The Stone of Sadness (An Olivia Miller Mystery Book 3) (23 page)

The old woman looked confused for a moment. “What?”

“You said you saw Kenny.”

“Yes.”

Where?”

“In Boston.”

“When?”

“The day the Monahans were killed.”

“You saw him in Boston that day? How?” Olivia asked.

“I saw him from the window of the hair salon we frequented. He was on his motorcycle, parked on the side of the street,” Mrs. Bradford said.

“What was he doing?”

“Nothing. He was just sitting there.”

“What time was it? Do you remember?”

“Of course, I remember. Even though my body has betrayed me, Olivia, I still have my faculties, you know.”

“What time was it?”

“It was three o’clock.”

“How can you possibly remember that? It was forty years ago.”

“My friend and I met in Boston weekly. Every Tuesday. We had standing appointments at the salon. At three o’clock. We had our hair done, then we would go shopping, and after that, we would have dinner.”

Olivia stared at her. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “If you saw him at three o’clock, it would be impossible for him to have made it back to Howland in time to kill them.”

“Not impossible.”

“No? What did he do? Drive ninety miles an hour on that old motorbike of his?”

“How do I know?”

“Did you tell the police you saw him?”

“I did not.”

Olivia’s eyes went wide. “Why, not?”

Mrs. Bradford sniffed. “They didn’t ask.”

“This is ridiculous. You have information that confirms Kenny’s whereabouts. You’re withholding vital information.”

“What if I was wrong?”

“You seemed pretty certain a moment ago. Why didn’t you tell the police?” Olivia asked.

“How did I know if he was able to get back to Howland in time to kill them?” She batted at the air with her bony hands. “No one cared about him. He was inconsequential. If he didn’t kill them, he would have committed some crime in the future. He was useless, ruined by that drunk of a father. If he was arrested and locked up, it would have been best for society.”

“You mean it would have been best for your family,” Olivia said.

“Don’t accuse me of wrongdoing. I take care of my family. I wanted him out of our lives,” she sneered.

“So, the hell with him? Let him rot in prison for a crime he didn’t commit?” Olivia said. “You can’t be judge and jury.”

Mrs. Bradford collected herself. “None of this matters, my dear. The man’s DNA was found at the crime scene. Somehow he found a way to get back to Howland in time.”

Olivia was fuming. “Innocent until proven guilty.”

“True,” Mrs. Bradford said. “It is also true that it shouldn’t take the prosecutors very long to put Overman away.”

“You need to tell the police that you saw him.”

“I will not.”

“Then I’ll tell them what you told me.”

“Do what you must, Olivia, but I will deny it. Besides, what jury would believe the rantings of an old woman?” She smiled sweetly. “Now, may we continue our drive to my home?”

“Get out.” Olivia spit the words out. “Get out of my car and walk home.”

Mrs. Bradford turned to look at Olivia with wide eyes, incredulous that Olivia would leave an infirm elderly woman alone on the side of a country road, miles from her home.

“What do I care what happens to you?” Olivia said.

The old woman opened her mouth, horrified.

“Don’t worry,” Olivia said pushing on the gas pedal and edging back into the street. “Unlike
you
, I wouldn’t abandon someone.”

Neither one spoke for the remainder of the ride to the Bradford home. Olivia pulled into the long driveway and stopped at the front door of the mansion. She got out, her face like stone, and walked around to the passenger side of her car. She opened the door to assist Mrs. Bradford.

Angela burst through the front door of the home with Mrs. Bradford’s assistant trailing at her heels.

“Mother, for God’s sake.” Angela stood next to Olivia and reached into the car to take her mother’s arm.

Not waiting for a reply from her mother, Angela turned to Olivia. “Thank you for bringing her home. Where did you find her?”

“I
am
able to speak, you know, Angela,” Mrs. Bradford said. “You can ask me the question.”

She pulled her arms away from Olivia and Angela, adjusted her cane and started to move slowly towards the front door. The women exchanged looks and Angela sighed.

Mrs. Bradford continued, “I was at the doctor’s office.”

“Lindsey got a call from the doctor’s office saying you would not allow a blood test and that you had left the building. When Lindsey arrived, you were gone. You can imagine how upset she was when she couldn’t find you,” Angela scolded.

Mrs. Bradford gave Lindsey a wilting look. “No, I can’t imagine how upset she was.”

“I was leaving the pharmacy and saw your mother sitting on the bench there. I offered her a ride home,” Olivia told her.

Angela touched Olivia’s arm. “Thank you. I was becoming frantic. ”

“Oh, Angela, how dramatic,” Mrs. Bradford scoffed. Lindsey was helping her up the front steps.

“Hold on. You need to return to the doctor’s for that blood test,” Angela said.

“I will not,” Mrs. Bradford said.

“In fact you have to go right now,” Angela told her. “Lindsey will take you back.”

Mrs. Bradford glared at Angela.

“Your prescriptions have run out and they won’t refill them without the blood test.”

It was quiet for a minute while the Bradford women exchanged stern looks. Lindsey broke the silence.

“I’ll help you to my car, Mrs. Bradford. We’ll be back before you know it.” Lindsey took the old woman’s arm and steered her to the car. When Mrs. Bradford was ushered into the front passenger seat and the door was shut, Angela turned to Olivia.

“She will be the death of me. She becomes more belligerent every day.”

Olivia didn’t tell Angela just how belligerent Mrs. Bradford had been in the car when she refused to tell the police about Kenny Overman’s whereabouts forty years ago.

“Won’t you come in, Olivia? There’s iced tea in the refrigerator.”

Olivia started to protest but Angela cut her off. “Please. It would be nice to sit and chat with someone who isn’t always so negative and pessimistic.”

“Okay. Iced tea would be nice.” They walked into the foyer of the mansion, down the hall, and into the kitchen.

“I shouldn’t speak ill of mother,” Angela said. “The effects of aging are quite a struggle for a woman who was once so active and involved.” She removed two tall glasses from the cabinet, filled them with ice and poured the tea over the cubes. She handed a glass to Olivia.

“Let’s sit outside on the terrace,” Angela suggested.

When they were comfortably settled in the chairs overlooking the pool, Olivia spoke.

“Angela, on the drive over here with your mother she told me something that disturbed me.”

“What on earth was it?” Angela asked, her face lined with tension.

Olivia put her glass on the side table. “Years ago, did your mother go into Boston every week with a friend?”

Angela’s face relaxed. “Yes, she did. She and her friend, Pauline, would meet in town every week. They would get their hair done, then shop and have dinner. Mother would return around 8:30 or 9 at night. Woe to anyone who tried to interfere with that standing date.” Angela chuckled and took a sip from her glass.

“Is Pauline still alive?” Olivia asked.

“No, she isn’t. She passed away about ten years ago. Mother and Pauline continued to meet in the city each week until Pauline got sick. Why do you ask? Did mother mention Pauline?”

“Not by name. She mentioned a friend she met in Boston each week,” Olivia answered.

“What did she say that disturbed you?”

Olivia didn’t reply right away, weighing what she wanted to say.

“Your mother told me she was in Boston on the day my cousins were murdered.”

“Did she? It must have been a Tuesday then. Tuesday was the day she met Pauline each week.”

“Do you remember the day? What you were doing that day?” Olivia asked.

Angela looked surprised at the question.

“Yes, I remember some of the day. I was here in the afternoon. It was hot. My son and I came over to use the pool. He was only two at the time, but he loved the water.” She smiled wistfully.

“Who else was here when you were swimming?” Olivia asked.

“No one. We had the house to ourselves. Mother had gone into Boston and dad was at work.”

“Where was your sister?” Olivia asked.

“She wasn’t here.” Angela paused. “Oh, she went to New York City that day.”

“Alone?”

Angela nodded. “Overman was supposed to go with her, but he backed out at the last minute.”

“Do you know when Emily got home that day?”

“No, I don’t. I wasn’t here when Emily got home. I took my son back to our house for a nap.” Angela’s face clouded over. “But mother and Emily had that altercation that evening. You remember mother told you about the fireplace incident when you were here last?”

Olivia nodded.

“Pauline took ill that afternoon. Mother came home earlier than usual. Emily was here when mother arrived. I’m not sure what time it was. But it had to be before 8:30 at night.”

“Could you make a guess about the time?”

“Mother said she hadn’t had dinner with Pauline. She said that Pauline felt ill while they were shopping. Their dinner would often last about two hours. Driving home usually takes about thirty-five minutes but if Mother left before dinner she would have hit the commuter traffic, so it would have taken her longer to get home. I don’t know. Maybe six or six-thirty that evening? Why don’t you ask mother?”

“I will,” Olivia said.

“Does the time matter?” Angela asked.

“I don’t know what matters,” Olivia said. “When your mother arrived home, Emily was here, standing at the fireplace?”

Angela nodded. “That’s what she told me.”

“It takes about four hours to get to New York by bus,” Olivia said. “Emily would have had to leave the city before 2pm to have arrived home before your mother returned from Boston. Emily didn’t spend much of the day in New York.”

“I don’t know. She left here early that day. I think the bus was at 8am or something. I remember because Emily had been complaining about having to get up so early to get the bus.” Angela smiled and shook her head. “But that was nothing new. Emily was always complaining about something.” She took another sip of her iced tea. “But what was it that mother said that disturbed you, Olivia?” Angela asked.

“Your mother said she saw Kenny Overman in Boston that day.”

“Did she?”

Olivia nodded.

“I didn’t know this,” Angela said. “I never heard that mother saw Overman in the city.”

“She didn’t tell the police,” Olivia said.

Angela’s eyes widened.

“She won’t tell them now either.”

“Why, on earth, not?” Angela asked.

Olivia shrugged. “Back then, I guess, she thought it would be best for society if he was locked up.”

Angela groaned and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she asked, “Why won’t she tell the police now?”

“I suppose she feels the same way.”

“Oh, no,” Angela said. “I’ll talk to her. She can’t withhold information.”

“You know that Kenny was taken into custody?” Olivia asked.

“I saw the news, yes,” Angela answered. “Are you relieved, Olivia? That the killer has been caught?”

Olivia shifted her gaze out over the pool. “No. I’m not.”

“But now the case will be solved. Isn’t that what you wanted?” Angela spoke softly.

“Your mother said that she saw Overman in Boston around three.”

Angela looked questioning.

“I don’t believe he could have gotten back to Howland in time to kill my cousins.”

Angela looked pensive. “But he must have returned to Howland in time since his DNA was found at the scene. The Monahans were killed between 3:00 and 4:00pm. He could have made it back. Or maybe mother was mistaken about seeing him in Boston.”

“Kenny came to see me not long ago,” Olivia said.

Angela leaned forward. “He did?”

“He told me his side of things.” Olivia paused. “I don’t believe he did it.”

“But. But his DNA.”

“I know. I know.” Olivia passed her hand over her forehead. “I don’t know, Angela.” Olivia shook her head. “He didn’t do it.”

“He must have done it, Olivia.”

Olivia met Angela’s eyes and shook her head. “This is a big mess. It’s my fault. I should have left it alone. Now an innocent man is going to go to jail.” Olivia’s eyes misted over.

“Olivia, Overman could be charming…persuasive. When he talked to you…”

“No. I believe him.”

“I heard Overman is out on bail,” Angela said.

Olivia nodded and slumped against the chair back. “I wish there was something I could do to help.”

“Maybe you’ll think of something.” Angela tried to be encouraging.

They sat in silence for a minute.

“Did you ever ask your sister about the fight she had at the fireplace with your mother?” Olivia asked.

Angela looked down at her hands. “Mother called me that night…after the fight. She was beside herself. I drove over after our phone conversation. She wanted to talk. When I pulled up the driveway and approached the garages, my headlights caught Emily’s car parked in front of one of the bays. The windows were steamed up.” Angela cleared her throat. “Emily and Overman were in the car having sex. I was livid. First, Emily hits mother and then has the nerve to have sex with Overman right outside the front door of the house.” Angela shook her head. “She was so disrespectful. I’m sure she hoped that mother or dad would find her out there with Overman.” She took a sip of her tea. “I parked my car on the far side of the parking pad away from Emily’s car. I got out and when I reached the portico of the house, Overman slammed the back door of Emily’s car, got on his motorcycle and rode away. I went inside and went to the kitchen looking for mother. I heard Emily come in the front door and go upstairs.”

“Did you speak with your mother?”

“Eventually. She was in the shower. I was furious with Emily so I went up to her room. The door was closed. I knocked. I asked her to let me in. I didn’t let on how angry I was. I was all sweet and gentle. Emily opened the door and let me in. I told her that mother called me and asked me to come over. I played dumb. I ignored the fact that I knew she and Overman were in the back seat of the car together. I asked what had happened with mother. Emily put on a show…yelling…blamed mother for the argument. She said mother hit her so she hit her back and mother fell and smacked her head. It was an accident that she fell. She didn’t intend to push her that hard. She said the parents were smothering her, never trusted her, treated her like a child.”