She told Kate about Juan’s visit with Elena Gomez and their promise to talk to Mrs. Gomez the next day.
“And this was Ivy’s idea?”
“Yep.”
“I’m becoming more and more impressed with your sister.”
Holly sat up. “But, Kate, I think this is going to be a train wreck. I didn’t know what to do to help Juan, but at least I was sure he didn’t do it. I don’t even know this woman.”
“Do you think she could have done it?”
“Probably not. But the only solution is finding who did kill Mrs. Hagel, and I definitely don’t know how to do that.”
“You didn’t know how to help Juan, either.”
“Hey, you’re supposed to tell me ‘Holly, you’re right. Tomorrow go to Well-Sweep Herb Farm with Ivy and forget about the whole thing.’”
“If I said that you’d hang up and continue to toss and turn all night.”
Holly sighed. “You’re right. What am I going to do, Kate?”
“I just happen to have the Tarot cards right next to me. Shall I shuffle?”
“Go ahead. They can’t make things any worse.” Holly nestled back into her pillows and pulled the comforter up to her neck.
After a moment, Kate said, “Blow.”
Holly took a deep breath, blew into the phone and waited.
“Ooh. Interesting.”
“Are you going to ooh and aah, or are you going to tell me what came up?”
“Okay. You’ve drawn the Seven of Wands, Justice and the King of Wands.”
“What do they mean?” Holly sat up again, this time throwing her legs over the side of the bed and leaning forward.
“The Seven of Wands is about persistence and resilience, about hanging in there to get what you want. Hold on. Let me look at my notes.” Holly could hear paper rustling.
“Here it is. Face challenges one at a time. and you will succeed.”
“This doesn’t sound like it’s telling me to go to the herb farm tomorrow.” Holly lay back across the bed.
“No. Afraid not. I think Justice is pretty self-explanatory in this instance, don’t you? But here we go with the King of Wands. Again a strong, male figure. Let’s see what my notes say. He’s someone who dominates by strength of will. A leader of people and he sincerely wants everyone to share in the benefits of group efforts. Strong-minded. Okay. Who’s the guy?”
Holly remembered Detective Manelli’s tightened jawline when she asked why Juan was in handcuffs. “For heaven’s sake, there is no guy,” she blustered. “So this reading is telling me to go to the jail tomorrow?”
“Pretty much. Wish I was there to go with you. I think someone needs to be looking for your King of Wands, because you’re simply not paying attention.”
“I saw one of my Zoning Board cronies this morning. Maybe he’s the King of Wands. Hate to disappoint you, though. He’s married and twenty years younger than me.”
“Happily married?”
“Good night, Kate.”
14 LEONELLE GOMEZ
The next morning as Holly put her oatmeal in the microwave the phone rang. Elena Gomez said her mother was still at the Pineland Park jail and had not yet been transferred to the county jail. She agreed to meet Ivy and Holly downtown at 10:00 a.m.
At 9:55 Holly pulled into the parking space behind Police Headquarters. “I pray we don’t run into that stupid detective again.”
“Me, too, but if we do, please control yourself.” Ivy unbuckled her seatbelt, turned and put her hand on Holly’s arm. “Seriously. Remember what Dave always told me. Don’t make enemies you don’t need to.”
Holly nodded. “You’re right.”
As they approached the front doors of the building, they spotted Elena. She smiled and ran over, giving Ivy a hug. “I’m so happy you’re here,” she said as she hugged Holly next. Holly looked over Elena’s shoulder at Ivy, grimacing. Together the three women worked their way through the security line.
Inside the visitation room Elena began crying as soon as she saw her mother. Leonelle Gomez wore her jet black hair pulled back from her face and tightly braided. Her brown eyes were puffy, as if she hadn’t slept. She stood up straighter when she saw Holly and Ivy. Sitting down she picked up the phone, blinking rapidly to keep her tears in check, her mouth turned downward in a doleful expression. After a brief exchange in Spanish, Elena stood up and handed Holly the phone. Holly sat down on half the chair and Ivy sat beside her. They put their heads together to share the phone.
Holly gave a weak smile, nodded at Leonelle and began. “Mrs. Gomez, I’m not sure if we can help, but why don’t you tell us what happened the day Mrs. Hagel was… the day Mrs. Hagel died.”
Leonelle Gomez explained that the day of Mrs. Hagel’s death she needed to leave early to take her son to the dentist. Mrs. Hagel’s son, his wife and their daughter stopped by around ten and left by ten-thirty. Leonelle prepared lunch at noon and after Mrs. Hagel ate, Leonelle cleaned up and left at one-thirty. Her eyes met Holly’s. “I didn’t steal any jewelry, and I didn’t kill Mrs. Hagel.”
Holly nodded. “So Mrs. Hagel was well enough to be left alone?”
“Sí. I didn’t have to leave early too much. When I did, I put a frozen dinner in the microwave. Mrs. Hagel had one of those …come se dice?” She pointed to her chest and looked at Elena.
Elena, who was standing close behind Holly and Ivy listening, said, “A medical alert button.”
“Sí, and I always put the phone next to her when I go.”
“Her family couldn’t stay with her?” Holly asked.
Leonelle looked down. “No.”
”What about her medication?” Ivy asked.
Leonelle stiffened. “I don’t know how the pills got mixed up. Every day before I go, I put the pills for tomorrow in the paper cups. So much to do in the morning. Get Mrs. Hagel dressed and cook breakfast. The pills, they look alike. I always open one bottle at a time and close it as soon as I take out the pills.” Leonelle again made direct eye contact with Holly, leaned forward, her palms flat on the table. “I never make a mistake. That morning, I did the pills right after breakfast because I knew I had to leave early. When I left that day, the right pills were in the right cups.”
Holly again nodded. “Your fingerprints were on the jewelry…”
Leonelle closed her hands into fists and sat up straight. “Verdad, my fingerprints are on the jewelry. Mrs. Hagel liked to wear a piece of jewelry even in the house, so every day she look in the jewelry box, and she pick a necklace or a pin to wear. I help her. My fingerprints are everywhere,” she said, her whole body shuddering.
“Mrs. Gomez, someone switched those pills and then tried to frame Juan,” Holly said. “You were with her every day. Can you think of anyone who might do that?”
Leonelle sighed loudly. “I don’t know. That family of hers. They not nice. The son, he only comes with papers for her to sign. He never stay. His wife, she only comes with her daughter when they want money. They no care about her. It make her sad, I know. But kill? I don’t know.” She looked down at her hands, shaking her head.
“Was there anyone else who came to the house that day? Friends? Neighbors? Workmen?”
Again, Leonelle shook her head. “No when I was there. Only the son, his wife and the granddaughter.”
Holly didn’t know what to ask next. After an uncomfortable moment of silence, Ivy asked, “You locked up before you left?”
“Sí, I know I locked the doors. I always check before I go.”
“Somebody had to have come in the house after you left. Was there a break in?” Ivy continued.
“Ese es el problema,” Leonelle said, clenching her fists again and lightly pounding on the table in front of her. “The police say it was me because I have a key and nobody broke in.”
“Who else has keys to the house?” Holly jumped in, her brain freeze melted by Ivy’s line of questioning.
“Only family.”
“Maybe one of them drop
ped by after you were gone,” Ivy suggested. “They could have left the door unlocked when they left.”
“Would Mrs. Hagel answer the door after you left?” Holly asked.
“She could get around with her walker,” Leonelle replied, “but she no hear so good. She sometimes no hear the bell.”
Again, Holly was at a loss for what to ask next, and this time so was Ivy.
“Okay, Mrs. Gomez,” Holly said. “Did the court appoint a lawyer for you yet?”
“No yet,” she said. “They say maybe today.”
“We can try to talk to your lawyer and see what he or she says,” Holly offered. “Maybe the lawyer will have some more information that can help.” She turned around. “Elena, can you call us once you have the lawyer’s name?”
Elena nodded. “Of course.”
Holly turned back to Mrs. Gomez and gave a weak smile.
“Gracias. Muchas gracias,” Leonelle said, her eyes locked on Holly’s.
“De nada,” said Holly, thinking grimly that their visit probably amounted to exactly that--nothing. She got up and handed the phone to Elena. “We’ll wait for you in the lobby.”
Ivy rose and the two sisters left by the door they had entered. Neither spoke as they walked down the corridor to the lobby. Holly wanted to run out of the building, race home, bury her head under the pillows and not come out of her room until this whole thing was over.
15 MANELLI REDUX
Out in the lobby, Holly pointed to a bench along the wall and said, “Let’s sit a minute.” She sank down, pursed her lips and leaned back against the wall. “Listen, I agree with you. This woman didn’t kill Mrs. Hagel, but I don’t see how we can help her.”
“I know,” Ivy said, dropping down on the bench beside her.
“We can go see the lawyer. But I’m not optimistic.”
“Me, either.”
They both looked up and saw Elena Gomez approaching them from across the lobby. “I hope she can’t read our minds,” Holly whispered as they stood to meet her.
“Thank you so much for coming,” Elena said. “I’ll call you as soon as I get the lawyer’s name. I feel so much better now that you’ll go with me.”
Holly forced a smile. Ivy put her hand on Elena’s shoulder. “We’ll do what we can.”
“Thanks,” she said, looking at her watch. “Sorry. I have to go. I have just enough time to get to class.”
“Okay,” Ivy said. “We’ll wait to hear from you.”
Once she was out the door, Holly sank back onto the bench. “Oh, this is the worst. That poor kid actually thinks we can help. What are we gonna do?”
“Maybe just by going with her we’re helping,” Ivy said, also sitting back down.
Just then, a group of four men entered the lobby from the hallway to the right of where they were sitting. Holly blanched when she recognized Detective Manelli. She turned toward Ivy. “Look at me. That’s the detective. I really don’t want him to see us.”
Ivy glanced up. “Too late. I think he’s coming over here.”
Holly took a deep breath, feeling irrationally nervous, as she turned back to see Detective Manelli heading straight at them.
“If it isn’t Jessica Fletcher and her twin sister. What brings you two here? Thinking of becoming private eyes, girls?” Manelli asked.
Holly glowered at him. “No, Detective. We have complete faith in the police to solve crimes. Isn’t that right, Ivy?”
Ivy looked up at Detective Manelli, gave a quick smile and turned her gaze to a bulletin board across the lobby, appearing to be very interested in the fliers posted there.
“Is that right? Then what are you doing here? May I be of assistance?” he asked, his tone mocking.
Holly hesitated. Why not? “If you must know, we just visited Leonelle Gomez.”
“Really?” Manelli responded grinning.
“Really,” Holly replied. “We don’t think she did it.”
At this Manelli threw his head back and laughed out loud. “Wow, what a shock! I didn’t see that one coming.”
“Look, Detective. We were right about Juan Alvarez,” Holly returned.
“Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while,” Manelli snapped.
“Can I ask you a question?” Holly braved.
“Go ahead,” Manelli said, seeming just a bit intrigued.
“Did you question the neighbors to see if anybody saw someone approach Mrs. Hagel’s house after Mrs. Gomez left the night before the body was discovered?”
Manelli stared at Holly, not replying, the same stare he had given her when she asked him a question in her living room. The silence made Ivy look in their direction. She tapped her sister on the leg, but Holly remained totally focused on Manelli, unblinking.
Finally, Manelli replied, “You really are a piece of work. Look, Ms. Donnelly, just because you were right about Juan Alvarez, doesn’t make you a detective. Forensics would have gotten to the truth without you. Why don’t you just go home and leave the police work to the professionals before you or your sister gets hurt?”
Holly put her hands on her hips. “Is that a threat?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Manelli growled. He stopped, took a deep breath and continued more calmly, “Killers are dangerous, and unlike the police, they don’t try to be fair, and they don’t care who they hurt. Please, take my advice. Your guy got off. Go home and let us do our jobs.” He turned and walked off before Holly could say another word.
As Manelli disappeared around the corner, Ivy stood up and said, “I think he likes you.”
“Oh, shut up,” Holly responded, grabbing her bag and heading to the door.
16 A CLUE
Holly fumed silently all the way home. When they got back she let Lucky out the back door and immediately went upstairs and changed to her gardening clothes. Out back she filled a watering can from the rainwater barrel beside the shed and headed to the front yard to see if the pots on the front steps needed watering.
As she doused the impatiens, she spotted Ira Breger coming out of the neighbor’s and waved. He waved back and headed to his car. He opened the door about to get in, but then looked over at Holly, closed the door and walked towards her instead. Holly put down the watering can and went to the fence.
“Hi, Ira. What’s up?”
“Look, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but …” He paused, biting his lower lip.
“You can’t stop now,” Holly said.
“A lawyer friend of mine works for the Hagels.” Again he stopped.
“C’mon, Ira. Don’t keep me in suspense.”
“All right. My friend violated attorney/client privilege by telling me this, but the Hagels aren’t my clients, so technically I’m not breaching ethics here. He told me that Novardo Development wants to build a $30-million mixed-use development downtown. The last piece of property they need to move forward with the project is the Hagel Paper and Printing building. Mrs. Hagel wouldn’t sell.”
“Wow, Ira. That could definitely be a motive for murder, don’t you think?”
“Yes, it could.”
“You know Juan Alvarez was released. Turns out my sister was right. Mrs. Hagel died from a mix-up in her medication. She was already dead when someone plunged that gardening tool into her.”
“What? So you and your sister cracked the case?”
“Not really,” she laughed. “Forensics would have figured it out eventually.”
“I’m not kidding when I say this. I know three firms that would hire you in a heartbeat.”
“Stop!”
“Wait a minute. You mean, I just violated professional ethics unnecessarily?” Ira joked.
“Not totally.” Holly explained how she and Ivy got involved in helping Leonelle Gomez.
The smile left Ira’s face. “The information about the developer is public information--just not Mrs. Hagel’s refusal to sell. Remember. You didn’t hear any of this from me.” He frowned. “Whatever you do, please be
careful.”
“Of course. Thanks so much for letting me know.”
“I wish I’d known your friend got off before I told you though. I sensed how important it was to you to help the gardener. But now you’re helping a total stranger. If anything happens to you because of the information I’ve shared, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Relax. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do with it. What am I saying? I can share it with Mrs. Gomez’s lawyer. Of course, I won’t say how I found it out.”
“Now that’s prudent. Maybe you did learn something from working with us boring lawyers.”
Holly laughed. “Maybe I did. Thanks.”
“Sure. See you around.” As Ira headed to his car, over his shoulder, he said, “If you change your mind about that job …”
“Where’s my hose?” Holly pretended to look around for it as Ira chuckled and got into his car. Picking up the watering can, she headed to the backyard where she found Ivy relaxing on the chaise, eating cherries and thumbing through Plow and Hearth catalogues.
“Where were you?” Ivy asked. “I was wondering if I had to send out a search party.”
“Very funny.” Holly frowned and grabbed a handful of the cherries and sat down on the loveseat. “If you must know, I was watering the pots in front and I just had a very interesting conversation with Ira Breger, one of the lawyers I sat on the Zoning Board with.” Holly sat next to Ivy on the loveseat and summarized her conversation with Ira.
“What are you going to do? Are you going to tell Detective Manelli?” Ivy asked.
“And have him mock me again? I don’t think so.”
“What else can you do? That’s important information. That’s a clue, isn’t it?”
“Yes, if you’re interested in the truth. Manelli’s a waste. When we see Mrs. Gomez’s lawyer, I’ll tell him. Even Ira thought that was a good idea.”
“It is. A lawyer should know what to do with that information.”
“Let’s hope so.”
17 JONATHAN GRABNICK, ESQ.
Second Bloom Page 7
