Death by Donation

by Sarah Hualde

  ✽✽✽

  Ines looked much like she had during their meeting the previous day. A bit jumpier and a little paler, but just as confused as the last few days. She nodded when Lydia shut the door to Ethan’s office. “I knew they’d let you in. Lydia, the mystery-solving machine.”

  Lydia’s natural instinct to scoff was drowned out by her deliberate examination of Ines’ emotional state. “I brought you some coffee and a muffin.”

  “Thanks but I’m not hungry. You can put it on the desk.” Lydia did as suggested and took a seat in Ethan’s usual chair.

  “You’re not under arrest, so that’s good.”

  Ines half-smiled. “Yes. But I’m a person of interest.”

  “That’s only because so few people around here knew Della.”

  Ines swallowed and stared at her twitching hands. “I don’t think that’s the only reason.”

  Chapter 28

  Grant did not open the door. Neither did Professor Barnaby. Ivy stood a long while outside on the stoop and waited. After another round of knocking and no answer, she followed the wrap around porch to the kitchen door. She knocked again. The door opened.

  “Hello?” Ivy called into the house. No greeting returned to her. She planted one foot inside the kitchen and slowly opened the door wider. She was smarter than to charge inside the house. But she did want to make sure no one was in trouble or hurting.

  The kitchen was dark, save for a blue light flickering on the instant kettle. Someone had recently been there. Ivy scooted inside, tugging her phone from her back pocket. She began texting Flora.

  Keeping her back to the wall she entered the room only far enough to be out of the door frame. Her thumbs flew across her phone’s face but she wasn’t looking at the letters. Ivy hoped all her experience texting long distances, with Emily, would serve her muscle memory well. Maybe her text would be at least half decipherable. She hit send and waited for whoever was preparing the hot water to return.

  ✽✽✽

  Flora rested on the couch, a baby perched on each shoulder. When her phone rang, she startled. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. It was so quiet at Lydia’s and the snuggly warmth of Enoch and Scout lulled her. She didn’t have a freehand and couldn’t reach the vibrating phone. She listened as it jiggled from the dining room table to the ground. Images of her brand new phone screen once again shattering on the floor made Flora wish for a harsher word to describe her frustration. “Strawberries!”

  ✽✽✽

  The auto shut off activated with a click that made Ivy jump. Suddenly, she had a strong desire to hide. She crouched. At least she wouldn’t be completely obvious if someone walked in. Ivy decided to pretend to be tying her shoe if anyone ever showed up to claim their freshly bubbling water.

  Footfalls fell in beat with her pulse. Ivy held her breath. Brooke, Ines’ sporadic housekeeper, dumped the boiling water into a mop bucket. The scent of pine and lemon wafted from the rollaway container.

  Brooke sang to the music blasting through her earbuds as she twirled her fresh batch of floor cleaner. There was no way Brooke had heard Ivy knocking earlier if her buds were in.

  Ivy watched the maid from her hiding place. There was no use scaring the girl half to death. She stayed put and waited for her to leave. Brooke danced her way out of the kitchen.

  Back up, Ivy decided to give the front door another try. She opened up the back door and ran smack into Grant Justice.

  ✽✽✽

  “M kitchen ns? What does that mean?” Flora retrieved her phone after laying each infant in their respective portable cribs. A fresh slash covered her new screen. Reading the text message around it was annoying. Using her finger to send a response was more than a little frustrating.

  Flora needed more intel. She needed to know Ivy was safe and not blind texting in a closet, inches away from a homicidal maniac. Flora fretted over what would be worse: giving away Ivy’s hiding place or not knowing if the teen was in trouble.

  Flora texted a response and prayed Ivy had been wise enough to turn off her notification sounds.

  ✽✽✽

  “What do you mean not the only reason?”

  Ines shivered and wrapped her arms around her torso. She rubbed her palms against her biceps, creating a tiny fraction of heat. Lydia understood one very good reason why Gus suspected Ines. She was looking right at it.

  Ines’ bare arms and Della’s naked body were once covered with the same cardigan. Lydia decided not to start a conversation with the obvious evidence. She wanted Ines to get to the root of her worries without segue.

  “Grant caught them.” Ines started. “Della and Bill being, let’s say flirtatious.”

  “And?”

  “I confronted Bill and he went berserk. He wanted Della to live with us.” Again, Ines shivered. Lydia didn’t think it was the air giving her goosebumps but her distaste for Della. “I just don’t trust her. I didn’t trust her. It may seem weird to you, it’s weird to me, but she was after Bill. My Bill.” Ines sniffled but forced her tears aside. “Bill,” Ines repeated. Her look was distant and painful. “Why isn’t he here? Gus called him. But, he didn’t even answer.” Ines’ sadness shifted and morphed into terror. “Lydia!” Ines snagged Lydia’s arm from across the desk and squeezed. “What if something happened to him? Do you think? Oh, Lydia. I’ve got to...”

  Ines hyperventilated in front of Lydia. Lydia rocketed from her chair, detaching Ines’ hand from her arm, and opened the office door.

  “Gus! Gus!” Lydia called into the office and turned back to Ines, trying to calm the manic woman.

  Chapter 29

  Grant Justice offered a crooked smile that tore apart Ivy’s confidence. She returned the gesture in what she was certain was a sneer and tried not to care what she looked like. She’d intentionally not dedicated energy into her appearance for the day. There were more important things to do than primp.

  The thought that she might be growing a mild infatuation for Grant Justice made her head swim and her stomach tighten. Murder or no she didn’t have the whitespace in her life plan for Grant. It didn’t matter how sweet she’d thought he was just half a day before. There wasn’t enough room for him. She told herself that over and over again.

  Ivy struggled to tear her thoughts away from Grant’s more green than hazel eyes. She couldn’t remember what she’d intended to ask Mr. Justice when she arrived at Ines’. Thankfully, Grant had questions of his own.

  “I guess you heard about my aunt?” His voice was softer, weaker than Ivy remembered. She nodded at him dumbly. “I don’t get it. Your deputy seems nice and all. Not stupid or pompous like the ones on TV shows. But I don’t get what makes him believe it’s Auntie Ines.”

  Grant missed the fact that he’d slammed into Ivy only seconds ago and that Ivy didn’t normally loiter in people's kitchens uninvited. He didn’t piece together that she wasn’t supposed to be there. Ivy didn’t offer up information. Instead, she let him lead her toward the refrigerator.

  He pulled out a bottle of water for him and offered one to Ivy. She took it oddly that Grant hadn’t pummeled her with questions about why she was there.

  “Why don’t you tell me about last night, after the memorial? Maybe we can figure out something to piece it all together.”

  Grant downed his entire bottle of water and dumped the empty plastic into the recycle bin.

  “Why not,” he said. “But we’ve got to keep an ear out for Bill. I think he’s still in bed. I haven’t seen him this morning.”

  “Not even when Gus came and got your aunt?”

  “He didn’t pick her up here. He found her at Bill’s place. She was there to clean up the ransacking job. And it’s not like you think. Gus didn’t technically arrest her or anything. She volunteered to go with him and answer his questions.”

  “So, he doesn’t really suspect her then. Or he would have arrested her. Cuffs and all.” Ivy comforted Grant without meeting his gaze.

  “Does that really matter
? This is a tiny town. Are they going to let her continue as a librarian if she’s been a suspect? What about her reputation? What about Bill? Will he stick beside her?”

  Ivy didn’t answer. Just a few days ago, Ivy would have said that Professor Barnaby was content to live and die for Ines Justice. But after his twin’s death, the man was a swinging ball of emotional dynamite. He went from encouraging her with professional distance to intimidating her with awkward forwardness. Bill’s loyalty was a crapshoot.

  “That’s what I thought.” Grant read Ivy’s face. He motioned toward the door he’d previously charged through. “Let’s sit on the porch. I don’t want to get in Brooke’s way.”

  ✽✽✽

  Dr. Lawrence examined Ines at his office. Lydia accompanied her, at Ines’ request. Gus stood outside the door. By the way the deputy paced and the freedom he allowed his P.O.I., Lydia concluded he was worried for Ines’ safety.

  Ines was not a flight risk. She didn’t have the stamina to run. Not after the last few days. Ines went from Honey Pot’s quiet yet plucky librarian to a hollow and distant shell. She burned sick days attending to the needs of her fiancé and his cousin in their distress. She catered to Della and Bill’s every whim. Now, she was the only person of interest in Della’s murder and her fiancé was nowhere to be seen.

  Gus agreed to send Parker out to check on Bill Barnaby. But it would be an hour or two until Parker returned from an errand run.

  Ines quieted at the promise but couldn’t return to her pseudo state of calm. The plastic seal torn from her pretense of control, Ines was left with only raw emotion compounded by intense fatigue.

  Dr. Lawrence said as much in the patient room. He then went to the hall and talked with Gus. Ines approved his moderate divulgence of information to the deputy. She reminded Lydia of a pregnant woman in labor. After a while, she stopped caring who poked at her and just wanted the pain to stop.

  Lydia placed a gentle hand on Ines’ shoulder. Gus followed Dr. Lawrence back into the room.

  “I’ve told the deputy that I think it’s best if I give you something to help you rest. The only thing is, you may get extremely talkative. Which isn’t good in your situation? He assures me you’re not under arrest but you are a person of interest. I can’t tell you what you should do. You’ll stay here, in this room, until you’re feeling stable. But you might want to call a lawyer before you step into this mess.”

  “I stepped into this mess days ago. I’d love to just sleep until it’s over.” Ines’ voice cracked. Her physical strain radiated to everyone as she struggled to swallow her tears.

  “Devon,” Lydia called out to Dr. Lawrence’s nurse.

  “Yes?”

  “Do you happen to have any clean blankets around? I think Ines could really use one.”

  Devon smiled with empathy in her eyes. “I’ll go get a couple and a pillow.” She charged off down the hall to retrieve the comforting sleep supplies.

  “Are you certain you want to go through with this, Ines?”

  “Funny. I asked Bill the same thing just last week.” Ines wiped a heavy tear from her cheek and nodded. “Yes, please. I have nothing to hide.”

  Dr. Lawrence ushered everyone from the room as Devon made her way back inside.

  Gus paced the hallway. “Lydia, I don’t mind telling you I’m worried. About her. About everything. I don’t have a whole lot to go on. Della was drowned. Ines’ sweater was there at the scene. I’m waiting to see if it was the murder weapon. There are no prints or anything. I’m calling Parker to come to sit here with her after he checks on Bill. Just in the hall. Until she’s back to herself and can talk.”

  “That sounds like a great idea.”

  “Can you stay for a bit?”

  “Of course,” Lydia said.

  ✽✽✽

  A light rain tinkled on the porch roof. Ivy let the sound carry her concerns away. She followed Grant to a swing facing the back of Ines’ property. He sat and she took residence on the porch rail. She didn’t want to get too close to him. Grant might get the wrong idea and believe she was pushing herself on him. Just like Della insinuated.

  Grant didn’t seem to notice Ivy’s hesitant attitude. He was absorbed in other matters. He was edgy and anxious. Ivy wished she had a magic phrase to soothe his feelings and draw him back into friendship with her. If they were still friends? She couldn’t tell.

  Ivy had friends drop her for less than having an illegitimate daughter. But this new friendship with Grant meant more to her than she'd first assumed. She was having a difficult time wrapping her heart around her growing delight in his company. She didn't want to have these feelings. They always let her down when she needed them to stay constant and loyal.

  She sat silently watching Grant and remembering conversations from the past. Her mother had told her it would all be okay, but that didn’t mean she’d be around to see it work out. Her grandmother tried her hardest to protect Ivy only to die when Ivy needed her the most. Her father was replaced by an angry stepfather, whose every word dripped with poison and pain. Her last and only boyfriend who used hurt feelings to try and tangle Ivy into a lifetime of bad decisions. She wanted to project all her pain at Grant.

  Ivy wanted to make her feelings for him screech to a stop and then dissolve. But she couldn't shake them, even though they had met only a few short days ago. Ivy knew Grant’s disapproval of her would stick to the list of hurts she carried with her. She knew she’d pull out the memory of his hazel eyes on a whim and look into them only to see her face, dirty and damaged.

  Grant shifted on the swing causing a hinge to creak. Ivy stirred from her thoughts and tuned into Grant’s conversation. His face pinched in concentration. He ran a shaking hand through his hair. “Has that ever happened to you?”

  Ivy blinked. She hadn't been listening to the conversation. “I’m sorry what?”

  “Someone you thought you knew completely flipping on you?”

  Ivy almost laughed, but Grant's eyes held too much hurt to snicker at. “More than you know.”

  “I guessed as much.” Ivy didn’t know how to take Grant’s words. Was he trying to hurt her or reaching out in understanding? Or what? “I thought I really knew Bill. It’s only been a few weeks but I thought I really, really knew him. We had many deep conversations. He was old. But felt like a big brother to me.”

  Ivy shifted on the porch rail and leaned in toward Grant. She didn’t want her mind to rabbit trail again and leave her missing half the point. Grant mussed his hair again and glared past Ivy and into the rain. The drops were growing in strength but not in speed.

  “And Bill... he fit with Aunt Ines. They were so good together. They built each other up. They stood in the gap for one another. He’d forget something and she’d have his back. She’d worry over something and he’d calm her down.”

  Ivy nodded. She’d seen the same thing at the blood bank. “I noticed that too when he volunteered to give blood. He was absolutely petrified. Ines being close stilled the worst of his fear. He didn’t make it through the process but I think he made it much closer than he would have without her.”

  Grant laughed. “Did Ines tell you about that whole paper cut thing?” Grant's eyes twinkled.

  “Yes. I didn’t think phobias like that were real.”

  “Oh, they are. And they live inside Bill Barnaby. Uncle Bill, I mean.” Grant's subtle smile faded as a shadow crept onto the porch.

  ✽✽✽

  Lydia sat beside Ines. She texted updates to Flora who, in turn, responded. Flora’s messages were odd and off-putting. Lydia figured she must be nursing or baby wrangling and didn’t have time to correct her spelling or grammar.

  On a normal day, Flora never spoke in acronyms. She spelled out every single word, in every single sentence, complete with correct punctuation. It was annoying when one just need to know what time to show up to a party. But her diligence amazed Lydia. It was no wonder why her kids were such natural spellers and storytellers. They took after th
eir mom.

  Ines slept, off and on, on the examination table. A wall secured one side of the bed. Lydia was the security for the other. Occasionally, Ines would stir and mumble to herself. Most of the time, she stared at the ceiling or slept.

  Lydia sent a message to Ivy. She wanted to know how Grant was doing and why Bill hadn’t arrived at the sheriff’s office looking for Ines. The last matter worried her more than the first. She wished she’d asked Ines before the good doctor had injected her. She’d have to wait until Ines was more fully awake to find out.

  ✽✽✽

  Bill Barnaby stood under a freshly activated motion sensor. The rain darkened the sky just enough to allow Bill’s presence to trigger the light. His shadow crossed the deck between Ivy and Grant like a backslash.

  Ivy didn’t look at him. She didn’t have to. Grant’s face and Bill’s breathing told her all she needed to know. Bill was angry. Really angry. Ivy didn’t know why but it didn't matter. She knew better than to stick around. She slid off the rail and back stepped past the porch swing and behind Grant.

  Grant, obviously, wasn’t as well acquainted with rage as Ivy was. He stood between Ivy and Bill and glared directly into the professor’s glasses. “Is there something we can do for you,” he asked the professor.

  Bill pouted. “Yeah, I need a ride.”

  Grant frowned. The bald man took a small step closer to him. “Why?”

  “Why?” Bill flinched. He didn’t like being questioned. “Because I do.”

  Ivy watched Bill push his glasses back into place. His bandages were much less cumbersome than before. She wondered who had doctored them since yesterday.

  “Why not drive your own car?”

  Bill took another step closer to Grant. Ivy wanted to warn Grant. She wanted to reach out and put a guiding hand on his shoulder and pull him away from the angry professor but she didn’t dare. She didn’t want Grant accusing her of aggressively pursuing him. Instead, she back stepped a tiny bit more, willing Grant to take the hint and join her slow retreat. Grant didn’t catch on.