Murder in North Carolina

by Agnes Alexander

  Again she reached for her purse. Slipping out of the booth, she got to their table before they saw her. A quick glance told her the paper they poured over was a ledger filled with numbers.

  Vernon looked up. “Erica. Hello.”

  “Why, Vernon Armfield. How are you? I haven’t seen you since my going away party.”

  “I’m fine. How are you?” He tried to be nonchalant as he turned the paper over. “How was Europe?”

  “Wonderful.” She smiled. “And hello, Willard. It’s good to see you, too. It’s been a while.”

  “Yes, it has. Hello, Erica.” Willard looked uncomfortable, but he shook her hand.

  “Hello, my dear,” Erica said to Vernon’s companion.

  “Robyn, this is a friend of ours, Erica Redmond. Erica, Robyn Garvey, my comptroller.”

  “Hello,” Robyn said.

  “Delighted to meet you, Robyn.” She turned to Vernon again. “I saw Rebecca yesterday. I must say, she’s doing well considering all she’s been through.”

  “Yes, she is. Thank you for visiting her. She needs her friends now.”

  “Well, I can see you’re discussing business. I’ll run along. It was nice seeing all of you.”

  “Nice seeing you, too, Erica.”

  She went on to the ladies room wondering why Vernon had tried to hide what they were writing. It just looked like a business document to her. And that was not unusual. People often took care of business matters over afternoon drinks. She decided to file the information away in case she needed to tell Rebecca about it later. Checking her makeup, she went back to her table. Her food had arrived.

  Erica took her time eating and noticed the threesome occasionally glanced in her direction, probably to see if she was still there. She could tell they were all a little uncomfortable, but she didn’t care. If they were up to something, then it was a good thing she’d seen them all together.

  The chicken was delicious and although it was only five o’clock, she ate all of it. Finishing her meal, she decided she’d seen enough. Vernon looked at her when she picked up her purse and started toward the door. She waved at him.

  He waved back with a relieved look on his face.

  You’re glad I’m leaving, you old fart, Erica said to herself. And she gave him one of the smiles she used when she wanted to say, I don’t give a damn.

  Chapter 29

  After leaving Rebecca, Nick decided to go home early. He reached his apartment carrying a pizza box and the DVD he and Rebecca had found. He decided to watch it as he ate. He opened a beer, took a slice of pizza, and clicked on the DVD player. He expected to see the orgy Tess had told him about. Instead, he saw Mindy with Vernon Armfield. He was sure the DVD had been made from a fixed camera. To him, this meant nobody except the two of them was present when they’d made the DVD. He decided Mindy probably had rigged the camera so she’d have something to hold over her brother-in-law’s head.

  “Plus the fact that she might also have had that set of books that could destroy his career,” he said aloud, thinking it would be a good motive for murder. No man wants his sexual exploits put on film unless he’s a porn star, and Vernon certainly wouldn’t want proof that he’s a crook coming to light.

  He shook his head. Rebecca said he was home that night, and he knew she wouldn’t lie about it. As much as I think the man’s hiding something, the murderer has to be someone else, unless…Vernon hired somebody else to kill Mindy and dispose of her body just as Millicent suggested. On the other hand, I can’t imagine Vernon Armfield hiring someone who could later blackmail him. Or worse, tell the authorities he was behind Mindy’s death.

  Then Nick’s thoughts took off in another direction. Earlier, he’d asked Bernie to talk to Max Garvey again, particularly about the DVD made at the orgy. Since this was not it, Max probably still had it in his possession. The other DVD was a good motive, too. Anybody in the film would have a reason to kill Mindy Davidson.

  Tess Carter came to mind. She definitely had strong feelings for Max Garvey. She could have helped him commit the crime.

  But Nick couldn’t prove any of it. He’d hoped to have the case cleared up by now. Instead, it had become more complicated. Everyone loved Mindy, yet almost everyone he met had a good reason to kill her. None of it made sense. Nick didn’t like cases that didn’t make sense.

  Tomorrow was going to be a rough day. Rebecca would ask him about the DVD. How could he tell her about Vernon’s affair with Mindy? Should he tell her?

  He didn’t know why he’d consented to let her accompany him to South Port.

  Immediately, he knew that wasn’t true. He did know why. Because he wanted her with him. She’d stirred up feelings he’d thought were long dead. Now he was beginning to feel like that high school boy with a crush on the unattainable homecoming queen.

  That part hadn’t changed. Rebecca was still unattainable. She’d made it perfectly clear that she loved her husband, faults and all, and Nick Quimbley was not a man to steal another man’s wife, even if the man was a crook who didn’t deserve a wife like Rebecca Davidson.

  “Somehow Vernon is involved in all this,” he said to himself. “He may not have killed Mindy as Millicent suggests, but she convinced me he is pulling something illicit at the company.”

  Feeling confused and full of questions, Nick popped the DVD out of the player and headed for the bathroom. He turned the shower to its hottest setting and stepped inside the small stall. Thirty minutes later, he climbed into bed, hoping he wouldn’t have a restless night trying to decipher all that had transpired today. Tomorrow would be another long day, and he needed his wits to help him accomplish what he hoped in South Port.

  Chapter 30

  Rebecca stepped out of the shower at six o’clock the next morning. She wrapped herself in an oversized mauve colored towel and sat down in front of her dressing table.

  Vernon came into the dressing room. “What in the world are you doing getting up and showering at this hour, Rebecca?”

  “Nick Quimbley is picking me up at seven. We’re going to South Port.”

  “Oh, no, you’re not. I forbid it.”

  She turned and looked at him. “You don’t have the right to forbid me to do anything. I’m going to South Port, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  “What’s gotten into you? You’ve never been this uncooperative. I bet that aunt of yours is behind this. What’s she filling your head with now?”

  “Aunt Millicent doesn’t even know I’m going. I didn’t tell her, because she went out with a friend last night. I was upstairs when she came in.”

  “I heard Erica Redmond visited you.”

  “She did. It was good to see her.” She turned her head to the side. “How did you know anyway?”

  He had already planned his answer because he wanted to tell Rebecca about the meeting at the restaurant before Erica mentioned it to her. “Robyn and I went to Ruby Tuesdays to meet with Willard Brookmeyer to discuss some business plans. We worked through the afternoon. Erica was there.”

  “I see.” She turned back to her mirror. “What kind of plans are you making, Vernon?”

  “You wouldn’t be interested, dear.”

  She whirled. “Why do you think I’m not interested? After all, I own two-fifths of Davidson Industries. I want to get more involved in the business again. I used to love working there.”

  “As a matter of fact, you own four-fifths of the company now, my love. You don’t have to work. You can just sit back and let the company make money for you.”

  “Brace yourself, Vernon. I have some news that will probably ruin your day.”

  “Besides the fact that you’re hell bent on running to the other end of the state with that detective? What other bad news could you have?”

  “I found Mindy’s will yesterday.”

  “So?”

  “As it turns out, she left her two-fifths of the company to Aunt Millicent, not me.”

  “You can’t be serious.” His face reg
istered complete unbelief.

  “I’m very serious. Mindy wanted Aunt Millicent to be in control, so you’d better run your plans by me. To get her vote, I’ll probably have to submit them to her as my plans instead of yours. I told you when we married you shouldn’t alienate her. She can be a stinker when she wants to be.”

  “Alienate, hell. The old bitch has never liked me. I didn’t stand a chance with her from the beginning.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe this. How could Mindy be such a fool? You have to fight the will.”

  “No. I won’t.”

  “Of course you will. You have to. You need to be in control of our company.”

  She glanced at her watch. “I have to get dressed now. You’ll get used to the idea. Don’t take it so hard. Probably nothing will change at the plant.”

  He spouted obscenities under his breath as he backed out of the bathroom.

  She had applied her makeup and was putting on her underwear when he came back into the dressing room.

  “Where is this so called will? I want to look it over. I’m not sure it’s legal.”

  “The will is legal. Will you please just accept that?”

  “Not until I see it for myself.”

  “Well, you can’t see it.”

  “Rebecca, I demand you let me see it.”

  “I can’t. I don’t have it.”

  “What do you mean, you don’t have it? You said you found it yesterday.”

  “I dropped it at the lawyer’s office after Nick brought me home.”

  “Oh.” He looked relieved for the first time. “I’ll see if Willard has any suggestions. He can probably break it.”

  “I didn’t take it to Willard,” she said as she stepped into her skirt.

  “Why not? He’s our lawyer.”

  “I know. I just thought I’d take it to Mindy’s lawyer.”

  “Willard was Mindy’s lawyer, too.”

  “Not this time. She chose to have another attorney draw up the will for her.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Her name is Justine Crouse.”

  “Well, I’ll just give Ms. Crouse a call. She may have a fight on her hands.” He backed out of the dressing room again.

  Rebecca smiled as she pulled her red blouse over her head. She’d warned Justine that Vernon would call and protest. She also told the attorney that she wouldn’t fight the will.

  Justine Crouse assured Rebecca that without her signature, Vernon could do nothing. “He’ll just be spittin’ in the wind,” Justine had said.

  Rebecca knew then why Mindy had chosen Justine as her lawyer.

  Vernon came back into the dressing room a third time. “I’m sorry, Rebecca,” he said. “I shouldn’t have told you not to go to South Port. Maybe I was just feeling a little jealous.”

  She laughed. “Why, Vernon, I can’t believe that.”

  “Why not? Nick Quimbley looks at you as if he thinks you’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t believe you’d be jealous. Nick is being a good friend and a wonderful detective. He’s determined to find Mindy’s killer for me.”

  “I’m sorry I spoke so harshly to you earlier, my dear. If it helps you put Mindy to rest, I think going to South Port might be a good idea after all.”

  She smiled at him and said, “Thank you. I’m glad you understand.”

  “I want to protect you. You just make it hard for me to do that sometimes.” He moved to her and put his arm around her. Then he laughed. “You could have chosen a more unflattering outfit. Mr. Quimbley needs to keep his mind on his business.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Rebecca blushed. “This is an old outfit.”

  “It looks lovely on you just the same.”

  She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m not sure what time we’ll get back this evening.”

  “Don’t worry. I trust you. Now, our Mr. Quimbley is another matter.”

  She shook her head and headed out of the room. “I’ll see you later. I told Wilma I was leaving early this morning. I hope she has coffee ready.”

  Going downstairs, she wondered how anyone could change as quickly as Vernon. He could be raving one minute and his old self the next. Maybe it was a good trait to have. She didn’t know, because she didn’t possess it.

  * * * *

  Millicent Davidson teetered at the top of the stairs. She screamed, but she and the intruder were the only two people in the house. He had learned the maid did her shopping at this time every week, and he’d seen Rebecca leave early in the morning. It was as if the gods were smiling on him. Now was the time to dispose of the old woman.

  “Please don’t. I don’t want to die like this,” Millicent begged.

  “None of us want to die, Ma’am. But alas, some of us go earlier than others.”

  “You son-of-a-bitch, you won’t get away with this.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “Rebecca will have Nick hunt you down. She won’t give up. She’ll find out that you killed Mindy, too.”

  “She’ll never catch me,” he snarled at her. “This may do her in.”

  “You wouldn’t kill Rebecca. Nick Quimbley will find you if you do.”

  “Shut up, old woman. I’ve heard enough from you.”

  “Please don’t do this.” But the terrified expression on her face told him she knew she’d reached the end.

  He smiled at her, then shoved her forward. She tumbled down the long staircase, landing in a heap at the bottom.

  Calmly, he strode down the stairs, leaned over her, and felt the vein in her neck. He smiled again. She was dead.

  He went back up the stairs and into the master bedroom. From the jewelry case on the dresser, he took a handful of jewelry. To make it look as if he’d been caught in the act of stealing, he dropped a few pieces on the floor in the bedroom and one in the hall near the top of the steps.

  He exited the house through a side door in the sunroom and left it standing open. He was sure the police would never catch him. The house looked like a real thief had been here.

  He smiled again. Killing was almost as much fun this second time. He liked the look on the old woman’s face when she knew she was going to die. Too bad he didn’t have time to come up with a way to dispose of her body as he had with Mindy. It would be fun to watch the police and that detective strike out on another dead end chase like they were doing now. They would never connect him to Millicent Davidson’s death—or to Mindy’s.

  “Two Davidson women down, and one to go,” he said aloud. “I’ll have to wait a while on the third one, but a little time doesn’t matter. Just as I planned, eventually the whole damn Davidson family will be wiped out. Whoever said it first sure was right. Revenge is sweet.”

  Chapter 31

  When Rebecca and Nick got out of his car at the Ole Smithfield Burying Ground in South Port, she figured they looked like every other couple who had come, out of curiosity, to see where the dead body had been found.

  She wore a long, flowing, multi-colored print skirt, a red blouse, several gold chains around her neck, long dangling earrings, and Birkenstock sandals. She carried a large soft leather shoulder purse. Nick had dressed in tan slacks and an aqua Polo shirt that accented his tanned, muscular physique and highlighted his aqua green eyes.

  Upon their arrival, they discussed whether or not to go by the police station and introduce themselves, but decided to visit the graveyard first. Nick wanted to see what he could pick up on his own.

  Rebecca felt a little queasy when she saw the dying flowers lying on the plot. A woman stood near the grave taking a picture of a man and a little girl posing beside the headstone.

  “Is that the place?” Rebecca whispered.

  Nick nodded. “I’m sure it is.” He looked at her. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.”

  He reached for her hand anyway and gave it a little squeeze.

  “Thanks,” she whispered, squeezing back.
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  Several people were in the graveyard, some looking at old graves and reading markers, and others standing around the grave discussing why they thought the body had been left there. Some took pictures and videos of the area. A few sat on other gravestones, just watching.

  Nick led Rebecca to the side of the grave where Mindy had been found, but he didn’t stop. He continued to walk around the perimeter. After reaching the other side, he leaned over and whispered to her, “I’m trying to decide how I think he might have carried her in here.”

  “Probably not through the front. Someone might have spotted him.”

  “You’re right.” He pointed to the street leading from the bay area. “There are too many houses on that side. I noticed as we arrived that the back of the cemetery is inaccessible, so my guess is that he came in from that side over there. Let’s walk that way.”

  “Why?”

  “Who knows? He may have dropped something.”

  Rebecca hadn’t thought of that. She held tightly to Nick’s hand and permitted him to lead her. He paused every few minutes and looked toward the side of the graveyard where he thought the killer had entered the cemetery. He would then change directions and walk a few feet to one side or the other.

  They soon reached enclosures surrounding the side entrance, brick columns connected with iron rods. Nick glanced at the street sign on the corner. “This is probably how he came into the graveyard. It’s rather private and would be dark at night.”

  He turned back toward the grave. It wasn’t visible from this area.

  He let go of Rebecca’s hand. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Just outside the fence. See the openings every so often? I’m sure they’re used for getting a casket inside the cemetery. If they weren’t here, they’d have to climb over the railings.”

  She followed him. “Are you trying to decide which one you think the killer came through?”

  “Yes.” He walked toward the back of the graveyard. “I can’t see the grave he placed her on from this opening. Let’s try the next one.”