Where There's a Will ....There's Murder

by Julie Ramson

  I thought of Chris, attacked for no reason. “But you helped us search Lily’s!”

  “What else could I do? You were like that damn energizer bunny! You wouldn’t quit! And I thought if you searched yourself you'd know there wasn't a will and just file for me.”

  “You took a chance, Emily. What if we had found a copy of the will leaving everything to John?”

  “I didn't think you would. By that time I had checked everything thoroughly and hadn't found one. I decided she'd only made the one copy.” She stopped. “I thought you'd be a good witness to the fact that she hadn't left a will! I wanted that money!”

  “Were you ever really threatened?”

  “Yeah,” Emily sneered. “I did get the first call. That's when I got the idea to tell you how threatened I was, that someone was after me. I just wanted you to think it was John.”

  She turned and glared at me. “But then you were getting too close to figuring it all out and so I decided I had to kill you! That’s why I shot you, at Lily's house. But no.” She raved on. “Even then. You just Would. Not. Die. Well, now you will. Another bullet to the forehead. A mob hit. Then I can go on as ‘poor Emily’ - the one that everyone wants to help.” She pointed the gun at me, holding it with both hands.

  “Why did you break in here the second time?”

  “You'd said she might have put the money in a safe deposit box, or changed it into bonds.....” Emily snarled, “I hadn't thought of that! What if she'd hidden a damn key in those boxes I had given you? I had to break in and try to check them! I had to look for something small!”

  She moved toward me. “Get up! Get up!” She screamed it at me. Killer started to whimper. “And shut that stupid dog up!” She waved the gun at him.

  “No!” I leaned over and put my arms around Killer. I pulled his head to me. And whispered in his ear. “Killer, please! Attack her! Kill!”

  Killer gave me a look like, “Are you serious?” But he got up, watching my face. I stood beside him as Emily started to come around the table at me. I leaned over and said into his ear, “Killer, now! Attack!” I was desperate.

  Killer must have sensed that because he tensed, then lunged! He flew at her, putting both huge front paws on her chest. She fell to the floor, under Killer. The gun went flying and I jumped for it. Emily was lying on the floor, the wind knocked out of her. Killer was sitting on her chest when I finally got the gun and pointed it at her. My hands shook. “Killer, stay!” I panted. Killer rolled his eyes. Like he was going anywhere?

  I held the gun on her with my right hand and picked up my cell phone up with my left. “Digs? Digs?” No response. I tried again, watching Emily. “Digs! Answer me!” Nothing.

  I kept my eyes and the gun leveled on Emily who had caught her breath and was pushing at Killer, trying to get up. Killer sat down harder on her and wagged his tail at me. I tried to dial 911 with my left hand but I wasn’t having much success.

  Then my front door burst open and Sean and Digs and Jimmy came flying into the room, guns drawn. They stopped cold and took in the scene.

  “Maggie!” Digs was there beside me, hugging me as hard as he could. While Jimmy held his gun on Emily, Sean cuffed her, then hauled her to her feet. He was so angry I could feel the heat radiating off him. Jimmy looked grim. Killer had taken off for the bathtub.

  Several uniformed cops rushed in behind them. Digs gently removed the gun from my hand. It was shaking so hard I think he was afraid I would pull the trigger by accident. Then he pulled me to him again. I was too numb to talk, to explain, even to cry.

  Sean handed Emily over to the uniformed cops who pulled her away. I heard them reading her the Miranda rights and watched as she was led away in handcuffs.

  “Maggie! Maggie,” Sean was hugging me so hard I thought I’d never breathe again. I might not anyway.

  “Did you hear? Did you hear her?” I held up my cell phone and looked at Digs.

  “We have it all on tape, honey,” Digs said. “As soon as I heard it was Emily and she had a gun I put it on tape record. We have it all.”

  He led me to the living room sofa. I fell onto it. Sean and Jimmy and Digs all sat around me. “How did you get the gun?” Sean asked.

  I started laughing. Somewhat hysterically. I couldn’t help it. And I couldn’t stop. “Oh my god, Sean! You won’t believe!” I looked around. I called for Killer and he came slinking out of the bathroom toward me. I put out my arms and he rushed over, jumping into my lap. He was still shaking too. I hugged him and hugged him. The guys all looked at each other. Shock?

  “She said she was going to shoot Killer!” I said. I was still holding him. “I couldn’t stand that so when I leaned over to hug him, I told him to attack her! To kill her! And he lunged! He’s my Killer!” I hugged him harder.

  Digs started smiling, then laughing. “Killer attacked? Did you, boy?” He looked at Sean who was shaking his head and laughing too. “I don’t believe it! Good boy! You get nothing but prime steak from here on out!” He was petting and scratching him. Not one to miss an opportunity, Killer jumped off my lap and rolled over, paws in the air, waiting for his belly to be scratched. Sean shook his head and scratched.

  Digs sat down next to me. “Honey, we have to go into the police station. You need to make a statement.”

  “Sure,” I nodded. “Just let me catch my breath.”

  Jimmy hadn’t said a word. I looked up at him. He looked miserable. I stood up and put my arms around him. “Jimmy, none of us saw it. None of us. It wasn’t just you. We all missed what she was.”

  “You almost died because I didn’t see it!” He blinked hard and looked down.

  “I almost died because I didn’t see what she was! Nor did Sean, or Digs or Sam!” I stopped as the realization sunk in. “I never saw it,” I said, looking at Digs and Sean. “How did she suck all of us in?”

  Sean shook his head. “I don’t know, but shit. She fooled us all.”

  “I’m ready, now, if you want to go to the police station. I want her charged with all of it!” I looked up at Digs. He went for my coat and got Killer’s leash.

  “I think he wants to go, too,” Digs grinned. “And right now, Killer gets whatever he wants!” Killer smiled and I swear, as we left the apartment to go to the elevator, he pranced ahead of us, head up, like royalty.

  We got to the station and I gave my statement. We sat in a small conference room. Digs played the cell phone recording into another recorder for later transcription. While we were there, Brice and Olivia came rushing in. “Maggie!” Brice said. He pulled me to him. Digs watched us, eyes narrowed. Olivia watched Digs. Sean poked Jimmy in the ribs and watched all of them, grinning.

  “We heard what happened!” Brice searched my face. “How did you figure this out?”

  I shook my head. “I hadn’t figured it all out until today. I was working on the timeline of the attacks and realized that I couldn’t give Emily a solid alibi for any one of them. Then I remembered her surprise when I told her that if Lily had died without a signed will she would inherit it all. But she had already known that – from when her parents died! She had lied. I was just starting to figure out she was the killer when she came in with the gun.” I closed my eyes. Given half a chance, I could easily start shaking again.

  Brice hugged me again. I felt Digs put his hand on my shoulder. “She’s given her statement, Brice. It’ll be transcribed in a couple of hours.” The two of them stood there. Brice with his arm around me and Digs with his hand on my shoulder. Staring at each other.

  Testosterone alert!

  I had that Thanksgiving wishbone feeling again. I pulled away and leaned against the wall.

  “One more thing, Fellas.” I said. They all looked at me.

  “Where’s the money?”

  Sean groaned. “First, we have to find John Reilly and tell him this whole thing.”

  “No, you don’t,” a voice said. We turned and there was John, walking in the room. “This is all over the news! I came down
as soon as I heard it.” He turned to me.

  “Did she tell you why? Why she would kill Aunt Lily?” He was asking me, his eyes full of tears. I put my arm through John’s.

  “Why don’t we all go and have dinner. Suddenly, I am starving! I’ll fill you in on all of it.”

  Digs laughed. “You’re hungry? After all this, you’re hungry?”

  I smiled. “Yep. I want a burger. And a big one for Killer, too.”

  Digs piled me and Killer in the car after he and Sean and Jimmy all assured the Officer on Duty that I would come back tomorrow and sign my statement. We headed toward Mike’s, a steakhouse. “I’ve changed my mind.” I told Digs. “Killer and I want steak. And we each want our own.” Digs reached one arm out and hugged me.

  “Anything you want, Maggie. And Killer too! Anything.” he looked at me. “You scared the shit out of me! I didn’t know if we could get there in time!”

  I sobered. “I didn’t either. I didn’t even know if you were hearing us!” I gave him a long look. “I’ve never been so scared.”

  He pulled over to the curb and pulled me in. “I know, Toots. Me, either. Me either,” he repeated as he kissed my brow, my cheek and then my lips. “Don’t ever do this to me again.”

  We got to the restaurant a bit late and everyone was seated. We had left Killer in the car with the promise of a nice, big, juicy steak later. He looked contented with the promise.

  I sat next to John and took his hand. “We have some strange news for you, John.” I looked at the others, then back at John. “We think that Lily was really your mother. She had you before she was married and gave you to Rose to keep for her.”

  John looked stunned. “What?” he said, turning those dark blue eyes to mine. “Lily? My mother?”

  We all nodded. “She wasn’t married when she had you. I’m guessing that she couldn’t bear to give you up so she gave you to Rose to raise for her. so she could be near you.” John blinked disbelievingly. “Think how much she loved you, John.” I squeezed his hand. “She wanted you to have everything after she died.” John nodded but couldn’t speak. Sean cleared his throat.

  “Emily couldn’t stand that. Lily had made a handwritten will, which would have been valid in Illinois. Emily destroyed the original will but didn't know if Lily had made copies. She then hired Maggie to file an intestate estate. She thought Maggie would see if an attorney showed up with a will – which wouldn't happen – and then she'd just file for Emily to inherit as the only living relative.” Sean paused.

  “Once that happened, Emily could search the house at her leisure. She was convinced Herbert had hidden the stolen money somewhere in that house. She hadn't counted on Maggie breaking in to search the house herself or later, getting all of us to search the house.”

  Digs chimed in. “When she realized that Maggie was not just some dumb attorney, she tried to scare her, then shoot her.” He reached over and covered my hand. “She underestimated how stubborn Maggie can be!” Everyone laughed. I made a face at him. He continued. “Then, she killed anyone who got in her way.”

  “Then why not just kill me?” John asked, his voice not quite steady.

  I answered. “She could be a suspect in your murder. She wanted us to think it might be you.”

  John shook his head. “My God. I knew her all her life and never really saw her, I guess. My God.” He looked at me. “I can’t believe this.”

  “None of us can. I was more taken in by her than anyone.” Jimmy looked around the table.

  “Hey, Jim, she went after you! None of us saw through that needy, lost lamb act. You’re just a nicer guy and she took advantage of that.” Digs punched him lightly on the arm.

  Jimmy scowled. “Yeah, but geez. I can’t believe I fell for that.”

  Digs laughed. “I would have, too, except that I was too busy dodging Maggie’s sharp tongue and trying to keep one step ahead of her slippery ways!” He threw an arm around me. “I’ve always been a soft touch for a smart ass woman.....” He leaned over to kiss me and I pretended to hit him.

  John turned to Jimmy. “Jim, you stuck to her. If you hadn’t, she might have done even more harm to more people. Maybe me. You stopped that. I, for one, am very grateful to you.” He spoke with quiet sincerity and we all paused. He was right. It could have been even worse.

  We had a wonderful dinner and toasted Killer several times. We all felt a great sense of relief that Emily was in custody. The killer had been caught.

  We hugged and kissed and said goodbye in the parking lot. I agreed to return to the police station the following day at 10 am to sign my statement.

  Digs and I climbed wearily into the car and started home. Killer could smell his steak and was wagging his rear end almost off his body. He even sped up his business behind the dumpster and raced us back to the apartment, then stood in the kitchen with an expectant grin on his face while I put his steak in his bowl. I gave him one more hug. “You are the best, Killer! You saved my life and I love you!”

  Digs stood smiling. He came over and put his arms around me.

  EPILOGUE

  Three Weeks Later

  They found Emily’s gun. It was hidden in Lily’s house, in the cellar. It was behind a loose brick in one of the small basement rooms. It had her fingerprints and matched the bullets from Lily’s body and those of Louie Bacci and Victor Castelletti. Emily was charged with three counts of first degree murder for Lily, Louie and Victor Castelletti. She was also charged with three attempted murder counts for her first attack on me and the later shooting along with the shooting of Chris McCann as well as arson for the Castelletti house.

  She was in Cook County jail and would be going to prison for a very long time. We also found out that she had a juvenile record for violence in high school after her parents died. It made me wonder if she had a hand in their deaths, too.

  I found the money. Sort of. It was actually a safe deposit box key hidden in a secret floor safe in the closet of Lily’s bedroom. Something Lily knew about but never used. A small paper was attached to the key with the name of the bank and the box number. The box held US savings bonds. About $400,000 face value, but with all the interest accrued over the years they were worth a lot more than that.

  We never found any will. Emily had said that Lily had handwritten it but apparently the one Emily burned was the only copy. But we did find John’s birth certificate in Lily’s desk. It was in a secret drawer, cleverly hidden in the side of the desk, the opening in the scroll work. It listed Emily as the mother but had no one’s name for the father. There was also a letter, addressed to John. In it, Lily told him of the love she’d had for his father and for him. She said that giving him up was the single hardest thing she had ever done - and wrote of her love for Rose, who took the baby to raise so Lily could be near him. Lily wrote of the joy she had watching him grow into a good man, a man of honor. She wrote of how proud she was of him.

  There was nothing to indicate that Lily ever knew Herbert had robbed Lefty Three Fingers or that he had killed Tony Corelli. Nothing to indicate she knew what the safe deposit box held. The fact that she had never used the key, never opened the box, however, made me believe she had known – or at least suspected.

  John inherited it all, of course. He and Emily were the only relatives, the only heirs. But since Emily had killed Lily, she couldn’t inherit. Criminals can’t inherit from those they murder.

  I was pleased that we had solved Lily’s murder even though it had been a harrowing experience, to say the least. I did handle the estate for John. I hadn't done it for Emily and that was, after all, what I had been retained to do. On the other hand, she never paid me for most of my hours, so maybe we were even.

  There's been no word from the mob. Whip has never been found, and despite Whip's attack and threats, Vito didn’t seem interested in the bonds. Maybe because they could never be linked to Lefty’s money. Or they no longer cared. Or didn’t want to start this up again. For whatever reason, they never came forward.
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br />   One of the hardest things was telling Fee. I went to see her the day after the arrest at her son’s. I held her hand and told her about Emily. She cried - for Lily, for Emily - and for John. She told me she was going to call him and make him some cookies. I got teary and said I thought that was a great idea. I have kept in touch with Fee since then and probably always will.

  As for Digs - he had to leave the night Emily was arrested. He got a call right after we got home and Killer and I drove him to O’Hare where a private plane was waiting. He kissed me goodbye and said he would be back. I haven’t seen or heard from him since.

  Now, three weeks later, it was again sleeting and snowing and I was back in my office. I was at the desk and Killer was lying in the reception area. I sighed. I needed clients - again. Or at least a client.

  Just not one like the last client.

  The door opened and I looked up. John Reilly walked in. He was covered with droplets of water and carried a large bag. He came over and sat in the chair across from me. “Hi.” He smiled. Killer came dancing up and nudged John’s hand to pet him. He liked John, too.

  “John, it’s great to see you!” And it was. I liked John. Despite my earlier misgivings, he had been a class act since the arrest and the details of his parentage were splashed all over the news. He did not discuss Emily nor make any comment regarding her actions. He simply went on about his business. A good man. I got up and went around the desk to hug him.

  He held me tight, then sat down again and crossed his legs, smiling at me. Those incredible dark blue eyes. I suddenly realized why I thought I had met him before. He looked like the pictures I had seen of Lily.

  “I don’t know what Emily promised to pay you,” he started, “but I assume she never did pay you.” No kidding. Even her last check to me had bounced. “So I want to give you something for your time and your help.”