Death by Association: The Wellington Cozy Mystery series

by M A Comley

  “Do what you want,” Cecilia barked and suddenly left her seat and walked out.

  Lucy felt as though she’d been slapped. Indecision seeped in. While she felt as though people agreed with her assessment of Winnie, she didn’t want intimidation to influence their opinion. She gathered her things and stopped by Sal’s counter on her way out. “Can I get a coffee to go?”

  “Sure.” Sal poured it, added the sugar and cream, and slapped on a lid. She held it out. “Feel better?”

  “Not really. What’s Cecilia’s problem? I really didn’t expect this. I’ll talk to Brendon this evening and see what he says.”

  “Ignore her. Everyone else seems to think you’re doing the right thing. Talking to Brendon will make things seem a lot clearer. He’ll look at things from a different perspective. Let me know what you decide.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll let the whole town know once I get a handle on things myself.”

  Lucy felt somewhat depressed as she drove home. She had expected everyone in Wellington Village to be solidly behind her efforts to help Marnie, but Cecilia storming out like that had caused doubts in her mind. Maybe I’m just taking this personally.

  “Anyone home?” Brendon shouted as he entered the house.

  “Do you have any idea how nice it is to hear your cheery voice when you come over?”

  “Hey, do you have any idea how nice it is to hear you say that?” Brendon kissed her and squeezed her tightly as if emphasizing his point. Neither of them was in a hurry to break apart. “Man, what a day I’ve had. Actually, I was looking forward to coming home to tell you about it...” his words trailed off as they both realized what he’d just said.

  Lucy turned away, her face flushed with embarrassment. She snatched up her oven mitts and opened the oven. The fried chicken was perfect, as was the potato casserole. “Go ahead and wash up, then take a seat. I’ll bring you a plate,” she said quickly to fill in the awkward gap.

  Out the corner of her eye, she saw Brendon disappear into the bathroom and finally exhaled the pent-up breath that threatened to buckle her knees. Home. The word echoed inside her head. As she heard the click of the bathroom light switch and the creak of the door handle, she grabbed the platter of chicken and hurriedly put it on the table. That was followed by the potato casserole, a basket of crescent rolls, and salad. Brendon stood, waiting for her to sit down before he took his own seat. It felt wonderful to have a real gentleman in her life.

  “So,” she began, tugging the linen napkin from its ring, “tell me about your day.”

  Brendon took a piece of chicken from the platter she offered him and then held up his plate for her to spoon on some casserole. Just like an old married couple went through her head.

  “It’s that Stiltson case. Dr. Stiltson is connected at the state level. Political connections. They’re leaning on me to solve the case, or at least to clear his name.”

  “And you don’t think you can do that yet?”

  “No. Not in the slightest. In fact, the deeper I dig, the less solid his alibi appears to be.”

  “Really?”

  “Look, Luce, you know I can’t go into it any more than that, but let’s just say I’m getting it from all angles; no one is making my job easy.”

  “Can you delegate some of the pressure?”

  He filled his glass with milk. “Good idea, and believe me I’ve tried. The trouble is no one wants to touch it with a ten-foot pole, and I can’t blame them.”

  “Oh, that’s tough. What will you do?”

  “Just stick with it, I suppose. Ignore my mood. Go on, tell me about your day.”

  Lucy rolled her eyes. “While you were so busy with the Stiltson case…”

  He frowned. “Erm… is that you stating the obvious?”

  “I’m just trying to explain...”

  “Explain what?”

  “Okay, I got to thinking about Marnie living alone next door.”

  “By choice, I believe.”

  “Not necessarily. I think she would love companionship, but just hasn’t been able to get out the house to find it.”

  “Lucy…” his tone held an unsaid warning.

  “Hang on. I thought, what if I could find her a companion—someone to live alongside her, who would possibly help to motivate her. I was just thinking about it and guess what happened? I went to Sal’s and she handed me a slip of paper with a phone number. The number belonged to a woman called Winnie who was seeking a position as a companion in exchange for room and board. Sal knew I was thinking about someone like that for Marnie, so she got her number and passed it on to me.”

  “Are you interfering where you shouldn’t be, again?”

  “No, no. I talked it over with Marnie first. You know, to see how she’d feel about such an arrangement. Actually, at first, it made her nervous, but then she seemed okay with the prospect. It even got her a little excited. So, I called Winnie and asked her to meet me at Sal’s so all the girls could meet her before I introduced her to Marnie. You know, being cautious and protecting Marnie.”

  “And this woman went for that? A group interview?”

  “Sure did. She’s so sweet. Born in the U.K. and get this, she even talks like Mary Poppins.” Lucy chuckled.

  Brendon didn’t crack a smile. “That’s hardly a recommendation, Lucy.”

  “Don’t be so negative.”

  “What was the consensus from the interview committee?”

  “I think everyone liked her.”

  “Only think? Didn’t you all discuss it?”

  “Cecilia wasn’t enthusiastic, but I think she was feeling a little ignored. You know what a pain in the rear she can be at times.”

  “How about Sal? She’s got more than an ounce of common sense.”

  “Sal was the one who referred Winnie to me. She said she preferred to be neutral in the decision because she might bring too much bias to the group.”

  “I see.” Brendon began eating his dinner in silence.

  Lucy let the silence linger for a minute and then blurted, “Well?”

  He looked up. “Well, what?”

  “What do you think?”

  “I suppose, if asked, I would like to meet her for myself and do a background check. It’s always a red flag when someone strange wanders into town with no history to speak of.”

  “Oh, Brendon, that’s the cop in you talking.”

  “Maybe, but that’s how I see it and you did ask for my opinion.” He went back to his dinner.

  “Maybe the best idea is to let Marnie meet her first before you get into background checks and all that. I mean, it could be a wasted effort and people like Winnie don’t come along every day.”

  He leaned back with a serious expression on his face. “There’s a reason for that. There’s usually something off about them. People keep moving because something is making them do it. That something might be a criminal past or an allergy to the local trees. I’ve learned not to jump to conclusions. It’s better to let it rest. Time has a way of uncovering secrets and encouraging the guilty to reveal themselves. Huh.”

  “What?”

  “That was clever of you, Lucy. You walked me right into the perfect answer for my own problem.”

  Her eyes widened. “I did?”

  “Sure. I need to tell the people pressuring me to back off and let the press and the political ramifications fade away. Then I can get a clear look at the case and in the meantime, someone might reveal their hand. Good job.”

  “Uh, you’re welcome, but I …”

  “What?”

  “Oh, nothing.” Lucy decided not to press the matter. At the moment, Brendon was feeling as though their entire discussion had been intended to solve his problem. He seemed content, and there was no reason to confuse the issue further by discussing Winnie.

  After they finished dinner, Lucy got up and cut them each a slice of cake she had decided to rustle up.

  “Wow, that looks great,” Brendon said as he swapped plates with he
r. Lucy went to the sink, turned on the hot water, and squirted detergent into the swirling water. She watched as bubbles boiled up, reflecting the light overhead.

  “Anything wrong?” he asked, probably picking up that she was a little distracted.

  “Nope,” she answered resolutely. “Let’s go watch television.”

  10

  “Marnie?” Lucy knocked on one of the glass panels at the top of Marnie’s front door. “Are you there? It’s me.”

  It took a few minutes, but the door eventually swung open and there stood Marnie, blinking in the unexpected light. “Hello, Lucy. I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “Yes, I know. Sorry, but I realized I don’t have your phone number.”

  “Oh.”

  Lucy noticed Marnie didn’t offer it. “Listen, I wanted to talk to you about Winnie.”

  “You did?” Marnie sounded confused.

  “Yes, you remember? The woman looking for a position as a companion?”

  “Silly me, yes, of course.”

  Lucy realized that Marnie wasn’t herself. Without prying, she wondered whether Marnie might be on medication and had possibly taken the wrong dosage. She opened her bag and extracted the small notebook she always carried. “Marnie, I’m concerned about you. Is everything okay? You look… sleepy.”

  “Sleepy? Oh yes, that’s it. I’ve just woken up.”

  Lucy’s gaze drifted over Marnie’s shoulder. “May I come in just for a moment? We don’t want to let all the cold air in.”

  Marnie frowned, obviously uncomfortable with the suggestion, but she eventually stepped back and held the door open wider. “Just for a moment.”

  “Thank you.” Lucy pulled out a pen to write. “Could I get your phone number?”

  Marnie’s head slowly shook, “Oh, I don’t think so.”

  The objection knocked Lucy off her stride for a second or two, and she battled for something to say to combat it. “If I could call you, I wouldn’t need to come to the house.”

  Marnie contemplated the reason and eventually conceded. “You’re right. That might be better for both of us,” she said and gave Lucy the number.

  The time had come to lay her cards on the table. “Marnie, we all met with Winnie yesterday, down at Sal’s.”

  Marnie’s face brightened and Lucy felt triumphant in gaining her full attention at last. “How did it go?”

  “I think the overall opinion was favorable, but the only one that counts is yours. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to come meet her at Sal’s, or maybe at my house?” Lucy didn’t want Winnie’s first impression of Marnie’s hoarding compulsion to put her off. Her tactics were beginning to make her feel like a UN ambassador.

  “Oh, noooo, Lucy. I can’t do that. I can’t leave my house. You know that. I’ve told you that.” Marnie’s voice rose with hysteria.

  Lucy motioned with her hands. “Okay, okay. Don’t get upset. When would be a good time for me to bring her around to meet you then?”

  “Uh, well, anytime, I suppose. You know I’m always at home.”

  “If I can reach her and she agrees, would about four this afternoon work?”

  Marnie nodded and shrugged. “Why yes, that should be fine.” She drew the front of her sweater closer in a gesture of self-protection.

  Lucy could tell that Marnie’s stress levels were increasing. Was she doing the right thing, forcing Winnie on her neighbor like this? Only time would tell.

  “Good, I’ll give you a call after I’ve talked to her.” Lucy opened the door and left quickly before Marnie had the chance to change her mind.

  Later that afternoon, Lucy, accompanied by Winnie, approached Marnie’s house. Lucy knocked soundly on Marnie’s door, but there was no answer. “Marnie,” she shouted, “it’s me, Lucy. I have Winnie with me. She’d like to meet you.”

  There was a noise above their heads and Lucy looked up to see a window being raised. “Go away,” Marnie shouted, leaning out the window. Lucy backed up a few steps, and she could see Marnie framed between lace Cape Cod curtains. “I’ve changed my mind.”

  “Marnie, it’s okay. Remember? You and I talked about us coming this morning. Winnie, would you step back so Marnie can get a look at you?”

  “Hello-o-o-o,” Winnie called up. “You have such a lovely home. I mentioned to Lucy how adorable it was when we pulled up, didn’t I, Lucy?”

  Lucy played along. It seemed the right thing to do, to get on Marnie’s good side. “You certainly did. I know that you’re feeling a little nervous, Marnie. That’s okay. We understand. This is such a huge step for you. But we’re not going to rush you. We’ll do this at your pace. Why don’t you come downstairs and open the door? Winnie and I won’t even come in. If at any point, you think it’s too much, just close the door again and we’ll leave.” To Lucy, it sounded very accommodating, and she prayed Marnie felt the same way. The sound of the window closing overhead told her maybe she was right.

  A few moments later, the front door opened. Marnie stood there, a thick sweater thrown over her shoulders. “Hello.” Her voice sounded hoarse, even though she only managed to say one word.

  Winnie offered her hand to shake. “Oh, it’s so good to meet you in person. I understand you’re not fond of going out. I completely get that. I used to live with another lady who was just like you.”

  “You did?” Marnie said quietly.

  Winnie smiled reassuringly at Marnie. “Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. We all have our little foibles we have to deal with at times. No one is going to judge you. Some people just like to keep to themselves where they are comfortable. I understood that, and it was the same with the other lady I stayed with. She and I got on really well together, and it didn’t take long for her to adjust either. The only problem that baffled us in the beginning was,” Winnie said, her voice changing into a tone of doubt, “was that when she finally was keen to go out, she stumbled slightly, you know, not having the practice to do it. It was a difficulty we overcame together, with patience and understanding. Sometimes we sat by her front door for an hour, having a cup of tea and just chatting about the neighbors we could see through the doorway. You know, tiny steps to begin with. Everything was done at her pace until she felt comfortable with the idea of stepping out into the world. Before long, we were drinking our pot of tea out on the porch in the afternoons. See, tiny steps; there was no need to rush things.” They heard the children playing in the distance and Winnie raised a finger. “In fact, the one thing she enjoyed the most was watching the children come home from school. Their enthusiastic play, skipping, running, their exuberance for life. Children can teach us a lot in this world and if you’ve never been privy to that, then maybe that’s somewhere to start.”

  Marnie found her voice and tentatively said, “That’s a really nice way of putting it. I hear the children outside, sometimes. I would like to watch them, but I know they will make fun of me. They’ve done it before, you see.”

  “I imagine they have. Children have a way of being very hurtful, without really meaning to. Sometimes adults misjudge them when they strike out at what they don’t understand. Think how much better they would like you if they understood that you preferred your home because it’s a super safe environment. You could even tell them it’s like having a fort where you can hide little boxes with the things that are most precious to you.”

  “You really do understand, don’t you?” Marnie asked, surprised.

  Winnie nodded. “I should like to think I do, if only a tiny bit. If I were to stay here with you, I imagine you could teach me a great deal about what it’s like. Maybe Lucy would help us write a book about it. She is a writer, you know.”

  Marnie turned to look at Lucy. “I’m not sure we’ve ever talked about that.”

  “It’s okay, Marnie. You needed me more than I needed to talk about what I do. You and I have been special kinds of friends,” Lucy added, her heart warming.

  Marnie sighed a little. “Yes, that’s true. Between you and
Sylvia…”

  Winnie spoke again. “Sylvia? Is there someone else living here with you?”

  Marnie shook her head. “No, Sylvia is my other close neighbor. I leave her money under the mat and she brings me groceries. Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have told you that, but I suppose if you did stay here with me, you would learn about it, eventually.”

  “Marnie, would you like Winnie and I to come inside? Perhaps you could show her the room where she might stay, if the two of you decided it was the right thing to do.” Lucy was catching the rhythm of Winnie’s voice and using it to cajole Marnie into relaxing and letting down her guard. It seemed to be working.

  “Oh, certainly, come on in. Now, don’t look at the mess. I’m in the process of spring cleaning a little early this year.” Marnie was now speaking in a very conversational, normal tone of voice.

  “Oh, you don’t need to apologize; everyone goes through times when they allow things to become a bit disordered, it’s natural. It just shows that you’re human and comfortable in your surroundings.”

  Marnie walked ahead of Winnie and Lucy, introducing them to each room as they entered it. Lucy had to admit, in some cases, the identity of the room was a little harder to determine due to the bulging array of possessions Marnie had stored in each one. Winnie, on the other hand, never displayed any visible sign of surprise or disapproval. Lucy had to give her credit. She did appear to know what she was doing.

  When they reached the front door, Winnie stuck out her hand and Marnie shook it. “It was a great pleasure to meet you, Marnie. Lucy has my phone number. Why don’t you think things over first? No pressure from either of us. The decision has to be yours. I understand it would be a big change for you, but I also understand how important your privacy is and I would never want to invade that unless you invited me to join you. In fact, I would just stay in the room you give me until such a time as you become comfortable with me joining you in your living room or kitchen. How would that be?”

  Marnie nodded and smiled. “I think I would like that. Lucy, I’ll give you a call later this afternoon.”

  Winnie and Lucy left the porch and walked to where Lucy’s car was parked at the end of her drive. They got in and Lucy proceeded to drive Winnie back to Sal’s. “Are you sure you can find your way home from there? I’d be glad to drive you all the way myself.”