They stepped up to the observation window and watched as their suspect gripped a handgun like an expert and hit the target each time a shot was fired.
“I'm hungry,” said Fletch as they pulled away from the shooting range parking lot.
“How can you be hungry; we watched a cold-blooded murderer showing no mercy at that poor defenseless target?”
“That was some fine shooting; Richard Delaney was the target that night and he didn't stand a chance.”
“What will you do?”
“First, I’ll fortify myself with a cheeseburger, then we will pay a visit to Ms. Eloise Kittredge.”
“What if she doesn't go home from the shooting range?”
“Then we wait until she is home.”
“I'm a tad hungry myself. A cheeseburger sounds tempting, although I should be eating salads all week. I can't gain an ounce of weight or I won't fit into my wedding dress,” she sighed.
While they were enjoying their cheeseburgers and greasy fries, Samantha wondered aloud what prompted Eloise to kill Richard.
“If she is cooperative, we will find out today. I suspect he was no longer in need of her services. Perhaps he was preparing for the governorship with a whole new cast of characters. Richard Delaney didn't strike me as the most loyal guy in town.”
Chapter Twenty
Fletch and Samantha waited in the car for less than thirty minutes before Eloise Kittredge pulled into the driveway of her modest home.
“Hello Detective Fletcher, I've expected you. Won't you both come in, I'll make us some tea?”
Samantha noted the calmness in her voice as they walked to the front door and Eloise invited them inside.
“Please have a seat, you don't mind if I make a pot of tea, I hope. I would prefer a brandy, but I'd better opt for the tea.”
The room was pleasant despite the old-fashioned furniture and dated curtains. There were photographs lining the fireplace mantle. Richard was in every one. Richard with the governor, Richard being sworn in as mayor and Richard standing with several of the prominent people of Lancashire.
“Didn't Eloise have any family?” she whispered, not knowing Eloise was walking in with a tray of tea and cookies.
“Richard and Sophia are my family, I was an only child, my father died the day after I graduated from college. Mother was sickly since my birth and could not care for herself. After Father's death, she became an invalid and dependent on me, her caregiver. I suppose it was only right she robbed me of a normal life because I'd robbed her of her health when I was born.
“Mother passed away five years ago. After caring for her all those years, I was alone in the world. I hadn't held a job or had a social life because of my duties to Mother.
“For all those years, I didn't leave the house except to push Mother's wheelchair to the corner and back every day, weather permitting. The supermarket filled our order once a week and any clothing we needed was all done through mail order. I had plenty of time to watch the cable news stations daily and became interested in politics.
“Shortly after Mother's passing, I read about Richard Delaney considering a mayoral run. I went out to the department store and bought myself a new wardrobe. I went to a beauty shop for the first time in almost forty years and had my hair styled and my nails done. Richard was still working out of his law office then and I marched in there and announced that I would be his campaign manager.
“I didn't know the first thing about running a campaign, but I read everything I could get my hands on. I talked to the staff in the governor's office and our senator's office and learned what I could. Poor Richard knew nothing more than I did and thought I knew what I was doing. Something must have worked. He won the election in a landslide.
“Richard and Sophia became the children I never had, I don't know what Sophia will do without Richard and me when I'm sent to prison. Samantha, I know you have begun a friendship with the dear girl, will you watch out for her?”
“Yes, I will, Eloise, you don't have to worry about Sophia, she is a strong woman and will be fine.”
“Richard was true to her, you know. Most people thought he was a womanizer. It's true, he had an eye for women, especially blondes. He was like a kid in a candy shop, he loved looking at the options, but he always chose his favorite, and that was Sophia.
“He was a prince, all right,” Fletch said as he felt Samantha's elbow in his side. “What can you tell us about the night Richard died?”
“I didn't mean to kill him, I know it looks like I planned it, but I didn't.
“Father always wanted a boy to go hunting with. He took me when I was about five and I was a mess. I hated firing a gun, and I cried when I watched him kill a beautiful fawn. He was ashamed of my behavior and insisted on teaching me how to shoot and how to kill. As I grew older, I went to the shooting range with him and learned to respect guns as I learned to hit my target. I didn't do much shooting for years until after Mother died. I went back to the shooting range. I found it calmed me after a long, hard day. I never went hunting again because I found shooting animals abhorrent.
“The night of Sophia's performance, I stayed behind because I wanted to work on re-writing the speech Richard would give the following day. Before Richard left the office, he told me he wouldn't need me as his campaign manager when he ran for governor. He dismissed me as though I was nothing but a paid employee.
“I was in a terrible state. I couldn't breathe, what would I do for the rest of my life and what would I do without Richard and Sophia to care for. Sophia needed me and Richard was taking her away. They would move to the governor's mansion and I would be all alone.
“I don't know how long I sat in that lonely office, but I remember driving home in a daze.
“I keep many types of guns here in my home. I unlocked the cabinet and took out my favorite pistol and a silencer I purchased so I could practice at outdoor shooting ranges without those heavy ear protectors.
“I drove to the theater and parked in the lot behind the building reserved for actors and crew, I knew the side door would be unlocked. I had seen many dress rehearsals to know at what point the cast would parade up and down the aisles. I waited until the music was at its loudest and opened the door. Everyone was looking at the middle aisle as I pointed my gun at Richard's head and pulled the trigger. I turned and walked out the way I came in. I could still hear the music faintly as I pulled out of the parking lot and drove home.”
“I hope you know, I would have let no one go to prison for Richard's murder. I always knew the crime would be solved, eventually. I'm ready to go, Detective. No hard feelings, I realize you are doing your job.
Eloise Kittredge walked out of the home she'd known for all her life without a glance backward.
Chapter Twenty-One
“There's another crime you solved, Samantha, you're good at this.”
“I didn't solve it, Fletch, I'd say it solved itself.”
“You're the one who spotted Eloise Kittredge when we were at the shooting range. I was too busy arguing with that punk kid.”
“It was only a matter of time before Eloise confessed. She looked like a load had been lifted off her shoulders when she was spilling the beans about the shooting. I feel sorry for her, Fletch but her relationship with Sophia and Richard wasn't a healthy one.”
“I rarely feel sorry for cold-blooded killers,” said Fletch, “Eloise had a sad life. She had no life of her own. All she did for almost forty years was sit in the house with her mother. I’ll stop complaining about our mothers and their plans for our wedding. We are lucky to have them.”
“Do you think Eloise's birth caused her mother's health problems?”
“She might have had a stroke or a neurological problem, but I suspect it was a bad case of hypochondria. What a wasted life for both.”
They arrived at Samantha's apartment.
“What would you like to do tonight, Fletch?”
“I wouldn't mind kicking back on your sofa and watch
ing television, how about you?”
“That sounds heavenly, I wonder if I should call Sophia to let her know about Eloise. She might need some TLC tonight.”
“You are right, why don't you call to see if she's home. We can go right over.”
Samantha punched in her number. Sophia answered on the first ring.
“Samantha, I was about to call you and ask if you would come to my place.”
“You must have heard about Eloise.”
“What about Eloise, is she all right? I haven't been able to reach her.”
“I'll be there in ten minutes.”
“Tell me, Samantha, what has happened to Eloise.”
“I'm sorry Sophia, Eloise confessed to murdering Richard.”
“Murdering Richard? That can't be, there must be a mistake, Eloise loved Richard like a son.”
“I'm afraid it's true. Did you know Eloise is a sharpshooter? Richard told her he would replace her and it sounds like she snapped.”
“Richard was an idiot. I'm sorry to speak of him like that but he wasn't a nice person. I loved him, but I was never blind to his faults. Poor Eloise, she must be miserable.”
“She is relieved to have it out in the open. She had a sad life before she met you.”
“I know she was a caregiver for her mother. I always wondered if she had a life outside of that dreary little house. I'll do anything I can to help her but not tonight. Will you stop by?”
“We're on our way.
Except for an outside light on the front porch, the large house looked to be dark.
“Oh dear,” said Samantha, “Sophia seemed calm on the phone, I wonder if the shock has set in.”
The door opened, Sophia was smiling, “Come into the living room.”
“What happened to the lights? Why is it so dark in here?”
With that, the lights flashed on and Samantha heard Surprise being shouted from the room.
Megan was there along with Robin, Cindy Matthews, and Wanda Anderson. Her old friends Amy Griffin and Daphne Morgan and the ladies from Stonehill Manor all gathered around her, hugging her, and smiling from ear to ear.
There were balloons hanging from the ceiling, crepe paper streamers around the windows and fireplace. Brightly wrapped packages and champagne that had obviously been flowing for a while.
Frank Wells and Mike each grabbed Fletch by an arm.
“You're coming with us, buddy. We'll let the ladies have their champagne, this is a night for beer and brats. Half the department is waiting for you at Marge's Saloon.”
“Have fun,” Fletch shouted as he was being escorted out the door.
“You too,” Samantha said blowing him a kiss. She couldn't help but wonder what Eloise was doing at that moment.
Sophia pulled her aside. “I am worried about Eloise, but she is a strong lady. She would want us to have a good time. I'll go there tomorrow to see what I can do.”
Samantha sipped her champagne and felt every inch a bride-to-be surrounded by her friends.
Epilogue
Instead of counting weeks until the wedding, Samantha was counting days.
In six days, she would be Mrs. Joseph Fletcher. She would keep Samantha Degan as her professional name but she was eager to be officially known as Mrs. Samantha Fletcher. Mrs. Fletcher had a familiar ring to it. Could it have been from an old television show her parents liked to watch? She didn't care, it would be her name now and she would keep it forever.
“I'm getting butterflies,” Megan told her when she arrived for work that morning. “I've never been a maid of honor before, I hope I do nothing stupid.”
“What stupid thing could you do?”
“Well, I could blubber all over the place. I'm so happy for you and Fletch. You see what I mean,” she said as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
“You'll be fine, you'll be cried out by next Saturday.”
“Have you heard from Sophia today?”
“Yes, she called earlier. The lawyer wanted to arrange bail for Eloise, but she wouldn't allow it. Sophia said Eloise seems perfectly happy sitting in a jail cell until her trial. She has made friends with a woman who was arrested for attempted robbery along with her no-good boyfriend. I'm sure she's being a mother hen to her. Sophia thinks she will plead guilty to killing Richard. She says she is guilty so why would she say she isn't, it's such a sad story.”
“Sophia will ride with Mike and me to the wedding. She seems like a different person since she stopped taking that supplement.”
“Those pills caused a reaction. I'm happy she could give them up. Her therapist has been helpful too. It's good for Sophia to talk about her feelings. She will be fine.”
“Cindy Matthews has offered to drive Wanda to Ashville. Believe it or not, Wanda has gotten over her resentment of Cindy. I'm glad you invited them both.”
“To be honest, I didn't think about inviting them, when I saw them at my shower, it seemed the right thing to do, I don't want to leave anyone out. The gang from Stonehill Manor will be coming. It was so good to see everyone, I don't get out there as often as I'd like.
“I'd better get to work, I left my heroine dangling from a drawbridge. If I don't get her to safety, I'll worry about her during our entire honeymoon.”
The storyline was going smoothly when Samantha's cell phone sounded and startled her. She answered without checking to see the identity of the caller.
“Hello.”
“Is this Samantha Degan?” asked the woman caller.
“Yes, it is. How may I help you?”
“Samantha, my name is Patsy Burke, I don't know if you remember me, I was a classmate in high school.”
Samantha didn't let on she barely remembered the name.
“Hello Patsy, I'm sorry I missed you last week, you didn't leave a number, so I wasn't able to return the call.”
“That's all right, I read in the local paper you will be married in Ashville. I understand you solved a murder that took place in Lancashire.”
“Oh my, I didn't solve the professor's murder single-handedly. There were many factors and many people involved in the case.”
“I'm sure, but I don't know where to start, that's why I'm calling you.”
“Suppose you tell me what this is all about, Patsy, I'll be glad to help if I can. Are you writing a mystery novel, by chance?”
“If only that were so. Do you remember Chandler Sinclair? Most of the kids called him C.J., he was popular.”
“Yes, I remember C.J. He died in a fall while hiking. It was a horrible tragedy for his family as well as the school and the entire city.”
“What if I told you I have evidence it wasn't an accident. What if I told you someone pushed him off that precipice?”
“Patsy, it happened several years ago. The police did a thorough investigation and determined it was an accidental fall. C.J. lost his footing and slipped off the cliff to his death. What evidence do you have?”
“I can't talk about it over the telephone. Is there any way you can meet me when you get to Ashville?”
“My mother has me on a tight schedule, I'll call when I arrive and we will meet. Why don't you come to the wedding? The ceremony will be in the chapel at Wedgewood Park with a reception following at the Ashville Hilton.
“I'll wait for your call; I need to talk to you...” the phone went dead.
From what Samantha remembered of Patsy Burke, she was a quiet girl, she didn't think of her as having a flair for the dramatic. What evidence could she have C.J. was murdered?
Samantha carefully packed her suitcases for her trip to Ashville. She thought, by arriving early, she could help with last-minute details and visit with her old friends. She packed clothes for the Ashville visit and for their short honeymoon after the wedding. Fletch was stretching it to be away from work for too long during Robin's maternity leave. They would have a real vacation after her return.
“Your Mom's on the phone,” Megan called out from the other room. “She sounds upset, I hope
there isn't anything wrong.”
“Hi, Mom, what's up?”
“Samantha, there has been a terrible accident, Patsy Burke is fighting for her life. The police think it was attempted murder.
Murder in Ashville
A Samantha Degan Cozy Mystery
Murder in Lancashire Page 11
