A text message from Miss An’gel ended our discussion, and I signaled for the bill.
We need you here at the hotel. I’ll explain when you get here.
TEN
I showed the text to Helen Louise, and she grimaced. “At least we were able to finish our meal,” I said.
“Thankfully.” She pushed back her chair. “I’m going to the powder room before we walk back.”
“I’ll meet you out front.” I responded to Miss An’gel’s message to let her know we would be there in less than ten minutes.
We didn’t talk on the way back to the hotel. Miss An’gel’s text had used ambiguous language. We need you here at the hotel could have meant many different things, none of which had to do with murder. I figured she must have called a group meeting to discuss whether we should continue with our planned schedule. Denis Kilbride hadn’t been a part of the group, but with everything that had happened involving him, would members still be in the mood to talk about murder mysteries?
I would have to think about that myself. I hadn’t known Kilbride, really, and I felt no personal loss at his death. I did feel shock, though, because it was always disconcerting when someone around one’s own age died. Stark reminders of your own mortality could be extremely upsetting.
We found Miss An’gel awaiting us at the reception desk. Arthur, still looking shell-shocked by the experience of dealing with sudden death, stared mutely at us.
“I’m sorry I interrupted whatever you were doing,” Miss An’gel said. “But I felt that we should talk about what has happened, and I can bring you up to date.”
“Are we going to have the whole group together?” Helen Louise asked.
Miss An’gel shook her head. “No, I’d prefer to talk to the two of you at the moment.”
“In that case,” I replied, “let’s go up to our suite. We left Diesel on his own, and I know he’ll be happy to see you, Miss An’gel.”
She smiled briefly. “That’s fine.”
We headed upstairs, and moments later we entered the suite. I called out to Diesel but spotted him under the sofa before he responded. He offered a plaintive warble before he crawled out to join us.
Miss An’gel greeted him, and he responded happily. For the moment he ignored Helen Louise and me. He remained beside Miss An’gel’s chair during the ensuing conversation.
“Let me fill you in on what we know so far,” Miss An’gel said, after refusing bottled water or any other refreshment. “You know already that Cora found Denis Kilbride only minutes before we returned from our visit to Biltmore.”
Helen Louise and I nodded, and Miss An’gel continued. “I must say that Arthur is more of a twit than I expected. He’s the owner’s grandson and has trouble keeping a job, I’ve been told, so his grandfather decided to try him out here.” She grimaced. “He’s not much help in an emergency, I must say. But that’s neither here nor there. The proper persons showed up, the emergency services people and a police officer. The EMS team said Kilbride was dead, but there was apparently no overt sign of what led to his death. They took the body away in the ambulance to the medical examiner’s office, where the medical examiner will determine the cause of death.”
“What do you think happened?” I asked. “Heart attack, maybe?”
Miss An’gel shrugged. “I didn’t go into the room, so I couldn’t say. The EMS team apparently didn’t find anything suspicious. They simply followed procedure, since no one knew who his doctor is and how to get in touch with that person.”
“Did they look for medications?” Helen Louise asked. “The doctor’s name is usually on the bottle.”
“I’m sure they would have done that,” Miss An’gel said, looking slightly troubled. “Of course there’s nothing to say that he was taking any kind of medication on a regular basis.”
“Something to find out,” I said. “Perhaps Ellie would know. She seems to be the only one of us to have a personal relationship with him.” That we knew of, I thought.
“Possibly Zac,” Helen Louise said. “Remember, he was threatening Zac last night before Johnny Ray decked him.”
“I have to say that the obvious animosity between Johnny Ray and Mr. Kilbride worries me,” Miss An’gel said. “I’ve known Johnny Ray for years. He does all our plumbing work, as his father did before him. He’s a good man, but if the medical examiner finds any connection between the altercation last night and Mr. Kilbride’s death, it could mean trouble for Johnny Ray.”
I hadn’t thought much about the incident since last night, but I well understood Miss An’gel’s anxiety. I had no idea how the police and the medical examiner would treat Johnny Ray if the blow had led to Kilbride’s death.
“We can’t let ourselves anticipate problems because we simply don’t know the full story,” Helen Louise said. “We don’t need to upset Johnny Ray by talking about what happened last night unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“You’re right,” I said, “but I imagine Johnny Ray has already thought about it himself. He’s a smart man, and he’s read enough murder mysteries to be savvy to the potential sequelae of knocking another man out.”
“Do you know what the issue was between Kilbride and Zac Ryan?” Miss An’gel asked.
Both Helen Louise and I shook our heads. Miss An’gel sighed. “Zac is such a personable, intelligent young man. I know his fellow faculty members and the students in the art department think highly of him. I’m wondering how he and Kilbride are connected. Surely not romantically.”
“I wouldn’t think so,” Helen Louise said, “unless Kilbride also dated men.”
Miss An’gel shot her a shrewd look. “Entirely possible, of course. I’ve known any number of men like that.”
I had thought about that already, but I had been hesitant to mention it in front of Miss An’gel. She was the age, roughly, that my mother would have been were she still living. I had never discussed such things with my mother, and I couldn’t bring myself to introduce the topic in front of Miss An’gel. Helen Louise wasn’t squeamish about that kind of thing, however.
“We should probably ask Melba,” I said. “If anyone knows about that, it’s likely to be her.”
Miss An’gel nodded. “She manages to hear all kinds of things about people in town, that’s true.”
“Everyone likes Melba, that’s why,” Helen Louise said. “I don’t think she actively encourages people to gossip. It’s just that she’s the kind of person that people tend to confide in.”
I chuckled. “She told me not long ago that whenever she’s been on a plane, the person next to her invariably started telling her their life story.”
“Thank goodness no one does that to me,” Helen Louise said. “Miss An’gel, did anyone tell you how long it might be before they have any answers about Denis Kilbride’s death?”
“I asked the police officer, and he told me it could be tomorrow, or it could take several days,” Miss An’gel replied. “It depends on how busy the medical examiner is, and whether she has to send anything to the state crime lab for further analysis.”
“What are we going to do about the group’s plans for the week?” I asked.
“Sister and I talked it over briefly, and we think we should continue as planned. Mr. Kilbride wasn’t a member of the group, after all.” Miss An’gel paused, looking troubled again. “If any member feels unable to continue with our program, of course neither Sister nor I would insist that they stay the week.”
“I don’t think anyone will want to leave,” Helen Louise said, “unless it’s Ellie. I don’t know how close she really was to Denis.”
“I haven’t seen her since we returned from Biltmore this morning. I’m not even sure if she’s aware of what happened. I had Arthur call her room once the EMS team and the police officer arrived, but there was no answer.” Miss An’gel stroked Diesel’s head, and he chirped happily. “S
he hadn’t come back by the time you two returned, as far as I know.”
I glanced at my watch and noticed that it was now nearly one o’clock. I mentioned this to Miss An’gel, and she rose immediately.
“Thank you, Charlie,” she said as I got to my feet to see her out. “I’ve lost track of time somehow. I must go and check in with Sister. She might have talked to Ellie. If not, I’ll find her and let her know right away. I’ll see you downstairs at one-thirty.”
“We’ll be there.” I closed the door, and Diesel, who had trailed behind her, turned and came back with me to the sofa. “I imagine everyone knows by now, don’t you think?”
Helen Louise shrugged. “Probably. I’m sure Arthur would have made it his business to share the news with anyone he saw. I wonder whether they sent poor Cora home.”
“I’m surprised someone more senior hasn’t taken Arthur’s place, frankly,” I replied.
“Surely there’s someone who could.”
“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” I said. “I’m going to wash up before we head downstairs.”
Diesel accompanied me, as he often did at home. One thing about having cats—and dogs, too—you rarely had to go to the bathroom by yourself. I had no idea whether Diesel considered himself to be supervising me, lest I get into trouble by myself, or if he simply wanted the comfort of being near me as much as possible. I preferred the latter explanation. I found comfort in his presence often enough.
I wondered how Ellie would take the news of Denis Kilbride’s sudden death. Would she be devastated? How would the others react? Johnny Ray might well be upset, and I couldn’t blame him. Kilbride’s death so soon after the altercation between them would worry him, I was sure. I was still puzzled by Kilbride’s animus toward Zac Ryan, though. What had caused it? And why had Ellie called Zac a rat? Were the two connected somehow?
All this speculation was probably moot, I told myself sharply, because Denis Kilbride’s death would turn out to be from natural causes. I was going to stick with that theory unless there was significant evidence to prove one wrong.
I finished my ablutions, and Diesel and I found Helen Louise in the living room brushing her hair and touching up her makeup. She generally wore only a minimum of makeup most of the time. Her clear skin and vivid coloring—red full lips, black curly hair, and flashing blue eyes—served her better than anything artificial, I had always thought.
We left the room at one twenty-five, bringing Diesel, harnessed and leashed, with us. Arthur was absent from the reception desk, and we saw no one else until we entered the meeting room. There we found Miss Dickce, Benjy, and Zac Ryan. Not long after we arrived, the others trickled in, all except Miss An’gel and Ellie Arnold.
Once we finished exchanging greetings, Miss Dickce cleared her throat. “I’m sure Sister will be along any minute now, but I’m not sure whether Ellie will be joining us.” She paused. “I don’t know whether everyone has heard about this yet. You might have been present when the police and ambulance were here. I apologize for breaking the news to you so bluntly. Denis Kilbride was found dead in his bed this morning by the maid.”
I was watching Johnny Ray Floyd while Miss Dickce made the announcement, and his shocked expression, rapidly replaced by one of fear, worried me. Burdine and Elmore apparently already knew, as did Celia Bernardi. Zac, Melba, and Paul were the only ones besides Johnny Ray who hadn’t known.
The others pelted Miss Dickce with questions about Kilbride’s death, talking over one another in their shock and eagerness for more information. Johnny, however, sat mute next to Helen Louise on the sofa.
I leaned across Helen Louise and grasped Johnny Ray’s arm. “Are you okay?” I asked.
For a moment I thought he hadn’t heard me, but then he turned to me, his eyes wide with apparent shock. “I didn’t hit him that hard, did I? I didn’t mean to kill him. I’m not a killer, I swear I’m not.”
ELEVEN
“We don’t know that what happened last night has anything to do with his death,” I said to Johnny Ray, trying to reassure him. “He probably had a heart attack. He was a smoker, someone said, and he liked rich food. Don’t get yourself worked up over what could very well be a natural death.”
Helen Louise echoed my reassurance, and Johnny Ray began to look less sick at heart. “I hope to the Lord y’all are right,” he said. “I couldn’t live with myself if I was responsible for somebody dying like that.” He shook his head. “How could I ever look Lou or my kids in the face again?”
“You’re a good man,” Helen Louise said as she slipped an arm around his shoulders. “Try not to worry about this and get yourself all agitated. Charlie’s right, he probably had a heart attack or simply died quietly in his sleep. It happens.”
Johnny Ray sighed. “Maybe so.”
I hoped Helen Louise and I were telling Johnny Ray the truth. I sent off a quick prayer on his behalf. I could only imagine the mental and emotional anguish he would be going through until the cause of Kilbride’s death had been determined.
I glanced at Zac Ryan, sitting on one side of Miss Dickce, Benjy on the other. He appeared disconnected from the conversations going on around him. Was he concerned? I wondered. Did he know anything?
Miss An’gel entered the room then, one arm around Ellie Arnold’s waist. Pale, disheveled, Ellie clung to Miss An’gel. All conversation in the room ceased at the sight of her. Miss An’gel led her to the chair that Zac hastily vacated at a nod. Miss Dickce and Benjy switched to other chairs so that Miss An’gel could sit next to Ellie.
The uneasy silence continued once they were seated. We all waited for Miss An’gel to speak. After a glance at Ellie’s bent head, Miss An’gel faced us.
“I know this has come as a shock to all of us, but especially to those who knew Mr. Kilbride,” Miss An’gel said. “I discovered that Ellie was unaware of what happened until half an hour ago, so she is understandably shaken by it. She insisted on coming with me, however, and I think it’s good for her to be with all of us.”
Ellie raised her head and nodded. I noticed with some surprise that there was no evidence of tears or crying. That struck me as a bit odd, but then people reacted to bad news differently. Ellie might have been one of those stoic types who suppressed emotion rather than letting it show. I didn’t know her well enough to say.
“I know you all have many questions,” Miss An’gel continued, “and I will answer all that I can. You must realize, however, that I know only what I’ve observed today and what the EMS team and the police officer told me.” She proceeded to tell the rest of the group what she had shared earlier with Helen Louise and me.
When Miss An’gel finished her summation, there was silence for a few seconds. Then Elmore Gregory said, “Heart attack. He smoked like a chimney for years.”
Burdine Gregory nodded. “Yes, he sure did. Whenever I saw him around town, he was always smoking.”
“It’s sad, because he wasn’t that old,” Elmore continued. “I had a good twenty-five years on him, I’ll reckon, but I quit smoking over forty years ago. It just don’t do to smoke these days with everything we know about cancer and all that.”
“Exactly,” Burdine said.
Ellie Arnold broke her silence. “Yes, he did smoke, though he was really trying to quit. He told me before I left to come here that he hadn’t had a cigarette in three weeks.” She closed her eyes for a moment. They fluttered open, and she went on. “But I suspect he fell off the wagon. He started smoking when he was seventeen, he told me, so it was a habit for over thirty years.” Her eyes welled with tears suddenly, and she wiped them away with a shaking hand. Perhaps the reality had finally begun to set in.
“That does take a toll,” Miss An’gel said. “Was he on any kind of medication that you know of?”
“His cardiologist put him on a couple of meds. He had high blood pressure,” Ellie said. “Because of smoking a
nd all the rich food he insisted on eating. He didn’t always take it like he was supposed to, though.”
“Do you know the name of his cardiologist?” Miss An’gel asked.
“No, I don’t think he ever mentioned a name to me,” Ellie said. “I know the cardiologist was in Memphis, though. Not anyone in Athena because he went to Memphis a few weeks ago for an appointment with him.”
Miss An’gel looked at me, and I nodded. Surely if Denis Kilbride had had his medications with him, the EMS team would have found them and been able to track down his doctor. Had Kilbride failed to bring them with him? Or had the EMS team somehow overlooked them? I knew Miss An’gel would follow this up with the proper authorities to find out the truth of the situation.
Ellie suddenly stood. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I can do this after all. I’m going back up to my room for the rest of the afternoon.” She rushed out of the room despite Miss An’gel’s attempts to speak to her and offer assistance.
Miss Dickce said, “It’s obvious that she’s having a hard time over this. I think we should let her alone for now, and when she needs to talk to someone, we’ll be available, either one-on-one or as a group.” Her gaze swept the group, and everyone nodded. “Excellent. Either Sister or I will check in on her later around dinnertime, but until then I think we can let her be.”
“Yes,” Miss An’gel said. “Given the current situation, I must ask you whether you all wish to continue with the activities planned for the week. While Mr. Kilbride wasn’t a member of the group, he was known to a number of us. You might feel that our discussion of murder mysteries is somewhat inappropriate now. We need to come to a consensus.”
Zac Ryan responded without hesitation. “I don’t see any problem with continuing our program as planned. I barely knew the man, and frankly I have no idea what had him so upset with me last night. Too bad for him that he checked out that way, but it’s nothing to do with me.”
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