Glossy Lips

by Barbara Silkstone

  The bulldozer stormed to his car, settled into the cushy white seat and slammed the door. He gunned the motor and rained sand and shells on us as his wheels spun before the car gained traction.

  “Nice meeting you, Mr. Dingler!” I called after his dust trail.

  “I’m so sorry,” Lizzy said. “I’d like to make an excuse, but that’s him being him. Let’s check on Sterling. Brace yourself. He may be in an even more foul mood.”

  The front door was wide open. Lizzy called out Sterling’s name. “In here…” His voice was so faint I barely heard him.

  The meanest divorce attorney in Florida slouched in a gray leather armchair in the den. His complexion matched the chair. He gripped the arms with long boney fingers. Lizzy ran to his side. “You need a doctor!” Despite all that had passed between them I could see Lizzy still cared about the rat.

  Sweat dripped from his forehead and ran into his eyes. His pupils were tiny pin dots. “Where’s Heather?” he asked. Before Lizzy could answer, he said, “Your lip gloss looks awful.”

  His eyes closed and his head fell forward exposing an almost entirely baldpate.

  I grabbed his wrist. No pulse. I hit 911 on my cellphone and requested an ambulance. I knew it was too late. The much-despised Sterling Kelly, esquire was dead.

  Tears filled Lizzy’s eyes. I put my arms around her and gave her a hug. Then I took Kal’s card from my purse and dialed his number. “We’re at Barracuda Manor. Sterling Kelly just passed away.”

  Chapter 25

  Kal didn’t waste time getting to Barracuda Manor. He arrived as the medical examiner and a crime scene tech strode into the house. He also didn’t waste words. “Where can we talk?”

  Lizzy led us to the library. She and I sat on the couch. He took the armchair across the coffee table from us with notepad in hand and said, “As you can see, I’m treating this as a suspicious death. Olive, you called it in. Were you the last person to see him alive? Why were you here?”

  I turned my head toward Lizzy. She told him about the call from Sterling.

  He wrote in his notebook then addressed Lizzy. “So aside from you two, the last person to see Sterling Kelly alive was your father, Nelson Dingler?” He threw me an I told you so look.

  Lizzy nodded. “He was leaving as we arrived. He ranted about Sterling helping Irma, my father’s fourth wife, run off this morning with all their furniture and his art collection. She left him a cot to sleep on. She was always a considerate person.”

  The crime scene tech stepped into the room and said to Kal, “I’m finished here. Wasn’t much to do. The medical examiner says it looks like death by natural causes.

  He’s taking the body now. See you at the station.” Like that he was gone.

  Kal made a few more notes then closed his pad. “We’ll have to pick up your father for questioning. He might have intentionally precipitated your husband’s heart attack.”

  “Pick up my father?” Obviously on the verge of hysteria, Lizzy cackled. “Do you know how much he weighs?”

  The bad joke struck my overwrought nerves just right. I cackled with her. We were losing it. I had to get us under control. “I’ll make you some tea. Wait here,” I said swallowing a final laugh.

  “Let Addy do it,” Lizzy said, her lower lip quivering. “Wait? Where is Addy? We need to see if she’s okay.”

  “I’ll find her.” Kal said.

  I left the room with Kal close behind. Once we were out of Lizzy’s hearing I said, “I failed to keep Lizzy away from here but the upside was I got to observe Sterling’s condition and hear his last words.”

  Kal put his index finger to his lips. The movement caused me to feel like his conspirator.

  I lowered the volume of my voice a couple of notches. “I’m no doctor, but I have had training geared toward recognizing symptoms of toxins. I recommend an autopsy even if preliminary indications are natural causes. Something’s not right about Sterling’s condition—besides being dead.”

  “That’s up to the medical examiner,” Kal said.

  “His heart didn’t fail him. He was poisoned. I got one quick look in Sterling’s eyes—his pupils were pinpoints. Then his head drooped and I saw a big bald spot. He wasn’t that hairless two days ago. I would have noticed. An autopsy is necessary.” Not meaning to I had raised my voice.

  A second later, Lizzy tugged my elbow. “No autopsy! He was a heel, but I can’t stand the thought of someone slicing him up. Sterling would never allow it. I’m still his wife and I say no!”

  A squeamish feeling wriggled in the pit of my stomach. Why would Lizzy object to an autopsy? Was she protecting her father? My mind raced like a caffeinated hamster trapped in a wheel.

  “It’s the ME’s call, Lizzy,” Kal said. “You can’t prevent it if he sees a need for a postmortem. The law says it must be performed within forty-eight hours. He won’t ask your permission if he suspects foul play.”

  Her eyes glazed over. I grabbed her by the shoulders, turned her around, and sent her back to the library. “Go sit down before you fall down. I’ll bring you tea in a minute.”

  She tottered away on her unsteady wedgies.

  I turned to Kal. “Addy might be very upset. When I was here before, she hovered over Sterling. I think she lives in the caretaker’s cottage,” I pointed to it through the window of the kitchen door. “If you find her dead, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”

  My shoulders slumped as I wondered if I had stumbled into Myron’s world by mistake. I watched for a moment as Kal made his way through the garden toward the cottage.

  A bright blue kettle sat on the stove. I sniffed it looking for the garlic-scent of arsenic or the pencil scent of lead. I filled it and set it to boil. While the water heated I remembered to call attorney Ross. I apologized, explained the situation, and asked him to reschedule.

  I found a tea labeled Victorian Mint and set a cup to steeping. In my rummaging through the kitchen cabinets, I didn’t see anything. Being of a curious mindset, I used the steeping time to explore the cupboards looking for anything suspicious like rat poison or cyanide or a bottle with skull and crossbones on it.

  There was nothing unlabeled or dubious on any of the shelves. I shook off the feeling of paranoia. Sterling was smart enough to know if he’d been poisoned. I mulled it over. Or maybe he wasn’t so smart.

  I took the tea to Lizzy. As I handed it to her, a voice boomed. “What the poshookly is going on here?” It was Jaimie. Her voice echoed from the foyer as if she was performing in a nightclub.

  I walked into the hall to meet her, putting my finger to my lips. “Shh! We’re in the library.”

  She peered at my face. “There’s something going on, isn’t there? It doesn’t take old Albert E. to figure out that E equals empty house, plus a cop car outside means trouble.” I made a patting motion with my hands, trying to clue her to be gentle. I wondered if she even knew what the word meant. She barged passed me and headed into the library.

  Lizzy took one look at Jaimie and her lip began to quiver. I could tell it was a reaction to a friendly face and having to speak the words that would make it all real. “Sterling had a heart attack,” she whispered.

  Jaimie dropped her sack of a purse; the sound of a glass bottle hitting the floor was a good indication she was packing her own refreshments. “How long will he be out of commission? I need my pre-alimony check from Chip. It’s late.”

  “He’ll be out of action for a long time,” I said. “He’s no longer with us as in—dead.”

  “Sterling! You can’t do this to me!” She fell into one of the armchairs.

  I wanted to tell the self-centered blonde she was absolutely right that Sterling’s heart attack was a plot to do her wrong. The gal was a textbook case.

  She showed emotion over Peanut in the trunk but nothing other than self-concern about Sterling’s death. I mulled over her familiarity with Barracuda Manor and Addy’s obvious distaste for her. I came to a logical conclusion—not a snap judgment
—Jaimie was having an affair with Peanut and they rendezvoused here. Sterling’s bar, stocked with only the best liquor, would draw her like a butterfly to wildflowers.

  Chapter 26

  Kal returned, entering the library through the kitchen. “Nobody is in the cottage. Does Addy have a child? One of the two bedrooms looks like a little girl’s room. It doesn’t appear anything has been disturbed there. Their clothes are still in the closet, so she hasn’t split.”

  Jaimie snapped to attention and glanced at her watch. “It’s twelve-fifteen. Her daughter goes to school half days. The only time Addy leaves this place is when she picks up Heather from Hollyhock School. They usually go somewhere for lunch and get back here by two o’clock.”

  Her knowledge of the housekeeper’s schedule cemented my suspicion that Jaimie and Peanut used Barracuda Manor for fun and games. With Sterling at his office and Addy away for a couple of hours, they could play lord and lady of the manor. I shot a look at Kal hoping he was tuned in to the implications of Jaimie’s timetable.

  The loudmouth blonde strode to the illusion that hid the liquor cabinet and pressed the button. The screened picture of books on a shelf rolled up, and revealed a selection of top-shelf liquor.

  “Time for a Bloody Mary,” Jaimie said. She reached into the small refrigerator at her shoulder, removed a white paper bag and threw it in the wastebasket at her feet. Then she grabbed a bottle of tomato cocktail from the fridge, poured it into a glass, and added a liberal slosh of vodka. She took a big gulp, not bothering with ice.

  Once again, the gal demonstrated her familiarity with the contents of Sterling’s house; she also showed her greedy side. Why didn’t she drink whatever was clinking in her own sack?

  Kal watched her like an owl tracking a clueless field mouse. I hoped he would declare the house and grounds off limits until the medical examiner made his decision. The place had to be ripe with clues. As if reading my mind, he placed a call to his deputy to come and cordon off the house, immediately.

  Lizzy looked at me apologetically and began her cigarette fumble, groping her pockets. If she found some contraband I wouldn’t stop her. I might even join her, and I don’t smoke; but the tension was frying my nerves.

  “I’m worried about the child,” I said to Kal. “One of the last things Sterling did was ask for Heather. She might be in danger. Maybe he was worried that she saw who killed Peanut. Maybe Addy saw something too.” In my mind, bad things were popping from Peanut’s death like snakes from Medusa’s head.

  Lizzy smiled, blinking back tears. “Sterling loved Heather. He would ask for her in his last moments of life.”

  That made me feel a little better, but only a little. “Do they know you at her school? Would they give you any information if you called? Let’s verify if she was there and if Addy picked her up.”

  Her tongue darted about her lip hunting for a smoke. “I think the school will tell me. I hope Addy and Heather are okay!”

  She went through the Hollyhock School website and reached the principal, Miss March. Lizzy established her identity by talking about having met her a few times when she picked up Heather because Addy was under the weather. “There’s been an emergency at home. We need to get in touch with Addy and want to verify Heather was in school today and Addy picked her up.”

  Lizzy drummed her fingers on the side of her thigh while she listened. “Thank you very much, Miss March. You’ve been a big help. We’ll try and reach her there. Thanks again.”

  “Addy picked up Heather a few hours ago to take her to the walk-in clinic. She said Heather had been sick this morning and Addy wanted to be sure she wasn’t coming down with the new strain of flu going around. That accounts for their absence. Safe but maybe not well.”

  Kal remained within grabbing distance of Jaimie as she poured another vodka and tomato cocktail. If she wasn’t guilty of something, she was definitely prepping for a DUI.

  “How many walk-in clinics are around here?” I asked.

  “There’s only one on Starfish Boulevard,” Lizzy said, a frown wrinkling her brow.

  I knew we were thinking the same thing. We exchanged questioning looks. How long does it take at a walk-in clinic?

  “Heather probably is feeling well enough for their usual lunch routine,” I said, “But I’ll feel better if we check on them, Kal. I’ll call you as soon as we know something.”

  Jaimie was occupied with her most recent Bloody Mary and did not force herself on us—thank goodness.

  We jumped into my car and accelerated out of the driveway. When we turned onto the antique brick road we were greeted by the blare of a horn. A Starfish Cove police car barreled down on us and swung into the driveway. My palms went sweaty as I realized how close we had come to being T-boned.

  “Which way?” I yelped at Lizzy. I had turned to the right but was that the direction we wanted? “Which way to the clinic?”

  “It’s right on Starfish Boulevard. Just before we come to the ice cream shop.” I felt the weight of her stare. “I’m so sorry my life has messed up your plans. If you don’t want me to be your partner I’ll understand.”

  “None of this is your fault. Trust me when I say we aren’t responsible for anyone’s actions except our own.” I didn’t mention that this was turning out to be a lot more intense than I expected from a quiet seaside village.

  Lizzy said something, but I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly. “What did you say?” I yelled, as I changed lanes.

  She raised her voice. “I just remembered something. I’m not sure if this is important, but Heather is the beneficiary of Sterling’s will.”

  I slammed on the brakes. My car lurched and the guy in back of me laid on the horn.

  I hate being honked at. It was embarrassing and that was the second honk in less than five minutes. “This could be more than important!” I said. “Who stands to inherit if something happens to Heather?”

  “I don’t know. I only know about Heather being in the will because Sterling told me. He made me swear never to tell anyone but I see what you are getting at. I don’t think Sterling has any extended family.”

  We continued down Starfish Boulevard. A new thought floated into the part of my brain not consumed with avoiding collusions. Lizzy was still married to Sterling. She might stand to inherit something despite the will. We would have to ask attorney Ross when we met to sign the papers for our business. The way the day was going I doubted it would be today.

  She pointed ahead. “We are almost at the clinic. See the blue and yellow sign?”

  Chapter 27

  I pulled in to a space marked ‘Patients Only’. We jumped out and dashed into the building. Addy was leaning over the checkout desk while a child of about six or seven years old stood next to her. The little girl smiled at Lizzy and called out to her, “Aunt Lizzy!”

  Addy turned and nodded at us. She was an odd shade of green and had a hacking cough.

  The little girl ran to Lizzy and hugged her around the waist, almost knocking her over.

  “I have some sort of flu bug,” Addy said. “Can’t stop coughing. I thought I would bring Heather in, just in case. Don’t tell me you’re both sick too?”

  Lizzy knelt next to the little blonde with the startling gray eyes.

  “Aunt Lizzy, I missed you,” Heather said.

  I shook my head in response to Addy’s question. “We’re not sick, just looking for you.”

  Lizzy stood and placed one hand on her hip, while with the other she held the child’s hand. “You are needed at the house, but it might be best if Heather spent the afternoon with us.”

  With a jerk of my head, I motioned Addy aside and whispered to her, “Sterling has had a heart attack. I think Lizzy is suggesting the situation at the manor would be upsetting for Heather. If you would like we can take her to my condo and keep her occupied for a few hours.”

  Addy’s pale hand shot to her cheek. “Is he okay?” She began to cough again.

  “I’m afraid not. You
might remember the Starfish Cove detective? He’s waiting there for you.”

  She nodded, her eyes moistening. She understood what the presence of the police meant.

  I turned to Heather. “I have a kitty who would love to meet you. Do you like kittens?”

  “Oh yes!” Heather cooed. “I love kitties.”

  Addy was reluctant to release Heather into our care. “You both will be with her? No offense, but she doesn’t know you, Miss Olive.”

  “No offense taken. I understand completely.”

  She touched her daughter’s cheek. “You be good for Aunt Lizzy and Miss Olive. They’re going to take you on a little adventure. And don’t talk their ears off.” She smiled. “Heather loves to tell tales, the scarier, the better.”

  We made the ten-minute drive to Sandy Shores Towers without a single near-collision. Lizzy and Heather got out and walked toward the elevator. I intentionally lagged a bit to call Kal. “We have the little girl. She’s at my place. Did Addy show up?”

  “She’s here right now.” It sounded as if he cupped his hand over the phone. “Not taking it well.”

  “Where’s Jaimie?”

  Kal snorted, the sound came through loud and clear. “I’m about to drive her home. She can leave her car here and get it when she sobers up. My deputy, Robbie, will stay with Addy until she collects herself.”

  “Any further instructions for me?” I asked.

  “The ME is running preliminary toxicology screenings on Kelly,” he said. “On the off-chance there’s something deadly in the house. Keep the little girl until I tell you it’s okay to bring her home.”

  I heard the sound of scuffling in the background. “Sorry about that noise. I’m just about ready to take Jaimie Toast home—to her house!” he said, realizing the implication of his words.

  “She sounds toasted,” I said, with a touch of sarcasm.

  A muffled snort came through the phone and tickled my ear. “After I see Mrs. Toast home, I’m heading downtown to question Nelson Dingler. If you and Lizzy run into any trouble, call me.”