“Are you positive Bresland was no longer involved with Olson?” I pressed.
“That’s what the man said, and he was pretty torn up about his wife’s suicide, so I think he was telling the truth. The coroner believed him, too.”
Coleman would never have left a loose end like that, but I wasn’t going to say it. We’d pursue this at a later date. We just had time to get ready for the flotilla.
14
My thick jacket, layers of sweaters, double socks, boots, scarves, and gloves made me feel like a Goodyear blimp as I waddled down the dock toward the waiting boat. Luckily, Coleman gripped my hand so I didn’t float away on the brisk wind. And I couldn’t help but express sincere pleasure at seeing the boat—decorated with garlands of lights and tinsel and bows. The Tenn-Tom Queen looked like Santa’s sleigh packed with sparkly lights, toys, people, and gaiety.
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” came over the speaker system, and I looked up to find Coleman watching me with amusement. “You’re afraid I’m going to sing, aren’t you?”
“Only a little,” he said, then brushed a kiss across my lips. “Sing if it makes you happy, Sarah Booth. I only want you to be happy.”
Because he had such a generous heart, I decided to restain myself. “Let’s get a drink,” I said as he handed me onto the bow of the big party boat, which was ready for the holiday cruise.
“All aboard!” Darla called out. Her faithful friend Kathleen was at her side, handing out cosmopolitans, the perfect color for the season, as we boarded. Kathleen was even more layered up than I was, if that was possible. And she had the cutest stocking cap with a snowman on the top. Darla took us around and introduced us to people we didn’t know. The boat was really a floating party. Just before we were ready to cast off, Clarissa jumped aboard. I had to admire her catlike grace and her sleek fitted skiwear.
Darla cast the boat off from the dock and jumped aboard and we were slowly drifting downriver to join up with twenty other vessels that were floating decorations. When the boats drifted close to the docks where people cheered us on, we threw Christmas necklaces, candies, garlands, and novelties that Darla had generously provided for all of us. It was one of the best parades I’d ever been in.
“Are you having fun?” Coleman asked as he pulled me back against his chest.
“I am. This was a genius idea that Tinkie had.”
“Yes, it was. I haven’t been this relaxed in a long, long time.”
“And I don’t get any credit for that?” I teased him. “Seems to me I’ve worked some of those kinks out.”
“And there are more that need your attention tonight,” he said.
The rest of the gang joined us at the rail as we whooped and hollered and sang Christmas carols to the spectators on the banks of the river. The music was loud enough to drown out my voice, but I still had the pleasure of singing—a perfect combination.
When I saw Clarissa standing alone near the wheelhouse, I signaled Tinkie to follow me. It was time to confront her about Johnny Bresland. We approached just as she stopped Kathleen for a fresh drink.
“You’re going to ask me about Johnny Bresland, aren’t you?” She sipped the cosmopolitan she had taken from Kathleen’s tray without even a thank-you. “I wondered how long it would take you to get to that bone. Not long. I’m impressed that I’ve hired professionals.”
Kathleen darted a disapproving look at her before she said, “Excuse me. I need to refill my tray.”
“Stop back by when you replenish the tray,” Clarissa said. “I’ll be ready for another, I’m sure. And could you chill my glass a bit?”
“Clarissa, maybe you could ask politely?” I really disliked the woman I worked for.
“Don’t you worry about Kathleen. Waitress is the perfect occupation. Half the town knows she’s been mooning over another woman’s husband, and I intend to make sure the other half of the population hears the story. You shouldn’t come to play in Columbus with a pocketful of secrets.”
“Do you have secrets, Kathleen?” I figured Clarissa was just getting in another dig.
“Not me. Clarissa has plenty, though.” She turned to the woman. “You have your own secrets you’d rather keep hidden. Keep that in mind.” Kathleen walked off, back stiff, shoulders rigid. She was just too polite to throw a drink in Clarissa’s face, which is what should have been done.
For a brief moment, Clarissa’s lips thinned, but the expression was gone almost before I could register it. She smiled. “Now ask your questions. I have gossip to spread. What do you want to know about Johnny? By the way, I didn’t kill Aurora or Johnny. But I did benefit from their deaths.” She shrugged and drained her cosmopolitan. “That’s how real estate works sometimes.”
“You benefited more than a few commissions. You inherited.”
“There was no one else.” She shrugged. “I was a good partner to Johnny. We both made a lot of money. After Aurora died, he was … not himself. He wrote a new will, left it all to me, and then went hunting. That’s it. End of story.”
“You had an affair with him?”
“At one point, yes. But that was over long before things went bad with Aurora.”
“The deputy investigating Mr. Bresland’s death denied there was an affair with you. Did you pay him off?”
“Goodness no. What happened between Johnny and me was ancient history. It had no bearing on anything. Johnny and I agreed never to admit to it, so that deputy never knew about it. Look, Johnny and I had a good time for a while, but he had such guilt about betraying his wife. It was intolerable. Sniveling is a turnoff, don’t you think?”
“It would be for someone completely amoral,” Tinkie said. She gave her best party-girl
