Molly checked in at the flower shop and called Stephanie. They planned to meet in the lobby of Molly’s apartment building.
While she waited for her sister, Molly picked up a copy of the morning paper and stared at the picture of the murder victim, Candace Conway. I know her, thought Molly, she looks different but I’m sure I’ve seen her before. She examined the girl’s features more closely. With glasses, no make-up and her hair pulled back, this could be Lucy West. That’s it, she is Lucy West.
Stephanie walked in the door. “Hi Molly, you look like you’ve seen a ghost, did you know the girl who was murdered?”
“It makes little sense; however, she is Lucy West, the girl who lives upstairs across from the fitness room. I met her the night of the wine and cheese party. Do you remember her?”
“I remember you were talking to her. She looked uncomfortable that night. I don’t think parties are her thing. She looks like the picture of the murder victim. Look at those eyes, they have an almost sinister look to them.”
“I’ll pay a visit to Lucy West; do you want to go with me?”
“Sure, I love barging in on strangers, let’s go,” Stephanie smiled.
Molly tapped on the door. “Lucy, are you home? It’s Molly Ryan.”
When there was no answer, Stephanie said: “Why don’t we pick the lock?”
“We don’t need to,” answered Molly, after turning the knob, the door opened.
“Lucy, are you in here?” Molly called out.
“Look at this place, Molly; was the girl a germaphobe? All the furniture is covered in sheets.”
“It doesn’t look like anyone lives here. There is nothing personal in here except these pamphlets for Avery Conway’s campaign.”
“Poor Candace,” said Stephanie, “she didn’t luck out in the looks department.”
“Stephanie, look at her mother. The woman has your eyes and mouth. She looks like an older version of you.”
“You don’t think this lady, Avery Conway, is our mother, do you?”
“Brooke showed me a picture of this lady on her cell phone. She thought I looked like her. There was a resemblance, but it wasn’t as clear as this photo. Brooke laughed about my being related to a billionaire. I’m sure it’s a coincidence. From what I’ve heard of Senator Beresford, his daughter would never have gotten herself in a family way before marriage.”
“Hey, a young girl getting knocked up isn’t anything new. Maybe she didn’t want papa to find out about it and dumped her babies off at a fire station and church.”
“We’ve already figured one person couldn’t have done this alone. Maybe our father helped. I’d be willing to bet the man in the picture is not our father.”
Molly looked up Avery Conway on her phone. “Look Stephanie, the date of the woman’s birth would make her sixteen when we were born. What if Candace discovered her mother’s secret and was killed to keep her quiet?”
“Let’s get out of here, Molly, this place is giving me the creeps.”
“All right but I’m taking one of these pamphlets with me. I want to read about the woman who left two babies for strangers to find.”
Chapter Fifteen
Grayson Conway walked into the parlor where he’d heard his grandfather’s unmistakable voice.
“Grandfather,” he said with more confidence than he felt, “it’s good to see you, sir.”
“Grayson, my boy,” the Senator said wasting no time, “I want all the information you have on these women who could be my granddaughters, where exactly did you see them? Speak up, son.”
“I saw them in a pub across the street from an apartment complex on Main Street. They were there with a couple guys. I didn’t stick around but I know they were Mom’s daughters because they looked like her.”
“Grayson, what made you go to that pub? Did you know those women would be there?”
“I didn’t know they would be in the pub. I suspected Candace rented an apartment in the complex to spy on a tenant. I followed her there one day. She was dressed in dumpy clothes and tried to disguise herself with big horn-rimmed glasses. I wanted to know what she was planning to do.”
“I’ll get my driver to take me to that apartment complex, Grayson, you come with me.”
“Father,” said Avery emphatically, “I’m going too. If my daughters are alive, I want to see them.”
“I’ll drive us, Grandfather. I have my license and I know where the apartment is. It’s a nice neighborhood but your big old limo will look out-of-place parked in front of the building.”
Hamilton smiled at his grandson, the boy would be one heck of a politician. He’d convinced his grandfather riding with a teenager was a better choice than the luxury of his limousine.
Alexis Beresford watched out the window as her husband, daughter and grandson drove away. What is Hamilton up to? After everything I’ve done for that man, he leaves me here to fend for myself. I could be sipping wine at the club if it weren’t for this nonsense with Candace. I wish that child had never been born. In her thoughts, she wasn’t sure which child she was referring to, Candace or Avery?
“Cummings,” Commissioner Shantz shouted over the telephone, “how is the Conway investigation coming? I need answers for the senator. Talk to me, Officer.”
“Commissioner, we have no reason to believe Brad Carpenter killed that girl. We’d like to talk to the girl’s brother, Grayson Conway, he knows more about this case than anyone. I thought I’d better run it by you before we pay a visit to the young man.”
“Cummings, you can’t suspect Senator Beresford’s grandson of murdering his sister. He’ll have my job if you go down that road. It’s better to find some homeless chump and pin the murder on him. I want this case closed today.”
Lance slammed the phone down and cursed the air. “Ben, what have you got on the kid?”
“Nothing, Lance, he’s squeaky clean. A good student, never in trouble with the law, he’s popular in school, more the tennis and golf athlete than a football hero.”
“The kid knows something, I’m sure. I’m getting pressure from Shantz. I’ve got to get a lead; Shantz wants me to pull somebody off the streets to get the case closed.”
“Shantz is an idiot, don’t let him get to you, Lance.”
Balsam Lake Apartments was part of the renovated downtown area of Hillsboro. The receptionist at the front desk of the lobby recognized Senator Beresford when he walked through the doors. She knew he had been instrumental in the revitalization of downtown and like everyone else in the area, knew she owed her job to him.
“Senator Beresford, how wonderful of you to come by, I’d love to show you our facility. You will appreciate what we have done with it.”
“That would be lovely, miss. Today, though, I am looking for one of your tenants. We believe she moved in recently, she looks like my daughter, Avery Conway.” Avery stepped forward smiling.
“You must be talking about Molly Ryan, Molly moved in a few weeks ago. She is one of our more popular residents.”
The girl glanced at her watch. “She is most likely at the flower shop, Buds and Blooms. She is the manager of the shop in Kincaid Towers, not too far from here. Would you like me to call a taxi for you?”
“That won’t be necessary, young lady, my grandson will drive us there. Thank you for your help and I would like to have a guided tour sometime soon.”
The girl smiled when she watched them leave the building. No wonder the man is re-elected every six years, he’s a charmer.
Charles Conway noticed his father-in-law’s limo when he drove into his driveway. He didn’t feel his usual trepidation when he thought of spending time with the old man. Maybe it was because his daughter was dead and his old fears seemed irrelevant now. He didn’t dislike Hamilton, in fact, he admired him. The man was a political genius, the old-school type of politician who cared more for the well-being of his constituents than loyalty to his party.
“Mother Beresford, where are Avery and the senator, have t
hey left you alone in the den?”
“They took off with Grayson, I don’t know where they went, they didn’t tell me. Do you have any decent gin around here? I could use something to calm my nerves.”
Charles poured his mother-in-law a light drink, he didn’t want a tipsy woman on his hands.
“Won’t you join me, Charles? I’ve never known you to abstain.”
“Not today, Mother Beresford, Avery needs me to be of sound mind. Shall I ask Cook to fix us some lunch?”
“No, dear, I’m not the least bit hungry.”
Charles marveled at the fact his mother-in-law never mentioned Candace’s name. He always thought she was a cold woman but now that he knew how she treated her grandchildren years ago, he was sure Candace’s evil was inherited from her grandmother.
Charles excused himself saying he had phone calls to make. He didn’t want to be in Alexis Beresford’s company any more than she wanted to be in his. He noticed she’d grabbed the gin bottle as he was leaving and filled her glass to the brim.
Elizabeth Carpenter was at the counter of Buds and Blooms when the senator, Avery, and Grayson walked through the door. She recognized Senator Beresford immediately and beamed.
“Senator Beresford, how may I help you?” She glanced in Avery Conway’s direction and realized how much she looked like Molly and Stephanie. Elizabeth tried to hide her shock when she acknowledged Avery.
“Young lady, we are looking for Molly Ryan, is she in the shop today?” said the senator.
“Molly is in the back office talking to one of our delivery men, I’ll let her know you’re here, sir.”
Elizabeth nervously reached for her crutches and quickly walked to the back of the store.
“That’s the lady Candace tried to kill, her name tag said Elizabeth.”
“As soon as we settle the matter of my granddaughters, I will see the young woman is compensated for Candace’s foolishness,” said the senator.
“Molly, I’m sorry to interrupt but Senator Beresford and his daughter are here to see you. You’d better come out front.”
“You’re so serious, Elizabeth. Did we mess up an order for him?”
“It has nothing to do with flowers, wait until you see his daughter.”
“Mitch, I’ll let you be on your way, you’re doing a fine job, I appreciate your keeping up the extra load while Butch is out sick.”
“No problem, Molly; I hope the senator doesn’t give you a hard time.”
“Hello, Senator Beresford, I’m Molly Ryan, what may I help you with?”
Senator Beresford was a tall, imposing man. He had an air of authority and strength. Molly was surprised when she noticed his eyes filling with tears.
“I’m saddened to hear of your granddaughter’s passing, sir. It was a tragedy.”
“Yes, dear, it’s too bad about Candace, however, that’s not the reason we’re here. Is there someplace we can talk privately? As you can see, my daughter is distraught.”
Molly was afraid to look in the woman’s direction, her hands were covering her face and she was crying quietly. The young man standing beside her had his arm around her in comfort. Is this woman Avery Conway? Is she my birth mother? Am I about to meet the woman who abandoned Stephanie and me so many years ago?
“We can meet in my office, Senator,” said Molly as she led the group to the rear of the store.
“I don’t know where to start, Molly,” said the senator.
“No, Father, let me tell Molly why we are here,” said Avery. She glanced into Molly’s eyes and Molly knew this woman was her birth mother. She wanted to shout out to the woman to ask why she left her infant daughters alone, she wanted to tell her they were alive today only because of the goodness of strangers. She wanted to cry, but she refused to give into tears.
Avery cleared her throat and told Molly of falling in love and finding herself pregnant. She told her the babies’ father never knew of her pregnancy or the birth of his daughters and how they were taken from her when they were three days old.
“Why didn’t you try to find your daughters, Mrs. Conway? You say you loved them, weren’t you curious to know whether they lived or died?”
“Molly, I don’t understand it myself, I’m not a strong woman, I love my father but I have always been afraid of his reaction to my behavior. My mother reinforced that fear through the years. I’m not making excuses for myself, in fact, I don’t know why I kept the secret so long.
“May I ask about you and your sister’s families?”
Molly told the stories of their discovery and the people who took them in and eventually adopted them. She could see the relief on Avery’s face when she realized her babies had been cared for and loved all these years.
“Mrs. Conway, it’s safe to assume you are my birth mother. I don’t wish to disrupt your life or cause you any embarrassment. Ever since Stephanie and I met, we have been curious about the woman who gave us away. I know she will be happy to know it wasn’t your choice. I’d like you to meet her and I know she would like to meet you. May I call her to come to the shop?”
“Oh yes, please do.”
“Molly,” said Grayson sadly, “does that mean you don’t want to be my sister?”
Molly couldn’t stop the tears from flowing, “Oh Grayson, I would love to have a little brother. I hope we can be friends.”
Grayson smiled, he liked Molly, she was nice and nothing like Candace.
While they waited for Stephanie to arrive, Molly and Avery talked like old friends. Molly told about her family and her friends in Newberry. How she fell off a horse when she was ten and never wanted to be near one again. How her flower arrangement won first prize at the county fair two years in a row. How she tried out for the school play and won the starring role. How she couldn’t carry a tune but loved to sing.
Senator Beresford and Grayson sat back and enjoyed listening to the banter. Grayson saw a different side of his mother and he liked this woman who never talked with Candace in this way.
There was a soft knock on the door. “Molly, is everything all right? I came as quickly as I could, you sounded upset.”
Stephanie’s look of surprise made Molly smile, “Stephanie, this is Avery Conway, Senator Beresford, and Grayson Conway. There is a good possibility Mrs. Conway is our birth mother.”
Stephanie frowned at Avery. “If that’s true, I can’t say I’m happy to meet you. You are the woman who left me to freeze to death on a cold December morning and kept me from my sister for too many years.”
“Steph, it wasn’t our mother who abandoned us, we were taken from her.”
“That’s fine, however, she didn’t lift a finger to find us in all those years. You are more forgiving than I am Molly, I don’t understand how a mother could do something like she did. I know she was young but she was old enough to get herself knocked up.
“Did you know your real daughter was spying on Molly? I know she tried to kill Elizabeth Carpenter, I wonder if Molly and I were next on her list.”
“I’m sorry, Stephanie, you can’t say anything I haven’t already said to myself many times. I don’t expect you to forgive me. but I want you to know that I loved you both even before you were born and there hasn’t been a day I haven’t thought about you since.”
Stephanie burst into tears. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean what I said, I didn’t know I’d act this way toward you. My life has been good; I should be grateful to you for letting me live it.”
“Maybe we should start all over,” said Molly. “It’s been an emotional time for all of us. Mrs. Conway is mourning the loss of her daughter and we suddenly appear and turn her life upside down.”
“Please Molly, and Stephanie too, call me Avery. I won’t hide my two beautiful daughters anymore. I will drop out of the race for Congress and come clean to the public about my past. I will not divulge your identities and won’t force myself into your lives unless you agree.”
“Why would you drop out of the race?” asked Stepha
nie. “I checked you out online and you are obviously the best candidate for the job.”
“Stephanie, that is a complete change of heart,” said Molly. “Two minutes ago, you were shooting your mouth off about what a monster Avery is and now you want her to be your congresswoman.”
“Yes, I can be a jerk sometimes. I was mad, but that has nothing to do with my political choices.”
“I hope you will let my mom talk about you two,” said Grayson. “I want to brag to my friends about my hot sisters.”
“So, this is what it’s like to have a little brother?” said Stephanie, “I like you, twerp, I always wanted a younger sibling to torment.”
“If you will agree, I’d like to invite you to our home to meet my husband, Charles. He is not your father, but he’s a nice man. I’m realizing how lucky I am to have him in my life.”
The smile on Grayson’s face didn’t go unnoticed by his sisters.
“I’d like that, how about you, Stephanie, are you game?”
“That would be nice. I don’t mind if you tell people about being my birth mother. I’d like to talk to my folks first before you make the announcement. I don’t want them to hear it on the news,” said Stephanie and Molly agreed.
“Why don’t you both come to dinner tonight and bring your fellas if you’d like. We will have a nice quiet dinner without my mother. You will meet her sometime but I’d like this to be a pleasant time to get to know each other.”
Senator Beresford said, “You are doing the right thing; I will make sure my wife is safely tucked away at home. By now she has drained a bottle of gin and won’t be in any shape to welcome her granddaughters. I know you think she is a monster for what she did to you, however, I can’t deny I didn’t make life easy for her. I was a harsh man with antiquated ideas about how people should behave.”
Murder in Hillsboro Page 11
