Raisin the Dead (23 page)

Three days after Sean's surgery, which was successful, thank God, I was greeted by this headline in
The Destiny Trumpet
after I'd eaten dinner.

POLICE QUESTION DESTINY LIBRARIAN IN MURDER INVESTIGATION

Sergeant Jacoby, Rigby Police Department, and Chief Carly, Destiny Police Department, grilled Daniel Bixby, Destiny
–
Oleandra County librarian about the murder of Philip Baldelli. No charges have been filed. A member of the Destiny Trust for Historical Preservation, Mr. Bixby makes no effort to hide his disdain for the plan to demolish the Westley House. Sergeant Jacoby refused to comment on what specifically spurred him to bring in Bixby for questioning. Sergeant Jacoby subpoenaed Mr. Bixby's telephone records and discovered several calls to Mr. Baldelli's home telephone. Mr. Bixby admits to making those calls and threatening him, but denies killing Mr. Baldelli.

My phone pinged from my bedroom as I finished the last sentence.

Do you think they'll let me leave now?
texted Serafina
. I saw the news. They think some guy named Daniel Bixby killed my great-uncle.

You'll have to talk to the police. No charges have been filed against him,
I texted back.

What's up with the investigation?

Honestly, I'm not sure. Looks like Bixby may be the killer, or he may not.

Big help.

Sorry, Serafina, but I have Sean to worry about. At least he had Felicia barred from his room, but she's determined not to leave town.

Don't let her walk all over you. He's yours.

I know.

Maybe you can talk to the police; convince them to clear me as a person of interest?

I'll see.

Luckily, she stopped replying after that. She wasn't so horrible after all, but if the police still considered her a person of interest, what could I do? I was surprised they hadn't cleared her to leave town. I yawned. Time to take the dogs for a walk, then an early night for me.

***

I was close to sleep when Vanessa's words about Baldelli's death during Bread and Batter's anniversary open house came to me. “Maybe it had nothing to do with the expansion.”

Maybe we were looking at the wrong person. Although I'm sure Sergeant Jacoby didn't consider me a part of any “we.” That aside, I thought about Jill once again. Had anyone confirmed that she was still engaged to Philip at the time of his death? Had Sergeant Jacoby spoken to Father Davidson about the conversation Ed had heard in the parish hall of OLPH? Jill had waited a long time to become engaged. If Philip had ended their engagement, could that have pushed her over the edge? Had she been close to some edge no one knew about?

My thoughts turned to Daniel. Had he made overtures to Philip under the guise of friendship, just so he could kill him with antifreeze? It was a possibility, of course. However, something about Jill's relationship with Philip bothered me. It was still a loose end and I hate loose ends.

As much as we wanted the killer caught, we wanted to be fair. Okay, I wanted to be fair. I couldn't call Jacoby; he'd think I was crazy. Instinct said dig deeper. I thought of the writing on the mirror. Would a male killer add
Daddy
? That didn't make a whole lot of sense. The payback thing I got, but the
Daddy
thing seemed personal.

***

“I'm sorry,” I told Olivia when she got to the bakery. “I need to go see Father Davidson.”

I followed her into the office. She stashed her purse under the desk, then turned to look at me. “Why? What did you do? You're not even Catholic. Tell me and I'll absolve you, whatever it is.”

I laughed. “I didn't do anything. I need to question him about Jill.”

“What about her?” She put on her apron.

“I think Philip may have broken their engagement.” We went back to the front of the bakery together. “I'll finish the cupcakes I started first. Would you mind taking them out of the oven and frosting them?”

“And you care about that, why?” She looked into my mixing bowl. “I'll take them out. What kind?”

“Browned Butter Banana Rum. Maybe it pushed her over the edge.” I poured the batter into the baking pans.

“It's a good thing you're my best friend slash partner, and that I love your butt, or you'd be fired.” She began working on our bagels for tomorrow. She'd tried two new flavors recently, spinach and sundried tomato. They were a definite hit.

“I'm sorry, Liv. I won't go if it's going to be a problem.” I deposited the cupcakes into the oven and set the timer. It was my first time trying this flavor. I'd found the recipe in one of my mother's old cookbooks.

“I'm kidding, silly. You should know that. Go. You know I'd never fire you. Besides, you're half owner, I'm stuck with you. Oh, did you talk to Anthony about selling our cupcakes at Anthony's on 55th?”

“Yes. It's unbelievable that he wants to do that. We'll get some great exposure.” Liv and I had to sit down soon and decide what we'd be selling to Anthony. I wanted the cupcakes to be special, not just the average vanilla and chocolate. We'd have to fire up our imaginations as well as our ovens.

“I know. I wish he lived closer. I think we connected.”

“Really? Oh, Liv, that's great.” There was nothing I wanted more for my best friend than for her to find someone wonderful to have a relationship with.

“Don't plan a double wedding or anything. We only live two hundred and fifty miles or so apart. Makes dating hard. Not that he even asked me out. I don't even know that he's interested.”

“It's good to be prepared,” I told her. “You like him, don't you?”

“What's not to like? He's smart, hot, funny, handsome, he loves baking, and wants us to supply him with cupcakes.”

I grinned at her. “You sure decided a lot from one visit.”

She blushed. “Weren't you going to see Father Davidson?”

“I won't be long, promise.” The cupcakes were already smelling like heaven.

“Uh huh,” she responded.

“Can I leave Noelle and Beau with you?”

Olivia scooped Noelle into her arms and nuzzled her, then did the same with Beau. “Of course. I love these guys. Don't I, sweeties? Yes, I do. You'll be good doggies for your aunties Olivia and Kendra, won't you?”

Beau and Noelle both seemed agreeable to staying put. I kissed the tops of their heads. They woofed their good-byes. “Thanks Liv. I owe you.”

“Yeah, you do, but who's counting? You know I hate math.” She headed for the sink to wash her hands.

***

“Do you have an appointment with Father?” the woman seated at the desk looked at me over cute flowered reading glasses. Her nameplate read Mary. Appropriately, I thought.

I was standing in a little office on the first floor of OLPH. The door behind her, with Father Davidson's name on it, was closed. “No, I don't. I was hoping he could see me. I only need about a half hour.”

“I'll check. May I have your name?”

“Molly Tyler.”

She rose and tapped softly on the door behind her before entering. I looked around the tiny office. There were the expected portraits of popes, and lots of books on the shelves. I was in the midst of admiring the small multi-colored stained glass window behind the desk when the door flew open and Mary reappeared. “He can see you now.”

“Thank you.”

Father Davidson looked to be in his thirties. Tall, with short dark hair, and light brown eyes with early crows' feet fanning out from them. They gave him a distinguished look. He smiled at me, then stood, holding his hand out. “Hi, Molly, right? I'm Father Davidson, which you probably figured out. The collar gives it away every time.”

I returned his smile as I shook his hand. “Yes, I'm Molly Tyler. Thank you for seeing me.”

He was one of those people whom, like my mother, you feel comfortable with right away. His warmth and personality wrapped around me like a blanket. I'm sure he was a popular priest. Not only due to his looks, but because of his manner, too. I wondered if the women at OLPH called him Father Gorgeous behind his back.

“I think we've met.” His voice interrupted my thoughts. “I've been in your bakery a few times. I also remember you were involved in solving Calista Danforth-Brody's murder.”

“That's me. On both counts.”

“What can I help you with?”

“I'm here about Philip Baldelli.”

He sat back, his smile disappearing. “The man who was murdered. What a shame. He was one of our parishioners. He'll be missed. Is there something specific you want to know?”

“Yes. Detective Corsino is in the hospital with injuries he sustained while horseback riding. I'm trying to help Sergeant Jacoby from the Rigby Police Department with some details of Philip's murder. My mother is under suspicion, and I'd like to help clear her name.”

He steepled his fingers and looked thoughtful. “Annie Tyler, the library director, correct?”

I nodded. “Yes, that's her.”

“I'm in the library quite often. I can't imagine her being a murder suspect, but if I can help in any way to clear her name, I'm willing. I'm sorry to hear about Detective Corsino. I wish him a speedy recovery. How can I help you with details of Philip's murder?”

I breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't usher me out the door with a quick goodbye. “Have the police been here to speak to you yet?”

“No. I haven't had a visit or phone call from the police. Not that I expected to.”

“I'm a friend of Ed McCray's, also a parishioner here. He told me about a conversation he overheard in the parish hall kitchen, between yourself and Philip. Before I start, Ed walked away when he realized it was a private conversation. I don't want you to think he was eavesdropping because he wasn't. And he only told me about it because he was a friend of Philip's and I was asking Ed some questions regarding his murder.”

“I understand. I know Ed well. He's a good man. What did he hear?”

“Ed heard Philip tell you there was something he didn't want to go through with, but if he didn't, it would hurt Jill. Ed wasn't sure if Philip was talking about their marriage, or the fact that Jill wanted him to become a Lutheran. Philip wasn't sure he wanted to leave Catholicism. I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist of it.”

“I remember that conversation.” Father Davidson laced his hands behind his head and closed his eyes for a few seconds.

He was probably mulling over the theological, legal, and moral implications of confiding in a woman who made a mean batch of Pretty Pink Princess cupcakes, but had nothing to do with the law. In any official capacity, that is. “I mentioned the conversation to Sergeant Jacoby. I guess he hasn't had time to talk to you yet. Or else, he didn't think it was important.”

“No,” he replied, “he hasn't contacted me at all. Now you want to help, I take it. You're wondering what Philip was talking about.”

“Yes,” I leaned forward. “It may help solve Philip's murder.”

He looked skeptical. “How?”

“The police are looking closely at Daniel Bixby as the killer. I won't bother you with details, but I'm thinking his murder may have had nothing to do with the library expansion. Maybe it was more personal.”

I held my breath as the priest thought. “It's actually ironic you say that. I was pondering going to the police about this myself. Sometimes the smallest thing can break open a murder case. Philip was having doubts about his engagement to Jill. He seemed troubled.”

“About what?”

“He didn't say specifically. He wasn't feeling well. Now that we know he was poisoned I can understand why.”

“That's all he said?”

“And that he'd asked for the engagement ring back from Jill, while he thought about their relationship. From what he said, I don't think she took it too well.”

That would explain why I never saw her wearing it. “Thank you, Father.”

“You're welcome, but I'm not sure I was any help. Do you think I should tell the police this?”

“I can do that. I'm in regular contact with Sergeant Jacoby.” Whether he welcomed that was another story.

“Do you think Jill had something to do with his death?” he asked.

“I don't know. I hate to think that. What if Philip changed his mind about their engagement, and that pushed her over the edge? My mother told me Jill didn't have a good relationship with her father. She dated Daniel Bixby and he ended their relationship. Then she was engaged to Philip and he broke it off. He was much older than Jill, as you know. Maybe she took all this rejection personally. It was her father all over again.”

“Murder is a little drastic. But you have——”

“Oh my God! I'm sorry for interrupting, Father, I just thought of something.”

“What is it?”

“I can't believe I didn't see this before. I mean, I saw it, but I didn't connect it.”

“Is it something important?”

“Yes. I think so. I'm sorry, Father. I can't reveal any more. I know something that the police are holding back from the public. Now it makes sense to me.” It was the writing on Philip's mirror.
PAYBACK IS A BITCH, DADDY
just popped into my mind like a blinking, bright neon sign. I still didn't believe a male killer would add
Daddy
. However, maybe a woman who desperately wanted a relationship with her father and never had one, would. Maybe Philip breaking up with Jill was the edge I'd thought about last night.

“Are you all right, Molly?”

“I'm sorry. Yes, I'm fine. What were you about to say before I rudely interrupted you?”

“No problem. I was saying that you've got me intrigued.” He chuckled. “I'm afraid I spend too much time watching
Law & Order
and
CSI
. My sermons suffer from my addiction at times.”