“What about the gloves in the rubbish bin and the small glass container?” asked Lilly, looking back a few pages at her notes.
“He denied knowing about that at all. When asked why the frog was kept way back under his bed, he said it wasn’t. He kept the frog on his table on the far side of his room. That’s the last place he put it. Something else I forgot to mention, both James and Roger were asked flat out if they had killed Melissa and both denied it outright. In fact, they both took great umbrage to the suggestion.”
“Anything else regarding James?” asked Jane.
“No, that’s the last of what he had to say regarding his second interview.”
“Did he have a third?” asked Lilly.
“I can’t tell you that,” said Anthony, “only the murderer had a third interview and that is when they confessed, so you’ll have to wait and see.”
“Okay then, what about Ellie or Laura?” asked Ellis.
“Yes, we’ll talk about Ellie’s second interview first,” said Anthony. “She seemed nervous during the interview, according to the investigator. She was asked about being in James’ room and she said that it was an honest mistake and that she was looking for the bathroom. The investigator asked her why she hadn’t used the bathroom available to guests on the main level. She said she didn’t realize one was there. When reminded that she was the deceased’s sister and that she had visited the home on more than one occasion she changed her mind. She said that she had heard that James had brought home a poisonous frog and that she wanted to see it. When asked why, she paused for a while before replying that she had thought about killing her sister for the inheritance and thought the frog’s poison could be a good way to do it. But when she got up there in James’ room, she lost her nerve.”
“So she did admit wanting to kill her sister, then?” asked Jane.
“Well, she admitted to thinking about it but losing the nerve to do it,” said Sir Anthony. “And she told the investigator that she knew that her father had his reasons to disinherit her and that it wasn’t her sister Melissa’s fault. In case you’re wondering about Ellie’s emotional state, the police said she was very distraught and upset, crying and upset at herself.”
“Upset for not having managed to kill her sister, or upset that she was now found out for killing her sister?” asked Lilly.
Anthony smiled at her and puffed on his cigar. Ellis tipped ash from his into the ashtray. Lady Marmalade smiled too.
“Both,” said Sir Anthony, laughing.
“Argh,” said Lilly, “you’re incorrigible.”
“That’s what my late wife used to say,” said Anthony, grinning. “Seriously, though, answering that question will help you one way or the other and this is a guessing game, not a telling game.”
“Okay,” said Lilly, looking again at her notes, “you must tell me the answer to this question. Was she asked if she had killed her sister and if so, what did she say?”
Anthony nodded.
“Yes,” he said, “she was asked and she denied it. The investigator said in his notes that she too, was both indignant at the question and strongly protested that it was even asked. Now understand, everybody, all four of these suspects were asked during their second interview if they had killed Melissa, and all four of them vehemently denied it. It was only during the third interview that the police were able to get a confession out of the killer.”
“Let’s wrap it up and get to the guessing part, or at the very least let’s hear from Laura,” said Ellis.
“Very well,” said Anthony. “At first, Laura denied that she was having an affair with Roger, and she protested at the question and the questioner’s tone. However, when the police told her that Roger had confessed, she admitted to it saying that now that his poor wife was dead there was likely no harm in coming clean. She was asked if Roger had written her a letter recently, which she denied. When pressed, she changed her mind and acknowledged that she had received a letter from him in which he was expressing his frustration. When asked what was meant by ‘finishing her’, she said that Roger actually wrote ‘finished with her,’ which the police investigator privately acknowledged might have been the case, but forensic handwriting analysis would confirm. Laura said that he was finished with her and that he was going to leave.”
Anthony paused and took a long sip of tea. He extinguished his cigar in the ashtray.
“One gets parched talking so much to a rapt audience,” he said. “Laura also mentioned that Roger had had enough with her penny pinching and would rather be poor and with Laura than better off and with his ‘wench of a wife’ which is what he apparently called Melissa behind her back to Laura.”
“Did the police ask her about the estate and how that would benefit Roger in the event of her death?” asked Ellis.
“Yes, and she said that he had long given up any hope of having access to even a small amount of that money. He had told Laura that money had seemed to come from a poisoned well. Laura pointed to the discord between Ellie and Melissa as evidence of that fact. She continued to stress that if anyone was guilty of murder it had to be Ellie. When asked why, she said that Ellie would benefit more from Melissa’s death than Roger. The police told her that this was untrue, that the will seemed ironclad and that whether Melissa died or not, Ellie would have to fight it in court to make any changes. Melissa’s death would only help Roger, who would get Melissa’s estate and as such, the money coming from Melissa’s father’s estate. She disagreed and said that wasn’t the way Roger had interpreted things.”
“That sounds complicated,” said Jane. “Can you explain it again, please?”
“Sure. If Melissa didn’t die, Ellie would still have to fight her father’s will in order to have any hope of getting a piece of it. If Melissa DID die then her estate and consequently the estate of her father goes to Roger, at least according to what the police told Laura, and Ellie would still have to go to court to fight Roger, instead of Melissa for any part of Melissa’s and Ellie’s father’s estate. Does that make more sense?”
Jane nodded.
“So Ellie doesn’t win whether Melissa dies or not?”
“Perhaps, I don’t know how estate jurisprudence works. But one could also argue, and this is what Laura suggested to the police, that perhaps Ellie would feel she has a better chance in court if she is fighting her father’s estate against her brother-in-law instead of her own sister. Maybe she thinks that the court would be more sympathetic to giving a greater share of her father’s estate to her than to allow the whole thing to go to the deceased’s husband who is not a blood relation to the deceased’s estate, meaning Ellie’s father’s estate. Or perhaps Laura was right and perhaps Ellie believed that the courts would give everything to the last surviving blood relative which was her.”
“Right, I think I’ve got it. Ellie might think she would have a better chance at her father’s estate fighting against her brother-in-law than her own sister, so that could be a reason for her to kill her sister,” said Jane.
“Well put,” said Anthony, “though that is just a theory that I’m offering that the police investigator noted in his conversation with Laura. A theory which Laura disagreed with.”
“And I’m assuming that Laura was also adamant in denying that she killed Melissa?” asked Ellis.
“Most assuredly,” said Anthony. “She was also most upset at the allegation and suggestion and seemed genuinely aghast that the police could even suspect her. All four, according to the police, gave great performances in denying killing the deceased when asked.”
“Did the police tell Laura that Roger had told them he wasn’t really going to leave his wife?” asked Jane.
“They did tell Laura that Roger said he had written that, just to placate her. She didn’t seem shaken by the news, but rather suggested that Roger was just saying that to protect her. When asked what he was protecting her from, she said, 'this ghastly mess'. He had always been so protective of her and that is why she loved him so m
uch and why he was going to leave her.”
“Was she questioned as to whether she had been upstairs in the home that night?” asked Jane.
“Yes, and she denied it. There was also no evidence to indicate that she had been.”
“Is there anything else she said or was questioned about during this second interview?” asked Lady Marmalade.
“No,” said Anthony, shaking his head. He tipped his teacup to his lips and drank the rest of his tea.
“I’ll open it up now to general questions,” he said.
“Did the police get any prints off the terrarium?” asked Ellis.
“Good question, detective,” said Lady Marmalade.
Ellis took a bow, as best he could sitting on the couch.
“There were several prints they got. They got a few unknown prints but they also got prints from Roger, James and Ellie.”
“Not Laura?” asked Lilly.
“No, Laura’s prints weren’t found on the terrarium.”
“Were her prints found anywhere else in James’ room?” asked Lilly.
“The police didn’t dust anywhere else.”
“Ah ha, I’ve got a question,” said Jane. “We know that Melissa was poisoned, but how was the poison administered? Was it in the food or the drink and if so, which one?”
“I’m not giving that part away. At least not yet. That’s part of what you need to determine to win the full prize.”
“Speaking of which, what is the prize?” asked Jane.
“My everlasting respect and admiration,” said Anthony, smiling.
“You’re such a kidder,” said Frances.
“Okay, if you won’t tell us how the poison was administered, can you tell us if the kitchen staff saw anyone enter and exit the kitchen to poison the food?” asked Jane.
“Neither the butler nor the housekeeper saw anyone enter the kitchen. Now, to be completely transparent, the housekeeper was not at all times during the day and evening in the kitchen, and in fact, for some hours she was not in the kitchen at all.”
“Even when all the guests had arrived?” asked Lilly.
“Yes, even while all guests were there, there was some time when the kitchen was empty and available to anyone.”
“Did the butler notice anything untoward during the dinner?” asked Ellis.
“No, he said the dinner went smoothly and all guests were cordial with one another.”
“So, it would appear that the murderer poisoned the food or drink before dinner started,” said Ellis to himself. “Sir Anthony, can you tell us again what everyone drank and whether the bottles were corked or open prior to pouring.”
“Very good, Ellis, very good,” said Anthony. “During dinner, Melissa had white wine from a corked bottle. Roger and James had red wine from an uncorked bottle. Ellie had soda water from a sealed soda siphon that the butler had personally filled and sealed himself. Laura had gin and tonic. Both the gin bottle and the tonic bottle were opened previously. After dinner and during dessert, everyone was offered drinks again. All the after dinner drinks were uncorked, they had previously been opened.”
“What did everyone have?” asked Lilly, jotting in her notebook again.
“Everybody had something different. Melissa had port, Roger had Frangelico, James had brandy, Laura had Chambord, and Ellie had Grappa.”
“Okay,” said Jane, “while we’re going through the meal again, can you tell us what was served at dinner and then for dessert and anything else?”
“Certainly,” said Anthony. “It’s a good thing that I kept all my facts memorized. Dinner was lamb chops, potato salad and pan-fried asparagus. Also offered with the dinner were mint sauce which Melissa had, apple sauce which Roger and James had as well as a honey, lemon and garlic sauce which both Ellie and Laura had. Dessert was trifle which everybody enjoyed and after dinner there were grapes, cheese and crackers on offer. The wife had a chunk of cheese and Laura had a few grapes. Nobody had anything else. The men were in the smoking room drinking brandy, the brandy from which the son had taken some with dessert. The women weren’t drinking at this time.”
“Who went to fetch Roger, again?” asked Lilly.
“That was Ellie, Melissa’s sister,” said Anthony.
“I know who did it,” exclaimed Lilly. “Can we all take a go at guessing now?”
“As long as everyone else is ready to guess, then why not,” said Anthony.
“I think everybody did it,” said Ellis. “They were all in cahoots. In other words I haven’t got the foggiest, but I might as well go for a guess now.”
“I’m ready, too,” said Jane.
“Absolutely,” said Lady Marmalade, “though I’d like to go last, if that’s okay?”
“Aha, so you don’t know who did it and you want us to do your hard work for you,” said Ellis in jest.
Lady Marmalade smiled at him.
“I’ll write it down on a piece of Lilly’s paper so you’ll know my mind is made up.”
“Not necessary,” said Ellis, “I was only joking.”
“I know, but if you want, I’m happy to do it,” said Frances.
Ellis shook his head.
“Okay, who wants to go first,” said Anthony, looking around the room. Lilly put up her hand.
“Okay, Lilly, tell us who did it and how they did it,” said Anthony.
Lilly took a moment to quickly look at her notes, going back and forth between a few pages.
“It was Ellie with the cheese,” she said.
“Can you explain your reasoning for us?” asked Anthony.
“Sure. When you told me that she was the one who had gone to fetch Roger, that just cinched it in my mind. I mean, who in their right mind would have the equanimity under such circumstances to go and calmly collect the husband of the deceased unless they knew and were expecting their victim to die. Besides which, I don’t like the excuses she gave to the police about why she was in the son’s room. She seems too unreliable. Now I know she doesn’t directly gain anything from Melissa’s death regarding the estate, but I believe, like Laura did, that it will be easier for her to win sympathy from the court and be awarded more of the estate if not the whole estate against Roger.”
“And why the cheese?” asked Anthony.
“I don’t know, I just think that’s a good way to do it if you want to administer a poison to someone. A poison so toxic that only a few grains are necessary, I don’t think anyone would notice. And I know what you’re thinking, what about Laura, what if she had eaten the poisoned cheese. Well, I think Ellie would have been familiar with where they would have sat and adjusted the board so that the poisoned cheese was furthest away from Laura and closest to Melissa. Don’t forget, Ellie being the sister, would know what her sister’s likes and dislikes are and as such she’d know which food to poison.”
Jane, Anthony, Ellis and Frances gave Lilly a round of applause.
“I like how you think, darling,” said Ellis.
Lilly smiled brightly.
“That was very well thought out, Lilly,” said Jane.
“Thank you.”
“Well, is she right?” asked Ellis.
“You’ll only know that after everyone has had a chance to guess,” said Anthony. “Speaking of which, would you like to go now, Jane?”
“Sure, though I must warn you, I’m really not very good at all this sleuthing and I feel quite self-conscious in front of the world’s greatest sleuth, Lady Marmalade,” she said, smiling at Frances.
“It’s all in fun,” said Frances, “besides which, you have a quick and curious mind and that is all that is really necessary for good sleuthing. I think the lady doth protest too much.”
“Okay, then, I’ll give it my best effort. I think it was Roger with the wine glass.”
“Can you expand on that a bit?” asked Anthony.
“Well, I think of all the motives, Roger’s is the best. He will inherit the full inheritance, and as we know, he’s desperately unhappy not only
with his allowance that his wife gives him, but from all accounts he’s desperately unhappy with his marriage too. He had access to the terrarium, as we know, and he would have known where everyone would be seated. It wouldn’t have taken much to rub a bit of the batrachotoxin on the lip of her wine glass and position it so that was where she drank from. And depending on how much he used, it might take the course of a dinner and dessert before it started to work.”
“Very interesting,” said Ellis.
They all gave Jane a round of applause and she smiled and quietly bowed head.
“This is all so very exciting,” said Lilly. “I’m starting to wonder if I might have been wrong.”
“And you, good sir,” said Anthony, “who do you think did it?”
“Well,” said Ellis, “I haven’t got a bloody clue to be honest. I think it could’ve been any of them or even all of them. So be that as it may, I’m going to be a contrarian and say it was, um.”
Ellis looked towards the ceiling and started counting in his mind. His fingers ticked out each in turn as his lips moved silently.
“Um, I’m going to say it was the son James with the port glass.”
“And an explanation if you will?” asked Anthony.
“Well, I’m trying to be different,” said Ellis, smiling. “But seriously I just don’t have a lot of hope in the youth of today. And this James chap seems like a spoiled wayward youth. He is likely closer to his father than he is with his mother because they both seem to spend money like it grows on weeds, and I think he’s probably thinking he’ll get a better allowance if his father holds the purse strings. Even so, I’m sure he’ll be getting something from his mother’s estate in the event of her death. From what it sounds like, he likes to travel and with his recently halved allowance that’s going to be harder to do, so I think he had started thinking about it over the last few months and he probably got the inspiration during this last trip to South America when he happened upon these poisonous frogs.”
Four Red Diamonds (A Lady Marmalade Mystery Short Story Collection Book 1) Page 16
