1 Bless Her Dead Little Heart (17 page)

D
ickce sped up again and hurried into the kitchen. She hoped like anything those spiders weren’t Benjy’s property. If they were, things could get ugly, because Benjy was the outsider in Rosabelle’s family. He would make a convenient scapegoat, even though Dickce knew Kanesha was far too smart to accept such a pat answer. Or to force evidence to fit it.

In the kitchen Dickce found Antoinette at the table by herself, drinking a diet soft drink. There was no sign of Benjy, Diesel, or Clementine.

Antoinette stood. “Are you ready for the coffee yet, Miss Dickce? I made a couple of pots and put them in the big urn. I figured I’d better wait to bring it until you or Miss An’gel came and asked for it.” She nodded to indicate the serving cart, laden with the urn and all necessary items for coffee service.

“Thank you, dear,” Dickce said. “Would you mind taking it to the parlor for me now? And can you tell me where Benjy is? I suspect your grandmother is out back smoking.”

“I’d be happy to,” Antoinette said. “Benjy took Diesel with him out to the garage apartment a while ago. And, yes, Gran is out smoking.” She grimaced. “I have tried and tried to get her to quit, but nothing works. Mama says that when Gran passes on, they’ll have to leave the casket open three days to let the smoke clear.” She grasped the handle of the serving cart and pushed it toward the door into the hall.

“Thanks.” Dickce smiled. She had heard that expression before, and in Clementine’s case, she reckoned it was appropriate.

She found the housekeeper in her usual spot on the back porch. She paused to tell Clementine that she had asked Antoinette to take the coffee to the parlor, then hurried across the back lawn and driveway to the garage. She opened the apartment door, stepped inside, and called up the stairs, “Benjy, are you up there?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he called back, and moments later he appeared at the top of the stairs, Diesel beside him. “Come on up. I won’t be long. I was just calling my friend in California, the one I told you about? He said he would keep Bert and Ernie. He’s been looking after them while I’m gone anyway.”

“That’s good,” Dickce said as she climbed up toward him. “Kanesha has started to question people one-on-one, and I decided to slip out for a few minutes. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Benjy stepped back, frowning, as Diesel rubbed himself against Dickce’s legs. “I’ll bet it’s about the rubber spiders, isn’t it? Antoinette told me about them and how they were all over the bathroom.”

“Yes, it is,” Dickce said. She walked over to the battered sofa and sat. She patted the space next to her. “Please, come sit with me.”

Benjy slowly complied with her request, and Diesel jumped up to occupy the space between them. He put his head in her lap and his back legs and tail across Benjy’s. Dickce absentmindedly began to scratch his head, her thoughts focused on the questions she had for Benjy.

“Did the deputy ask you about them?”

“No, she didn’t,” Benjy said. “I haven’t seen her. Right after Antoinette came back from upstairs and told me and her grandmother what happened, I brought Diesel out here. I had to get out of there.”

“I don’t blame you,” Dickce said. She knew Kanesha might be angry with her for talking to Benjy about the rubber spiders before she had a chance to do so officially, but Dickce would deal with that later. Right now she wanted to know whether Benjy was connected to them in any way.

“I know what you’re going to ask.” Benjy looked at her, and she could read the plea in his eyes. “I’m pretty sure those rubber spiders are mine. I bought a bag of them two or three years ago for Halloween. I was going to put them around the house as a joke, but then my mom told me about how scared Mrs. Pittman and her mother are of them. So I stuck them in the closet and forgot about them, like I did the water pistol.”

“Did anyone else know about the spiders?” Dickce asked.

Benjy frowned. “My mom told the Wart, and then he yelled at me in front of everybody about it. They all knew about them.”

“Thank you,” Dickce said. “Did you bring the spiders with you?”

“No,” Benjy said. “I’ll bet the Wart is telling everybody that I did it as a joke, but I didn’t. I swear I didn’t.”

Diesel, perhaps sensing the boy’s distress, shifted himself so that he could sit next to Benjy and rub his head against the boy’s shoulder. Benjy smiled briefly.

Dickce reached across the length of feline between them and squeezed the boy’s hand. “I know you didn’t, but Deputy Berry will have to ask you about them. You just tell her what you told me. You still haven’t told her about the water pistol?”

“No, ma’am,” he replied. “I really haven’t had a chance to, but I will as soon as I can.”

“Good.” Dickce rose. “Why don’t you and Diesel come back to the house with me now? You can stay in the kitchen, if you like, but it’s best to be close at hand when the deputy wants you.”

Benjy agreed to come with her, and the three of them set off for the house.

“I feel bad for Junior,” Benjy said. “He’s lost his mom now, too, but he got along with her most of the time better than I did with mine. It really bites.”

He sounded so forlorn, Dickce wanted to stop and hug him right then. Instead she said, “Losing your mother bites no matter how old you are and no matter how the two of you got along when she was with you. An’gel and I lost our mother quite a few years ago now, and there are very few days that go by that I don’t think about her and miss her.”

“How do you stand it, knowing you’re not going to see her again?” Benjy said. “I guess at least you’ve got your sister.”

“Yes, I’m lucky to have my sister,” Dickce said. “Having someone to share the memories of a loved one with means a lot, but even if you don’t have brothers or sisters, you can count on friends to help you through the rough times.”

Diesel warbled loudly as they climbed the steps to the back porch. Benjy paused to rub the cat’s head. When he spoke, his voice sounded thick with emotion. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have anyone much to count on.”

Dickce squeezed his shoulder gently. “I’m glad we can be friends.”

Benjy nodded and opened the door for her. Inside they found Clementine back at the stove, and Antoinette was at the oven basting the roast.

“Sure smells good,” Benjy said. Diesel chirped in agreement as he padded over to Antoinette. He sat at her feet and stared up at her. Antoinette grinned at him and shook her head to let him know he wasn’t getting any roast.

“Miss An’gel’s looking for you again, Miss Dickce,” Clementine said.

“Seems like An’gel’s always looking for me,” Dickce said. “Y’all excuse me. I’d better go see what she wants.”

When Dickce walked into the parlor, she noticed that Junior was still evidently with Kanesha, because everyone else was present. Wade was sitting in the outside corner of the room at the front of the house. Dickce wondered if that had been his own idea, or had Rosabelle suggested it? Either way it was probably just as well he stayed as far away from his mother as possible for the time being.

No one spoke upon her return, but An’gel motioned for her to take her former seat. As she did so, An’gel edged her own chair closer to Dickce’s.

“I presume you talked to Benjy.” An’gel spoke in a low tone.

“Yes,” Dickce said. She really didn’t want to discuss what Benjy told her right now. An’gel might get annoyed with her, and the last thing they needed was to have an argument here in front of Rosabelle and her family. An’gel was a bit hotheaded, and her temper might get the better of her.

“I’ll tell you all about it later,” Dickce whispered. She could tell her reluctance to talk didn’t sit well with her sister, but she refused to be drawn into conversation. It wouldn’t do An’gel’s temper any good, but she didn’t always need to get her way over everything.

The afternoon wore on, and once a person left to talk to Kanesha, he or she did not return. Bernice was called next after Junior, then Wade and Juanita. Rosabelle followed, and that left Antonio with An’gel and Dickce.

An’gel suddenly got up and went over to the sofa and took the spot Rosabelle had vacated moments before. Dickce wondered what her sister was up to.

“Have you decided whether you will stay here with us tonight?” An’gel asked. “I suddenly realized that you had no bags with you when you arrived. Nor did you appear to have a vehicle.”

Antonio smiled. “Ah, yes, I perhaps should have mentioned that I have a car and driver. We went first to the charming Farrington House when we arrived in Athena. I have reserved a room there because I was not certain, you understand, of my reception from my dear wife, even though she summoned me. She is a whimsical creature, but that is part of her charm.” He laughed. “Now that I know she really needs me, I of course will call the driver and have him bring what is necessary. He will remain at the hotel because I realize you do not have room for my man.”

“I’m afraid that’s correct,” An’gel said. “We would have to bed him down on the sofa in the library, but of course he would be welcome to do that if you prefer to have him near you.”

“No, no, that is not necessary,” Antonio said. “He will stay at the hotel.”

Was it her imagination, Dickce wondered, or did Antonio seem a little uneasy over the idea of having his manservant in the house?

A
n’gel wondered whether it was her imagination, or was Antonio protesting a bit too much about his manservant? What reason could he have for not wanting the man to stay here at Riverhill? True, it would be somewhat inconvenient in terms of sleeping arrangements, but on the other hand, having another able-bodied man in the house in case of trouble wouldn’t be a bad thing. Kanesha might prefer not to add a new person to the mix, she realized, and she decided to let the matter drop. Her curiosity over the manner of Antonio’s arrival was finally settled.

“Signor Mingione, would you come with me, please?”

An’gel turned to see a deputy standing nearby.

“If you will excuse me, ladies,” Antonio said with the flash of a smile. “Yes, Officer, I will come.”

“Miss Ducote,” the deputy said to An’gel, “Chief Deputy Berry asked me to let you know she’ll be ready to talk to you and your sister shortly.”

“Thank you,” An’gel replied. When he left the room, she noticed the deputy who had remained in the room all this time went with him. She motioned for Dickce to join her on the sofa.

“Now we can talk,” An’gel said. “Tell me about Benjy.”

“All right,” Dickce replied. “Here’s what he told me.” She gave An’gel the details about the rubber spiders and repeated Benjy’s denial that he had anything to do with frightening Maudine to death with them. “I believe him,” she concluded.

“I reckon I do, too,” An’gel said, “but it sure looks like someone is trying to implicate him in all this. He had no opportunity to squirt the water on the stairs, nor did Junior. Since neither of them could have set up the first accident, then I think we have to rule them out as being responsible for the second.”

“I agree,” Dickce said. “Who was the target, though? Rosabelle was insistent that she was the intended victim the first time, and then she said she is just as terrified of spiders as Maudine was.”

“I don’t know,” An’gel replied. “I keep going round and round with it, but I never come out with a clear answer. I found Wade’s accusation that Rosabelle is the murderer interesting. I have to confess I wondered myself if she wasn’t responsible.”

“Me, too,” Dickce said. “I wouldn’t put anything past her now, not after the displays we’ve seen. Wade might be right. What he said about his father’s will could be important.”

“Rosabelle told me that the trusts set up by her first and second husbands would dissolve with her death, and her three children would receive their shares to use as they see fit.” An’gel paused. “According to Wade, if one of the children dies before Rosabelle, that portion doesn’t pass to the grandchild and instead reverts to the estate.”

“And to Rosabelle,” Dickce said. “She does love money, but do you think she would really murder her own children to get it?”

“Let’s say she would. Why then would she want to murder Marla, her daughter-in-law? Marla would have no claim on the estate, even if she outlived Wade.”

“Out of spite?” Dickce said. “Or a trial run maybe?”

“Possibly,” An’gel replied. “But if Rosabelle died first, Wade would inherit his father’s money. Marla would benefit that way. And possibly Benjy as well, if he is in either Wade’s or Marla’s will.”

“That’s really pushing it,” Dickce said. “Think instead about Bernice and Juanita. With Maudine gone before Rosabelle, Bernice’s share doubles because Junior gets nothing. What about that?”

“If Bernice outlives her mother, then she inherits a considerable amount,” An’gel said. “Then Juanita inherits from her mother.”

“I wonder what Rosabelle could do with the money if all three of her children predeceased her?” Dickce said. “Would she be able to will it to anyone she chose, since the beneficiaries of the trust were dead?”

“It’s like a maze,” An’gel said. “So many potential routes to the answer. But which one is the right one?”

“If there’s another murder, that would give us a clearer picture,” Dickce said.

“Don’t say that, even in jest,” An’gel said sharply. “I can’t stand the thought of another murder in the house.”

“I know,” Dickce said contritely. “It is horrible, isn’t it?”

“I hope Kanesha figures this out soon. I want all these people out of our house, and I never want to see any of them again,” An’gel said. She glanced at her sister, expecting total agreement. Instead Dickce looked uneasy. “What is it?”

“Oh, nothing, really,” Dickce said. “I hope it’s over soon, too.”

An’gel wasn’t satisfied with that answer, but she knew that pressing Dickce about it wouldn’t get her anywhere. Dickce could be stubborn to the point of madness, and right now she didn’t have the energy to force the issue. She had a sneaking suspicion Dickce was hiding something from her, but whatever it was would have to wait.

She checked her watch. Nearly six o’clock. She’d told Clementine earlier they would eat at seven. The food would be ready, but would everyone want to sit down to dinner together after what happened this afternoon?

If they didn’t, she decided after brief reflection, they could fill their plates and take them to their rooms. She really didn’t care. It might even be less stressful for all of them. She didn’t relish another scene like the ones they had witnessed last night or today.

“Ladies, would you come with me now?”

Startled, An’gel realized the deputy had come to take them to Kanesha. “Of course.” She was more than ready.

She and Dickce followed the deputy across the hall to the library and took their seats in front of the desk. An’gel thought Kanesha looked frustrated and tired, much as she herself probably looked to the chief deputy.

“Have you made any progress?” An’gel asked.

“Hard to tell,” Kanesha replied. “Not a single one of them saw anything that is useful. From what they’ve told me, they all might as well be invisible once they get up on the second floor.” She shook her head. “I thought surely, if I took them through their movements, one of them at least might have seen one of the others coming out of a room, going into one. Anything that could give me a break in this case. But not a single thing.”

“Have you talked to Benjy Stephens yet?” Dickce asked, rather abruptly, An’gel thought.

Kanesha nodded. “Yes, ma’am, before I talked to Signor Mingione. He told me about the water pistol and the rubber spiders.”

“You’re not seriously considering him a suspect because they belonged to him, are you?”

An’gel thought her sister sounded militant all of a sudden, almost as if Benjy were her son instead of someone else’s. What was going on in Dickce’s head? And more important, in her heart?

“They do link him to both murders,” Kanesha said. She held up a hand as if to forestall another protest from Dickce. “I know it’s only circumstantial. According to Mr. Stephens, everyone knew about the water pistol and the rubber spiders. Everyone also had access to his room in California, and I see no reason to doubt that. I am sure he didn’t have the opportunity to go upstairs and set up the accident that killed his mother. I also strongly doubt that he had anything to do with putting those spiders in a towel for someone to find.”

“That’s good,” Dickce said. “He’s a nice boy, and I’m sure he has nothing to do with all this. He simply has the misfortune to be connected to an ill-fated family.”

An’gel thought that made Benjy sound like a Tybalt or a Mercutio, both of whom paid dearly for their membership in two feuding houses. She resisted the urge to snort at her sister’s hyperbole.

“So what’s next?” An’gel asked.

“My first concern is to stop another murder from happening,” Kanesha said.

“Do you really think there will be another attempt on Rosabelle?” An’gel said.

“It’s entirely possible,” Kanesha said. “I don’t think the murderer has achieved his complete purpose yet.”

“Does that mean you think Rosabelle is the intended victim?” Dickce asked.

“Eventually, yes,” Kanesha replied.

“What do you mean by that?” An’gel asked, startled.

Kanesha smiled grimly. “I’m almost certain that Mrs. Pittman was the intended victim today, and not her mother.”