by Anna Drake
“That is absolutely not what I’m trying to do,” I protested.
“Yeah, right,” she replied.
***
Back home, I found Andrew waiting for me in the living room. I breezed right by him, heading for the kitchen. He got in line and followed me. Blackie, brought up the rear. Reaching the kitchen, he jumped to the top of the fridge. I chuckled. Blackie’s habit of always going for the high ground made me suspect an ancient ancestor of his had once marched with Caesar. Maybe he would be able to handle life in the wild if I chose to dump him there. Fortunately, that wouldn’t happen..
“So what did you learn?” I asked Andrew.
“Not much. The coroner’s official report was sitting open on his desk. I took a minute to review it.”
“What did you learn?”
“The only thing I saw was that Eva had been strangled.”
I nodded. “Huh. I couldn’t tell that from viewing the corpse.”
“Do you think it’s significant?”
“It means whoever killed her didn’t need to bring along a gun or knife. The only other thing that occurs to me is that strength was a factor.”
“Yes, I would think so.”
“Do you think a woman could strangle someone?”
“I think I’ve heard of a case or two involving a woman, yes.”
I sighed. I’d have preferred a no vote. It would have shortened suspect list. “Anything else?”
“Oberton put out a lot of phone calls. It’s too bad so few of them were helpful.”
I turned on the faucet and started filling the kettle. “But some were?”
“I’d say so, yes.”
I placed the kettle back on the stove and switched on the burner. “Would you care to be more specific?”
“He asked a detective in Chicago to check to see if anyone up there filed a missing person report.”
“Did he find someone?”
“Yes, apparently a Beverly Kapinski reported Eva missing a couple of weeks after she failed to return to work. That was right after she’d come here to attend her brother’s funeral. She was Eva’s secretary at the law firm.”
“That could be interesting. I know nothing about Eva’s life in Chicago. I’d like to learn more if we can.”
Andrew nodded. “How did it go with Susan Cromwell?”
“I had about the same kind of luck as you had with Oberton.”
“How come?”
I sighed. “I don’t know. Toby said Susan had been Eva’s best friend, but Susan maintained they weren’t all that close. She certainly confirmed the rumors you heard about Sam Hillman and Eva were on the money. He was apparently wild about her.”
I rose, opened a drawer, and pulled the telephone directory out.
“What are you doing?” Andrew asked.
“Calling Hillman to see if he’ll meet with me.”
I grabbed my cell phone and punched in his numbers. A woman answered on the third ring. “Hello?” she said.
“Hi, my name is Hetty Fox. Is Sam Hillman there?
“Do I know you?” the woman asked.
“I don’t think so. I’m new to town. Is your husband there?”
“May I tell him what you’re calling about?”
I didn’t particularly want to explain about my interest in her husband and his possible ties to Eva. “Tell him I have some questions about his high school days.”
There was nothing but dead silence from the other end of the line for the longest time. Finally, the woman said, “if you’ll hold, I’ll see if he’s around.”
A couple of minute’s later, a man’s voice came on the line. “Hello?”
“Sam Hillman?”
“Yes.”
I filled him in on who I was, and what I wanted, and finished up by asking if we could get together?
There was a long pause. “Ah… I suppose so. Sure. Why not?”
“When would be a good time for you?”
“This evening would be okay.”
“Where do you live?”
“We’re out in the country. You’d never find us out here at night. You know Spotty’s Place?”
“Sure.”
“Meet me there at eight.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll buy you a coffee.”
“Thanks, I’ll look forward to it.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
A short time after lunch, I had just settled down with my knitting when Damon turned up on my doorstep. “I’m sorry to pop in like this. But Megan says you’d like me to fill you in on what I remember about my aunt. I had a couple of appointments this afternoon, but they bailed out.”
“Please, don’t be sorry. I’m delighted you’ve come.”
I stepped back to make way for him. He stepped in, casting his gaze about my living room. “Meghan told me this place was nice. I’m glad to see that she was right.”
I thought it telling about our relationship that this was the first time he’d stepped over my threshold since my move. Still, I hoped someday we could be easy with each other. I cleared my throat. “Megan’s afraid I’ve taken on more than I can handle with a house this old. But I’m not nearly as frail or as helpless as Megan likes to believe.”
Damon chuckled. “I have no doubt of that.”
“Tea?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t say no to a cup of coffee.”
“Make yourself at home. It won’t take me a minute to put a pot on.”
“I’ll join you in the kitchen?”
That was a shocker. “Of course.”
The kitchen had always been my favorite room, but I’d never thought of Damon as having any particular fondness for such a casual setting. Blackie included himself in our outing and marched off ahead of us. Upon our arrival in the room, Blackie took up his favorite perch on top of the fridge.
I waved Damon toward the table. “Go ahead and sit down,” After dumping coffee grounds into the filter, I filled the machine with water and flipped the switch on. “Do you like old houses?”
“I wouldn’t have any other kind. They have character, if you don’t mind the ghosts.”
I almost dropped the mug I was pulling down from the cupboard. “Ghosts?”
“Sorry, it’s an old joke around town. There are lots of houses here that are said to be haunted. Silly stuff if you ask me, but they make for great stories.”
I rolled my eyes. He wouldn’t think it so funny if he knew about Andrew, who was grinning and floating over my son-in-law’s shoulder just then.
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your looking into Eva’s death for us.”
“I understand you didn’t know her well, but what can you remember about her when she was here for the funeral?”
“Wow. That was a lot of years ago.”
“That had to be an emotional time for you. Surely, you remember something.”
His brow furrowed and he nodded. “I remember everyone being shocked. My parents were so young.”
“And Eva? Did she cry? Hold your hand? Tell you stories of her brother from their childhood?”
He shook his head. “No, she didn’t. I don’t know why I say this, but I think she was angry.”
“Over the elevator business. It came to you as your father’s only heir, right?”
“Yes. Of course it came to me. But I can’t tell you what she was mad about.”
“I have been told she was upset with her grandfather because he left the business to your father, cutting her off without a share.”
“I only know when the elevator came to me, it came debt free. From what I recall, though, I didn’t get the feeling Aunt Eva was without money. So I don’t think my grandfather left her poor.”
“I’ll check the will. She may have been given cash to offset the gift of the elevator to your dad.”
Damon nodded. “I’d like to know what the terms were. I’d hate to think my comfortable life was built by shorting her.”
I glanced over at my son-in-law and f
elt maybe I had underrated the man. Perhaps he had a greater respect for fair play than I’d suspected.
“What about Eva’s ties to local people? Do you remember who she visited while she was here?”
“Not really. My Godparents took over my care and feeding at my parents’ deaths. Eva didn’t stay with us. I suppose she was housed at a motel somewhere, but I never asked where. Who she saw? Where she went?” He shrugged. “I don’t have a clue.”
What about the Lawry’s? They owned the house that Eva’s body was found in. Did she ever talk about them or their son, Eden?”
“I am sorry. I know I’m not being much help, but the answer is no. I knew nothing of Eva’s life or friends.”
“What can you tell me?”
“She was tall. She was stylish. She didn’t look much like the people who live around here.”
***
We only had two restaurants in Hendricksville. And Spotty’s Place was as far away in style and taste from the Sugar Shack as Easter is from Halloween. While the Shack served up dainty pastries and fine dining, Spotty’s turned out hamburgers dripping with grease and hot, crispy French fries. Although people with an educated palate preferred to dine at the Shack, almost every local in town at some time or another could be found wolfing down burgers and fries at Spotty’s.
That night the interior was well lighted, but the customers were sparse. A man with a farmer’s tan from having his forehead covered most of the year by a cap sat at a table by himself. He looked up and nodded at me, and I strode to him. “Hetty Fox,” I said, sticking my hand out.
He rose when I approached him and said, “Sam Hillman. Pleased to meet you.” He was built wide, like the tractors and harvesters he probably rode. I shivered to think of the force such a man could put into a stranglehold. I took a deep breath and sat.
“Let me buy you that coffee.” He waved a young waitress to the table and placed the order. “Anything else?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Coffee’s fine.”
Studying the man from the corner of my eye, I could still see the lines of the handsome young prom king on his face, but his once fine features had been worn down by time and work and age. His hair which had been dark under his homecoming crown was now snow white. But his smile seemed firm and genuine, and I found his insistence on paying for my coffee to be an old-fashioned, gentlemanly act.
“Thank you for taking the time to meet me,” I said. “My family’s more than a little upset with what’s happened.”
“That’s understandable. They lost a wonderful woman with Eva’s death.”
I had to clench my jaw shut to keep it from dropping to my chest. This was the first word of praise I’d heard for the poor woman. Whether she’d have made a decent wife to this man, the point still remained that she’d never been given the chance to try. Not with Sam. Not with anyone.
“Since you’re here,” he said, “I assume you know I liked the woman.”
“The fact has come up a time or two, yes.”
“Good. I’ll get the coffee, then. I’ve wanted to tell someone this story for decades. I’ll be right back.”
A few minutes later, he returned bearing a tray and two coffees. “We had a lot of the same classes in high school,” he said, lowering himself into the chair across from mine. “We were in the debating society together, too.”
“Damon remembers almost nothing of her. Whatever you could tell me would be welcome.”
He smiled and glanced heavenward. “She was the love of my life in high school.” He pulled his gaze back down to mine. “After she left…? Well, truth be told, I doubt I’ve ever gotten completely over her. Even now, you can’t imagine how my heart hammered when I heard on the radio that her body had been found in that attic. I’m just glad I don’t know who it is, or the he or she might not live to see another day.”
My mind turned to thoughts of Andrew, and how, even now, in the quiet hours, memories of our time together kept flooding over me. “But you married someone else.”
“Yes, well don’t most of us? Eva went off to college. My life moved on here. I don’t dislike my wife. She’s been wonderful, caring partner.. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate what a grand woman she is. It’s just I still have a soft spot for Eva.”
“What was she like?”
“A pistol. A spitfire. Someone who knew exactly what she wanted and was determined to go out and grab it.”
“And did she?”
“Yes. She graduated college top of her class, then went to law school. She once told me men had been known to tremble when she stood up to question them.”
“But she didn’t inherit a share in the grain elevator. I’ve heard that didn’t go over well with her.”
“Sam laughed. “Why do you think she became an attorney. She said she was determined that such an injustice would never happen again.”
“But for the most part, wills aren’t like that. People are free to leave their property to anyone.”
“You know that, and I know that, but back when Eva decided to become a lawyer, she didn’t know that.”
“She learned?”
Sam nodded. “I suspect she did.”
“Why did her father write his will that way? Did she ever offer a reason?”
“No, she didn’t. But as you know, things were different back then. Women didn’t necessarily count for as much as they do today. And her father was even more backwards than most men on that score.”
“So he shafted her?”
“No, she got cash. A hefty chunk of it. It was just that she couldn’t get past having been overlooked when it came to the family business.”
“Did you see her while she was home the weekend she was killed?”
His gaze dropped to the floor. “I did. But I’d rather not talk about that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have a wife. Because I have grandkids. Because I’d rather let go of the past.”
Now was a nice time to backpedal, I thought, as my radar instantly shot skyward.
“What did you think had happened to her when she was never seen again?”
“I thought she’d gone back to Chicago. Won court cases. Married. Had kids and built herself a wonderful life.” His head sank. “At least, I’d hoped so.”
“Can you think of anyone who might have wanted to harm her? Someone who might have done her violence that night?”
He shook his head. “I’ve thought about that question every day since her body was found. I believe that it must have been someone from Chicago. Someone who followed her here. Maybe somebody who held a grudge from one of her court cases. She spent her childhood here. Who’d want to kill her? No. I think it’s more likely her death was related to her later life. I mean lawyers aren’t usually well liked.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Sunday morning dawned clear, crisp, and delightful. I carried my second cup of tea to the porch and sank into my chair. Before me, the river waters sparkled as it hurried along to join the Mississippi River to our west. The homes and trees beyond the river stretched forth in a blue haze.
This is what I’d moved to Hendricksville for — the ability to sit in the fresh air and enjoy the sights and sounds of a new day. I watched a squirrel scamper across the grass and up a tree, and I made mental note to spend some time this afternoon deadheading flowers. I didn’t know the names of half of the blooms in the delightful flower beds, but I was determined to learn. I’d seen a book in the library on perennial gardening. I’d return and check it out sometime next week, that is if I could get past some of this madness that corpse had sent my way..
That thought brought Damon’s condition to mind, and I rose from my chair and marched into the kitchen.
“What’s up?” Andrew asked. He was being a good boy today and leaving me in peace on my porch, which was even more importantly a kindness to Blackie.
“I’m after a phone book.” I crossed through the kitchen and made my way to the hall closet, where on the top
shelf, I’d tucked a Chicago phone book I’d brought with me in the move.
“What’s that thing?” Andrew asked
I explained.
“What are you planning to do?”
“I thought I’d see if I couldn’t track down that woman’s name and call her. You know. The one who filed the missing person report on Eva.” Now back in the kitchen I picked up my cell phone and slipped it into the pocket of my bathrobe.
“Lot’s of luck with that.”
“Oh. shaw. Don’t be so doubtful.” I walked on past him and returned to the porch. He remained in the kitchen, but I heard his heavy sigh when I passed through the doorway. Once back in my chair, I flipped the book open. I found only a few entries for Kapinski, and only one included the name Beverly. She and a man I assumed was her husband were listed as living on Pulaski Road. That sounded reasonable to me, and if it turned out not to be her, it was no biggie. I pulled out my cell phone and punched in the numbers.
A man answered on the third ring. “Hello?”
“Hi,” I replied. “I was wondering if Beverly were there?”
“Bev,” he yelled.
In short order, a woman came on the line. “Yes?”
“Hi, you don’t know me, and I may have the wrong Beverly Kapinski, but I was wondering if you once knew a woman named Eva Langdon?”
“Eva?” The voice on the other end of the line rose nearly an octave. “Oh, my goodness. I haven’t heard that name in more than thirty years. Why, yes, of course I knew Eva Do you know what happened? Why she suddenly disappeared?”
“Yes, I have news for you, but it isn’t good, I’m afraid.”
“Somehow, I didn’t think it would be… not after all these years.”
“Her body has been found. It was concealed in an attic in a small town downstate called Hendricksville.”
“Do you know how she died?”
“No, I’m sorry. I don’t. A detective here is working on figuring that out. My young neighbor found the body.”
“That must have been a shock.”
