A Timely Vision

for more than five million dollars. With that amount, Richards could probably pay off all his debts and still have a lot left over.”

“Of course I considered that! I’m not a complete fool. But Richards has an alibi for the time the ME thinks Lizzie was killed. He was still on the mainland, taping a news segment to be used later. I don’t think it was him, and neither does Agent Walker. We also checked out Sparks’s alibi since he’s new around here. He was at a big sales bash in Corolla.”

“But you can both wrap your minds around Miss Mildred killing her sister.” I hoped my tone conveyed enough sarcasm. “Really, Chief, just because everything is laid out all nice and neat doesn’t make it the truth.”

“I’ve given you the information I know about. All of the real evidence is against Millie. I don’t like it anymore than you do, Dae. And I wish I could point a finger at Jerry Richards or anyone else for what happened here. But I can’t, and you should let it go too.”

“Just one last thing,” I said. “Did Miss Mildred and Miss Elizabeth know their brother was still alive?”

He frowned. “Yes. He wouldn’t leave unless they knew. It was hard at the beginning. They didn’t speak to me for a long time. Part of the charade. Eventually, most people forgot.”

“Thanks, Chief. I appreciate you giving me this information. Forgive me if I can’t let this go that easy.”

The chair legs scraped on the wood floor as he pushed back from the desk. “I guess you have to do what you think is right. But be careful you don’t get in trouble. Brickman may have been FBI, but don’t think he knows it all.”

He left the office, and I sagged over my desk, my cheek against the cool wood. That wasn’t something I ever wanted to do again. But at least it had cleared the air, and I felt certain the chief wasn’t involved. Now I had to find out who was.

If Jerry Richards and Chuck Sparks had been ruled out as suspects, who was left? Someone else had to benefit, but who could that be?

I told Nancy I’d see her later and almost ran out of town hall. I sat for a long time on the bench overlooking Currituck Sound, trying to piece everything together. From where I was sitting, I could see the door to Missing Pieces, and when a prospective shopper finally decided to visit, I reluctantly went to answer the call.

The rest of the morning flew by as a few more shoppers followed the first. I sold one Blue Whale T-shirt for Kevin and put his money in an envelope for later. I noticed one of the shoppers seemed to be searching for something special. She picked up my Roosevelt jelly jar right away, then put it down only to circle back to it again.

She finally brought it up to the front, her cinnamon-colored brows knit together, very red lips determined in her pink face. “This one doesn’t have a price on it. I realize that means it’s more expensive, but I’m prepared to haggle.”

That was a little different than what I’d come to expect. Usually, my special shoppers paid whatever I asked for the treasure, no questions. We eyed each other like opponents before a prize fight. I came out swinging first, with a price in mind.

Her blue eyes widened comically. “That’s outrageous! I’ll give you half that.”

I could see she really wanted it. More important, she knew what it was. “You won’t get a jelly jar actually used by Mrs. Roosevelt while she was staying here in Duck for any less than I’m asking.”

“I’ve seen one or two for half of what you’re asking.”

Hmm. She wasn’t very good at haggling. “I’ll tell you what. You can have the jelly jar and the butter keeper that goes with it for my original price.”

“Deal!” She put out her heavily ringed hand to shake mine and we sealed the agreement. “Wait until the girls back home see this! Of course, I’ll have to add it to my will.”

Will! Why hadn’t I thought of it before? Miss Elizabeth had a last will and testament, but Miss Mildred wasn’t dead. The only legal document that could give someone the power to sell her property would be a power of attorney. If Miss Mildred knew Silas was still alive, she probably had put that in his name in the event of Elizabeth’s death. That meant Jerry Richards could sell the property if he had access to that document. He’d be fine as long as no one questioned it.

The customer wrote me a check, and I wrapped her items carefully. We parted ways congenially, both of us satisfied with the transaction. Two more customers came in behind her and bought some souvenir items. Mary Lou followed after them with some Turtle Rescue Day flyers to put up in the shop window.

“I hope you’ll be there, Dae, and that you’ll pass the word.” She took my tape dispenser and hung up several flyers in the windows and around the store. “This is an important opportunity for fund-raising and education. Thousands of baby sea turtles are lost every year, you know. We have to protect them.”

I’d heard it so many times already, it had lost some value for me. I knew the turtles were important, but Mary Lou was a little too focused on the subject. “I’ll try my best to be there,” I promised. As mayor, it was the least I could do.

“I’m so disappointed, really. You know, Millie promised part of her beachfront would be made into a turtle sanctuary when she passed. I wish I could hold her to that promise now.”

“She hasn’t passed yet,” I replied, thinking about the auction coming up Wednesday. If what Mary Lou said was true, it seemed even more possible there was a missing document that could shut down the whole property sale. A written promise to donate land to the Turtle Rescue League was enough to take to court.

“No, but she might as well have. I haven’t heard anything from her lawyer about the land. Her promise might as well not exist.” Her mouth made a disapproving frown that marred her otherwise smooth complexion. She was really a very pretty woman still, and I guess Gramps saw that, as well as her ability to play a mean game of pinochle.

“I’m sure she meant well,” I said soothingly. “Who’s her lawyer?”

“Oh, I don’t know that she had one. I suppose if she did it would’ve been old Bunk Whitley. But I don’t think he’s living, so I don’t know. I’d love to stay and chat, Dae, but I have to get around town with these flyers. I’ll see you Wednesday, if not before.”

It was nearly noon when I looked at the teapot clock. Mary Lou left only moments before Kevin got there. Gramps followed him in the door. “We need to talk,” Gramps said with a serious frown on his face.

“Let me close up and we can go eat lunch.” I shut off the lights and put up the “Closed” sign. “I’m starving. And I have plenty to tell you both.”

Hoping not to run into Shayla or Trudy, I chose to have lunch at Wild Stallions on the boardwalk. Normally, I wouldn’t care if they were around, but time was running short on solutions for Miss Mildred. I didn’t want to have to catch them up on everything.

We went into the dark bar and grill. Cody and Reece took our orders right away. We talked about Cody’s new son for a few minutes. He was a big boy, eight pounds and four ounces. His name was Zak. Cody planned to name a burger after him.

“So what do you have for us?” I asked Gramps when Cody and Reece were gone.

“I went to see Olivia this morning. We had a nice breakfast at that new pancake house they built in Manteo. Anyway, she knew about OBX Land Trust, LLC. Turns out the owner is Silas’ grandson. You won’t believe who that is.”

“Jerry Richards.” Kevin and I said at the same time. Gramps sat back with a scowl after we spoiled his news.

I told him about my encounter with Chuck that morning. “This has to be at the heart of why Miss Elizabeth was killed. But Chief Michaels said Jerry has an alibi for the night she died.”

“What else did the chief have to say?” Kevin asked.

“I hope you didn’t try to confront him, Dae,” Gramps added.

“It kind of slipped out. I really didn’t plan to upset him.” I explained everything the chief had said to me.

“Richards showed up at the courthouse while my SBI friend was there,” Kevin said. “He overheard him asking about a power of attorney document for Miss Mildred. He wanted to know if she’d ever had one filed with the county. Without one stating her intentions, he can take her estate. He’s technically next of kin.”

“That’s funny because I was thinking the same thing this morning,” I said. “What did they tell him?”

“They couldn’t find one for her. There was a will for Miss Elizabeth. My friend checked on it. It left everything