“May I?” Carlita motioned to the closet door.
“I don’t see why not. The police didn’t tell me Ava’s room was off limits.”
Carlita inspected the contents of the closet. It consisted of three work uniforms, two pairs of black work shoes, a small array of blouses and collared shirts. She pulled open a small drawer. Inside were women’s bras and underwear and in the drawer below it, several pairs of slacks and shorts. “If she was movin’ out, she still needed to pack some of her things.”
She closed the door and then inspected the kitchenette, complete with a small selection of pots and pans, plates, cups and silverware. “You sure hook them up.”
“I try.” Tori smiled. “Most of the employees don’t use their kitchenette except to make coffee in the morning. All meals and lodging are included, in addition to what I think is a fair stipend.”
“I would come work for you if I needed a job,” Mercedes said.
“There’s nothing in here that strikes me as a clue,” Carlita said.
“That’s exactly what the authorities said.” Tori shook her head. “So it looks as if we’re back to square one.” She locked the door to Ava’s unit and the women exited the building.
They started their trek back inside when Tori stopped. “The door to the pool house is open. Patrick must be inside, checking on things. Would you like to talk to him?”
“If you don’t mind.” Carlita motioned Mercedes to follow Tori and they tiptoed around a large puddle of water blocking the entrance.
“Patrick? Are you in here?” Tori called out.
A young man with curly red hair and an engaging smile popped out of the back. “Mrs. Montgomery. What are you doin’ out here in the middle of the storm?”
“It’s almost over.” Tori smiled warmly. “I have two house guests tonight and tomorrow night.” She turned to Carlita. “This is Carlita Garlucci and her daughter, Mercedes.”
Patrick politely shook Carlita’s hand and then extended a hand to Mercedes. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
“Same here.” Mercedes released her grip. “It’s a shame about Ms. Torrez’s murder.”
“It’s hard to believe Ava is dead. I was makin’ my rounds to check on the last minute party preparations. I stopped by here to grab a few more tables for the food. We have a storage room in the back. When I got here, one of the hired security guards was standin’ in the doorway, although I know for a fact I locked the door earlier in the day.”
He explained they pushed the door open and looked inside, which is when they discovered Ava’s lifeless body lying on the floor. “She was cold to the touch, I tell you. I think she’d been here for some time.”
“Does Ava have a key to the pool house?” Carlita asked.
“No ma’am. The only ones with keys are Mrs. Montgomery, Byron, Lucien and of course, me. The investigators took a hard look at the door and there was no forced entry. The window was unlocked, which I thought a bit odd, but again, the door was unlocked.”
“I see.” Carlita lifted her gaze and studied the interior of the pool house. “When was the last time you saw Ava Torrez alive?”
Patrick shifted his feet. “It was early afternoon. She asked for more chairs about three hours before the party started, so I brought a bunch into the main house, to the library. That was the last time I saw her before we found her body.”
“Did she seem distracted or distraught?” Mercedes asked.
“No. She was her usual self.” Patrick paused, as if considering his words. “Look, I was no fan of Ava myself. She was always flirtin’ and doin’ things that were against Mrs. Montgomery’s employee policies, but I had nothing against her, although I can’t say as much for some of the others.”
“Like Iris and Jenny,” Carlita said.
Patrick nodded. “Yes, to name two. Ava didn’t much care for Lucien, either.”
“Or Mrs. Montgomery,” Mercedes muttered under her breath. She pointed to the windows. “Do you mind if I take a quick peek at the windows?”
“By all means.” Patrick waved a hand. “The investigators already went over this place with a fine tooth comb, but you never know. They may have missed something.”
Mercedes walked to the window and bounced up on her tiptoes as she inspected the frame and the window lock.
“All of the locks should be in working order,” Tori said. “This pool house was built less than six months ago.”
“It’s a cool pool house,” Mercedes made her way to the other window, which was also locked, before crossing the room to the two identical windows on the other side. Again, nothing appeared to have been tampered with or pried open. “This is a bust. What about the bathroom?”
“It’s back here.” Patrick motioned for Mercedes to follow him to the back of the pool house. She stuck her head inside the bathroom and studied the interior. It was nice, and even larger than the one she shared with her mother in the apartment. “I could easily live in this pool house.”
“That’s the truth,” Patrick agreed. He silently watched Mercedes finish her inspection and then she thanked him for showing her around. “Is there any other access to this pool house? A rear door?”
“No ma’am.” Patrick shook his head. “There’s only one way in and one way out.” He shut off the light and they returned to the main part of the pool house where Tori and Carlita stood staring at the faint chalk outline on the floor.
“I’ll be cleaning the floor this afternoon,” Patrick promised.
“Thank you for showing us around and telling us what you know,” Carlita said.
“You’re welcome.” Patrick walked them to the door. “If I think of anything else, I’ll be sure to let you know. You’ll be here for a coupla
