Seams Like Murder

by Betty Hechtman

  Thankfully, it hadn’t taken much persuading to get CeeCee to agree to my plan. Having the cops all over her place the day before had only made her more uncomfortable in her own surroundings. She hadn’t been up to the guest quarters since we’d first found Delaney.

  Luckily, I’d had the genius idea of contacting Esmaya to see if she did private purifying rituals. When she heard it had to do with CeeCee Collins and a crime scene, she agreed immediately and said she’d do the premium spiritual counseling package.

  Dinah and I drove together, and a short time later, I parked the greenmobile in front of CeeCee’s. I was relieved to see there were no news crews or photographers hanging out in front anymore. Adele pulled her Matrix up behind me. The lanterns on top of the pillars on either side of CeeCee’s front gate illuminated the area. “Uh-oh,” I said, seeing Sheila rush out of the passenger seat with a stunned expression.

  I grabbed Adele and pulled her aside. “What did you tell her?”

  Adele seem unfazed by Sheila’s expression or my question and shrugged as she spoke. “I just told her the thing I’ve always heard if you have a problem with public speaking. You just imagine everyone in their birthday suits.”

  No wonder Sheila had looked stunned. Did she really want to imagine all that naked skin? “Uh, I think you’re supposed to picture them in their underwear,” I offered.

  “I like my version better,” Adele said. No surprise.

  “I’m here,” Babs said as she walked into the circle of light. “Thanks for including me. I told my girlfriend in Iowa City that I was hanging out with celebrities and had become a Hooker.” She laughed at her own joke.

  The Buick carrying Rhoda and Elise pulled up a moment later. Eduardo had had to beg off, as he had some kind of event going on at the Apothecary. Esmaya zipped up in a Smart Car just behind them. I wasn’t totally sure about her skills as a spiritual counselor, but she sure dressed the part. She wore a long white caftan with a necklace of carved wooden pieces. Her honey blond hair was twisted up and held in place by some leather thongs. She carried a tote made out of thick, dry grasses.

  “Is her hair twinkling?” Dinah asked.

  “I don’t think so,” I said, but then I looked again and saw that Dinah wasn’t seeing things. I stepped closer for a better look.

  “They’re LED lights,” the spiritual counselor said. “Don’t they add a nice touch of magic?”

  CeeCee buzzed the gate open, and we all trooped in. CeeCee was standing outside waiting, and I could hear Tallulah and Marlene barking from inside. CeeCee seemed unusually tense and grabbed my arm. “I certainly hope your plan works for all of us. I haven’t been able to bring myself to go up there since it happened.” Rosa came outside and stopped next to her employer, eyeing all of us.

  “Is there anything you need?” the housekeeper asked. CeeCee seemed preoccupied and shook her head.

  It was the first time I’d ever come over and CeeCee hadn’t asked what treats I’d brought. I was going to mention the biscuits, but CeeCee was impatient to get to the guest apartment. I was glad that there was a hanging string of lights on the patio next to the house. They brightened up the whole area.

  Unsurprisingly, CeeCee had Esmaya and me go up the stairway first. I opened the door but felt a little apprehensive as I got ready to flip the light switch. I was automatically holding my nose, remembering the smell of death from last time. I was relieved when the recessed lighting in the ceiling illuminated the whole room and nobody was lying there. The only reminder that anything had gone on there was a piece of yellow tape on the doorknob.

  CeeCee was right behind me. “Tony cleaned up everything after the cops left.” I started to breathe through my nose again and noted the faint scent of Murphy’s Oil Soap. A long folding table had been set up with folding chairs around it. A few other chairs had been spaced around the room. As I stepped inside I noticed the air was warm and stopped in my tracks.

  “It’s okay,” CeeCee said, giving me a slight push. “Tony arranged for the heater vent to be changed.” I took her at her word and went inside and set the basket of biscuits on the counter next to a brown box. “Should I move this?” I asked CeeCee.

  “I don’t know what it is,” CeeCee said, nervously backing away from it. Babs came forward and opened the flap of the box.

  “What is it?” I asked, pulling back the flap on the other side of the box. There seemed to be pipes, a lot of leaves and twigs, and something bright and fuzzy. Babs closed the flap on her side and then closed the one on mine.

  “The workmen must have left it. Where I come from, they always leave the old stuff so you can see what they did.”

  “I don’t care,” CeeCee said in an impatient voice. “Let’s just get going on this.” We all moved to the center of the room. “Where’s Tony?” she asked. “He was going to come for moral support.”

  “Here I am, honey,” Tony said in a bright voice as he entered the room. “I just wanted to make sure you know there’s nothing to worry about. The battery in the carbon monoxide detector has been changed.” He pointed out something hanging on the wall. “The green light means it’s working.”

  “He’s sure chipper,” Dinah said in a low voice meant just for me to hear.

  “And he’s an actor,” I said. “Who knows what’s real?”

  I stood back and let Esmaya take over. She looked around the big room and did some ethereal-ish moves with her arms. “Ah yes, I can feel the bad energy lingering in here.” She moved her arms around some more. “When I’m done it will all be gone.”

  She put down her tote, took out a blue ceramic bowl, and set it on the table before kicking off her thong sandals. Next, she extracted a bound bunch of sage and laid it in the middle of the bowl. She lit it with a lighter, and in a moment a thin trail of bluish smoke began to rise from the herbs, giving off a pungent odor. She picked up the bowl and began to walk around the room, doing a slow dance and chanting. I was relieved when Babs steered Esmaya away from the smoke detector.

  When the last of the sage had burned, she stood at the doorway and held her arms up. “All bad vibes be gone. May this place be filled with good chi.” She moved her hands as if she was gathering something up and hurled it out the door into the night. “You’re good to go,” she announced, slipping on her shoes. I thought she was going to leave, but she asked to stay and see how things went.

  “Okay, Sheila, we’re ready for you,” I coaxed as I pulled the bin of yarn to the table and Dinah started to distribute small amounts of different-colored yarns. Sheila went to the head of the table and began to set up her samples and supplies.

  “Here we go again,” Dinah said under her breath. “Fingers crossed nothing else happens.”

  “What could possibly happen to wreck this?” I saw Dinah wince at me. “I know I’m tempting fate. But really, I think Sheila is going to sail through it this time.”

  Tony hung next to CeeCee, apparently trying to be a supportive partner.

  Sheila took a deep breath and began. “Thank you for being such good friends. Really, you are my family now. And this time I’m going to get through it.” She held up an airy wrap in shades of blue and started to talk about the yarn. “If you’re going to use three strands, none of them can be too thick.”

  We all made encouraging sounds and followed her suggestion to feel the different yarns in front of us. Sheila let out her breath and seemed to be finding her way.

  I nudged Dinah with a nod. “I told you nothing would happen.”

  But I’d spoken too soon. Suddenly and without warning the door flew open and a series of cops with their weapons drawn rushed into the room. Barry appeared through the crowd as they surrounded Tony. He took out his handcuffs.

  “You’re under arrest for the murder of Delaney Tanner.”

  CHAPTER 22

  “If you would all stop talking at once,” the officer behind the
desk in the West Valley police station yelled. He had to yell to be heard above the racket. Tony had gone with the cops—their choice, not his. Once we kept CeeCee from fainting, she and Dinah had gotten in the greenmobile with me, and the rest of them had carpooled.

  “There’s been a terrible mistake,” CeeCee yelled at the desk officer.

  “Do you know who she is?” Babs said, stepping next to CeeCee and putting a supportive arm around her shoulder.

  “Why did they arrest Tony?” Elise said.

  Rhoda pushed in front and turned to me. “At least all this should erase the image of the body for Sheila.” Right, and replace it with a new upsetting one, I thought. Sheila was next to her and appeared dazed and confused.

  Adele had joined in. “I insist you contact my fiancé Eric Humphries right away. He’ll get this straightened out.”

  Esmaya had come along, too, and was waving her arms, trying to change the vibrations. “This room is loaded with negativity,” she said. She pulled out a wad of sage and a lighter.

  The officer threw up his hands and came around the desk to grab the sage. “Lady, you have got to be kidding.”

  In the midst of all the commotion, the front door opened and Mason rolled in on his scooter followed by a frazzled-looking Brooklyn. Jaimee brought up the rear and seemed fascinated by the commotion. Mason sized up the situation immediately.

  “Quiet!” Mason yelled above the din. Surprisingly, it worked. The officer returned to his place behind the counter as Mason rolled up. “I demand to see my client, Tony Bonnard.”

  CeeCee rushed up to Mason. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come. You have to do something.”

  “Molly called me on her way. I’m here now. You don’t have to worry. I’ll take care of everything,” he said.

  Barry came into the lobby, took one look at the mini mob, and quickly saw Mason. The two men stared each other down for a few moments, but then Barry glanced away, and I saw his gaze rest on Mason’s entourage. Barry turned to me, and for a moment, his cop face relented and he gave me a knowing nod.

  Meanwhile, despite his Hawaiian shirt and jeans, Mason was all business and he repeated his request to Barry. Barry had no choice but to lead him into the back. As soon as Mason had left the lobby, the officer threw the rest of us out.

  We regrouped outside in the dark parking lot. CeeCee was in no condition to be alone. Sheila still seemed rattled. Esmaya was upset that the officer had confiscated her sage, thinking it was marijuana. Adele heard from Eric on her cell, saying he’d heard there was some kind of disturbance at the station and his name was being thrown around. Rhoda and Elise said they had to get home and left.

  I took charge of CeeCee, while Dinah took Sheila and got into Adele’s car. Babs said she was coming with me.

  “He didn’t do it,” CeeCee said to me as we drove to her place. “I’m sure.” There was just the slightest wobble in her voice on the last word that made it seem like she wasn’t really one hundred percent on that.

  “Of course not,” Babs said from the backseat. “How could anyone think the person who played Dr. Mackenzie Scott, saving lives for years on The Night Before Tomorrow, could possibly kill someone?”

  I pulled the greenmobile up in front of her house. “I’ll be okay,” she said in a valiant voice as she got out. I didn’t buy that for a minute and turned off the motor.

  “I’ll just walk you in,” I said, and she didn’t object, but it was a different story when Babs wanted to stick with us. CeeCee gave her a very clear no.

  “Let me know if you need anything, chocolate or otherwise,” Babs said in a disappointed voice.

  CeeCee and I went inside her gate. It was strange being there without a bunch of people. Even the Yorkies’ barking seemed quieter when we went inside. She walked into the living room and collapsed on the flower print sofa.

  I had never really realized how much of CeeCee’s appearance had to do with the way she projected herself. I had always seen her when she was “on,” but she was definitely switched to “off” now, and it was as if she’d collapsed in on herself. Shadows that I’d never noticed before appeared on her face, and it was like all the light had gone out of her eyes.

  “What about some tea?” I said.

  “Rosa’s gone,” she said, misunderstanding. When I offered to make it, she brightened. “I kind of remember that you brought some biscuits, too, dear. We could add some jam. I need something sweet after getting such a big shock.”

  It was then that I remembered the biscuits were still in the guest apartment. I knew that Esmaya had chased away all the bad spirits, but I was still a little apprehensive about going there alone. CeeCee appeared almost comatose, so I couldn’t ask her to come along.

  “I’ll just fetch them,” I said, trying to hide my discomfort. CeeCee answered with a tired wave.

  It was very quiet and dark outside. The grounds had spotlights here and there, but all those trees made for a lot of shadows. I got to the base of the stairs on the side of the garage and looked up. I was surprised to see the lights were off. I could have sworn they’d been on when we rushed out. I climbed to the top and pushed the door open, hesitating as I stared into the darkness. It smelled faintly of sage, and I reached for the light switch before I took a step inside. I was almost afraid to look when light flooded the room. It seemed okay—at least there wasn’t a body on the floor. There were streaks of mud, though. I hurried across the room to grab the biscuits. Something seemed different. The box with the vent parts was gone, I realized. Had somebody come in and taken it?

  I probably should have just taken the biscuits back to CeeCee and not worried about anything else, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the mud on the floor. There was only one area of CeeCee’s property where I’d encountered damp dirt.

  I left the biscuits on the stairs and went around the back of the garage to the no-man’s-land Dinah and I had ended up in when we found the gate. It was even darker and spookier than I remembered. Something ran through the ivy and over my foot, and I was glad I didn’t have a flashlight to see what it was. It was easy to find the gate, since the ivy had been trimmed back after our discovery. I was sure Tony had mentioned that he was going to put a lock on it, but there was nothing there. My foot hit something on the ground. I retrieved it and held it up to catch the moonlight. It was a lock, but it had been cut open.

  I didn’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce that somebody had come in through the back gate and taken the box of vent parts. I was guessing they were in a hurry, since they left the streaks of dirt instead of trying to cover their tracks. Cutting the lock would have been easy. They sold bolt cutters at every hardware store. The big question was, why?

  It suddenly occurred to me that I had been gone too long. CeeCee would be hysterical. I left the lock and retraced my steps, stopping to pick up the biscuits.

  CeeCee was standing outside when I reached the house.

  “Dear, I was worried. I can’t let anything happen to you.” I made a silly joke to cover for myself, and we went inside. By the time I’d boiled some water and made up a tray with honey and jam for the biscuits, she seemed better. I almost thought of mentioning the lock, but I was afraid of scaring her.

  CeeCee set down her cup and brushed a crumb off her outfit as I heard my cell phone’s distinctive ring. CeeCee almost jumped off the sofa, and I tried to grab the phone quickly.

  When she realized the voice was coming from my phone, she let out a nervous laugh.

  “Hello,” I said tentatively.

  “Sunshine,” Mason said in an upbeat voice. “I’m outside CeeCee’s.”

  I rushed out to get him and saw that he’d lost part of his entourage. Only Brooklyn was with him now. He used the scooter to get down the path to the house, but I had to help him up the few stairs to the porch while Brooklyn carried the scooter.

  I had never seen Mason doing his la
wyer thing before. He gave my arm a friendly squeeze, but then it was all about CeeCee.

  “Tony wanted me to come over and reassure you,” he said, sitting across from CeeCee and leaning toward her. “He’s going to have to spend the night.” At that CeeCee let out a wail. Mason responded by taking her hands in his and assuring her that everything was going to be okay. “The important thing is they have no case against him. All they have is his business card with a note on the back that said 7 P.M. with a date.”

  “The date of what?” she asked.

  “Well, it’s the day the victim died, but it isn’t Tony’s handwriting. They found the victim’s purse in the ivy in the area behind the garage. The card was in there.”

  Brooklyn stayed in the background, watching her father. Mason assured CeeCee that he could knock it out as evidence in so many ways, and CeeCee nodded with resignation.

  There was some discussion as to whether CeeCee was okay to be alone after all that she had been through, and I realized that Mason acted as so much more than a legal advisor in his job.

  CeeCee seemed to have recovered. “I’ll be fine now,” she said, standing up and making it clear it was time for us all to go. “Besides, Rosa comes early in the morning.”

  CeeCee saw us to the door, and I helped Mason down the stairs while Brooklyn handled the scooter. I was surprised when she walked ahead, giving Mason and me a moment alone.

  “Thank you,” I said. “I think you really gave CeeCee some comfort.”

  “No thank-you necessary,” Mason said in a voice full of energy and good cheer. “This isn’t how I expected to go back to work, but it certainly feels good.”

  “So then you don’t think Tony did it,” I said.