Grams strutted into the room wearing her fedora and holding her candlestick in her right hand. With her left, she guided Mel. She seated him onto the sofa recently vacated by Jaimie then plunked down next to him. “Here’s our conclusion based on what Mel overheard.” Her voice crackled with excitement.
Kal smacked his palm to his forehead. “Grams! You’ve tampered with a witness!”
Her snarl reminded me of a ticked off Chihuahua. “I beg your pardon. I do not tamper! Neither does Mel. We’re just friends. I could sue you for slander!”
Lizzy walked to Grams and smoothed her cotton candy hair. “Kal wasn’t accusing you of any hanky-panky. How about you and I settle in the kitchen for a cup of tea? Leave Mel here to talk privately with Olive and Kal?”
“Where’s Jaimie?” Grams looked around as she followed Lizzy out of the living room. “Don’t leave her alone with Chip! Did you tell Kal about the gun?”
“What gun?” Kal leaped from his chair.
I put a finger to my lips and waited until Lizzy and Grams left the room. Then pointed to Mel. He couldn’t see but his hearing might be spot-on. Using my phone I typed a short message and held it for Kal to see.
We found a loaded gun hidden in Chip’s study last night. I took the bullets out.
I handed Kal the bag of bullets. Without a comment, he pocketed the bag.
“Mel, it’s just me and Kal here. Feel free to talk.” I used my therapist voice.
Kal clicked on a recorder. “I’m recording this Mel. You aren’t a suspect but you are a witness so I want to be sure I have it down accurately.”
“You sure Grams can’t hear?” His deep voice sounded garbled. He coughed. “Ate a lot of sand last night waiting around for that medical examiner fellow to take samples from me. He even took my shirt! Gave me one of his in return. Kind of embarrassing.”
He strained toward Kal. “I’m sort of getting used to seeing without my glasses. Here’s what I recollect.” He chewed on his lip. “I remember sitting there. Mr. Toast handed me a glass of scotch. Nice. Smooth.” He smacked his lips.
“I was worrying about how I was going to manage without my glasses when I heard a woman’s voice from somewhere above me. Upset. Almost screaming but not. There was another voice, but whoever it was didn’t get to say much. Could have been a woman with a deep voice but more likely a man.”
Mel closed his eyes. “Excuse me. It’s easier to remember if I shut my peepers. While the woman squawked the man kept his voice low. Sounded like he might be pleading. Does that make any sense? Then she screamed—loud but short. Next thing I heard a thunk near my chair.”
He opened his eyes, squinting at Kal. “I thought I’d messed up somehow. Maybe Mrs. Toast and I were performing a do-over and I had a senior moment. I got up real fast, walked a few steps, and tripped over what turned out to be a body. The fall knocked the wind out of me. I tried to get up but couldn’t. My knees wouldn’t cooperate.
“Did you hear anything else? Sounds from above?” I asked.
“People were making a racket at that point. I think it was you and Miss Lizzy lifted me off the body but a crowd formed so I can’t be sure. Somebody helped me to a chair. Emergency vehicles screeched up and people ran around shouting orders, I figured I’d get trampled, so I stayed seated.”
“Okay, Mel.” Kal said. “Thank you.”
“Just one thing. I know Grams is positive Mr. Toast is behind a bunch of things. She tried to convince me on the way over. He’s a nice man. I don’t see him as a killer.”
Kal stood and extended his hand to help Mel to his feet. “Thank you. We’re done for today. If I have more questions, I’ll call you.”
“What about Grams?” I said.
“Let her know Mel’s ready to leave. I got everything I needed from her last night. She can take him home.”
I led Mel to the kitchen where Lizzy paced, a cup of tea in her hands. Grams sat at the table, one hand gripping her candlestick and the other a teacup. My friend’s eyeballs were spinning. Minutes spent with Grams on a tirade can seem like an eternity.
The doorbell rang. Lizzy elbowed past me and dashed to the front door. She returned as I was helping Grams to her feet.
“It’s Vann and Muffy. Are you ready for them?” She glanced over her shoulder. “Too late. Ready or not, here they come.” The sound of heavy footsteps rumbled down the hall and into the living room.
“I’ll put Grams and Mel in the Edsel,” Lizzy said. “Then I’ll wait in the kitchen until you need me.”
I nodded and spoke in a whisper. “Good idea. Let’s not draw attention to us as a team. Not until we’ve accomplished Muffy’s makeover tomorrow.”
Chapter 41
Vann strode into the living room wearing a colorful Hawaiian shirt, wrinkled white linen pants, and white loafers. Muffy tagged after him checking out the room. It didn’t take a psychologist to guess she was looking for the Loud Mouth of the South, her intimidating school chum.
They stopped in front of the couch. Vann focused his beady eyes on me then turned them to Kal.
“I see you brought your profiler,” Vann said with exaggerated sarcasm.
He and Muffy settled onto the sofa. His shirt popped open at the belly. He fiddled with the reluctant button then gave up, crossing his arms over his stomach. Muffy tugged at her too-tight skirt which emphasized her excess poundage.
“My partner going to be joining us?” He glanced around.
“Chip and Jaimie went for a walk on the beach,” Kal said. “It’s just going to be the four of us. I’d interview you separately but I’m sure, despite my instructions last night, you’ve discussed this with each other.”
Muffy’s eyes opened widely with the innocence of the baby on a jar of mashed peas.
“Kal, you know we’d never violate your orders.”
I fought to hold back a guffaw. Their statements would be more together than the synchronized swimmers at Weeki Wache.
Kal clicked on the recorder. He did the mandatory cop thing with time, date, voluntary statement, yada, yada. After he stated Vann’s full name he threw in Muffy’s. Her real name was Mildred.
“Is this necessary?” Vann looked at the recorder as if it was something stuck to the bottom of his shoe. “Are we suspects?”
“We’re recording all witness interviews. Are you suspects? You tell me. Should you be? Should you be persons of interest?” Kal lasered him with an intensity I never saw in him before.
Kal and I were reacting to Chip’s partner the same way. The man gave off seriously bad vibes.
Vann extended his hands like he was stopping a charging buffalo. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by that. This has Muffy and me shook up, that’s all.”
“When did you first meet Raelyn Smith?” Kal asked.
“That’s why I’m surprised we’re being treated like suspects. We never met her, did we, sugar plum?”
Muffy flinched like he’d never sugar-plummed her before. She turned her head as if to see if he was talking to someone else.
That cemented my inclination to focus on Muffy. If Vann was involved in any way, she was the weak link.
“You’re sure you didn’t know Raelyn?” I said. “Seems like I saw you talking with her.”
“It was not like I knew her. Just party conversation.”
With exasperation in his voice, Kal said, “How about the accidents that happened to Jaimie in the last few weeks?”
“It’s no secret Jaimie loves her liquor. She’s an accident waiting to happen.” Vann shifted his eyes to the recorder. “I wouldn’t want Chip to hear any of this.”
Kal ignored Val’s comment. “Any chance someone might have mistaken the victim for Jaimie?”
“How would I know? I hardly remember what she looked like. I didn’t have anything to do with her taking a dive onto dry land. Maybe she thought there was a swimming pool?”
Muffy turned ashen at her husband’s glib answer. She put her hand on her chest and panted.
&n
bsp; Her physical reaction alarmed me. “Would you like some water?” I asked her.
She shook her head but Vann responded verbally. “She’s fine. You done with us?”
“Not even close,” Kal said. “Olive, do you have any questions before I continue?”
“Yes. Why did you suggest Chip buy Jaimie a tanning bed?”
He snorted. “What does a tanning bed have to do with that girl’s murder? If it was a murder. This is your profiler, Kal? This is the best she can do? I’m sure your budget is tight but take up a collection or something. You have to find a way to do better than this.”
I took a deep breath. This beady-eyed clown brought out the worst in me. Another deep breath. I came back to reality in time to hear Kal say, “Tell me about Toast and Tassel.”
Vann narrowed his eyes. He was a squint away from darkness. “What does our business have to do with this case? But for the record, it couldn’t be better. We’ll break ground for the hotel by the end of the year.”
I kept my voice low and calm. “I heard you had a buy-out offer?”
“Who told you that?” he snapped his head in my direction. “That’s private corporate business, not for publication.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Jaimie holds the controlling stock. She said no.”
“You would have made a nice profit?” I asked.
“Ehh!” He shrugged. “We’ll make a ton with the hotel.”
“But not as much as a quick in and out deal.”
He stood. “Obviously we’re done with the relevant questions and we have to be at church.”
And pigs fly.
Chapter 42
The Tassels were out the door before we could say goodbye. Now if only Muffy didn’t say anything to Vann about her beauty treatment tomorrow, Lizzy and I might be able to get some good solid snooping accomplished.
We had the bones of Vann’s motive for wanting Jaimie dead—her rejecting the sale of Toast and Tassel—but no solid evidence. And how was Vann tied to Raelyn’s murder?
We interviewed four more guests but learned nothing. They hadn’t seen Raelyn, hadn’t met her, and had no idea who she was. The girl might as well have been invisible.
I watched through the panoramic glass as Jaimie and Chip walked from the beach toward the house. Even at that distance I could tell she was yammering. They climbed the outside staircase, rinsed their feet under the water spigot, wiped them on the mat, and entered the living room.
“Did you manage to alienate all our friends?” Jaimie said.
“Vann’s got his knickers in a knot, but other than…” I laughed.
“How does one knot their knickers?” Jaimie asked. She clearly took delight in the image.
“Knot Vann’s knickers?” The more I said it, the funnier it struck me.
Jaimie wrapped her arm around her husband and gave him a kiss on the cheek. There’s nothing like a stroll along the beach to ease suspicions.
“By the way, Jaimie told me about the gun you found,” Chip said. “I don’t own a gun and would never keep one in the house” He turned to me. “She told me you took the bullets out. Thank you, Olive.”
Kal stood. “You’re telling me you don’t own the gun they found?”
“Absolutely not.”
“We left it in the cabinet where we found it.” I motioned toward the study.
“Have at it,” Chip said. “If you find a gun I’m being framed. The scary thing is that someone might have been planning to shoot Jaimie.”
Jaimie led Kal to the étagère. She pulled the cabinet door open. The gun was still there.
Kal took a blue glove from his pocket. “This is evidence.”
Jaimie handed Kal a bag from a box of waste can liners.
“I’m taking it directly to the crime lab. Top priority. I’ll be back with Robbie around three to continue the interviews.”
I pulled Chip aside so Kal couldn’t hear me whisper. “We need to be certain Vann’s out of his house tomorrow from about three-thirty to six. Can you arrange some business excuse?”
“Sure…” Chip looked puzzled. “Why do you want him out of his house? You suspect him of killing Raelyn, don’t you? I can’t believe my partner did anything wrong. He may not be Mr. Charm but—”
“We’re not accusing him of anything, just conducting an experiment.” I kept a note of nonchalance in my voice. We had nothing on Vann except for that nasty little feeling that buzzed in my ear.
Kal gave me a nod. “Olive and Lizzy need a break. Olive hasn’t had any sleep and I’m guessing Lizzy hasn’t had much.”
I smiled at Kal for being so considerate. He really was a good guy even though we occasionally had our differences. But Lizzy and I wouldn’t be catching up on our sleep this afternoon.
We had to prepare for Muffy’s in-home spa treatment. I wasn’t sure what it would be but immobility was the main ingredient.
Dairy products sounded like the perfect place to start. A gooey egg facial and maybe a sour cream dip. Quick-setting cement might be too drastic—not so much if we were doing it to her husband.
Chapter 43
Lizzy and I arrived at the Tassels’ house promptly at four the following day. It was not nearly as elaborate as Chip and Jaimie’s place. Located in a gated community, the rough stone and stucco two-story building occupied a large corner lot. Peeling paint, overgrown vegetation, and a mildewed roof probably had the homeowners’ association board fuming overtime.
Armed with a cooler full of eggs, honey, sliced cucumbers, sour cream, utensils, and Nonna’s miracle cold cream, we made our way to the Tassels’ front door.
We had a confidential source who confirmed Chip and Vann were having drinks and dinner with a subcontractor at the yacht club. Our source ended her secretive phone call with poshookly. We had a couple of hours to come up with evidence that would link Vann to Raelyn without compromising Kal or Chip.
I lifted the lion’s head brass knocker and rapped three times.
Muffy answered bouncing on her toes. “You’re here! I can’t wait!” She only partially opened the door. “This is definitely free?”
“Of course. Nothing gives Lizzy and me more pleasure than helping dry-skinned damsels.”
“Well that’s me.” She threw opened the door and beckoned us in.
Impressive—though a little seedy—from the road, the house was stark inside. The few basic pieces of furniture looked ghostly against the bare walls. Someone had a tight hold on the wallet. Lizzy and I exchanged grimaces.
“Where can we set up? How about that room there?” I pointed to a closed door hoping to confirm what I intuited.
“Oh no! That’s Vann’s office.” She scratched the fingers of her right hand along her left arm. The poor woman was as jumpy as a frog in a frying pan. “We can use my dressing room.” She waved us on.
We followed her to an austere room, with a small dressing table, tiny pink lamp, and woefully few cosmetics in sight.
“Access to a sink?” Lizzy said.
“Right here,” she pushed open the door to a small bathroom. “This is mine. Vann has his own. He doesn’t like to look at girly stuff.” It didn’t seem as if she did either.
“Washcloths and towels?” It was a pretense. We needed a way to keep her from sensing I wasn’t in the room once I left on my snoop.
“Here you go!” She handed me some ratty towels and face cloths.
I felt sorry about conning her, but I was certain her husband was a major no-goodnik, possibly a murderer.
Lizzy brought the dressing table chair into the bathroom and placed it near the sink. She took out a bowl and began to whip up the eggs for the facial. She opened the sour cream and glopped it in. We were either doing a super dense facial or making an omelet. Anybody’s guess.
With Muffy seated on the chair facing away from the door, Lizzy began to layer the egg and cream.
“Your skin is dry.” I said.
“I’ve used a tanning bed for
years, now I’m regretting it.”
“Those things scare me,” I said as I placed a cucumber slice on each of her lids forcing her to close her eyes. “I’d be afraid of being trapped.”
“It happened to me once. You know it just happened to Jaimie? She wouldn’t admit it but Vann told me.” She scratched at the curve of her nostril where the yellow goop had seeped. “Almost killed her according to Vann.”
“This is the hardest part,” Lizzy said. “We have to be quiet now. You can talk but Olive and I have to remain silent. Our quietude lets your pores open.”
I swallowed a giggle and silently eased out. I pulled on a pair of latex gloves and made a beeline to Vann’s office door, hoping it wasn’t locked.
With a turn of the knob and the slightest of pressure, the door swung open. I stepped to the desk, whipped out my cell phone and photographed the files and papers. If I had to move anything I’d know where to replace it.
His laptop was closed. I didn’t touch it. New security software could trigger an alarm or mark a trail of an attempted intrusion. Plus… if Vann was involved with Raelyn it would be something like photos or love letters hidden under a blotter or in a desk drawer. Vann and Raelyn. Impossible to visualize! But couldn’t be eliminated at this point.
I checked my watch. The egg on Muffy’s face should be near dry. I could trust Lizzy to keep the woman occupied. Nobody pitched a sale like Lizzy—not that this was a sale. Yes it was. Just a different kind.
A search of the drawers yielded nothing incriminating although I did come across the ball of rubber bands and box of bent paperclips Jaimie mentioned. Vann Tassel was a hoarder.
I was about to close the last drawer when a business card box caught my eye. I inched it out. No business cards. All double-A batteries. One stood out. Bright blue! The missing battery from Jaimie’s Lucky Elf opener!
Reality hit me. Even though I wasn’t a cop, I was working for Kal as a profiler on this case, which meant I needed a search warrant for the battery to be used as evidence in a court of law. However, it was ironclad proof in the court of Olive. Vann was behind the attempts on Jaimie’s life.
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