by Anna Drake
“Pauline grinned. “She’d be bothered even if the attraction had ended while they were in kindergarten. Willa demands one-hundred percent of her man’s attention, let me tell you.”
I picked up my knitting and prepared to begin a new row. “Even at her age?”
Dolly chuckled. “I doubt she’ll stop standing guard over poor Sam until St. Peter has both of them standing before him.”
I suppressed a giggle. Dolly definitely had an overactive active imagination.
CHAPTER TEN
It was nearly ten the next morning before I reached Toby Spires’ home. It was a 1950s ranch built of red brick with white trim. The house was not overly large, but it was exceptionally nice. As I stood waiting for her to answer the door, I hoped I wasn’t overplaying my part. It was fairly well agree that as Toby viewed the issue dividing our group, so would most of the members. I needed her on my side, hence today’s bribe.
“Hetty,” she said, seemingly surprised to find me standing on her doorstep. “Please, come in.”
She wore a flowered housecoat. Her salt-and-pepper hair was dishevelled. Her complexion was pasty.
I smiled at her sympathetically. “I heard you were under the weather, so I’ve brought you a pot of soup.”
“Really? What kind?.” She swooped up the offering and stepped back to give room to step inside.
“It’s chicken and rice. I thought it best not to make something that might upset your digestion right now.”
“How in the world did you know I was sick?”
“You missed knitting group yesterday. I asked where you were.”
“Nice to know someone asked,” she said, nodding. “I couldn’t even have answered the door if you’d shown up here about then.”
“You’re feeling better?”
“Yes, I’ll be around to defeat any proposal you take to the group. Don’t think this attempt to butter me up is going to do any good.”
“I’m just glad to hear you’re feeling better.”
“I bet.”
“Odd time of year for the flu.”
She nodded me toward the couch. “I suspect I ate something that didn’t agree with me. Why don’t you take a seat while I carry this to the kitchen. Coffee?”
“Only if it’s already made. Please, don’t fuss on my part.”
She smiled. “Well you don’t deserve it, but I just made a pot. I’ll be right back.”
I sat on the couch and studied the room to fill time. It was a comfortable size with two large windows. The one facing east admitted the day’s brilliant sunshine. The one to the south provided a view of the street.
Table tops shone and lampshades appeared to be dust free. An old desk in the far corner of the room played host to a pile of papers. My fingers itched to sort through them, but I didn’t dare. The last thing I needed was for Toby to find me snooping about in her rooms.
“Here you go,” Toby said stepping out from the kitchen. She approached me carrying a tray bearing two cups and saucers. I relieved her of one of the cups took a pass on the cream and sugar.
Toby snatched up the remaining cup and settle herself opposite me. “So what did I miss at yesterday’s session?”
“Not much. There was a lot of talk of the mummy, of course.”
“Really? I thought maybe that would have died down by no. What were people saying?”
“Nothing terribly specific. They mentioned that Eva had once dated Sam HIllman. But you and Eva were around the same age. You probably already knew that?”
“I always thought their relationship wasn’t nearly the big deal some people believed it was. They were Homecoming royalty together for one week. That’s not much to hang a hat on.”
I swallowed a smile. She’d be stunned by the stories Willa and Sam had shared with me of the happenings the night Eva and Sam got together.
“Besides,” Toby continued, “I think you’ll find Sam is seriously devoted to his wife now.”
“Did they date in high school?”
“Who?”
“Sam and Willa.”
She took a sip of her coffee, then sat the cup back on the small table. “For a while… at least before Eva came along.”
“She broke them up?”
“Sam and Willa weren’t serious back then.”
“When did they take to each other?”
“About a year after Eva left for college, I think.”
Sam certainly hadn’t waited long to find himself a replacement for his high school heart throb. How could he have claimed to have been so fond of Eva or have been tempted to run off with her, if Willa was to be believed. It had taken me years to recover from dear Andrew’s death.
“Some people say you got tight with Oberton on that last murder,” Toby said. “Have you seen him since Eva’s death has come up?”
“I was there when he informed Damon that the mummy was his Aunt Eva, yes.”
“Do you think he has any leads?”
I laughed. “Trust me. I’m the last person Oberton would confide in.”
“Why’s that?”
“I’m Damon’s mother-in-law. Naturally, he’s not going to be forthcoming with me.”
“He suspects Damon?”
A small smile played around the corners of her mouth for a moment and then quickly disappeared. I couldn’t believe she’d left her dislike of me spill over onto her opinion of Damon. “I doubt Oberton’s looking at him too closely. My son-in-law was young when Eva was killed. I suspect at this point, he still suspects everyone.”
“But Damon hasn’t been ruled out yet?”
“Not that I’ve heard of, no.”
“What about Willa?”
“Sam’s wife?”
“Yes.”
For a minute I considered sharing Willa’s comments with Toby. Then, I rejected the idea. The tale might get back to Oberton. And I didn’t want the story being fed into the gossip mill, either. “What about Eden Lawry. Did you know him?” I asked.
“Of course. Our high school wasn’t large. We all knew each other.”
“Did you go to his dances?”
“Sometimes.”
“Why only sometimes?”
“I wasn’t part of that crowd.”
“What crowd was that?”
“Oh, you know, the in crowd.”
““But you went a time or two?”
“Yeah, I got lucky. One of the football players asked me. He was a real big boy. Sometimes Eden let me come over to help with the snacks and stuff.”
I shrugged. “It certainly makes the goings on there interesting with Eva’s body having been found in their attic.”
Toby nodded. “Yeah, years later, though. If you want to know more about Eden, ask Jack Brenner.”
“Who’s he?”
“He sells insurance. You’ll find him listed in the phone book.”
I rose and patted her hand. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. But I’d better not tire you out. See you at the next knitting session?”
“You can count on it. And don’t think this little pot of soup has bought you my vote, either.”
I nodded and made my way to the door. I doubted I’d ever list this woman as a one of my best friends. I only hoped I hadn’t shot my chance at getting her to go along with the knitting group’s compromise — if I ever managed to bang one together.
***
Jack Brenner kept an office in an old storefront downtown. It faced the river and through its large front window one had a great view of the downtown and the river. Today that view featured a flock of ducks who were bobbing and cavorting along the river’s shimmering surface. Across from the ducks, the cliff that my house perched on rose skyward from a sandy shore.
The man himself sat behind an old wooden desk. A receptionist had assured me he’d be glad to meet see me, and the tone of his suggested his girl-Friday had been correct. He was balding with narrow eyes, but age had apparently failed to remove his enthusiasm for life.
He bounded to his feet th
e moment my feet stepped crossed his threshold. “Mrs. Fox. So nice to meet you.”
“And you,” I reached out and shook the hand he offered.
“You’re new to Hendricksville?” He indicated a seat across from his desk.
“Yes. I moved in a little before Christmas.”
“You are a brave soul. Given the state of our winters, I think I might have waited until spring to come.”
“I’m originally from Chicago, so I’m used to Midwest weather.”
“Ah, that explains it.” He rubbed his hands together and sat. ‘Now, what can I do for you?”
“I understand you knew Eden Lawry.”
He laughed. “A lifetime ago I did. Why?”
“My daughter is married to Damon Langdon. And as you probably know, Eden’s parents once owned the house Eva Langdon’s body was found in.”
“Oh, dear. I heard about Eva. Terrible tragedy, just awful. But I hadn’t made the connection with Eden.”
“I must admit I’m curious as to how Eva’s body could have turned up there.”
“Yes, mummified, wasn’t it. How did that happen, do you know?”
I sighed. “The police said something about the attic being a warm and dry place.”
I pushed down a shiver at the sudden memory of that dry, brittle corpse.
Brenner carried on undisturbed. “But what do you want to know about Eden? According to the news reports Eva was in her thirties when she died. Eden was long gone from Hendricksville by then.”
“Damon doesn’t remember much about his aunt. I’m trying to fill her out for him.”
“So why ask about Eden?”
“I’m clutching at straws. I don’t know anyone here, so I’m following every lead I can.”
Liar, liar, pants on fire. I smiled sweetly up at him.
He expelled a large lungful of air. “Let’s see…. Eden was a brain. That’s probably the best place to begin. And as such, he figured he’d never be a top player in high school. It’s nearly impossible to compete with jocks and class presidents, you know. So he came up with the idea of hosting weekly dances.”
“I heard about those.”
“They became very cool events. Kids would die for invitations. I sat back and watched amazed.”
“And was Eva invited to them?”
“The girls only got to come if they were the date of one of the hot-shot guys.” He chuckled. “Worked a treat. The whole class fawned all over the dude.”
“Who was his date?”
“Even as popular as his dances were, he couldn’t interest a girl in going steady with him. So he played the field, bringing a new date most nights.”
“Eva?”
Brenner nodded. “Sure, a time or two.”
“What about Eva and Sam Hillman? I heard they were a number.”
“Yeah, later on, around the time Homecoming rolled around their senior year, they sorta paired up.
”And how did Eden feel about that?”
“He was cool. He had girls. One more or less didn’t matter to him.”
“What about Willa Hillman? Did she come to the dances?”
“Sometimes. She wasn’t as popular as some of the other girls.”
“But she ended up married to Sam Hillman.”
“Yeah, I’ve always wondered how Eva felt about that.”
“What do you mean? I thought it was Eva who held Sam at arm’s length?”
“I think she cared more for him than she admitted.”
“And you,” I asked. “Were you invited to the dances?”
“Of course. I didn’t miss any of them. After all, I was Eden’s best friend.”
“So how do you think Eva’s body ended up in your best friend’s attic?”
He blanched. “How would I know? I can tell you this, though. It certainly didn’t involve Eden. He was long gone by then.”
He shot me a large smile. “Now, what kind of insurance do you need? I do it all. Home. Auto. LIfe.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
[
Andrew was hovering near the couch when I returned home that day. Blackie was nowhere in sight. The grandfather clock was just striking five. “It’s about time you got home,” Andrew groused.
“I think you must be bored again,” I replied
“Can you blame me? I dIslike babysitting a cat.”
“Blackie doesn’t need tending. He’s more than capable of taking care of himself.”
“That’s a laugh. You know as well as I do that he needs toughening up. But you also know my feelings on the issue.”
“He’s a pet. He’s supposed to be cared for. And as I’ve told you... and him... I’m not shoving him out the door.”
Andrew grunted, then asked, “So how did your friend like her soup?”
I did an internal shrug. That was Andrew all over. Whenever the conversation wasn’t heading the direction he wanted, he changed the subject. I strode off for the kitchen. Once there, I filled a kettle and set it on the stove.
“You’re having more tea?” he asked.
I walked to the cupboard and grabbed a bag of kitty treats. “Blackie?” I called out.
He came running. I pulled some from the bag and placed them on the floor. Then I thought about the task I faced to negotiate a settlement over the knitting issue, and I pulled a packet of peanut butter cookies from the shelf. It felt like a five-cookie session to me.
Returning my attention to my resident ghost, I asked. “How would you like to take a little trip?”
“Where to?”
“I think we need to know more about Eden Lawry.”
Andrew blinked. “You want me to go to California?”
“Exactly.”
“Wow.” He floated nearer. “I’m beginning to think you trust me. First the pub crawl, then Oberton’s office, and now this?”
“You’ve been helpful,” I agreed. Plus, I knew how much he longed to feel useful. He’d said it was the one thing that made his unending life bearable. It hadn’t been his fault he’d died young and become whatever he was. That is, I thought uncomfortably, if he were real. If he wasn’t, I was obviously playing with a less than a full deck of cards.
“So how do I find him?” he asked.
“I’ll see if I can locate any information on him on the Web. Someone who played a role in the aerospace industry should have some data out there someplace.” I tracked down my laptop and settled onto the couch. A short time later, I found it. “He lives in Pismo Beach. There’s even an address.” I rattled it off.
“Got it,” Andrew said. And with that he disappeared.
That settled, I made my way back to the kitchen, turning over in my mind the people and points I’d discovered in my hunt for Eva’s killer. None of what I’d gathered seem to lead me in any specific direction yet. Eva was either crazy about Sam or not. Willa was a lying stinker or a noble truth teller. Sam was either a stand up guy or a jerk. Take your pick.
As I said. Nothing added up.
I freed a potato from its bag and grabbed the food grater. Tonight’s supper called for a batch of hash browns, because, sometimes, cookies and tea are simply not enough.
***
The next morning, I puttered about a strangely quiet kitchen. With Andrew in California, Blackie and I were enjoying a relaxed morning. I fed two slices of bread into the toaster and pulled the margarine and a jar of strawberry jam from the fridge. Blackie circled between my ankles as I made my way to the table. The radio played a lively tune, and all felt well with my world.
At the top of the hour, the station switched from music to local news. And suddenly my day shifted from relaxed to unreal.
“Our top story today is the murder of Willa Hillman,” the newsman reported. “Police say the body of the sixty-five year old woman was found in a stand of woods behind her house sometime around six last night. No cause of death has yet been given. And an estimated time of death is still to come.”
I dropped into the nearest chair. Willa had just
been to my home. She’d just told me her side of Eva’s story. How could she be dead? My thoughts instantly turned to Sam. Suddenly he looked a very likely suspect for her murder… and Eva’s too. The way I saw it, the two deaths had to be related, and who had more of a direct connection to the two murdered women than Sam?
The phone rang. It was Megan. “Mom, did you hear the news?”
“About Willa?”
“Yes.”
“I have.”
“Doesn’t her death clear Damon?”
“I certainly think it makes him appear less likely to be the killer, yes.”
“I’m sorry that poor woman had to die, but if this helps get Damon off the hook for something I know he couldn’t do, I can’t help but be relieved.”
“Damon’s not home free, yet,” I cautioned her.
“I know. But he’s not looking quite so guilty, either. Do you have any thoughts on who might have killed Willa?” Megan asked.
“Off the top of my head, I do. But I’m not willing to share anything just yet. I wouldn’t feel comfortable passing on what I’ve heard. The information is little more than rumors for now.”
“All right, but you will fill me in when you can?”
“Of course.”
“Mom, I’m not really part of the local rumor mill. Your secret would be safe with me.”
“Honey, I haven’t told Oberton this stuff yet.”
“With this latest murder, maybe he will be able to get to the bottom of all this soon.”
“I hope so. How are the boys?”
“They’re fine. They’re looking forward to your visit.”
Megan had a dental appointment after lunch. I had agreed to babysit for her. Getting to spend time with my grandsons was one of the big benefits of my moving here.
“See you later, then,” she said.
I hung up the phone and thought about poor Andrew out in California. It now seemed quite possible to me that I’d sent him off on a wild goose chase. Still, I expected he’d enjoy the mission. He loved feeling useful, and I hadn’t known Willa was going to be killed when I gave him the assignment. It was almost enough of a rationale to brush away the guilt I was feeling.