Scent of a Killer: An Ella Sweeting Aromatherapy Magic Cozy Mystery (Ella Sweeting: Witch Aromatherapist Cozies Book 1)

by Lisbeth Reade

  That was one question answered. Vanessa was not a kleptomaniac. Her maid was the thief. But I still didn’t know why. All these questions were driving me up a wall. I was tempted to burst out of the rhododendrons and demand some answers. Besides there were branches jabbing me in all sorts of soft spots by now. But just when I thought I had passed supremely uncomfortable and could no longer tolerate it any longer, Leanne’s ride arrived.

  I saw who it was and nearly keeled over, stubbing my finger on a root in an effort to steady myself.

  “Hey,” Rory said coming up to the back entrance. He was inches from me. I could almost feel the heat of him, he was that close.

  Leanne dove into his arms. My heart fell into my stomach. “Oh Rory,” she cried. “Max tossed me out.”

  “What happened?” Rory’s voice was gentle and kind — and stabbing tiny knives into my heart.

  “I’ll tell you all about it if you’ll just take me home,” Leanne said into his shoulder. Rory hugged her tightly. He put an arm around her and led her down the driveway and out of sight. I sat in the bushes for another minute. They looked so intimate, not like ex-lovers at all.

  “There you are,” Livvie said. Big glowing cat eyes appeared in between the branches. “Everyone is worried. So, of course, they sent me. I am the best cat, and even the worst cat is better than the best human, as well you know. So?”

  “What?” I bit my lip to keep from tearing up.

  “Why are you hiding in the bushes?” The cat squished all the way into the bush with me. “Are we hunting mice? I didn’t peg you for that type, but I’m game. Always.”

  “No, I was eavesdropping,” I told her.

  “Pity,” Livvie said, and sighed wistfully. “Follow me back to the other humans.”

  I disentangled myself from the rhododendrons and followed Livvie back to the house. The aunts were in the drawing room waiting for me. I was engulfed in hugs the second I entered the room.

  “Did you confront Max?” Aunt Hazel asked.

  “I didn’t have to,” I said, sinking into my blue chair and relayed everything that had just happened. “So now, after getting poked and scratched to pieces, I am back to square one. I don’t know what to think. Max seems like he was genuinely angry about his mother’s reputation. Somehow that doesn’t work with the idea that he murdered her. Leanne seemed more upset than Max. The whole thing is doing my head in.” I sat down in a chair.

  “Well, the funeral is in the morning,” Aunt Sarah said. “It’s probably going to be the last time we have access to the family. We have to make it count.”

  “You’re right,” I said. “I doubt any of them will be popping by for tea after this is wrapped up. George Stewart will probably take a long vacation with his new mistress.”

  “He has one already?” Auntie Joe asked.

  “He’s the most eligible bachelor in town now,” Aunt Sarah said. “If he doesn’t yet, he will soon. Everyone knows he and Vanessa were on the rocks. Did we rule him out, Ella?”

  “Absolutely not,” I said. “I haven’t really even ruled out Max. Leanne is probably out. But Max could have been faking it for effect. I have to ask Mother a few questions about Vanessa. She can clear up a few details. But this is what we’re going to do tomorrow.” I outlined my plan to catch the killer tomorrow.

  I lay in bed staring at the ceiling when there was a knock on the door. Aunt Sarah entered with a little wave. She sat down on the edge of the bed and made a face. “What’s that smell?”

  “I tried a spell last night and it went interestingly,” I said with a laugh. “Funny thing is, it smells like the cologne that was all over Vanessa.”

  “Hm,” Sarah said, sneezing. “Are you sure? That scent is a little floral for a man’s cologne.”

  “I’m positive,” I said sitting up. “I have a feel for scents.” Something in the back of my brain lit up.

  “So about Rory,” she began.

  “I hope he and Leanne will be very happy,” I bit out, feeling crabby.

  She slapped my leg under the blanket. “Oh, that is not fair! Leanne called a friend when she was in trouble. You should see it as a positive thing. Even after a breakup, that man is a stand up guy.”

  “Or they’re dating again,” I said, feeling miserable. “Well, you can mope about it, or you can find out. He’s bound to be at the funeral tomorrow. Not only did he like one Vanessa Stewart, but he is going to see it as an opportunity to get into it with you again.”

  “Why would he want to fight with me?” I asked. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Well, he can’t apologize for getting upset with you, but he will want to talk to you again because he likes you.”

  I snorted.

  She waved me off. “So he’ll either try to argue with you, so he can win a point and feel comfortable talking to you again, or he’ll want to ignore the fact that he left angry and just discuss the case.”

  “Are you some sort of witch, predicting the future?” I asked, laughing.

  “Oh, not all men are the same, but people mostly are,” she said. “No one wants to apologize for a lapse in temper. It’s embarrassing. So, generally, they’ll come up with another way to engage you.”

  “What about Leanne?”

  Sarah raised an eyebrow. “What about her?”

  “What if they’re back together?” I asked.

  “Oh, sweetums.” She winked knowingly and gave my leg a squeeze. “I don’t think they are. He was just being a friend. I think this is just a clever excuse for you to back away.” Aunt Sarah stood up and waved goodbye, slipping from the room.

  Great. Now I had even more to think about. Staring at the ceiling and pondering was going to become a bad habit of mine.

  In the morning I was still no nearer to answering any of the questions bounding painfully off the sides of my mind. I decided to take a break from all the mental gymnastics and try to tackle the questions Mother could answer first. I found her in her walk-in closet, choosing from dozens of nearly identical black dresses.

  “Oh Ella, come and help your mother,” she said, sounding relieved. She waved at the rack.

  “Pick the most expensive one,” I told her and selected two from Yves Saint Laurent. “Here, take one of these.”

  Mother hugged me. She picked one and offered me the second. I took it. It had a good silhouette, and, if Aunt Sarah was right, I wanted to make Rory eat his heart out.

  “We will look so money,” she said with a laugh. “Honestly, I will probably just cry all over everything.” She tapped the suede bench she kept in the closet for putting on shoes and we both sat down. “Vanessa was the most delightful young heiress when we met.” Mother’s voice wavered and she swallowed hard, but continued in what seemed to be a rather heroic fashion. “Her father had invented some fabric that withstood hurricanes, or some such nonsense. She always had the latest, newest thing, and I always got to borrow it. We were a fantastic pair!”

  “What happened,” I asked, curious.

  “Oh, what always happens with girls,” Mother said. “We fought over a boy. George Stewart was such a stud. He was so handsome and wore colorful Armani suits and smelled like Bornéo 1834. She wanted him and he wanted me, and it went round and round until I met your father. His suits were a little less colorful and he tended to prefer Levi’s to suits anyhow, but how he sparkled! Well George went and got Vanessa pregnant with the twins and so then she got what she wanted, his ring on her finger. George…he never seemed to be at ease with his choice. He liked his freedom. It hurt her deeply and she faded a bit. Became bitter. But she was never that way when we were alone. She was always my dearest friend Vanessa.”

  Here was my chance. “What happened between George and Leanne?”

  Mother frowned. “It’s not something civilized women talk about,” she said, her voice taking on a slightly shrill note. I thought that was going to be the end of it, but she took a deep breath and plowed on. “George was fond of drinking at all the beach bars. One b
ar brought in new talent from New Jersey every year. One year a very young Leanne turned up. George was taken with her and seduced her. The girl had lied on her application so she could bartend. I suppose that’s how you get the most tips. So when she turned up pregnant it was discovered that she was not eighteen. She was sixteen.”

  “George was horrified and wanted to have everything taken care of but Vanessa would hear none of it. She took the girl on.”

  “So her son is George’s son,” I said. Maybe everyone in town thought that already, but at least it was now confirmed.

  “Yes.”

  “Max fired Leanne yesterday.”

  “Oh I don’t doubt it. Those twins have been trying to get Leanne fired for years. She is a constant source of embarrassment to them, and her boy is their half brother.”

  “Another heir,” I said.

  Mother nodded. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about Johnny. I’m sure Vanessa provided for him in her will. She loved that boy. She would secretly sneak toys into Leanne’s bag when she was leaving for the day. I can’t imagine she would have just left the two of them destitute. It was her own children she was disappointed with the most.”

  “Well, with Max I can definitely understand,” I said.

  “Get dressed,” Mother told me gently. “I want to sit here and think about shoes.”

  “Wear the most expensive pair,” I told her airily.

  She laughed.

  I quit the room, my thoughts tumbling one over the other. More and more it was looking like Leanne was nowhere near my list of suspects. I’d have to fill Detective Garza in on everything I had learned. I was zeroing in on the killer. I might need some backup from the detective. No sense finally figuring out who the killer was and getting bumped off before I could tell anyone.

  I called the police department and got Ruby. “Hi Ella, how’s the junior detective gig going?”

  “Junior detective?”

  “Detective Garza said that she was sure you and your aunts were investigating. She said anyone with aunts like yours would be ‘civically minded’ and she keeps saying things like, ‘Little idiots will get themselves killed.’ So you must be doing a good job.”

  “Great, thanks Ruby,” I said sarcastically. “And here I was calling to bring the detective up to speed on what I’ve found out.”

  “Well, you can probably do it in person,” Ruby said. “She’s going to the funeral. Did you clear Max yet? I can’t marry him and live happily ever after if he killed his mother. Think of the water cooler talk!”

  “Ruby, you are incorrigible.”

  “Should I radio the detective and tell her to meet with you at the funeral?”

  “Could you?”

  “Not a problem,” Ruby said. “I’m counting on you to save my rich fantasy life.”

  I hung up, shaking my head. All I really had for the detective was gossip and hearsay. But maybe they’d had better luck with forensics and my tidbits could tie their tidbits together until we nabbed the killer. I hoped so, at least. Otherwise they were going to fingerprint the Aunts, and that wouldn’t help anyone.

  “Ready?” Mother called.

  I came downstairs.

  “Everyone else is already in the car.” Mother turned to Girard with instructions for dinner. He nodded and disappeared into the kitchens. She turned back to me and I had to smile. Even with all her grief — or perhaps because of it — Mother was even more breathtaking than usual. Sheathed in the Charmeuse silk dress, she’d opted for rubies at her throat and ears. Her wrists were bare. I had gone with amethysts and a few diamond bracelets. I didn’t want to overdo it. This was a funeral after all. I wondered if my hair would ever be as coiffed as hers. I had flyaways as a matter of course.

  She touched a few of them. “Darling, you really need to start putting some argan oil in your hair if you want it to lay flat. But otherwise, I must say you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” She hugged me and kissed my cheeks delicately, taking care not to smudge either of our makeup. “But you’d look even more beautiful on the arm of a nice young man.”

  I sighed. She always goes one statement too far.

  We got into the stretched limo that Mother had ordered for the occasion. I slid in next to Aunt Hazel and Father handed me a flute.

  “Mimosas?” I said, not sure if I wanted to drink before my meeting with Garza.

  “Oh,” Father said, “Is this gauche? I figured a little liquid courage wouldn’t go amiss this morning.”

  “You are a lion among men,” said Aunt Hazel. “Funerals are very unnerving.”

  They toasted.

  I only sipped at mine, wanting to keep my head. The limo ride went by fast. My father dazzled the ladies with stories of his time in the military. I stared out the window, thinking, as the perfectly manicured lawns and ponds slipped by.

  Today was not going to be just another day in the life of a aromatherapist/socialite/witchin-training. Today I was bound and determined to catch a killer.

  Chapter Ten

  ‘Happy Endings’ was the worst name imaginable for a funeral parlor, but since it was the only one in a twenty mile radius everyone used them. They had lush, sloping lawns and hosted the receptions in the back under a lovely pavilion. The grounds were complete with tranquil stream running through the middle and multiple gazebos for private moments and the occasional wedding photo for the morbid.

  I loved the old building that housed the funeral home. It was large and stately and frosted like a wedding cake with white shutters and trim. But the best part was the wide wraparound porch loaded with chaise lounges, just like in the Hamptons. I had been to exactly two funerals here previously, and spent most of them pleasantly hiding in a lounge while my mother gave condolences. If that sounds a bit selfish, I was only twelve for the last one, so forgive me.

  The limo left the Aunts and me out front, while Father and Mother had it drive around the back so they could enter discreetly and offer help.

  “Does everyone know what they’re supposed to do?” I asked.

  “Yes.” Aunt Hazel sounded a bit testy. “Let’s just get on with it. Funerals are never pleasant affairs.” She looked at her sisters. “Come on, girls. Let’s go help Ella catch the killer. Suppose they’ll still want to keep my athame after all this?”

  “Probably,” I told her. “It’s evidence.”

  “Oh, well.” Aunt Hazel sighed. “It’s not like it was three hundred years old and a family heirloom or anything.”

  “It wasn’t?”

  “No, Joe. I got it off a shopping channel. The one from Aunt Meryl was just too heavy for everyday use.”

  Hazel led them inside. I was hoping to see Detective Garza and fill her in before the plan got underway. But instead of the detective, Rory arrived. He walked up awkwardly, rubbing a spot above his left elbow.

  “Hi,” he said.

  “Hi,” I said. I tried not to do anything awkward and instead waited for him to speak.

  “Uh, how is the case going? Still stalking Leanne?”

  I snorted. Aunt Sarah was right. He was going to talk around the issue but not hit the target. Well, two could play that game. “No, she’s clear in my book. I’m more interested in the family. George… Max… Maureen. It’s definitely not my aunt or your girlfriend.”

  Rory balked. “She’s not my girlfriend,” he said. “I thought you and I sort of had a—”

  “There you are,” Detective Garza interrupted. Oh, I could kick her! What was the end of that sentence, Rory? “Ruby said you had some information for me.”

  “I do, too,” Rory said to me suddenly. “Have information for you, Ella, not you, Detective. You know what I mean. Find me inside, okay Ella?” He looked earnest as he wandered off. I wanted to follow him but Garza wasn’t going to let me go now.

  “Ms. Sweeting?” Garza prompted.

  “Right,” I said. I outlined everything I had heard at the party and in the bushes. I also handed over the phone. “I found it when Rory and I snoope
d around Vanessa’s room. So what do you think? Pretty much exonerates Leanne, don’t you think?”

  The detective stared at me until I squirmed. “Ms. Sweeting, do you think I can’t do my job?”

  “No,” I told her.

  “You think we haven’t been investigating everything properly? I had officers pull Vanessa’s phone records immediately. I did background checks on Leanne and every member of the family. And one only has to look at Leanne’s boy to know who his father is.”

  “Yes, but—”

  She cut me off. “Thank you for being a concerned citizen, Ms. Sweeting. And don’t think I don’t know what your motivations are. We traced the knife back to your aunt, by the way. She bought it on my favorite shopping network.”

  “Are you arresting her?”

  “Not yet,” Detective Garza said. “I’m telling you all this because I want you to know that I am perfectly capable of finding a murderer without the local aromatherapist, understood? Now go in there, pay your respects and don’t even think about sleuthing. Okay?”

  I nodded, my cheeks burning.

  “Listen, I like you Ms. Sweeting. You remind me of myself when I was younger. You’re clever and curious and those are good things. But if the murderer thinks you might be on to him or her, what do you think will happen to you? Or to your family?”

  “I get it,” I said. “So do you have any idea who it is?”

  “Go inside before I arrest you on trumped up charges,” Detective Garza said in a mild tone. She was almost smiling at me but there was a serious edge to it. I had no doubt she would arrest me for littering or loitering or larceny or….

  “I’m going to go inside now,” I told her.

  “Good,” she said. “And remember what I said.”

  “I know. No more sleuthing,” I said.

  I walked up onto the wide porch with newfound determination. I wasn’t going to let Garza stop me. I was too close now. Vanessa deserved that much.

  Inside, Rory tried to get my attention but Mother had other ideas. She pulled me after her into the first row of seats that had “reserved” signs on their backs.