Wally made a go-ahead gesture with his hand.
“Okay. First, this is a woman who will not take medicine. She feels that all drugs are bad. Even ones her doctors tell her to take.” Wally opened his mouth, but Skye continued. “Also, she says she didn’t take them. I’ve heard of people claiming an attempt was an accident, but not denying any part of it.”
“Look, it’s just as possible she overcame her dislike of pills and is embarrassed to admit it.” Wally looked at each woman in turn. “Isn’t it?”
“Anything’s possible,” Skye answered for both of them. “Did they find the bottle when they searched the church bathroom?”
“No.” Wally looked through the file. “No container on the scene or on her person.”
“Don’t you find that odd?” Skye asked. “What did she do, carry the pills loose in her purse?”
He shrugged.
“Another thing, when they pumped her stomach, could they tell if she had swallowed the pills whole, or were they added to something she ate or drank?” Skye paused and thought. “Too bad all the dishes will have been washed or disposed of since yesterday.”
“Okay, I’ll check into it, but I can’t afford to have someone guard her door until we have more evidence.” Wally wrote in his own notebook. “The best I can do is let the hospital know to keep an eye out.”
Skye stopped herself from making a sarcastic comment about closing the barn door when it was too late to do any good. “One more thing.”
He was already walking down the hall.
“Could you make sure the hospital doesn’t let anyone visit her unaccompanied?” Skye yelled.
His voice floated back. “Yeah, fine, okay.”
Skye turned to her mom. “Do you still want me to quit bothering everyone with my questions?” When May didn’t answer, Skye added, “If the murderer isn’t found soon, he may go after Aunt Minnie again.”
“Maybe, but I’m worried that if you keep poking your nose in where it doesn’t belong, you might be next.”
Looking around at the chaos inside her cottage Skye could almost believe it had been vandalized again, except she knew she had done it all herself. Bingo didn’t seem to care. He was nestled among the dirty clothes spilling from the overfull hamper.
After changing to old jean shorts and a ragged T-shirt, Skye started in on the mess. First, she stripped the bed and dumped the sheets in the washer. Remaking the bed with fresh linens was a challenge due to Bingo’s desire to play hide-and-seek among the covers.
Next, she sorted laundry and cleaned the bathrooms. Bingo followed her every move, appearing to think she was a giant mouse he was stalking.
Since Skye rarely cooked, the kitchen took only a few minutes to wipe down. This left the great room. She was looking for the furniture polish when the doorbell rang.
Bingo beat her to the entry and was pacing impatiently when she arrived. Peeking through the side window, Skye groaned.
She reluctantly opened the door. “Hi, Simon. Sorry I’m such a mess. I was just cleaning. You look awfully spiffy for a Thursday afternoon.”
“Thanks, I’ve got a funeral at one. I thought maybe you’d be free for lunch now that school’s out.” Simon walked into the foyer.
“Gee, I’d love to but, as I said, I’m hardly dressed to go out.” Skye led the way into the great room.
“Well, I’m sure no one at McDonald’s would mind how you’re dressed.” Simon sat beside her on the couch.
“How about I make us salad and soup right here?”
“I’d really like to take you out, but if that’s your best offer, I accept.” Simon loosened his tie, took off his suit jacket, and scooted closer to her.
“Ah, good, just let me wash up a little, and I’ll get started on lunch.” Skye retreated into her bedroom and firmly closed the door.
She reemerged in ten minutes, having washed her face, changed tops, and combed her hair. Simon was in the kitchen, looking into an open cupboard. Bingo was twining around his legs, meowing.
“Looks like it’s time for a visit to the Super Value.” Simon gestured to the empty shelves.
“Yeah, I’ve gotten a little behind with my housekeeping chores.” She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bag of salad and a bottle of dressing. “Do you see any soup?”
Simon showed her two cans. “Tomato or chicken noodle?”
“You choose. The saucepans are to the left of the stove on the bottom.” Skye grabbed bowls, napkins, and flatware. “I hear the final tox screen came in on Grandma. What was used to poison her?”
“You know I can’t tell you that. How did you know about it anyway?”
She mimicked him: “You know I can’t tell you that.”
“Look, let’s have a nice lunch without talking about murder.” Simon rummaged among the shelves until he found a tray.
“Fine.” Skye watched Simon load the tray with their bowls. She added glasses of soda, then led the way to the patio.
They’d finished eating and were laughing about their latest attempt to teach another couple to play bridge when the doorbell rang.
“Were you expecting anyone?”
She shook her head and made her way through the house to the foyer. The chief of police stood in a halo of sunlight on her front steps. The early afternoon sun glinted on his gold badge.
Skye wondered briefly if he was the angel of death. “Come on in, Wally. Nothing wrong I hope.”
“No, just thought I’d drop by and talk to you about our conversation this morning. Maybe over lunch, if you haven’t eaten.”
Before Skye could respond, Simon walked in off the patio.
“What brings you here, Chief?” He casually draped his arm around Skye’s shoulders.
“Following up a lead Skye and I came up with this morning.”
“Oh?” Simon narrowed his eyes.
“Yep.” Wally smiled slightly.
Both men turned to Skye, who frantically searched her mind for something to say.
“Gee, Wally, Simon and I just had lunch, and he has to get going.” She glanced at her watch. “Oh, my, it’s already twelve-thirty and I know you like to be there to let the family in early.”
Simon glowered as he shrugged into his jacket and straightened his tie. “I’ll call you tonight after the services.” He kissed her cheek and left.
“He didn’t seem happy to see me here,” Wally said.
“Probably just in a hurry.” With a sense of deja vu, Skye led the way into the great room and sat down.
Wally joined her couch and opened up his notebook. “The hospital has agreed to limit visitors to your aunt.”
“But no guard, right?” When he nodded she continued, “So anyone could still sneak in and kill her.”
“It’s the best I can do without some proof.” Wally’s eyes never left Skye’s face. “At least the psych ward is a lot more secure than the others.”
Skye forced herself not to resort to sarcasm. This wasn’t Wally’s fault. “Did you find out about her stomach contents?”
“No pill fragments. They were probably crushed into some food or drink.”
“And that isn’t enough proof for you?” she asked.
“No. If she was as antimedication as you say, it’s possible that was the only way she could force herself to take them.”
“Or, more likely, the only way someone could slip them to her.”
“I did go around and stop the trash from being removed from the church hall. Since you used mostly paper plates and cups, we might still find something. I sent it all to the lab.”
“If I had to guess, I’d pick the foam cups to test first. Aunt Minnie drinks lots of coffee with milk and sugar.
