Payne & Misery

by Catherine Leggitt

  He sounded tired and decidedly underwhelmed. “We plan to speak to Will again. We’ll ask about the suitcase. Dunn invited both Helen and Will to headquarters for questioning on Thursday. Voluntarily at this point. Would you like to come down for that?” He paused a few seconds as if giving me an opportunity to get to the real point of my call.

  “I guess. But you need to look through those ashes. Molly smells something there.”

  “Uh-huh. Just like Lassie, eh?” He chuckled. “Well, thanks for your assistance, Christine. I’ll talk with you tomorrow.”

  Lassie!

  Molly sat in front of the sliding glass doors, staring outside. I completely understood her message. She wanted out. If only I could set her free to rummage through the remains of whatever Will had disposed of in the fire. She would no doubt find an important clue—something to blow the lid off this mystery right now.

  I put my hand on the door and slid it open—one inch. Then I stopped.

  Molly stood, wagging her tail, anticipation palpable.

  Jesse would be angry.

  Which was more important, solving the puzzle or keeping my husband happy? Tough decision. I teetered a moment, remembering our weekend. Then I closed the door. “Sorry, Molly. I’ve got to live with him. You understand.”

  She tilted her head and watched me with questions in her expressive brown eyes. I don’t think she understood.

  Wednesday’s interview yielded a few additional clarifications, but progress seemed slower than the line at the DMV. This time we convened in the Callahans’ living room to hear Silverthorne’s report. Deputy Dunn remained standing, carrying his clipboard and maintaining a professional posture while the rest of us sat. Something about him seemed different.

  Silverthorne didn’t appear to notice. “The whereabouts of the suitcase confuses Will. First, he said Lila packed her clothes in it the night she left. He agreed it would’ve been difficult for her to get it out of the rafters. Now he doesn’t know where the suitcase is.”

  Feeling frustrated, I said, “Well, it’s gone. I saw that myself. I even climbed up on the wood to see if I could reach the ledge. Lila could never get it down. Did you see where the wood has been disturbed?”

  Deputy Dunn frowned. “It wouldn’t do much good to look now, since you already climbed up there.”

  Jesse threw me a glare.

  Oops! Should have thought of that.

  Silverthorne cleared his throat. “We’ll have your chunk analyzed to see if we can verify that it’s part of a leather suitcase.”

  Deputy Dunn bristled. The furrows in his brow deepened as he snapped on gloves before placing the small piece into an evidence bag. “These things you’re collecting may be inadmissible in court. You realize that, don’t you? This piece of suitcase, the towels, the funnel—because the chain of evidence has been compromised. Your own fingerprints will be all over them. In the future, please leave the investigating to us.”

  I wiggled in my seat fighting my budding annoyance. My voice came out louder than usual. “Molly found the leather. I’m just relaying evidence. Why wouldn’t that be admissible in court?”

  Silverthorne stared at the carpet.

  In the awkward pause, words flew from my mouth without much forethought. “Also, the sheriff’s department missed the funnel when they towed the brown car. I suppose we should have left it there. Then no one would know anything about it.” I regretted the sarcasm even as I heard it pop out of my mouth.

  “Possibly.” Deputy Dunn’s tense expression didn’t soften. “But if we’re accumulating evidence to prosecute, we must take great care. Call us before you touch anything else that might be evidence.”

  For an instant, the air between us crackled like high-voltage wire.

  Then Ed asked, “Don’t you have any good news for us?”

  Silverthorne cleared his throat. “You may be interested to

  know a birth certificate in the name of Lila May Kliner

  turned up in the records search.”

  I held my breath, waiting for the good part.

  “The birth certificate lists her mother as Naomi Lynn Kliner. Father’s name unknown. Lila was born in Des Moines in 1961. In addition, I confirmed that Lila’s mother is deceased. About Alan Kliner, the sheriff’s office in Des Moines hasn’t connected with him yet. Neighbors say he’s rather unstable—has a reputation involving abuse of alcohol and narcotics. He has a record, so I asked the sheriff’s office for a picture and prints. I’ll get those out here as soon as they arrive.”

  It wasn’t much to fill in the blanks about Lila’s past.

  Silverthorne paused. “As for the furniture, Will says he

  brought it back to the house with the tractor. Then he

  used a dolly.”

  Deputy Dunn shrugged. “That’s possible. There’s a furniture dolly in the closed garage.”

  Silverthorne consulted his notes. “The name of Will’s boat— Miss Misery. That mean anything to anyone?”

  Misery swirled around the Payne house like smoke from a wet fire. What a perfect name for their boat. I thought of the poor dog jettisoned into the icy waters. “Where’s the boat now?”

  “He said he stored it in Helen’s garage,” Silverthorne answered.

  I got a mental image of skirting Helen’s garage. “I wish I’d peeked inside.”

  Silverthorne said, “We’ve been discussing the inconsistencies in Will’s testimony. It’s plain he hasn’t been forthcoming.”

  Understatement of the year! Inconsistencies, changed stories, strange circumstances, lies; when would we get to truth? Dunn and Silverthorne scurried away to continue investigating, leaving the four of us huddled together like baby birds waiting in the nest for food.

  35

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Silverthorne invited Jesse and me along with Ed and Zora Jane to headquarters on Thursday during the questioning of Helen and Will. I covered my bad haircut with a pink sequined ball cap I’d purchased at the cowboy shoot, and we all piled into the Jeep.

  Wearing a serious professional expression, Deputy Dunn cautioned us—including Silverthorne—at the sheriff’s office. “First of all, this is not a formal interview. We are not ready to charge anyone. Don’t even know if a crime has been committed yet. We’re trying to determine what happened to Lila Kliner. You must realize your presence here is highly irregular. Mr. Silverthorne isn’t part of the official investigation either. I’m allowing you to listen because of your history and insight in this case, hoping that you’ll be able to verify their answers. If you think of anything important, please let me know.” He frowned at each of us. “But I won’t tolerate interference. Is that clear?”

  We nodded, faces somber.

  “Also, what you are about to hear is completely confidential. Breaking this confidence could make prosecution impossible. Assuming we get that far.”

  We each promised to maintain confidentiality.

  As I trooped behind Zora Jane, her long, brown, front-buttoned skirt flapped against caramel-brown lacing boots. A charming coral turtleneck complemented her reddish-brown hair. I started to comment on yet another stunning outfit when they led our troop to a cubicle behind a wall of shiny one-way glass that looked like a mural of a moonless night. Silverthorne leaned against the doorframe while we four sat in stiff metal chairs without cushions.

  On the other side of the glass, a deputy led Helen Payne Sterne into the room. In complete arrogance, she settled into a chair at a small metal table just like you might see in old black-and-white gangster movies. Deputy Dunn sat across from her, and another uniformed deputy stood at attention beside the door.

  Wearing jeans and a sloppy gray wool sweater, Helen looked like the queen of Frumpyville. Her tangled hair probably hadn’t been combed in several days. Angular features firmly set, she had that defiant expression that reminded me of Will.

  Deputy Dunn clicked on a small tape recorder and set it on the table. He spoke the date and identified himself and t
he other uniformed officer. To Helen he said, “Are you aware this conversation is being recorded?”

  She tossed her head like a rebellious stallion.

  “State your answers verbally, please.”

  “I see the tape recorder. I’m not blind.”

  “State your name.”

  Tone sarcastic, she complied with his instructions.

  “Are you the sister of William Payne of Grass Valley?”

  Her lips curled in a sneer. “Yes.”

  “Are you acquainted with Lila Kliner?”

  She snorted and called Lila an ugly name.

  “For the record, Mrs. Sterne acknowledges acquaintance with Miss Kliner.”

  The first hour of examination continued in the same vein. When Dunn showed Helen pictures of the evidence, she lingered over the picture of the funnel with Will’s fingerprints on it before turning to the brown hairs recovered from the Buick.

  “What’s your point?” she asked.

  “Lila is a blonde.”

  She crossed her arms, scowling.

  “I could get a court order—”

  Helen held up one hand. “That won’t be necessary.” She puffed air out. “I drove the Buick to Sierra Meadows.”

  I gasped and slapped my leg. “Of course.”

  Jesse looked at me.

  I whispered. “Everything makes sense now.”

  Zora Jane and Ed gave slow nods.

  Jesse’s eyebrows shot up. “Everything?”

  Meanwhile, Helen had become less composed, although the stiffness in her angular features hadn’t softened. I held up one hand so I could hear Dunn fire questions. “What time did you leave the house?”

  “Before six. Six fifteen at the latest.”

  “Where was Lila when you left the house?”

  Helen visibly squirmed. Staring into her lap, she clasped and unclasped her hands.

  “Mrs. Sterne?”

  She crossed her legs. “We had to get rid of the stinkin’ dog.”

  “Lila’s dog? The dog you drowned at Lake Tahoe?”

  Helen fixed a withering stare on him—steely eyes, angry grimace. “Are you accusing me of murdering a stupid dog?”

  “Did you?”

  She pursed her lips into a fine line.

  Dunn leaned toward the recorder. “Mrs. Sterne declines to answer.”

  She puffed out another exaggerated breath. “He was supposed to distract Lila while I drove the Buick to the campground. I would wait there until he came to get me. In the freezing cold. Then he would leave the Buick and the dog there.”

  “Didn’t you think it odd to dispose of the vehicle just to be rid of a dead dog?”

  She shrugged. “I’m not responsible for what he does anymore. He’s a grown man.”

  Anymore? I glanced at the others, but no one else seemed surprised by Helen’s word choice.

  Dunn leaned forward. “So you left Lila and Will at the house?”

  She dropped her head and mumbled.

  Dunn leaned farther forward. “Please speak clearly for the recorder.”

  Helen lifted her eyes. “When he got there after midnight, he siphoned gas out of the tank.”

  “Why?”

  She shook her head. “That’s when he used the funnel. Ask him.”

  “Why did he siphon gas out?”

  She huffed and puffed. “To make it look like the moron ran away.”

  Dunn raised the volume. “Where was Lila all this time?”

  But Helen only shrugged again.

  Dunn sat back and scanned his notes. “Your story doesn’t make sense, Helen. You say Will left the dead dog in the car but siphoned gas out to make it appear that she ran away. Lila wouldn’t let Will take that car away with Baby in the trunk. She adored that dog. How did you keep Lila from coming with you?”

  I hadn’t thought of that. Lila sat behind that car for a week after Will put the dog in the trunk. She would never abandon Baby without a fight.

  Helen fidgeted and steamed, like a pressure cooker about to explode.

  Silverthorne bent to scribble on a piece of paper. He folded it and disappeared out the door. Soon the uniformed officer ducked outside the interview room. Silverthorne handed the paper to the officer. The officer relayed it to Deputy Dunn with a whispered message.

  Dunn nodded slowly as he read, and then refolded it. “Mrs. Sterne, what happened to Lila’s baby? The one she had in Iowa?”

  Helen made a show of surprise. “I guess she got rid of it.”

  “Do you mean ‘got rid of’ like you got rid of the dog?”

  For a second, she looked ready to spring on Dunn like a tiger, but she spit words at him instead. “No one wanted that baby. Will didn’t. She certainly couldn’t take care of it.”

  “So how did she get rid of the baby?”

  “There are places that perform abortions. Even in Iowa.”

  Dunn closed in. Hands flat on the table, he leaned across to within an inch of her face. “The baby was full term when they dug him up. Ten years ago, there were few places a doctor would perform a full-term abortion unless the mother’s life was in danger. Mostly illegal places. But Lila never saw a doctor, did she?”

  Helen pursed her lips and scooted her chair as far from Dunn as the small space allowed.

  But Dunn didn’t let up. “Where did Lila have the abortion?”

  “I … don’t remember the name.”

  “But you were there. You drove her. Didn’t you, Mrs. Sterne? Because Lila doesn’t drive. Isn’t that correct?”

  Helen writhed in her chair. “I heard about a place. I didn’t ask if it was legal or not.”

  “But you didn’t take her to get an abortion. She went into labor and you took her to the water tower.”

  “Now you’re accusing me of murdering a baby?”

  “Are you saying the baby was murdered at the water tower?”

  Her breathing came out shallow and fast. She balled her fists, the belligerent façade wearing thin. “No. I … You just said the baby was murdered.”

  Dunn slammed his clipboard on the table. “Where is Lila Kliner?”

  Curses spewed from her mouth like venom and her words screamed out. “How should I know? I drove the car to Sierra Meadows, remember?” She rose from her seat. “Look, I came here because you said you wanted to clear up a few loose ends. Nobody made me come. I came to help you. Are you charging me with something? What would you charge me with … helping? Is helping against the law?”

  Detective Dunn opened his mouth, but Helen had already bolted for the door. “I’m done helping. I want a lawyer.”

  We stood for a breather before they interviewed Will.

  Silverthorne scratched his head. “Well, I think that went just fine. Got her to commit to driving the Buick and what time she left the house. That’s important. She contradicted herself a few times too. And she definitely nailed herself on the baby murder.”

  Ed nodded. “It’ll be interesting to hear how Will tells the same story.”

  I didn’t think it went well at all. “Why didn’t he make her say where Lila is? We still have no clue.”

  Deputy Dunn brought strong sheriffs office coffee for each of us and passed it around. “They’re bringing Will in now. Anything you want to tell me before I head back in?”

  Silverthorne looked thoughtful. “See if he’ll let you swab him for DNA testing.”

  We all faced Silverthorne and asked simultaneously. “Why?”

  Silverthorne shrugged. “Just a hunch.” That’s all he would say.

  Will Payne had aged at least ten years since I last saw him. They seated him in the metal chair behind the glass. He hunched, shoulders held tight over his concave chest. His face looked pale and drawn.

  Deputy Dunn repeated the introductions and instructions.

  Will nodded.

  “Please state your answers verbally for the recorder.”

  Will breathed deeply before answering. “William Payne.”

  Dunn pr
oduced a swab and an evidence bag. “Would you mind giving us a sample from your cheek before we begin?”

  “What for?”

  “Routine part of the investigation. We’re going to test your DNA. Do you object to that?”

  Will shrugged. “Guess not.”

  “It’ll only take a minute. Not intrusive. Open your mouth, please.”

  Will opened his mouth.

  Dunn swiped and deposited the swab in the bag. Then he smiled. “That’s all there is to it. Now tell me about the night Lila Kliner disappeared.”

  Will shook his head. “Told you a couple times already. Don’t have nothing new to offer.”

  Dunn consulted his clipboard. “You told Deputy Colter that Miss Kliner packed a suitcase and drove away in the Buick on Saturday night.”

  “Yep.”

  “In fact, Mr. Payne, your sister drove the Buick out to Sierra Meadows that night. She said you wanted her to get rid of Lila’s dead dog.”

  Except for widening his eyes, Will did not respond.

  “Mr. Payne declines to answer.” Dunn tapped his clipboard. “So, you were at the house with Miss Kliner after Mrs. Sterne left in the Buick.”

  Will stared at his rough hands. The color drained out of his face.

  “What happened next?”

  Will did not look up.

  Dunn waited longer this time and then leaned toward the recorder. “Mr. Payne declines to answer.”

  “He looks like he’s shrinking,” Zora Jane whispered.

  He did look smaller. Will’s lanky body seemed to shrivel before our eyes. Was he falling off the chair?

  Dunn leaned toward him. “Do you know where Miss Kliner is now?”

  “He doesn’t look well,” I whispered to Jesse. “Somebody needs to get him out of there.”

  Just then, Will Payne crumpled to the floor.

  I jumped out of my chair and rushed into the hall.

  36

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  Paramedics appeared quickly after Will’s collapse. I watched them carry him away to the ER. Silverthorne accompanied the ambulance, promising to report back as soon as he heard Will’s prognosis.