The atmosphere was tense.
Harrison looked both upset and frightened. “…certainly do not appreciate the inference that I might have drugged Susan merely because I was absent from the living room for a few minutes during our after-dinner coffee Saturday evening.”
Dave Lewis looked pugnacious. “I used the downstairs lavatory. I didn’t go upstairs.”
The Hammonds and Tucker spoke out, insisting they too had remained on the first floor.
Cobb was bland. “However, each of you was absent from this room at some point during the evening while Mrs. Flynn was still downstairs. Each of you, therefore, had equal opportunity to go upstairs to Mrs. Flynn’s room, take the digitalis, and return downstairs, either to place the digitalis at that time in the china pot waiting in the kitchen or during another absence from the gathering.” He gazed at Jake. “What time did you fix the cocoa?”
Jake spoke hurriedly. “I was later than usual because after dinner Susan stayed downstairs until everyone left.”
Cobb’s eyes were bright and alert. “Was this unusual?”
Jake moved uneasily in her chair. Her eyes darted around the room. “Oh.” She looked uncomfortable. “Susan rarely came down for dinner anymore but this was special. We had the annual outdoor tree trimming in the afternoon. The whole neighborhood is invited. Susan expected us to come. Of course”—she looked at guarded faces—“we all loved the tree party. It was always a fun afternoon. Then Susan asked everyone to come back for dinner at seven because, well, I guess she wanted to see everyone again.” She added hurriedly, “Christmas, you know. There’s never much time to visit during the tree trimming. Anyway, Susan went off to rest. We all gathered again for dinner at seven.” She concluded in a rush as if successfully completing a race.
Cobb looked at each face in turn. “Everyone in this room not only saw Susan Flynn yesterday afternoon but was present for dinner. In fact, she especially wanted each of you to return for dinner. Why?”
“Susan was terribly fond—”
“Let it go, Jake. Even if you have a guilty conscience, I don’t.” Tucker’s expression was amused.
“Tucker, that’s a terrible thing to say. Susan was very fond of all of us and that’s why she wanted to talk to us.”
All humor gone, he sat straighter. “Coincidences happen, Chief Cobb. Once I had a mare stolen and the next day somebody called and tried to sell me a mare that looked just like her. It turned out to be a different horse altogether. What are the odds? Anyway, last night Susan brought all of us together after dinner to talk about her will. I told her at the time she didn’t owe us any explanations, but she was always direct and open. I guess you’ve got the drift that her grandson arrived out of the blue. Susan had her lawyer investigate and she got plenty of proof that Keith is her son Mitch’s child. Susan told us she intended to change her will and leave everything to Keith though she made it clear she was providing generous bequests for all of us. She’d already worked everything out with Wade Farrell so I guess the old will is out. Now everything will go to Keith, instead of being divided among us.”
Gina watched her brother. A telltale flutter moved one eyelid.
Peg’s face creased into a puzzled frown.
“It’s a shame she died before the new will could be drawn.” Harrison shook his head as if in regret. “Barring a new will, it seems obvious to me that the old will stands. However, all of this discussion of her estate seems distasteful. There is no proof that Susan’s death was anything other than an accident or possibly a result of misjudgment on her part.”
Gina turned a bracelet on her arm. The gold band had a cunning inlay of diamonds in the design of tiny Christmas trees. “We can ask Wade Farrell about the will.”
I felt content. Soon they would meet with Wade Farrell and they were in for a shock. Especially one of them. Tomorrow morning in the mail, Wade Farrell would receive the holographic will unmistakably written and signed by Susan and witnessed by Leon Butler.
Harrison’s nod was pleased. “That’s a good idea, not that there’s any doubt about the current will standing. I’ll call Wade and suggest we all be present for a formal announcement, possibly tomorrow afternoon. Certainly we are entitled to have an idea of what amount we will receive.” For an instant there was an empty look of fear in his eyes.
Was he wondering if the inheritance was going to be enough to keep him out of bankruptcy?
“I don’t like this talk about Susan’s will. It’s as though”—Jake glared at Cobb—“you are suggesting someone killed Susan for her money. That’s horrible. Besides, the whole idea of murder is absurd. There are too many things that haven’t been explained: my car being stolen and where Susan went last night, if it was Susan, and who that redheaded woman was. If Susan drove out with someone none of us knew, maybe they came back here together and that woman put digitalis in her cocoa and Susan drank it. Or Susan got confused and took too many pills. Then there’s that pillow on Susan’s face. Why, that’s crazy enough to prove something weird was going on. And,” she concluded triumphantly, “none of us know anything about any of it.”
Chief Cobb closed the legal pad. He gave it a thoughtful glance, then stood. He was a big man, a powerfully built, impressive man with a face seamed by effort and intelligence and experience. He stood in that elegant living room, his gaze steady. And grave.
“All of these matters must be explained, including the fact that after death, Susan Flynn’s body was moved. She died lying on her left side. Someone put her body on the floor on her back. This changed the settling of her blood. A pillow, smeared with her lipstick though she wore no makeup, was placed over her face.”
Jake shuddered, shook her head in negation. She looked as if she wanted to run away.
Gina gripped her bracelet so hard her fingers showed white. She stared at the floor, her face half hidden by a swath of drooping hair.
A frowning Tucker glanced from Jake to Peg to Gina as if judging and measuring and wondering. He no longer slouched, but sat upright, slightly bent forward.
Peg pressed one hand against her lips, her round face creased in distress. Dave slipped an arm around her rigid shoulders. She seemed unaware of him.
