by Mary Ellis
Kate hadn’t been dressed-down so thoroughly since middle school by her least favorite teacher. ‘Absolutely, I won’t make that mistake again.’
‘Thank you. Now that I’m no longer a suspect, I’m curious as to who the police think did kill my mother.’
‘Most likely no one has been officially eliminated, but I think Detective Buckley is looking at Mark Harris, your mother’s … art history friend.’ Kate wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. ‘Mr Harris admits to having lunch with her on the Arrivederci that day, and to the best of my knowledge, your mother had no other guests on the boat.’
‘Mom had asked me to stop by, but I was in no mood for one of her temper tantrums. I made up an excuse and didn’t go. I’d say I dodged a bullet.’
Kate wondered if the pun had been intended. ‘Were you acquainted with Mark Harris? If so, how would you describe your relationship?’ she asked.
‘Yes, we’ve met. Basically, we stayed out of each other’s way. At least with Harris to keep my mother amused, she left me alone. What have you learned from the police? Was my mother poisoned?’
‘I believe so, but the police won’t release the toxicology report to me. And I can’t force them to.’
‘I need to know! I read that poisoning is a horrible way to die.’ Lainey’s voice was filled with anguish.
‘Some poisons can cause respiratory failure, which can be painful, but others simply cause someone to fall asleep and not wake up. Since we don’t know how she died, you shouldn’t torment yourself like this.’
‘You’re right. Thank you, Kate.’
‘You’re welcome. When can we get together?’
‘Meet me at her house later,’ Lainey said after a brief hesitation. ‘I need to pay the staff and clarify their duties. Right now the housekeeper doesn’t know what to do with Mom’s mail, and the cook is afraid to clean spoiled food out of the fridge. Plus that creepy Mr Chapman won’t cut the grass or whack the weeds until he gets paid. It’s a state of confusion over there.’ She sighed wearily, as though no one understood the woes of the rich. ‘Jot down her address. I’ll get there as soon as I can. I’m sure the housekeeper will let you wait inside. Luisa lets everyone else in.’ Lainey provided an address with a few directions and hung up.
When Kate finally entered the breakfast area, Eric had almost finished eating. ‘What took you so long?’ he demanded.
Kate fixed a small plate of eggs, grits, and fried potatoes. ‘I called Lainey to make sure she’d be home. We are to meet her at her mom’s house in Oriole Beach. Apparently, Mrs Westin’s staff hasn’t known what to do since she died.’
‘What kind of staff did Agnes have?’ Eric spread jam on his last piece of toast.
‘A housekeeper, a cook, and a gardener who refuses to work until he’s paid. We’ll know more once we get there.’ Kate started eating as though the building were on fire.
‘What’s the big hurry?’ Eric asked.
‘I want to question the staff before Lainey arrives. We might learn more if their new boss isn’t around.’
‘Smart thinking. I’ll fill two to-go mugs with coffee.’
Kate took two more bites of food and met him at the door. Although the distance to Mrs Westin’s beautiful home wasn’t far as the crow flies, heavy traffic heading to the shore stretched the trip into thirty minutes.
‘Looks like the gardener has a better work ethic than Lainey gives him credit for.’ Eric pointed at a middle-aged man in a broad-brimmed straw hat clipping roses in the garden. He didn’t even glance up when their car doors slammed in the driveway.
‘Good afternoon,’ Kate greeted. ‘Are you Mr Chapman, the gardener?’
He peered through thick-lensed glasses. ‘Well, it sure ain’t the butler out here getting stuck by thorns.’
Kate smiled at his sarcasm. ‘I take nothing for granted these days. I’m Kate Weller and this is Eric Manfredi. We’re investigators working for Lainey Westin and we’d like to ask you a few questions.’
‘Ask all you want, but that don’t mean I’m gonna answer.’ Like a well-oiled machine, Chapman snipped three stems with his right hand, caught the spent blooms in his left, then tossed them into a bushel basket. But, even at his brisk pace, the hundred or so bushes would take all afternoon.
‘Have you worked here long?’ Kate asked.
‘Almost fifteen years. That long enough for you, missy?’
‘See here, sir. There’s no need to speak—’ Eric began.
But Kate interrupted. ‘That’s all right, Mr Manfredi. I’m sure Mr Chapman is still upset by Mrs Westin’s passing.’
That stopped the snipping and tossing in its tracks. ‘You think I’m hot under the collar because the boss is dead?’ he asked.
‘Aren’t you?’ Kate rocked back on her heels.
Chapman muttered a rude expletive. ‘I’m mad because nobody’s paid me in two weeks. I got bills same as the next guy.’
‘Lainey Westin will be here soon to settle up. She told me so this morning.’
‘’Bout time that worthless daughter came around.’ He resumed clipping.
Apparently Eric didn’t like those who spoke ill of the dead. ‘If you didn’t like Mrs Westin, why have you stayed fifteen years?’ he asked.
‘I’ll tell you why, sonny.’ Chapman waved his clippers under Eric’s nose. ‘Miz Westin paid well, if she thought you were worth it. She had the best rose garden in the Pensacola Garden Club, so she paid me well. The new boss-lady better not cut my salary.’
Eric pushed his clippers to the side. ‘Was Mrs Westin displeased with anyone in particular here?’
‘Miz Westin had some trouble with Luisa a while back, but that conniving housekeeper is still around.’ He gestured toward the house with his tool. ‘And the cook has been here longer than me. She always got along fine with the boss.’
‘Was that it – just the three of you?’ asked Kate.
Chapman pondered for a minute. ‘Miz Westin used to have two maids but fired them long ago. Now a cleaning service comes in once a week, and Luisa takes care of the laundry. Is that all your questions, missy? I need to concentrate on my work.’
‘No, it’s not,’ Kate answered flatly. ‘I just found out that Lainey was engaged to be married. I’m curious what Mrs Westin thought about her future son-in-law.’
Chapman’s face contorted with anger. ‘How would I know that?’ he snapped.
‘I’m thinking a gardener spends a lot of time trimming hedges, pulling weeds, and clipping flowers right underneath windows. And we both know Mrs Westin wasn’t soft-spoken.’
‘Even if I did hear a few things, like I said, she paid me well. I got no reason to spread malicious gossip.’ He resumed clipping.
‘Will this loosen your tongue?’ Kate pulled a twenty-dollar bill from her wristlet and dangled it over his shoulder.
Chapman uttered a foul word. ‘Twenty bucks – keep it! You probably need it more than me.’
Eric reacted before Kate could reply. ‘How about now?’ Over Chapman’s left shoulder, Eric dangled a hundred-dollar bill.
Reacting quickly, the gardener stuffed the larger bill in his shirt pocket, then turned to face them. ‘Now that’s more like it. Agnes hated that guy at first sight. He never stood a chance. He was their favorite bone of contention, although over the years there have been many.’
‘And his name?’ demanded Eric.
‘Steve Rivera,’ Chapman said. ‘But Agnes always called him Esteban just to irritate her daughter. They both loved to throw salt in open wounds.’
Kate shrugged. ‘I’m not following you. Isn’t Steve Esteban in Spanish?’
Chapman shrugged. ‘Miz Westin said Rivera was trying to hide his heritage by calling himself Steve, like he was putting on airs or something. That’s all I know, no matter how much money you throw at me.’
‘Thanks, Mr Chapman,’ said Kate. ‘I’ll make sure Lainey talks to you while she’s here.’
‘Oh, yeah? Talk is cheap,’ he y
elled as Kate and Eric walked around the house. ‘Tell her to bring her checkbook.’
‘A hundred bucks? What got into you, Manfredi?’ Kate asked the moment they were out of earshot. ‘Don’t think for a moment my expense account will reimburse that! Twenty, yes, but not a hundred.’ She stuffed her twenty into Eric’s shirt pocket.
‘I have a new job with money to burn. Besides, you refused to let me take you someplace nice for dinner.’
‘Not until we have something to celebrate,’ she muttered, climbing the front porch steps.
‘We now have the fiancé’s name and how Agnes felt about him.’
‘We could’ve gotten that from Lainey and saved a hundred bucks. I want you to keep a low profile. You’re not a trained PI.’ She thumped his chest with her finger.
‘Fine.’ Eric knocked on the front door.
A few moments later, the door swung open, and before them appeared a small dark-haired woman wearing an old-fashioned dress. ‘May I help you?’ she asked.
‘I’m Kate Weller. I work for Lainey Westin. This is my assistant. May we come in?’
‘Did Miss Westin say it would be okay?’ she asked.
‘She did. I talked to her before her Pilates class. She’ll be stopping by later. Are you Luisa?’
‘I am.’ The housekeeper blinked and stepped to the side. ‘You might as well wait in Mrs Westin’s office with Mrs Collier. I have plenty of work to do if Miss Lainey is stopping by.’ She pointed down a long hallway, then meandered away in the opposite direction.
‘Should we draw your gun?’ Eric whispered as they walked down the hallway. ‘This Mrs Collier could be dangerous.’
‘This is why you’re a chef and not a private investigator,’ she hissed under her breath. ‘You never know when to take something seriously.’
‘Point taken.’ He mimed closing a zipper across his lips. ‘I intend to listen and learn.’
‘Good.’
As they passed two bedrooms, Kate switched her footfalls to tiptoes so as not to alert Mrs Collier. Her ploy worked. As Kate and Eric arrived at the next doorway, they startled an attractive, fortyish woman rummaging through a desk drawer. ‘Hi,’ Kate said. ‘Are you Mrs Collier?’
‘Yes … who are you?’ The woman’s hand halted mid-rummage.
‘Kate Weller. I work for Lainey Westin. Luisa said I should wait for Lainey in here with you.’
‘Lainey is coming here?’ The question left no doubt as to how Mrs Collier felt about the news.
‘Yes, most likely this will be her house now. May we help you find something?’ Kate utilized her most youthful and naïve tone of voice. ‘Sorry, this is my partner, Eric.’
Suddenly, a smile filled the woman’s face. ‘Oh, don’t bother. I’m sure another member has our most recent roster.’ She stretched out her hand. ‘How do you do? I’m Martha Collier, vice president of the garden club. We’re all still reeling from Agnes’s passing.’
‘My sympathy for your loss,’ murmured Kate, shaking hands. ‘Was Mrs Westin a member?’
‘Agnes was our esteemed president. Now I must assume her duties, and my roster of members is woefully out of date.’ Martha fluttered too-thick-to-be-real lashes. ‘Since Agnes was my best friend, I knew she wouldn’t mind me looking in her desk for it.’
‘The new president needs a roster,’ Eric said sympathetically. ‘How do you do, ma’am. I’m Eric – Kate’s boyfriend. We’re just here to make sure the staff gets paid.’
Kate bit the inside of her cheek, while Eric pumped Martha Collier’s hand.
‘Good idea,’ said Collier, closing the desk drawer. ‘If Lainey wants a quick sale of this white elephant, the house and garden should be properly maintained.’
Kate decided to play along. ‘If it turns out another member doesn’t have the roster, should I ask Lainey about it?’
‘Oh, no, that won’t be necessary.’ Collier’s drawl was thick enough to be sliced like bread as she moved toward the doorway. ‘Lainey has more important things on her mind than the garden club.’
‘Mind if we ask you something before Lainey arrives?’ whispered Kate, glancing down the hallway. ‘We’d love to know what Agnes really thought about that Steve Rivera.’
To be sure, the question caught Mrs Collier by surprise. ‘What would that have to do with paychecks for the servants?’
‘Not a thing,’ Kate giggled, taking another glance down the hall. ‘But the gardener mentioned that Lainey and her mom fought all the time about her choice of boyfriends. I’m just being nosy.’
Kate waited to be put in her place, to get her second dress-down of the day. Instead Mrs Collier shut the office door. ‘You’re not kidding they fought about Lainey’s fiancé. Agnes Westin was the world’s biggest bigot. It didn’t matter that Rivera came from plenty of money, or that his ancestors were some kind of Cuban royalty, Agnes despised him. Know what she confided in me?’ Collier asked with conspiratorial inflection.
Kate leaned closer. ‘No, what?’
‘That if Lainey married this wetback, she would be cut out of her will.’
‘What an awful thing to say! Agnes couldn’t possibly mean that. Lainey was her only child.’
Collier pulled down her glasses with one finger. ‘Are you really this naïve? Agnes did her best to ruin Rivera’s Lexus dealership. She filed fictitious reports with the Better Business Bureau, and paid some kid to smear their Facebook page until Lainey figured out who was doing it.’
‘Steve Rivera owns a Lexus dealership?’ asked Kate, wide-eyed. ‘Those are really nice cars.’
‘Not just one dealership. The Rivera family owns a chain of them throughout the Sunshine State. I’d say that’s hitting below the belt.’ Collier glanced at her watch.
‘Do you think Agnes went through with it? Do you think she cut her daughter out of her will?’
‘Who knows? I personally can’t wait until the will is made public. I think there’ll be more than one surprise. Agnes not only hated anyone who wasn’t lily-white – if your ancestors stopped at Ellis Island like mine did, you were also second-rate. Didn’t she know the Quakers who landed on Plymouth Rock were also immigrants?’
‘Actually, those who arrived on the Mayflower were Pilgrim Separatists, not Quakers,’ Eric corrected.
‘What difference does it make, young man?’ Martha snapped.
‘None whatsoever, ma’am.’ Eric bobbed his head respectfully.
‘I gotta run.’ Collier yanked the door open. ‘Let’s just keep everything said and done here between us, okay? Lainey would probably demand a court order to release the garden club roster.’
‘Absolutely,’ Kate readily agreed.
Collier smiled at Kate, but offered Eric only the barest of acknowledgements.
‘I don’t think she liked me,’ Eric said after the woman hustled down the hall.
‘You could be right. But did you see how guilty she looked when we walked in? My guess is she was looking for a copy of Agnes’s will, not the roster of garden club members.’
‘My, Miss Weller. You’re not half as naïve as you look.’
Kate smiled. ‘Let’s get something to eat and then go back to the hotel.’
‘Wait a minute. Aren’t we waiting for Lainey?’
‘I’ll leave her a note that I had an emergency. I’d rather first learn what I can about Steve Rivera on the internet. We can always question Lainey later.’
‘What about pay for the staff?’ Eric persisted.
‘I’ll put that in the note too. Let’s go!’
‘Okay, while you’re researching Rivera, I’ll look into lawsuits or complaints filed by their Lexus dealerships – anything that has become public record.’
‘No, Eric. After we grab lunch at a drive-through, you need to get ready for work. You can’t be late on your second day of work. After all, you’re already down a hundred bucks today.’
Several hours later, Kate felt a twinge of guilt as Eric climbed into his SUV and left for work. She didn’t
like lying to Eric. And it wasn’t because he was her temporary protector now that Beth had gone home to Savannah. She liked the guy … a lot, and got the feeling that he seldom lied to her. Eric Manfredi was straight as an arrow, but she couldn’t have him following her around as though she were a bumbling idiot. She might not care what Martha Collier thought of her, but she yearned for Eric’s respect. Maybe she was shallow, but she wanted him to report back to Beth Kirby that her protégée could take care of herself.
But that wasn’t the only reason she’d led Eric to believe she’d be staying in to research Steve Rivera. She’d rather not let him know she had a seven o’clock appointment with a hypnotherapist. Like Beth, Eric didn’t have a very high opinion of the ‘fringe’ sciences. He suspected the vast majority were frauds, out to separate fools from their money. And that was probably true in most cases. But Kate knew Leslie Faraday was for real. Under hypnosis, she had seen a bit of her past that had been locked in an inaccessible corner of her mind. So Kate was going back until she remembered everything from that horrible summer night.
When Kate arrived, Mrs Faraday was chatting with guests on the front porch of Sweet Dreams Bed and Breakfast. Everyone stopped talking when Kate climbed the porch steps.
‘Ah, Miss Weller, you’re right on time. Shall we go to my office?’ Faraday asked, opening the screen door.
‘Are those two on their honeymoon?’ she asked. ‘They look so young.’
‘They married right after high school. Very few couples do that anymore. I blame video games and the high price of rent these days.’
Unsure if the hypnotist was joking or not, Kate just smiled.
But once she closed the office door, Faraday became all business. ‘Frankly, I was shocked when you called me for a second appointment.’ She pointed at the sofa while taking her position in the upholstered chair.
‘Why were you shocked?’ Kate sat down in the exact spot she’d occupied before.
‘You were very upset when you left here. Often when patients relive something distressing from the past, they don’t return.’ Faraday opened a spiral notebook.
Kate chose her words carefully. ‘I wasn’t distressed. I was shocked … and scared. That’s why I wanted to stop the session. And that’s why I ran out of here like a banshee.’
