It didn’t take us long to change out of our church dresses into jeans and sweaters. We headed for the dining room.
“Let’s pack up the crystal we want and a set of china for Laci and Beth Ann. Then we can go upstairs to investigate. After, we can pack more. I don’t want to pack for hours. It would be nice to take a break in-between,” I suggested.
“Great idea,” Georgie agreed. “Look at this china. I think Inga loved tea roses. There are two sets very similar each with tea rose designs. All that’s different is the shade of the leaves and rose color. One is pink and the other yellow. This decision is easy.”
“Yup. Yellow for Laci and pink for Beth Ann. The china sets look as if they choose them. They’ll be so excited,” I said as I taped the box shut and set it against the wall under the window. “I’m glad we won’t be moving all this home.”
“Me, too,” Georgie said as she set a box next to mine and pulled a marker from her pocket. She labeled it with a large “G” so we could tell them apart.
An hour of packing and we needed a break. We had eight boxes well cushioned and full of china dishes and crystal. Georgie pulled out a thermos of tea, and I had chocolate chip cookies. We needed our snack.
I told her about my phone call from Bill, and she agreed Clark was in cahoots with the Kellehers. I felt so stupid for believing that man. Georgie tried to cheer me up.
“What are we going to do about lunch?” Georgie asked grinning at me. “Food is better than men anyway sometimes.”
“We could call Murph’s for pizza. Delivery here isn’t much further than if he was going to your place. I’ll promise him a big tip.” I smiled as I bit into another cookie.
We packed our things away in the duffels we brought and set them next to the boxes.
“Let’s head upstairs,” Georgie said.
We stopped when we heard vehicles approach out back. Georgie was going to run to the door when I grabbed her sleeve. “I have a better idea.”
We rushed into the study, and I turned on the big screen TV that covered half the wall alongside the pictures of all the Yummys. The TV came on instantly, and eight small screens showed us the outside of the mansion.
“So that’s how they saw us,” Georgie said as she pointed to the lake.
“And this is how we see them,” I said pointing to a screen that showed the back parking area near the garage. A large SUV and Clark’s car pulled in and stopped.
We watched as Clark, Douglas, Roland Kelleher, and Detective Heidelberg climbed out of the cars.
“Oh, no, they’ll kill us for sure,” Georgie said. “Where do we go?”
“Upstairs and call for help. Too late, they’re at the back door. They’ll see us. Closet,” I whispered as I pulled her toward the door at the back of the room.
She pushed the “off” button on the TV before we hurried to the closet. She hit the light switch before we entered. I turned it off so no one would know we were there. It gave us a quick look at the walk-in closet including the body of Craig Kelleher. He was lying on his back with a bullet hole in his head.
Georgie threw her hands over her mouth to keep herself from screaming.
What to do? We’re trapped in a closet with a dead man, and four evil guys are coming in the house. Please let them go somewhere else. It is a big house. Maybe they’ll go upstairs, and we can escape. Too late, I hear voices.
Georgie whispered, “I’ll text Paul and have him call 9-1-1.”
“No, I whispered back. Berg is out there. He could get the call. Have him call the sheriff’s department and tell them we have a bad cop here.”
A few seconds which seems like hours passed and she whispered, “Done.”
“Let’s be quiet,” I whispered. “Help should arrive soon.”
“Oh no, no, no.” I heard Georgie mumble.
“What?”
“I accidentally sent the text to Aunt Irene.”
“What? How?”
“Cause I sent her a text this morning to see if it was okay that Paul took her home. It’s the last one I sent. I thought I texted Paul last, so I texted and hit “send.” I’m sorry.”
Okay, copy it and send it to Paul. Aunt Irene will also call the sheriff. I hope. Shh, I think they’re coming in here.”
Chapter Twenty-two
I heard Berg’s voice boom. “Okay, Kelleher, what are you going to do now? I did all I could to get the Chief to believe your sister tried to kill herself because she killed Inga. I’m still not sure he’s buying it.”
Douglas snapped back, “I know. I know. I counted on her to die or be too sick to defend herself. It was the perfect plan. Then I could get a judge’s sympathy, and he’d give me the stupid dog. I need that money.”
Berg yelled back. “You killed your aunt and tried to kill your sister. You screwed up. You better get that money.”
Douglas tried to defend himself, “I didn’t kill my aunt. Roland poisoned her vitamin water. I only poisoned Mags.”
“Details, details,” Berg shouted. “You both started this. You have to finish it.”
Roland joined the argument. “Inga wasn’t supposed to die. She was supposed to be permanently incapacitated and then one of us would be named her guardian and we’d all have money.”
Douglas was still angry, “It would have
