Hey, remind me never to play cards with you. She opened the door. Thank you, Mr. Wertland.
He touched his finger to his lads cap. Harry noticed that the truck windshield was already thickly covered with snow. He couldnt have been in the house longer than fifteen minutes.
She closed the door against the frigid air.
Big Mim had turned off the propane heater. The distinct, not exactly pleasant odor of propane filled the house.
Everyone was in the kitchen, including the two cats.
The teapot whistled. Little Mim poured the hot water into a Brown Betty snug in a knitted tea cozy. Whoever outfitted the alumni house understood tea and possibly had spent time in England.
Hooray. Harry eagerly put out teacups.
Aunt Tally and Big Mim perched on the chairs at the table.
Im going to sit here and be waited on. Aunt Tally heard the radiator gurgle, as she waited for her tea.
Me, too, Pewter said.
Little Mim, eager to return to her husband, Blair, lamented, Even if the snow stops sometime tomorrow, we wont get a flight out for days.
It will probably take at least one day to open the interstates. Longer than that for the other roads.
All we need is the interstate. Blair will be having fits. Phones are out and the cell isnt working. Little Mim daintily placed two brown sugar cubes in her tea.
Once the snow stops, the cell will eventually work. Need to call my husband, too. Harry knew Fair would be fretting. I can squeeze everyone into that new station wagon he bought me.
Ill hire a private jet. Big Mim poured tea for everyone. Whats the point of having money if you dont use it, especially at a time like this? She got up to bring tea to Inez. Ill take you home, too, of course.
Ive never been in a private jet. Inez was excited about the prospect.
Narrow. Comfortable but narrow. Little Mim, having grown up with privilege, had flown in many a private jet.
Im not flying, Tucker told everyone, even though she hadnt been asked. Hurts my ears.
Hurts mine, too, because Id have to hear about it. Mrs. Murphy poked fun.
As they enjoyed the warmth creeping back into the house, they forgot about alumnae meetings, Mariah, the depressing state of the economy.
Quiet, close times free of ringing phones, radio noise, and flickering TV screens were rare these days. Theyd all lived long enough to know such peacefulness would eventually give way to overwork, anxiety, lifes troubles. Just how much trouble not one of them could have imagined.
On Sunday, March 29, Harry finally pulled into the long, crushed-stone driveway to the farm. Shed left Fulton on Saturday morning, after the main roads had been plowed. She drove carefully for two days, usually in snow, because the remnants of the storm moved east as she did. As she went through West Virginia, the snow had thickened. Once home, she figured that in about four hours, heavier snow would be at their doorstep. In the last four days shed seen more snow than she had in the previous decade.
Fair ran out to greet her, forgetting to put on a coat. Honey, I thought youd never get home.
Me, neither. She kissed him. This station wagon is terrific. You know, I averaged twenty-two miles per gallon.
Pay attention to me, Pewter wailed, as she didnt want to jump down into the snow.
Fair scooped her up under one arm and Mrs. Murphy with the other.
Harry and Tucker followed inside, glad to be upright. Driving that long gave Harry kinks in her back.
Fair ran out to collect Harrys bag. Back inside, he carried it straight to the upstairs bedroom.
Im the last to return home. Inez went back to Rose Hill with Aunt Tally. I actually like long drives. I can think. Didnt make sense to squeeze into that little jet, then have to spend the money to fly back on a big one to retrieve the car. Too much money and too much time, Harry said.
Im sure glad youre home. I hated the thought of you driving through all that snow.
Wasnt so bad. I mean, after what I saw in Fulton, Missouri. She ran water in the teapot. A cup of tea my way.
Her kitchen had never looked so good to hernor to Pewter, who made a beeline for the food bowls, which Fair had filled. Soon, all three animals faces had disappeared in ceramic dog and cat dishes.
We have them well trained, Pewter giggled.
Every now and then on the road, Harry had called Fair on her cell. Not one for talking much while driving, she needed to do it to keep awake. Shed told him about Mariahs disappearance, Aunt Tallys speech, and meeting Aileen Tinsdale.
Doesnt bode well, was her terse comment now. When Inez got to Tallys, she called me. Isnt she amazingAunt Tally, too? They get around; their minds are sharp.
I guess if you dont use it you lose it. Applies to other parts, as well. He smiled. Oh, Terri Kincaid called. At least shes not charging you for a pot someone else broke. I wouldnt put it past her. Shed heard about the lady who disappearedher word. Bad news travels fast.
He just figure that out? Pewter taunted.
Keep eating, Tucker said.
You dont need to encourage her. Mrs. Murphy lifted her head from the bowl. Im glad were home. We were lucky there was a blizzard.
Why? Pewter asked.
Because the blizzard pinned down the killer, the tiger replied.
You dont know that the killer was on campus, Pewter replied.
No, I dont. Time will tell. Mrs. Murphy bit the kibble piece in the shape of a fish in half.
Tired though she was from the travel and commotion, Inez checked her notebook, in which she kept an abbreviated record of proceedings. The full minutes from the last two years worth of meetings were at home. She pored over the various chapters financial reports, which she always stapled to the back of her notebook. Nothing in those documents hinted at wrongdoing. After four hours of review, she still wasnt satisfied.
Flo. Inezs voice was strong over the phone line, as she called from Aunt Tallys. Did you make it home all right?
Did. My sweet son dug out the walkway. Otherwise I would have needed snowshoes to get to the door. You know, I think this was one of the worst blizzards Ive ever seen. I hope it didnt spoil Tallys big day too much.
No. Gives her one more thing to talk about. Inez laughed. Flo, Im calling you because I checked my notes from the last two years. I also went over all the financial reports. Everything looks okay, but we both know how easy it is to make something appear strong on paper.
Funny, I did the same thing. In a situation like this, when a treasurer misses a meeting and cant be found, my first thought is that he or she has absconded with the funds. I assume you checked our account once phones and computers were up.
Did. Fine. You know, Flo, people who steal, if theyre very smart, plan far ahead. When the time is right, they clean everything out and disappear. If I were doing such a thing, Id go to Uruguay.
Good Lord, why?
Well, its beautiful in many places, has some sophistication, and the local authorities arent looking to arrest you for something youve committed in another country. Plus, contributions, so to speak, go a long way. Id feel quite safe there.
I cant imagine Mariah in Uruguay.
Neither can I. But I cant find the hole, know what I mean? And I really dont think Mariah is a thief.
I do. I just hope this has nothing to do with the board.
Flo was and wasnt right.
Sitting in her luxurious office near the St. Louis Ritz-Carlton, Flo looked outside at the snow piled high along the street sides. One needed a pole vault to get over it, but then, not that many people walked in this part of town. Slushing along in an expensive vehicle was the transportation of choice. People did walk in this gracious city, though, especially through huge Forest Park or down at the reclaimed, tidied-up area by the muddy Mississippi itself. Shed lived long enough to see St. Louis, a city she loved, shed old clothes and try on new ones. Thats how she thought of renewal projects. After William Woods, shed done two years of graduate work at Washington University. M
ariah attended the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia after graduating from William Woodsa fact Mariah swiftly inflicted on anyone shed just met. As far as Flo was concernedand Dick, tooWashington University was one of the greatest universities in the United States. Then again, how could Charlottesville, Virginia, home to UVA, hold a candle to St. Louis? For one thing, St. Louis had the Cardinals.
Beat that, Flo thought to herself, reviewing what she thought of Mariahs postgraduate work.
Flo could have warned Gayle of her findings, but the malicious delight in telling Jahnae Barnett first overcame her loyalty to a woman she truly admired. Not that she wanted to distress Jahnae, who had transformed William Woods and continued to do so, turning a small, lovely, all-womens college into a small coed university powerhouse. Recently, two graduates had signed Major League Baseball contracts. Nick Wooley went to the Kansas City Royals, and Josh Goodin joined the Baltimore Orioles. Flo just gloated over that, as did alumnae who didnt give a jot for baseball.
She twirled a pencil around her fingers, then punched in the numbers.
Kenda, Flo said as she heard the familiar voice, let me talk to the chief. I know why Mariah has vanished.
Shes in her office, but let me check if anyone is in there.
Fine. Flo hummed to herself as she was on hold.
A click, then Kendas voice said, Put you right through.
Hello, Flo. How are you? Jahnae braced herself for what she suspected would be another blast against Mariah DAngelo.
I know why Mariah hotfooted it.
Yes. Not a hint of nervousness.
Ive long wondered how my classmate could offer such spectacular deals through Fletcher, Maitland, and DAngelo. For the last year I have investigated, at my own expense, the watches, diamonds, and pearls she carries. Well, the pearlsMikimotosand the diamonds are genuine. The discounts on diamonds and pearls are much less than those on watchesBaume and Mercier, Piaget, Rolex, and Jaeger-LeCoultre, to name a few. Naturally, I know many people, including many of our alumnae, who have patronized Mariahs store. I hired a jeweler with impeccable credentialsone from Charlottesville, actually, Keller and George, as I knew that store was the one that inspired Big Mouth to go into jewelry. I was able to gather a group of alumnae here in St. Louis and ones in Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati. Youll notice I didnt reach out to anyone in Kansas City. Too close to home. Someone might tip her off.
Jahnae interjected, You told these people that their watches might be fakes to get them to meet with you?
No. Not exactly. I said there was a growing market for reconditioned secondhand watches and asked if they would want an appraisal. A bit of a cheat, but they were getting the appraisal free. I paid for it. They didnt.
And? Jahnae didnt like what she was hearing, but she was also unhappily amazed that Flo would go to such lengths.
Most were not genuine. A few were. A deeply satisfied silence followed this. But I also paid the appraiser to lie about the value. I wanted to accuse her face-to-face. Petty, I know, but quite thrilling to see her turn puce!
I see.
I have all the documentation.
When did you confront Mariah?
I accused her to her face after our second board meeting. She hotly denied it, of course. Mariah knows, as I said, that the high-end watch brands jealously guard their reputations, not just for stellar work but for authenticity. The companies know there are fakes out there. Theyre right to be vigilant. They would sue her ass into next week, excuse the French, and so would the customers she bilked.
How do you know she was behind it? It could have been her partners.
Well, Fletcher died in 1984, so its only Maitland, who is older than dirt. Sure, he could have been in on it for all this time, but our Mariah is a clever girl. If she wanted to keep the old fogey in the dark, I know she could.
What provoked youwait, let me amend that. What led you to investigate the products?
When I went to buy Dick a watch for his fifty-seventh birthday last year, I called her store and got their prices, which were whispered to me by a clerk who said they were available only to William Woods graduates. I dont believe that, but thats neither here nor there. Then I checked Tourneau in New York, and I called Keller and George. Had a lovely chat with Bill, then Howard, both of the store. They told me what to look for initially.
Which is?
Weight. Most fakes are lighter than the genuine article. I had lunch with one of my friends who crowed about the great deal she got on a Schaffhausen two years ago, and I asked if I could try on her watch. Shes one of our social leaders, and her signature, if you will, is to wear a mans Schaffhausen and a beautiful silk scarf. I tried it on and it was light. Also, the crystal isnt good on a fake. For instance, the crystal on a Rolex Submariner is thick but quite clear. Crystal isnt cheap, so youll get more distortion in a fake.
And have you informed the alumnae whose watches were appraised?
Bill, the appraiser, told each individual he would write up the resale valuehigh and low, since theres always a fluctuationand mail them the results. He lied, as I told you, giving them a higher value than their true value. Nor did he identify which were fake. He will mail out the appraisals the Friday after our alumnae meeting. Im sure most of them will arrive at their destinations once mail service resumes.
Jahnae was quiet for a moment, then switched gears. And I assume she will be voted off the board at the summer meeting? You will make that motion?
Of course. Flo glowed inside.
As I recall, one of the founding principles of our great nation is innocent until proven guilty. If you offer up your findings to the Kansas City police, thats one course of action. But someone will sue her. She will have her day in court. You only know the products are inauthentic. You dont know that Mariah is behind it. Jahnae felt supremely uneasy. Flos gloating made Mariahs absence all the more sinister.
Jahnae, she had to know. If I can now spot a fake, so can she. Shes made a fortune charging thousands and thousands for reasonably good fakes. Why else would she go on the lam?
I dont know, but I repeat, Jahnaes voice had a cool note, innocent until proven guilty.
Flo, quick to hear the drop in vocal temperature, countered, Youre upset. You have every reason to be upset. A graduate is a crook. That wont reflect well upon the school we both love.
Compared to Harvard and Yale, our criminal output is thankfully low. I dont think the bad apples that have graduated from those two universities or any other have dimmed admissions.
Uh, yes.
Thank you for informing me, Flo. This is deeply disturbing news. Good-bye.
What truly disturbed Jahnae was that Flo relentlessly worked to destroy Mariah over what seemed to Jahnae a petty personality conflict that had started when they were freshmen. Then she remembered that both had been in love with Dick Langston. She sighed deeply. When sex and love entered the mix, brains flew right out the window.
She wasnt a drinking woman, but at that moment the slightly numbing effects of a cocktail held an allure. She quickly dismissed the thought and called Inez instead.
Inez was appalled and furious, because shed spoken to Flo just before Flos call to Jahnae. Not a word.
Inez then said, I guess she wanted to start at the top.
The problem is, Inez, Jahnae drew a deep breath, who else is going to hear her crow?
Liz Filmore, for one, and she hung up her phone, shaken.
The weather remained cold but clear on Wednesday, April 1. Even the sky was icy blue.
Come on, Tomahawk, pick up your foot. Harry bent over and picked up the old Thoroughbreds hind hoof.
Inez, visiting Harry, chuckled at Tomahawks intransigence then leaned over to look at the hoof. Good.
Hes a tough boy. He can even be cooperative.
Are you finished with my hoof? Tomahawk was not feeling cooperative.
Tucker, sitting in the center aisle, advised, Just do what she wants. In the long run, its easier.
The two cats had chosen to remain in the tack room/office, where it was warmer.
Sure you dont want to go into the tack room? Harry worried about Inez in the sharp cold.
In a minute. I miss practicing. I never really wanted to retire, but theres a point where a horse leans over on you and you cant help but fall over. She smiled. So now I check X rays if Blanca asks. Stuff like that.
She mentioned Blanca Drabek, D.V.M., who rented her clinic.
Harry put down Tomahawks hind hoof and looked directly at Inez. I dont know if Ill take it with as much good grace as you have when I have to take a backseat. Farming is hard physical labor.
Harry, youll do what you have to do, and you have too much sense to become bitter or bitchy.
Thanks.
Inezs cell phone rang.
She fished it out of her front parka pocket. Hello, Flo.
She wondered how shed ever lived without caller ID.
Inez, I apologize for not telling you about the scandal involving Mariahs business. I felt the president had to hear it first.
Wait a minute. Im in Harrys center aisle in the barn. Inez walked to the tack room, opened the door, and gratefully sank into the desk chair.
I suppose she did, but it seemed a little shifty, Flo. Im disappointed in you.
I should think youd be disappointed in Mariah. Flos voice rose.
I am. Desperately, desperately disappointed.
Pete blames me. He swears he knows nothing. Of course he knew about the scam. Hes been married to her for over twenty-five years!
Flo, how do you know that? You and Pete arent on conversational, friendly terms any more than you were with Mariah.
He called me to cuss me out. Flo flicked a cigarette ash into her large crystal ashtray on her desk. He also says money is tight in her business, less in his, but they have huge expenses. Says Im a nosy bitch.
Inez sighed, then added, Flo, Im staying with Tally, but Im at Fairs a lot or in the truck, visiting cases. If its an emergency, call on my cell. Im not going home for a while. She paused. You hated Mariah. I know that, but, Flo, your delight in uncovering her possible criminal behavior upsets me.
Cat of the Century Page 9