Death In Duplicate

by Valerie Wolzien

  “Which of them killed those elderly people?” Jed asked.

  “Probably neither of them directly. But I’m sure they caused the deaths to happen. Let’s ignore that for a moment because Brett will know more about it and he can tell us when he gets here.”

  “So go ahead,” Jerry said.

  “Well, Donald and Blaine didn’t have the same vision. Blaine was interested in building large homes.”

  “Executive homes and estates, her ads call them.”

  Susan nodded to her husband. “Right. But Donald had done that and was interested in mixed-use developments-hotels and conference centers surrounded by those executive homes and estates.”

  “And then?”

  “And then his mother bought Woodwinds. Donald, of course, saw immediately that its location made it perfect for an extension of their development on Perry Island. And that fact probably made him furious.”

  “Why?”

  “She bought it in her own name and she was going to develop it her way. She had even drawn up plans for the project-plans Donald made sure no one would find after her death.”

  “How did he manage to do that?” Jerry asked.

  “He went to her office after her body was found. He claimed to want to notify her staff in person, but, in fact, he was there to steal her plans. He took them right off her desk in front of all her employees and I was the only person in the room to notice. Donald,” Susan concluded, “was not going to let his mother stand in the way of the plans he had made.”

  “So he killed her,” Jerry said, sounding like a man who had just caught on.

  “I don’t think so actually,” Susan answered. “Although he may have helped move her body.”

  “Then who?” Jed asked.

  “Sophie,” Kathleen guessed.

  Susan nodded. “Yes. At least it makes sense.”

  “Sophie-this woman he was having an affair with and who helped him find properties to develop-she killed Nadine and his mother and shot Donald?” Jed asked.

  “No. I mean yes, she did shoot at Donald and she probably killed his mother, but I think his mother killed Nadine,” Susan answered.

  “Susan, you tell the story any way you want to. I promise not to interrupt again, but please don’t stop now,” Jerry said.

  “Okay. My guess is that Nadine was killed by Donald’s mother. You see, they had moved and Nadine had been forced to pay a bit more attention to Donald and his business and his mother’s business than she had before. In fact, she told me as much although I wasn’t really listening at the time. Blaine Baines wasn’t going to let anyone, not even her daughter-in-law, interfere in a big business deal so-and this is just a guess-she went over to their house to explain this to Nadine and ended up killing her.”

  “Did Donald know?” Jed asked.

  “He must have. He provided his mother with an alibi. At the time I thought it was the other way around, that she was lying to protect him. But Donald was lying to protect his mother. And to protect the many real estate deals that they had together. And I doubt if he really cared about Nadine. Their marriage had become one of convenience. She managed to convey the image of a happy wife to the world, which was important to him, but they certainly were no longer close. In fact, his work made it impossible for them to be together a lot.”

  Susan paused for a minute. “I didn’t like her, but what a terrible way to die.”

  “You said it yourself-Blaine Baines was ruthless,” Kathleen said.

  “Yes, she was. But not quite as ruthless as her son turned out to be.” A deep male voice came from the doorway and everyone in the room turned to find Brett Fortesque standing there. “I knocked, but apparently no one heard me so I let myself in. I can’t say much for your security system.” He walked into the room and looked down at the pile of canines lying on the floor. “You must have the three laziest dogs in the world living with you.”

  “You should see them when they’re awake,” Susan said.

  Jed poured another glass of champagne and passed it to Brett.

  “I’m still on duty, but, just this once I’m going to ignore that fact,” Brett said, saluting them and then taking a sip.

  “Did Sophie Kincaid confess?” Susan asked.

  “No. She claims to be completely innocent. And her husband has hired one of the hottest defense attorneys in the country. But it’s going to be real hard not to get a conviction. After all, you and I both saw her shoot Donald Baines. And he’s not exactly feeling kindly toward her at the moment so I think he’ll be happy to make a statement to the police about just who killed his mother.”

  “She did do it, then,” Susan said.

  “She did indeed. Donald lost a lot of blood and he’s not feeling too well, but he did manage to tell us that much. And he also claimed that Sophie thought it would be a good idea if his mother was found dead in the same place his wife was. So he helped her to move the body from her car into his house.”

  “Good Lord. He is a cold-blooded bastard,” Jerry said.

  “And a great real estate agent. He said discovering a body in a house would bring down its resale value and there was no reason to devalue two properties,” Brett explained.

  “I don’t understand. Why did this Sophie kill Blaine Baines?” Jed asked.

  “She helped Donald get what he wanted and he wanted the land that Woodwinds is on, but I think it may be more than that. I think Sophie probably isn’t as independent a woman as she claims to be. Her husband may have found the best defense team money can buy, but he was never around. Her only child is at boarding school. She needed something in her life. Developing property probably became that something.”

  “Sounds like Donald was involved with some pretty sleazy women,” Jerry said.

  “Please, no one is as manipulative and directed as Donald himself,” Susan said. “He’s been jerking me around like a puppet ever since Nadine was killed. He said he wanted me to speak at Nadine’s memorial service so that I would go to his office. Then he left the messages from his mother on his desk knowing I would see them.”

  “Why?”

  “They weren’t real. I’ll bet his mother was already dead at that point. He was setting up his own alibi.”

  “But you used that as an opportunity to check out their old neighbors,” Kathleen said. “You wouldn’t have even met Sophie Kincaid if he hadn’t asked you to do that.”

  “That’s true,” Susan said. “And that turned out to be his big mistake.”

  “That and moving next door to you,” Jed said. “Anyone who is planning to be involved in committing a murder should avoid living near Susan Henshaw.”

  “That’s an interesting point,” Brett said with a gleam in his eye. “I was going to mention one other thing. Donald told one of my officers that he got a bargain on his house because you were involved in investigating so many murders. Seems living next door to someone who stumbles over dead bodies is not exactly a selling point for a home in a nice neighborhood.”

  THIRTY-ONE

  KATHLEEN AND JERRY WERE DUE HOME FOR DINNER AND left right after Susan promised to call Kathleen first thing in the morning and share all the details of their discussion. Jed got up to let the dogs out into the backyard and Susan and Brett were alone together.

  “I’m going to have to talk to the baby nurse,” he said.

  “ Shannon. Her name is Shannon Tapley,” Susan said. “But why? You know who killed Nadine and Blaine.”

  “Three people were murdered out at the Perry Island Care Center. It isn’t my case, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Donald or his mother hired someone to kill them. And, if that’s true, I’m sure Sophie will tell us all about them. In the position she’s in, helping the police with unsolved crimes is always a good idea.”

  “So why bother Shannon?”

  “Because she’s involved in Perry Island Care Center in more ways than one.” He looked at her. “That doesn’t surprise you, does it?”

  “To tell you the truth, I had
wondered-”

  “What had you wondered?” Shannon appeared in the doorway. “Perhaps it’s time I cleared up all your questions. I think I knew I’d have to eventually when I returned to Connecticut.”

  “Would you like some champagne? I can get another glass,” Susan offered.

  “Thanks, but I’ll pass. I don’t think Ethan and Rosie are settled for the night. And I should run a load or two of laundry before I go to bed as well.” She sat down on the couch and crossed her arms across her chest. “I don’t know where to start.”

  “You grew up on Perry Island, didn’t you?” Susan asked.

  “Yes. Who told you that?”

  “No one. But Donald grew up there and he refers to the island as Perry. Not Perry Island, just Perry. And you do, too,” Susan explained her reasoning.

  “Yes, I grew up there. In fact, I grew up hanging out at P.I.C.C.”

  “You and your cousin are the heirs to the center, aren’t you?” Susan asked.

  “Just me. My father inherited it from his parents and he married my mother who was a nurse there. I’m an only child. I grew up knowing that P.I.C.C. would be mine someday. That’s probably the reason I’m a nurse.” She smiled. “My father was a doctor, but he always said that it was the nurses who were the real workers in the health care system. I never even considered going to med school. I wanted to take care of people and I knew nursing was the field for me.”

  “But Mike?”

  “Mike is my mother’s sister’s son. There’s no connection to P.I.C.C.”

  “Except that you could help get him a job there,” Susan suggested.

  Shannon sighed. “That’s true. But the patients come first. I was sure-well, as sure as I could be-that Mike had cleaned up his act when I helped him get hired there. And P.I.C.C. was in many ways the perfect place for him to work. Mike is a people person and he’s not put off by old people. He was a real asset to the center.”

  “Then why didn’t he stay around?” Susan asked since Brett seemed to be letting her ask all the questions.

  “Death scared him. Well, it scares us all, but Mike was spooked when people started dying and then…” She glanced over at Brett.

  “You can tell Brett about Mike’s fear that he caused one of the deaths,” Susan said. “He’ll find out eventually and Brett is capable of understanding the difference between a mistake and murder.”

  “Mike was asked by Mrs. Hershman to leave the door to the roof open for her. And then she fell-or was pushed-off the roof, and he panicked and took off. But he liked Mrs. Hershman. He would never have killed her.”

  Brett nodded slowly. “I don’t know all the details of the P.I.C.C. investigation, but now that we have connected Donald and his mother with a desire to close down P.I.C.C., I know the police will be looking in some other directions.”

  “You think Mike should talk to the police in charge of the case?” Shannon asked.

  “And he should talk to Brett,” Susan suggested.

  “I have nothing to do with what happened on Perry Island,” Brett said.

  “But I think Donald manipulated Mike the same way he manipulated everyone else. He suggested that Mike get out of P.I.C.C. as fast as possible-and that focused attention on Mike that might better have been placed on other suspects,” Susan said.

  “That may be true,” Shannon agreed slowly. “And… well, Mike will probably tell you this himself…”

  “He was involved with Sophie Kincaid, too, wasn’t he?” Brett suggested.

  “You’re kidding! Sophie Kincaid is the older woman that what’s her name-the receptionist-told Kathleen and me about?”

  “I think that’s the name of the woman,” Shannon said. “I told Mike he was being used, but he has this adolescent male ego. He thought she liked him because he was ‘hot.’ ”

  “He’s not the first male who let his ego blind him to the truth,” Susan pointed out. “And many are a whole lot older than your cousin.”

  “I guess.”

  Susan changed the subject. “P.I.C.C. is a wonderful place, but its open-door policy for visitors means that pretty much anyone can get in and see-or harm-the residents.”

  Shannon frowned and was silent for a moment. “It’s important-vital-that relatives and friends of the residents have twenty-four hour access to them. And because we’re located on an island where there’s very little crime, we never considered it important to keep track of the comings and goings of visitors. There isn’t even a receptionist on duty at night. That,” she added firmly, “will have to change.”

  Brett nodded. “It’s sad, but it’s better not to trust everyone than to end up with a tragedy.”

  “That’s true,” Shannon agreed.

  Susan had a horrible thought. “Oh, no! You’re going to leave Chrissy and the babies, aren’t you?”

  Shannon smiled. “I keep telling your daughter that I’m hanging around until Ethan and Rosie go to college,” she answered. “But I suspect Chrissy and her husband won’t need me that long. After this job, I’ll go back to P.I.C.C., but not until this job is over. Working with babies has been a lovely change. And I’ve been thinking that it might be nice to start a day care center on Perry, one that’s connected to P.I.C.C. Our residents would love to be around babies and small children on a regular basis, and I’ll bet there are lots of parents on Perry who would be thrilled to have some professional care for their children.”

  “Sounds like a good idea,” Susan agreed.

  The back door opened and there was a commotion as the dogs dashed through the kitchen and into the hallway. Rock and Roll bounded up to the second floor and Susan shuddered as the newel post at the bottom of the stairway shook. Clue, more sedate than the younger dogs, walked slowly into the living room, over to Shannon, and rested her big golden head on the nurse’s lap. Shannon scratched the dog and frowned. “I was afraid to take this job. I didn’t want to come back to Connecticut. Those last few months at P.I.C.C. were horrible. My parents would have been devastated by the deaths there. I just wanted to get away and forget it all.”

  “So why did you take the job?” Susan asked. “Didn’t you know Chrissy and Stephen might end up living here?”

  “Yes. But, to tell you the truth, I knew Mike was still in the area and I wanted to help him if I could and… well, Stephen’s parents told me about you.”

  “And you thought I might help your cousin,” Susan guessed.

  Shannon looked over at Brett then at Susan and then back down to the dog. “Stephen’s mother said you were friends with the police in Hancock, and I was hoping you might influence them to… well, to overlook Mike’s involvement out at P.I.C.C.”

  “It sounds to me as though your cousin doesn’t need that type of interference,” Brett said.

  Shannon looked up and smiled at him. “I don’t think so either. I… oh, I’d better get up to the nursery,” she said as the twins’ nighttime duet began.

  “Call me if you need my help,” Susan said.

  “And I’d better get going. Mr. Kincaid’s lawyer is probably still making a fuss, and I want to check in with the officer I left with Donald Baines at the hospital, and Erika has left a half dozen messages on my phone. She says she has fabulous news for me.”

  “Maybe she’s pregnant again,” Susan said, standing up to see her guest to the door.

  Brett glanced up toward the stairway where the twins’ wails had become even louder. “I doubt it. I think one baby at a time is all we can deal with.”

  “Maybe,” Susan agreed, opening the door for him. “Unless, of course, they’re both as wonderful as my amazing grandchildren. Or…” She glanced over at Shannon. “Or you’re lucky enough to find the perfect baby nurse.”

  THIRTY-TWO

  IT WAS TOO MUCH TO ASK THAT ETHAN AND ROSIE WOULD allow their grandparents to sleep through the night two days in a row. At five-thirty the next morning, Susan and Jed were sitting at their kitchen table waiting for the first drop of coffee to fall through the filter. Cl
ue was still upstairs, probably sprawled on her back in the middle of their bed. The mastiffs had been put in the backyard a few hours earlier. Chrissy and Stephen had last been seen at four AM trudging a well-worn path between their bedroom and the nursery, yawning and exhausted. The sound of the washer being turned on in the basement proved that Shannon was busy down there.

  No one expected the phone to ring.

  “Who the hell would be calling at this hour?” Jed asked, reaching for the phone. “Susan, if this call has anything at all to do with another murder, I want you to promise me that you’ll ignore it.”

  “Don’t let Chrissy hear you talking like that in the same house as your grandchildren,” Susan warned, moving over to the coffeepot and pouring out her first cup of the day as Jed answered the phone.

  “Hi… Hey, I thought you were walking around England… Last night? Really? Well, it’s been a little busy around here… They’re wonderful and growing right before our eyes. When are you coming to see them? Anytime. Oh, of course… but I think I’d better let Susan explain…” Jed passed the phone to his wife. “Your mother.”

  “Hi, Mom,” Susan began, prepared to extol the many virtues of her grandchildren for as long as her mother wanted. But she was rudely interrupted by a great-grandmother who had more on her mind than the future generation. Susan listened for a few minutes and then began her explanation. “I know you’re not… I have no intention… Of course, I don’t think… Never, I promise you… Never. You don’t have to worry about that… I… Mom?… Mom?… Mom?” She pressed the OFF button and handed the phone to her husband. “She hung up on me. I can’t believe it. She hung up on me!”

  “It’s probably a little disturbing to come home after a long vacation and find letters in your mail saying that your daughter is trying to have you admitted to a nursing home,” Jed suggested.

  “I didn’t realize P.I.C.C. would contact her,” Susan said. “They’re up awfully early.”

  “Hon, it’s almost noon in London. They’re probably a little jet-lagged as well as acclimated to living in another time zone. Your mom will calm down as soon as she’s seen her great-grandchildren.”