Group, Photo, Grave (A Kiki Lowenstein Mystery)

by Slan, Joanna Campbell

  She continued, “Erik is intrigued by Detweiler, and likes him, but he’s not entirely won over. When he gets tired, he whines for Brawny, so she is with them. Orson watches from afar.”

  “Of course,” Thornton struggled to get comfortable, but the chair seemed too small. “So what do you think of him? Detective Detweiler, I mean.”

  “I like him immensely.”

  “The boy doesn’t look much like his father.”

  Lorraine smiled. “Every family has its secrets. Chad Detweiler assures me that Erik is that very image of his late grandfather.”

  “And you believe that?” asked Thornton.

  “Oh, Thornton. You are ever the skeptic. I suggest you go to Wikipedia and refresh your knowledge of pre-Civil War history. Germans came to Missouri in droves to work the land. The Detweiler farm has been in the family for more than 100 years. But the Germans weren’t the only ones who wanted to put down roots in Missouri. Remember? The Missouri Compromise?”

  “You don’t need to lecture me, Lorraine. I majored in history as an undergraduate.” His rebuke sounded more stinging than he had intended.

  “Let’s get back to the subject at hand,” she said with a touch of weariness. “I understand what you’re saying about waiting, but really, does it make that much difference? If you need to fight him later, there’s more than enough to cover your fees.”

  Thornton picked at an imaginary piece of lint on his pant leg. “Lorraine, I admire your sense of justice and your desire to help Detective Detweiler, but I respectfully disagree. This simply isn’t the right time. Not yet. We have no idea whether he’s taking the boy because he cares or because he suspects a windfall is attached. How can you be so sure of his motives?”

  “I have always believed myself to be a good judge of character. That was proven when Van married Gina. Remember? You were convinced that she was a gold-digger. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Yes, she enjoyed the benefits of his money, but she never pressured him for more. Ever. And I would have known about it if she had. No, I think—I believe—that Chad Detweiler is a good man who will take wonderful care of his son. Furthermore, he has no idea that there’s an inheritance at stake here. Why would he?”

  “You’ve pressed him on this?” Thornton was not about to give in, but he was curious. How much had Lorraine told the cop?

  More importantly, what did she suspect?

  Would she have to be dealt with?

  “Yes,” said Lorraine with a lift of her chin. “I pressed him on the topic in a round-about way. I asked him point-blank how they would get by. How they’d make ends meet. Do you know what he said? He told me that he’d worked with a number of wealthy people in St. Louis, and then he said, ‘With all due respect, ma’am, I’ve seen no evidence that money fixes all their problems. In fact, I’d have to say that it seems to create as many as it solves. So, while it’s true that Erik might not have every new toy on the market, and we might dress him in second-hand clothes, he’ll never lack for love or guidance. That’s what a kid really needs, isn’t it?’”

  She narrowed her eyes and stared hard at Thornton. “And it is, isn’t it? You have children of your own, don’t you?”

  Thornton squirmed in his chair. She knew he had children, and that he’d botched the job of raising them. His failures as a father were embarrassingly public.

  “So he made a pretty speech. Does he really mean it? Come on, Lorraine, I thought you were smarter than that.”

  He’d hit her Achilles heel. She hated to be thought stupid. A red stain started at her throat and crept toward her cheeks. Her nostrils flared and her mouth went flat.

  It occurred to Thornton that he might have overplayed his hand.

  “My brother always respected my intellect,” she said.

  “And he never questioned my loyalty,” Thornton shot back.

  That wiped the smug look off her face.

  Between them sat their shared history, their memories of the past. Lorraine swallowed hard and looked away. It had been her fault that her brother had fallen through the ice in that frozen pond in Maine. She’d been charged with watching him, but instead had turned her attention to a handsome young man who flirted with her. While she’d been preoccupied, Van had ventured out, too far from the solid edges of the pond, enjoying the fast blades on his new skates. Thornton, a newcomer to the community, and two years Van’s senior, had heard the sound of the ice cracking. As he watched, a boy went down, down, down, and the water splashed up on the ice. Thornton had yelled for help, thrown himself on his belly, inched toward the hole, and pulled Van out.

  Lorraine’s mother never forgave her.

  Van did.

  He and Thornton became lifelong friends.

  “Have it your way,” she said at last. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll say goodbye to you. I’m feeling weary.”

  Chapter 69

  Wednesday, late afternoon/Four days after the wedding…

  Anaheim, California

  Detweiler hoisted a sleeping Erik over his shoulder and started toward Pluto, not the debunked planet, but a row of parking in the vast Disneyland lot. Orson sprinted on ahead to bring the Escalade closer to the theme park exit. Meanwhile, Detweiler’s long legs made short work of the distance. As he walked, Detweiler’s head swiveled left and right, a habit formed by his years as a policeman. At some point, he noticed that Brawny, too, was on the alert. Without conferring, they’d both chosen to stay in the middle of the driving lanes where an intruder’s approach would be immediately visible.

  The overhead lights were bright, although swarms of bugs filtered the illumination. The parking lot smelled of gasoline, dropped candy, and asphalt. Erik had insisted on staying for “just one more ride.” Now they joined herds of other parents, taking sleepy children to the cars. There was nothing to suggest there was any danger, except a sixth sense that told Detweiler they were being watched. He shifted Erik’s bulk, to move the boy’s legs to one side. This allowed the cop to lightly touch his holstered gun. Yes, his friend was there if he needed it.

  “Aye, he’s tuckered out, isn’t he?” said Brawny as she walked along next to him. “Poor mite. He had a full day of fun even though we didn’t start until after his lunch.”

  “He had a blast,” said Detweiler with a chuckle. “Too bad Emily and Anya weren’t here, too. And Kiki, of course. Maybe someday we can bring all the kids. Here or to Florida. They’d love this. Kiki would go nuts taking photos. I hope we can do it sooner rather than later, because the girls will be too big before we know it.”

  Brawny’s wingtips slapped the surface as she kept pace with the cop. The nanny seemed to measure how close other patrons came, watching them with discerning eyes. Although Brawny was only five-six or so, she carried herself as someone much bigger. Indeed, her shoulders were broader than Detweiler’s.

  “You want me to take him?” she asked.

  “Heavens no. I love carrying him. I’m delighted he’s accepting of me.”

  “Have it your way,” said Brawny.

  He’d come to realize that she didn’t mean that as a jibe. It was just a figure of speech she often used. Her way of conceding his authority. Even though she was always ready to take over the child care responsibilities.

  At first, Erik ran around like a crazy man, darting from ride to ride, and tugging on their hands. As the day wore on, he grew tired and fussy. Eventually, he turned pleading eyes to Brawny, and she picked him up, before Detweiler could offer. For at least an hour off and on, she walked with the boy on one hip. If the weight bothered her, she never complained.

  After a while, Erik agreed to let Detweiler do some of the heavy lifting. When they stopped for dinner, the hostess at one of the restaurants led them to a table in the back, but it was surrounded by too many chairs. Without a word, Brawny picked up one chair after another and stacked them on top of each other.

  Clearly, she was “strong like bull,” as Emily might say.

  As they navigated the park,
several Disney patrons had asked Brawny for an autograph, mistaking her Black Watch Plaid kilt, black jacket, sporran, crisp white blouse and white socks held up with garter flashes for some sort of a costume. Rather than correct them, she simply smiled and signed her name. “’Tis naught but a thrill for them. Does no harm, I expect.”

  The children at the park were impressed with all of her gear, but they particularly liked petting her sporran, the pouch made of rabbit hide that hung from her belt. Detweiler was curious about every portion of her apparel, because he sensed it all held meaning. Her shoes, she had explained to him, were “ghillie brogues,” whatever that meant. They sure looked capable of inflicting damage on an aggressor. When he mentioned that, she nodded. “Aye. Steel toes. Can break a shin easy-peasy.”

  “You’re from Scotland?” he asked her once they sat down at the table.

  “Edinburgh.”

  “What is your given name?”

  “Bronwyn Macavity,” she said. “But I’d be pleased for you to call me Brawny.”

  “And you’ve been with Erik since…?”

  “Since he was born. Mr. Lauber hired me to be his nanny.”

  “What do your duties entail?”

  “I get this lad up in the morning, feed him his porridge, drive him to school, spend the rest of the day doing paperwork and such for Miss Lorraine, pick Erik up from school, feed him his snacks, and take him for walks in the park or to the zoo. Something educational but out of doors, always. Get him bathed and ready for bed.”

  “When did he see his mother?” Detweiler’s face creased in concern.

  “Brawny,” murmured Erik as he roused. Half asleep he reached for his nanny. She took him from Detweiler.

  “Ah,” she sighed. “Don’t be worrying about that! He spent time every day with his mum. She’d join us for breakfast. Read to him before bed. Often as not have dinner with him. Such like. I did as much or as little as she wished. She were a good mum to him, if that’s what you’re thinking. The best. But because I was there constant like, if Mr. Lauber wanted to travel, they could come and go as they pleased.”

  “This is all new to me,” he said. “I’ve never really met a nanny. Not in real life, and definitely not one as professional as you are. I hope you won’t find my questions intrusive.”

  “Not one bit. I’ve got my marching orders. You ask and I’ll answer. Miss Lorraine said there were to be no secrets. It’s all about what’s best for the boy. My lad.” With that, she reached over to stroke Erik’s hair. Although no one would call Brawny pretty, her face had a nice symmetry made more pronounced by the way she wore her gray hair pulled back into a tight bun. She couldn’t be much more than forty, he guessed, but the hair color made it difficult to tell. When she looked at Erik, she seemed much younger. A softness infused her moss green eyes.

  As for Erik, he curved his body against Brawny’s and reached for a loose lock of her hair with a familiarity that made Detweiler’s heart ache.

  She’s just one more person for Erik to leave behind, thought Detweiler.

  Poor Erik. His life had already changed irrevocably, and now it would change once more. Detweiler recommitted himself to being the best dad possible for Erik. The child deserved no less than that.

  Chapter 70

  Evening of the same day…

  Ladue, Missouri

  Jimmy Girls stayed up until midnight. They didn’t realize it, but their merriment was keeping me from bed as well. Since I’d opted to sleep on the sofa in the great room, I had to wait for them to turn in. The wind outside was still blowing, and a branch clawed at the great room windows, but I was too tired to care. I knew I was safe here at Sheila’s. On the streets, I would be at risk of stalling out my car or getting bonked by a falling branch.

  I made up the sofa and gratefully crawled between the sheets. Before I fell asleep, I started thinking about families, and how magical they were. Soon Erik would join us, even though he wasn’t a blood relative. Neither were Detweiler or Aunt Penny or Sheila. At least they weren’t biological kin to me. And yet, we were family.

  That got me thinking about Catherine. This was the first chance I’d had all day to ponder what little I’d learned from Aunt Penny. All I knew was that my sister and my father had a fight, fifteen years ago. Amanda and I had been quarantined in the upstairs bedroom with a bad case of the measles. We’d heard the argument, but that wasn’t unusual. Not in our house. The front door slammed. Amanda and I shrugged at each other. We figured Catherine would be back after things cooled down. That was how life went in our household.

  But she didn’t come back. Not that evening or the next day or the day after. When we pressed our mother for details, she clammed up. Our dad refused to discuss the matter.

  In our house, pushing your luck was not a good idea. Dad was violent, and Mom was vicious. When I was well enough to return to school, I talked to the guidance counselor, a man with more hair in his nose than on his head. “We’re well aware of the situation,” he said primly. “It’s none of your concern.”

  I told Amanda what he’d said. She was still confined to our bedroom. I remember how she turned a bleak face to the window and stared at the sidewalk. When she turned back, she’d been crying. “I think he’s telling you that Mom and Dad know what happened—and the school does too, and it’s okay with all of them.”

  “Except for us,” I said.

  “Except for us.” She paused. “And maybe for Catherine.”

  Where had my sister been all those years?

  Would I even recognize her?

  Why didn’t she try to contact Amanda and me?

  And how dare Aunt Penny keep my sister’s whereabouts a secret?

  I’d only closed my eyes for a minute when my cell phone started to vibrate. I nearly squealed with joy when I saw Detweiler’s number.

  “Erik is great,” he said with a low chuckle. “We went to Disneyland this afternoon, and now he’s totally pooped out. Orson, Lorraine’s driver, drove us home. Erik’s nanny took him up to bed. Her name is Bronwyn, but he calls her Brawny like the towels.”

  A driver as well as a nanny? Wow. What a life Gina had!

  Several families in Ladue employed nannies. Two or three families had maids. I knew this because I’d seen the maids in the carpool line, picking up kids. One was an African-American woman who wore the traditional servants’ attire, a black dress, white apron, and white cap. It looked totally weird. Like some sort of throw-back to The Help.

  “I bet Erik had a fabulous time,” I said, thinking of all the Disneyland pages I’d love to do. “Will you send me photos?”

  Detweiler yawned into the phone. “I will. I meant to. They’re on my phone. But can I talk to you about something? Even though Erik had a terrific time, he keeps asking me where Gina is, and why she isn’t coming home. He asks about Van, too, but not as much. I guess that’s normal, isn’t it?”

  “That’s typical. She was a stay-at-home mom, so she’s the one he’s most accustomed to. He’s too young to understand what dead really means. The permanence of it. What are you telling him?”

  “Lorraine explained that Van and Gina had gone to heaven, so I’m sticking as closely as I can to what she says. I figure she knows him best, and I don’t want to confuse him. We’ve been explaining how his parents won’t be coming back, but they are watching over him and they still love him.”

  “That’s a lot for a little guy to take in,” I said. “Especially since it’s both parents.”

  “I know,” he said quietly. “I see how attached he is to Lorraine and to Brawny, and it worries me. I hope he’ll be able to adjust.”

  “He will,” I said. “Kids are amazingly resilient. Besides, he can still keep in contact with Lorraine and Brawny via Skype. Gosh, I have to admit I really envy Gina for having had a nanny. That sure would be a big help.”

  “You’ve got it,” he said. “Brawny is wonderful. She’s a trained child care professional, so she’s very calm and sure of herself. Knits like a
champ, too. I’ve seen samples of her work. I guess she did as much or as little as Gina needed, but primarily she stepped in when the Laubers wanted to travel. She did carpool duty, too. Can you imagine how helpful that would be with three kids? Honestly, I wonder how we’ll manage. I can’t believe that I’m taking so much time off of work. This is time I planned to spend helping you and our baby get acclimated. I know I’m doing the right thing by Erik, but it worries me that I won’t be available to help you.”

  “We’ll manage. Erik needed to feel safe around you. Is that happening?”

  “Yes,” he said slowly. “But as you might imagine, he’s awfully clingy with Brawny. She’s been with him since he was born.”

  “That’s a normal attachment,” I said. “I bet he’ll miss her almost as much as he’s missing his mother.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” said Detweiler.

  Usually he was the one telling me not to fret. This time our roles were reversed. “Try not to worry about it,” I said. “Remember, we have each other. And Erik will have us. It’ll all work out.”

  “I love you, sweetheart,” said Detweiler.

  “I love you, too,” I said.

  Chapter 71

  Thursday a.m./ Six days after the wedding…

  Sheila’s house in Ladue, Missouri

  The next morning dawned clear and fresh. You’d never guess that storms had pounded us the night before. Outside the window, leaf litter and a carpet of twigs and branches spoke to the treachery of the night before. But birds were singing and by all accounts, it looked as though we were in for a typical summer’s day.