Kittens and Killers

by Diana Xarissa

  “When it’s just me, sure, but wouldn’t you rather tonight was just you and Daniel?”

  Fenella thought carefully about her answer. “I don’t know,” she finally admitted the truth. “I was excited when he asked me and then disappointed when he told me to invite you along, but I’m not sure either of us is ready for a proper relationship at this point. Maybe it’s better for both of us if we work on our friendship first and then see how things go.”

  “If I’m coming along tonight, maybe you’d better tell me all about the case,” Shelly suggested.

  “Yes, there hasn’t been nearly enough discussion of the case,” Mona agreed happily.

  Fenella told them both everything she could about the case and about the various times she met the different witnesses. Shelly took a few notes as Fenella talked.

  “I want to know more about Stanley,” she said when Fenella was finished. “I know the name, of course, and I’ve met one or two of the family members. They’re all a little bit odd, but as they have so much money, they’re eccentric rather than crazy.”

  “I’ve always wanted to be rich enough to be eccentric.”

  “And now you are.”

  Fenella blinked. “I am, aren’t I?” she exclaimed. “I hadn’t realized.”

  Shelly laughed. “You aren’t really eccentric, though, or crazy, or anything bad.”

  “Maybe I should try being eccentric,” Fenella mused.

  “You aren’t the type,” Mona told her. “You’re too much like your father, sensible and slightly dull.”

  Swallowing a reply, Fenella grabbed Katie and gave her a hug. “I do miss you,” she told the animal.

  “Meeroow,” Katie replied before wiggling away.

  “I talked to Max about Stanley,” Mona said, her tone suggesting that she’d learned something interesting.

  Fenella looked over at her, trying to look curious, but unable to speak.

  Mona stared back at her with an innocent look on her face.

  “I’m hoping Daniel will know more about Stanley when we meet with him later,” Fenella said eventually. “I don’t know how likely a candidate he is, really. It seems odd to me that he wasn’t mentioned in the papers or the police reports.”

  “Things have changed a lot,” Shelly laughed. “You’ve at least as much money as the Middleburghs had back then, and you’ve been in the local paper a lot.”

  “Perhaps if I were willing to bribe someone, I could keep my name out of the paper in the future,” Fenella suggested.

  “I don’t think that sort of thing happens anymore,” Shelly told her.

  “Of course it does,” Mona countered. “Although so much spreads through social media these days that staying out of the papers isn’t as useful as it was formerly.”

  Fenella nodded and then turned the movement into a head roll when she noticed that Shelly was looking at her.

  “Are you okay?” Shelly asked.

  “My neck is a bit stiff, that’s all,” she replied, glaring at Mona, who was laughing softly.

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going take the cats and head home,” Shelly told her a minute later. “I have an appointment at four and then I’ll need to eat something before our pub visit. I’ll meet you and Daniel there around quarter to seven.”

  Fenella nodded and then walked Shelly to the door. After giving Katie one last quick cuddle, she let them out and then turned to Mona. “Any thoughts on what I should wear tonight?” she asked her aunt.

  “Burgundy-colored dress on the right side of the wardrobe,” Mona told her. “It’s pretty and casual, but still dressy enough for what may or may not be a romantic evening.”

  “It won’t be very romantic with Shelly along,” Fenella muttered as she headed for the master bedroom.

  Along with the houses, stocks, bonds, and money that Fenella had inherited from Mona, she’d also inherited a wardrobe full of gorgeous clothes. A local designer called Timothy had made nearly everything inside it for Mona. Even though she and Mona seemed to have very different physical shapes, the clothes in the wardrobe all seemed to fit Fenella perfectly.

  The burgundy dress was right where Mona had told her to look. Fenella pulled it out and smiled. It was gorgeous and exactly was she needed. It would make her feel confident and beautiful and Daniel would probably like it, too. She slipped it on and then twirled slowly in front of the mirror. “It’s wonderful,” she sighed as she undid the zipper.

  “All of my clothes were wonderful,” Mona told her. “The choices in the spirit world are sadly limited. I’ve been complaining since I arrived, but no one seems inclined to do anything about the situation.”

  “Does it really matter what you wear?”

  “Of course it matters. Max has very high standards and he likes it when I dress well. That’s why he paid for all of the clothes in the wardrobe, of course, but sadly, there’s nothing to buy here.”

  A dozen questions sprang into Fenella’s head, but she didn’t bother to ask any of them. “That’s a shame,” she said instead.

  “I’m sure I’ve told you before that I don’t think Max truly realizes that he’s passed away. He doesn’t seem to understand why I keep wearing the same outfits over and over again.”

  “Perhaps you should try making something yourself.”

  Mona looked surprised and then smiled. “That isn’t a bad idea, actually. Perhaps that’s where I’ve been going wrong. I shall have to go and see what I can do.”

  “What about Stanley?” Fenella asked quickly before the woman could disappear.

  Mona smirked at her. “I wondered when you’d ask about him. Max remembered him and the whole sad story, actually.”

  “It’s a sad story?”

  “Not tragic, just a bit, well, unfortunate. It seems Stanley was a bit more than eccentric, actually. His family did their best to look after him, but he insisted on living on his own. At some point around the time of Mabel’s murder, though, he apparently suffered some sort of breakdown. Max never got all of the details, but Stanley’s father told him that they’d been forced to send Stanley to a specialist facility in Canada because it was obvious that he needed more help than he was able to get on the island.”

  “Surely there were facilities closer than Canada for him,” Fenella said.

  Mona shrugged. “I have no idea. The place in Canada may have been particularly good or the family may simply have wanted to get Stanley as far away from the island as possible. Max wasn’t certain as to the exact date when all of this took place, but I believe Stanley may have left the island before Mabel’s murder.”

  “Unless he saw or heard something the night of the murder and that’s what caused his breakdown,” Fenella suggested.

  “I suppose that’s also possible, but Max seemed to think that Stanley was gone before Mabel died.”

  “Then why does Donna think he was involved?”

  “No one would have announced Stanley’s departure from the island, especially under the circumstances. I’m sure the family waited a few days or even weeks to say anything about his leaving.”

  “I hope Daniel will be able to find out more,” Fenella said.

  “I did my best,” Mona told her.

  “Oh, I know, but until I hear otherwise, I’m keeping Stanley on my suspect list.”

  Mona shrugged. “I’ve crossed him off mine. I don’t think he had anything to do with Mabel’s death.”

  “Did Max remember anything about Mabel’s funeral?”

  “Not a thing. He wasn’t even sure he was there, actually, until I reminded him what I’d worn.”

  “Did you ask him about Marilyn’s wedding?”

  “He remembered that, although not well. It was just one of the many events that he attended over his lifetime. He was invited to everything because of who he was, and he hated disappointing people. I can’t tell you how many weddings Max went to over the years. It was something of an island tradition to invite Max to your wedding, even for couples with no conne
ction to him whatsoever. Of course, as it’s such a small island, many people felt they had a connection, no matter how tenuous.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Max owned a number of businesses, so hundreds of people worked for him, or rather worked for his company, not him directly. All of those people had spouses, siblings, children, nieces and nephews, and so on. Anyone who used any of his hotels or restaurants for their events would invite Max as a matter of course, too. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. It didn’t help that Max’s partner, Bryan, was either painfully shy or simply antisocial, I’ve never been sure which. He never wanted to go to anything, which meant Max had to do all of the socializing for both partners.” Mona fell silent for a minute and then laughed. “Of course, Max adored all of it and never complained, no matter how exhausting it often became.”

  “You went with him everywhere?”

  “Not everywhere. Some people didn’t always welcome me. Remember that not everyone approved of my relationship with Max or my lifestyle. I also sometimes went to things with other men, leaving Max on his own for a day or a week or a month.”

  “Did he have other women?”

  Mona shook her head. “He never looked at another woman, not from the day we met when I was eighteen.”

  “Why didn’t you ever marry?”

  Mona smiled. “I’ll tell you one day, but not yet.”

  Before Fenella could push her for an answer, Mona faded from view. Fenella put the dress and matching shoes into a small suitcase and then headed back to Poppy Drive. She had just enough time for a quick meal before Daniel was supposed to be picking her up for their pub visit.

  “You look wonderful,” Daniel said when she opened the door to his knock.

  “Thanks.”

  “I feel as if I should be taking you somewhere nicer than the pub,” he added.

  “The Tale and Tail is one of my favorite places on the island. I’m excited about going there.”

  Daniel nodded. “It’s a pretty special place.”

  The drive didn’t take long and Daniel easily found a parking space along the promenade. As Fenella climbed out of the car, she glanced over at the storage shed. A large dog was walking past it and the animal stopped to bark loudly.

  “You don’t think…” Fenella began. Before she could finish her thought, a small mouse ran out of the shed and disappeared down the promenade. The dog started to chase after the creature, but was stopped by his leash.

  Daniel grinned. “At least when the cat was living in there, they didn’t have to worry about mice.”

  There were only a handful of people scattered around the ground floor of the pub. Fenella glanced longingly at the shelves full of books as she waited for the bartender to pour her glass of wine. From where she was standing, it felt as if it would take her a lifetime to simply read the titles of every single book.

  “I heard you’re rescuing kittens now,” the man behind the bar said as he handed over her drink.

  “Not intentionally,” Fenella said quickly. “I’m looking after a mother cat and four kittens right now, and I’m doing everything I can to find them good homes.”

  “That’s always a challenge,” he replied. “The kittens should be easier to place. You just have to hope that whoever takes them is happy to look after them for twelve years or more.”

  Fenella nodded. “Kittens are adorable, but they grow up into cats very quickly. It’s quite sad how many people decide to get rid of their cats once they get past the kitten stage.”

  “On a more positive note, we have some wonderful animals here that we never would have been able to enjoy if they’d been kept by their owners.”

  A quick glance around the room showed Fenella more than a dozen cats of various shapes and sizes casually sprawled all around the room. There were more than enough cat beds for them each to have his or her own, but Fenella spotted three animals curled up together in one bed. Most of the other animals were climbing on shelves or demanding attention from the pub’s customers, though. “If I can’t find homes for them, would you be willing to take any of them?” Fenella asked.

  The bartender shrugged. “We don’t take kittens, mostly because they are fairly easy to place,” he told her. “They also need more time and attention than we can give them, and they tend to be a bit too active, as well. We can’t have kittens climbing up on the bar and chasing one another through glasses and bottles.”

  Fenella nodded. “And these four would do just that,” she admitted. “What about the mother cat?”

  “If you can’t find a home for her, you’re welcome to bring her in for a visit,” he told her. “As she was a stray, it’s possible she might have problems getting along with others, though. Some strays struggle to share space with other cats.”

  “She didn’t get along with my Katie, but that might have been more about Katie than the mother cat,” Fenella told him. “If I can’t find a home for her, I’ll let you know and set up a time to bring her in for a visit. Thank you.”

  He nodded, and then she took her drink and followed Daniel to the winding staircase that led to the upper level. Bookshelves covered the walls on this level, too, but there were couches, chairs, and tables scattered around the large center area. Shelly was sitting on one of the couches, sipping a drink with a book in her other hand. She put the drink down and waved as Fenella reached the top of the stairs.

  “What are you reading?” Fenella asked curiously.

  “A romance,” Shelly replied. “I’m doing research.”

  “Research? This novel writing is harder than I thought.”

  Shelly grinned. “Okay, maybe it isn’t entirely for research. I truly enjoy reading romance novels.”

  “Good for you,” Fenella said. “I read them now and again. Mona had a few, but I prefer a good mystery.”

  “Maybe that’s why you’re able to help with my cases,” Daniel said. “Maybe all those years of reading mysteries have given you extra insight.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Fenella laughed, “but I do enjoy hearing about your cases.”

  “How much do you know about the case?” he asked Shelly.

  “Fenella filled me in earlier today,” she replied. “I can’t stop thinking about Stanley. I think he’s the key somehow.”

  “He isn’t,” Daniel told her. “He wasn’t on the island when Mabel died.”

  “Why didn’t Donna know that?” Shelly asked.

  “His family kept his departure quiet, for a while, anyway. They had reasons for doing so and, as he couldn’t possibly have had anything to do with Mabel’s death, I’m sure they didn’t see any reason to share the information.”

  “He’s definitely out?” Shelly wondered, sounding disappointed.

  “He’s definitely out,” Daniel confirmed.

  “Is he still alive?” Fenella asked. “Because if he is, it might be interesting to talk to him. If he really did sit and watch Mabel’s house all day long, he may have seen something relevant in the weeks leading up to the murder.”

  “You’re right, of course, but, sadly, Stanley passed away in the late nineties. He never did come back to the island, and he was never questioned about what he may or may not have seen before he left.”

  “That’s a shame. I’m surprised he wasn’t questioned fifty years ago,” Shelly said.

  “He wasn’t, um, there were good reasons why he wasn’t questioned at the time,” Daniel said awkwardly.

  Fenella was trying to think of a way to mention what Mona had told her, but she couldn’t.

  “What does that mean?” Shelly asked Daniel.

  He sighed. “Stanley had some mental health issues,” he explained. “He was sent to a specialist hospital in Canada for treatment. The doctors there didn’t feel that he was well enough to answer any questions about his former life.”

  “So he may well have been the key to solving the case,” Shelly sighed.

  “I’m going to be talking to one of his doctors on Monda
y. A whole team of people treated him during his years in Canada. I was only able to track down one man who is still alive and willing to speak to me, though. I don’t expect him to tell me anything, but I’m hoping he might be willing to go through Stanley’s medical records to see if Stanley ever mentioned Mabel. It would be too much to hope for to find that he talked about Mabel and some man who kept visiting, or something along those lines, though.”

  “If we rule him out, we’re left with Mabel’s three friends and the Quinns as suspects, aren’t we?” Shelly asked.

  “I would put those five at the top of the list,” Daniel told her. “There are others who need to be considered, though.”

  “Ewan Coleman?” Fenella asked.

  Daniel nodded. “At the time he was seen as being above suspicion, because he was a police constable, but I’m not so quick to dismiss him.”

  “Who else?” Shelly demanded.

  “There were eight or nine different men who were involved with Mabel or one of the other three women in the two years before Mabel’s death. They’re all remote possibilities, but I’m looking at each of them in turn.”

  “Is that everyone?” was Shelly’s next question.

  “You didn’t mention Clyde,” Fenella told her.

  “Oh, I forgot about him,” Shelly exclaimed. “Surly he didn’t kill his own sister, though.”

  “He’s very much still on my list,” Daniel told her.

  The trio talked about all of the suspects as they worked their way through a second round of drinks. Eventually Daniel began to yawn between sentences.

  “I think we need to call it a night,” Fenella said when she found herself following suit. “At least it’s Saturday tomorrow. We can all sleep late.”

  “I’m working at nine,” Daniel sighed. “One of the other inspectors is on holiday, so I’m taking an extra shift for him.”

  “In that case, we should have left an hour ago,” Fenella said apologetically.

  “It’s fine,” Daniel insisted. “I don’t know that we solved the case, but you’ve helped me work through all of the suspects in my head. I’m going to have to interview each of them again, I think, although I may focus on Clyde.”