by Abigail Keam
“That’s why he took Selena’s name off the insurance policy but he never told her,” I offered.
“Probably hadn’t had the opportunity to tell her.” Goetz glanced about to see if anyone was listening. “Anyway, apparently Dwight walked in on them in the dining room. There were accusations. Dwight was furious, so he threw a punch at Farley.”
“So Farley picked up the chocolate centerpiece and killed Dwight with it.”
Goetz shook his head. “This is where it gets screwy. Farley did hit Dwight with the chocolate, stunning him. But it was Selena who actually killed Dwight. She got a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Dwight to death.”
“Good God!” was all I could say.
“Now they have to hide the body, so Farley came up with the plan to make it look like Dwight had drowned in Laurel Lake.”
“But he really buried Dwight in the forest.”
“Right on.”
“What about the scorpion bite?”
“Farley was stung, but had antibiotics at home from a previous injury and just “manned-up” as they say. He didn’t get any medical help. Said the scorpion just about did him in, but he looked up scorpion bites on the Internet and did what the website recommended.
“What about the missing check for the two hundred grand?”
“Neither Selena nor Farley knew what Dwight did with the check.”
I was about to ask about the confusion of the location of Dwight’s wallet when I realized I didn’t give a damn anymore. It would probably come out in the trial. I could wait until then.
“Let me take you home, Josiah,” offered Goetz gently. “You’re not doing Matt any good by getting sick yourself. You can barely keep your eyes open.”
I just sat. I was numb.
“That’s it.” Goetz stood up. “Wait right here.” He came back a few minutes later with my coat and purse. “Let’s go,” he barked, pulling me to my feet. He wrapped the coat around my shoulders and put his arm around my waist, helping me to walk. “I’ll call the D.A. and ask them to put off your interview for awhile. You’re in no shape to talk to anyone until you get your head clear.”
“Is it really over?” I asked.
Goetz knew what I was talking about. “He is really dead, Josiah. You don’t have to be scared anymore.”
Nothing else was said as we walked out of the hospital into the chilly night.
Epilogue
“My name is Josiah Reynolds. I used to be an art professor at the University of Kentucky. Now I make my living from honeybees, selling honey at a local farmers’ market.
“I live in the Butterfly, which sits on a cliff overlooking the Kentucky River. I am a widow.
“I have one child – Asa. She had worked for the Secret Service until she reported abuses within the department. Now she works as an independent contractor. Interpret that as you will.
“Did she assassinate O’nan? I don’t know and I’m never going to ask.
“The New Scotland Yard has already questioned Asa in London. Apparently she was in Rome at the time on an assignment. So unless my daughter can be in two places at one time, you can rule her out. I’m sure they have already reported to you, so why are you asking me?
“You can grill me with all the questions you want, but I’m not going to say one more word until my lawyer, Shaneika Mary Todd, arrives. I’ve learned how to deal with cops. I can’t believe that you are pestering me with questions right now.
“I’m just going to sit right here . . . and try to block out the fact that Kentucky is thirsty for the blood of her sons. She demands sacrifices, just like Chief Dragging Canoe had warned Daniel Boone.”
*
In the beautiful and seductive land of Caintuck, the past is never past and the thirst of the rich dark earth is never quenched.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abigail Keam is an award-winning mystery writer of the Josiah Reynolds Mysteries. She is also an accomplished beekeeper and has won 16 honey awards from the Kentucky State Fair.
Death By A HoneyBee, her first mystery novel, won a Gold Medal Award from Reader’s Favorite in 2010.
Death By Drowning, her second novel, was listed on USA BOOK NEWS – “Best Books of 2011 Finalists.”
Ms. Keam also writes an Epic Fantasy series: Saga of the de Magala Family.
She lives in a metal house overlooking the Kentucky River with her husband and several critters.
www.abigailkeam.com