Sam did have a strong alibi for Murder 2. He was in court at the time in full view of judge and jury. Faith suggested that the poison could have been put into the empty teapot the night or morning before, but Tom reminded her that Patricia always scalded it with boiling water before she made the tea and the poison would have been rinsed out. Still, they made a note to ask MacIsaac or Dunne if enough could have remained.
Virtually anyone in town had the means to kill Cindy. Easy enough to slip a knife from the kitchen drawer and Sam might also have known just where to place it. His hobby was medicine and he not only read the Harvard Medical School Healthletter from cover to cover each month, but had rows of medical texts in his study. Faith once asked him why he hadn't become a doctor and was surprised at the simplicity of the answer.
“I can't stand the sight of blood," Sam had replied. No blood with poison, and Cindy's wound had been remarkably neat.
Piz Miller No alibi for Murder 1 or Murder 2
Pix reported that she was shopping at the mall at the time of Cindy's death. She had been buying shoes and the saleswoman had remembered her, but not the exact time, other than that it was after lunch and before break. When Patricia was killed, Pix had been doing housework, always a solitary and unverifiable occupation. It was only noticeable when one didn't do it.
Motives: She discovered what Cindy was doing and killed to protect her husband 's reputation and their marriage. Again she killed Patricia to prevent her from linking the Millers to the original crime.
Oswald Pearson No alibi for Murder 1 or Murder 2 Pearson claimed he was in and out of his office both days working on stories. Faith remembered passing him on her way to the belfry, so he was in the area.
Motives: Cindy was definitely blackmailing him, but with his mother's death, it had lost most of its force. Unless there was more to it than he revealed. Again, she was leaving town soon and would be out of his thinning hair presumably for good. The only motive for killing Patricia was if she had known he killed Cindy.
Millicent Revere McKinley (this was Faith's contribution). No alibi for either day, or any other day.
She was certainly in close vicinity of the belfry on the day of Cindy's murder and had easy access to the roses, as did anyone strolling by her fente, but Millicent no doubt had them counted. Any murderer would certainly bring one along rather than risk the wrath of Millicent before even getting to kill Cindy. Faith made a note to check the roses in the Svenson 's and Miller's gardens. And since Millicent didn't attend the Fairchilds' church, her absence would not have been noted. She could have broken into the Moores' house.
Motives: She was crazed by the use to which Cindy was putting the belfry, Dave apparently not being the only one to enjoy its timbered pleasures, and then she had to kill Patricia to prevent her from revealing what Millicent had done ? Tom grudgingly agreed to include her in the list, but felt it was a pretty weak reed.
Robert Moore. Faith wrote this and looked at Tom. " It doesn't seem possible that he would kill Patricia, but maybe he killed Cindy and someone else killed Patricia?”
Tom disagreed. "I think the same person killed both of them, and I know Robert doesn 't have alibis for either time. Few people would—it was lunch time, hard to prove you were someplace as opposed to being in your office with your secretary or whatever. And we don't know the extent of his money worries. I'm not saying I consider him a strong suspect." Tom ran his fingers through his hair in a gesture of fatigue and irritation. "Holy merde, Faith, I can 't seriously consider any of these people as suspects, they're my friends, not to mention parishioners, except for Millicent.”
Faith said skeptically, "I'm not so sure I would actually call her a friend either. But as for Robert, we have to put everything down. We do know he wasn 't terribly grieved over Cindy 's death. Patricia inherited everything and now it goes to him. Maybe he has a secret life. A cozy mistress on Beacon Hill?
“ You know, Tom," she continued, "1 'm convinced that Jenny knows something. Of course she would be reacting this way simply on account of her mother's death, but I can't help but feel that there is something more. Something she overheard maybe and then there was that strange remark Patricia made about family. Family, now what does that remind me of ? Something Rob said." Faith shook her head impatiently.
“Don 't worry, you'll remember," assured Tom. "Now, for the life of me, I can't think of anyone else to put on the list."
“ Well, there are the quilters, bridge club members, and friends, but I don 't see how any of them would have benefited from either or both deaths. Sam seems to have been the only prey for Cindy in town. At least that we know of to date.
“Pix is a member of the Bridge Club and I'll ask her for the names. Casually, Tom," she emphasized, seeing Tom 's expression, "Believe me, I am not risking life and limb, or your peace of mind by going around asking a lot of questions. The words are `low profile.' “
She wrinkled her forehead. " I wonder if there could be anything in what Trishia said ? You know, some girl who lost her boyfriend to Cindy going berserk and stalking her. But then how would Patricia fit in ? Still, maybe I should talk to Scott again." She smiled wickedly. "With Trishia and anyone else you might want to have along to keep an eye on me."
“That's a pretty loose definition of `low profile,' but as it happens I think it's not a bad idea. And since it's our only idea, I think we can follow it up. Scott called the Svensons, incidentally, and has talked to the lawyer."
“ I knew he would come through." Faith felt somewhat vindicated.
Benjamin was snoring softly in his swing ; lying in lopsided comfort. Faith reached across the table and took Tom's nice warm hand.
“I really can't think of any other suspects. Well, there's us, MacIsaac, and Dunne, but we can't get too crazy. Besides, if Cindy had had something on Dunne, he would have been more likely to tan her hide than kill her, and the same goes for Charley."
“What about the way they were killed ? Cindy 's was quick ; she wouldn 't have known what was happening after the initial stab of pain, but Patricia 's death was truly agonizing. Unless," he stopped and appeared even more puzzled, "unless the murderer thought the poison would just put her to sleep. A gentle death. But in any case a death he or she wouldn 't have to see."
“ That would tell us that it was Robert or Dave. Someone who loved her.”
Tom looked at Faith and drank the last of his wine. "Robert or Dave—or one of her kids ?
Faith stared back at him. She had a sudden image of Rob at the Willow Tree. She had forgotten all about it, assuming he was there on a date or whatever. But it wasn 't a usual haunt for Aleford kids. Much more likely to be a place you'd go if you didn't want to run into anyone you knew. This and Jenny's hysterical grief smacked into her consciousness. It was like walking into a door. She told Tom about it and he was inclined to dismiss it, but added the information to the sheet.
“All right, put them on the list," Faith said, "And then let 's burn the damn thing.”
Tom didn 't burn it, but put it carefully into one of his files. Then he followed Faith upstairs where she was changing Benjamin's diaper. He got out a fresh sleeper and they found some solace in the everyday routine of putting the baby to bed.
They got into their own bed and Faith snuggled up against Tom. " I don't feel much like a heroine," she said.
“Just wait a moment," he replied.