by Bobbi Holmes
“A deadly lark.”
“I don’t think she realized how foolish it was to be running around with that thing on.”
“You wore it to the open house.”
“I wore it to get publicity for my grand opening. I didn’t think anyone would try and steal it with so many people around, and Joe was there.”
“Do you think Adam is responsible for her death? You were pretty emphatic he was responsible for her disappearance. I understand his company owns the hut where she was found.”
“I sort of doubt it,” Danielle shrugged. She still didn’t like Adam, yet she didn’t want to falsely accuse him of the crime. “I would expect him to put her body in the ocean, not in a hut his company owns. Especially considering anyone could go into it because of the broken lock.”
• • • •
After Danielle was finally allowed to go home, Brian sat with Joe discussing the case.
“You don’t seriously think Danielle was involved in her cousin’s murder?” Joe asked.
“Joe, you’re too close to the case. You’re not being objective.”
“We’re not that close. Sure, Danielle is a friend, but I’m not opposed to arresting a friend if they break the law. And especially if I believe they murdered someone.”
“Even a woman you’re dating?”
“Danielle and I have only gone out a couple times. Hell, I haven’t even kissed her yet.”
“Why not? Maybe she’s not really interested in you—maybe she’s just using you?”
“No. Actually, I thought the reason was that I haven’t tried to kiss her yet. You keep forgetting I was there. I met her cousin. I have no doubt she took off with that necklace and ran off with Adam.”
“I asked Danielle if she thought Adam was responsible for her cousin’s murder, and she said no,” Brian said.
“Really? That surprises me considering how she went on about him after Cheryl went missing.”
“I agree. Plus I think her rational for his innocence is a little weak,” Brian noted.
“What was that?”
“She said if he killed her, she would expect him to dump her body in the ocean, not in a shed he owned.”
“I don’t suppose you pointed out we’re pretty sure Cheryl was murdered in the shed, not taken there postmortem.”
“No, I didn’t say anything. As far as I am concerned we have two prime suspects: Adam and Danielle.”
“Okay, give me your theory on Danielle for a suspect.”
“The motive is there, obviously. After she went missing you didn’t stick around Marlow House, so it is possible Danielle left, right?”
“Sure, but none of us knew where Cheryl went.”
“How do you know? We know Cheryl went down to the bungalow with Adam the first day she met him. Maybe she said something to her cousin. Maybe Danielle had a good idea all along where Cheryl and Adam took off to.”
“But you forget the wine. Someone drugged the wine.”
“Yeah, about the wine. Who was the target, Adam, Cheryl, or both of them? We know it was a bottle from the party. According to Adam, Cheryl took it from the table in the side yard. He said those bottles had been opened and lightly re-corked.”
“Are you suggesting Danielle drugged the wine?”
“She could have seen her cousin take it. It’s possible she got the bottle from Cheryl’s hiding place, drugged it and put it back in the bushes. Makes Cheryl and Adam more manageable once she gets to them.”
“You’re making a lot of far-fetched assumptions. And you’re forgetting I was with her the entire time.”
“You never left her side?”
“Only to use the bathroom. Sometimes I was in the next room. But she never went outside without me.”
“Maybe she had an accomplice. I don’t know, I’m just saying it is possible she was responsible.”
“Let’s say you’re right. Explain to me how Danielle just happen to have Rohypnol on her? Not something you normally have around the house,” Joe asked.
“Maybe she intended to use it on Cheryl all along, but in another scenario. Danielle is the one who mentioned dumping the body in the ocean. Maybe she intended to take her cousin down to the beach some night, enjoy a little wine. And then when Cheryl passes out, drag her down to the ocean and get rid of the body.”
“You have a fertile imagination, Brian,” Joe scoffed.
“You never saw anything between them that might suggest Danielle would be capable of something like this?”
“What, you mean bashing her cousin over the head? Of course not…” Joe paused a moment as if he were remembering something.
“What is it?”
“Oh, it’s nothing really,” Joe shook his head.
“Come on Joe, what did you remember?”
“Before the party Cheryl accused Danielle of hitting her.” Joe moved restlessly in his chair.
“Any indication the story was true? What did Danielle say?”
“We were all right there. Didn’t see what happened exactly, they were behind us. I know Cheryl was grabbing at the necklace, wanting to try it on. Next thing I know, Cheryl is on her butt and claiming Danielle smacked her. Danielle said she tripped. I figured if it really happened it was more a knee jerk reaction on Danielle’s part, considering how Cheryl was all over her.”
“You think she did hit her?”
“Cheryl’s cheek was bruised. I suppose it could have happened if she slipped, but it was probably from being hit and then falling.”
“Danielle didn’t fess up?”
“No. She kept insisting Cheryl fell, that she didn’t hit her. I figured it was a possible scenario and no one saw what happened.”
“Who was there?” Brian asked.
“Danielle’s friend Lily, who’s staying with her for the summer. Ian Bartley. He’s the author, the one who wrote the article about the Missing Thorndike—and he’s writing the book about Eva Thorndike’s life. And Joanne Johnson.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Clarence Renton sat at Lucy Diner’s lunch counter reading the current edition of the Frederickport Press. The waitress behind the counter refilled his coffee cup and said, “Can you believe it, a murder in Frederickport.”
“It certainly looks that way,” Clarence said as he folded the paper and set it on the countertop. He picked up his now full mug and took a sip of coffee.
“I wonder if that necklace will stay lost for another hundred years? It really is a shame, that poor woman getting killed,” the waitress said.
“Foolish running around wearing something that valuable.”
“When it first went missing, I heard she stole it from her cousin. But now I’m hearing she just borrowed it, intended to bring it back. Hey, didn’t I read you were the one that handled that estate?”
“Yes. Brianna Boatman was my client for years. Her mother was the one who inherited the property from Walt Marlow.”
“Did you know the woman who was killed?”
“I met her briefly. Brianna left her estate to the murdered woman’s cousin.”
“So she really didn’t have claim to the necklace? The one who was killed, I mean.”
“I don’t think so. But it’s all a mute point now.”
“Well, it really is a shame. I hope they catch the killer quick. I don’t like to think there are people like that running around here.”
“I imagine there are people like that in every community.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re a lawyer and meet all kinds of crooked people.”
Clarence chuckled and said, “I’m not a criminal lawyer. But I have to admit, a few of my corporate clients are a bit crooked.” Giving the waitress a quick wink he added, “But please don’t repeat that.”
The waitress laughed and playfully swatted at his arm. The cook rang a bell, signally food was up. She turned from Renton and grabbed the plate from the pass through window, and then set it in front of him.
“Thanks,” C
larence said as he picked up his fork. Taking a bite of his egg, he looked out the window to his left.
“Can I get you anything else?” the waitress asked, still hovering.
“Have any salsa back there?”
“Sure.” The waitress walked to the nearby cooler and grabbed a salsa-filled soufflé cup and set it next to Clarence’s plate. “I heard Adam Nichols was a suspect. I know Adam can be a little slick—always reminded me of a car salesman—but I can’t imagine he’d kill anyone.”
“He was the last one seen with her,” Clarence said.
“According to the newspaper article I read, Adam swears she didn’t have the necklace on her. But you know what?”
“What?” Clarence asked.”
“If they find that necklace they’ll find the killer,” the waitress said.
“I suppose you’re right.” Clarence pulled the lid off the plastic cup and doused the remainder of his eggs in salsa. The waitress started to walk away when he asked, “Hey, do you know what’s up with the jewelry store across the street? I noticed a ‘for rent’ sign on the building.”
“Damnedest thing—last week Sam comes in here tells me he’s decided to move. Says he wants a change. Right out of the blue. Next thing I know his store is cleaned out and the building’s owner has that for rent sign up. I guess he was pretty pissed, because Sam didn’t give him a thirty day notice.”
“I thought Sam owned that building.”
“No, sold it last year. I think he needed the money,” she said in a whisper. “Sold his house too. Been renting back since then.”
“Too bad. That jewelry store has been a fixture in this community since before I moved here. Surprised he didn’t try to sell the business. Wonder what he’s going to do?”
“I don’t know. But he already left town. Sam told me he was leaving by the end of the summer but he must have figured, why wait? Heard he pulled out this morning.”
“Interesting…” Clarence murmured.
• • • •
Marvin Burrows nervously tapped his right foot as he waited impatiently in an office at the Frederickport Police Department. Glancing down at the right sleeve of his suit’s jacket, he flicked off a minuscule piece of lint. He was straightening the sleeve when the door opened.
“Mr. Burrows, sorry to keep you waiting,” Brian said when he entered the room.
“Is it true what they said in this morning’s paper? Did you find Cheryl? Is she dead?”
“I’m afraid so sir.” Brian took a seat at the desk in front of Marvin.
“I don’t understand; why didn’t someone call me?”
“I’m afraid it’s been a little hectic around here since we found her yesterday.”
“Hectic? My client has been murdered and you tell me it was a little hectic so you couldn’t bother to take two seconds to call me?” he said angrily.
“I am sorry, sir. We are doing everything we can to find whoever murdered your client.”
“This is awful…just awful…” Marvin shook his head.
“Had you known her for a long time?” Brian asked.
“Yes. I was her parent’s attorney. It was tragic, she lost them both, along with her brother, aunt, and uncle in a plane crash when she was practically still a teenager. Left the poor girl devastated.”
“The aunt and uncle you mentioned, were those Danielle Boatman’s parents perhaps?”
“Yes. I’ve always felt Ms. Boatman was rather bitter about the accident. Cheryl’s father was the pilot. The girls were never close after that. I always suspected it was because Danielle resented Cheryl, blaming her in some way for her parents’ death.”
“It was hardly Cheryl’s fault.”
“No, but the sins of the father, so to speak,” Marvin said.
“Did the girls have other family, aside from the aunt who left Danielle Marlow House?”
“Cheryl does. She has an aunt and uncle, plus several cousins who will be devastated at the news. As for Danielle, I understand Cheryl was the only family she had, and yet she wanted nothing to do with her. Such a shame. As for the aunt’s estate, I don’t believe for a moment she intended to leave it entirely to Ms. Boatman. Had the woman not been suffering from Alzheimer’s, she would have surely left it to both of them. I suspect Ms. Boatman did a little manipulating there.”
“Will you continue to pursue the issue?”
“You mean, continue to contest Brianna Boatman’s will? What would be the point now, Cheryl is dead.”
“I don’t claim to understand how these things work, but wouldn’t Cheryl’s heirs be entitled to her share of Brianna Boatman’s estate, if Cheryl really did have a legitimate claim?”
“Yeah right. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.”
“What do you mean?”
“Cheryl left her entire estate to Danielle Boatman. An estate that is now worth in excess of ten million dollars. I don’t think she has any interest in pursuing a case against herself.”
“You’re saying Danielle Boatman is Cheryl’s heir? Didn’t you say Cheryl had other relatives that cared about her—while she and Danielle weren’t close?”
“I said Danielle didn’t care about Cheryl. But obviously Cheryl cared about Danielle. Unwisely, if you ask me. As far as I am concerned, there’s only one person who had a motive to kill Cheryl and that was her cousin, Danielle Boatman.”
After Marvin finally left the police station, Brian gave Joe a call and asked him to stop in. They needed to discuss the murder.
“Did the attorney say Danielle was aware of the inheritance?” Joe asked after Brian recounted his conversation with Marvin Burrows.
“He didn’t know. Apparently Cheryl had other cousins she was closer to, so I’m not sure Danielle would assume she was in her cousins’ will, much less be her sole heir. You met Cheryl, do you think she’s the type to keep something like that secret?”
“I don’t know,” Joe shrugged. “But I really can’t believe Danielle would kill her cousin for an inheritance.”
“Ten million is not chump change.”
“No it’s not. Damn.” Joe shook his head.
Another officer opened the door and poked his head in. “Hey, Millie Samson from the museum is here, I think you guys need to hear this.”
Five minutes later Joe and Brian sat with Millie Samson in the interview room. By the way she was fidgeting they could tell she was anxious to tell her story.
“What is this all about, Millie?” Joe asked.
“I was working as docent in the museum this morning when I get this phone call from a woman. I didn’t recognize her voice, spoke in a whisper. I think she was afraid someone would hear her. She says she has some information about the murder and I need to get it to the police right away.”
“Why didn’t she just call us?” Brian asked.
“I could tell she was afraid. I don’t think she wanted you to trace her call. I see on TV how you do that.”
“So what did she want you to tell us?” Joe asked.
“She said Adam Nichols killed Cheryl Hartford and took the Missing Thorndike, and you’ll find the necklace in his office. It’s in a green vase on his bookshelf.”
“How would she know that?” Joe asked.
“She said she saw him put something in the vase when she walked by his office. She was curious, and when he left the she looked inside the vase. She immediately recognized the necklace from the pictures in the newspaper. She’s afraid for her life because that woman was already killed for the necklace. So you can’t tell anyone how you got the information. You better hurry before he moves it.”
When Millie left five minutes later, Joe looked at Brian and asked, “What do you think?”
“If the call was legit, means someone who works for Adam called Millie. After all, who else would still have access to the office after he left?”
“But why call Millie? If an informer gives away her place of employment, why would she care if we traced the call? The anonymity shi
p has already sailed. I think only two women work in that office; it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out which one called Millie.” Joe said.
“Or it’s a prank call,” Brian said.
“Or the killer trying to throw us off,” Joe suggested.
“In that case, I doubt we’ll find the necklace in the vase because I seriously doubt the killer will give up the necklace just to implicate Adam.”
“True. But we need to follow up on this.”
“I agree. How about you get a search warrant while I run out to Marlow House.”
“I could go to Marlow House,” Joe suggested.
“Come on Joe, you know as well as I do I should be the one interviewing Danielle Boatman, not you.”
“Alright, but I hope I find that necklace at Adam’s.”
“I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Danielle stood quietly at the library window and looked outside. A breeze was blowing, rustling the leaves of the flowering bushes along the perimeter of the yard, while sending the tree limbs into a gentle sway. The lawn needed trimming and the yard seemed desolate when she considered how it looked on the fourth, with the white lawn chairs and tables set up, her guests milling around and enjoying the refreshments while a few tried their hand at croquet. That day had not gone exactly as she had planned.
“Do you think she’s gone for good?” Lily asked when she walked into the library.
Danielle turned from the window and looked at Lily. “You mean Cheryl?”
“Yes.” Lily sat down on the sofa.
“I don’t know. Maybe. After they took her body away, I looked around and didn’t see her. I wondered if she stayed with her body or came back here. But if you think about it, there is no reason for her to really stick around now.”
“How are you doing?”
“I think it’s starting to sink in. Cheryl is really dead.”
