“Molly and her husband are with us. The receptionist is showing them the facility, they have an elderly uncle who may require your services soon. Molly’s husband is Luke Sullivan, the famous author.”
“How wonderful, I know Mr. Sullivan’s work well, I have several of his novels in my library at home.”
“You mean all two of his books, his third one was published this week, you must have an advanced copy,” said Alec with a knowing grin.
“It must be another Sullivan or another Luke, I have so much on my mind caring for the dear people of Maplewood Manor, I confused the name.”
Good save, thought Laura. This guy gives me the creeps. I can’t wait to get Mother out of here.
“Everything looks to be in order. I will have our attorney look over the papers and get back to you.”
“What’s to look over, a judge signed the paperwork,” said Laura.
“I’m sure Dr. Wilson is following procedure, dear. I know you are eager to have your mother home with you but we must be patient.”
Alec and Laura were warned that Dr. Wilson would try to delay the transfer. Alec’s attorney thought the doctor would hold off hoping to convince Alec he needed to finance his mother-in-law’s care.
“We’ll be back tomorrow, Dr. Wilson,” said Laura. “I hope there won’t be any more delays.”
Molly and Luke strolled through the village in Westbury. It reminded Molly of the main street in Evergreen with the colorful maple trees lining the street. Luke held Molly’s hand while the leaves fell to the ground. Fall was in the air on this late October day. They laughed at the Halloween decorations in the shop windows.
“Don’t you love this time of the year, Luke? There is a little nip in the air and I can almost smell cookies baking in the oven.”
“You smell fresh-baked cookies coming from the bakery across the street. I’m hungry, let’s go get one.”
They crossed the street and entered the bakery; the aroma made their mouths water.
“Hello,” came the voice of a woman in her early fifties, "would you like to try a sample of our butterscotch cookies, they are still warm from the oven?”
Molly and Luke ordered coffee and sat at the colorful parlor table in front of the window.
When the clerk brought them their coffee and cookies, she asked if they were new in town.
“I know most of the residents and you two don’t look familiar.”
“We are from the Hillsboro area,” Molly replied. “Our friend is transferring her mother from Maplewood Manor to a nursing home close to home.”
The clerk’s eyes opened wide. “Maplewood Manor? I’ve heard talk of that place, it’s good your friend’s mother is leaving there.”
“What have you heard?” asked Luke.
“Only that it caters to the rich and their families are parted with their money quickly. One of Westbury’s longtime residents had to sell his home to pay for his wife’s care after she was involved in a horrific accident some years ago.”
“Are you talking about the Abbott’s?” asked Molly.
“Yes, do you know them? Oh, my, is Laura Abbott your friend? We never knew what became of her. She was such a sweet girl. Her nanny often brought her to the bakery for a treat when her parents were out of town, which was most of the time.”
“Yes, Laura and her husband, Alec are our friends. Her father recently passed away and Laura is taking over her mother’s care.”
“I heard talk that Clinton Abbott was murdered but we often hear rumors that aren’t true around here. What a shame for little Laura. Not that her father or mother paid much attention to the girl. Do they know who killed him? They said he was shot, is that true?”
“Yes, it’s true. Laura had been estranged from her parents for several years. He was at her wedding but she didn’t see him until after the ceremony when he was found dead.”
Molly knew she was giving this woman more information than she needed but hoped it would prompt her to talk to others about the murder. Maybe someone would remember something suspicious and report it. Molly gave the clerk a card with her name and number and that of Detective Dylan Roth if anyone had anything to report.
The couples met later at the hotel.
“As we expected, Dr. Wilson has requested time to consult with his attorney. I’m glad I was warned that might happen, otherwise, I’d have raised a fuss,” said Laura.
“What you need is a night on the town,” said Molly. “Luke and I found a bar and grill a few blocks from here. Does a steak and some country music sound good to you?”
“It sounds wonderful, how about you Alec?”
“Let’s go,” Alec replied.
The bar was what most would consider a hole in the wall but it had a certain charm. The waitresses wore short skirts with fringe at the bottom and cowboy hats on their head.
“Hi, I’m Mandy, what can I get y’all to drink?”
Molly thought she needed a little more practice on her Texas drawl. “Mandy, you look familiar, don’t you work at Maplewood Manor?”
“Not anymore,” she replied. “I couldn’t wait to get out of that place. I’d rather wait on customers than deal with those people.”
“Did you find it unpleasant assisting the elderly?” asked Laura.
“Oh, no, I loved the residents, Dr. Wilson and the nursing staff are the reason I left. They act like they care about the people when the families are there but that ends the minute visiting hours are over.”
“Mandy, are the residents being abused?” asked Laura.
“No, not abused, mostly ignored. You’re Mrs. Abbott’s daughter, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I’m Laura Danforth and this is my husband, Alec.”
“I heard Dr. Wilson talking to the accounting clerk. He said something about the Danforth fortune would go a long way in paying for the brain dead old bat. I’m sorry, Mrs. Danforth, I shouldn’t have told you that.”
“That’s all right, Mandy, it’s something I needed to hear. We are in town to transfer my mother to another facility closer to my home. It sounds like we have come none too soon.”
Chapter Ten
Cassie was happy to be back in Evergreen looking out the window of the inn at the leaves falling gracefully from the trees. She could almost hear a song in her head about autumn leaves.
“Where did you go?” asked Mike, “you’re deep in thought.”
“There’s an old song about autumn leaves, I can’t remember the words but the melody keeps repeating in my head.”
Mike picked up his iPad and in an instant, the song sung by Nat King Cole was playing.
The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
Mike walked to the window and watched as the song continued:
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
He could smell the faint aroma of shampoo
in Cassie’s hair. He closed his eyes, listening to the music play.
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall
“That is a beautiful song, it makes me want to be in love,” Cassie said without thinking.
“You want to be in love with some bozo because you hear some sappy song? You sound like a teenager.”
“Spoken like a true cynic who has never been in love. For a minute there, I thought you were human. Shall we get to work?”
“Good idea.” Mike didn’t know what irked him about Cassandra Cross. He knew she came from a wealthy family but she didn’t flaunt her money. Sure, her clothes looked expensive. Mike didn’t know much about fashion but he could tell quality. He shook his head trying to ignore the way the light from the window caught the shine in her hair. “I’ll come clean with Jenny Caldwell. It means we must get a room in the motel down the road. Our expense account won’t cover the c
ost of an additional room in this place.”
“No, Mike, I don’t want to leave here. I know we’re working but this inn is so nice. I don’t mind sleeping on the sofa, it’s comfortable.”
“Greg Caldwell’s a good chef, I wouldn’t mind staying here myself. If Jenny agrees to let us stay, I’m good with it.” He thought about offering Cassie the bed but one look at the sofa and he knew he’d get no sleep on something so small.
Jenny Caldwell greeted Mike and Cassie when they approached the front desk.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Williamson, is everything satisfactory in your room?”
“The room is lovely, Jenny,” replied Cassie, “We hope you will let us continue our stay after Mike tells you of our deception.”
Mike grimaced at Cassie’s choice of words. “What Cassie means is that we aren’t Mike and Cassie Williamson.” Mike handed Jenny his business card. “My name is Mike Callahan, and this is Cassandra Cross. Our company is investigating a stolen jewelry claim against our client, Gillespie Insurance.”
“You’re working undercover? How exciting,” said Jenny. “I feel better knowing the reason you are here together. You weren’t convincing as a happily married couple.”
Mike laughed. “I guess it’s obvious we don’t like each other. This is the first time Cassie and I have worked together, and hopefully; it will be the last.”
Cassie nodded her head in agreement but couldn’t hide the slight twinge of pain she felt in the pit of her stomach at Mike’s words.
“May I ask who you are investigating or is it top secret?”
“No, the suspected thief was murdered on your property. We are hoping Clinton Abbott’s daughter, Laura has information leading to the stolen goods.”
“I can assure you, Laura Danforth would never be involved in a theft of jewelry or anything illegal. She is one of the nicest people in town. She’s had a double blow since her wedding day. Laura has been estranged from her parents for several years. On the day of her wedding, her father reappears and is shot dead before she can speak to him. Then she finds out her mother is suffering from severe brain damage caused by an accident and is lying defenseless in a nursing home. Now you are saying she had something to do with a robbery. It’s impossible.”
“I didn’t say your friend was involved in the theft. I mean she may knowingly or unknowingly have information about where the jewelry can be found. Cassie and I would like to talk to her but she is out of town. It seems strange she disappears each time we have been in Evergreen.”
“Mike is not accusing Mrs. Danforth of any wrongdoing,” said Cassie. “We would like to talk to her about her father, do you know when she will return to Evergreen?”
Jenny found Cassie to be more reasonable than her partner. Mike reminded her of one of those hard-nosed cops portrayed in the movies. She expected him to say just the facts ma’am at any moment.
“I don’t think they have a scheduled return date. Brooke Kincaid would have a better idea, they flew to Westbury on her husband’s company plane. Brooke is Molly Ryan’s best friend. Molly and her husband Luke are with Laura and Alec. If anyone can discover who killed Mr. Abbott, it’s Molly Ryan.”
“Travis Kincaid the billionaire? Is everyone in Evergreen part of the so-called one percent?”
Jenny laughed. “Hardly,” she said, “I can show you our books to prove it. No, we are working class and those who have more money than others do good with what they have. Travis Kincaid is responsible for our community. He built Evergreen from nothing but vacant land. He made certain the housing was affordable for everyone who lives here. They say he is no longer a billionaire, thanks to his generosity. Alec Danforth is down to earth. His life hasn’t been easy, but he has Laura now. Don’t judge people you don’t know because they have money.”
Mike scoffed at the idea these people were normal Joes. Any interaction he had with rich folk always left a bad taste in his mouth. He knew Cassie’s family had money from reading her profile. If he hadn’t known she was wealthy, he’d have been fooled by her normalcy. He told himself to stop dwelling on Cassandra Cross, they’d finish investigating the case and she’d be out of his life. Why wasn’t he looking forward to the day he could bid her a fond farewell?
“Mike, where did you go?” asked Cassie. “Did you hear Jenny? Travis Kincaid’s daughter found Clinton Abbott’s body the day of the murder. The little girl thought the man was sleeping and told her daddy to wake him up because he was missing his dinner. Isn’t that sweet? Jenny is calling Mr. Kincaid to arrange a time for us to meet with him.”
“That’s great, Jenny, I’m sorry I zoned out there for a minute,” he replied trying to regain his composure.
Travis agreed to meet with them at his house. He had an office there because he enjoyed being close to Brooke and their children.
Mike and Cassie drove to the house. Mike noted it was a nice home but hardly the mansion he’d expected of the head of Kincaid Enterprises.
They were greeted by a floppy eared dog and a young girl and boy racing to open the door.
“Hi, I’m Lucy Kincaid, this is my brother Ryan and our dog, Max. Our mom is taking us to get our hair cut because she says we’re getting to be as shaggy as Max. Isn’t that silly?” while Ryan looked up at the tall man in front of him. “Are you a giant?” Ryan asked.
“Fee-fi-fo-fum,” Mike said in his deepest voice as Ryan backed away.
“Pay no attention to him, Ryan. He’s not a scary giant, he likes little boys and girls.” Cassie glared at Mike for frightening the boy.
“Hi, you must be the folks investigating the incident at Coventry Hill Inn. Travis is expecting you. He had to take a phone call but he’ll be out in a minute. Please have a seat in the family room, there’s coffee on the kitchen counter, help yourselves.”
Brooke and the children were out the door. Max led them to the family room and took his spot by the fireplace.
Mike and Cassie sat on chairs across from each other.
“Can you believe it?” asked Mike. “Not a butler or maid in sight. What kind of rich people are these?”
“Hello, I’m Travis Kincaid, I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”
Mike and Cassie introduced themselves. Mike asked Travis what he knew about Clinton Abbott.
“I’d never heard the man’s name before Laura Abbott recognized him as her estranged father. My wife, Brooke talked about Laura’s parents being jet-setters and leaving Laura alone with servants when she was a kid. I never knew the reason for the estrangement but Brooke said it had something to do with Laura being a school teacher; it makes no sense.
“I’m sure you aren’t interested in my opinion of Clinton Abbott’s parenting skills. What can I help you with?”
“Clinton Abbott is suspected of making off with a small fortune in jewelry from an insured of our client. We were hoping you could give us some information about what Mr. Abbott had on his person at the time of his death.”
“Wow, that’s a good question. I was so concerned about my daughter finding out the man was dead, not sleeping, I didn’t pay much attention. When the paramedics arrived, I backed off. If he was carrying any kind of package, I didn’t see it.”
“We were thinking of a key to a safe deposit box, something like that.”
“I know the police gave Laura his wallet. I don’t know what was in there. I suppose it’s possible a key could have been stashed inside. Have you talked to Laura about this?”
“We’ve missed her, she’s been in Evergreen when we have been in Westbury and she’s been in Westbury when we’ve been here.”
“Yes, she is arranging her mother’s transfer to a nursing facility close to Evergreen. She should return in the next few days.”
“Thank you, Mr. Kincaid, you have been helpful. I’d like to look at the wallet, but that must wait until Mrs. Danforth’s return.
“They tell me you are responsible for this little community,” said Mike.
“I can’t take all the credit; it was
the vision of several people. It has turned out much better than I ever imagined.”
“It seems like a nice place to settle down when the time comes.”
“Office space is available on the main street. If you want to talk about leasing a storefront or apartment, let me know.”
Cassie tried to hide the surprise she felt that Michael Callahan would consider living in a conventional place like this.
Chapter Eleven
“Molly, I don’t want to wait any longer to get Mother out of that place. After what Mandy told us last night, I can’t let her stay there. I never thought my father was an easy man to fool, but he seems to have been taken in by Dr. Wilson. I can’t believe Mother’s nurse, Angela, is part of a swindle, she seemed so nice. I guess I’m as easily fooled as my father.”
“Laura, you don’t know if Mandy was being honest, she might be a disgruntled employee. Her perception of the residents’ lack of care could be wrong. Don’t beat yourself up, if they fooled you, they fooled us.”
Alec arranged for an ambulance to take Glenda to the waiting airplane. A reputable nursing home was expecting their new resident to arrive before the end of the day.
Molly couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her bones. Something about Maplewood Manor didn’t feel right. Laura arranged for a specialist to meet them at the nursing home. Molly hoped he would order blood tests for the woman to eliminate the possibility of harmful drugs in her system. It would answer many questions. Molly didn’t know much about head injuries but it seemed Mrs. Abbott should have shown improvement in the four years she’d been at the facility. Luke, a former newspaper reporter who had done several pieces on head injuries, came to the same conclusion.
“Molly, I think Laura should talk to a specialist about her mother’s condition. It seems the only therapy the poor lady gets is a ride around the grounds in a wheelchair.”
Murder at Coventry Hill Inn Page 5
