“We understand you went upstairs after you arrived.'
His tone indicated it wasn't clear whether she'd be indicted or not.
“Yes. I wanted to say good-bye.' Pix had the grace to lower her eyes.
Earl was getting impatient. 'Look, we have to talk to the rest of the people. Pix, what do you make of al this business with the quilts? Beats me how there can be any connection between Mitchel Pierce and the Bain-bridges. I doubt he ever did any work for them. Addie wouldn't have trusted him.'
“I didn't see any mark on this quilt. Of course I wasn't in the room long and most of it is wrapped around the body.
But I agree. I can't see a connection. Although'—she was thinking out loud—'Rebecca just said they sold a lot of things from the barn and attic. Maybe they sold some of it to Mitchel , except I don't know what that tel s us'
“Good thinking.' Earl was scribbling hurriedly.
“Isn't it possible that a woman her age might forget about a quilt or two?' the officer asked. 'There seem to be enough quilts in this house to cover half the beds in the county.”
Pix had thought of this, too—and Rebecca was definitely absentminded—but the fact that the quilts around both bodies were the same colors had to be more than a coincidence.
“It's possible—maybe even more than possible. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't take her to your mother's after we ask her about who they sold the stuff to. We'l go over there if we need her for anything. And where are you going to be?”
Pix was glad Earl wanted to stay in touch. She was sure he'd tel her if there was a cross on the quilt and maybe what had kil ed Addie when he knew. It was hard to believe from the expression on the woman's face that the death had been a natural one.
“After I leave Mother's, I want to go over to the camp and tel Samantha what has happened. She's probably wondering where I was this morning and I don't want her to hear the news from someone else. Then I'l go home.'
“Okay, but no details at the moment. I know you know how to keep your mouth shut.”
Pix thought Earl intended this as a compliment. It also meant she was forgiven for going upstairs. The state policeman was not so cordial. He didn't even look up as she left the room.
Rebecca was stil in her night things, but it didn't take her long to change. She seemed relieved to be going to Ursula's. Pix had phoned her mother while Rebecca was getting ready to say they were on their way and admonished her to keep quiet about what had happened.
“It's a little late for that, dear. Half the island has seen the police cars in the drive. Gert told me that when she got here an hour ago and of course 1 had to tel her Addie was dead. I didn't mention the quilt, but it wil get out soon enough. These things always do.”
So much for shielding Samantha, Pix thought, but she resolved to stop by the camp, anyway.
Driving Rebecca over to Mother's. Pix was struck by the normalcy of the day going on al around her.
Vacationing families were beachcombing alongside the causeway. Someone was taking advantage of the influx of holiday visitors and having a yard sale. The UPS delivery truck barreled past in the opposite direction and old Mr.
Marshal sat on his front porch overlooking the brightly painted Smurfs, flamingos, posteriors of fat ladies in bloomers, and other tasteful lawn ornaments that he made for sale in his woodworking shop out back.
“Mother says you're to stay as long as you want,' Pix said.
“I know, it's very kind of her, but I don't like to be away from my garden. In this weather, I have to water twice a day.
Addie always loved my roses.' She was breaking down again. 'Now I'l be putting them on her grave”
There was a lot Pix wanted to ask Rebecca. She'd said there hadn't been any strangers around this summer—
except for the guests, whom of course they didn't know until they'd been there a while—when Earl had asked her. But Pix wanted to ask about Norman and also whether the Bainbridges had sold anything to Mitch. This last, she was able to work in. Rebecca had quieted down again by the time they turned off the main road. The Pines was at the tip of a smal peninsula and often there was water on either side of them. The view of Eggemoggin Reach was spectacular at this point. Today it was fil ed with sailboats, moving slowly. There wasn't much more wind offshore than on. Pix had a sudden desire to be on one, cruising gently toward the Camden Hil s, watching the granite shore meander along below the tal evergreens. Sailing always bordered on voyeurism: a house at the end of a private road exposed for al to see, occupants of that special beach no one else had ever discovered forced to share the secret.
Rebecca was looking with an appraising eye out the window at the postmistress's flower garden.
“So, you and Addie had a real turnout last fal . I'm hoping to do the same with Mother at The Pines this summer. We have no idea what's up in the attic'
“Not in the heat, deah,' Rebecca said anxiously. 'You won't make your mother go up there now.'
“Of course not. Only if it cools down.' And besides, Pix added to herself, I've never been able to make Mother do much of anything.
“We may find there are things we want to get rid of, too,' she continued. 'Who did you get to take yours?'
Surely this was subtle and gentle enough. Pix felt a little guilty probing someone in the extremes of grief.
“It was Addie's idea.' Typical y, Rebecca was answering some other question. 'She had a horror that after she was gone, people would be going through her things. You know what it's like at those auctions.”
Pix did. She'd been to plenty of estate sales where Grandmother's letters to Grandfather were heaped in a box lot with the odd buttonhook and mismatched cups and saucers, but it had never struck her until now how awful this would be if you'd known the people. She resolved to winnow out her own mementos ruthlessly.
“But Addie wasn't planning on having an auction' Pix tried to keep Rebecca going.
“Mitchel Pierce was interested, you can imagine.
Addie met him in the IGA and told him she would sel him some things if he wanted”
It worked.
“What kind of things did he buy?'
“Rubbish. Addie got a good price. Do you know he gave us one hundred dol ars for an old yel ow painted shelf that's been in the barn ever since I can remember? It was fly-spotted and even had a chip out of the top!”
Pix recal ed an article in the paper about the skyrocketing value of country antiques, particularly those with their original paint. It sounded as if the Bainbridges had been wel and truly snookered.
Rebecca's next remark confirmed the impression. 'He took al the junk. There were some dirty old blanket chests.
One even had the top off. And he wasn't even interested in our Wal ace Nuttings. I was beginning to think we knew more about antiques than he did.”
Pix pul ed the car alongside the dock into the grassy area that served as their parking area. 'Wel , I'm glad to know al this and that you were able to make some money out of it. Did you do anything special with it?”
The last question popped out from she knew not where
—and it was none of her business.
Rebecca didn't seem to mind, answering directly for once. 'Oh nothing special. Addie just liked having money.
A heavy purse makes a light heart,' she used to say.”
Along with several thousand others, Pix thought.
Ursula and Gert were waiting on the porch and as soon as they saw the car arrive, Gert ran down the steps to help Rebecca into the house. She was in good hands and Pix left soon after. She decided to head straight for the camp, although the fact that she had rushed out of the house so fast that she hadn't brushed her teeth or properly dressed—she'd thrown on a sweatshirt of Sam's with the sleeves cut off and a pair of shorts over her underwear and was glad she'd remembered this much—was beginning to bother her.
It was lunchtime and she walked into the dining room, where she soon spied Samantha pouring milk for a table of younger campers. She caught her eye and Samantha came straight over.
