Organized for Murder (22 page)

"Okay, Meg said you both finished the parlor after I left for the funeral yesterday." Kate placed bottles of juice and tea in the refrigerator. She watched Valerie lean the cardboard against the counter. "How about we move across the hall and work up the dining room next?"

Meg shook her head as she pulled a thermos from the bag, and poured herself a cup of black coffee. "I understand your organizational mind wants to work the floor plan in some order, Katie, but why don't we do the study first? It's as chaotic as the parlor, and once we get the room inventoried the rest of the first floor will almost be a breeze."

"I think 'a breeze' might be a bit of a stretch." Valerie laughed.

"Hey! I added the 'almost' qualifier. The real challenge, of course, will be those upstairs rooms."

Kate felt a tickle of apprehension at the mention of the upstairs but hid her trepidation. "I guess your plan sounds workable. Okay with you, Valerie?"

Valerie produced a perfect, disdainful shoulder roll shrug. "Like it really matters what I think."

Meg cocked an eyebrow and planted a hand on her hip. Kate recognized a zinger was coming, but letting a war of words erupt offered little productivity. Valerie acted offended at not being included in Kate and Meg's friendship, like a teenager left out of the in-crowd.

When Meg opened her mouth to respond, Kate cut her off with, "We all agree. Great. We'll move on to the study."

True to the description, the study was every bit as disastrous as the parlor. Kate assembled one of the boxes, placing it near the desk. On the wall behind were almost life-sized framed portraits of Amelia and Daniel. Hers seemed extra illuminated by all the diamonds she wore against her robin's egg blue gown. Daniel's captured a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, belying the staid three-piece dark suit, and traditional gold and onyx signet ring on his right hand.

"What are you doing?" Valerie asked.

"Preparing to store any papers. I don't want to be responsible for losing anything important. This afternoon I'll take everything to the lawyer's office for safe keeping."

"You and Meg already planned to work in here." Valerie's tone was accusatory. "That's why you brought those boxes today. I guess the whole question thing in the kitchen was one big charade, huh? Another joke on Valerie."

Kate felt her blood pressure rising. "No. I brought the extra boxes in case I needed them. Just as I'll bring more boxes tomorrow, and the next day, and each subsequent day until we're done with this job. One last time, do you want to continue working with us, or do you want to act like an adolescent?"

"I want to know where I stand." Valerie crossed her arms and tapped a foot.

"You're a contract employee of Stacked in Your Favor," Kate replied, wondering if Valerie's fit of pique was a new ruse she and Sophia had cooked up to aid in the spying activities, possibly engineered to divide and conquer. "You're working per the contract you signed. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm only going to ask one more time, what is it going to be?"

Valerie picked up her purse and stalked out the door.

*

With their least productive employee gone, Kate and Meg settled into a quiet partnership. Kate wasn't sure how they could get the whole job done, and she could tell by the crease between Meg's eyebrows that her friend was worrying along the same lines, but there was no reason to stop working on the study. There wasn't anything in the room they couldn't identify, which had been one of the key attractions to hiring Sophia's little mole.

"Of course, Valerie must renew her regular connection with the dark one," Meg snarked. "As a last resort we can accept Charles Webster Walker's offer for loan of his law clerk."

"Or quit, and forget access to the mansion," Kate replied. "If we're bound by the contract, that means Valerie is, too. Right?"

"Let's wait and see if we want her to be. Litigation may be less stressful than her working with us."

The cameras were in place and recording every movement. Meg had taken the opportunity while Kate was at the funeral to 'inventory' the box and the fan as if they were simply items found in the parlor. Kate planned to mention them to Walker later, implying Amelia brought the items downstairs instead of them going missing, and let him deal with Sophia.

In the study, bookshelves towered along one wall, and the mahogany desk called to Kate like a siren's song. She couldn't wait to open its deep drawers. First, however, they studied the scattered collections of children's toys, some strewn and others meticulously displayed along the room's perimeter. This included dollhouses depicting various countries and decades, all quite old and valuable.

"Dollhouses, die-cast trucks, and half-sized, non-working stringed musical instruments." Meg surveyed the widespread assortment. "Now what?"

Where to start? Kate stood in the middle of the room, on the muted rose-patterned carpet, and did a complete three-sixty. "Beats me."

"Well, you're the expert." Meg flashed a grin.

"Don't even go there." She pointed at the computer. "Get that laptop up and running. Pronto."

"Yes, boss." Meg's grin grew bigger. She placed the computer in the middle of the desk and took a seat in the green leather chair.

"We'll start with the dollhouses." Something about the structures seemed wrong to Kate, but she couldn't decide what. She stared for several seconds at a trio beneath one of the leaded windows before the incongruity came to her. To be sure, she leaned over to get a better view through the back of each before speaking. "How strange. There aren't any dolls. Just…well…stuff."

"Huh?" Meg got up and walked over. "There aren't any figures, are there?" She twisted around the pagoda and the country house, rattling their contents. "Whoever heard of a dollhouse without a doll family?"

"Definitely weird," Kate replied. "Kind of like this place now."

That's when they heard the front door open and close.

"I thought you locked up again after Valerie left," Meg whispered.

"I did, and reset the alarm." Kate pulled a cell phone from her purse to call 9-1-1. Then she smelled Chanel No. 5, and dropped the phone into her pocket. "Don't worry, it's Sophia. But how did she get the new code?"

"Valerie either read the note Meeks gave you or watched you key the number in this morning," Meg replied. "Shows she reports regularly."

Kate nodded. "We must be high on Sophia's priority list. Valerie was beside me last night when he gave me the number. But it was so quick. She could only have caught a flash of the code."

"Some spies are highly trained." Meg chuckled. "But I think in her case we can chalk the unprecedented success rate up to a highly developed nosiness gene."

A moment later, Sophia stood in the doorway. "What are you doing in here?"

"Our job," Meg replied, oozing sarcasm.

"Aren't we the clever one today?" Sophia took two steps closer, reaching out to tap Meg's cheek. "I meant this room. I expected you to start
organizing
all the clutter upstairs."

"We'll be
inventorying
the upstairs next," Kate clarified.

Sophia sighed and pulled a vintage-styled alligator bag up to rest in the crook of her elbow. "Well, I'd love to trade little witticisms with you, my darlings, but I have far too many things to accomplish this beautiful day. I'm here to pick up Daddy's coin collection. He always said the coins come to me, you know."

A wave of perfume followed as she crossed to the desk and opened a lower drawer.

"Hey, missy, you can't take that!" Meg stomped across the room and snatched away the large metal case that appeared out from the depths.

The action took Sophia aback for only a moment. She grabbed one end and tried to wrestle the collection from Meg. Through clenched teeth, she said, "You will let go."

"Not a chance." Meg's face was redder than her hair. "Kate, call the police."

"Police?" Sophia's expression mixed complete disbelief with the effort of the struggle. The next instant she caught a foot around Meg's ankle and the redhead went down in a heap, allowing Sophia to gain complete possession of the heavy case. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Why you—" Meg grabbed a harmonica from a nearby lamp table, and aimed for Sophia's head.

"Stop," Kate cried. The two adversaries turned toward the sound of her voice. "Sophia, Meg is right. I can't let you take anything—"

"I
can
extract whatever is mine from this house, and you
will
end all of this silly discussion about telephoning the authorities." Sophia circled around the far side of the desk, to avoid further contact with Meg.

Kate closed the door and blocked the brass knob with her body. "Okay, but you have to sign a receipt stating you took the coin collection. I must have proof. I won't be held responsible."

"What makes you think I would even consider doing such a thing?"

Meg joined Kate at the door. "Because the surveillance camera is recording this entire incident, and you'll look like you're trying to pull a fast one otherwise."

The smirk disappeared. "What surveillance camera?"

Kate pointed to the corner where Meeks' little mechanical wonder arced back and forth, documenting every action the shiny lens witnessed. Sophia's jaw dropped.

"Daddy never put a camera in here."

"No, we did," Kate said.

"On whose authority?"

"Your family's attorney," Meg replied, leaning casually against the wooden door, as if to emphasize the shift in power.

"So, are you going to sign a receipt for the coin collection?" Kate asked. "Or do you want to chance looking like a thief, and give your siblings a video record to use against you in court?"

"But they're mine." Sophia hugged the silver case. Her words held pain and bitterness. "If that damned Amelia hadn't decided she had to take her stupid Washington trip and tire Daddy out with her last party, these coins would still be his. Now, though, they're mine. He promised."

"And I'm sure you'll hear Mr. Walker confirm that when the will is read tomorrow," Kate said. "Until then, however, I need a receipt for any item removed from this house."

Sophia worried her lower lip with her teeth, and the alligator bag slipped back down her arm. While Valerie's bag was good faux, Kate had no doubt Sophia's was the real deal.

Probably wrestled the beast to its end by herself.

Deepening the frown on her face, Sophia shoved the coin case toward them. "Oh, here, just take them back. But if Mummy forgot and gives the coins to one of the men, I'll hold the two of you responsible."

"How—" Meg started.

Kate held up a hand to interrupt her, while accepting the case with the other. "Fine, I'll put the case with the papers from the desk. I'm taking everything to the attorney's office later today for safekeeping."

"Okay, I—" Suddenly, Sophia's hazel eyes grew wide, and she pivoted on her three-inch heels. "Where's Ms. James?"

"Valerie…" Kate paused, trying to decide how to word what had occurred earlier. "Let's just say she no longer wanted to work with us."

"Preposterous. She's supposed to—" Sophia stopped, her jaw snapping shut.

"Valerie's probably been trying to reach you," Meg drawled, crossing her arms. "To see what she should do next."

A flash of alarm crossed Sophia's face, but she recovered quickly. "Why would she do that?"

"Because she's your—" Meg began.

"Your design expert," Kate finished. "If Valerie's decided not to work here anymore, we thought she would want to spend more time working on the job she's doing for you."

Sophia glared at them. "I've been in meetings all morning." She pulled a phone from her purse. "I haven't had a chance to check my messages, but perhaps I should see if Ms. James wanted to meet with me about…about the work at my home."

She put the cell phone to her ear, then immediately returned it to her bag. "On second thought, talking to her in person might be more expedient. Make for a more fruitful discussion when we discuss the…project…if we are face-to-face."

"Or two-faced to two-faced," Meg muttered. She stepped away so Kate could open the door.

"What did you say?" Sophia demanded.

Before Meg could reply, Kate said, "Nothing. She simply offered a lunch option." Turning to Meg, she added, "Yes, tuna fish sandwiches at the Book Nook is a wonderful idea."

Sophia's eyes narrowed as she swooshed out in another perfumed haze, but the final look she shot their way said she wasn't buying Kate's lunch story.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

STACKED IN YOUR FAVOR

KATE MCKENZIE, PRES.

PROJECT ASSIGNMENT FOR
Wed. Evening, April 14th

Get materials ready for tomorrow's presentation. Saree expects a lot of working women juggling kids and jobs. Make up tip sheet on how to find time, something like:
1) Sign up with news sources for email reports & get all news in one place or via a home page.

2) Order prescriptions online or ahead by phone, and avoid pharmacy wait times at pickup.

3) For any shopping, call ahead to check stock and order groceries online then pick up at store.

4) Screen calls. Don't be afraid to nicely tell people you're too busy to talk.

5) Sign up for automatic bill payment.

Maybe call this "Top 5 Ways to Make Time in the Day." Or add two more for "Seven Ways to Save Time & Sanity," adding ways to energize as well as save time. Like—
6) Combine exercise with errands, wear pedometer & walk to stores & appointments.

7) Avoid clock-watching stress. Set a timer when there's limited time to do a task.

*

"This is much better than those cold sandwiches we stashed in the cooler," Meg said, attacking her Book Nook Cobb salad with gusto. "You don't suppose Sophia killed Miss Amelia because she thinks step-mummy caused Mr. Daniel's death, do you?"

"I wondered the same thing. The suspicion is even stronger if she learned about the uncomfortable comment Amelia made to me the day she died." Kate blew on a spoonful of soup. The aroma alone was nirvana.