Murder With All The Trimmings Part 19

"Didn't need one," Detective Gray said. "The Dumpster was in a public alley. We found the jugs in a trash bag containing junk mail addressed to Ms. Marcus."

"Anyone could have planted those antifreeze jugs, along with the junk mail, in an unlocked Dumpster," Alyce said.

"They didn't," Detective Gray said. "Unless they added her daughter's schoolwork. Amelia. That's her name, right?"

Josie nodded.

"What was Mr. Weekler's demeanor when you last saw him at your house, Ms. Marcus?" Detective Gray asked.

"He was drunk," Josie said. "He wanted inside, but I wouldn't open the door."

"Mr. Weekler had a problem with alcohol abuse," Alyce said. "Drunks die all the time from the things they do to their bodies, especially in cold weather."

"Mr. Weekler died of antifreeze poisoning," Baby Face said. "The autopsy found oxalate crystals in the victim's urine."

"What kind of antifreeze?" Alyce asked.

"We can't determine the brand from our tests," Detective Gray said.

"I mean, was it traditional ethylene glycol or the newer, organic coolant-the safe antifreeze?"

Josie was impressed. She didn't know that much about antifreeze.

"No antifreeze is safe to drink," Detective Gray said.

"You didn't answer my question," Alyce said.

"We didn't test for the brand. That's beyond our capabilities. However, Ms. Marcus's fingerprints were all over the empty antifreeze jugs."

"How do you know?" Alyce said. "She didn't give you her prints."

"The hospital gave us the snowman cake box from the Elf House," Detective Baby Face said. "We eliminated Mr. Weekler's prints, the shop owner's, and the admitting clerk's prints. The fourth set had to be hers. Ms. Marcus poured antifreeze into the chocolate sauce and killed Mr. Weekler."

"She didn't," Alyce said. "You're looking at a major lawsuit if you say she did. According to the news, a woman also died of antifreeze poisoning. She was a contestant on a radio station. Ms. Marcus didn't know the woman."

"Credit-card receipts show Ms. Marcus was at the Elf House the day the poisoned chocolate was discovered," Baby Face said. "She could have used the death of the woman as a cover for the murder of Mr. Weekler. Like those Tylenol product-tampering murders that killed eight people."

"Ms. Marcus brought the cake box to the hospital voluntarily," Alyce said. "She wanted the box tested to save Mr. Weekler's life. If she was trying to kill him, she would have thrown the box away and destroyed any evidence."

"What was your relationship to Mr. Weekler, Ms. Marcus?" Detective Gray asked.

Josie looked at Alyce. "You can answer that," Alyce said.

"Mr. Weekler was the father of my nine-year-old daughter. He-" Alyce gave Josie's hand a warning squeeze and Josie shut up.

"Did you have a fight with the victim about the custody of your daughter shortly before his death? Did he want to take Amelia back to Canada?" Gray asked.

"Don't answer that," Alyce said. "Where did you get that information, detective?"

"It's common knowledge in the neighborhood," Baby Face said.

Josie knew where that information came from-common Mrs. Mueller.

"Why was Mr. Weekler sitting on your steps with a chocolate snowman cake?" Detective Gray asked.

Alyce nodded at Josie. "He wanted to give the cake to my daughter. I would not let him in the house until he sobered up."

"But he died," Detective Gray said. "And your custody issue died with him."

"That isn't a question, detective," Alyce said. "Do you have anything else you'd like to ask?"

"Are you dating a plumber named Mike?" Detective Gray asked.

"Yes," Josie said.

"And this Mike had an altercation with Mr. Weekler shortly before he died? I believe he escorted Mr. Weekler out of your home."

Alyce stood up. "This interview is over. Of course my client had antifreeze jugs in her trash. So does every driver in St. Louis this time of year. As for the fingerprints-if they were her fingerprints-on the cake box, so what? Ms. Marcus mystery-shopped that store. She can show you the instructions from her employer. You don't have anything, detectives. Josie, let's go."

Josie followed Alyce outside.

"Don't say a word until we're in the car," Alyce said in a low voice. Josie collapsed into the plush seats of Alyce's SUV, and her friend drove through a gloomy landscape of cold granite and snow-covered graves under a lead sky.

"You were amazing," Josie said. "They were going to arrest me."

"They couldn't arrest you," Alyce said. "What do they have? Fingerprints on some antifreeze jugs left in an open Dumpster. Big deal. Fingerprints on a cake box you voluntarily brought to the hospital. So what? They have no witnesses."

"But plenty of motive," Josie said. "I wanted Nate out of my life, Alyce. I spent his memorial service wondering who would benefit from his death. It's me. I have the best motive."

"Don't even say that in an empty room," Alyce said. "You're safe for now. Once the police arrest you, the 'speedy trial' rule kicks in. No sane prosecutor will go to trial with that rubbish, and I mean that literally."

"Thanks," Josie said. "I'd better call Mom. She's at O'Connell's Pub for Nate's wake."

"Do you want me to take you there?" Alyce said, as she turned out of the cemetery and onto the main road.

"No," Josie said. "O'Connell's has too many painful memories. It's where Nate and I first met. I can't go back there for his wake."

"Why don't you stop at my house for coffee?" Alyce said. "I'm baking for the subdivision cookie exchange. Ten batches. I'll make some for you, too."

"That's too much work," Josie said.

"No, it's not," Alyce said. "I'm letting out my inner Cookie Monster. You can lick the bowl. Little Justin is not supposed to eat raw cookie dough, but it's safe for adults."

"Definitely worth any salmonella risk," Josie said. "Will there be chocolate chip cookies?"

"Yes, and gingerbread men, cherry tuiles, royal icing trees with silver ball ornaments."

"You've got a deal," Josie said, as she speed-dialed Jane.

"h.e.l.lo? Mom, I can't hear you. It sounds like you're in a bar. Oh, you are in a bar, right. The police are gone. I'm fine. Alyce handled them. No, there's no problem. Sorry, I won't be at the wake, Mom. I can't go back to O'Connell's.

"How's Amelia? Should I swing by and pick her up? Well, as long as she's with her grandfather, she's fine. I'm going to Alyce's house. See you in a couple of hours. What?"

Josie fumbled the phone and nearly dropped it. The blood drained from her face.

"Mitch! He's there now? He said to tell me h.e.l.lo? Stay away from that man, Mom. He's one of Nate's drug-dealing friends. Keep Amelia away from him, too."

Josie ended her call and folded her phone shut. Her arm still hurt where Mitch had twisted it at the hospital.

"Everything okay?" Alyce asked. "I couldn't help overhearing."

"No. It's not good at all. I surprised one of Nate's old drug-dealing buddies in his room at the hospital. Mitch was looking for the key to Nate's storage locker. It's supposed to be full of cash. Nate wanted me to have the money."

"Did you give Mitch the key?" Alyce asked.

"Of course not. I pretended I didn't know what Mitch was talking about."

"How much money is in there?"

"Thousands. But I'm not keeping it," Josie said.

"Should we go get Amelia?"

"She's safe with her grandfather. Besides, Mitch can't make a scene with everyone around."

"I hope not." Alyce headed west, toward her home in the Estates at Wood Winds. They were out of the cemetery, driving past strip malls and fast-food franchises.

"The detectives would hound me forever if they knew about Nate's drug money stash," Josie said. "I think that's the real reason Nate came back."

"If I were you, Josie, I'd clean out that storage locker fast," Alyce said. "The police aren't stupid. Don't underestimate them. Especially the older guy."

"He did seem smarter than his sidekick," Josie said. "I'm impressed by the way you handled those detectives, Alyce. How do you know so much about antifreeze?"

"It's a hot topic in my subdivision," Alyce said. "The Wood Winds homeowners a.s.sociation tried to outlaw traditional antifreeze, because ethylene glycol has a sweet taste that can attract pets and children. As little as a teaspoon can kill a cat. Two tablespoons can kill a toddler.

"The homeowners were up in arms over the proposed ban and voted the board out for even suggesting it. This subdivision is crawling with lawyers, and half of them threatened to sue. Some parents care more about their cars than their kids. Jake takes no chances. He uses Sierra, the so-called safer antifreeze."

"I know antifreeze can be dangerous," Josie said. "I kept it locked away when Amelia was little. Stop!"

Alyce hit the brakes and the SUV screeched to a halt. Her already pale skin looked like it had been dusted with flour. "What's wrong?"

"Forget the cookies. We need to get Amelia," Josie said. "Right now. I can't leave her alone with Mitch. O'Connell's is close to too many major routes. Mitch could grab my daughter and run."

"Now you're talking," Alyce said.

Chapter 22.

Alyce made a U-turn to a chorus of angry horns and raised middle fingers. She gave the drivers a ladylike wave.

"We'll be at O'Connell's in twenty minutes," she said. "Sooner if I hit enough green lights. Anyone else we have to watch out for besides this Mitch?"

"Yes, Harvey, the drunk who sang 'Frosty the Deadman' at the memorial service."

"He was a piece of work," Alyce said. "Was he like that when you were dating Nate?"

"Is that your tactful way of asking if Harvey was always an insensitive drunk? He was always over the top. But I was twenty years old-a really stupid twenty. You look at your friends differently when you don't have children."

"I sure wouldn't want Justin pulling some of the stunts Jake and I did when we were single," Alyce said. She sailed through a red light to furious honks.

"Please, Alyce," Josie said. "Don't get a ticket on my behalf."

"My husband is a lawyer," Alyce said. "A ticket is nothing when a child's safety is at risk. Josie, how are you going to get rid of this Mitch guy? I don't think he'll be scared of you."

"Maybe if I got a tattoo," Josie said.

"Or sent Mike to threaten him," Alyce said.

"No, I do my own dirty work," Josie said.

"You look really scary to me," Alyce said. "What do you weigh-a hundred and ten pounds?"

"One twenty," Josie said.

"And you have a black belt in karate."

"I have a black belt from Donna Karan, but it was on sale. I can make my way around any mall in the city, but I don't think that will impress him."

"Josie, he's going to stick to you like white on rice for that money. How much is in there-thousands?"

"At least. Maybe hundreds of thousands. Possibly as much as half a million. I've never been there, and have no idea. But he wants it bad. I'm going to tell Mitch that Nate gave me some incriminating information and if he doesn't leave me alone, I'll turn him in to the police."

"I saw that Miami Vice episode. Everybody got killed except Crockett and Tubbs. Josie, even if you have some useful information-and you don't-it's at least ten years old. The statute of limitations could have run out by now. You don't want the money, right?"

"No. It's dirty money."

"But you could find clean uses for it."

"It's bad karma, Alyce. I really believe that. I don't want it, and I don't want the murder and the pain a.s.sociated with it."

"Then give Mitch the money."

"But Nate didn't want him to have it."