by Diana Miller
“Why the hell would Cecilia kill Grandfather?”
“For the money,” Lexie said. “Trey said she showed up a couple of days before Easter and seemed agitated. She had a long conversation with Max in his office, and afterward she was even more agitated. Apparently Max was especially upset about her current divorce. Maybe he didn’t just turn down her request for money but also told her he was fed up enough to disinherit her.”
“Even if she murdered Grandfather, why kill Trey?” Ben was barking questions like an attorney on cross-examination.
Lexie forced herself to answer calmly, to not be offended by his pummeling. This was hard for her to accept, and she’d only known Cecilia a week. “Maybe she was afraid Trey had overheard your grandfather threaten to disinherit her. Or maybe when Trey told her about your argument with Max, she realized poisoning him would make it appear even more likely that you killed Max. She might not have given Trey a fatal dose.”
At that Ben shook his head, then looked away, staring at the photo of the current U.S. president that was the windowless room’s only decoration. “I can’t believe Cecilia would do that to me.” His defeated tone showed he was starting to take Lexie’s theory seriously.
“I’ve got more,” Lexie said. “Several days ago Cecilia said she couldn’t imagine any family member shooting out Max’s window or giving him arsenic. I didn’t focus on it then because I didn’t consider Cecilia a suspect. But weren’t you keeping the specific poison secret? Unless the cops released that—”
“I don’t think the cops cared enough to ask. The only people who know it was arsenic are you, me, and Dr. Watson.”
“And Max’s murderer,” Lexie said, although the point gave her no satisfaction. “Also, when Cecilia saw your grandfather’s body, she was the only one crying. She claimed the reality of seeing his body upset her, but maybe she wanted everyone to think she was too grief-stricken to possibly be a suspect.”
“You’re way off base,” Ben said. “Cecilia’s more like a sister to me than a cousin. She would never kill Grandfather, but if she did, she certainly wouldn’t frame me for it.”
“Which is why she framed you, because she knew then no one would suspect her.” Lexie rested her palms on the table. “Look, I hate this, too. I considered Cecilia a friend, although maybe she stayed close to me even after she found out I was Max’s lawyer to keep up on the status of the investigation.”
Ben was silent for several minutes as he looked everywhere but at Lexie. Trying to figure out a way to refute what she’d said, no doubt. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them. “This really sucks.”
“I agree.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“I obviously need to talk to Cecilia, but I want to search her room first and see if I can find more evidence. The more I have, the more likely I’ll get the truth out of her.”
“Is it legal for you to search her room without her permission?” Ben asked.
“The trustee currently controls Nevermore, so I’ve got authority to look wherever I want.” That could be true, and Lexie wasn’t about to check Minnesota law and risk discovering she was wrong. Barringtons didn’t knowingly disobey the law. Of course, Barringtons didn’t snoop, either, but this was important. “I’ll do it tomorrow morning. I’ve still got your key to Nevermore, so I can park in back and sneak in again. I assume the master key in the pantry works on her room.”
Ben nodded. “I can ask Cecilia to bring me some things tomorrow morning so you’ll be sure she’s gone.”
“Have her come by at ten. That’s late enough that everyone but Dylan should be up and hopefully have left Nevermore. Or at least left the second floor.”
“I’ll give you a call after she leaves me so you’ll know to get out of her room,” Ben said. “You’re going to talk to her afterward?”
“As soon as she gets back to Nevermore.”
“Make sure someone else is around,” Ben said. “I can’t believe she’s guilty, but you can’t be too careful.”
Lexie met his eyes. Their vivid blueness seemed to have faded since he’d been jailed. “I promise I’ll be careful.”
He took her hand, squeezed it. “When I swore off smart women I was an idiot. Can you imagine if I had to depend on Amber to get me out of here?”
CHAPTER 25
“I’d better go. The cop told me I could only stay for a few minutes,” Cecilia told Ben the next morning. He’d asked her to bring his phone charger and the clothes he’d left at Nevermore. “If you need anything else, call me.”
“What I need is to find out who killed Grandfather so I can get the hell out of here,” Ben said. Mike was in charge again today and had let Ben meet Cecilia alone in the jail’s conference room. However, unlike at last night’s meeting with Lexie, Ben’s leg was cuffed to the table, a tangible reminder that he was in jail accused of something very serious. As if he could forget that for even one second.
Ben’s gloom apparently showed on his face, because Cecilia touched his forearm. “You can’t lose faith, Ben. Lexie’s working on it, and she’s really smart. I know she’ll find Grandfather’s killer.”
She sounded confident and encouraging, but then she’d been a cheerleader at Arizona State during a couple of abysmally bad seasons.
And she could very well be responsible for his plight.
“I hope you’re right,” he said, feeling even gloomier.
“I know I am.” Cecilia’s tone was still confident, but Ben detected a hint of stiff-upper-lip desperation. “Once she’s done that, Lexie will figure out how to get you your money. Grandfather never intended for you to be disinherited because the police arrested the wrong person. If Lexie can’t get the provision overturned, I’ll convince everyone to give you your share anyway. It’s only fair.”
“I doubt Jeremy will be in favor of that. Assuming anyone else will go along with it.”
Cecilia waved her hand. “If they won’t, I’ll give you half of my share. But first we need to get you out of here.” She met his eyes. “I’ll call Lexie and ask how I can help. I’ll do anything I can, Ben. Not only because I know you didn’t do it, but because I can’t imagine how horrible it must feel to be suspected of killing Grandfather when you loved him so much.” She got to her feet and started for the door.
She seemed as sincere and caring as when she’d dropped everything, flown to Manhattan, and shown up at his condo right after she’d heard about Olivia and Jeremy. She didn’t sound like someone who was framing him.
And suddenly Ben couldn’t believe she was, or that she’d killed Grandfather. He’d bet she had logical explanations for everything. If Cecilia was innocent, Lexie was wasting valuable time focusing on her.
Or maybe he was lying to himself because he couldn’t stand the possibility she could be guilty. Hopefully he wasn’t about to make a horrible mistake.
“Cecilia, did you know Grandfather was alive?”
She paused with her hand on the doorknob.
“I asked if you knew Grandfather was alive,” Ben said.
She slowly turned back toward him. Her expression was unreadable, which worried Ben because Cecilia’s face was normally a virtual marquee of her emotions. Then she spoke, words that knocked the air out of him. “How did you know?”
# # #
Lexie slipped into Cecilia’s room and headed for the closet. After she’d left Ben last night, she’d remembered that Cecilia had been wearing a white sundress the day they’d met. If the button she’d found in Max’s bedroom had come from that dress, it would make it even more likely that Cecilia had known Max was alive.
Lexie located the sundress and pushed away the red silk beside it so she could examine the back buttons. She’d remembered right—they were white. But these buttons were pearlized with shanks, not flat with four holes like the one she’d found. She inspected the other dresses, skirts, and blouses hanging in the closet, but nothing had buttons like the one she’d found, missing or otherwise.
She did a quick check of the room, feeling especially guilty when she went through the dresser drawers. All she learned was that Cecilia was extremely neat and a fan of sexy underwear.
Okay, so she’d have to play it by ear when she talked to her. Lexie glanced at her watch as she tiptoed down the stairs. Maybe she’d go for a walk while she waited for Ben’s call and Cecilia’s return. She was too nervous to sit still.
She’d just started toward the front door when Jeremy stepped out of the dining room. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
“Checking some things for the trust, since Trey won’t get out of the hospital until tomorrow,” she said, using her planned excuse. “I also wanted to talk to Cecilia, but she doesn’t seem to be around.”
“She went to see Ben at the jail, but she should be back soon. You can keep me company while you wait.”
“I could use another cup of coffee.” Talking to Jeremy would distract her as much as a walk would. A little more caffeine couldn’t hurt, either. She followed Jeremy into the dining room.
“I’ll pour you one,” he said. “Black?”
“Yes, thanks,” Lexie said, sitting down at the table. A hardcover book was across from her, a bookmark protruding. Water over the Bridge. “Are you rereading Max’s books?”
Jeremy set a cup of coffee in front of her. “Aunt Muriel left it.”
“Ben and I were talking about Max’s early books.” That conversation seemed months ago, not just days. Lexie smiled faintly. “Including this one, where the shark eats the lawyer. Max probably chose that fate as a play on all those lack of professional courtesy jokes. And in—”
She never finished her sentence.
EPISODE 8
CHAPTER 26
Ben hadn’t seen that coming. He paused, breathed, regrouped. Just because Cecilia had known Grandfather was alive didn’t mean she’d killed him. “Did you spot him in his bedroom?”
She shook her head. “I’ve never been in Grandfather’s bedroom. He was outside, walking in the woods. I saw him right after I got to Nevermore. I almost fainted.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I figured it was one of his practical jokes, and I didn’t want to spoil it because I’d taken an early flight and arrived three hours before I was expected. I kept waiting for him to pop up somewhere and say ‘Surprise, I’m alive,’ but he never did.” She chewed her lower lip. “I couldn’t believe it when he really ended up dead.”
The quiver in her voice did a lot to convince Ben she hadn’t killed him, but Lexie had some compelling evidence. He went directly to the big one. “Did you go down to the lake the night Grandfather was murdered?”
Cecilia’s eyes widened. “You know that, too?”
“Igor saw you. What were you doing?”
“I was going to sit by the water. I couldn’t sleep, and I wanted to think.”
“Late at night?”
She shrugged. “I went there all the time when I was a kid and we were visiting, especially when Dad drank too much and fought with Mom. That usually happened at night.”
“What did you need to think about this time?”
She frowned, touching her lips with her fisted knuckles. “About how I’m going to tell Peter that I haven’t only been divorced once, but three times. Since I’m sure that’s going to send him running in the other direction.”
“He already knows. Did you see Grandfather or anyone else that night?”
“What do you mean, Peter already knows?”
“I told him before I suggested he ask you out,” Ben said. “I also said I thought you were always looking for someone to take care of you because of your mother, but you’d grow out of it if you found the right man.”
Cecilia’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe I’ve wasted all this time agonizing over telling Peter, and he already knows. You could have told me.”
The sharpness in her tone surprised Ben. It hadn’t occurred to him she’d worry about that, but they needed to focus. He held up a placating hand. “We’ll discuss this later. Did you see Grandfather’s body when you went down by the water?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t see anyone. I’d only gone a few feet in on the path when I heard something. I assumed it was a wild animal, a moose or even a wolf, and it creeped me out.” She smiled faintly. “I guess I’m not as brave as when I was a kid. Or as desperate to escape. So I turned around and went back to Nevermore.”
She didn’t blink or fidget or talk too fast, things she usually did when she was lying and trying to cover. “Question three,” Ben said. “Did Grandfather refuse to give you money after this divorce? Or threaten to disinherit you?”
“I didn’t ask him for money,” Cecilia said. “I was smarter this prenup and got enough to support myself for a while.” She made a face. “After two divorces, I’d finally lost my romantic notion that this one will be forever. But I was too embarrassed to admit that to anyone, since I’d still gone through with the marriage and ended up divorced again.”
“Why did you come early at Easter if it wasn’t to ask for money?” Ben asked.
She came over and sat back down by the table. “Because I wanted him to threaten to disinherit Dylan unless he cleaned up his act. I probably shouldn’t have done that, but I was desperate. Although Grandfather refused. He said he’d never disinherit any of us, and he wouldn’t use that threat when it was a lie.” Her forehead creased. “So why did he threaten to disinherit you?”
“He wanted me to know how upset he was. He knew I’d never take his threat seriously.”
“That makes sense,” Cecilia said. “He did say he wasn’t giving Dylan another cent no matter who he owed money to.” She worried her lower lip again. “I probably should have mentioned that to the police or at least to you and Lexie. But I didn’t want Dylan suspected of killing Grandfather. He’s got issues, but I know he isn’t a murderer. I guess I could have told the police I also knew Grandfather was alive, but I didn’t think it would help you.”
“You’re right. Question four: How did you know the poison Grandfather was given was arsenic?”
“Peter told me after Grandfather was shot, and everyone knew he’d been poisoned before. Was it a secret?”
“I guess not.” Peter had obviously seen Max’s medical records and assumed that since the entire family knew Max had been poisoned, they also knew what had been used. “One final question. What were you really doing in my room when you lost your bracelet? Your divorce had been final for almost two weeks, so I know you weren’t checking on it.”
Cecilia’s cheeks pinkened, and she looked at the bracelet in question, twisting it on her wrist as she spoke. “I was there to use your computer, but not about my divorce. I googled Peter. I always check out guys before I date them, but I didn’t want you to know, because Peter’s your friend, and I didn’t want you to think I didn’t trust your judgment.” She met his eyes again. “Why are you asking me all this? Do you think I killed Grandfather?”
“If I thought that, I wouldn’t have asked you to explain the things that looked suspicious,” Ben said.
To be honest, he’d had a smidgen of doubt, not that he’d ever admit it to Cecilia. But that was gone.
Now he needed to get hold of Lexie so she wouldn’t waste any more time looking into the wrong person. Unfortunately, they’d lost their best suspect. And they were no closer to identifying the real killer than they’d been back when Grandfather was still alive and the crime had just been attempted murder.
# # #
Lexie’s smile faded. “Oh my God. It was in, not is.”
“What are you talking about?” Jeremy asked. “Seth? Or Muriel?”
Lexie shook her head, jumping to her feet. “I just realized I need to check one last thing in the trust accountings. Thanks for the coffee.”
As she racewalked out of the room, Lexie’s heart was pounding so hard she was surprised it didn’t burst through her chest. Max had more faith in her than sh
e’d deserved.
She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching, then slipped into the library and headed for the bookshelf. Less than a minute later, she was in Max’s secret room. She dug through the pile of magazines and envelopes on the nightstand, pulling out the royalty and mutual fund statements she’d noticed earlier.
She returned to the library, and then headed for Trey’s office. It was locked, but the master key she’d used on Cecilia’s door worked on it, too. She went inside, locking the door behind her. Trey might still be hospitalized, but someone else could come by, and she didn’t want to explain what she was looking for. Not until she was sure she wasn’t way off base.
Trey had two file cabinets. Lexie first went to the one with drawers labeled “Accountings,” “Expenses,” and “Miscellaneous.” She held her breath as she grabbed the handle of the accountings drawer and pulled, breathing again when it wasn’t locked. It contained several years’ worth of the monthly accountings that Trey prepared for Max showing his income, expenses, and assets. She removed the most recent accounting, which was for the past April. Then she went to the other cabinet, which had drawers labeled “Income,” “Investments,” and “Taxes.” All three of those drawers were locked. Trey’s desk was locked, too.
If she was lucky, what she had would be enough.
She started with the May royalty statement, which was accompanied by a check—no direct deposit, which could be further evidence she was on the right track. The statement reported earnings for Max’s newest book, which had been released in hardcover in April. Lexie flipped until she found a summary that listed both the advance Max had gotten and the total net royalties he’d earned after repayment of the advance. She deducted the May royalty shown earlier in the statement from the total net royalty to get what must have been his April check amount, since luckily he’d been able to negotiate monthly royalty payments. Then she located the royalty that Trey’s accounting showed the book had earned in April.