Satisfied, the cat exited through the animal door by the big sliding outside doors. The hayloft door was shut, or she would have waved to Simon. Flatface the owl flew directly into the cupola. In summer, she often swooped through the hayloft, which pleased the owl because it gave Simon a start.
With the trees denuded except for the conifers, Mrs. Murphy could see almost out to the mailbox. A rumble stopped her. A pair of headlightsclose together, like those on a Jeep Wranglercame into view. The vehicle, which she couldnt see very well, stopped. The headlights switched off. However, she heard the motor hum, then she saw the vehicle back out a ways and turn around. She barely saw the lights switch back on before the vehicle made the turn two hundred yards from the state road, a two-lane dirt road along this section. A mile north, the road became paved; a mile south, the old road intersected a crossroads, which was also paved. Harry was grateful that her part of the road remained gravel. It kept the traffic down, as people didnt use it much for shortcuts.
By now it was 3:45 A.M. The moon had moved along in the sky. Perhaps the driver had been coming home from a late night of partying or a late night at work and made a wrong turn. Still, Mrs. Murphy didnt like it. Her view was that if humans were up late, they were loaded on something. Or there was trouble in their personal life. Cats were nocturnal. Humans were not.
She pushed through the animals opening in the outdoor porch door, which in summer was screened, then through the main door into the kitchen.
Inez, who couldnt sleep, was drinking more tea, sitting in front of her laptop.
Mrs. Murphy brushed against Inezs leg.
Your fur is cold. Inez reached down to pet Mrs. Murphys head, which displayed the M that some tiger cats had.
Cats and some humans believed an M on the top of a tiger cats head meant the cat was descended from the cat who stayed with the Virgin Mary and Jesus. The cat slept in the manger in Bethlehem. So they were marked as Marys cats.
Mrs. Murphy jumped onto a chair adjacent to Inezs. She did not get on the table. She kept company with Inez until Fair came down the steps from the bedroom at 5:30 A.M. She could hear water running in the pipes under the sink, so she knew Harry was up, as well.
Are you all right? Fair asked, as he tightened the tie on his robe around him.
No. I cant sleep. Im wasting time researching municipal bonds. Then I switched over to various theories about why people murder.
Fair pressed the red button on the electric coffeepot. Harry had set up coffee the night before. She drank tea, but she made good coffee. He was grateful.
He sat down across from Inez. You need to go to bed.
Ignoring this suggestion, Inez put down her mechanical pencil. Shed been filling up a red and black notebook with bits of information from her computer. I know.
Turn off the computer, he suggested gently.
She did. I wonder how long it will be before the authorities tell us how Mariah died.
And when. Fair got up as the coffeepot beeped.
You know, this forensics stuff is not as easy as they make it look on TV.
Wont be TV fast, but I bet the forensics experts will get the information out fast enough. Otherwise, they look inadequate.
Youd think theyd suppress it. You know, fears of a killer walking Fultons streets.
He shook his head. Better to keep people informed, ask for their help via tips, quell panic. As theres only one body, hopefully people havent hit their panic button yet. And since the victim is a middle-aged woman, it would appear the students are safe.
God knows, I hope so. Inezs eyes fluttered, her head dropped.
Fair put his filled mug back on the counter, gently woke her, and walked her back to the bedroom. She sat on the bed, her head bobbing again. He lifted her legs, laid her flat, and pulled a wool throw over her. He kissed her on the cheek and returned to the kitchen.
Aunt Tallys long mahogany dining-room table was covered with neat piles of papers. Inez sat across from Aunt Tally, while Liz Filmore sat at the head of the table.
Each woman had her year-to-date investments printed out, along with graphs. As a point of comparison, Liz included a month-by-month breakdown from last year, also with colored graphics. In front of her she had copies of each womans portfolio plus a small lined notebook, a wafer-thin computer, and a pencil.
Harry was over at Little Mims. She didnt wish to intrude. Aunt Tally probably wouldnt have cared, but Liz might have. As Aunt Tally and Inez rarely compared investment strategies and notes, Liz had suggested they go through everything together. They liked the idea, even though Aunt Tally had never been much for learning about how her money was invested. Of late, she was making a stab at it.
Flip to page three. Liz waited until each woman turned to the correct page. Look at the pie-shaped graphic and compare it with last years. She leaned toward Aunt Tally, pointing with her pencil to the red wedges on the paper. Thats the proportion of your earnings differing from last year.
Down, Aunt Tally said grimly.
Yes. Liz tapped the eraser end of the pencil on the page. But only twelve percent. The market lost thirty-five percent in value. Youre way ahead of the game. You, too, Inez.
Inez, good at things like this, mentioned, Liz, a twelve percent loss in value is still twelve percent. While I applaud you running a better race than the market, I do have some suggestions.
A frown crossed Lizs face but was quickly replaced by a neutral facade. What could a ninety-eight-year-old vet teach her?
Plenty.
Tell me. Liz tried to inject eagerness in her voice.
I suggest you sell my Delta Petroleum stocks and, with the proceeds, buy the short-term notes offered by the state of California.
Aunt Tally exploded, California cant even pay its state workers, and you want to buy municipal bonds?
Inez held up her hands, palms toward Aunt Tally. Debt issue makes sense, Blossom. I dont trust for a shining minute the stock-market rebound.
Liz piped up. Money-market funds
Before she could finish, Inez crisply replied, I dont trust that, either. California is an ungodly mess, but the tax advantages to shifting money to the notes remains attractive.
Aunt Tally rapped the floor with her cane. You have no idea what youre talking about.
Ordinary stock earningssay, like those for Georgia-Pacificare taxed at a higher rate than municipal bonds. Any form of government note carries tax advantages. It offers high earnings in other areas like stocks and real estate.
But dont I want what will earn me the most income? Aunt Tally, listening to Inez at this moment, wished she hadnt been so passive about her money.
You have to mix it up, Inez explained patiently. Or youll lose most of your gains to taxes.
Thats unfair!
Indeed. Thats why for years Ive urged you to ride herd on your brokers. Liz has what you call your play money. Scott and Stringfellow has the real money.
Liz, clever, knew not to cast aspersions at Scott & Stringfellow. It would look as though she was trying to get all of Aunt Tallys money into her small firm.
They are very good, Liz demurred.
The meeting wore on for another hour. Mostly it was productive.
As Liz gathered up her papers, she said, This was better than wasting time on the murders. Weve said all there is to say to one another about that. Its time to get back to business.
It is, Inez agreed.
Its still hard to put it out of ones mind. Aunt Tally leaned on her cane to rise.
I wish wed hear some results from the forensics lab, Liz grumbled. Our state has such a great lab.
Im sure Missouri cant be far behind, Inez said. Its April thirteenth. Mariah was only found on Friday, April tenth, and it was a holiday weekend.
Why does it seem longer? Liz sighed.
Because its so awful. You lose focus and track of time, Aunt Tally said, then spoke to Inez. You dont need to tidy up my papers. Ill do it later.
Okay.
Aunt T
ally met up with Liz in the center hall and said, Im glad we had this time together.
Me, too. Inez chimed in as she joined them.
Are you sure I cant feed you something? Aunt Tally offered.
Oh, no, thank you. Ive got to get down to Ivy. Liz named a small community just west of Charlottesville on Route 250. I promised Terri Id go over her portfolio, too. Naturally she doesnt have the resources you two have, but given her age, shes been a steadfast saver and investor. She should wind up quite well off in her later years. Actually, I need to babysit her, sort of. Shes rattled over Mariah and over the fact that she broke up with her boyfriend.
Better you than me. Aunt Tally laughed.
Low-pressure systems made Harry sleepy. The baffling weather continued, with light drizzle and a temperature in the high forties. As Harry walked back from the barn, the rain picked up tempo and the water poured from the front of her oilskin outback hat. No one could do rain quite like the English or the Australians. With her hat, her old re-waxed Barbour coat, and her worn Wellies, she kept dry. The chill crept into her bones, though.
Inez was with Fair. Mondays were always busy, regardless of profession, so hed asked her to help out after her meeting with Tally and Liz. She loved going on calls with him. Like many people who were successful in their careers, she hated being away from the action. She kept her knowledge up and she sometimes strayed to Blancas clinic, but it wasnt the same as being a full-time vet.
Harry hoped that the day with Fair would take Inezs mind off things. Like all medical people, Inez was a problem-solver. Methodical, calm, with a touch of imagination, Inez, like Harry, was a good person to have on your team. Both were drawn into the two murders more than they cared to admit. Inez had a connection to both of the deceased, whereas Harrys drive came from curiosity and the desire for an answer.
Harry hung her coat up on one of the pegs on the porch. Better for it to drip there than in the kitchen, but the dampness and cold made her teeth chatter. She hung the hat up, too, pulled off her boots with the help of a bootjack, then opened the door into the kitchen and jumped in, skidding a little in her socks on the polished random-width pine.
The warmth felt glorious.
Near the door was a carved blanket chest in which household boots, sneakers, and slippers were kept. She pulled on an old pair of slippers. Ah. Above this was a long bar of wood with pegs. More coats, an old shirt, and hats hung on these.
Harry put up tea, but she couldnt shake the cold, so she took an old L.L.Bean Buffalo plaid wool shirt off a peg and put it on.
Looking at the animals curled up in their fleece beds, she said, You all are smarter than I am.
You noticed, Pewter observed drily.
Once the tea had warmed her from the inside out a bit, Harry called Susan. She missed her friend. Once she caught up on the progress of Susans aunt and the odds and ends of daily life, she told her best friend about the strange events and meeting Ralston Peaveys granddaughter.
Small world, Susan said.
Isnt it funny how something that happened back when Christ lost His sandals still bugs you? Harry used the old expression meaning a long, long time ago.
Well, the reason you love your cats is that youre like them. Curious. Curious. Curious. Susan laughed. And you know what curiosity did to the cat.
Yeah, I know. Harry laughed, too.
Susan then said, You have a gift for getting in the middle of things.
I know, and I dont have you to get me out of trouble. She hastened to add, When are you coming home? I hate it when youre gone.
Next week. Susan sucked in some air. I have been gone too long. Im beginning to forget what my husband looks like.
Are you smoking a cigarette?
A telling pause followed. Well
Susan, you said you would stop.
I mean to, but you know how I get when Im stressed. Shes recovering, but the chemo is dreadful. I swear to you, if I get cancer, Im not doing it, and Im not doing radiation, either. Makes you sick as a dog. And I suppose most times it works, but then again, sometimes it doesnt, so instead of having three or five good months, the end of your life is hell.
I cant disagree, but I can still chew you out for smoking.
All right. All right. Susan stubbed out the cigarette, but she knew shed light up another later.
You know Didee has the same problem as your aunt. Its like theres a cancer epidemic. Harry wondered out loud.
No wonder. Pollution. Hormones in our meats, milk. Plus stress. There is a cancer epidemic! Susan then switched subjects. Is Fair enjoying Inezs visit?
One of the first things Harry had told Susan about was Inezs visit and her trying to hold her alumnae board together. Loves it. He loves her. Harry paused. You know, Inez is a second mother to him, and like most men, he loved his mother, and he loves Inez.
We all love our mothers, but I swear the mother-son bond is extraordinary, just like the father-daughter one. I see it in my own children. I love them both, but its different with Danny than with Brooks.
Ill be at your door to greet you next week. Harry noticed Tucker, fast asleep on her back, legs straight in the air.
Before signing off, Susan jumped back to the murders. Is it possible these are some sort of revenge killings?
No one knows. Cooper has tried to glean some information from the St. Louis police and from the Fulton authorities. Not much help.
Theres probably not a compelling reason for them to include the Albemarle County deputy in their investigations.
Cooper explained she has some concern for Inez and even Aunt Tally, but they paid little attention. Then again, they must be under a lot of pressure, especially the police in Fulton. Its a small town. There arent a lot of murders. St. Louis must be full of them. Little shock value.
After returning the phone to its cradle, Harry looked outside at the rain, now steady and strong.
Oh, what the hell. She took off her slippers, went out onto the porch, and put herself back together. As she did so, Tucker ambled out, along with the two cats.
She looked down at them, then out at the rain. The Volvo, though parked close, wasnt under cover. She didnt have a garage.
All right, but all three of you are riding in the back, because your paws will be wet. She realized the minute she said it that the cats would be over the back seat and up to the front passenger seat in an instant. She went back into the house and grabbed an old towel.
Out they ran. The hatch lifted right up, and she put Tucker in, who weighed enough to make her grunt. She wiped the dogs feet. The cats, miraculously, stayed in the back so she could wipe theirs, too.
By the time she slipped behind the wheel though, both Mrs. Murphy and Pewter sat on the passenger seat.
Im ready for adventure, Pewter purred.
Two miles down the road, the rain became so heavy it looked like a silver-gray curtain. Harry pressed the flasher button on the Volvo. She was born here; she knew these roads. She knew Virginia weather. You could become disoriented in a hard rain or snow, especially with blowing winds and poor visibility. Many country roads had deep ditches alongside to funnel the runoff away so the road itself didnt flood. How easy it was to wind up in one of those ditches.
I wish I hadnt done this, Harry said aloud. I could have picked up the phone and called.
You said it. I didnt. Pewter, like Mrs. Murphy, stood with hind feet on the leather seat, front feet on the dash.
Tucker, come up into the backseat, Harry called to the corgi, who did as she was told.
Youd be hamburger if we got rear-ended. Pewter appeared to relish the detail.
Yeah, well, lets also hope no one crosses the center line, the dog called back.
Fortunately, no one else was on the road. When it got this bad, people pulled under the overpasses or to the side of the road. Harry usually didnt go to the roadside and park, because sometimes a car with a foolish driver would be tearing along and perceive the red flashing lights too late. Better to keep movi
ng.
She rolled into Crozet at twenty miles per hour and hooked a right onto Route 240. A few miles later she turned left onto Route 250. The rain had slowed enough so she could see a little better, but in places where the road was banked, the water poured over it onto the other side and into the narrow ditches.
Twenty-five minutes later, she parked in front of Terris store. While Harry usually kept some distance from Terri, this was a small community. You couldnt really avoid people. Remembering what Aunt Tally and Inez said that Liz had told them concerning Terris distress, she thought shed buy one of those damned birds. Then, too, she just needed to get out of the house.
You all stay here. Let me make my manners.
Good. Pewter settled down for a snooze.
Take me. Take me, Tucker begged.
Harry twisted around in the drivers seat. No. Im not forking over another $261.41.
Two forty-nine, Tucker replied, not figuring in the sales tax on the broken vase.
It really wasnt Tuckers fault.
None of the three animals understood why humans submitted to taxation. They thought it utterly insane.
Harry cut the motor, pocketed the keys, and slipped out. Shed slapped her oilskin cowboy hat on her head, for which she was grateful as the rain continued.
At the door, she took off her hat, shook it, shook herself to get some of the water off the Barbour coat, then stamped her Wellies, which werent muddy. She opened the door. Terri.
Terri looked up from the counter, where she was reading the newspaper.
Hello. It was not a warm greeting.
How are you feeling?
How do you think Im feeling? Terri folded the newspaper.
Harry ignored her attitude. Im sorry its all so upsetting.
Whats it to you? You didnt really know them. Terri glared, then added spitefully, Youre just nosy.
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