has been going on around here you haven’t bothered to tell me?”
Elizabeth squirmed. She dropped her eyes down to her glass, picked it up and swirled it a little, buying time. For what? Framing the words so her story made sense? It was pretty bizarre, or had been until we found the murdered man. After she finished, Noah threw himself back in his chair and stared at her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I did. The first time it happened, only no one was there. When the ghost appeared in the hallway, it seemed impossible. There was no way he could get in, and no way out.” Her voice was faint, her eyes still on the wine she swirled in her glass. “I was beginning to think I was losing my mind.”
“So you called Mary. What did you think she could do?” He let his eyes rest on Aunt Mary. Up until now, she had simply been Elizabeth’s old lady friend, come to visit. Now, he was wondering … what?
“Make me sane again. That’s what she always does.” I was glad to hear a little tartness back in Elizabeth’s voice. However, her reasons for calling Aunt Mary didn’t cover why she hadn’t told Noah or Cora Lee what was going on. I needed to get Elizabeth alone with Aunt Mary, and soon. There were a whole lot of questions floating around and not nearly enough answers.
“Did you know about this before you came?”
Aunt Mary’s face flushed. It wasn’t embarrassment. I knew the signs. It was anger. She’d done nothing but come visit a friend, one who recently lost her husband. Hardly a crime. If Elizabeth happened to mention she needed help with other things, well, that was between the two of them. And, of course, me.
“Elizabeth needed some company from an old friend. It hasn’t been all that long since William died. I was glad to come.”
Noah stared at her for a moment then transferred his attention back to Elizabeth. “Did it ever occur to you that whoever was roaming around upstairs was dangerous? That’s what the police are for. To protect you. I want to protect you too. I can’t believe all this.”
Cora Lee said, “If it’s any consolation, Noah, she didn’t tell me, either.”
The opening of the front door kept Noah from answering.
“Noah? They’re ready. Lieutenant wants you.”
“Thanks. Be right there.” He glared at Elizabeth and pushed his chair back. “I’ve got to get out there. They’re ready to remove the body, and they’ll be taking the rug and the glass Monty drank from as well. That’s what I came to tell you. The fingerprint people are going over everything, so you won’t be able to go in there for a while. They’re going to need all of your prints as well. I’ll let you know.” He held onto the back of the chair for a moment then shook his head in disbelief. “I’ll be back, and I want to know about this ghost you saw and especially about the crate.” It was clear he meant to have answers.
I wanted to sit in on that conversation. A few answers would be welcome.
“What’s all this about taking the carpet?” Cora Lee sat rigid in her chair, hands clasped around her cane, the very picture of a displeased Victorian Grande dame.
“It’s going to the lab. The stuff on the carpet is what was in the glass and in Monty’s stomach.”
Cora Lee’s knuckles turned white as she tightened her grasp on the cane. “They can’t do that.”
“Can’t do what?”
“Take the rug. That’s a real Aubusson and it’s old.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Cora Lee. They’ll give it back. Won’t they, Noah?” Elizabeth scowled at Cora Lee before she turned toward Noah.
“They can’t have it.” Cora Lee wasn’t acting rational.
“They have to take it. They need to find out what the poison was and, since the entire contents of the man’s stomach are on it, they don’t have much choice.”
Cora Lee looked at me as if my sentence had been replete with four letter words. “That’s disgusting.”
I wasn’t sure if she meant the contents of Monty’s
Elizabeth squirmed. She dropped her eyes down to her glass, picked it up and swirled it a little, buying time. For what? Framing the words so her story made sense? It was pretty bizarre, or had been until we found the murdered man. After she finished, Noah threw himself back in his chair and stared at her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I did. The first time it happened, only no one was there. When the ghost appeared in the hallway, it seemed impossible. There was no way he could get in, and no way out.” Her voice was faint, her eyes still on the wine she swirled in her glass. “I was beginning to think I was losing my mind.”
“So you called Mary. What did you think she could do?” He let his eyes rest on Aunt Mary. Up until now, she had simply been Elizabeth’s old lady friend, come to visit. Now, he was wondering … what?
“Make me sane again. That’s what she always does.” I was glad to hear a little tartness back in Elizabeth’s voice. However, her reasons for calling Aunt Mary didn’t cover why she hadn’t told Noah or Cora Lee what was going on. I needed to get Elizabeth alone with Aunt Mary, and soon. There were a whole lot of questions floating around and not nearly enough answers.
“Did you know about this before you came?”
Aunt Mary’s face flushed. It wasn’t embarrassment. I knew the signs. It was anger. She’d done nothing but come visit a friend, one who recently lost her husband. Hardly a crime. If Elizabeth happened to mention she needed help with other things, well, that was between the two of them. And, of course, me.
“Elizabeth needed some company from an old friend. It hasn’t been all that long since William died. I was glad to come.”
Noah stared at her for a moment then transferred his attention back to Elizabeth. “Did it ever occur to you that whoever was roaming around upstairs was dangerous? That’s what the police are for. To protect you. I want to protect you too. I can’t believe all this.”
Cora Lee said, “If it’s any consolation, Noah, she didn’t tell me, either.”
The opening of the front door kept Noah from answering.
“Noah? They’re ready. Lieutenant wants you.”
“Thanks. Be right there.” He glared at Elizabeth and pushed his chair back. “I’ve got to get out there. They’re ready to remove the body, and they’ll be taking the rug and the glass Monty drank from as well. That’s what I came to tell you. The fingerprint people are going over everything, so you won’t be able to go in there for a while. They’re going to need all of your prints as well. I’ll let you know.” He held onto the back of the chair for a moment then shook his head in disbelief. “I’ll be back, and I want to know about this ghost you saw and especially about the crate.” It was clear he meant to have answers.
I wanted to sit in on that conversation. A few answers would be welcome.
“What’s all this about taking the carpet?” Cora Lee sat rigid in her chair, hands clasped around her cane, the very picture of a displeased Victorian Grande dame.
“It’s going to the lab. The stuff on the carpet is what was in the glass and in Monty’s stomach.”
Cora Lee’s knuckles turned white as she tightened her grasp on the cane. “They can’t do that.”
“Can’t do what?”
“Take the rug. That’s a real Aubusson and it’s old.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Cora Lee. They’ll give it back. Won’t they, Noah?” Elizabeth scowled at Cora Lee before she turned toward Noah.
“They can’t have it.” Cora Lee wasn’t acting rational.
“They have to take it. They need to find out what the poison was and, since the entire contents of the man’s stomach are on it, they don’t have much choice.”
Cora Lee looked at me as if my sentence had been replete with four letter words. “That’s disgusting.”
I wasn’t sure if she meant the contents of Monty’s
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