“I am. Do you have Ms. Hale with you? She’s supposed to come stay with me.”
“I have her,” the deputy said, her tone grim. “But she says she’s not staying in this house. She insists on going to her grandfather’s house.”
EIGHTEEN
“It’s not her grandfather’s house,” I said, somewhat blankly. “It’s my house.”
The young deputy shrugged. “I’m just repeating what she said, Mr. Harris. I told her it was arranged for her to stay here, but she won’t get out of the car. Would you like to come talk to her?”
“I guess I’ll have to,” I said, stepping out into the sultry evening. The sun wouldn’t be setting for a couple of hours yet, and the heat beat down on me. I made Diesel remain in the house.
I followed the deputy down the walk to the car. The deputy suggested I get in the backseat with Ms. Hale, and I demurred at first. Then I decided being inside an air-conditioned vehicle was a smarter choice than arguing with a stranger inside one while I stood in the heat. I nodded agreement.
The officer opened the door, and I climbed into the car next to my intransigent would-be guest. “Good evening, Ms. Hale. I’m Charlie Harris. I really am very sorry about your recent losses. I didn’t know your grandfather or your brother.”
She was short. Her feet didn’t touch the floorboard. I estimated she was barely five feet, if that. Her hair had been streaked blond, but the roots were dark. Her makeup, applied heavily, had that look of having traveled a long distance without much touch-up. She also emitted a rather strong scent, a mixture of sweat and patchouli. I would end up with a splitting headache if I had to stay in this car with her for more than a couple minutes.
Ms. Hale regarded me with hostile suspicion. “How do I know you’re not the one who murdered my brother? He said you were trying to steal the house from my family.”
“First off, I never met your brother. I have no idea what he looked like, and I had no earthly reason to kill him. Second, the house never belonged to your grandfather. My son, who is a lawyer, can explain it better than I can. Your grandfather had a lease from my grandfather that allowed him to live there during his lifetime. When your grandfather died, the property reverted to my grandfather’s heir. I am that heir.”
Her expression had turned mulish before I was even halfway through my explanation. “I don’t believe you. Marty said he was going to take you to court, and we would win. A lawyer told him so.”
I put a firm grip on my temper and held on for dear life. “I don’t know who that lawyer was, but he was wrong, Ms. Hale. Now, I have offered you a room in my house here, and it’s a lot more comfortable than the house in the country. Besides, your brother was killed there. Do you really think it’s a good idea for you to be out there alone? Have you ever been out in the country during the nighttime?”
That got through to her.
“No, I haven’t.” Her hand trembled as she rubbed it down her jean-clad thigh.
“Also, a deputy in the sheriff’s department has an apartment in my house. If you’re frightened at any time, he’ll be glad to protect you.” I didn’t mention that the deputy was not at present in the house, but maybe she wouldn’t insist on meeting him right now.
“I still think you’re lying about my grandfather’s house, but I don’t want to be out in the country all alone.” She took a couple of deep breaths. “Are there bears out there?”
I suppressed a smile. “Not that I’ve heard. They’re mostly gone from this area now.”
“That’s good,” she said, still not making any move to exit the patrol car.
“Have you had dinner yet?” I asked.
She nodded. “On the plane. It was okay.”
“If you’re hungry, I can heat up some leftovers for you that my housekeeper cooked. Or my boarder Stewart is an excellent cook.”
“Okay, I guess I’ll stay here. I don’t have enough money to go anyplace decent.” She opened her door and got out of the car.
The deputy and I exchanged glances as I exited my side. The deputy popped the trunk, and I took out a medium-sized rolling suitcase and a small duffel bag. “Thank you, Deputy,” I said.
Now that I had a better look at Alissa Hale, I decided that, despite her small size and childlike behavior, she was probably in her late twenties. There was a hard look to her face, and I wondered whether her life in California was an easy one. Somehow, I reckoned, it probably wasn’t.
“Your mother wasn’t able to come,” I said.
“She couldn’t,” Alissa said, her face obscured by her long hair and downcast head. “She made me come instead.”
And you didn’t want to, I thought. Was she really that frightened of me? Or simply resentful of the situation and trying to exert some kind of control over it?
I set her bags on the stoop before I opened the door. I figured I had better let her know about the animal occupants of the house, in case she was afraid of them. “I have two cats. One of them is large. There’s also a dog that lives here, a small poodle. They’re very friendly and won’t hurt you.”
She turned to me, smiling. “I love animals. People who love animals are good people, I think.”
“I think so, too.” I should have opened with that, I thought as I turned the doorknob and ushered her inside.
Diesel and Ramses gave her a loud welcome, and Dante added to the clamor. Laughing, she dropped to the floor and let them crawl over her or, in Dante’s case, stand by her and bark. I set her bags inside and shut the door.
Stewart came out from the kitchen and grinned when he saw the jumble of animals and young woman. Diesel sneezed a couple of times. Ramses didn’t seem bothered by the patchouli, nor did Dante. The dog was now sticking his nose under her arm. I might have to give her a subtle hint about wearing it in my house. Or else I’d have to stand ten feet away from her all the time.
Having Diesel accept her so quickly eased my mind. Alissa seemed genuinely fond of animals, and I hoped she wouldn’t prove to be a problem. I really did think she was better off here. Given what had happened to her brother, I didn’t like the odds for her safety if she stayed alone at my grandfather’s house.
“Let me show you where your room is,” I said. “I’m sure you’d like to freshen up before you have anything to eat.”
Alissa got slowly to her feet. Diesel looked even larger standing beside her. She rubbed his head. “Will you come with me, boy?”
Diesel meowed, Dante barked, and Ramses curled around her legs. Laughing, she took the duffel bag from me and followed me up the stairs to the second floor. Azalea had prepared the room that Laura used before her marriage to Frank Salisbury. Comfortable, and furnished in a more feminine style, it should suit Alissa fairly well.
“This is really nice,” she said after she looked around the room. She dropped her bag and went to the door of the en suite bathroom. “This is really nice.” She turned to me with a shy smile. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I placed her suitcase by the four-poster bed. “Come downstairs when you’re ready. The kitchen is to the right of the stairs. Come along, boys.” I herded cats and dog out of the room and shut the door behind me. A moment later I heard the key turn in the lock.
Stewart stood impatiently tapping his right foot when I entered the kitchen. “Okay, give, what is all this about?”
“As I told you, she’s the victim’s sister. Her mother sent her here to deal with everything, which I think is pretty shabby myself, but I don’t know the woman. She has very little money, and I agreed to let her stay here.”
Stewart smiled. “Sometimes you’re too kind for your own good.”
I shrugged. “I haven’t said this to anyone yet, but I do feel a bit guilty that they lost their grandfather’s home to a stranger.”
“No, we’re not doing that,” Stewart said. “It’s not your fault if they were deliberately
misled into thinking their grandfather owned the property. He was either senile when he told them he did, or he deliberately lied for some reason.” He thought for a moment. “Probably wanted to make them think he had a lot more money than he did.”
“I don’t have any idea how much he had,” I said. “Unless he spent recklessly, he should have saved a significant amount over the years. But I don’t know anything about the economics of farming. He could have been simply scraping by.”
“Sean will find out,” Stewart said. “Now, is Ms. Hale coming back downstairs?”
“I believe so. I offered her food, although she ate on the plane. You know what airplane food is like, though. I think she’d appreciate something better to eat, or at least to snack on.”
Stewart took my cue without any prompting. “I’ll have a look around and see what there is. I can fix her something or heat up some of the leftovers.” He glanced down at Dante, sitting expectantly at his feet. “Nothing for you, though, you little pig.” Dante barked.
“Ms. Hale loves animals, so you may have to put him upstairs if you don’t want him eating anything else,” I said. “She’ll probably try to feed them.”
“I’ll take that chance,” Stewart said. “Maybe playing with the boys will wear Dante out by the time we go back upstairs.”
We resumed our seats at the table after refreshing our glasses of sweet tea. Desultory chat occupied our time until roughly half an hour had passed, and Alissa Hale walked into the kitchen.
She presented a stark contrast to the young woman from the taxi. Her face, devoid of the heavy makeup, looked younger than her years. Her hair, now pulled back in a ponytail, enhanced that impression. She smiled shyly at Stewart, who rose and extended a hand.
“I’m Alissa,” she said.
“Stewart,” he replied, and released her hand. “Why don’t you have a seat? Can I get you something to eat and drink?”
“I’d love some mineral water, if you have it,” she replied as she pulled out a chair.
“Would you like it over ice?” Stewart asked.
“As long as it’s cold, that’s not necessary.”
“It’s cold.” Stewart pulled a bottle from the refrigerator and passed it over to her. I hated the stuff myself, but Stewart loved it, so Azalea made sure it stayed stocked in the fridge. “How about something to eat? I could make you an omelet, if you like. Ham and cheese.”
Alissa shook her head. “Thank you, but if you have cheese and crackers, and maybe some fruit, that’s all I need.”
“Coming right up.” Stewart started preparing the snack for her.
Alissa sipped her mineral water, absently stroking in turn each of the animals crowded next to her chair.
“Tell them to stop if they bother you,” I said. “They understand that word.”
“No, they’re fine,” she replied. “I’m sorry about earlier.” She sighed. “We should have known it was all just my grandfather’s big talk, trying to make himself sound important.”
“I didn’t know your grandfather at all,” I said.
“I barely knew him myself, other than what my mother told us about him,” Alissa said. “I was only two when we moved to California. I was born a few months before Daddy was killed.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said, thinking how awful it was that she had to grow up without knowing her father.
“It’s okay,” she replied. “My stepfather was a good man. He died several years ago.” She turned to me. “You reminded me a lot of him, when you talked to me in the car. That’s mainly why I decided to trust you.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I’m sorry for your loss. I know you must miss him.”
She nodded. “My mother, Marty, and I have been on our own since he died, and he didn’t have much to leave us. Mother is disabled, and Marty had trouble holding a job, so I was working two jobs.” She took another sip from her water. “When my grandfather showed up out of the blue, he was shocked when he saw the apartment we live in.”
“Is that when he started talking about the house here?” I asked.
Stewart slid a plate of sliced cheese, crackers, red grapes, and a banana in front of her, and Alissa thanked him again. Stewart resumed his seat. He patted her hand. “Enjoy.”
Alissa had several bites of cheese and cracker, then popped a couple of grapes in her mouth. She looked straight ahead the whole time, not glancing at either one of us.
I was about to repeat my question when she responded. “He told us about his farmhouse, and how long it had been there. Made it sound like a mansion. He told us we should all move back to Mississippi and live with him. He had enough money to take care of us. He even gave my mother a couple thousand bucks.”
Stewart and I exchanged glances. Had Martin Hale been wealthy? Had he been giving them false hope?
“The house isn’t a mansion,” I told her. “It’s a farmhouse. It’s a nice one and a good size, but not what it probably sounded like.”
“Figures,” Alissa said. “My mother told Marty and me one night after my grandfather had gone to bed more about the old man. She warned us not to take him seriously, but Marty did, and he had me believing, too.”
“How long had your grandfather been with you when he died?” Stewart asked.
“Only about ten days,” Alissa said, her face clouded. “It was awful.”
“What happened?” I asked. “If you feel like talking about it. Otherwise, we can talk about something else.”
“I don’t mind,” she replied. “We already knew he was a bigot, anyway.”
“What did that have to do with his death?” Stewart asked.
“Marty’s boyfriend came to dinner the night my grandfather had passed away in front of us,” Alissa said. “He thought it was bad enough that Marty was gay, but when he found out Marty’s boyfriend is Black, he went nuts, screaming and making a big fuss.” She paused for a sip of water. “That’s when he had the stroke and died.”
NINETEEN
“That must have been horrible,” I said, appalled by the situation she had described.
“He wasn’t a nice man,” Alissa said. “I loved my brother, and so did my mother. Marty was Marty. I figure that he was a lot like our grandfather. Marty liked to talk big, and act like he was something more than he was, but he wasn’t a racist or a bigot.”
“Your grandfather sounds like a lot of men his age in this area. They can’t accept that the world is moving on from these outdated attitudes,” Stewart said.
“You’re gay, aren’t you?” Alissa asked.
“Yes,” Stewart said with a smile. “So is my boyfriend.”
Alissa giggled at that. “I’m glad to hear it. He’s a cop, isn’t he?”
“A deputy in the sheriff’s department. He’s working on your brother’s case,” Stewart said. “His boss is a woman named Kanesha Berry. You’ll probably be seeing them tonight or first thing tomorrow morning.”
“You’ll also meet Kanesha’s mother, Azalea Berry, in the morning. She’s my housekeeper,” I said.
Alissa gazed back and forth between Stewart and me. “I guess this really is the safest place for me to be, after all.”
Stewart’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out. After a moment he said, “Haskell texted. He and Kanesha will be here in a few minutes.” He put the phone away. “Haskell Bates is my partner,” he explained.
Alissa took a deep breath. “I don’t want to talk to them by myself. Do you think I’ll have to?”
“I don’t know,” Stewart said. “Kanesha might let Charlie stay in the room. He’s helped with cases before.”
“Are you a private eye?” Alissa asked. “I love those books.”
“No, strictly an amateur,” I said.
Alissa nodded. “Like Miss Marple.” She ate more grapes.
Stewart chortled with laughter. “More than you kn
ow.”
I rolled my eyes at him, and that only made him laugh harder. Alissa giggled again. Her sudden tension had eased, I realized. Good for Stewart.
Diesel meowed for attention, and that set Ramses and Dante off. Stewart pushed back from the table and stood. “I’d better get Dante upstairs. He’ll have a fit when Haskell gets here. I think he likes Haskell better than he does me.” He scooped up the dog and headed upstairs.
If Kanesha didn’t let me stay while she interviewed Alissa, I decided to make sure Diesel did. Having the cat with her would help keep her calm. I felt bad for her. She was about the same age as Laura, but in some ways, she seemed a good bit younger.
“Would you like more mineral water?” I noticed her bottle was empty.
“Thank you,” she said. “That would be great.”
I retrieved it for her and set it on the table. I heard sounds of entry from the front hall. Moments later Haskell and Kanesha strode into the room. They both looked tired. I hoped Haskell would be able to stay when Kanesha was done.
I introduced the deputies to Alissa and stood, irresolute, waiting to be dismissed.
Kanesha said, “I’m sorry for your losses, Ms. Hale. I know this is a terrible time for you, but it would really help us if we could talk to you and ask a few questions.”
“That’s okay,” Alissa said. “I want Charlie, Mr. Harris, to stay with me. All right?”
Kanesha shot me a grim look. I kept my expression bland. “Would you like some coffee? Or water?”
“I’ll make some coffee,” Haskell said. “I could use it.”
Kanesha didn’t respond to that. Instead she looked down at Alissa. “If you really want Mr. Harris here, I’ll allow him to stay, as long as he remains quiet unless I ask him a question.”
Alissa glanced my way, and I smiled in reassurance. “I promise I’ll be quiet.” I resumed my seat at the table, and Kanesha took the chair across the table from Alissa. Haskell busied himself preparing the coffeemaker.
“Before I start the interview,” Kanesha said, “I need you to come tomorrow to the morgue to identify your brother. We need a formal identification by someone who knew him well.”
What the Cat Dragged In Page 13
