by J A Whiting
Olivia didn’t tell Angela just how belligerent Mrs. Bradford had been in the car when she refused to tell the police about Kenny Overman’s whereabouts forty years ago.
“Won’t you come in, Olivia? There’s iced tea in the refrigerator.”
Olivia started to protest but Angela cut her off. “Please. It would be nice to sit and chat with someone who isn’t always so negative and pessimistic.”
“Okay. Iced tea would be nice.” They walked into the foyer of the mansion, down the hall, and into the kitchen.
“I shouldn’t speak ill of mother,” Angela said. “The effects of aging are quite a struggle for a woman who was once so active and involved.” She removed two tall glasses from the cabinet, filled them with ice and poured the tea over the cubes. She handed a glass to Olivia.
“Let’s sit outside on the terrace,” Angela suggested.
When they were comfortably settled in the chairs overlooking the pool, Olivia spoke.
“Angela, on the drive over here with your mother she told me something that disturbed me.”
“What on earth was it?” Angela asked, her face lined with tension.
Olivia put her glass on the side table. “Years ago, did your mother go into Boston every week with a friend?”
Angela’s face relaxed. “Yes, she did. She and her friend, Pauline, would meet in town every week. They would get their hair done, then shop and have dinner. Mother would return around 8:30 or 9 at night. Woe to anyone who tried to interfere with that standing date.” Angela chuckled and took a sip from her glass.
“Is Pauline still alive?” Olivia asked.
“No, she isn’t. She passed away about ten years ago. Mother and Pauline continued to meet in the city each week until Pauline got sick. Why do you ask? Did mother mention Pauline?”
“Not by name. She mentioned a friend she met in Boston each week,” Olivia answered.
“What did she say that disturbed you?”
Olivia didn’t reply right away, weighing what she wanted to say.
“Your mother told me she was in Boston on the day my cousins were murdered.”
“Did she? It must have been a Tuesday then. Tuesday was the day she met Pauline each week.”
“Do you remember the day? What you were doing that day?” Olivia asked.
Angela looked surprised at the question.
“Yes, I remember some of the day. I was here in the afternoon. It was hot. My son and I came over to use the pool. He was only two at the time, but he loved the water.” She smiled wistfully.
“Who else was here when you were swimming?” Olivia asked.
“No one. We had the house to ourselves. Mother had gone into Boston and dad was at work.”
“Where was your sister?” Olivia asked.
“She wasn’t here.” Angela paused. “Oh, she went to New York City that day.”
“Alone?”
Angela nodded. “Overman was supposed to go with her, but he backed out at the last minute.”
“Do you know when Emily got home that day?”
“No, I don’t. I wasn’t here when Emily got home. I took my son back to our house for a nap.” Angela’s face clouded over. “But mother and Emily had that altercation that evening. You remember mother told you about the fireplace incident when you were here last?”
Olivia nodded.
“Pauline took ill that afternoon. Mother came home earlier than usual. Emily was here when mother arrived. I’m not sure what time it was. But it had to be before 8:30 at night.”
“Could you make a guess about the time?”
“Mother said she hadn’t had dinner with Pauline. She said that Pauline felt ill while they were shopping. Their dinner would often last about two hours. Driving home usually takes about thirty-five minutes but if Mother left before dinner she would have hit the commuter traffic, so it would have taken her longer to get home. I don’t know. Maybe six or six-thirty that evening? Why don’t you ask mother?”
“I will,” Olivia said.
“Does the time matter?” Angela asked.
“I don’t know what matters,” Olivia said. “When your mother arrived home, Emily was here, standing at the fireplace?”
Angela nodded. “That’s what she told me.”
“It takes about four hours to get to New York by bus,” Olivia said. “Emily would have had to leave the city before 2pm to have arrived home before your mother returned from Boston. Emily didn’t spend much of the day in New York.”
“I don’t know. She left here early that day. I think the bus was at 8am or something. I remember because Emily had been complaining about having to get up so early to get the bus.” Angela smiled and shook her head. “But that was nothing new. Emily was always complaining about something.” She took another sip of her iced tea. “But what was it that mother said that disturbed you, Olivia?” Angela asked.
“Your mother said she saw Kenny Overman in Boston that day.”
“Did she?”
Olivia nodded.
“I didn’t know this,” Angela said. “I never heard that mother saw Overman in the city.”
“She didn’t tell the police,” Olivia said.
Angela’s eyes widened.
“She won’t tell them now either.”
“Why, on earth, not?” Angela asked.
Olivia shrugged. “Back then, I guess, she thought it would be best for society if he was locked up.”
Angela groaned and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she asked, “Why won’t she tell the police now?”
“I suppose she feels the same way.”
“Oh, no,” Angela said. “I’ll talk to her. She can’t withhold information.”
“You know that Kenny was taken into custody?” Olivia asked.
“I saw the news, yes,” Angela answered. “Are you relieved, Olivia? That the killer has been caught?”
Olivia shifted her gaze out over the pool. “No. I’m not.”
“But now the case will be solved. Isn’t that what you wanted?” Angela spoke softly.
“Your mother said that she saw Overman in Boston around three.”
Angela looked questioning.
“I don’t believe he could have gotten back to Howland in time to kill my cousins.”
Angela looked pensive. “But he must have returned to Howland in time since his DNA was found at the scene. The Monahans were killed between 3:00 and 4:00pm. He could have made it back. Or maybe mother was mistaken about seeing him in Boston.”
“Kenny came to see me not long ago,” Olivia said.
Angela leaned forward. “He did?”
“He told me his side of things.” Olivia paused. “I don’t believe he did it.”
“But. But his DNA.”
“I know. I know.” Olivia passed her hand over her forehead. “I don’t know, Angela.” Olivia shook her head. “He didn’t do it.”
“He must have done it, Olivia.”
Olivia met Angela’s eyes and shook her head. “This is a big mess. It’s my fault. I should have left it alone. Now an innocent man is going to go to jail.” Olivia’s eyes misted over.
“Olivia, Overman could be charming…persuasive. When he talked to you…”
“No. I believe him.”
“I heard Overman is out on bail,” Angela said.
Olivia nodded and slumped against the chair back. “I wish there was something I could do to help.”
“Maybe you’ll think of something.” Angela tried to be encouraging.
They sat in silence for a minute.
“Did you ever ask your sister about the fight she had at the fireplace with your mother?” Olivia asked.
Angela looked down at her hands. “Mother called me that night…after the fight. She was beside herself. I drove over after our phone conversation. She wanted to talk. When I pulled up the driveway and approached the garages, my headlights caught Emily’s car parked in front of one of the bays. The windows were steamed up.” Angela cleared her t
hroat. “Emily and Overman were in the car having sex. I was livid. First, Emily hits mother and then has the nerve to have sex with Overman right outside the front door of the house.” Angela shook her head. “She was so disrespectful. I’m sure she hoped that mother or dad would find her out there with Overman.” She took a sip of her tea. “I parked my car on the far side of the parking pad away from Emily’s car. I got out and when I reached the portico of the house, Overman slammed the back door of Emily’s car, got on his motorcycle and rode away. I went inside and went to the kitchen looking for mother. I heard Emily come in the front door and go upstairs.”
“Did you speak with your mother?”
“Eventually. She was in the shower. I was furious with Emily so I went up to her room. The door was closed. I knocked. I asked her to let me in. I didn’t let on how angry I was. I was all sweet and gentle. Emily opened the door and let me in. I told her that mother called me and asked me to come over. I played dumb. I ignored the fact that I knew she and Overman were in the back seat of the car together. I asked what had happened with mother. Emily put on a show…yelling…blamed mother for the argument. She said mother hit her so she hit her back and mother fell and smacked her head. It was an accident that she fell. She didn’t intend to push her that hard. She said the parents were smothering her, never trusted her, treated her like a child.”
“I told Emily that she might want to just try and get along with mother and dad. That she would be able to get her own place after graduating college. Emily didn’t like that suggestion. She started in on me…that I always took their side…never defended her.”
Angela’s face was lined with sadness. “I loved Emily. Loved her spunk. But her personality clashed terribly with my parents. They did smother her. They were very controlling. I hated the turmoil that went on. I always felt like I was taking sides. I didn’t know how to mediate the mess between them. I was always worried about Emily. She drank, slept around. Maybe she did drugs. Her rebellious behavior was because of mother’s iron fist. That night Emily had on a long kimono that father had brought each of us from a trip to Asia…it was like a bathrobe, it had wide droopy sleeves. Emily had it on over her sundress. I think she put it on to hide the fact that she had bruises on her wrist.”
Olivia asked, “Bruises?”
“When Emily reached for something on her desk I saw cuts and bruises on her wrist. I asked her what happened. She told me that she fell. I didn’t believe her. I asked if Overman had hurt her.” Tears welled in Angela’s eyes. “She pushed me. Told me to leave her the hell alone. Told me to mind my own business. Said to get out.” Tears spilled over.
“You think Kenny had been rough with her?”
“I worried that he had hurt her. I knew she would try to protect him. She wouldn’t tell me if he hurt her, but I think he did.”
“Had you ever noticed bruises on her before?”
“No, but I didn’t really ever have a chance to notice. We didn’t spend much time together.” Angela’s face was lined with sadness. “I didn’t have the relationship with my sister that I always hoped for. I really don’t think she ever liked me.”
“I’m sorry, Angela,” Olivia said, her voice soft. Her mind was racing. Did Kenny hurt Emily? Why would he hurt her?
Chapter 36
Jackie and Olivia were riding in Jackie’s red truck heading to the center of town for dinner.
“So I think Emily is holding back information,” Olivia said. “When I was at her office and I told her I’d spoken with Father Anthony and then I asked her straight out, were you at the church on the day of the murders, she got a cold look on her face and told me not to believe what Father Anthony said.”
“Strange,” Jackie said. “Does she think the priest is telling lies?”
“I don’t know. Does Emily believe that Father Anthony is hiding something?”
“Why doesn’t she just tell you what she thinks he’s lied about?” Jackie asked.
“I think she knows something,” Olivia said. “Maybe she didn’t go to New York like she claims. Maybe she was at the church. Did she see someone that day at St. Catherine’s? Hear something? Is she protecting someone?” Her eyes widened and she turned to Jackie, her voice excited. “Remember I told you that Emily’s sister saw cuts and bruises on Emily…that she suspected Kenny had hurt her? Could someone have threatened Emily into silence? Is that why she never wanted a family? Is she afraid someone would try to hurt them to keep her quiet? I need to talk to her again.”
Jackie shot Olivia a glance. “I don’t think she’ll talk to you. Sounds like you got her angry last time.”
“Do you think she’s still at work?” Olivia checked the time on her cell phone. “People say she’s a workaholic.”
“It’s kind of late, but maybe. Why? You want to go now?”
“Would you mind, Jackie? I thought if she was still in the office, I could just show up. She’s probably alone there…everyone else would have left by now. Maybe I could get her to talk to me.”
“I don’t know. I don’t think she will. We can drive over if you want to give it a try.”
It’s about twenty-five minutes away,” Olivia said. “In Brookline. Afterwards, we could get a bite to eat.”
“Okay. But I don’t think she’s going to talk.” Jackie shook her head. “How do I get there?”
Olivia gave the directions and thirty minutes later they pulled into the accounting firm’s parking lot. There were a few cars parked and some lights could be seen in the building’s windows.
“Which floor is Emily’s firm on?” Jackie asked.
“The first. She owns the building. She rents the other floors out to different businesses.” Olivia craned her neck to look around at the parked cars. “I don’t see Emily’s car.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Let’s go see if anyone is in there.”
Just as Olivia reached for the door handle, she spotted a woman leaving the building. The woman was carrying a stack of papers and folders in her arms. “That’s someone from Emily’s office. I’m going to go talk to her.” Olivia jumped from the passenger seat and jogged over to the woman who was just about to open the back door of her car.
“Excuse me,” Olivia called. The woman startled and wheeled towards Olivia who was coming up behind her. “Hi. I was here the other day to speak to Emily. I’m Olivia Miller.”
“Oh.” The woman’s brow was furrowed. Her voice was tinged with annoyance.
“Sorry to bother you but I was…”
The woman fumbled with the door handle while balancing the load of papers.
“Here, let me help,” Olivia said and opened the rear door so the woman could plop the papers on the back seat. “Is Emily still in the office? Is she working late?”
The woman straightened. “Emily isn’t, but I was.”
“Oh.” Olivia was disappointed. “What time does Emily usually come in to work in the morning?”
“She gets here early.”
“Like 7am?”
“Earlier.” The woman was searching in her purse. It was clear she wasn’t interested in conversing with Olivia.
“Do you think it would be okay for me to come by early tomorrow morning?”
“I don’t know.” The woman opened the driver side door. “Why don’t you just make an appointment?”
“I only wanted to see her for a quick minute.”
“That’s all you’d get from her anyway.” The woman got into her car.
“I guess I need to make an appointment then?”
“Not with me,” the woman said. “I just quit. I cannot stand that woman for one more day. She‘s a bitch. I thought working for a woman would be great, but she may as well be a man. She puts everything on me. She’s always leaving the office to go running or biking. Training for that stupid triathlon.” She made a face. “I need to get going.” The woman started the engine. “Call the receptionist and make an appointment.” She backed out of the space leaving Oliv
ia standing there.
Jackie walked over to Olivia who was watching the car drive away. “I take it Emily’s not here.”
“That was a weird exchange.” Olivia told Jackie how the woman was hurried and unhelpful.
“Not good qualities for a receptionist,” Jackie said.
“I think she was the office manager or something. She seems really annoyed with Emily. She called her a bitch and said, ‘she’s worse than a man.’”
Jackie shrugged. “Maybe Emily might not understand that it’s possible to run a business and still be nice to people?”
“Yeah. Well, that was a waste of time,” Olivia said.
“Let’s go eat,” Jackie said and they walked back to the car.
Chapter 37
On Saturday, Olivia and Jackie made a picnic lunch of sandwiches, pickles, cut up veggies, water, chocolate chip cookies, and cherries and strawberries. They packed a snack for Lily and a bowl for water. The women changed into bathing suits and grabbed beach towels and a Frisbee. They loaded everything into Jackie’s truck and opened the door to the truck’s passenger cab so that Lily could sit back there. Jackie knew of a small, clear lake situated near Walden Pond in Concord that was unknown to most people in the area and where they would be able to swim with Lily.
The drive took about thirty-five minutes. Jackie parked well off the side of the road next to a trail that wound through the woods to the lake. The scent of pines filled the air. The dog ran a short distance ahead with her nose close to the ground, intrigued by the new smells along the pathway. They walked for about ten minutes to a smaller trail that led to the lake. A thin, sandy beach hugged the edge of the water. A large grassy field spread out behind the beach.
“What a great spot,” Olivia said.
“My husband and I come here some weekends,” Jackie told her.
An older couple sat in sand-chairs reading at the water’s edge. A young couple sat whispering to each other on a blanket and another couple with two small children was digging in the sand making a castle. Jackie spread the blanket and Olivia placed the picnic basket next to it. They both agreed that this would be a hiatus from the events of the past few days and that there would be no talk of the Monahan murders or who could be responsible.
