Murder in North Carolina

by Agnes Alexander

  “Don’t worry, Nick,” she said as he approached her. “You’re not late. I left the house early because I couldn’t take any more of Vernon. He came home in a foul mood. I assume something at work set him off.”

  Nick took the seat in front of her. “I probably would have wanted to leave, too.”

  “You would, I’m sure,” she said with a chuckle.

  The waiter came to their table. “May I get you another glass of wine, Ma’am?”

  “No, thank you. I’ve had my limit. I’ll have iced tea now.”

  “Iced tea is fine for me, too,” Nick said.

  “Very good. I’ll be right back.”

  “Thank you,” Nick said. He picked up a menu. “Have you decided what you’d like to eat, Millicent?”

  “I think I’ll have their specialty, the chicken pie. I like it with the unique slaw they serve. How about you?”

  “I’m going to have the bratwurst, and I definitely want to save room for a piece of their famous sugar cake.”

  “Rebecca loves that, too. Wilma comes to Winkler Bakery to buy it often.”

  The waiter returned, and Nick placed their orders. When they were alone again, Nick looked at his companion. “Now, Millicent, I know you wanted to have dinner with me for a reason other than the fact that we’re flirting with each other. Are you ready to tell me what it is?”

  “Maybe I’m just a crazy old woman who likes to go out to dinner with handsome young men.” She turned her head to the side and smiled at him.

  “Then I’d say I’m a lucky man, but I have a feeling that isn’t your reason.”

  “I’m not sure where to start.”

  “I’m in no rush. Take your time.”

  “First, I’m still convinced Vernon killed Mindy.”

  “I figured you were.”

  “I want you to find out how he did it.” When Nick started to speak, she raised her hand and said, “I know. Rebecca says he was home that night and we both believe her, but he could have hired someone else to kill Mindy. I just want you to keep an open mind.”

  Nick nodded. He didn’t want to voice the fact that nothing would please him more than to prove Vernon Armfield had perpetrated the crime.

  Millicent continued, “Willard Brookmeyer is the company attorney. I went to see him this morning to find out what he had to say about the company’s dwindling profits. He gave me some cock and bull story about the demand for product being down and a loss of employees. I knew he was putting up a smoke screen, but I pretended to believe what he said.” Before Nick could reply, she went on, “There’s proof of what I’m saying, if I can just find it.”

  “What do you mean, there’s proof?”

  “Mindy told me…” She let the word trail off as the waiter brought their food.

  Only after he refilled their tea glasses and moved away did she continue. “As I was saying, I talked with Mindy a couple of weeks before she was killed, and she told me she’d gotten her hands on a set of books Vernon had made for the company. They showed the true picture of what profits were crossing his desk and how he had shuffled a lot of the money into his own private accounts.”

  “Where are those books now?”

  “I don’t know. Mindy said she hid them where Vernon would never find them. I’m hoping she gave them to her attorney, Justine Crouse. I have an appointment with her tomorrow.”

  “Are you asking me to look into this?”

  “Only after you find out how he killed Mindy. I just wanted you to know about it in case you turn up something while you’re poking around.”

  “I’ll certainly keep my eyes open.”

  Millicent took a bite of her chicken pie. “This is as good as I remembered. You can only get authentic Moravian chicken pie in this area.”

  Nick nodded. He had his mouth full and couldn’t answer.

  She said, “I don’t think Vernon is the only one at Davidson Industries taking money. I know Willard is involved, and probably that Robyn person, too. I don’t know who else.”

  “We’ll eventually get to the bottom of everything. You never know. It could all be tied to Mindy’s death.”

  “That’s exactly what I think,” she said. “Now, I won’t say any more on the subject. As I said before, all of this can wait until you prove Vernon killed Mindy.”

  They fell into a conversation about the restoration of Old Salem and what a tourist attraction it had turned out to be. At eight o’clock, he drove her home. They said goodnight at the door, he kissed her on the cheek, and then he headed home.

  Chapter 27

  Gordon Jones returned to work the next day. Nick filled him in on the Davidson murder.

  “Do you want to work on it with us?” Nick asked.

  Gordon shook his head. “No. I’ll help all I can from the outside, but I’d rather steer clear of it. Besides,” he added, “I’ve got to finish up the Stanford case.”

  “Are you telling me all I need to know about your relationship with Mindy Davidson?” Nick asked, giving him a hard look. “You know I have to ask.”

  “I know.” He swallowed. “I’ve already told you I took her to bed a few times. Hell, Nick. I was only one of many.”

  “Were you ever there when there were other people besides you and Mindy?”

  “What do you mean?” Gordon seemed genuinely confused.

  “We’ve been told they filmed orgies there.”

  “Damn it. When I was with her, I was with her alone.” He glanced around. No one was listening. “You’ve got to keep me out of this. You will, won’t you?”

  “I’ll do my best.” Nick changed the subject. “How was the beach?”

  “A lot of water and sun, a lot of shopping, and a lot of talk about the body in the graveyard.”

  “So you didn’t have the best vacation?”

  “Hell, no. I’m really ready for another one now.”

  Nick’s mind went back to the case. “Do you think it’d help if I went to South Port and looked at the graveyard?”

  “Probably not, but it couldn’t hurt. It’s a pretty place, in an eerie sort of way.”

  “I think I’ll do that in the next day or two.” He leaned back in his chair. “Rebecca wants this settled as soon as possible. And, as her friend, so do I.”

  “I didn’t know you knew the Davidsons. Did you sleep with Mindy, too?”

  Nick chuckled. “No. I never had the pleasure. In fact, I didn’t know Mindy at all. Rebecca and I went to high school together. She hired us to work on the case because she remembered me from math class.”

  “Oh.”

  Nick couldn’t tell if Gordon was relieved or disappointed because he knew Rebecca instead of Mindy.

  When Gordon left, Nick decided to call Rebecca and see if she was available to go through Mindy’s condo that afternoon.

  After he posed the question, Rebecca asked, “Do you want to pick me up or do you want to meet me there?”

  He knew he should have told her to meet him there, but he enjoyed her company. What would it hurt if he spent a little time with someone he liked? The fact that she was married made her a safe companion as far as he was concerned. Nick would never consider trying anything with another man’s wife. Not even a man as distasteful as Vernon Armfield.

  He caught his breath and said, “I’ll pick you up. Say in about an hour?”

  “I’ll be ready,” she said. And unfortunately, Nick was not ready for the way his spine tingled at her words.

  He arrived at Rebecca’s house in exactly one hour. He had to circle the block three times to do it, but he wanted to give her plenty of time to get ready.

  Wilma answered the front door and led him into the living room. “I’ll tell Ms. Rebecca you’re here, Mr. Quimbley.”

  “Thank you.” Nick busied himself looking at the fine paintings adorning the walls. He calculated that his yearly salary to date probably wouldn’t buy one of them. What he’d make in a life time would not cover the cost of the Rembrandt over the sofa.

&
nbsp; “I didn’t know you liked art,” Rebecca said as she entered the room. She had on white slacks and a pink silk knit shell, and her hair hung loosely around her face. He thought she’d lost some weight and looked a little tired, but otherwise would have never guessed she’d been through such a trying ordeal as losing a family member.

  Nick smiled at her. “I took an art appreciation class in college. It actually made me appreciate the work that goes into a painting.”

  Rebecca returned his smile. “Maybe you should take up painting.”

  “Maybe. When I retire.” He changed the subject. “Shall we go?”

  She nodded.

  They kept the conversation light on the drive to Mindy’s condo. She told him her friend was back from Europe and had visited her earlier today. She also said Aunt Millicent was napping because she was going out with a friend.

  Rebecca became teary when they reached the condo and went inside. She said, “I still have trouble believing she’s gone, Nick.”

  “I’m sure you do,” he mumbled. He had a hard time when a victim’s family talked about their passing. He figured it was because of the devastation he’d felt when he’d lost Phyllis and Carrie. Nothing anyone had said had comforted him, and he knew nothing he said would comfort Rebecca now.

  “There’s one place we need to look that slipped my mind to tell you about earlier.” Her soft words broke into his thoughts.

  “Where’s that?”

  “Mindy had a safe put in her closet floor when she bought this place.”

  “Why would she do that? Did she have a lot of things requiring a safe?”

  “She wanted to keep her jewelry in it. Her half of Mother’s jewelry was worth a great deal, and she said she didn’t trust banks.”

  “You didn’t tell the police about it?”

  “No. Of course, I will now that I remember it.”

  “Do you know the combination?”

  “Yes. She gave it to me when it was installed. I have it in my wallet.”

  The contents of the safe were much as Rebecca had predicted: four velvet cases containing jewelry that appeared to Nick to be diamonds and other precious jewels, a purple velvet drawstring bag with five rings in it, a silk container holding earrings, a small stack of legal looking papers tied with a yellow ribbon, and a DVD.

  Rebecca handed him each item, and he placed them on the nightstand beside the bed.

  “I wonder what’s on that DVD,” she said once she’d finished.

  “I don’t think you want to see it, Rebecca.”

  “Why not?”

  “Trust me.”

  She smiled at him. “I do trust you, Nick. If it’s something I shouldn’t see, then maybe we should destroy it.”

  “I’m sorry. You know I can’t do that. I’ll watch it, but unless I feel it’s absolutely necessary, I won’t give it to the police.”

  She took his outstretched hand and got up from her kneeling position on the floor. “I understand. Forgive me for even suggesting you do otherwise.”

  He took the DVD from her without comment.

  She picked up the papers and looked through them. “This is her will. What’s in it will be no surprise to me. She left me everything.” Rebecca thumbed through it. Then she paused. “This is odd. There’s an exception. She left her two-fifths of the business to Aunt Millicent, and in the event she isn’t alive when the will is probated and I’m still married to Vernon, her share of the business goes to charity.”

  “And everything else is left to you?”

  “It looks like it.”

  “Are you upset about the business?”

  “Of course not. It was hers to leave to whomever she wanted.” She raised an eyebrow. “I bet Vernon won’t like it, though. He and Aunt Millicent don’t get along. The thought of my aunt having a controlling interest in the company will send him through the roof.”

  “I would imagine as much.” When he saw the puzzled look on her face, he added with a smile, “She told me all about their relationship.”

  “I do remember that.”

  “So this will gives Millicent controlling interest? Do you think Vernon will try to reverse the will?”

  “Probably, but he’ll have to get over it. I won’t support him.” She chuckled. “He asked me the other night if I wanted to get our wills changed. He assumed I was getting the business.”

  “I’m sorry to be nosy, but how is your will written, Rebecca?”

  “I don’t mind telling you. I left the house and the contents I owned before Vernon and I married to Mindy. I think it bothered Vernon, but she owned half of it anyway. I thought she should have it all. I left some stocks to charities. Everything else goes to Vernon.”

  “Your two-fifths of the business goes to him?”

  “Yes.” She laughed again. “The business is his world.” She shook her head. “I’m sure he’ll be brokenhearted to learn we’re no longer in control.”

  “But you didn’t have a controlling interest before. You only had two-fifths.”

  “I know, but Mindy always gave me her shares to vote. Now Aunt Millicent owns it. She seldom voted with Vernon on anything. It didn’t matter, as long as I had Mindy’s proxy. It will matter now because I’m sure Aunt Millicent will give Vernon a hard time.”

  On the ride back to her house, Nick told her of his plan to go to South Port.

  “I want to go with you.”

  “No. You don’t need to do that.”

  “Please. I want to see where my sister was taken.”

  “It won’t be pleasant.”

  “I had planned to go there anyway. I’d rather go with you. Please,” she said again.

  “All right, if you insist. When do you want to go?”

  “As soon as we can. Why not tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow will work for me. Can you be ready to leave about seven in the morning? I’d like to get an early start.”

  “I’ll be ready. Thank you, Nick.”

  Chapter 28

  Erica bought a dress at Dillard’s at Hanes Mall in Winston-Salem, but decided she didn’t like the way it looked on her when she got home and tried it on again. Not wanting to return it to the clerk who’d sold it to her, she decided to exchange it in Greensboro at Four Seasons Town Center. When she had completed her mission, she wasn’t in the mood for more shopping. So she got into her car and headed back up I-40 to Winston-Salem.

  The traffic slowed just as she passed the Wendover exit. Soon it crept to a stop. The blue lights of police cars soon passed her in the median. Over thirty minutes passed before she reached the airport exit. Never having been very patient waiting in any line, and since there seemed to be no end to the traffic jam up ahead, she exited.

  She realized after she’d made the turn to the left back under the interstate that she should have turned right. That direction would have taken her over to Highway 421, and though she’d run into more lights and the small towns of Colfax and Kernersville, she still could have been home within the hour.

  “Oh, well. Everyone has always said I go off in the wrong direction most of the time, so I’ll just go through High Point,” she said as she noticed a Ruby Tuesday’s sign on her right. A sudden pang of hunger hit her, and she decided to stop. She made a quick turn into the street, causing the driver behind her to blow his horn. She ignored him and pulled into the parking lot.

  She found a parking space on the second row and pulled into it. To her surprise, Vernon Armfield’s car sat directly in front of the restaurant. She recognized it by its Davidson Industries license tag.

  She got out and wondered if he would think she was spying on him if he saw her inside. At the door, she almost changed her mind about going in, but decided that was foolish. Vernon was probably in there with some business people and she was being silly to think he’d suspect she was checking on him. Then she wondered why she cared about what he suspected.

  “I’ve gone too far to back out now,” she told herself as she pushed on the huge wooden door.
“Besides, I could use something to drink. The traffic might clear up if I spend some time here.”

  Once inside, she smiled and whispered to the hostess, “I think there’s someone here I don’t want to see. May I peek into the dining room before you seat me?”

  The hostess looked at her as if she’d lost her mind, but said, “Of course, Ma’am.”

  She spotted Vernon and his companion after only a few seconds and came back to the hostess. “I want to be seated in the booth next to the potted plants.” Erica knew she’d have a good view of Vernon and his party from there.

  “Yes, Ma’am.” The hostess picked up a menu and walked in front of Erica. “May I take your drink order?”

  “I’ll have a glass of the house wine, please.”

  The waitress disappeared, and Erica studied Vernon and his female companion. She wasn’t a pretty woman. A little on the hippie side. Not the type Vernon would choose for an affair. Probably works with him.

  The wine came. She thanked the waitress and asked for more time to study the menu.

  In a little while, Erica realized Vernon and the woman were making plans. They had a sheet of paper before them and were working on it together. Damn. It’s a business meeting after all. I couldn’t help but hope he was meeting some sexy lady friend who’d give Rebecca an excuse to kick him out.

  Though it was still a little early for dinner when the waitress reappeared, Erica ordered a chicken and cheese dish with vegetables. Handing back the menu, she pointed to the right and asked, “Are the bathrooms in that direction?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  She reached for her purse because she’d decided to let Vernon know she was here. She fished her purse from the seat beside her. I’ve always been a direct person. I’ll make him introduce me to his friend. And if I can sneak up on them, I’ll be able to see what’s so all fired important on that piece of paper.

  Before she could get up, Willard Brookmeyer came into the room and went directly to the table occupied by Vernon and the woman.

  Choosing to rethink her options, Erica put down her purse. I wonder what those sneaks are up to. There was only one way to find out.