The Merlot Murders

“I’ll bet he didn’t,” Fitz said. “They were keepin’ that kind of hush-hush. And Eli probably told you that I’m an old crackpot, too, didn’t he?”

“Eli wouldn’t say…” I said, but he cut me off.

“Like hell he wouldn’t. I’m not sure who it was came around talkin’ to your daddy trying to persuade him to sell the place but let me tell you, that so-called ‘accident’ Lee had was mighty peculiar, if you ask me.”

I could just make out the expression on his face in the warm yellow light that shone through one of the windows behind us. True, he smelled like he’d drunk enough to float an ocean liner, but he also seemed in control of his faculties. He was watching me gravely.

I’d been holding on to the railing to keep my balance. My grip on the smooth, worn wood tightened. “You really think someone killed Leland because he wouldn’t sell the vineyard?”

“I do.”

“Then why kill him? Now he’ll never sell it.”

“True, my chair. But Eli wants to. And he got Mia to go along with him, didn’t he?”

Though the heat was so oppressive it seemed I could chew it, I shivered. “You don’t think that Eli had something to do with Leland’s death?”

He stared at me, nodding so slightly that it could have been a small tremor brought on by the booze. But it wasn’t. He’d filled in the missing piece of the puzzle that Eli hadn’t supplied.

“That’s murder,” I said, raising my voice. He shushed me and I added more quietly, “Not my brother. I don’t believe it.”

“Child,” he said gently, “I’m not accusing Eli of colluding with someone to have Leland murdered. All I’m saying is that whoever wanted to buy the place might have known Eli would sell if Lee wasn’t in the picture.”

“What about Bobby Noland?” I asked. “He said it was an accident.”

He snorted. “What would he say? By the time he got there, the site was so contaminated it was impossible to tell what the hell really happened. The workers trampled everything that might have been evidence and what they didn’t mess up, Hector’s dogs did. Then there was a power failure at the morgue the night Lee’s body got there.”

“Oh God.”

He leaned forward. The sultry August heat seemed to intensify the rank smell of the alcohol so it came through his pores, mingled with perspiration and the sweet scent of his cologne. “That’s why Eli got the body released so soon and the whole thing’s gonna be hushed up. It was a hell of a break for your brother. Now he’s got the green light to sell the place. Pay off some of that heap of debt he’s sunk into.”

There was a small sound in the bushes at the far end of the porch and I jumped. “What was that? And what heap of debt?”

“Probably a stray cat. That little princess he married is very high maintenance, sugar.” Fitz sounded annoyed. “Don’t tell me he didn’t tell you about the palace they’re building over near Leesburg?”

I shook my head.

“It’s going to be Versailles when they’re done. Or the Disney Castle. I heard she wants a big ol’ fountain with swans floating around right there in the front yard. There’s no way can they afford a place like that on Eli’s salary.”

“Then he needs the money.”

He brushed a strand of hair off my cheek and tucked it behind my ear. “Exactly. And what he doesn’t need is all the bad publicity from a murder right there in the vineyard if he’s trying to put it on the market. See what I mean?”

I saw. “So do you think Eli’s involved with this person? Whoever might have had Leland killed?”

“People do a lot of things where money’s concerned. It’s a powerful motivator, especially when you haven’t got it and you need it. I don’t think Eli had anything to do with this directly, you understand,” he said. “But when you lie down with dogs, my chair, you get up with fleas.”

“God, Fitz. Do you know what this means?”

“I’ll tell you one thing it means.” He leaned forward and put his hands on my shoulders. “Since I’m part owner of the vineyard, thanks to your sweet momma, I get a vote in all this. You and me, we’re two against Eli and Mia. Without a majority vote, Eli can’t sell.”

“What are you doing?” Eli’s voice cut through the darkness. Both Fitz and I jumped this time, knocking over my cane, which clattered noisily on the porch floorboards.

He was standing in the shadows at the opposite end of the porch with his hands in his pockets. How long had he been there? How much had he heard? We’d been speaking quietly, but our voices could have carried.

“Talking,” I said sharply. “What are you doing, sneaking around like that? Good Lord, Eli, you scared the wits out of us.”

“Look who’s talking about sneaking around. You’re the one who left.” He sounded irritated. “Do you realize you’ve been gone twenty-one minutes? People are asking for you. Thelma’s here now and so are Joe Dawson and most of the Romeos. You need to come back inside. You have obligations, Lucie. Family obligations.”

“Sorry, Eli,” Fitz said, picking up my cane. “It’s my fault she’s here so long. She was feeling a bit woozy, that’s all, so we came out for some fresh air. Then we got to talking and catching up on things. She’ll be right along in.”

“Okay.” Eli stood there with his arms folded and waited.

“I’m coming, Eli.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

“You don’t have to. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“I need you now. Thelma wants to have a sing-along of Leland’s favorite songs.” He sounded grim. “I’m counting on you to distract her.”

This time we both heard the slamming of the front door as he left.

“I’d better go,” I said. “He’s pretty upset. Do you think he heard anything?”

“Naw.” Fitz took my hand and slipped something small and hard into my palm. “Here. Don’t lose it,” he whispered. “It was your mother’s.”

“What is it?”

“A key.”

“I know that. A key to what?”

“Possibly a jewelry box.”

“Why are we whispering? And how come you didn’t say anything about this until now?”

“Your mother didn’t want Lee to know. It was among some papers she left me. Private papers. I was…going through them recently. This seemed like the right time to turn the key over to you.”

“He’s dead. Do we still have to whisper?”

“Don’t you sass me, child. I did it for your own good.”

I stared at him. “Did what? And Mom kept her jewelry box on the dressing table in her bedroom. She never locked it. When I was little she used to let me try on the fabulous jewelry she inherited from Grandmama Bessette.”

“You must have been very young to have worn those.” He sounded disgusted. “Because she sold them all, one by one.” He saw the look on my face. “You didn’t know, did you? She did it to bail your poppa out of debt. I’m sorry, my chair. I don’t mean to upset you, but it’s time you knew the truth.”

“Then what’s this for?” I held out the key.

“The one thing that’s still left. At least I think it is. Her diamond necklace. Ever seen it?”

“Oh my God,” I said. “Once. She wore it to the White House when she and Leland went to a dinner for the French Prime Minister. I never saw it again.”

“It’s worth a fortune, Lucie,” he said in a low voice. “Not to mention the provenance. Your mother told me it belonged to Marie Antoinette. It came into the possession of that countess who was your ancestor. The one who was Thomas Jefferson’s friend.”

“The Comtesse de Tessé,” I said. “Do you think my mother hid it? Marie Antoinette’s necklace?”

“I hope so.” He closed my hand around the key. “No one has seen it since she died. At first I figured Leland sold it, but he swore he didn’t. Maybe for once he told the truth. That’s why I never said anything about this key. I wanted to make sure there was something left for you children that Lee couldn’t squander. If you sold the necklace