped her phone. A very rude man was trying to barge into the house. That’s why we locked the doors.”

  Phyliss leaned against the wall by the pantry door. “A thief? A sex fiend? A magazine subscription salesman? A rabbit?”

  “It was one of Mrs. Buss’s connections,” Judith explained. “By the way, my stepdaughter and her half-sister are in Room One. They may both stay here tonight.”

  “Hold on,” Phyliss said, with a sharp glance at Judith. “The redhead’s Mrs. Buss’s daughter, right? Is the other one related to that trollop?”

  “Yes,” Judith admitted. “But you can’t blame either of them for their mother’s folly.”

  “Sins of the fathers and the mothers, too.” On that dark note, Phyliss hobbled down the hall.

  “Miracle cure?” Renie asked as Judith returned to the living room.

  “Phyliss will probably forget about it by the time she leaves for the day,” Judith said. “Maybe I should offer her a ride home. Otherwise, she has to walk to the bus.”

  Renie, who’d been perusing the built-in bookshelves, pulled out a current copy of the World Almanac. “Are you going to call Johnny Agra, or will Terri do it? I can check the time change between here and the Bahamas with this. I think it’s three hours, but I’m not sure.”

  Judith fanned herself with her hand. “That sounds right. It’s getting stuffy in here. I’m going to unlock the doors and open them before the guests start coming back from their adventures.”

  “Go ahead.” Renie flipped through the almanac. “If Doug hasn’t come back by now, I don’t think he will.”

  Judith opened the front door and stepped onto the porch. The sky had grown overcast in the past hour, though the air was very warm and heavy. She saw a sleek red sports car in front of Vivian’s house. Billy Buss, Doug Campbell, and Barry Henckel were inspecting what Judith guessed was the Aston Martin DB9 that Herself had said was being shipped from Florida along with her Bentley. Stepping back inside to avoid drawing the men’s attention, Judith remarked that it might rain.

  “Good,” Renie said. “We could use it. I’m sick of this sun.”

  “If you peek out through the front door,” Judith said, “you’ll see Billy’s expensive toy car.”

  “I can’t tell one car from another,” Renie said. “Unless it runs on Pepsi, I don’t give a damn.”

  Judith leaned against the buffet. “I should plan tomorrow’s breakfast. If it rains, I might do something heartier than the usual summer menus. I ought to go to Falstaff’s and restock.” She looked at the grandfather clock as it chimed four times. “Phyliss should be done by four-thirty. I’ll offer her a lift and stop at the store on the way back.”

  “How can I help?” Renie inquired. “My home repair is on hold.”

  “Dream up a dinner for us and make a list in case I don’t have everything you need, okay?”

  Renie agreed. Half an hour later, Phyliss had been coaxed into accepting a ride home. As Judith pulled out of the driveway in her Nissan, she noticed that the Aston Martin was gone, no doubt for a trial spin around Heraldsgate Hill.

  Phyliss lived on the other side of the nearest bridge that went over the ship canal. Traffic was building up with the late-afternoon commute. After dropping the cleaning woman off at her apartment near the zoo, Judith went to Falstaff’s. It was just past five-thirty when she got back to Hillside Manor.

  “Are Caitlin and Terri ea
ting with us?” Judith asked, setting the grocery bags down on the kitchen counter.

  “I don’t know,” Renie replied, picking a couple of green grapes off of the bunch Judith had bought at Falstaff’s. “They left about ten minutes ago. Caitlin told me they were collecting the rest of Terri’s belongings from the motel and checking her out. I think they’re going to see if there’s a vacancy at one of the hotels at the bottom of the hill.”

  Judith put a bag of baby spinach into the refrigerator’s crisper drawer. “They’re going to bunk together?”

  “It makes sense,” Renie said. “You need Caitlin’s room tomorrow, right? Terri doesn’t want to spend any more time at that motel with Herself footing the bill. She’s fed up with living off of her mother’s table scraps and wants to find a job and an apartment in the next week or so.”

  “Good luck with that,” Judith murmured. “Of course, it’s August, and all the student summer jobs will end around Labor Day. I wonder how long Caitlin will stay in town?”

  “I assume she wants to see Joe,” Renie said, opening the package of chicken breasts that she’d requested for dinner. “It’s been a while since they’ve had a visit.”

  “He’d better get home soon,” Judith declared with fervor. “His timing for this trip stinks.”

  “He’s getting paid,” Renie pointed out. “When you freelance the way Joe and I do, you take what comes along, or else clients stop asking.”

  “Oh, I know,” Judith allowed, “but if Joe were here, he’d have a lot more insight into the cast of characters than I do.”

  “If Bill were here,” Renie noted, “he’d be able to psychoanalyze them and announce that they’re all nuts.”

  “He’d be right,” Judith said, glancing up at the schoolhouse clock. “It’s almost six. Nine o’clock in the Bahamas, right?”

  “Yes,” Renie replied, slicing mushrooms. “You’re calling Johnny?”

  “I don’t know when Terri and Caitlin will get back,” Judith said, opening the phone book to the international section. “If they decide to eat out, it could be too late for Terri to call.” She dialed international directory information and asked for John Agra’s number in the Bahamas.