A Timely Vision

are so many things going on.”

Her pale blue eyes welled with tears again. “Don’t I know it! They think I killed Lizzie. It’s crazy of course, but they think I’m crazy because I saw her ghost. I can’t tell you how many people I know in Duck who have seen ghosts. I never thought they were crazy.”

“I know. I feel the same,” I reassured her. At this point, I was getting nothing from her. It was like looking into a black hole. “We’re trying to prove you didn’t kill your sister. Can you think of anyone who might have wanted to hurt her?”

She made a humphing sound. “You mean besides me? You know there have been plenty of times that I wanted to kill her. But I didn’t. It’s one thing to get angry and say things, but you don’t mean them. I can’t believe Lizzie is dead.”

She broke down again, crying for a few minutes. Kevin passed me some tissues, which I handed to Miss Mildred. Finally, she calmed down. “Miss Mildred, right now, we’re trying to keep them from selling your house so you have someplace to come home to.”

“Them? Who’s trying to sell my house, Dae?”

“I don’t know a good way to tell you this, but your brother, Silas, is still alive.”

“Silas? I knew that. Who’d have thought he’d come back after all these years? Why didn’t he phone or come over? How is he?”

“He’s sick. He might not live long.” I’d caught a glimpse of something tangible when she mentioned her brother, but it had no form, no focus. “He’s at an assisted living center in Kitty Hawk.”

“He’s the one who wants to sell my house? Our house, really, since that’s where we grew up. Daddy left it to me when he died with express commands to let Lizzie or Silas live there later if they needed to. We’ll bring him home. No reason for him to live in a place like that. I’ll tend to him.”

I didn’t remind her that she was in no position to bring anyone home. I tried to keep her focused on what was happening. “It seems Silas has given his grandson power of attorney to take care of his finances. His grandson is selling your house.”

“You mean my house and Lizzie’s house.” Her lips grew thin and mutinous. “I was Lizzie’s only heir in her will. That makes double properties for that young hyena to sell. Silas always was a little soft in the head. Does this young devil live in Kitty Hawk too?”

“No. It’s Jerry Richards from the TV station. You know him.”

“I certainly do. And I have a few things that need to be said to him. Dae, help me out of this chair and fetch my clothes. He can’t sell our houses. It’s simply not done.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the woman with the bad green sweater start to her feet. I didn’t want any kind of confrontation to erupt. I knew Miss Mildred liked to have her way. “I’m afraid we can’t do that right now.” I tried to calm her down. “But there’s something we can do to stop the sale.”

Miss Mildred looked at the attendant by the door and seemed to rethink her position. “What can we do, Dae? How can I save Daddy’s property?”

“Do you have a power of attorney document?”

“Of course. Lizzie and I had ours made at the same time by that ne’er-do-well, Bunk Whitley.”

“He never filed anything with the courthouse for either of you. Do you have a copy?”

“That man! He was good to look at, but he was a burden. That’s why I didn’t marry him after my husband died and I let him court Lizzie instead. But I kept a copy of everything. I have a copy of Lizzie’s will too.”

I could feel excitement straining inside me. I glanced at Kevin and smiled. “Where do you keep it?”

She paused and looked at me. “You know, I’m not really sure. It was behind the piano for the longest time. It fell off the top one day, and I couldn’t get that nice man from the church to come and help me move it for several weeks. I’m trying to remember where I put it after that. You know, I left both properties to the town in the event Lizzie and I both died. I thought my house might be a nice park, especially since I left five hundred yards on the beach to the Turtle Rescue League to start a sanctuary.”

That was news. I didn’t expect those properties to be left to Duck. There might be someway we could use that information to stop the sale, if we could find the power of attorney. “Think about it, Miss Mildred. We’ve done this plenty of times before. You think about it and I’ll find it.”

She smiled at me and took her hand away to pat my cheek. “You’ve always been such a good girl, Dae. I’ve been very proud to watch you grow up.”

Miss Mildred put her hand back in mine, and we both closed our eyes. I was beginning to get a clear picture of something in the house. It looked like a large jar, the decorative kind, painted in a blue and white Chinese motif. It seemed to be on a shelf, but it was difficult to say which room it was in. I concentrated harder, trying to pinpoint the area.

There was a loud rap at the door, startling everyone in the quiet room. The woman with the bad green sweater jumped up and opened the door. Another attendant, along with Jerry Richards and a man in a dark suit who had to be a lawyer, stood in the doorway.

“I have a legal document that says these people can’t talk to my great aunt,” Jerry said. “Serve it, Mr. Hudson. I want all of you out of here. Don’t try to see her again. It’s not good for her, and you aren’t family.”

How had I never noticed the nasty little wrinkles on Jerry’s face? He looked like a large, ugly ferret, already counting the money he’d make from the sale of his great aunts’ properties. I knew I wouldn’t know the difference between a real legal document that forbade me from seeing Miss Mildred and something Jerry had made up. I looked at Kevin to help me out.

He got to his feet and held his hand out to the lawyer in the doorway. “I’m Kevin Brickman, Ms. O’Donnell’s attorney. I’d like to see that document.”

He was so smooth, so believable. It was as if he’d been planning for this moment all morning. It reminded me of all the old police detective shows I’d ever watched on TV. Apparently, things like this really did happen.

Mr. Hudson shook Kevin’s hand with deliberation, then took a document from his briefcase. “I believe you’ll find everything in order.”

Kevin glanced at the document and nodded to me. I trusted his judgment—he’d certainly seen more warrants and court orders than I ever had. Since becoming mayor, I’d seen and signed a lot of resolutions and proclamations, but they weren’t the same thing.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to leave, Miss Mildred.” I leaned close to her and kissed her cheek whispering, “Don’t fret. I’ll be back, and I’ll get you out of this place. I promise.”

I thought she might cry again, but she held on to her dignity. “I know you will, child. I’ll wait for you.” Then she turned her pointed gaze to Jerry. “So you’re the young mischief maker who thinks he can sell my house, my father’s house, out from under me. You’ve got a lot to learn, young man. Wait until I tell your grandfather.”

Jerry smirked, not at all concerned by her threat. “You take care of yourself, Aunt. I’ll take care of everything else.”

Kevin and I left the room. Jerry and his lawyer stayed behind. I could hear his explicit instructions to both attendants all the way down the hall. I was never to be let in to see Miss Mildred again. I was a troublemaker who only wanted to make her unhappy.

“Did you see anything?” Kevin whispered, close at my side.

“Yes. I think I can find it. I wish I’d had a few more minutes to clarify which room it’s in—Miss Mildred has a lot of bric-a-brac. But I’ll have to search until I find it.”

“I’ll help you. I’m sure we can get all the help you need.”

We went back out to the truck and got inside. I grinned at Kevin as he fastened his seat belt. “That was awesome how you stepped in. You almost had me believing you were a lawyer. I bet you used to do things like that all the time.”

He started the truck. “All the time.”

“And you don’t miss that?”

“Not at all. This is almost too much excitement for me.”

“You’re teasing, right? You really wanted to help, didn’t you?”

“As much as you want to paint, which by the way, we’ll have to get to sooner or later. What do you make of the relationship between Bunk Whitley and the two sisters? It sounds like he was courting them both.”