The trio broke up shortly thereafter, once they’d cleaned up the kitchen. Carol said she wanted to go check on Gran’s French toast with blueberry syrup. The day was turning out to be sunny with little wind, so Mary thought she’d take Hank and Spot for a walk across the fields near the house. “Wanna come?” she asked Edna.
“Love to, but Albert will be home for supper and I need to check the larder and get to the grocery store.”
Mary surprised Edna by inviting herself to join the Davieses that evening. “Would you mind? I wanna talk to Al.”
“Albert,” Edna corrected automatically, then felt a touch of panic run through her veins. “You won’t mention my finding a body, will you?”
“Don’t you want him to know? I bet he’d be interested.”
Mary’s crooked smile told Edna the redhead was teasing her, but Edna jumped at the bait anyway. “All I did was make an unfortunate discovery. Now my part in this tragedy is over, so there’s no sense in upsetting him. Besides,” Edna added, mostly convincing herself, she realized, “my name wasn’t even in the paper.”
“Don’t worry,” Mary said. “I just wanna find out what trial he’s on. Maybe I can get him to slip up and give us a hint.”
Knowing how much her neighbor loved to relay gossip, especially of a criminal nature, Edna still felt uneasy about Mary’s motives. She hesitated for a moment, knowing her husband didn’t always enjoy Mary’s company as much as she did. “Why not,” she said. “He’ll probably need a distraction tonight. From what he told me yesterday, he probably can’t read, watch or listen to the news, so we might as well see what we can do to divert him. Why don’t you come around six? He should be home by then, and we can have a drink first.”
As it turned out, Albert was late, so the women took their wine into the living room to await his arrival. Mary scooped up the day’s paper on her way out of the kitchen. Once she was settled into a corner of the couch, she spread the front on her lap. This evening, she’d swapped her usual camouflage attire for black slacks and a green tunic, securing her fly-away curls with a printed silk scarf worn turban style.
“Media hasn’t much information on your dead guy,” she said sounding both disappointed and disgusted. “I’ve come up with better.”
“Oh?” Edna prompted. She wasn’t pleased with Mary’s giving her personal possession of the unknown man, but kept still in anticipation of Mary’s revealing something about the body in Gordon’s office.
“Sure,” said the redhead with a self-satisfied smirk and instantly quashed Edna’s expectations. “One of the trials this week is the ex-military guy who shot his partner. My source says the defendant’s lawyer has requested confidentiality because of some classified material to be submitted into evidence. Think that’s the case Al’s on?” She turned a page of newsprint with one hand as she sipped from her glass with the other.
“’S possible, I suppose,” Edna replied. Disappointed that Mary’s news wasn’t pertinent to the case uppermost on her mind, she became distracted thinking of her husband. So much so that she didn’t bother to correct Mary’s nickname this time. Noting by the mantelpiece clock that the hour was nearing six-thirty, she wondered if Albert was late getting home because of an accident on the highway. She understood that court usually adjourned no later than five. With her husband on her mind, she paid only half attention to what her neighbor was saying.
“Another trial this week involves a kid.” Mary’s words snapped Edna back from her straying thoughts.
“How old?” she asked.
Leaning forward slightly as if imparting a secret, Mary set the paper aside and glanced across the coffee table at Edna. “Do you remember hearing a few months ago about the boy who’s been threatening other kids in school?” When Edna shook her head, Mary continued. “Some of the parents signed a petition to have him expelled. The kid’s parents are fighting it. He’s only eleven years old, but a real bully, from what I’ve been told. Anyway, juvenile trials are pretty hush-hush. Sealed records and all that, so I guess Al could have been assigned to that one.”
“That’s a little more probable than the military case, I think,” Edna said. “It would make some sense for a youngster’s lawyer to want someone with medical knowledge on the jury.”
Making no comment on Edna’s speculation, Mary continued, “The only other trial I know about that would be potentially damaging is the woman who’s trying to have her brother declared legally dead.”
“Would that require a trial?” Edna asked, doubting such a situation would be sensitive enough for a judge to consider sequestering the jury.
“Sure,” Mary said, leaning forward and showing more interest in this case, “because it’s also a competency issue with someone’s reputation at stake. He was lost at sea. She wants him declared dead so she can inherit his money, but her kids are trying to have her committed, saying she’s senile and a danger to herself. She’s brought in her own lawyer to counter-sue her children.”
Edna shook her head, wondering how families could get into such a state. “Oh my. That’s a mess I wouldn’t want to deal with.”
“I know the people involved. I hope that’s the one Al’s gotten on.”
“Albert,” Edna corrected as she heard the front door open. She smiled at the sound of his voice in the hall. “In here, dear,” she called.
Two steps into the room, Albert Davies paused as he spotted Mary and his glance drifted to the newspaper beside her. After a second’s hesitation, he moved to kiss the top of Edna’s head. “I’m going to the kitchen for a glass of that wine. I’d appreciate it if the newspaper is out of sight when I return.” He then turned and retraced his steps.
Wordlessly, Edna rose and extended her hand for the paper which Mary obligingly slipped to her. The two women exchanged guilty looks, although Edna didn’t know what they had to feel bad about. Relieved only that Albert wouldn’t have been able to read the front-page headlines from a distance, she folded the paper and added it to the kindling basket near the hearth. She was seated again when he reentered, followed by Benjamin who joined the group by flopping down in his bed near the fireplace.
After that, conversation seemed to flow easily enough, but Edna could tell by Albert’s bouncing left foot that he was agitated over Mary’s occasional attempts to trick him into revealing the nature of the trial he was on.
Her initial, cheery “Is jury duty as dull as people say?” received no response as Albert sat in his easy chair on the other side of the end table from Edna’s wingback.
“Do you think it’s fair to judge juveniles as adults?” Mary asked halfway through dinner.
Albert’s reply was to put a forkful of roast chicken into his mouth and chew more slowly than usual. When he finally spoke, it was to say, “What have you ladies planned for tomorrow?” Something he rarely asked.
Edna was feeling well entertained by the time they’d finished dessert and gone back to the living room to have coffee. Following a few minutes of silence, Mary spoke up. “What’s the defense attorney’s name?” as if she were trying to place him or her.
At that point, Albert put his cup on the table, excused himself and grabbed a nearby book. “If you’ll both excuse me, I’ve had a tiring day. I’m going up to read for a while before bed.” He hurried from the room before Edna could point out that the volume he’d chosen was something she’d been reading. She was certain The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood wouldn’t be Albert’s type of story.
Chapter 6
Edna awoke the next morning to a gentle thump beside her on the bed. She half turned to find that Albert had put his suitcase near her feet. The disturbance that stirred her had probably been the top falling open. Still in his pajamas, her husband held a couple of shirts in one hand and didn’t immediately seem to notice her studying him. At first, she thought he was unpacking from his visit to their daughter’s in Boston, two nights before. With some surprise, she realized he was not removing the clothes, but putting them into the case.<
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“What are you doing?” she asked, the grogginess suddenly gone from her brain.
“Go back to sleep, sweetheart,” he said, sliding his glance over to her before resuming his task. “I’m just packing a few things. Thought I’d stay at Matthew’s tonight. He’s closer to the courthouse. Save me time instead of driving back and forth from here. That trip home yesterday was a nightmare. Waste of a good two hours on what should have taken me thirty minutes.”
The last vestiges of sleep having fled with his words, Edna sat up and watched him silently while thoughts and emotions whirled in her head. She’d be alone in the house. Suppose whoever killed the man in Gordon’s office knew who she was? It wouldn’t take long for someone to find out where she lived in this small community. Her heartbeat quickened as she thought of the gunman who had been after her neighbor last year and had appeared so quietly in her living room one evening.
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with Mary coming over for dinner last night, would it?” she finally asked, when she thought she could keep the tremors from her voice. She knew perfectly well that Mary enjoyed teasing Albert in hopes that he would unbend a little. Her cajoling, although light-hearted and never malicious, seemed to have the opposite effect and Albert’s usual way of handling Mary was to avoid her. “I will ask her to stay away until your trial is over and you’re allowed to talk about it, if you’d like.”
Edna wished her husband would change his mind and return home to her in the evening, but she wouldn’t upset him by telling him about finding a dead body. She knew him so well. He would sit in the jury box, unable to leave the courtroom, and worry about her the entire day. He would be distracted from the trial. It wouldn’t be fair for me to burden him like that, she thought.
“Nothing to do with Mary,” Albert said without looking at Edna.
“Does Irene know you’re spending tonight with them?” The idea flitted through Edna’s mind to invite Charlie for dinner and with a sudden lifting of her spirits, she turned her thoughts to her generous daughter-in-law. Edna suspected that Irene wouldn’t turn Albert away, even if his presence might disrupt other plans.
“Called before I started packing.” Albert’s voice broke into Edna’s meandering thoughts. “Matthew said they’d be delighted to have me.”
“Of course they will,” Edna reaffirmed, knowing it to be true. Their eldest son, his wife and four children were a friendly family and their house always seemed to be the center of activity for young and old alike. However, realizing that telling Matthew wasn’t exactly alerting his wife, she changed the subject as she got out of bed. “Do I have time for a shower before making your breakfast?”
“I guess so, if you hurry. I’d like to get ahead of rush hour this morning.”
“Won’t be long, dear.”
Ten minutes later, on her way downstairs, Edna stepped outside to get the newspaper, relieved to find it on time this morning. Opening it quickly, she had time only to take in the headline: MYSTERY MAN BAFFLES POLICE. Knowing she couldn’t read more until after Albert was fed and gone, she stowed the daily in her office for later reading. No point in leaving it in its usual place on the kitchen table to tempt or annoy Albert.
The next half hour was spent greeting and feeding Benjamin, preparing breakfast, and chatting with Albert about family matters while her mind kept straying to the morning’s front-page article. Finally, Albert was heading for his car. Careful not to slam the front door in her haste to read the latest report, Edna sprang to her office and snatched up the paper. Eager to read every word, she took it to the kitchen where she poured herself a second cup of coffee. She sat at the kitchen table and was about to unfold the news when Mary’s voice sounded from the mudroom. “Edna! Where are you?”
“In here, Mary.” Alerted by an unusual excitement in her neighbor’s greeting, Edna rose to face her guest.
A second later, Mary, dressed in green and brown camo fatigues with her red curls flying, stormed into the room, waving a copy of the morning paper. “Have you read it?”
“I was just about to. Come sit and have coffee with me.”
Mary took the chair next to the one Benjamin was curled on and reached over to give him a quick ear scratch before reaching across the table to accept the mug Edna was holding out to her.
“What’s up?” Edna studied her neighbor who was clearly anxious to speak.
“Can’t believe it’s takin’ so long to ID your dead guy.”
“I wish you wouldn’t keep referring to him as mine,” Edna insisted. Barely had the words left her mouth when the doorbell rang. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw that the hour wasn’t quite seven-thirty. “Who could that be?” she muttered, turning toward the front hall.
“Mornin’, Edna,” Carol James greeted, looking very pretty in a red parka and blue knit cap. Smiling, she said, “Albert passed me on the road, so I figured you were up. I stopped by to see if you recognize my little friend here.” She bent to pat a small, mud-encrusted dog at her feet.
Over Edna’s left shoulder, Mary called, “Hey, Carol.”
“Oh, hi, Mary.” The young woman’s face lit up. “I bet you know this one, since you’ve been spending so much time at the animal clinics.”
Mary pushed past Edna and stepped out onto the granite stoop. Although the air was chilly, Edna had pulled on a sweater and wool slacks that morning, so she joined her neighbors outside as they all stared down curiously at a darkly soiled and matted terrier. The sturdy little dog with pointed ears was probably pure white beneath the layer of dirt.
“Can’t say as I do,” Mary said, sitting on the stone slab and holding out a hand for the dog to sniff. “Where’d you find her?”
“I didn’t. She found me. I was out for a walk this morning, looked down and there she was trotting along beside me.” Carol chuckled at the memory as she gazed fondly at the creature and then frowned. “She doesn’t have a collar. That’s why I was hoping you’d recognize her.” The young woman crouched and hugged her knees as she studied the canine. “She must be lost.”
“She’s a Westie. They’re a pretty popular dog. Someone’s gotta be missin’ her.” Mary gave the dog’s head a rub. The little mutt wagged her whole body as if she were starved for attention. “She might be chipped,” the redhead went on, showing off her newly acquired knowledge of dogs and cats.
“How do we find out?” Carol asked, glancing over at Mary with concerned brown eyes. “She picked me up about a quarter mile past your house, but I didn’t see what direction she came from. She just sort of materialized. Now I feel responsible to see she gets home safe and sound.” With these words, Carol stood and looked at Edna as if for help with her project.
“Maybe Ellen knows who she is.” Still fussing over the dog, Mary mentioned the new veterinarian who had taken over the care for all their pets. “If nobody at the clinic knows her, they have a chip reader, in case this little pooch has been tagged. At any rate, she’ll need to be checked over thoroughly if she’s been on the loose for a while.”
“Can we go now?” Carol was obviously troubled by her new-found friend. “If I were her owner, I’d be worried sick. The sooner we can get her home, the better.”
Edna was about to mention that the animal clinic wouldn’t be open for another half hour when the sound of a car engine caught the women’s attention. She turned to watch as Charlie Rogers drove around the broken-shell driveway. As the car came into sight, she noticed the dog shy at the noise. Mary put a restraining hand on the small dog’s neck and murmured softly.
“Who’s puppy?” Charlie asked in greeting as he got out of the unmarked and came toward the women. The dog had visibly settled down once the engine had been turned off. She broke away from Mary and ran to Charlie.
“She’s a West Highland Terrier,” Mary said, standing and slapping the dust off the seat of her pants.
“I recognize the breed, but whose is she?” He turned to Carol. “Yours?”
She shook her head. “S
he picked me up on my walk this morning. I’m trying to find out who she belongs to so I can take her home. Do you know anyone around here who owns a Westie?”
Charlie squatted and held out his hand to be sniffed before he tousled the terrier’s head. “Know three or four families, but I don’t recognize this one. Friendly little girl, though, isn’t she?” The terrier wagged her tail happily with all the attention.
“She’s obviously not afraid of people so she’s been treated well,” Edna commented before switching her attention to her favorite detective. “What brings you here this morning, Charlie?”
He stood and gave her a conspiratorial smile. “Just thought I’d swing by and check on you. Saw Albert heading for the highway, so figured it would be safe to come over with news about your dead man.”
Edna gave a humorless grimace. “Would you all please stop referring to him as my dead man.”
“You ID’d him?” Mary said, her eyes lighting up.
“I’ll tell you for a cup of coffee,” Charlie teased.
“Good idea,” Edna agreed.
As if understanding the humans were about to enter the house, the Westie bounded up to the storm door where Benjamin sat watching the activity from inside. The ginger cat didn’t even blink when the dog put her blunt nose against the glass panel. The terrier whined faintly in greeting while her short tail wagged furiously, and Benjamin bent as if to touch his nose to hers.
The group chuckled at the animals’ antics as Edna observed, “Not afraid of people and not scared of cats. What a sweet little dog.” Looking from Carol to Mary, she said, “Shall we all go in? There should be an old towel in the mudroom if someone wants to clean her up a little.”
Murder by Decay Page 5
