by Jane Tesh
Rehearsal ended, and Jerry came up out of the pit. “Be right there, Mac. I need to pick up a few things.”
Bea saw me, but didn’t come over to talk. I chatted briefly with the young woman who was playing Laurie. She’d been a contestant in the Miss Celosia Pageant, the pageant that had led to my first murder case in town.
“Guess you didn’t ever think you’d have this much to do in Celosia, did you, Madeline? Are you helping out with the murder at the art gallery?”
I told her yes, I was, but since she was too young to have gone to school with Wendall and wasn’t too concerned, she soon changed the subject to Oklahoma and talked about the play until Jerry returned and she waved good-bye. Jerry had a paper shopping bag.
“Stuff I need to look through for the orchestra,” he said. “We’ve decided to dress like cowboys, too.”
“Jerry Fairweather and His Rootin’ Tootin’ Cowboy Band?”
“Right now we’re the Tumbleweed Quintet. I’m looking for a few more people to join us. There’s a violin part.” He grinned and arched his eyebrows.
“Keep looking.”
We started up the aisle and he asked, “Now what did you mean about an alien brick?”
“You know what the bricks in Bea’s yard look like? This one was different.”
“Maybe she’s expanding her brickyard.”
“Maybe she didn’t do it. Hasn’t she been here all night?”
“Yes. Are you saying someone’s trying to frame her? Why break your window?”
“I don’t know. But it was definitely a warning.”
***
On the drive home, I told Jerry about finding the ring. “Pamela has the pink sapphire stuck in one of her collages.”
“Will it come off?”
“Do you honestly think if I get it, Honor will give it to Big Mike? I think she wants it for herself. The only way to ruin her game is to get Big Mike and Pamela together. Can you get him here, or do the two of you have issues?”
“Big Mike and I settled our differences a long time ago. He told me I was like the little brother he never had.”
“Not the son he never had?”
“Big Mike is big, but he’s not that old.”
“Well, call him up, or light the bat signal, or whatever it is you do in Con World.”
Jerry looked doubtful. “That could be a little tricky. He likes to keep a low profile.”
“But not beyond your skills.”
“I’ll see what I can do. I’ve also been wondering if she really does owe him anything. He was usually an easy-going guy.”
At home, Jerry said he was hungry again, so he made a grilled cheese sandwich. For once, the smells of bread and cheese smelled good, and I asked him to make me one.
“I need a snack before I go to the séance.”
He took two more slices of bread from the package. “Well, have fun. I’m going to practice. Want me to wait up for you?”
“Don’t you want to hear all the details?”
“I can tell you how it’s going to go. Honor will do a pitiful impersonation of a medium, nowhere near as good as me. Aunt Louise will kick her out of the house, and Honor’s reputation as a medium will be ruined forever. The end.”
“Ruined enough to make her leave town?”
“She’ll probably come up with something else, but we’ll see.”
***
Aunt Louise wasn’t thrilled to see me, but since I’d left Jerry at home, she grudgingly agreed to let me in on the séance. Inside her house, many cats scattered out of my way, except for a large gray one that followed me into the living room. When I joined Aunt Louise and Annie at the séance table, Honor smiled and welcomed me to the circle. She didn’t seem the least bit disconcerted, but as Jerry had just mentioned about his own con career, she was playing a part.
“Another seeker of truth.”
“How true,” I said. Under the table, the cat bit my knee. “Ow.”
“Sydney, no,” Annie said. “Sorry, Madeline. He’s just saying hello.”
Hello to my foot, Sydney. I pushed him away.
“Please take hands.”
Honor lit a candle in the center of the table and grasped hands with Aunt Louise and Annie. I reached around to grasp their outstretched hands, still fending off Sydney’s attempts to chew my knee. “Spirits of the other world, we entreat you to find the soul of Gloria. We ask that you bring her across to answer questions only she can answer.”
Jerry was right. Her act was not as convincing as his, but Aunt Louise was buying it.
“We do not wish to disturb the cosmic ether, but there are matters of great importance we must discuss with the dearly departed Gloria. Come to us. Come.”
Honor had been chanting with her eyes closed, but a strange scratchy noise made her open her eyes. I thought Sydney was using the table leg for a scratching post. Then Honor’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open as she gave a strangled squeak.
I turned to see what had caused this reaction. Honor stared beyond me. A woman’s figure all in black stood at the front window, features hidden by a black veil. A mournful cracked voice spoke.
“Loooouise. Loooouise. How dare you doubt me?”
Sydney streaked from the room. Aunt Louise gave a scream and fell over backwards. As Annie and I scrambled to help her up, the figure raised a trembling hand and pointed at Honor. “And death to this woman who dares summon me!”
Honor stood as if paralyzed.
Annie’s face was white and she was shaking. “It’s okay,” I said. “Stay with your aunt.”
I ran out and around the house, but there was no sign of the ghostly figure. I had to admit it had given me a start. My heart was still pounding when I went back inside. The lights were on, the candle was out, and Honor was gathering her things as fast as she could.
Annie was patting Aunt Louise on the back. “It’s all right, she’s gone.” Aunt Louise was still gasping for breath. “I’m calling 9-1-1.”
Aunt Louise waved her away. “No, no. Don’t call anyone. I’m fine. Get me my root beer.”
“That was really impressive,” I told Honor. “Too bad she cursed you.”
Her voice was shaking. “I don’t know how he did it.”
“Did what? You think Jerry was behind this? Go outside and look for yourself. There’s no way he could’ve gotten to the house. We have only one car, and I drove it here.”
“Then he got someone else to bring him.”
“Wouldn’t we have heard another car?”
She charged out and went around the house. I followed, also looking for any signs of my wayward husband, but there was nothing. Knowing his talent as a second-story man, I even looked up on the roof.
“I’m starting to think Aunt Gloria did come back from the grave,” I said. “Wait till word gets around. You’ll be able to hold as many séances as you like.”
And then I realized Honor’s voice was shaking from laughter. “Oh, he’s good. He’s really good. You should be so proud, Madeline.”
“You honestly think Jerry’s behind this? How?”
“Oh, we have our secrets. Too bad you’re not in the club. I’d better scoot before Aunt Louise gets wise. See ya.” She got in her car, and drove away.
Too bad I’m not in the club? I knew this was Honor’s not so subtle way of saying she and Jerry had a special connection. She was trying so hard to hang onto him. There was something more to their relationship, something Honor imagined, anyway.
I went inside to check on Aunt Louise. She was swilling down her second bottle of root beer.
“Where is that awful woman?” she demanded. “What was she thinking?”
“But you wanted to talk to Aunt Gloria,” Annie said.
“Not like that! I nearly had a spasm! Madeline, you tell Jerry I want
him back. At least he didn’t frighten me half to death.”
Oh, I think he may have already, I wanted to say.
***
But when I got home, Jerry was on the couch eating cookies and watching TV. He took the remote and muted the sound. “Oh, hi. How’d it go?”
I sat down beside him. “Honor is a fabulous medium. Do you know she was able to call up Aunt Gloria? We all saw her.”
“Must have been scary.”
“Honor thought so.”
“Well, it’s not wise to rile the dead. How did Aunt Louise take it?”
“She almost had a heart attack.”
“Gee, that’s too bad.”
I looked right into his eyes. “How did you do it, Jerry?”
“Do what?”
I’m always amazed by how innocent he can appear. “I don’t believe in ghosts, and I certainly don’t believe Honor set this up. For a moment, she was truly frightened.”
“I happen to know she’s a bit superstitious. Maybe the spirit world was trying to tell her something.”
“Jerry—”
“Do I look anything like Aunt Gloria?”
“Not now.”
“And I just magically got myself to Aunt Louise’s house and back before you got home?”
That part had me stumped.
Jerry offered me a cookie. “Whatever happened, let’s hope Honor got the message.”
“Look, if the two of you are going to play horrible jokes on each other, leave me out of it. I have a case to solve.” My ghostbusting had made me hungry, so I ate one cookie and asked for another. “These are good. Did you make them?”
“I’ve been practicing the piano and making cookies all evening. You have to admit that is an iron-clad alibi.”
“For most people, yes.”
“And assisting with your investigation. I got a hold of Big Mike. He said he’ll stop by one day this week.”
“Did he have anything to say about Honor or Pamela?”
“We didn’t discuss details on the phone. He’d rather talk to you directly.”
“Well, good. Thank you.”
He put his arm around me and pulled me in close. “I forgive you for suspecting me.”
I gave him a long kiss. “It ain’t over yet, bud.”
Chapter Seventeen
Austin came over on Saturday morning, and after breakfast, Jerry convinced him there was more to life than Wow, so the two of them went out in the back yard to toss a football and tackle each other. I called Nell to ask about repairing my office window and then spent an unsuccessful hour searching through all the Thomas Rileys and Ryan Hendersons, and then decided to call Flora. I wanted to give her an update on the case, and if confronted, maybe she’d tell me which Thomas and which Ryan I needed to talk to.
I was a little surprised when she offered to come over to my house.
“The police need to ask me some more questions, Madeline, and then I’ll stop by.”
We sat on the front porch. I told her my investigation was coming along slowly, and I then asked her what she planned to do once Wendall’s murder was solved.
She was wearing a powder blue suit, a white blouse, and several gold necklaces. She smoothed her silky blue skirt. “Some people aren’t happy about it, but it’s no secret Wendall left everything to me. I’m going to take some of that money and buy myself a place in Palm Beach. I’ve always wanted to live there. I’m not moving right away, of course. I’m not going anywhere until I find out who killed Wendall. It wouldn’t look very good for me to leave town so soon, anyway. I know some people here think I did it.”
“That’s true,” I said. “Why did you lie about having a sister?”
I thought this might catch her off guard, but as I’d recently learned from Jerry, she had a story ready. “I wanted to be alone, and that was the easiest way to make you feel more comfortable.”
“I’d also like to know about your ex-husband, Stan Bailey.”
“There’s not much to tell. He and I had different ideas about our marriage.”
“What about Thomas Riley and Ryan Henderson and Phillipe DuCoeur?”
She kept her expression neutral. “How did you find out about them?”
“I have connections. And during the course of my investigations, I found out you have a reputation. You also have another name. Should I call you Flora or Lizzie?”
She sat silent for a few moments. “It was a game at first, like all the others, but then I truly fell in love with Wendall. I can’t explain why I loved him. I’ll admit I was attracted to his wealth and power, but he was also a wonderful man.”
“I imagine your other husbands were wonderful men, too.”
She shrugged. “Not really. They were rich. They were convenient. I suppose you’ll want to talk to them.”
“I found Phillipe. I’d like to talk to the other two, if you know where they are.”
“Thomas is Thomas Allan Riley. He’s in Philadelphia. Ryan’s in Texas. Dallas, I think. Ryan Peter Henderson.”
Her lack of emotion regarding these men puzzled me. “I’m trying to understand. You don’t feel any remorse about tricking them?” I’d run into this same problem with Jerry. He was feeling remorse now, but only because he’d been caught.
“Wendall was going to be the last. It was only a matter of time before my luck ran out.”
I’d heard Jerry tell Honor this same thing. The smart con artists were the ones who knew when to get out. “You don’t have an alibi for Wednesday night.”
“No, I don’t. But I don’t have a motive, either.”
“Wendall might have been onto you. He might have threatened to expose you.”
“I’ll tell you something, Madeline.” She leaned toward me. “For a long time, I was worried that he would find out about me and divorce me, but I honestly think he knew and didn’t care.”
“How do you think he knew?”
She gave a laugh that was more a sob. “He found one of my wigs in the closet and asked me what it was for. He always liked my blond hair, and this wig was bright red. I said Stan had preferred me as a redhead. He said, ‘Stan couldn’t afford you, could he?’ What else could I say but no, he couldn’t? Then Wendall said, ‘No one can afford you but me, Baby. You don’t need any disguises or tricks. I’ll take care of you.’ He knew, all right, or at least had some suspicions.”
“Coming back to Celosia didn’t spark old flames with Larissa?”
“She might have thought so, but he told me he felt nothing for her but pity. When they were married, he tried to give her all his wealth and attention, and she rejected it. He had nothing else to give her.”
“Did he mention having problems with anyone else in town?”
“Oh, I found out quite a few things about his good old school chums. Pamela Finch used to date a very shady character, and then Bea comes along with all these false claims about her son. I know a con when I see one, and I wasn’t about to let her get her hands on any part of Wendall’s fortune.”
She didn’t say, “That was all for me.” She didn’t have to.
“That dustup you had with her over the bracelet. What was that all about?”
“I found the bracelet in Wendall’s things. He told me it was a sample of Bea’s work. She made jewelry and was always pestering him to put in a good word for her with the Television Shopping Network, as if he had some magical pull with them, which he didn’t. I decided to wear it and see if she noticed.”
This was a far cry from the sweet Bambi-eyed Flora I’d first met. “She noticed in a big way.”
“Oh, I wanted her to. I wanted her to see she couldn’t manipulate Wendall.”
“That’s my job,” went unsaid. These little flashes of menace made me wonder if Flora had a hand in Wendall’s murder. She had easily seen through Larissa’s ne
ediness and Bea’s rampant greed. Could she have played one against the other, all the while retreating to her guise of sweet little trophy wife when things got too hot?
“What about Wendall’s cell phone?” I asked.
“His cell phone?”
I couldn’t very well tell her Jerry and I had broken into her house while she was still at Wendall’s funeral. “It might have some useful messages the police need to see.”
“They asked me about it. I packed it away somewhere. I’ll have to find it.”
“Why didn’t Wendall take it with him when he went to the gallery Wednesday night?”
“He left it with me. Mine was broken, and he didn’t want to leave me alone without a phone. He was coming right back, so he said he didn’t need it.” Her voice caught. “He was always thinking of me. Excuse me.” She took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes. “I can’t seem to stop crying.”
I wished Jerry was here to tell me if her tears were genuine.
***
After Flora left, I went back to my computer. My search was a lot easier knowing full names and last known locations. I was able to find both Riley and Henderson, and their stories, as I’d guessed, were very similar to Phillipe DuCoeur’s and Stan Bailey’s. It would be easy to expose Flora as the con woman she was, but her willingness to help me made me hesitate before calling Chief Brenner. Wouldn’t she have skipped town as quickly as she could? Wouldn’t she already be in disguise and flirting with potential husband number six? Maybe I was an idiot, but I wanted to believe she was truly in love with Wendall and had nothing to do with his death.
However, I’d seen a cruel and calculating side to Flora Bailey Clarke. If her con had gone too far, it was time for me to call Chief Brenner.
“We have already looked into Ms. Clarke’s background,” he said. “I’d like to hear your take on her.”
