by Tracy Kiely
Daphne looked down at her hands. “You’re right. Leo called me the day of the party and told me that he’d seen me leaving the apartment, and unless I paid him again, he’d go to the police.”
“Lord, but you are easy to blackmail. Didn’t it occur to you that he had a hell of a reason for killing Lizzy himself ?”
She looked at me in confusion. “No. Why would he want to kill her? Weren’t they partners?”
“They were, but Leo must have realized that Fat Saul didn’t stumble across him by accident. He knew that someone had tipped him off. It didn’t occur to him that it was you—he’d never mentioned Fat Saul to you and figured you’d have no way of finding out about him. The only other person who knew where he was hiding and his trouble with Fat Saul was Lizzy.”
Daphne paled. “So Leo went there to kill Lizzy?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea. But I imagine that if he wasn’t suspicious of her before, he was after seeing you leave the apartment. Maybe he thought you two had formed a new arrangement. One that didn’t include him.”
Daphne considered this, her eyes wide. “Oh, my God. I was furious with her, but I didn’t want her to die. Do you really think that seeing me there sealed her fate?”
I raised an eyebrow. “That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think? No, I think Lizzy sealed her own fate when she took up blackmailing people with lowlifes like Leo. Now, about the money that you said you gave Leo the night he was killed. There never was any money, was there?”
Daphne bit her lip. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that you never gave him any money, did you? You just said you did so you could have an excuse as to why all that money is missing from Audrey’s trust. Am I right?”
She looked as if she were going to deny it, but thankfully didn’t. She let out a half sigh and half moan and sank back into the couch. After a minute, she said, “Does … does Audrey know any of this?”
“You mean how you were helping yourself to her money?” Daphne blanched at my choice of words. I didn’t care. I shook my head. “No. Not yet. But she will. And if you have a shred of decency left, you’ll do it yourself.”
She nodded. “I will. I just hope she can forgive me.”
“Considering what she put up with from Leo, I think she will. She seems to have a very high threshold for tolerating and forgiving rotten behavior.”
Daphne dropped her head into her hands. “Oh, God. I’m a horrible person. Betty was right. What have I done? You must hate me.”
I let out a sigh of my own and stood up. “I don’t hate you, Daphne. I don’t like you very much right now, but I don’t hate you. I think you should be more worried about how you are going to explain all of this to your parents and Audrey. If I were you, I’d worry about them, not me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am late for a date with a tall glass of something alcoholic.”
Daphne stood up as well. She offered me her hand. “Thank you, Nic. I hope that one day you can forgive me and we can be friends.”
I shook her hand. “Sure,” I said and then turned to go.
“Wait,” she said in a nervous voice. “Aren’t you going to ask me if I killed Leo?”
I turned around and looked at her. “Not today, Daphne. I’ve had about all I can take of this case for one day. Why don’t we leave that question for tomorrow?”
I left her standing in her foyer, her face lined with worry.
thirty-eight
It was late afternoon by the time I got back to the hotel. Nigel had ordered room service and was liberally sharing it with Skippy. They were both lying on the bed watching Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. Seeing me, Skippy let out a happy bark, jumped off the bed, and ran to me, wagging his tail. Nigel remained on the bed, his eyes fixed on the screen.
“Well, it’s nice that one of you is glad to see me,” I said as I rubbed Skippy’s ears.
“Shhh,” Nigel replied. “This is one of my favorite parts.”
“The whole movie is your favorite part,” I countered as I crawled onto the bed next to him. Skippy jumped up as well and snuggled against me. I turned my attention to the TV screen. Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint were suggestively bantering back and forth over dinner on the train. “I love this part,” said Nigel. “Right here, where Eva Marie Saint says that she ‘never discusses love on an empty stomach.’ Watch her mouth. The censors dubbed her line. What she originally said was, ‘I never make love on an empty stomach.’”
“Speaking of which,” I said, “pass me some of that chicken.”
_____
Later, I told Nigel about my discoveries. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to call Marcy and bring her up to date,” I said as I brushed the tangles out of my hair.
Nigel glanced at me in confusion. “Why would you be sorry? You didn’t do anything.”
“I know. But it’s not going to be pleasant for your family. I doubt we’ll ever get another Christmas card from your Aunt Olive again.”
Nigel grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Darling, Aunt Olive doesn’t send us Christmas cards now.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do. But don’t worry about it.” His expression grew somber. “Aunt Olive may never thank you properly for all you’ve done, but I hope you know that I appreciate it. And so does everyone else.”
I smiled at him. “Thanks.”
He nodded. “Just don’t do anything dangerous. I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you.”
“Don’t tell me that you’ve gotten fond of me,” I teased.
Nigel’s expression remained grave. “I’m serious, Nic. Promise me that you’ll be careful.”
I kissed him lightly on the mouth. “I promise.”
He kissed me back. Giving me a searching look as if to verify my promise, he finally nodded as if satisfied with what he saw. “Okay. Now, go and call Marcy.”
_____
Marcy wasn’t surprised to hear what I’d learned. “We found out that Lizzy had once worked for Max’s firm, too. I just got confirmation an hour or so ago. That led us to check into the construction site as well. So, Daphne was the one who told Leo to hide out there, huh?”
“Yes. Once she discovered that Fat Saul was looking for Leo, she led him straight to Leo.”
“Where we are to assume that Leo killed him?”
“It would seem so.”
“And what about what Audrey told you? Do you believe that Leo killed Lizzy as well?”
“I do, actually. I think he thought his big plan to get all that money was crumbling, and he lashed out.”
“It does have a ring of truth to it,” she conceded. “The problem is that he’s dead. Supposed confessions from dead people rarely go over well with the DA.”
I sighed. “I know. What are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to take all this to Tom Cutter. It’s in his hands as to what happens next. But listen, Nic. There’s something you should know. The lab came back with the results on the knife. The only prints on it were Audrey’s.”
“People have been known to wear gloves, Marcy.”
“I know, Nic. But I think you should be prepared for … well, just be prepared.”
I didn’t ask her for what. I think I already knew.
_____
Two hours later, Max called to tell us that Audrey had been arrested for Leo’s murder. Nigel asked him if he wanted us to come over. He did. Olive had become hysterical at the news, and Max had finally been forced to give her a generous dose of Valium. She was now sleeping.
By the time Nigel and I arrived at their apartment, Olive’s status had changed from “sleeping” to “resting comfortably.” She sat glassy eyed in her usual chair. She produced a vague smile upon seeing us. Daphne was also in attendance. She sat on the couch near her mother. She ducked her head in embarra
ssment when she saw me.
“How are you holding up, Aunt Olive?” Nigel asked as he bent down to give her a kiss on her check.
Olive produced a loopy smile. “You’re a handsome devil,” she said. “What’s your name?”
Nigel frowned. “It’s me, Aunt Olive. Nigel. Are you all right?”
She smiled again. “I’m just kidding. Don’t worry about me, Nigel dear,” she said, her voice slow and a little thick. “We need to focus on Audrey. We need to make the police understand that she didn’t kill Leo.” Turning to me, she stretched out her hand and took hold of mine. “Nic? Can you do that? Can you make the police see reason?” She raised pleading eyes to mine.
Shocked that she’d actually called me Nic rather than Nicole, I didn’t respond right away. “I’m doing my best, Olive. I can promise you that,” I finally said.
She nodded. “I know you will, dear. You’re a good person. And you really are very pretty. Even when your hair was short. I’m so sorry about all of this. But they’ll see. She didn’t kill him. She didn’t.” She leaned her head back against the chair. Skippy sat down next to her and rested his head on the arm of her chair. She smiled at him and began to stroke his fur. “Nice doggie,” she murmured before closing her eyes.
I looked to Nigel in mild alarm. Nigel turned to Max. “How much Valium did you give her?” he whispered. “She’s gonzo!”
“Trust me, this is preferable to what she was like before,” said Max. “I’ve never seen her so upset. It was torture to see her in so much pain.”
“Well, she’s definitely numb now,” said Nigel, looking back at Olive. She was still petting Skippy, her eyes closed and a faraway look on her face.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Max asked. “Coffee? Soda?”
“Stop when you get to scotch, and then I’ll have it neat,” said Nigel.
Max gave a faint smile. “Done. And what can I get for you, Nic?”
“I’ll have the same. Thanks, Max.”
Max left to make the drinks. Nigel and I sat down. Daphne said nothing. Olive remained with her head back and her eyes closed. It sounded as if she were faintly humming. Then she started to sing, her voice soft and low. “Oh, I’d hate to live in Jersey,” she crooned. “And I’ll tell you the reason why. A fellow got hit with a bag of shit, and some got in his eye.” No one spoke. Olive resumed humming. Skippy moved away from her and sat next to me. He rested his head on my lap. I laid a reassuring hand on his back.
“So, where is Joe today?” I asked, if only to break the awkward silence.
“It’s Joseph, goddammit!” Olive muttered, her eyes still closed. Everyone ignored her.
“Mother gave him the day off. She didn’t want him to know what was going on,” Daphne replied while staring at the floor.
“What’s being done about Audrey?” Nigel asked.
“Toby is trying to arrange a bail hearing. Dad was going to do it, but Mother became hysterical, and he couldn’t leave her.” Daphne glanced at Olive in irritation. “It was quite unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
“How was Audrey?” I asked.
Daphne shrugged. “Numb, I think. She talked to Dad, though, not me.”
I nodded. “Have you told them what you told me?”
She nodded at the floor. “Yes. They know.”
Max returned with our drinks. “So, Toby is trying to get bail set for Audrey?” I asked.
“Yes,” said Max. “I talked to him a little while ago. He’s fairly confident that he can arrange something. He’s going to call me when he knows more.”
“Daphne said you talked to Audrey. How is she?” Nigel asked.
“She’s holding up all right, I suppose. I don’t think the reality of it has sunk in yet. I hope to have her out of jail before it does. She’s never been a particularly strong person.” Max turned tired eyes to me. The lines on his face seemed more pronounced than they were yesterday. “Daphne told me about her role in all of this, Nic. I’m sorry that you were ever asked to be involved in this whole sordid mess. I really am. I’m heartily ashamed.”
The sound of a half sob escaped from Daphne. I ignored her.
“It’s all right, Max,” I said. “That’s what family is for. We are all privy to each other’s worst secrets.”
Max twisted his mouth into a half smile. “True. But in our case, it seems that some family secrets are more atrocious than others.”
Nigel scoffed. “Max, we’re hardly the Borgias. Yes, Daphne took money that wasn’t hers to cover up a screwup at work. And, yes, Audrey not only didn’t tell the police about finding Lizzy’s body, but also failed to mention that Lizzy used to work for you. But those are human failings. They aren’t the first people to exercise bad judgment.”
Daphne kept her head low. “You forgot to add in the part where I sent a known thug to where Leo was hiding. I’m responsible for that man’s death,” she said.
“No, Leo is,” Nigel corrected. “I’m not saying that you deserve a merit badge, Daphne, but let’s be honest. By all accounts, Fat Saul was a violent thug who probably did a lot of very bad things in his life. Leo, as we’ve learned, was something of a sociopath. He most likely killed Fat Saul and Lizzy. There are some who might say that the world isn’t really too worse off for both their passings. I’m not trying to diminish what you did, but I think we need to keep it in perspective.”
Daphne raised her head and shot Nigel a grateful smile. Seeing her father’s stern, disappointed face, her smile vanished. “Dad, please forgive me,” she said, her voice low. “I am so sorry. I know it was wrong. When I realized that I’d screwed up the settlement, I panicked. All I could think of was that I didn’t want to get disbarred. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
Max was unmoved. “And yet, that’s exactly what you did,” he said, his voice harsh. “I raised you to be better than that.”
Daphne lowered her head again. Max glowered. I sipped my drink and scratched Skippy behind his ears.
thirty-nine
An hour or so later, Toby called to say that he was pretty sure he could get Audrey out on bail, but that Max needed to come downtown to sign some papers. Nigel and I left Daphne to look after Olive and returned to the hotel. Not feeling very sociable, we ordered room service. While we waited for it to arrive, Nigel made us a drink.
“So what do you thing will happen to Audrey?” Nigel asked as he handed me my glass.
I took a sip. “I have no idea. Obviously, she’ll be well defended, but I don’t know about the rest of it.”
Nigel sat next to me on the loveseat. He put his arm around my shoulder and took a sip from his glass. Skippy curled up at our feet. “Do you think she might have actually done it?” he asked.
“She might have,” I said. “Lord knows if I were married to him, I’d want to kill him.”
“If you were married to him, I’d kill him,” said Nigel, giving me a kiss.
I smiled. “You say the nicest things, Mr. Martini.”
_____
We awoke the next morning to the peal of the telephone. Nigel answered it. “Oh, hi, Marcy,” he said. “Yes, she’s right here. Hang on.” He handed me the phone.
“Hello?” I said.
“Hi, Nic,” said Marcy. “Sorry to call so early, but I thought you’d want to hear this.” I glanced at the alarm clock. It was 8:05.
“No problem. What’s up?”
“Well, just when I thought this case couldn’t get any weirder, it did. We got the autopsy report on Leo this morning. Guess what he died from?”
“I assumed that it was from the stab wounds.”
“Well, you’d be wrong.”
I sat up. “You mean he wasn’t murdered?”
“Oh, no,” she said. “He was murdered all right. But it was poison, not a knife that killed him.”
“Poison!” I repeat
ed. Nigel looked at me and mouthed the word “What?” I held up a finger indicating for him to wait a minute. “What kind of poison?” I asked.
“Right now, it looks like hemlock.”
“Hemlock!” Nigel’s eyes opened wide. “Dear God. What does this mean for Audrey?” I asked.
“I don’t know for sure. But, even if Audrey stabbed Leo, I don’t see how she could be charged for murder since the knife didn’t kill him. Anyway, I just thought you’d want to know. I’ll keep you posted.”
I thanked Marcy and turned to Nigel. “Leo was poisoned,” I told him. “With hemlock, apparently. He was already dead when he was stabbed.”
Nigel let out a low whistle. “Are they going drop the charges against Audrey?”
“Marcy didn’t say. But, I would imagine they are going to have to dig around a little more before they home in on a suspect. The fact that he was poisoned widens the circle of possible candidates.”
Nigel shook his head. “Leave it to Leo to get murdered twice.”
_____
Nigel called Daphne to tell her the news. She seemed just as surprised as we were. She said she would call Max and then call us back. Nigel and I got dressed and ordered room service. While we waited for it to arrive, Max called.
“Is it true?” he asked. “Did someone poison Leo?”
“That’s what the coroner thinks,” I said. “I’m not sure what this does for Audrey, but I have to imagine it helps.”
“I agree. I’m going to call the DA now and see what they think. If there’s a God, maybe we can get the charges dropped and put an end to this.”
“I hope they drop the charges, but this latest development hardly puts an end to it, Max. The police are still going to want to know who poisoned Leo,” I said.
“Oh, I know, but I think we can make a valid case that one of Leo’s more unsavory acquaintances had a hand in that. That Frank Little man, for instance.”
I made a noncommittal response and asked Max to keep us posted. He promised he would and then hung up. I held the phone in my hand for a moment thinking. Then I asked Nigel to find me Janet Harris’s phone number.