peace of mind, she had to finish the course. “I’ll do everything I can to help.” I meant every word of my offer.
“Thank you.”
Was there a hint of appreciation in her eyes?
She gave me a thumbs-up. “I’ll catch Jack’s murderer.” She hesitated, then spoke in a rush. “You’re a big help. Thanks for the update.”
Since she didn’t ask if I had learned anything else, I felt under no compulsion to describe my visit to the Dunham home. If my talk with Gwen Dunham at the gazebo proved to be relevant, I would report what I learned as if I’d discovered all my facts from Gwen. I would leave Paul Fisher out of the equation altogether. I not only believe in young love, I believe in late love.
Kay gestured to the waitress, who nodded, and in a moment placed Kay’s check and mine on the counter. As Kay started to rise, I spoke fast. “Did you get anywhere with Laverne and Ronald?”
She settled back on the stool. “Not far. I cornered Laverne alone on the lower terrace and here came Ronald.” She looked thoughtful. “It’s hard to square your version of him and the one he presents when he’s with Laverne. He played the diffident, adoring husband to the hilt, but, thanks to your tip, I watched her. She slid her eyes toward him, time and again. I’d hoped to talk to her alone, but I got the real clear feeling that wasn’t going to happen, not if he could help it. I was as pleasant as could be and said I’d heard some interesting facts from Helen Cramer’s daughter. Laverne looked like one of Poe’s apparitions had her by the neck.” Kay paused and gave me an uncertain glance.
Heavens, I would hope I’m never guilty of being overly sensitive. I waved a negligent hand. “‘No offense meant, none taken.’” I smiled as I remembered Sergeant Buck, who faithfully served Colonel Primrose in the Grace Latham mysteries by Leslie Ford. I’d recently read her latest, evocatively southern and drenched with the scent of magnolias. Oh. Perhaps I shouldn’t share that little fact about Heaven. Dismiss the possibility from your mind that your favorite authors write merrily away in their Heavenly abode. But you might remember the first stanza of Rudyard Kipling’s “When Earth’s Last Picture Is Painted” and draw your own conclusions.
Kay cleared her throat. “Ronald wasn’t fazed. He gave Laverne a glance that meant ‘get that terrified look off your face,’ then he went on the offensive. He claimed that Laverne had been set up by Carol Cramer, Helen’s daughter. He said one afternoon when Helen was resting, Carol encouraged her to look at some old albums and that’s why Laverne’s fingerprints were on the albums. The fact that Carol surreptitiously obtained her fingerprints from a teacup and had them compared to the prints on the album certainly indicated that Carol was not trustworthy. Laverne had only looked at the albums to be polite and was appalled when Carol poisoned her mother’s mind against her, convincing Helen that the intimate details recounted during seances had been taken from the albums. As for the money, it had been freely given as a gift in appreciation for Laverne’s great service in affording comfort to Helen. However, when there was a lawsuit, Laverne felt so dishonored she decided not to keep any of the money even though it had been freely given to her by Helen. By the time Ronald finished, Laverne didn’t look quite so spooked. Oh. No offense meant.”
“None taken.” I laughed aloud.
Kay’s lips quivered for an instant in amusement, then her amusement fled. She sighed and turned her hands up in a gesture of defeat. “As for the historical society, Ronald was as smooth as silk. He said he was greatly interested in Adelaide’s history and was working on a monograph about the founding families, the Humes and the Pritchards.”
“What an eel.” I pictured an eel with carefully coiffed silver hair and cold blue eyes.
“He has an answer for everything and Diane will always take their part.” Kay looked disgusted.
“I imagine she will. However, exposing Laverne and Ronald isn’t our main concern. The point is to catch Jack’s murderer.” I looked into the distance as if seeking enlightenment. I do believe I might have excelled at acting. Possibly that’s why I felt such an affinity with auburn-haired, velvet-voiced, witty Myrna Loy. Those who loved her films will be delighted to know she is as urbane and delightful…Oh. There I go again. Never mind. One day you will know. Perhaps my inner soliloquy made my expression even more arresting. I widened my eyes. My lips parted. I turned to Kay with a happy look of triumph. “Kay, you are so insightful, so clever, with such an unerring sense of character. There is an avenue open to us that only you are suited to follow.”
She looked at me warily.
Was her inner hogwash detector vibrating? I glanced at the mirror. I have never seen anyone look more sincere than I and the light was very flattering to my hair. “Thanks to your good efforts, we know everyone who was present at The Castle the night Jack was killed. However, we must discover which one was angry enough or desperate enough to murder him. You can use your investigative skills to put together their psychological profiles.” This project would be a nice, safe diversion for Kay while I followed more fruitful lines of inquiry. “I’ll—” I broke off. The mirror gave a good view of everyone entering Lulu’s.
Chief Cobb stood in the doorway. Despite the heat, he wore a brown suit, white shirt, and tie. The temperature outside probably hovered around ninety-seven. He looked hot, wiping a hand across his sweaty face. He started toward a booth.
I bent near Kay and whispered, “Pay my check,” as I disappeared.
Kay flinched. “I wish you wouldn’t do that.” Her voice was sharp.
The waitress turned. She was a big woman with a broad, freckled face. “Ma’am?”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
The waitress looked at the pudgy man on the stool to Kay’s left. He was turned away, deep in conversation with a little boy in thick glasses and a backward ball cap. Her gaze moved past Kay to my empty seat. She stared. “Where’d that redhead go? She hasn’t paid.”
Her raised voice caught the chief’s attention. He glanced toward the counter.
“I’m paying for her.” Kay added my check to her own.
The waitress looked to the front door and back to my empty space. Her face creased in a frown. “She was there when I turned around to get the coffeepot.” She held a metal pot with a red rim. “All I did was get the pot and turn back around.”
The chief stood behind my seat. “Hey, Imogene.”
“Hey, Chief.” Imogene jerked a thumb toward the door. “Did you see a redhead go out just now?”
