Death by Donation

by Sarah Hualde

  Ines flexed her hands. “Whoever you are, I want you gone. I want you out of my life and out of my town.”

  “I’ve already told you. I’m Bill. Jake’s dead. Besides, I’m going to need to bury Jake’s cousin. Poor Della. She deserves a memorial, too, doesn't she?” Jake’s face puckered at Della’s name.

  “Does she? See, I believe you both planned to kill Bill Barnaby. I think she got too greedy and you killed her.”

  “Do you? That’s interesting. Since I never laid eyes on her until after Jake’s death.”

  Grant stirred, struggling to keep calm. He mumbled. Ines put her hand out, gesturing for him to quell his aggression.

  “Listen, Jake or whoever you are. I know you’re not my Bill. Furthermore, I know you want out of this town more than you want money.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. Money isn’t unfaithful and it keeps its mouth shut.” Bill/Jake sucked on his candy, smacking his lips like a wolf ready to pounce on a flock of lambs.

  “I am. Because the longer you stay the more likely you’ll be found out. What if I told you I had no money to give you?”

  “I’d call you a lying spinster. I mean look at this place.”

  “But what I do have is something much more valuable? Something, I believe you tore apart Bill’s flat to find.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “It’s there on the table,” Ines shifted her gaze to the stainless steel briefcase. “Bill’s DNA results and yours. It may be almost three years old but it’s still there. I wonder which sample matches yours now.”

  Jake lurched forward and snagged the briefcase. He began trying to rip it open but his bandages obstructed his way. “Open it.”

  “You may have burned your hands and rid yourself of fingerprints, for the moment. But you can’t fight DNA.”

  “I said, open it!”

  “I don’t have the key. You do.”

  “What do you mean?” Jake took an aggressive step closer to Ines. “Open it now or I’ll kill your sweet nephew.”

  “The key was on Bill’s keychain.”

  “I don’t have it! I gave it to...”

  Jake growled and paced a moment in the foyer. He stepped closer to the game room, discovering the listeners hidden inside it. He rushed back into the library cursing and aiming his wrath toward Ines. Grant hopped to standing and wedged himself between his aunt and the imposter.

  Ivy gasped. She stepped into the hall and hurried toward the kitchen. She dangled keys in the air. “You gave it to me.”

  Jake snarled. “I’ll come back for you two.” Jake snatched the metal briefcase and followed Ivy out of the house.

  Ivy rushed out onto the porch, vaulted the railing, and stood in the middle of a howling storm. Thunder crackled, making Ivy jump. She was certain Gus, Parker, or the marshal would be downstairs and around back at any moment. She just needed to distract Jake from attacking Grant and Ines a few minutes longer.

  Jake slammed through the kitchen door and launched into the storm. No officers followed.

  Chapter 37

  The screens returned just in time for Lydia to witness Ivy taunt the crazed murderer posing as Bill Barnaby. Ines screeched first and started praying afterward.

  “What is that girl doing?” Gus’ voice rattled down the stairs.

  “Your job,” Lydia left the game room and hurried through the front door. Marshal Teller hurled past Gus, down the stairs.

  “Come on,” he hollered to Gus.

  “Parker, go to Grant and Ines.” Gus relayed his own orders as he rushed behind the marshal.

  “You mean, Ines.” Gus looked back. The screen hosted only one Justice.

  “Why don’t people stay where they’re told?”

  Lydia crossed the porch in time to see Ivy disappear behind an old garden shed. Jake trailed, followed closely by Grant. Lydia switched courses and slid into her smart car. Gus ran around the corner chasing Marshal Teller.

  ✽✽✽

  Ivy looked over her shoulder as she aimed her run to the only hiding place she saw- an old abandoned barn. Jake was closing in. Ivy wasn’t sure what to do next. She firmly believed that help was on the way but all she saw was the angry face of Jake Cloverdale.

  He was livid. Being found out by Ines and then revealed to Ivy and whoever else was listening broke his facade. He wasn’t even pretending to be meek and marvelous Bill Barnaby. He was Jake, the deceptive murderer and he was guilty of killing his own twin.

  One more look back and Ivy missed seeing the huge mud pit in front of her. She plummeted to the ground. The backsplash of mud startled her but not as much as Jake Cloverdale jerking her up by the back of her shirt. The collar ripped a fabric burn across her throat.

  Ivy swung her arms and kicked her feet. She wasn’t going to surrender. Not this time. Voices from her memories flooded her as Jake tossed her back to the mud.

  He cursed in pain. Ivy flipped onto her back. She swiped mud out of her eyes. Grant was there welding the instant hot tea kettle. It sloshed with water as it smacked Jake on the back.

  Grant slipped in the mud and joined Ivy on the ground. “Get up!” She shouted at him and yanked him to his feet. Ivy charged toward her original destination. The emphasis of the feet falling behind her told her it wasn’t Grant who drew closer but Jake. She wasn’t going to risk looking back again. “Please God, help me.”

  Grant’s newly nasally voice screeched out to her. “Help is on the way, Ivy. Keep running!” A whoosh of relief flooded down Ivy’s back, empowering her to push further and run faster.

  ✽✽✽

  “Keep her safe,” Lydia prayed as she started her smart car. Fishtailing on the gravel drive and then on the rain-drenched grass, the tiny vehicle jostled Lydia around. She passed the running officers, her sights set on Jake Cloverdale.

  His chest was covered in mud. His eyes were fierce and violent. If he caught up to Ivy, he wasn’t going to leave her breathing. It didn’t matter if the authorities were right behind him. Jake was insane with rage. He was taking at least one more person down with him.

  “Jesus, help me.” Lydia breathed deeply and accelerated. She decreased speed only slightly as she cracked the wheel to the right and nicked Jake with the bumper of her car. Jake’s scream didn’t reflect pain but fury. The fireproof case flew into the air and crashed into Lydia’s windshield.

  Lydia slammed on the brakes. She sat panting in the front seat.

  Gus threw his hands up into the air as he passed her. He mouthed “What were you thinking?” at the sheriff’s wife and kept running after Ivy.

  Marshal Teller stopped beside Jake. He offered a thumb up to the bewildered driver.

  Chapter 38

  Ivy woke with another nightmare. She still hadn’t recovered from her flight from Jake Cloverdale. One night of supposed rest at home wasn’t enough to do the trick. She pulled Scout, who was sleeping beside her, all the closer.

  The baby girl mumbled in her sleep, “Mamaamamamamama.”

  Ivy smiled. “That’s right, sweet girl. I’m here.” She kissed Scout’s fluffy head.

  Ethan would be home from his trip in one more day. Lydia’s full protective mode would be on high alert until he returned. Then life would get back to its crazy/normal routine. Ivy sucked in Scout’s fading baby smell and caught a whiff of coffee and cinnamon. Lydia was already up and stress baking.

  Ivy padded the area around Scout with pillows. The little one was rolling. Ivy worried over her rolling off the bed. She’d even lowered the bed frame to make the fall less dangerous. Just in case, she tossed extra bedding on the floor.

  “Like that’s going to do much?” Lydia stood in the doorway. Ivy hadn’t bothered closing it. She’d been up and down all night. Voices from unseen faces kept taunting her. She couldn’t place them and it gnawed at her. Lydia swished a cup of coffee in the air. “It’s fresh. Meet you at the table?”

  Ivy nodded. She wrapped a robe around her and trudged out to the d
ining room.

  “You’re not sleeping well, either?”

  “Nope,” Lydia said too cheerfully. “I’m waiting for news from Gus. I haven’t heard anything since Ines’.”

  Ivy hadn’t heard anything either. She waited for Grant to call, knowing he wouldn’t. He’d been so chivalrous and strong at Ines’. He chased after her and helped her back to the house after Lydia hit Jake with her car. Ivy had no doubt he would have single-handedly fought the known criminal to keep him off of her. But he wasn’t brave enough to call.

  Ivy sat and drank her first wakeup call of coffee. Lydia surveyed the teen’s expression. “Grant?”

  Ivy gaped.

  “He seems like a nice guy.”

  “In my experience, a lot of guys seem nice. It doesn’t mean they are,” Ivy said.

  “It doesn’t mean they’re not.” Lydia encouraged Ivy while stirring her steamy mug of coffee.

  Ivy frowned. “It’s just not worth the risk.”

  “If you say so.”

  Ivy sniffed the air and followed the scent of baked goods. Two coffee cakes cooled on the bar. “Are we having company?”

  Lydia nodded.

  “Flora?”

  Lydia nodded.

  “And?” Lydia stared past Ivy. Mischief twinkled in her eyes. “Grant.”

  “Ines and possibly Grant.”

  “When?”

  “An hour. Ish.”

  Ivy downed her mug of caffeine, burning her taste buds. She slammed back from the table and hustled down the hallway, gibbering to herself.

  ✽✽✽

  Flora brought her scrapbook and arrived thirty minutes early. Lydia let her in before scampering back upstairs to dry her hair. Flora had no intention of displaying her book of clues but she did want to wrap up the case. It would make two mysteries solved for her scrapbook and provide visual aids for explaining to Kat when she got home. Flora nearly giggled as she danced in the kitchen with Enoch strapped to her torso.

  She hoped she wasn’t turning morbid by enjoying solving mysteries with her friends. But seeing justice served made her heart so happy. It was rare to witness it in real-time and not on the news.

  ✽✽✽

  The doorbell chimed three minutes before the previously designated time. Weary Ines and bruised Grant slinked into Lydia’s living room. Lydia set treats out on the coffee table and took her place on Ethan’s favorite chair.

  Ivy sat by Flora, on the floor. Scout was sleeping abnormally well. But Enoch squirmed and squeaked in his mother’s arms. Ines was still stunned but soothed by the cozy atmosphere.

  “I’m glad you invited us over. I’ve been going crazy at home. Grant’s supplied me with take-out and quiet company but I really want to talk things out with the people who lived it beside me. I’m sure it won’t be the last time I need to discuss it, but I can’t help feeling that if I rip off the Band-Aid, maybe I can start grieving. Bill deserves that.”

  Grant paced behind the couch. His green-brown eyes were surrounded in puffy circles. The swelling in his nose was subsiding slowly. His frustration wasn’t.

  Ivy purposefully kept her eyes from lighting on his agitated walk. It was difficult. He was the only moving thing in the room. She’d wanted to hold Scout and use her to distract herself. Of course, her baby chose to sleep instead.

  Lydia served her guest snacks and beverages and cut the polite chit chat. “So, what happened after we left?”

  “Gus hasn’t called you?”

  Lydia and Flora answered in unison. “Not a word.”

  Ines straightened and sipped her tea. “I’m sure he’ll come to talk to you soon. He said as much when he returned Bill’s case. I was afraid they’d keep it.”

  “Don’t they need to? For the DNA?” Flora swayed Enoch on her lap.

  Ines grinned softly. “All the TreeLinks information is in my library safe. That’s where Bill and I kept all our ancestry research.”

  “Then what was in the case,” Lydia couldn’t help but ask.

  “Bill’s love letters to me and mine to him. When he proposed we combined them and kept them in his fireproof case. He said they were the most important documents he’d ever owned.” Ines placed a trembling hand to her clavicle and shivered. Grant placed an affirming hand on his aunt’s back. She cleared her throat and returned to the case. “Here’s what I’ve been told. First, Jake Cloverdale isn’t Jake Cloverdale. He’s James Strap.”

  “He’s married to Della.”

  “Yes, he was. Together James and Della got involved in some pretty shady business with some very dangerous people. They tried to hide by taking new names. But Bill and I exposed them, as the Cloverdales when TreeLinks found them. Della and James had been using a few family finder sites to create new conning opportunities. When the bad guys came, James went to the police for help. To avoid prison, he went into witness protection,” Ines spoke in her steady librarian voice.

  “Which brings us to Marshal Teller?”

  “Not yet! What about Della,” Flora asked.

  “He ditched her. But not for long. Every time the marshal hid James, James would check in with Della. Della told her friends, who happened to be very dangerous people. James had to relocate. Eventually, he remembered getting a letter from Bill before all the hiding. He researched it and discovered they were identical twins.”

  “So, he...”

  “He planned it from the beginning. Find Bill. Kill him and take his identity. Escape prison. Escape witness protection. Set up a new life with Della.”

  Lydia scratched her head. “If that was his entire plan, then why was he hassling you and Bill for money?”

  “He needed a way to get Della out here.”

  “And when she was finally here?”

  “She didn’t want to live in a small town for the rest of her life. When Jake wouldn’t run away with her, with my money, she decided she’d blackmail him.”

  “For Bill’s death?” Lydia said.

  Ines nodded. Her voice echoed no emotion, just facts overflowing. Her mind had not yet released its protective hold over her. Lydia knew a tidal wave was on its way. She wished she could find a way to help barricade Ines against it. The pain would be real, heavy, and all-encompassing. Lydia offered a silent prayer for Ines.

  “Now what is going to happen?” Flora patted Enoch’s cloth padded bum and swayed from side to side.

  Ines cleared her throat. “He would’ve gone back to witness protection, but the big guy he was about to testify against was killed by his second in command, six months ago. Most of the organization is in prison.”

  “Jake or James or whatever will be right there with them in no time.” It was the first time Grant had spoken since his arrival.

  His tense voice sliced through the air like a sword. Ivy hoped it wasn’t a sword of vengeance. She knew her life was completely messed up by her past. She didn’t want Grant Justice to live the same fate. In fact, she’d risked her safety more than once to keep him out of trouble.

  Ivy chanced a side glance up at Grant. His swollen eyes caught hers and for only one moment things were okay. Then Scout cried. Ivy jumped up in mom-mode and hustled to her room.

  “Excuse me,” she called over her shoulder. She swore she spotted Grant sneer as she passed him. Her guts thudded with the emotional blow.

  ✽✽✽

  After feeding Scout, changing her, and dressing her she returned to the living room. Only Lydia graced the space. Ivy’s shoulders dropped.

  “Where is everyone?”

  “Gus called and needed something from Ines and Grant and then Flora went home. Come and sit awhile and talk to me.”

  Ivy solemnly complied. Scout clapped and bounced on the cushion between Lydia and Ivy. Both moms kept a protective hand at the ready, just in case the baby decided to take a backward dive to the hardwood.

  Lydia looked deep into Ivy’s seascape eyes. “Would you like to explain to me your pressing need to leave? Are you so anxious to be on your own?”

&
nbsp; Ivy trembled. Her tears were undefeatable. They rolled freely between her words. “I don’t want to be in your way. You and Ethan have done so much for me and for Scout. But it hasn’t been without sacrifice. And I’ve noticed.”

  Lydia tisked. “What sacrifices have you noticed?”

  “You’re never alone. You get up at all hours to help me with Scout. You pay for my life, basically. You even missed your yearly camping trip with Ethan, all because of me.”

  “First of all, I loathe camping. I thought we’d discussed that. As for everything else, Ethan and I are pleased to be able to offer it.”

  Ivy continually swiped her eyes making them red and puffy. She grunted at each of Lydia’s excuses and volleys. “But, I’m no one. I’m nothing. I understand loving Scout. Even if she’s mine. She’s irresistible. But me? I’ve been a trial to everyone who’s ever taken me in.

  My father left because of me. My mother died because of me. My grandmother died because of me. Scout almost died because of me.

  Do you know what I almost did, when I discovered I was pregnant? If you did, you’d never forgive me. I’m telling you I’m only trouble. If I stay here, with you, things like this weekend will just keep happening. And I’ll be the reason.” Ivy’s sudden loudness caused Scout to stare at her mother with dessert plate eyes of worry.

  Lydia shook with the weight of her own sadness and didn’t know how to word the feelings swirling beneath her breastbone. She stammered. “Oh, Ivy, you are a blessing - To me and to Ethan. You and Scout... it feels like you’ve always belonged to us and with us. I hope I’m not disrespecting you or your family. But that’s what you are to us, family. We love you, both. We want you, both. Here. With us. For as long as you’ll have us. Don’t you know that? You, Ivy, are so loved. I love you. You are my girl.”

  Ivy remembered her Mema whispering words, very much like Lydia’s, to her over and over and over again. When things went from ugly to unbearable, Mema would tell Ivy “Remember who you are. You are my girl and you are loved.” Ivy took it in and held it, both the present and the past.

  Lydia Everett and Ivy Hooper sat crying themselves silly until it felt like time stood still. Then they rested, playing with Scout and allowing the last trickles of the storm to be their only music.