by Adam Zorzi
Smythe's would coordinate with law enforcement about timing. A date for the service couldn't be selected until the coroner approved the release of Jill's body. How he hated that word. He wished he could believe as his mother did that it was just an earthly vessel and Jill's spirit lived on. He couldn't separate the two. He wanted a living Jill. Otherwise, she was gone forever.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-NINE
The day was endless. Had it only been this morning when he'd been told Jill was officially missing? Then dead? Then murdered?
Dan was back in the living room again with Detective Elba, Lieutenant Winston, and Rob. The doors at either end were closed to obstruct any curious listeners. Why didn't those people go home when the police obviously needed to speak to him? It must be late—after nine o'clock—far too late for social calls. The officers sat on the dusty rose velvet sofa. He sat in one of the scratchy wing chairs with Rob on the footstool next to it.
The autopsy had been completed an hour earlier. “We wanted you to know as quickly as possible before the results are made public,” said Detective Elba.
Public. Strangers were going to know about Jill's most private self. He nodded. He still didn't care who'd killed Jill.
“Mr. Ramsay, there were no signs of any struggle or any injury. The toxicology reports won't be back for about five days. They should confirm the coroner's opinion. Mrs. Ramsay died of cardiac arrest. Most likely, from a substance injected into her neck. A tiny injection site was found there.”
There was a low, long wailing in the room. Rob rubbed his back until it stopped. Dan realized it was coming from him. He stood and walked toward the door. “I don't want to hear anymore. I can't. I can't listen to this.”
“Mr. Ramsay, it's important for you to understand what happened. You might know something about the killer from the way she died. You may not realize that you know something significant. “
“Can we just hit the important points, Detective?” asked Rob. Dan turned and sat next to Rob.
“The scenario seems to be that someone was in the back seat of the car Mrs. Ramsay was driving who stabbed her in the neck with a syringe. The estimated time of death is Saturday morning. She probably never got out of the car once it was parked.”
Oh, good God, Jill had been in the car with a killer. She must have been terrified.
“Mrs. Ramsay died instantly. At most, she might have felt the slight sting of a needle. The killer or killers took her body into the park and down to the garden where they staged her to be found lying peacefully with her hands folded and her face and body covered. The fleece blanket used to cover her was navy blue.
“Does any of that resonate with you? The color navy? The garden?”
Dan shook his head. He was so tired.
Rob spoke. “Jill wasn't much of a gardener. I don't think she sought them out the way people who love flowers and landscaping do, did she Dan?”
“No.” They'd married at Ginter Gardens because it was an available outdoor space, not because either one of them were drawn to its renowned landscaping. If anything, Jill didn't like nature to be forced. She liked wildflowers in meadows.
“What about the color navy?”
Dan shook his head. Rob answered for him again. “Navy is the color of St. Margaret's uniform blazers. Jill wore one when she attended and now Kaitlyn does.” He thought for moment. “It's one of the University of Virginia's colors. That seems to be a stretch, but Dan and I both went there.”
“Where did Mrs. Ramsay go to college?”
“Virginia Commonwealth University. She majored in business. Its colors are black and gold.”
Dan couldn't believe he was listening to Rob talking about school colors. Blue, black, gold. He didn't care about the blanket found with Jill except he hoped it had been warm.
“Did Mrs. Ramsay take any medication?”
Dan again shook his head. “Vitamins, that's it. She didn't like to take medication. She would occasionally take an over the counter pain reliever if she'd been training hard.”
“Do you know if anyone she knew had access to drugs? Legal or illegal?”
Jill didn't want to be near drugs of any kind. She wouldn't go looking for them.
Rob answered, “I'm a dentist. I have some medications, but nothing lethal. Jill had an unplanned hysterectomy at the end of August and was prescribed pain medication. I don't know what. I looked over the cycling team list and noticed that two of the members are physicians. One is a nurse practitioner. No one else in a medical profession that I recognized. I doubt anyone on the team would use illegal drugs unless they considered them to be performance enhancements.”
“Mrs. Ramsay didn't take any performance enhancements, correct?”
“Not that I know of,” said Dan. “She took vitamins. That's it.”
“May we look at her vitamins?”
Rob started to object. Dan felt like his entire life had been sliced open to scrutiny. “They're in the kitchen in the top left cabinet next to the back door. You can check the medicine cabinets, too. I don't care.”
The detectives exchanged a glance. Elba left with Rob for the kitchen.
Dan heard sounds of women being hurried out the front door. Detective Elba must have told them he was on police business and they needed to leave.
“The vitamins will be sufficient,” replied Winston. “Then we'll leave you alone for tonight. I'm sorry. It's been a difficult day for you.”
Understatement.
“How's your daughter?”
“Devastated, but her grandmother is staying here. My mother is comforting.”
“Good. We're keeping the lane blocked off, but by tomorrow night we'll have to let traffic flow freely.”
Dan nodded. He was so tired, but there was something he should ask. Not for himself, but for Jill's parents. What was it?
“Leads. Do you have any leads?” asked Dan. His voice was devoid of any interest.
“We're checking the whereabouts of people known to frequent the parks along I-95. People who've come to our attention in the past. None are violent, but they might have seen something.
“The park has a small campsite. We're interviewing anyone who is still there and we'll follow-up with campsite check-ins for the weekend.”
“Do you think someone from the campsite might have killed her?” asked Dan.
“We don't know. We're comparing reservations against actual check-ins.”
Detective Elba returned holding what looked like a transparent food storage bag. Presumably, Jill's vitamin bottles were in it.
“We'll leave you now. Call us if you need anything. There's a patrol officer right outside.”
***
“That's the last of them,” said Suzanne as she sat on the sofa in the den next to Rob. “I told everyone they had to leave while the police brought you up to speed. I could tell some of the women wanted to listen at the door. Detective Elba showing up in the kitchen got rid of them.”
“It's after eleven o'clock. No one should visit that late,” said Dan's mom. She slipped into the room after checking on a sleeping Kaitlyn. “Dan, let me get you something to eat.”
“Not yet,” he said. “Where are the Carters, Mom?” He was relieved he hadn't seen his in-laws.
“Elizabeth called to say they were at their hotel. Jane told them the news. They were distraught, especially George. They decided to rest at the hotel tonight and see Kaitlyn tomorrow.”
“That's the best news we've had all day,” said Rob. “I don't think we needed anyone else in the circus this afternoon and evening.”
“Rob, she's their child,” said his mother. “They've lost their daughter far too soon. Kaitlyn is the closest they can get to her.”
“I want to see Katie,” said Dan. “Was she okay after seeing Sophia?”
“I think it helped. It's hard to say,” said his mom.
Dan stood. “Thank you all. I think I would've died today myself if it hadn't been for the three of you.”
“Dan, you don't have any….urges, do you?” asked his mother.
He had no reason to lie to his mother. Of course, he wanted to kill himself. To stop the pain. The people. The questions. He couldn't imagine a day without Jill.
“Yes, I do Mom, but I'd never put Katie through that. She's already lost one parent. She needs me.”
“I need you, Dan. I need you and Rob and Suzanne. Please don't do anything to harm yourself.”
He kissed his mother.
Dan dragged himself up the stairs and looked in on Katie. She was asleep on the bed, wearing the skirt and blouse of her school uniform and hugging a faded and frayed Mr. Rabbit. He'd last been seen in the back of Katie's closet, but he'd been needed tonight.
Dan wished he had a Mr. Rabbit.
CHAPTER FORTY
Dan was awakened by voices in the hall outside his bedroom. Muffled, at first.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he remembered that Jill was dead. Dead. He couldn't believe it. Maybe if he went back to sleep he'd wake up to a different world. One where he and Jill and Katie and Abbie were a contented family.
“How can he be asleep? It's past noon. His wife is dead and he's sleeping like a baby.” Mrs. Carter. Jill's mother. His mother-in-law.
“Let's go downstairs, Elizabeth,” said his mother. “Dan was in the emergency room yesterday and was given a sedative. The police were here until midnight last night.”
Mom the cavalry.
He should get up. Who knows what had happened while he slept? He showered, shaved, and dressed. At least he looked presentable.
He went straight to Katie's room. “Dad,” she cried. “Grandmother and Grandfather Carter took me out to breakfast. I had pancakes with cherries on top. And a scrambled egg white. I knew Mom wanted me to eat something healthy.” She wrapped her arms around him and he lifted her. “Dad, I miss Mom.” She buried her face in his shoulder.
“I do, too, Katie.” Tears trickled down his cheeks.
***
“Well, look who's up,” chided Elizabeth. Dan reminded himself her daughter was dead. He had to cut her some slack.
He walked to the velvet sofa in the living room where she sat next to George and kissed her on the cheek. “Hello, Elizabeth.”
George stood and hugged him. He'd never done that. Not even on their wedding day or when Katie was born. George held him close before letting him go. Dan saw tears in the older man's eyes. “George,” was all he could say for a few minutes. After taking a breath, he said, “Thanks for taking Kaitlyn to breakfast. It's good for her to be with you and out of this house.”
“No need to thank us. We know how upsetting this is for her. She needs to be with her grandparents.”
Dan nodded. His mother brought him a cup of black coffee and placed a coaster on the mahogany end table next to his chair. “Dan, I'm making you breakfast. It'll be ready in about fifteen minutes.”
He held her wrist lightly. “It can wait, Mom. Catch me up, please.”
She perched on the arm of his chair. “The patrol officer is still here. He's stopping visitors at the curb. I asked him to do that. There's too much confusion and curiosity to have a house full of people. I gave him a list of people to admit today. Elizabeth and George, of course, Rob, Suzanne, and Kaitlyn's friends. I unplugged the landline this morning. Reporters have been calling. Rob knows to call my cell or yours.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Exactly when will we be receiving?” asked Elizabeth.
“It's up to Dan when he wants people to visit his home, Elizabeth,” said his mother gently. “If you have friends you want to see you can make arrangements at the hotel. Dan and Kaitlyn need privacy.”
George patted Elizabeth's hand. “We'll get a suite or schedule some hours in a private room at the hotel. I'll call the concierge now.” He went into the kitchen to make the call.
Elizabeth honed in on Dan. “The obituary was printed without consulting us.”
“Was there something missing?”
“Her ancestry was light, but I realize the Richmond paper doesn't have as much sensibility to such things as The Post and Courier in Charleston does. I didn't understand about a private funeral. Graveside.” She emphasized the last word. “What church will hold the service? I'd like to meet the priest.”
“There's no church. Graveside is what Jill wanted. She loved the outdoors. We all know she didn't attend church.”
“You mean my daughter is going to be buried like a heathen?” her dark eyes widened in disbelief and she leaned back into the sofa.
“Certainly not,” said his mother. “She'll have a dignified service outdoors in the presence of those closest to her. Dan's not going to give an opportunity to curiosity seekers and the press.”
“The press?” Elizabeth sounded as shocked as if she'd been told snake charmers would attend.
Mom intercepted more of Elizabeth's disapproval. “Elizabeth, none of us have experienced a murder in the family. Jill didn't die from an illness or accident or natural causes. Some savage killed her. There's no etiquette for that.” Mom was a tiger. A polite tiger, but ferocious none the less. He was glad she was willing to take on Elizabeth. He didn't have the strength.
“No date was mentioned for the service. Is that to keep the press away, too?” Elizabeth said scornfully. She was getting defensive. That always made her even more imperious than normal. She didn't understand that the Virginia Bureau of Criminal Investigation and local cops didn't know or care about her pristine southern lineage. Her vaunted position in Charleston society didn't do anything to protect her from a murder investigation in Virginia.
Dan didn't want to be cruel, but he had to be forthright. “Elizabeth, we don't know the date. The autopsy was performed late yesterday evening and some results won't be in until Friday at the earliest. The coroner will determine when she can be released.”
“Autopsy? Coroner?” These sounded foreign coming from her. Probably as foreign as they felt to him. Both referred to Jill. He couldn't grasp that.
“This is indecent.” She dabbed at her eyes with a lace-trimmed white cotton handkerchief that carried a light touch of soothing lavender. She shifted her seat on the sofa and changed course. “What time will the detectives be here?”
“I don't know. They come and go,” said Dan.
“Without an appointment?” Elizabeth was incredulous. “Is decency just tossed aside?” Dan's mother left the room.
Elizabeth was out of her depth. She was a master of fund raisers, cotillions, and polo matches. She was incapable of understanding what a murder investigation entailed. Frankly, he couldn't either. They had that in common.
“Elizabeth, this has devastated us all. I feel like I'm sleepwalking. The police. The morgue. The press. I'm doing the best I can. I loved Jill. I can't believe she's gone, but she is. The best thing for all of us is to throw protocol to the winds and protect Kaitlyn.” He made an effort not to refer to her as Katie in front of Jill's parents. “I appreciate your taking her to breakfast. She needs to be with you and George. She was glad to see you.
“I know Jill is your daughter, but she's Kaitlyn's mother. She was murdered. As sickening as it is, that makes news. The press want pictures of a grieving child or Jill's grieving parents. Please be careful.”
Elizabeth cried softly. He knew she hated herself for doing that in front of him. It wasn't proper. She didn't realize only she cared about what was proper. He didn't.
“Dan, I had no idea people could be so cruel.”
“I didn't, either, Elizabeth, until yesterday.” He paused to collect himself. “The press will go away as soon as there's another news story. The most frightening people are those who take pictures with a cell phone. People right in this neighborhood. Right in this house. People who were Jill's neighbors and some who said they were her friends.”
“No,” she insisted. “They wouldn't.”
“Yes. Anyone who comes must leave their cell in basket in the foyer. They can pic
k them up on their way out.”
“Oh, Dan, just a few years ago no one had cell phones. No one took pictures of absolutely everything they did. No one spied on their friends.”
“I know, Elizabeth, but we have to deal with what is. People want pictures of Kaitlyn. She's a sweet grieving child. People will post her picture on Facebook or Instagram or Tumblr. They can make up a caption. It doesn't have to be true. That's worse than anything the media would do.
“No one knows the truth. The police have just started their investigation and won't make any comments. I'm not going to say anything. We don't owe anyone an explanation, especially when we don't have one.”
She dabbed at her eyes again. “I don't even know what Facebook is.”
He couldn't explain social media to this elegant, clueless woman. She'd never understand the need for some people to have hundreds of imaginary friends and followers with whom to share true or imagined stories. Her daughters and other grandchildren could try. He couldn't.
“Why don't you and George go to your hotel and rest for a while. Please come back for dinner this evening. Kaitlyn and I both want you here.”
CHAPTER
FORTY-ONE
After dinner, George asked to speak to Dan in private. Normally, Dan would have suggested taking a walk around the neighborhood. Tonight he suggested sitting outside in the back yard that flowed into a wooded area behind the fence. It was quiet, peaceful, and the trees showed signs of spring.
He and George sat in Adirondack chairs Jill had painted periwinkle blue. George had brought a scotch with him; Dan had a beer. The older man looked haggard. In the two days since Jill had gone missing and found murdered, George had aged. He and Elizabeth were in their sixties, but George now looked eighty.
“Dan, Elizabeth and I were interviewed by the police at our hotel this afternoon.”
Dan nodded. He expected the police to talk to anyone who'd ever met Jill.
