Death of the Party (28 page)

For a few minutes, there was no sound but the scratching of his pen and the rustle of the pages as she read. She finished and looked up to meet his inquiring gaze.

“Have I forgotten anything?” He was somber.

Annie wanted to grip his shoulders and tell him he wasn't responsible for anything that had happened. It was Britt who had called everyone to Golden Silk. Max had warned against her plan, but she'd made it clear she intended to proceed with or without him. Who was to know what difference his presence and Annie's had made on the island? It was quite possible
that Max's immediate response to Everett's murder, his careful collection of evidence, and now his painstaking re-creation of the day's events might yet play a big role in solving both the new crime and the old.

He had done the best he could. But this wasn't the moment to try to free him from the burden of Everett's death.

Annie tapped the sheets into a neat pile. “It's all here. Everything.”

“And here's this.” He handed her another sheet.

Annie took it, read quickly:

CRITICAL FACTS AT A GLANCE

1. Britt Barlow admits removing a wire strung across the top of the stairs that caused Jeremiah Addison's fatal fall last year.
   
2. Everett Crenshaw saw Britt remove the wire.
   
3. He sent Britt a letter suggesting he felt compelled to notify the police.
   
4. In response, Britt invited Crenshaw and everyone else who was present when Jeremiah died to return to Golden Silk this weekend.
   
5. Britt hired Max Darling of Confidential Commissions to assist her in her efforts to discover who set the trap for Jeremiah.
   
6. Crenshaw revealed the true purpose of the gathering at dinner last night.
   
7. Several times both after dinner and at breakfast this morning Crenshaw suggested he was privy to more information than he had publicly revealed. It seems clear he knew the identity of Jeremiah's murderer and intended
   to use that information to his own advantage, but the murderer silenced him.
   
8. The shot that killed Everett Crenshaw was heard at approximately 10:30 a.m. by Britt Barlow, Annie Darling, and Max Darling.
   
9. Claimed location of weekend guests and employees at 10:30 a.m.:
   

Isabel Addison (Cabin 1)—En route to Cabin 7.

Millicent McRae (Cabin 2)—On path from her cabin to central pathway. (See attached drawing. Envision cabins on a clock face, Cabin 1 at 10 a.m. An outer path links the cabins in a circle. Individual paths, like spokes in a wheel, lead to the main path that bisects the circle.)

Nick McRae (Cabin 2)—On central pathway walking toward the beach.

Dana Addison (Cabin 4)—Searching for husband, cannot pinpoint location.

Jay Addison (Cabin 4)—At the northeast end of the island on the remains of a wrecked freighter.

Kim Kennedy (Cabin 5)—Taking a photograph in the living room of Harry Lyle's quarters. The timing device in the digital camera proves her presence there at the time Crenshaw was shot.

Gerald Gamble (Cabin 6)—In his cabin, completing his report on the weekend Jeremiah Addison died.

Craig Addison (Cabin 7)—Walking on the beach.

Lucinda Phillips—Cleaning Cabin 7 or en route to Cabin 6.

Harry Lyle—Disappeared from the island Friday night, taking the yacht The
Yellow
Kid and the ham radio.

• 10. A semiautomatic handgun, a Smith and Wesson .45 caliber, retrieved from bottom of lagoon. Dana Addison said she found the gun near the steps of their cabin (4) and threw it into the lagoon because the gun frightened her. She insists she had no knowledge of Crenshaw's death. Britt Barlow identified the gun as one that was stolen on Friday night from a locked desk drawer in the library.
  
• 11. Jay Addison stated he never saw Crenshaw after breakfast and knew nothing about the gun's presence at their cabin.
  
• 12. There was no trace in Crenshaw's cabin of the report he had been asked to write along with others about the weekend that Jeremiah Addison died. Serrated edges indicate pages had been removed from the legal pad found on the coffee table. (Britt Barlow had earlier delivered new legal pads to each cabin.) Moreover, material Everett had gathered about those present on the island was also missing.
  
• 13. A handgun (Colt .45, Lightweight Commander model, silver finish) was stolen from the room of Max Darling sometime between breakfast Saturday and Mrs. Darling's return to the room at approximately 10:45 a.m. Information gathered by Darling prior to arrival on the island was also taken. Neither the gun nor the papers have been found.
  

Annie placed the fact sheet on top of Max's summary. She gave him a rueful smile. “Everything's
there, but nothing points to the identity of the killer. It could be anyone.”

“Not quite. We're in the clear and so are Britt and Kim,” he said briskly. “That leaves Craig, Isabel, Jay, Dana, Millicent, Nick, Gerald, and Lucinda. Which one? We have to think about who they are as well as why each one wanted Jeremiah dead. Obviously Everett was killed because he threatened the murderer. We can't forget it all goes back to Jeremiah. Let's take Craig. His father ostensibly intended to groom him to take over the business. That obviously hadn't gone well. In fact, Jeremiah had publicly humiliated him. When you add this to the way Jeremiah treated his ex-wife, you had plenty of motive for Craig.”

Annie knew this was true and that these facts were why Craig's wife had suspected a struggle between father and son. She also knew what had happened since Everett's revelation about the wire at the top of the stairs. “Not Craig.” Annie spoke with certainty. “No one knows him better than Isabel. She says there's no way Craig would set a trap.”

Max slowly nodded. “That's exactly what Jay said. I heard Jay and Craig talking. Each one had suspected the other. But”—he looked skeptical—“if either one's guilty, he wouldn't admit it.”

“Jay had the strongest motive.” Annie knew that was true. “He's emotional enough to lose control of himself and kill somebody. But that's not what happened. Stringing a wire takes planning.”

Max leaned forward, his face eager. “So did shooting Everett. The gun was taken from the library sometime
during the night on Friday. That means both Jeremiah's and Everett's murders were planned.”

“I'd say Millicent McRae is a super planner.” Or was. Annie wondered if the artful politician would ever completely recover from the trauma of this weekend. “Next to Jay, I think she was the most emotionally bruised by Jeremiah. She'd do anything to try and save her marriage.”

“And how badly did Nick McRae want to avoid public disclosure of his wife's affair?” Max pulled the legal pad close, wrote swiftly.

Annie watched. “If you're listing them in order of likelihood, I'd put Isabel and Dana last. Isabel thought Craig was guilty all year. If she'd killed Jeremiah, she wouldn't have left Craig.”

Max shrugged. “Unless she couldn't deal with her guilt after it was done. As for Dana, she resented the way Jeremiah treated Jay and she was very bitter over their financial strain from taking care of Lorraine.”

Annie sighed. “Okay. I guess they have to stay on the list, but I'd put them at the bottom.”

“Along with Lucinda. There's never been any suggestion she had any reason to kill Jeremiah. That leaves Gerald. Jeremiah implied he was gay. Gerald was furious with him.” Max finished writing, then read aloud, “Suspects in order of probability on the basis of motive and personality and opportunity: Jay Addison, Millicent McRae, Nick McRae, Craig Addison, Gerald Gamble, Dana Addison, Isabel Addison, Lucinda Phillips.”

Annie heard the names and had a quick picture of each in her mind as she'd seen them downstairs—Lu
cinda's voice lifted in thankful song, Millicent and Nick obviously reconciled and thinking only of each other, Craig and Isabel subdued but radiating hope and peace, Jay clearly reassuring Dana, which suggested he expected suspicion but wasn't afraid, Dana uneasy but gaining confidence, Gerald immersed in the elegant, uplifting music.

“I don't believe it!” She was emphatic. “Max, I just saw them and there's no doubt they're all relieved. They're glad the Coast Guard is coming. All of them. I know it doesn't make sense, but I can't imagine a single one of them being the murderer.”

Max spread out his hands palms up. “We have to deal with facts, Annie.”

She wanted to disagree, but he was right. One of them. It had to be one of them…

The clock chimed the three-quarter hour. Max gathered up the papers, stood. His face was weary and troubled.

Annie pushed back her chair, rushed around the table, gave him a swift, hard hug. “Don't blame yourself,” she said softly. “You did your best.”

He rested his face against the top of her head. “Not good enough, honey.” He took a deep breath, stepped back. “Anyway, we've got plenty to give to the sheriff.” He frowned. “I want to be extra careful”—he jerked his head toward the tackle box sitting on the bed—“with the gun.” He glanced toward their suitcase and the carryall that had held his gun. The carryall lay where Annie had dropped it that morning when she turned it upside down to
be certain it was empty. “I doubt there are any fingerprints—”

Annie was sure the murderer had worn gloves. She felt a sudden chill. Only a few hours ago the murderer had entered their room, moved with purposeful steps, and taken not only Max's information about the suspects but the gun that should have served as their protection. Annie imagined a swift-moving figure, but there was no form and no face, only menace and danger. She pressed her lips together. There was no need now to be afraid. Help was on the way.

“—but there might be. I'll use a washcloth and put it in—” He paused, looked around the room. His face brightened. “—one of our pillowcases. I want to be sure all this stuff reaches the sheriff.” He glanced toward the dark windows, night pressing against them. “I don't expect an ambush between here and the dock, but it won't hurt to ask Loomis to help out. Between the two of us, everything should be safe enough.”

Annie grinned. “Do I get just a hint that you don't find me qualified for guard duty?”

Max grinned back. “You are not, thank God, six feet tall with muscles.”

Annie wasn't offended. Besides, she didn't want to touch the tackle box. That brought her way too close to a murder weapon. “He's down in the library with Britt. I'll get him.”

 

Annie again felt invisible when she reached the central hallway. She'd not been upstairs long but everyone remained where she'd last seen them, Kim bent over her work at the farthest table in the dining room, Millicent
and Nick in their chairs near the front door, the Addison brothers and their wives occupying twin alcoves in the drawing room, Gerald at the piano, now playing Cole Porter's “Night and Day.” Lucinda was likely still in the kitchen, completing preparations to serve their rescuers.

Annie felt amazingly carefree. She turned and walked toward the library. Heron House no longer held any threat or danger. Rescue was now certain. As soon as the Coast Guard launch arrived, Max's responsibility ended. Of course, she and Max would be called upon to report what they knew and everything they had observed, but they would no longer be responsible for anyone's safety. Max's summary contained every fact and supposition that could possibly aid in the investigation.

She was smiling when she reached the library door. As she lifted her hand to knock, the door moved inward a trace.

Loomis Mitchell's voice was very near. He had to be standing on the opposite side of the door, his hand on the knob. He'd opened the door that fraction.

Annie stepped back a pace, but she couldn't help hearing.

“Why didn't you call me when you got that letter?” Loomis sounded bewildered, forlorn. “For God's sake, Britt, how could you keep something like that from me? When I think of the things I've told you…I thought we'd come to an understanding. Maybe we hadn't put it in words, but I thought you and I would face things together, the good and the bad. But I guess not.”

“Loomis.” Britt's voice wavered. “Oh God, Loomis, I didn't want you to know. Can't you understand? I didn't want you to know what I'd done. But when I got that letter, I had to do something. Everett wanted money, of course.” Her tone was bitter. “It was such a smarmy letter, saying he'd been thinking about everything and he felt that he had to get in touch with the police, tell them what he'd seen. I had to respond, but I didn't want to involve you. I hoped I could see it through, figure out what had happened to Jeremiah, make it where you and I could be together and there wouldn't be anything that could come between us. If I'd paid him off, there would never have been an end to it.”

“Paid him?” Loomis was shocked.

“Oh, it was blackmail, pure and simple,” she said grimly. “I wasn't going to be blackmailed.”

“You should have called me.” The hurt was clear.

“I couldn't.” A chair scraped. Steps sounded. “I was ashamed.” Now her voice was near.

There was a long, strained pause. Loomis said suddenly, “Oh hell, Britt, I understand how it happened. Cissy was sick. You didn't want the place overrun with police. You bought her peace. I'd have done the same thing myself. And obviously you had to respond when you got that letter. But I don't think I'll ever understand why you did it without me. You should have known I'd have helped. If nothing else, I could have kept you from putting together this crazy scheme. I'd have insisted we go to the police, put everything out in the open. Instead, here you are with another death. Why didn't this detective you hired make it plain what kind of danger was involved?”

Annie bristled. She lifted her hand to rap on the door.