“Has Wesner worked up any kind of timetable yet of where everyone was at particular times?” I asked. “For example, when Kilbride was killed? We haven’t heard anything about that.”
“I suppose it can’t hurt to share that with you,” Kanesha said. “The medical examiner thought he had died sometime between eleven p.m. and one a.m. He had been dead for some hours when the maid found him.”
“Can you tell us how she found him?” I said, then realized how odd that sounded. “I mean, was he in bed, clothed, undressed, in a chair, for example?”
“I knew what you meant,” Kanesha said. “She found him lying prone on the bed, wearing shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt. At first she thought he was asleep and started to back out of the room, because they’re not supposed to enter the room when the guest is in residence, so to speak. Then she noticed that he wasn’t breathing.”
“If he was in that state of undress,” Helen Louise said, “don’t you think that points to someone on intimate terms with him being the murderer?”
“Generally, I’d agree with you, but there’s another factor,” Kanesha said. “He’d had a substantial amount of alcohol to drink, so in that state, he might have admitted anyone to the room, regardless of his attire.”
“I see your point,” Helen Louise said. “So that opens up the list of suspects again.”
“It sure does,” I said. “If he was drunk, he could have collapsed on the bed in a stupor, and the killer saw his chance and took it. Whoever it was didn’t reckon on the medical examiner spotting the entry point of that hatpin.”
“That’s curious to me,” Kanesha said. “The killer most likely is a member of your group, right?”
Helen Louise and I nodded. Diesel added his comment as well, in the form of a loud trill.
Kanesha shot a pained glance at the cat before she continued. “Surely the members of your group are well read enough to know that an autopsy would turn up something like that.”
I hadn’t thought about that point before. “You’re right,” I said slowly. “Most everyone in the group reads across the genres of mysteries, and most of them watch various crime shows on television, too. They should have sufficient knowledge to realize a careful medical examiner would find the entry point of the wound that killed Denis Kilbride.”
“Maybe the killer didn’t think it through completely,” Helen Louise said, “or was simply overconfident.”
“Or trying to blame someone else,” Kanesha said.
“Is there any helpful forensic evidence?” I asked. “DNA left behind, that sort of thing?”
“There almost always is,” Kanesha said. “Especially in cases like this. There couldn’t have been much premeditation, because no one knew Kilbride would be here. That means it was an opportunistic murder, and it happened within a few hours of Kilbride’s arrival at the hotel. The killer wouldn’t have had much time to plan the murder.”
Kanesha had answered my question without really answering it. I knew I wouldn’t get anything more specific out of her. The killer had left evidence, but Kanesha wasn’t going to tell Helen Louise and me what it was. This was the typical modus operandi for Kanesha, and it wasn’t even her case. She wouldn’t violate Lieutenant Wesner’s trust and let slip anything he didn’t want us to know, I was sure.
“How well do you know the rest of our group?” Helen Louise said. “Other than Melba, Benjy, and the Ducote sisters, that is.”
“I’ve known Johnny Ray Floyd all my life,” Kanesha said.
“Right, I’d forgotten that,” Helen Louise said.
“I haven’t met Zac Ryan,” Kanesha said, “but I know the others, at least to speak to. The only other one I know well is Celia Bernardi.”
I exchanged a glance with Helen Louise. I wondered if the reason Kanesha knew Celia well was because of Celia’s little habit of taking things from her friends and acquaintances. I wondered if Celia had ever been arrested for her thefts.
I didn’t feel that I could ask Kanesha point-blank about Celia. Perhaps Helen Louise could. I looked at her hopefully. She nodded.
“If you know Celia well,” Helen Louise said, “then you are probably aware of her little quirk.”
“I am,” Kanesha said. “But I don’t think that has anything to do with the present case.”
“Thank goodness,” Helen Louise said.
“I think that’s about all that I can tell you without compromising Lieutenant Wesner’s investigation,” Kanesha said. “I’ve done what I can to assist him, and I’ll be on hand the next few days. I’m confident that he’ll wrap the case up before the week is out.”
“That’s good,” I said, though I wished she would tell us more. I understood, however, that she couldn’t.
Kanesha rose to go, but Helen Louise stopped her with a question.
“Kanesha, do you think it likely that the killer might kill again before he’s caught?”
“Yes, I do.” Kanesha looked straight at me, and I felt a chill on the back of my neck.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Helen Louise and Diesel walked to the door with Kanesha and bade her good night. I was still trying to process Kanesha’s response to the question Helen Louise posed. The way she had looked at me when she said, “Yes, I do,” spooked me. There were times in other murder investigations when I became frightened—or at the very least, nervous—but this really got to me.
Maybe that was why Kanesha did it, I reasoned. She was warning me to back off, not to blunder on and put myself in danger. She hadn’t been happy with me the one time I had taken a serious risk with a killer. I hoped I had learned my lesson with that one, but she probably didn’t think I had.
“That was pointed, wasn’t it?” Helen Louise said as she and Diesel returned to the sofa.
“Yes, it was.” I rubbed the back of my neck.
“Good,” Helen Louise said. “In her way, I think she has become fond of you, Charlie, and she has your safety and well-being in mind.”
“Maybe,” I said. “I think you’re right about her having my safety in mind, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that she’s become fond of me, even in her cold, non-expressive way.”
Helen Louise chuckled. “She’s so much like her mother.”
“Don’t tell her that,” I said.
Kanesha’s mother—my housekeeper, Azalea Berry—had tolerated me when I first inherited my aunt Dottie’s house in Athena. The house that Azalea swore Aunt Dottie entrusted to her care, even though I owned it. Over the years Azalea and I had developed a warmer relationship, though frankly I was still a little afraid of her. I was a little afraid of her daughter, too. They were both strong, independent women who did not suffer fools gladly. I no longer felt like a complete fool around them, only an occasional one.
“Did you bolt the door when Kanesha left?” I asked.
“Yes,” Helen Louise replied. “After what she said, I was almost tempted to put a chair under the door handle as well.”
“I doubt anyone will break in,” I said. “We’d have to let the killer in ourselves, and we’re not going to do that.”
“No, we surely are not,” Helen Louise said. “At this point, I don’t want any of the group coming in here except our good friends. Not until Wesner is certain he’s got the killer and is on the way to jail with him or her.”
“Agreed,” I said. “How about we forget all about the murders for the rest of the night, cuddle on the couch, and watch a movie?”
“That sounds perfect,” Helen Louise said. “What do you think, Diesel?”
The cat opened his sleepy eyes and yawned. He meowed once, closed his eyes, and went back to sleep.
“I guess it’s unanimous,” I said. “Now let’s find a movie.”
After reviewing the choices, we settled on a romantic comedy we both recalled with fondness. We dozed off before it finished, however, and I w
oke at some point afterward with a slight crick in my neck. I roused Helen Louise gently, and we headed for the bedroom. We found Diesel stretched out, sound asleep, down the middle of the bed, his head on my pillow.
I took a couple of aspirin to ward off the headache I felt coming, thanks to the crick in my neck, and we went to bed, Diesel snuggled between us.
* * *
* * *
I woke the next morning feeling clearheaded, with no more soreness. Diesel no longer lay between Helen Louise and me. She lay on her side facing me, and I watched her, marveling how lovely she was, tousled with sleep. One eye opened and regarded me; then the other opened, and she smiled.
“Good morning,” she said.
Later on we dressed and went down to breakfast, escorted by Diesel. We had apparently missed most of the group, because the dining room was nearly empty. Only Zac was there, and he had just about finished his breakfast.
“Good morning, Zac,” I said, and Helen Louise nodded to him. Diesel meowed, and Zac grinned.
“You two look mighty pleased with yourselves this morning,” Zac said. “You have about ten minutes to eat breakfast before you’re due to report to the meeting room. Nine o’clock sharp. Orders of General Ducote.”
I groaned. “I thought we had gone off-schedule.”
“You obviously didn’t check your text messages this morning,” Zac said. “The general texted everyone at seven this morning to ask that we all assemble at nine.”
“We’ll be there,” Helen Louise said as she helped herself from the remains of the breakfast buffet. “Come on, Charlie. It won’t do to keep Miss An’gel and the others waiting.”
“Charlie, I’ll get with you later on that timetable you wanted me to draw up.” Zac downed the rest of his orange juice and sauntered out with a wave and a smug smile.
“Did you know you were blushing a little at what Zac said?” Helen Louise grinned at me.
“I’m too old to blush anymore,” I said as I selected a couple of sausage links to go with my biscuit and scrambled eggs.
“Uh-huh,” Helen Louise said.
Diesel reminded me that he was waiting for bites of bacon, and I let the matter drop while I alternately fed the cat and myself.
Without gobbling down the food, we managed to get a decent meal before we walked into the meeting room on the dot of nine. Miss An’gel nodded her approval as we took our seats on the sofa with Johnny Ray. Everyone else was present.
Miss An’gel began to speak. “Regretfully, our plans for the week have been overset by these two terrible murders. That is unalterable. If we were free to go I would suggest that everyone return home if any of you are so minded. As it is, however, the lieutenant insists that we remain. I spoke with him this morning to ask for a progress report on the case.” She frowned. “He did not say so in a forthright manner, but I am under the impression that an arrest is imminent. Although that might be wishful thinking on my part.”
What was she up to? I wondered. Was she trying to provoke the murderer into betraying himself or herself by doing a bunk? I couldn’t believe that either Wesner or Kanesha would approve of this. And where was Kanesha?
I wished the killer would lose courage and try to run away. That would simplify matters for everyone. I doubted the killer would get far, if he or she tried it, but perhaps if enough panic were induced, it would happen. I decided to play Miss An’gel’s game.
“That’s great,” I said, trying to sound enthusiastic but not overly so. “The police are really closing in, it sounds like.”
“Amen,” Johnny Ray said. “I’m ready for this to be over.”
“They don’t have to look very far,” Burdine said in a spiteful tone. I could see that she had her gaze fixed on Zac. Why was she so determined to see him as the murderer?
Zac paid no attention to her. “I’ll be glad when this is over. I was really looking forward to seeing the sights of Asheville. Biltmore was great, and I’m glad I got to see it. But there’s a lot more to see and do here.”
“I’ve been afraid to go out at night,” Celia said. “I have my dear friend Betty Milton I could be spending time with, and another friend, Rosemary Poole-Carter, whom I haven’t seen in ages. I can’t invite them here, naturally, and put them in danger.”
“I don’t think the killer would have a reason to harm your friends,” Ellie said. “They have no connection to Denis and Cora, surely.”
“No, that’s true,” Celia said. “Perhaps I’ll reconsider.”
Miss An’gel had listened and watched as the group talked—not missing a thing, I would have wagered. What was she looking for?
The door opened, and Kanesha Berry walked in. “Good morning, everyone. I apologize for interrupting the meeting,” she said. “Miss An’gel, could I speak privately with you?”
“Certainly.” Miss An’gel rose and accompanied Kanesha out of the room.
“I wonder what that’s all about,” Miss Dickce said.
“Maybe she’s telling Miss An’gel about the arrest,” Benjy said. “Maybe the lieutenant is ready to do it.”
Miss Dickce and Benjy were obviously in on Miss An’gel’s stratagem. I glanced around the room to gauge the effect of their words. Ellie and Celia appeared apprehensive. Melba and Paul looked puzzled, and Elmore and Burdine simply looked blank. Johnny Ray was obviously eager. I knew he would be happy when this was over and he could take his family home.
Diesel didn’t appear to be bothered by any of this. He remained quiet, lying by the side of the sofa near me. I stroked his head, and he seemed calm.
“How much longer do we need to sit here?” Paul Bowen asked, sounding impatient to the point of rudeness. “What else did Miss An’gel want to discuss with us?” He directed his question to Miss Dickce.
“I’m sure Sister will be back any minute now,” Miss Dickce said. “I don’t know whether there is anything else to discuss at the present moment. If you’d like to go, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t.”
Paul started to rise, but Melba placed a restraining hand on his arm. He shot her a startled look, but he subsided into his chair again. Melba bent her head near his, and they held a brief whispered conversation.
Miss An’gel returned shortly, without Kanesha. “I’m sorry to keep you all waiting. I did ask the lieutenant if we could continue to go about sightseeing, and he said that was fine as long as we do not leave the city limits and do inform the officer on duty where we are going.”
Paul got up immediately with Melba. She threw Miss An’gel an apologetic glance as they walked by her. Johnny Ray followed them. Celia stood, muttering to herself. I suspected she would go visit one of her friends.
The room cleared quickly, leaving Helen Louise, Diesel, and me with the Ducotes and Benjy. Kanesha rejoined us and took a seat near Miss An’gel.
“Were you trying to rattle some cages?” I asked.
Miss An’gel regarded me with her usual calm. “I wouldn’t put it in such crude terms, Charlie, but yes, I was hoping to stir things up.”
“Did the lieutenant know what you were planning to do?” Helen Louise asked.
“I might have mentioned it to him,” Miss An’gel said. “I did speak with him this morning. That, at least, was true.”
Kanesha maintained her usual enigmatic expression, but I reckoned she would have happily scolded Miss An’gel if she thought it would have had the least effect. She knew better, however.
“Did you glean any insights from the reactions you got to your announcement?” I asked.
“I hardly expected the killer to prostrate himself before me and confess,” Miss An’gel said tartly. “I believe what I said struck home, however. It’s entirely likely that the killer will attempt to make a run for it, and the lieutenant and the Asheville police will be ready. They’ve been tailing everyone who leaves the hotel.”
TWENTY
-NINE
I couldn’t think of anything to say after Miss An’gel’s announcement that we would all be under surveillance outside the hotel. I should have realized before now that would be the case.
I stood, along with Helen Louise. “Well, then, I think we will probably go out today.”
“Yes, I’ve been wanting to go back and explore the rest of the Biltmore estate,” Helen Louise said. “The gardens, of course, as well as the winery. I’d love to try some of their wines.”
“That sounds like a lovely way to spend the day,” Miss An’gel said.
“What about Diesel?” Miss Dickce asked. “I don’t think they’ll let him in the winery or the gardens, either.”
“Sister is right,” Miss An’gel said. “We got a special dispensation for you to take him through the house with our tour, but that was all.”
“I guess we didn’t think it completely through,” I said, my tone apologetic.
Helen Louise shrugged. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not,” Miss Dickce said. “You two deserve to have your day out. I’m not feeling particularly energetic today and planned to stay in the hotel. You just leave Diesel with me and go enjoy your day. You’ll stay with me, won’t you, sweet boy?”
Thus appealed to, Diesel meowed. He loved the sisters and Benjy and would probably be happy with them today. I knew they would take excellent care of him.
“Thank you, if you’re sure it’s not an imposition.” I felt Helen Louise relax beside me. She really had her heart set on visiting the winery today.
“Not at all,” Miss An’gel said, and Miss Dickce nodded.
Helen Louise searched in her purse for her room key and handed it to Miss Dickce. “Thank you so much.”
Miss Dickce accepted the key. “Don’t give it a second thought.”
We didn’t. After a quick trip back to our suite to collect a few items, we headed for the parking lot and were soon on the way to the Biltmore estate. Helen Louise once again navigated.
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