Liquid Lies Part 22

Everyone went across the street to the parish hall for a buffet dinner reception. When I got there, I greeted and talked to many friends and neighbors. It was a Catholic event, which meant that beer and wine were being served as well as the nonalcoholic choices of coffee, tea and soda. The old joke about Catholic priests' drinking "Whenever you see four priests, there is always a fifth" rang true at the hall as well.

Estelle and Hazel cackled with a big group of their friends. The mayor and Vivian stood amongst a large group of mourners. The packed hall buzzed with chatter as people talked and mingled, elbow to elbow. The scent of food and perfume merged in the air.

After I had a gla.s.s of wine and a bite to eat, I noticed Robert McNally near the door. This was my chance to talk to him. I approached him. His back was turned to me. I said, "Excuse me Mr. McNally. I'm so sorry for your loss."

He twisted around and looked me in the eye. "Francesca is everyone's loss."

"I agree. Yet you, more than anyone, have to be so upset," I whispered.

"How so?" he asked.

"You know, because of your relationship and all."

He looked around as if to see if anyone heard, then he leaned in and in a low voice said, "Watch yourself, young lady. I don't know what you're trying to imply."

"I know Francesca was your mistress," I replied.

With squinted eyes he said, "It's none of your business."

"See, I think it is. She was my best friend," I said.

"She was trouble, and you'd best stay out of it," he said as he seized my arm.

I pushed his hand away. "Trouble? What did you expect getting involved with your friend's daughter?"

We wove past the crowd as he pulled me through the door exit to outside of the hall. "Now listen, you're getting involved in something that's none of your business."

"It's my business if I can track down her killer," I said, my heart galloped. "Which could be you." I just accused him. Talk about being in hostile territory.

"Killer?" he said in a low roar. "Are you out of your mind?"

"No. I have reason to believe that you could have wanted both Francesca and Mark dead," I said.

"Mark who?" He asked.

"The mail boat captain." I held back my tears. "My best friend."

"That's enough. We may have had an affair, but I am not a murderer," he snarled. "Do you know that you just insulted your fiance's boss?"

"No. I mean we're not together anymore," I said.

An older man approached us and greeted McNally.

"I'm going to consider this discussion closed for good. I strongly suggest you do the same," he said as exited with the older man.

I sucked at finding justice for Francesca and Mark. If McNally was telling the truth, then I had to find another suspect. I headed back into the hall and Vivian and the mayor approached me.

"I'm afraid Vivian has had too much to drink," the mayor said as he held her up.

She swayed, her eyelids were almost closed. "It's all my fault. I should have protected her. She needed me and I wasn't there for her," Vivian slurred.

"Is there something I can do?" I asked as I took hold of Vivian's arm.

"Yes, you could help me get her into the cab," the mayor said. A cab was waiting right outside the hall. We gently deposited Vivian into the cab. She sobbed, still repeating, "It's all my fault, I should have protected her."

The mayor gave the cabbie a handful of money with specific instructions to ensure that she got safely to her room at the bed & breakfast.

I watched the taillights of the cab recede into the darkness. I asked the mayor, "How could Francesca's death be her fault?"

"She had too much to drink and she's grieving," the mayor said. "Listen, keep this between us. I don't want the police hearing about what she said in her drunken state, okay?"

"Oh. Right. I understand. It was the booze and grief. Got it," I said. "Obviously, Vivian had nothing to do with Francesca's death."

He placed his hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye, "Thank you."

Then a tall man handed the mayor a drink and then ushered him back into the hall.

I remained outside for a moment. The night was cool, the leaves rustled in the wind. Stars sparkled in the sky and the low murmur of people in the hall drifted outside. I took a deep breath and I could smell the lake. I loved that earthy tang.

Why hadn't I found the killer? Maybe Jacob had better luck. I went back into the parish hall and found him.

"Any luck?" Jacob asked me.

"No. How about you?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm very lucky. I found you." He winked.

"But I'm not the killer we're looking for," I said. Jacob was such a nice guy. How could I have ever thought he was a killer?

"But you're killing me," he said as he pulled me into a hug.

"Focus." I smiled for the first time that night. I told him about the conversation with McNally. As instructed by the mayor I mentioned nothing about Vivian's drunken rant.

"He may be telling the truth. If he is, who's your next suspect?" He asked.

It had to be the blackmailer, but I still didn't feel I could tell Jacob. I said, "I'm not sure."

"It's wrapping up here. Do you want to come over to my place?" he asked as he kissed my neck.

"I'm exhausted. I don't know if I'll be good company." I kissed him back.

"We don't have to talk." He reached for my hand as we left for his house.

"I know what I have to do to solve the murders," I said as I leaned on my elbow on a pillow. It was six a.m. and my mind was already racing.

"Well, good morning to you too sunshine," Jacob said, his hair falling into his eyes. "I know what you have to do now."

"What's that?" I said as I pushed the hair from his eyes.

"Let me get your mind off of killers and onto something much more pleasant." Jacob began to kiss my neck and slowly worked his way down.

"Killers what killers?" I said before I completely lost myself in his gentle caresses.

It was after eight a.m. when I finally left Jacob's and got back to Estelle's house, grabbed a shower, walked Skipper and had breakfast. Estelle had left me a note on the kitchen counter, saying she had a breakfast meeting with Hazel to refortify SOS.

As usual, her note had a lot of x's and o's as her sign off. She'd included a P.S: "I'm guessing you're with the cute carpenter." She made my heart smile. So did Jacob.

Estelle and Hazel were determined to save their homes. But deep in my heart I felt that whatever they did wouldn't make a difference. It seemed that big business with huge financial backing always won and it didn't matter who got stomped on. Estelle and her neighbors' houses were just stepping stones on the hospital's way up. But as much as I wanted to help them, I felt that I had to focus on a much more crucial issue. Finding the culprit.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel any closer to finding the killer who had taken the lives of my two best friends. Therefore, he could continue to end innocent people's lives.

Robert McNally may still be guilty. But could it be someone else?

Maybe I had to go back to the night at H&K's and find out where people were between nine thirty and eleven thirty the night Francesca was killed. Other questions surfaced from that night: Who was she going to meet up with when she left me?

In order to be successful in solving this case, I had to remove my emotion and concentrate on facts. I never had a chance to talk to the mayor about why he was at the funeral home the night Mark was killed. Maybe he saw someone or something that could give a clue as to who it was that killed Mark. It wasn't appropriate to approach him at last night's memorial service. Maybe today would be a better time to talk to the mayor.

In two days I needed to present Mark's eulogy. It seemed like it would be easier to run away and hide from all the pain. But, as Vivian said, one breath at a time. I shoved my sorrow into a small corner so that I could function. Yet sorrow and grief crept out, peeking their heads around the corner, demanding I pay attention. My heart was so full of sadness that it seeped into every cell.

As much as I had gone through the motions of living since the murders, death seemed to be like a shadow. It followed me everywhere. Occasionally I hid from it, while I tried to get up every day and get on with my life.

Death and life walked hand in hand throughout my days.

Chapter Thirty-One.

Today I vowed to myself that I would solve Mark and Francesca's deaths.

Another sunset could not pa.s.s by without the killer being behind bars. Francesca died Friday night. Mark on Sat.u.r.day night. Francesca's memorial was Sunday night. It was now Monday morning and I had to continue my search.

First I went to work. Samuel and Annie had things pretty much under control. Mark and I had trained them well. Annie and I split the mail delivery. I jumped on and off the boat, numbly and automatically. Annie did great, not one fall or misstep.

When the tour finished, I called Estelle and Hazel. They had found an attorney who would try to at least stall the process of eminent domain to give them more time. This seemed to make them happy to at least have the possibility of winning a small battle.

Jacob called. He had a few handyman jobs to finish up. I agreed to meet him for lunch at one o'clock at H&K's.

I spoke with Mark's parents, and a.s.sured them that I would help in any way that I could with his services. They were beyond despair, but told me they had lots of support from their church and family to help get them through.

When my phone rang my caller ID lit up an unfamiliar number. I answered, "This is Cecelia Coe."

"Detective Wurkowski here. Can you come to the station now?" he asked.

No way. I wanted nothing to do with the police. But, maybe they found the killer? "Sure, I'm on my way," I said. I raced the ten blocks to the station. Breathless, I said to the receptionist at the station, "I'm here to see Detective Wurkowski."

"Follow me." She led me to a back conference room with standard bare white walls, grey linoleum floor and a brown wooden table, with matching chairs. It smelled of burnt coffee and aftershave. I took a seat.

As the receptionist exited, the detective entered the room. I stood and greeted him with a handshake. "Any news about Mark or Francesca's cases?"

"Possibly." He motioned for me to sit down and he tugged a chair next to me. He took out his cell phone and made a call. "Bring one black and one with cream and sugar. Thanks."

"I'm anxious to hear what you've found," I said.

The receptionist walked in with two Styrofoam cups. The detective thanked her before she left. "Black, right?' He handed me a cup.

"Thanks. So what's going on?" I asked. I took a sip of the bitter coffee. I winced as I held the cup in my hand. "Nice and strong huh?"

"Keeps us awake," Detective Wurkowski said. He stirred three creamers in his coffee and dumped four packs of sugar in it. "Do you know Jacob Elmore?"

I nearly spilled my coffee. "Why do you want to know?"

"This is how it goes. I don't give information, I get it," Detective Wurkowski said.

"Yes sir."

"Listen, I'm not going to beat around the bush." He pulled out his pocket size notepad and flicked it open. "Sat.u.r.day at ten thirty a.m. Estelle Andrews hired Mr. Elmore to do work on her house. You were also home at the time. Around six that evening you went to his house then left within an hour. Later, at approximately one thirty a.m., you entered his house and did not leave until just before eight a.m. Do you want me to continue?" Detective Wurkowski looked up from his notepad. Then chucked it on the table. He took a sip of coffee.

They'd been following my every move. I felt violated. Maybe they had good reason.

"I'll ask again. Do you know Jacob Elmore?" he asked.

"Since you've been following me, you know the answer," I said.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I do know him. Why?"

"We're working on two open murder cases." He shifted in his chair. "Back to Mr. Elmore. Do you remember if he had any jewelry?"

Maybe they were closer to finding the suspect than I was. I wanted to cooperate to help them any way that I could. I thought back. The first day when I ran into him on the lake's foot path, I did remember his necklace. "Yes, actually. When I first met him, he was wearing a necklace with a cross made out of two nails."

Detective Wurkowski sat straight up, eyes wide. "What day was this? And around what time?" He jotted down some notes.

"It was Friday late morning. Let's see. First, I did the mail run. Then I sort of had an unplanned swim. Next I went to the hospital to see my ex. To be accurate, he was my fiance when I went there, but since then we've split. I mean we'd been together forever, but this past year or so things just weren't the same. We probably both knew it, but maybe neither one of us was brave enough to end the relationship. Well, except he did when we got into a fight about the eminent domain stuff, well..."

"If you would keep on track, Ms. Coe. Continue telling me about Mr. Elmore's necklace."

"Okay, where was I. Yes. Okay. On the way back from the hospital I saw Jacob. I ran into him on the lake path. He had it on at that time. It was kind of unique, so I remembered it."