by Judith Mehl
Burrows reports showed they didn’t find much at Lauri’s. The toxicology report indicated the thermos, and Ambrose’s stomach, held tea derived from the natural laurel plant. It carried all three compounds only found in the plant itself. The report showed, and Lauri confirmed, that she had simmered the leaves, roots, and bark of the Kalmia shrubs and added Pusser’s rum.
“Ed loved Pusser’s. I always had it available for him. It added just the right flavor to mask the true taste of the tea.”
The autopsy also confirmed that Ambrose had atrial fibrillation, or ineffective pumping of the blood. Though he was not seriously affected, it caused low blood pressure on occasion. Kat learned that Lauri catered to this by feeding him green tea, and fruit salads of grapefruit, oranges, bananas and kelp to send his blood pressure dangerously low. He thought she was concerned with his health. Burrows explained how Lauri eagerly admitted that, once she discovered his indiscretions and he laughed at her. She began the harmful, though innocent-seeming fruit regimen to weaken him. At first she hoped he would turn to her when he lost his strength. Later, she used it to combine with the deadly concoction that would slow his pulse, lower his blood pressure even more, and slowly end his life.
She’d left the tea for him on the blanket. No note was needed because she had called and urged his presence, with remorseful promises of more money as infusion for his tennis center. Though she refused more money earlier, apparently her fake remorse made the offer believable. He obviously turned up at the meeting place. He was so ready to snooker her again. So sure he could. She’d made the snide remarks about the dead man as if he were still around to hear.
Detective Burrows produced a combination of supposition and fact from Lauri to explain what must have happened to Ambrose. “She’d primed the pump, so-to-speak, with the acidic fruit,” the detective explained. “He probably already felt ill when he arrived, more malleable than normal. It didn’t matter.”
Lauri explained she’d never appeared. The plan was to leave him there long enough for boredom to encourage imbibing before she arrived. The deadly combination of his ill health and the tea ensured certain death, though the exact time was unpredictable. His calls, if any were made, were too weak to reach passer-bys late at night. She’d guaranteed success by the location and the timing.
The other murder, carried no confession, but it was evident she’d killed Burrows’ policeman. Crime scene investigators found blood on Lauri’s clothes in the hamper, blood in the sink, and with later investigation, blood beneath her nails—Galvin O’Sullivan’s blood.
Kat knew that Burrows suffered more than the loss of an officer with the loss of Galvin O’Sullivan. He’d been a friend. And well liked among the other officers. She knew Galvin was Irish and meant sparrow. Though a large man, others considered him more like the tiny birds he often fed and spoke to outside the office window. A good officer, and kind-hearted, Galvin would be missed. Kat, and hundreds of others, would attend the wake, raise a glass, and say goodbye.
Burrows would lead the party. Kat knew he would mourn his loss when alone. He cleared his throat and attempted to return to the conversation with Kat, knowing she needed the details before she could assuage her losses and move on.
The police needed no proof of Lauri’s poisoning of Ambrose. She spoke of it freely, with as much despair as cunning. They did find a few papers, supportive if not totally incriminating. Mostly they tried to unravel what she’d done, from her moaning about what he caused her to do.
Kat scrutinized the handwriting analysis to see if they could have done more with it. She decided there were too many shifts in mood, in psyche, on Lauri’s part to leave firm clues. They were all there, but held too many interpretations, too many possibilities.
The irregular spacing between words might have meant emotional instability. Other samples with short, straight strokes could be signs of tension or resentment. The woman definitely saw herself as a victim. It didn’t prove she was a murderer, but it went to motive. She sure had lots of motive. Kat had decided to deliver her samples to an extremely experienced friend who dealt with psychotic people through handwriting analysis. But Lauri’s emergency call interrupted that plan.
Maddy capsulized, “Her slant varied greatly. It definitely led one to believe she was hiding something but then aren’t we all in some way?”
The woman’s end strokes were defensive, but why wouldn’t they be with Maddy and Kat trying to convict her of murder?
The analysis had served its purpose in that it led Kat, with the other evidence, to suspect Lauri and push her. It was Lauri’s anger at Kat that prompted her aggressions, her attacks on Kat, and ultimately, her demise. Without those, proof would have been difficult, if not impossible.
Maddy and Ted stopped to visit a couple of days before he headed out to the next tournament. A peaceful evening with them in her home served as part of the healing for Kat. They invited her and Nick to a friendly tennis match for Saturday. Kat laughed, picturing the disparate group out on the courts. Four more dissimilar players could not be found. She and Nick agreed to the match, though they couldn’t imagine the results. It would be a fun purging of her fearful thoughts whenever tennis came to mind.
When the police moved to close up all lose ends, including the mysterious sedan at Kat and Nick’s house, the culprit explained willingly enough once she’d settled down. Her worry that Kat saw too much, caused Lauri to seek her out and find out what she knew. Her hope had been to assuage the woman’s concerns and gain some relief from the pressure.
David Nettle provided more revelation. He admitted he’d come to the hospital to find Kat alone and confront her on the issue of his missing magazine article. No one had seen him, but he too rallied round when she needed to chew at the minor details, the incidents surrounding the attacks. In their discussions, about the assault by Lauri with her car and related events, such as the hospital stay, he brought forth his confession. He openly admitted admiration for Carl and his technique with women, and a desire to meet the man and pick his brain. He couldn’t reveal knowledge of Carl without owning up to time in the hospital. He figured it was worth it. Ultimately, he’d done nothing wrong.
One final meeting with Detective Burrows eased her mind. They discussed her qualms about her involvement.
Kat reviewed Lauri’s reactions. “She had so much grief. What if she hadn’t been guilty?”
The detective, and friend, assured her they didn’t have enough proof, no evidence to convict her even though they suspected her. He admitted that without Kat’s help they would never have the killer.
“But without my help your man would be alive.”
“We don’t know that. Lauri was unhinged near the end. Anything may have triggered her. You can’t take on guilt that is not yours to harbor.”
Catharsis came slowly.
It was difficult to believe it started just three weeks ago with a torrid tournament, relentless media, and paint swathes that read “Diehards play to the death.”
Students in a drunken stupor were found responsible for that vandalism. They hadn’t even known about the death of Ambrose. Though in reality it held no relevance to the man’s death earlier, it provoked fear. Little had the students known how prophetic their playful words would turn out to be.
News and affects of the murder might fade in time for tennis fans and even those on campus close to the victim. For now there would be remembrance on campus, with the aftereffects remaining for a long time.
SATURDAY DAWNED cool and brilliant. Kat held visions of their foursome resembling the Keystone Cops, but she figured if Ted, the pro, could handle it without loss of esteem, she certainly could. Nick didn’t care. He looked forward to the challenge of playing with an expert.
Lauri’s shadow would haunt her dreams and darken the edges of her days. Most people on campus were experiencing heightened energy as relief settled in. Danger was gone and it was safe to walk among their peers without fear. It showed in their stride, in their re
laxed faces and demeanor.
Kat attempted to wipe it all from her mind while she strode onto the court. A new pair of K-Swiss tennis shoes purchased just for today’s event, wrapped her feet in comfort. She stroked expertly at the ball and felt the resurgence of strength, mental and physical, that playing tennis revived. Mostly it was a refreshed relief that she could have normal feelings again. Playing tennis with the goofy Maddy brought laughter. It was a good idea.
Even more so, watching her and Ted bounce off each other tore her mind from murder and made her hopeful that it may indeed be game, set, match.
Handwriting analysis information is available in the following books that were used to research information for this series.
“Handwriting Analysis: Putting it to Work for You”
by Andrea McNichol
“Handwriting Analysis”
by P. Scott Hollander
“Handwriting—Revelation of Self”
by Dr. Herry O. Teltscher
“Handwriting Analysis Self-Taught”
by Joel Engel
“Handwriting: A Key to Personality”
by Klara G. Roman
Fast Facts II
by Pat Peterson
“Complete Idiot’s Guide to Handwriting Analysis”
by Sheila Lowe
“Elements of Graphology”
by Barry Branston
The above books are available through Graphex International, P.O. Box 93, Lowell, IN 46356. The contact for orders is: [email protected].
Judith Mehl
Judith’s past experience includes many years in higher education publications and public relations positions. A graduate of Northern Illinois University with a degree in journalism, she has published numerous newspaper and magazine articles prior to her move to fiction writing.
She lives in the Pocono Mountains where she explores the relationship of woodland plants to their environment and their medicinal value for humans.
She is a member of the American Association of Handwriting Analysts, and past editor of the organization’s journal. She supports the use of handwriting analysis as a diagnostic tool of value in personal selection, crime detection, and business compatibility. This includes appreciating the nuances involved in solving real-world crime through handwriting’s negative traits and innocent attributes.
Judith is currently working on the next Kat Everitt mystery. Readers can reach her through her website:www.judymehl.com.