“If you’ll excuse us, we’d like to have a private word with Mrs. Montgomery,” Detective Wilson said.
“Of course.” Carlita grasped her daughter’s arm and led her to the side of the pool house. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket, switched it on and studied the picture she’d taken. “These are definitely female toiletries, but whose?”
Carlita handed the phone to her daughter. She thought of Ava’s spotless efficiency and Mrs. O’Brien’s claim that Ava was messy. It was possible Ava was ready to fly the coop, but what if she wasn’t? What if she was shacking up with her co-worker, Patrick?
She thought about the business card Weston had given to Ava, the one she stuck inside her bra, not long before her body was found.
Mercedes handed the phone back to her mother. “What do you think?”
“That Patrick killed Ava. Think about it. Patrick has access to the entire estate. Follow me here. What if Patrick was stealing the pieces from the drawing room and selling them to pawnshops? Ava, who was messing around with Patrick, somehow found out, perhaps found one of the stolen pieces inside his room, and threatened to turn him in.”
“We were in kind of a hurry after hearing someone in the outer hall,” Mercedes said. “Maybe we missed something when we searched Patrick’s room.”
Carlita and Mercedes watched as Tori led the detectives to the employee entrance. They were upstairs for what seemed like forever before the trio emerged, grim expressions on their faces.
“Well?” Carlita and Mercedes hurried over. “Did you find anything?”
“We found women’s undergarments and some women’s toiletries in Patrick O’Brien’s room,” Detective Wilson said. “We also found an antique gun.”
“It was one of William’s guns,” Tori said. “It appears Patrick was getting ready to make another trip to the pawnshop.”
The authorities didn’t have to wait long for Patrick to return to Montgomery Hall where he was promptly arrested for possessing stolen items. Despite the overwhelming evidence, he insisted he was innocent and someone was framing him.
When Tori mentioned the empty wine cups Elvira found in the trash, the ones that were being sent to the crime lab for fingerprints, Patrick became incensed, insisting he was innocent.
Iris, who was with Patrick when the detectives began to question him, was understandably horrified. Patrick’s aunt, Mrs. O’Brien, collapsed as one of the officers read Patrick his rights, handcuffed him and loaded him into the back of the squad car.
Mrs. O’Brien insisted on going to the police station, so Chad Olsen offered to drive her there.
Iris refused to take the evening off, even though Tori tried to get her to go to her room to rest, insisting that she needed to work to keep her mind off all that had happened.
Tori managed to reach Jenny, who returned to Montgomery Hall and promised to stay indefinitely, depending on what Mrs. O’Brien decided to do.
Shortly before the dinner hour, Tori called all of the employees to the dining room where she briefly explained what had happened.
Dinner was a somber affair, and Carlita couldn’t help but notice how Mrs. O’Brien’s larger-than-life personality was sorely missed.
Carlita and Mercedes turned in early and despite the beautiful surroundings and attentive wait staff attending to their every need, they were ready to go home.
***
Mercedes knocked on her mother’s bedroom door early the next morning. Carlita, who had difficulty sleeping, was already up and dressed.
“You look like I feel.” Mercedes glanced behind her. “We should try to keep quiet. I heard a rattling noise in the hall late last night. Another guest must’ve come in after we went to bed.”
“I never heard a thing. I just finished packing and am out of coffee. Let’s run down and grab a cup. I don’t want to bother Mrs. O’Brien.”
The women crept down the stairs to the kitchen where the overhead stove light was burning, but the room was eerily quiet.
“I’m sure there’s some coffee around here somewhere.” Mercedes began searching the kitchen counter and she jumped when a voice echoed in her ear.
“Can I help you find something?”
The women turned to find Tori standing in the doorway.
“We were looking for coffee and didn’t want to bother Mrs. O’Brien,” Carlita said.
Tori nodded and shuffled into the kitchen. “It’s in the pantry to your right.”
“Thanks.” Carlita studied her friend’s face. “You look like you could use a cup, too.”
“Last night was a rough one. Mrs. O’Brien is inconsolable. Patrick is like a son to her. I was finally able to convince her to take a sleeping pill and take today off. It was late before we turned in.”
The coffee finished brewing and Carlita handed Tori the first cup. “Poor Mrs. O’Brien.”
“She’s adamant that Patrick had nothing to do with Ava’s death.” Tori smoothed her hair. “I didn’t sleep well. I had a dream about William. He was trying to show me something he was holding, but before I could see what it was he disappeared.”
Mercedes hopped onto an empty barstool. “Between Patrick’s arrest, Mrs. O’Brien’s breakdown and the late night guest who came in, I’m surprised you got any sleep.”
Tori set her coffee cup on the counter. “What late night guest? The only two guests here are you.”
“I could’ve sworn I heard someone rattling something in the hall.” Mercedes’ eyes widened. “Maybe I heard your husband, William.”
“Mercedes,” Carlita chided. “If it isn’t the Indians roaming around, it’s a ghost.”
Tori sipped her coffee and eyed Mercedes over the rim. “Or perhaps Mercedes heard William and I saw him. Regardless, I can’t figure out what William was trying to show me.”
“I’ve had troublesome dreams about Vinnie, too.” Carlita glanced at her watch. “We need to think about heading home to help Tony and check for storm damage. I’m sorry things turned out the way they did.”
“Me too. Before
