by Krista Davis
They raised their eyebrows.
“I presume he has a name?”
Ouch! My mom was good at making a point through sarcasm.
Jonquille stepped up beside me. He held his hand out to Mom and Mrs. Spratt. “Sergeant Eric Jonquille. Mrs. Fox, I see where Florrie gets her wit.”
Mom actually blushed and giggled like a schoolgirl! “You’re Florrie’s mystery man?”
To my complete amazement, he nodded. I should have been grateful, but I was paralyzed with fear at what might happen next.
“A police officer,” Mom gushed. “I’m so glad Florrie has someone in law enforcement looking out for her after Delbert’s murder and all.”
Jonquille wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I’m keeping a close eye on her.”
Norman’s mom had blanched. I owed Jonquille big-time. He had saved my bacon.
Mom smiled. “Would it be too forward of me to invite you to a family cookout, Sergeant? Florrie’s sister is bringing her new beau. We’re eager to meet him. I know my husband would like to meet you, as well.”
Jonquille didn’t miss a beat. “That sounds great, Mrs. Fox. Thank you for including me.”
I shot him a glance. “We’ll talk about it, Mom. We don’t want to rush anything.”
When they left, my mother beamed. Mrs. Spratt, on the other hand, was clearly not thrilled by her son’s competition.
The door shut behind them, and I realized I had been holding my breath. I released a mouthful of air. “Thanks for bailing me out. That was nice of you.”
“My mom does the same thing. More to my sister than to me.” He raised the pitch of his voice to mimic his mother. “Darcy, your cousin Loulabelle is younger than you, and she’s getting married!”
I laughed at his portrayal. “Do you really have a cousin named Loulabelle?”
“Her real name is Louisa, but she’s the cousin we all hate. Do you have one of those? Always made straight As in school. Won the science contests. Was head cheerleader and homecoming queen. No matter what we did, we were always compared to her.”
“Oh yuck. You’d have to resent someone who was perfect like that.”
“Your mom seemed to like me, but that other lady was pretty upset.”
“She has delusions that I will marry her son and live miserably ever after. The awful thing is that I lied to him. I made up a relationship just to get rid of him. Word obviously got back to my mom and that’s why she now thinks I’m seeing someone.”
“He can’t be that bad. Is he a lech?”
“No. He’s just . . .” I hated to say it, because people could say the same about me. “A bore.”
Jonquille laughed. “Could be worse, I guess. So do you want me to attend this family gathering?”
“It’s nice of you to offer, but you don’t have to go through that charade. I’m actually very uncomfortable lying, which is probably why I’m not good at it. Especially to my parents. They’re really wonderful people. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for them or my sister. What is it they say about lies? One begets another? Well, this lie stops here.” I looked at my watch. “I’ll give Mom enough time to have lunch, ditch Mrs. Spratt, and go home. Then I’ll call and tell her the truth. How she and Dad handle it with the Spratts is up to them, but I’ll be in the clear and won’t have to worry about it anymore.”
Jonquille looked at me with those delphinium-blue eyes, and I had the feeling that he approved. “I better get back out on the street. Call me if you need a pretend boyfriend.”
I couldn’t help laughing. “Thanks for coming by. And for saving me from myself.”
He hadn’t even reached the door when Helen sidled up to me. “It didn’t take you long to move on. Maxwell has only been in jail for a few days.”
I shook my head like a wet dog. “What?”
“Florrie, you don’t have to pretend with me. We girls have to stick together. Besides, everyone knew about you and Maxwell.”
I turned to face her. “Knew what?”
“That you were living with him.”
I froze. “People think I was having a romantic relationship with the professor?”
“You don’t have to pretend anymore, Florrie. We all know about it.”
“Eww. Eww, eww, eww. He’s almost forty years older than me. Old enough to be my grandfather. Have you lost your mind?”
Helen brushed back a strand of her gleaming hair. “May-September romances are nothing new.”
“Let’s get this straight. I did not move in with Maxwell, nor was I involved in a romantic anything with him. Where on earth did you get a ridiculous idea like that?”
Helen cocked her head. “Are you denying that you live with Maxwell?”
“Yes, I am. I live in the carriage house on the rear of the property.”
She had the nerve to wink at me. “How very convenient. Wish I had known he was open to younger women.”
“Oh, that’s just revolting. What is wrong with you? I work for the man. That’s all.”
“That’s not what Detective-Sergeant Zielony thinks.”
“Zielony?” I sputtered. I rubbed my temples as things became clear to me. His visit to me in the guesthouse. His desire to look at my bedroom. Jonquille’s surprise that I had never been in Maxwell’s bedroom. I gasped. “They all think that.”
Helen clucked at me. “Did you really believe that you two could keep it a secret?”
“It’s not a secret!” I blurted. “It’s not true!”
“Don’t get so upset. Your face is all red. Maybe you should have a cold drink to calm down.”
I felt like I had been broadsided. But I could imagine how it had happened. Maxwell’s sister, Liddy, probably planted the idea in the cops’ heads.
“I’m sorry that he’s locked up,” said Helen, who obviously did not believe me. “I don’t understand why it’s so hard to find a nice guy.”
Bob was talking with a customer, not too far from us. Poor guy, he wasn’t flashy enough for Helen.
“Too bad that guy you like didn’t call you. Maybe it’s just as well and you should move on.”
Helen fingered her pearls and spoke wistfully. “We went out twice, and he was so nice. Very attentive and humorous. And so cute! I thought he was attracted to me.”
“Nice pearls, Helen.” I couldn’t help thinking of the pearl I had found on the landing.
“Do you like them?” She leaned over and whispered, “They’re fake. I prefer to wear my real ones, but I couldn’t resist these.”
“They’re lovely.” I couldn’t help wondering if something had happened to her real pearls. “I can’t recall, Helen, did you know Delbert?”
“Only socially.”
My radar went to alert status. “You dated him?”
“Nothing like that. I saw him around town. You know, where people hang out.”
“Like Club Neon?”
“One of my girlfriends says DC is slim pickings for men our age. No wonder you went for someone older and more sophisticated.”
I didn’t bother denying it any longer. She clearly wasn’t going to believe me no matter what I said. “Tell me about Delbert.”
“I didn’t find him that attractive in the beginning. But he was a smooth talker. He had a talent for engaging people and charming them. Before long, I was drawn to his charisma. He had a personal magnetism that was alluring.”
How could that be? “He was dreadful to me!”
She shrugged. “He probably didn’t like you getting cozy with his uncle. He had a lot to lose if Maxwell left everything to you.”
Huh? Was that what people thought? Crazy! It was sheer nonsense. I shook off the insanity of that notion and focused. Delbert must have known how to turn on the charm. How could he have taken advantage of so many people otherwise?
Did Helen have a reason to murder Delbert? Could she have stabbed him with a spear? She didn’t have a motive that I knew of. Had she wanted to impress Delbert by letting him into the bookstore after ho
urs? It wasn’t outside of the realm of possibilities.
The moment Helen left to help a customer, Zsazsa sidled up to me and whispered in my ear, “We have information.”
Chapter 21
Zsazsa crooked her finger at me. I followed her upstairs to the very room on the second floor where I had spoken with the professor after Delbert’s murder. Goldblum, Frodo, and Peaches waited for us.
Zsazsa closed the door and motioned me to chairs they had pulled up to a table. “We have been doing some investigating.”
Goldblum leaned in and spoke in a hushed voice. “A bit of clever questioning of Bankhouse has revealed that Helen was fired from her last job because—”
Zsazsa interrupted him. “She flipped out!”
“What happened?” Helen might be grouchy at times, but I hadn’t seen any signs of aberrant behavior.
Goldblum placed his elbow on the table and spoke confidentially. “She was a personal shopper at a very high-end clothing store, and it seems she was stalking one of their clients.”
“The gentleman in question was flattered at first. But his mother found out and became afraid for him,” said Zsazsa.
“Why would the professor have hired her?” I held up my palms. “Don’t bother, I know exactly why. He believes in second chances. Did the guy bring charges against her?”
“No! That’s the thing that’s so intriguing,” said Goldblum. “There’s a very good chance that Maxwell knew nothing of this. Apparently, the guy was from a prominent family and they didn’t want any publicity. Bankhouse and his wife did a little begging and promised to get help for Helen. So the police probably don’t even know about it.”
I sat back in my chair. “I never imagined anything like that. But it fits in a way. She seems obsessed with finding a boyfriend. She’s interested in one of our customers. Maybe we should institute a rule about not dating customers.”
Zsazsa snorted. “That would be impossible to enforce. How would you know if someone dated a customer? Would that include socializing in groups? Attending the same lecture?”
“Of course, this information doesn’t tie her to Delbert’s murder,” I pointed out. “But it turns out she did know him.”
“Really?” Goldblum’s little round face looked mischievous. “What if the man she was stalking was Delbert Woodley?”
“That would change everything,” hissed Zsazsa.
“But that’s just speculation. And it would be a wild coincidence.” I shook my head. “It would be highly unlikely. Though I could see her trying to impress Delbert by bringing him here.”
Goldblum and Zsazsa exchanged a glance.
“We have an alternative theory,” said Zsazsa. “The man who shops here and caught Helen’s eye—what if it was Delbert?”
“That would explain why he didn’t call her.” I waved my hands like I was mentally erasing the thought. “That’s impossible. She knows Delbert was murdered. She wouldn’t still be talking about how he didn’t call. No. No way.”
“Not unless that was her devious way of deflecting suspicion. Did you notice that Bankhouse didn’t show up today?” asked Goldblum.
I stood up. “I love both of you, and I’m all for thinking outside of the box. But I fear you’re grasping at anything. Bankhouse’s absence thus far today doesn’t mean a thing. Maybe he had a class.”
“He’s not teaching this summer,” said Zsazsa.
“Then maybe he had a dental appointment. My point is that there are millions of plausible reasons for him not showing up today.”
They looked so dejected. I had to say something to cheer them up. “But you did an amazing job of uncovering the story behind Helen’s employment. It doesn’t necessarily tie Helen to Delbert’s murder, but it does show that she’s capable of questionable and unsavory behavior. Do either of you know if she had a motive for the murder?”
Goldblum’s mouth shifted to the side with dissatisfaction. “Mmmf. We’re back to the drawing board.”
I excused myself and went back to work. I now understood why Helen hadn’t wanted anyone to know what had happened. I would never see her quite the same way again. And while it didn’t tie her to Delbert’s death in any credible way that I could think of, it did cast doubt on her judgment and temperament.
In the middle of the afternoon, I took a quick break to call my mom and confess that I had lied to Norman.
I winced at the sound of Mom’s quick intake of breath when I told her the truth.
“Oh, Florrie! You should have warned me. What on earth are we going to tell the Spratts now?”
“You see my problem. I didn’t want to hurt Norman’s feelings. It seemed like an easy way to discourage him.”
“So you’re not dating that cute cop?”
“I’m afraid not. He was just being a good egg and trying to help me out of the muddle I had created.”
“Darling, I’m glad you came clean and told me the truth, but now you’ve simply handed your problem to me.”
I cringed. I guessed I had. “Maybe they won’t bring it up again. Or you could tell them that you don’t know because I’m very private about my relationships, which wouldn’t be a lie.”
“You are still coming to the cookout for Veronica and her new friend on Sunday, aren’t you?”
“Will the Spratts be there?”
“Of course.”
“With Norman?”
Mom giggled. “Maybe you’d better bring that nice cop to deflect Norman’s interest. Sweetheart, would you mind baking one of your lovely desserts?”
“Of course not. Something fruity for summertime?”
“That sounds perfect.”
I hung up thinking it was too bad Norman wasn’t Helen’s type and vice versa. That would solve both of their problems.
* * *
There was no sign of the guard when I went home that night. Maybe he was patrolling the other side of the mansion. I considered checking on Mr. DuBois, but it was after ten and I didn’t want to wake him. Peaches was meowing so loud in her carrier that I had to let her out before I did anything else.
I turned the key and swung the door open in haste. Frodo ran inside and disappeared behind the kitchen island. I closed the door and opened the cat carrier. Peaches raced out and followed Frodo.
It only took seconds for me to see what had interested them.
A woman lay on the floor of the kitchen.
Chapter 22
I rushed toward her before I thought to check for a person who might be lurking in the house after hurting her. Hesitating for mere seconds, I scanned the rest of the room but didn’t see anyone.
“Don’t touch the fridge,” she mumbled.
I dropped to my knees and looked closer. “Jacquie Liebhaber?” What was the famous author doing on my floor?
“Don’t touch the fridge,” she repeated.
“Are you okay? Can I help you up?”
She nodded slowly. “Help me sit. But don’t touch the fridge.”
I reached under her arms and gently pulled her into a sitting position. “Don’t let Kittikins touch the fridge, either. It will kill her.”
“Kittikins? Do you mean Peaches?”
Peaches circled Jacquie, rubbing her head against her.
“Cute name.”
“What’s wrong with the fridge?”
“I don’t know. It shocked me.” Her eyes widened. “Did you arrange for it to do that?”
She wasn’t making sense. “Did you collapse? Maybe I should call 911.”
“No!” Jacquie leaned away from me. “Please don’t do that, Florrie. I’ll be fine.”
“You know my name.”
“Maxwell talks about you with such warmth. He has total faith in you.”
That was lovely to hear, but I felt like I had let him down because I hadn’t managed to find the real killer yet. “What happened?”
“I grabbed the door handle and a shock surged through me. It knocked me to the floor. I think I might have passed out.”
She held her right palm up. Sure enough, it was blistered from the burn. I could see the line of the handle. “I don’t want to scare you but that looks pretty ugly. I’ll take you to the emergency room. My car is right outside.”
“No,” she breathed. “No, I’m much safer here.”
There were so many thoughts running through my head that I barely knew where to start. The only thing I knew for sure was that she wasn’t a threat to me.
“Are you strong enough to walk to the sofa?”
She nodded. “I think so.” She grasped my arms while I tried to help her stand. She grunted in a most unladylike fashion that didn’t seem like her at all. “Good heavens! It really knocked the stuffing out of me.”
She leaned on me to walk to the sofa. “Better call a repairman before you accidentally touch the refrigerator door.”
When she sat down, Peaches jumped into her lap and Frodo did his best to vie for her attention.
I retrieved hydrogen peroxide and nonstick gauze for her hand. While I gently cleaned it, I asked, “Is there someone I should call? Your husband, maybe?”
“No!” Her eyes widened. “No one can know.”
I gazed up at her. There was no mistaking the terror she felt. “There’s a private investigator looking for you.”
“He came here?”
I nodded. “There must be someone you can trust. A sister? A best friend?”
“My best friend is in jail.” She gripped my wrist. “All I have is you, Florrie. I realize that you don’t know me, but I need your help. I never meant to involve you. If I hadn’t been shocked by the refrigerator, I would have been gone by the time you got home. I’m so sorry, honey. But I beg of you—no one can know that you saw me. Okay? Please?”
Her desperation horrified me. What if I were in her shoes? What if I couldn’t go to my sister or my parents? What would I do? But as I thought about it, I wondered what she had done that made it necessary for her to be in hiding. “What happened, Jacquie? What did you do?”
“Aside from marrying the wrong man, I didn’t do anything. The law isn’t after me if that’s what you’re worried about.” Her grip tightened. “Swear to me that you won’t tell anyone you saw me.”
