A Composition in Murder (A Cherry Tucker Mystery Book 6)

by Larissa Reinhart

  While Molly slunk into her bathroom, I watched her bedside clock flip numbers. Knowing this pot would not otherwise boil, I took a stroll and appraised her bedroom art. More Precious Moments and another photo of the sisters. I approached the framed picture hanging on the wall, drawn again to the siblings. I wondered why these photos fascinated me. Because of Coralee and Della? Because of my own sister? Or of Shawna, who might be a sort-of stepsister?

  Or something else. The sisters were older in this picture, adults, but in a similar pose to the young girls in the living room. In her expression and apparel, Molly appeared all business, controlled and serious. They shared the same blue eye color, but Maggie’s chin was softer, cheeks rounder, nose less beaky than the sharp-faced Molly in this picture. Ironically, age had Molly looking more like her sister. Of course, judging by the hair and clothes, this photo was about twenty years old. Age caused features to wither and sag.

  As a portraitist, I always found the sitter’s clothing choice an interesting reflection of their personality. This time, there were no bows or matching sailor dresses. Molly wore a suit with the ubiquitous pearls. Her sibling, Maggie, wore a flowered dress. More casual than Molly’s suit, but slightly gaudy. Lots of sequins and color.

  Kind of like the sweatsuits Molly wore now.

  My critical gaze shifted toward Maggie’s amusement with the photo session. Maggie had a wide, open smile. My heart twisted. Molly must miss her high-spirited sister. Her hand covered Maggie’s, almost clenching it. Clamping down on her sister’s hijinks? I rose to my toes and examined Molly’s expression. She smiled but without the natural wrinkling around her eyes.

  I wondered if Maggie had annoyed her during the photoshoot. Sisters were good for that. Mine did. I gathered Coralee and Della had annoyed each other. I couldn’t imagine having Coralee for a sister.

  My eyes crept back to the picture. Why did Molly now look like Maggie? Who had really died, Molly or her sister?

  Why did I just think that?

  “Dear me,” Molly called. “I found something.”

  I spun toward the bathroom door. “What is it? Missing pills?”

  “No, there are injections gone from my sister’s Lanoxin.” She waved a box. “You were right, young lady. We need to call the police and tell them about Parker. He must have stolen them from me.”

  “I knew it.” I narrowed my eyes, thinking of Parker behind bars. “Did Parker visit often?”

  “No. But I left my door unlocked if I was seeing Belvia. He would know that. You should tell the police right away about Parker stealing my medicine.”

  “What’s Lanoxin?”

  “It’s used to force the heart into a normal rhythm.”

  Sounded like a form of digoxin. My pulse sped up. “Can I see it?”

  She handed me the box.

  “I thought Parker bought pills.” I studied the label, then slipped an ampule into my hand. “Would Parker know what to do with these?”

  “I’m sure he could figure it out. You have to break the ampule and use a syringe.” She sighed. “Most people would have pills or capsules. Maggie went to nursing school, so she asked the doctor for injection ampules. I have these left over. There was another box and it’s empty.”

  A syringe. Easier to poison the chocolates. Parker wouldn’t need to know the dosage. Simple to inject in his grandma’s lidocaine patches too. The Lanoxin would seep into her skin with the lidocaine. Plus Coralee had been on Prozac when she ate the chocolates. Murdering Coralee and Belvia wasn’t as complicated as it seemed.

  I kept my voice calm. “Your sister was a nurse?”

  Molly nodded at the photo. “Maggie went to nursing school but had to take care of our grandparents, then our parents. After they passed, she was too old to get a job. I supported her. She earned it after all those years of caring for our family. I owed her for that and for taking care of me and our home.” Molly shook her head. “All those years wasted. She deserved an easier life.”

  “I was looking at that picture. Your personalities really shine through.” I pointed toward the photo. “You look like her now.”

  “We’ve always looked similar. Anyway, old people look the same to the young.”

  “That’s unfortunately true.” However, my eyes remained convinced the photo didn’t match the person speaking to me, although a switch made no sense. Krenzer had said Molly didn’t have heart issues, but Belvia had told me she did. What was going on? “I notice more than most considering my background.”

  “As a painter?”

  I nodded, feeling strange about Molly’s brushoff. “I should take these injections to the sheriff now. He’ll be interested in this.”

  “Why don’t you have a cup of tea first? You can call the sheriff from my phone.”

  “Parker’s still out there and I need to know Ada’s safe.” I backed to the door, feeling confused about what I thought I knew about Molly and what I now perceived. “I’ll be back. Keep your door locked and whatever you do, don’t let Parker in. Call the police.”

  “I’d rather you not take the Lanoxin with you. Tell the sheriff to come get it. He may want to look at my other medications and the empty box.”

  I handed the box back to her. I didn’t want Molly to know I suspected her of being someone else.

  Molly or Maggie or whoever I’d spoken to warranted a better interview with a trained professional. Was Molly actually Molly or was Maggie pretending to be Molly? But Miss Belvia and every other Meemaw’s Tea personnel would have figured it out. What would be the point? Maybe I was dead wrong. But something felt peculiar.

  Miss Belvia had told me to “watch out for Molly.” She’d been worried about her. Because Molly had grown confused since moving to Halo House? Or something else? Did Belvia suspect she wasn’t Molly but her sister?

  Molly had the means to kill Coralee and Miss Belvia. Of course, Parker did too. And everyone and their dog had an opportunity. But Molly’s motive was doubtful. She had a nice setup at Halo House. Why kill Della and Coralee? She wouldn’t inherit Meemaw’s Tea. Belvia had said it would stay in the family. The surviving members had a bigger motive, particularly Parker, who had already shown intent to murder.

  Unfortunately, that intent was immediately focused on me.

  Hell, yes. I had a bigger problem with Parker on the loose than worrying out my Molly suspicions. I needed Fred’s phone to try Luke again and to know Ada was safe. I darted through the hall toward the stairs and Fred’s apartment. On the staircase, I had gained two steps before I heard my name called from below. I turned and tripped down a flight and into Luke’s arms.

  “I knew you’d be here,” he said, pulling me tight. “Todd called after you showed at Shawna’s. Just when were you going to let me know the drug lords of Forks County were gunning for you? And why aren’t you answering your phone?”

  “Battery’s dead. Save your arrest for later. I’ll go willingly. We need to talk about missing heart meds.”

  “Not now.” He grasped my elbow and walked me to the second floor. Pulling me into a hallway corner, he eased me against the wall. “I’ve been looking for Parker since that call. We’re going to talk about the very real and present danger of you messing with savvy country boys connected to dangerous city gang activity.”

  This time, the babies didn’t show. Probably scared off by the very real and present dangerous glint to Luke’s steely eyes.

  “Do you have enough to arrest Palmetto without my testimony?” I still wanted to protect Ada, Hazel, and Rosie as much as possible.

  “What the hell kind of question is that?”

  I peered at him under my lashes and bit my lower lip. “I’m taking the fifth, Officer.”

  “Cut that out. After Todd’s call, we tracked Parker’s vehicle to Palmetto’s apartment early this morning. But when my team assembled
to make the arrest, Parker took off. I left the team and came here knowing you’d ignore the restraining order on some fool mission—”

  “To lead Parker to you.”

  “Like I said, some fool mission, knowing Parker would look for you here.”

  “But you haven’t found him. Have you?”

  The steely glint darkened and his jaw tightened.

  I shut my mouth.

  “I’ve got Miss Krenzer checking the camera feed for Parker. But I sure did find you pretty easily, didn’t I? Here’s what you’re doing. Going home. An officer will be there to watch the house.”

  “But there’s something real important you need to know about Belvia and Coralee’s—”

  The walkie on his shoulder squawked. Luke held up a finger and focused on his earpiece. He spoke a few words into his shoulder walkie. “That’s my team. They’ve arrested Palmetto and some of his boys. We can get them on possession and intent to distribute and traffic, plus there’re unregistered firearms and a host of paraphernalia to convince the local judge that this Palmetto is connected to a bigger Atlanta outfit. I’ve got to go.”

  “Your hot tip line got a call about that. Will the caller get a reward?”

  “That was you?” He paused. “We got another call from someone in Donna Sharp’s neighborhood. Did Parker chase you down the street, waving a handgun?”

  “I wouldn’t call it waving. More like he flashed it to show his serious intent.”

  “Intent to shoot you.” Luke splayed a hand on the wall behind me and leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. “Sugar, I buy Tums and Sleep-Eze regularly now. I have accepted part of loving you is living with crazy. But I wish you’d quit.”

  I opened my mouth, caught his look, and shut it.

  “You have to help me here. Do you know what happens to gang members if they don’t follow the crazy-ass rules handed to them?”

  I nodded.

  “Then you’ll go home to prevent me from adding blood-pressure meds to that list.”

  “Speaking of meds, Molly’s got missing Lanoxin—”

  “No, we’re done speaking. For now. I’ve got criminals to indict and a fugitive to find. I shouldn’t be here, talking now.” His silvery Payne’s Gray eyes heated to molten pewter. “Real quick though. Todd also told me you gave Shawna the information about Billy Branson. Thank you, sugar. I know it was hard.”

  “She didn’t seem too happy about it, Luke.”

  He dropped a kiss on my cheek. “Trust me. Give her a minute to get over the news. Soon there won’t be any more issues between an arresting officer and a defendant’s sister. We’ll be free and clear to be together without worry. And I’m thinking it’s time you had a new roommate. Permanently.”

  I clasped my cheek, feeling my palm heat from the scorch left by his lips. “This is moving awful fast.”

  “Not really, sugar. That’s all in your mind.” He strode away, cocking his head to his shoulder and speaking fast into the mic.

  I gripped the wall, determined not to let my legs slide out from under me. If Shawna dropped the charges, there’d be no more excuses. I’d have to admit my Branson anxiety and see where it left us. My life felt like goose-greased grass. Everywhere I stepped I was likely to skid and fall on my face. I’d lost Todd to Shawna. I might lose Luke too, if I couldn’t get over this hatred of his step-family. How could we move beyond a blood feud other than by leaving our families behind? He couldn’t do it to his mother and I couldn’t do it to my siblings.

  Hell, Luke thought I was crazy, and I was the sanest Tucker I knew. My family needed me.

  Speaking of crazy...I glanced up the hall toward Molly’s apartment. Or was it Maggie? I’d have to call Uncle Will from home, explain my findings, and leave him to it.

  Hopefully, Luke would nab Parker and learn he had stolen the Lanoxin from Molly, poisoned his grandmother and aunt, and literally bumped off his mother. We’d have him for murder, Hazel and Rosie could come home, and Ada would forgive me. And Molly would return to her calm and reserve and seem less nutty.

  I had to be mistaken about the weird vibes I detected. Impersonating your sister didn’t make sense. Not that any of this mattered. I needed to protect myself from Parker, not worry about Molly’s personality disorder.

  As I ruminated on that thought, Molly opened her door, glanced into the hallway, and hurried toward Belvia’s apartment. Drawing back against the wall, I stilled my movements to watch without her notice. Then jerked my jaw shut with a snap.

  Molly was unlocking Belvia’s apartment.

  I peeled myself off the wall and flew to the stairs. “Luke,” I shouted, but I knew he’d gone. He’d taken those stairs at a fast clip while I clung to the wall, reviewing family history and the curious business of Molly.

  “No flippin’ way,” I exclaimed aloud. “What in the hell is she doing? She’s going to get herself killed.”

  A woman peeked from apartment 220. She gave me a sharp look and muttered about noise and blasphemy.

  “Call Krenzer at the front desk,” I hollered, running toward Miss Belvia’s. “Parker Brakeman-Newson is probably in Belvia Brakeman’s apartment and Molly Kern just went inside. I don’t know what he’s going to do.”

  “I mind my own business and suggest you do the same, young lady. Quietly.” She slammed her door.

  I skidded to a stop before Belvia’s, cracked the door, and slipped inside the empty living room. The overhead light had been turned on. I stole toward the office but stopped at the sound of a cabinet banging in the kitchen. With my heart slamming against my ribs, I edged toward the kitchen entrance, hugging the wall with my back.

  “Parker,” said Molly. “I know about the drugs.”

  Another cabinet door slammed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Now Parker, I know all about it. But I’m not turning you in. I want you to sell some for me too.”

  I sucked in my breath. What was Molly doing?

  Parker’s voice slid into a sneer. “What’s the matter? Worried that Grandmother changed the will on you too? I keep telling these women if they can’t afford this place they should move out.”

  “We don’t like moving at our age, Parker.”

  “We can’t all live in paradise. But whatever. What do you have? I’ve got to cut Halo House out of my network now that my cover’s blown. This is a one-time deal, you hear?”

  My thoughts reeled. I resisted looking in on them but listened to the rustle of movement. I couldn’t believe Molly would sell drugs to Parker when she knew the sheriff was expecting them.

  “What the hell is this stuff?” said Parker.

  He didn’t recognize the Lanoxin. What did that mean? I pressed a palm to my forehead and squeezed.

  “I can’t sell this,” said Parker. “What about hydromorphone or oxy? Surely, you got oxy. Everybody does.”

  If Parker didn’t know what the Lanoxin was, he couldn’t have poisoned Coralee and Belvia.

  “This is all I have,” said Molly. “Take it and you can give me the money later.”

  Molly wanted Parker to have the evidence.

  “I told you I can’t sell it. Get out of my way.”

  She was planting it on him. My fists clenched. Was she protecting herself or someone else?

  A chair scraped and something thudded. “You didn’t see me.”

  I froze against the wall. Parker emerged from the kitchen, headed toward the opposite side of the living room. I squeezed my eyes shut, opened them, and there was Parker holding a gun on me.

  “Isn’t that funny,” he said. “I was just going to look for you.”

  Thirty-Four

  Luke was right. Loving me was living with crazy. What kind of idiot knowingly entered an apartment where there was an armed drug deale
r wanting to kill her? I had crackers for brains. Likely unsalted.

  “Parker,” I gasped. “Let Molly leave and then we can talk.”

  “I knew you’d show up here. You really are stupid.”

  “Looks that way.” I licked my dry lips and squared my shoulders. “But you’ve got me now. Let Molly go.”

  His gun hand trembled while he considered my request. His left hand rose to steady his grip.

  I sucked in a queasy breath.

  Molly stumbled through the kitchen.

  Startled, Parker recoiled, then swung the barrel toward her. She cried out and threw her hands in the air.

  “Parker, this is between you and me.” My hands fluttered, trying to draw his attention away from Molly. “I knew you’d be in here and still came. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

  “Tells me you got a death wish.” He wiped his forehead on his raised arm, then readjusted his grip.

  I’d seen circus chimps carrying bang-bang guns with a steadier grip. Thug for real was not as glamorous as thug wannabe. Parker didn’t want to shoot me. Although he seemed to like the handgun as an accessory.

  “I just might.” I spoke as gently and calmly as I could manage. Gentle and calm were not a normal part of my repertoire, particularly when facing a pistol. “Let Molly go.”

  “In the kitchen, Miss Molly. Make me some coffee.” The barrel swung back to me and he motioned with the gun. “You. In the office. Grandmother had soundproofing stuff put in there so she could concentrate better. Should help kill the noise of gunfire.”

  I swallowed. He was more serious than I thought. “The deputies got Palmetto. He’s been arrested.”

  “That means I take his place. I really got to do you now.” Parker rolled his shoulders and shook out his legs.

  “You don’t have a chance in hell of getting away with it. Between Palmetto’s testimony and my friends as witnesses, everyone will know you shot me in cold blood.”