Rose Hill, as the crow flies, was maybe two miles away, but by road it was more like four.
Once at the lovely old house, Inez knocked, then opened the door.
Without greeting as she came down the hall, Aunt Tally simply said, Now what?
Inez repeated Flos call as the three ladies settled in to the cozy den, where the fire was roaring. The animals played with Doodles, who had been right at the front door when they came in.
Hot tea and small sandwiches fueled their chat.
Inez sipped the delicious tea, warming from the inside out. Tally, its all so petty.
Some people hold grudges all their lives. I figure thats the glue to hold together a weak, cracked personality. Although if Mariah did bilk her customers, which it appears she has, thats no laughing matter.
Harry grinned mischievously. A sex scandal would be much more interesting than a watch scandal.
Righto. Aunt Tally held up her tea, spiced with fresh lemon and a dot of gin. And no one has heard a peep from Mariah. No one has seen her or thought they have. She could be dead.
I hope not. Inez shook her head.
If Mariah is as guilty as Flo swears she is, maybe Mariah committed suicide. Its the only honorable way out.
Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, tiring of the boisterous dogs, had joined the women.
Catnip,
Pewter said rather loudly.
Aunt Tally doesnt have catnip. She just has her Gordon setter.
Mrs. Murphy wished Pewter hadnt mentioned catnip, for now she wanted some.
No. I mean this is about human catnip.
Pewter expanded on her theme.
Sex. Love or money. Thats their catnip.
Mrs. Murphy agreed with the gray cat.
Inez, meanwhile, bore down on Aunt Tally. Do you read your investment reports?
No.
Oh, Tally, I told you to take an interest in the money when we were students. You never listen.
Why? It rolled in. Thats Scott and Stringfellows job, not mine. Anyway, why are you bringing this up? You know the answer.
Women who inherit wealth are kept stupid by it, and kept from it, I might add. Ive been telling you that for years. Just look at how Mariahs customers were robbed, so to speak. They didnt pay attention.
Watches and stocks are not similar. Aunt Tallys face turned red. Anyway, Mim has an interest in it. Bores me to tears. If anything is amiss, shell tag it. You forget, Inez, that our generation usually had one membermaleof each generation who was to manage the family money. I didnt have a brother, so the job passed to my nephew, Mims brother, who as you know died in 1942. Mim didnt exactly take over, but she browbeat Scott and Stringfellow into more participation. But women just didnt
do
money.
You sure spent it. Inez couldnt resist.
Not so much. Aunt Tally wasnt profligate.
Im being mean. Worry makes me well, you know. Im sorry.
You take everything to heart. Look, Flos investigationif that is what it was; vendetta is more like itis bad news, but dont dwell on it. Aunt Tally turned to Harry. Put her in the truck with Fair tomorrow. Will keep her occupied. She then turned back to Inez. Really, relax. All this fuss is halfway across the country. Nothing we can do.
Youre right. Inez nibbled another sandwichegg salad, at the perfect consistency.
I like egg salad.
Pewter opened her nostrils wider.
Me, too.
Mrs. Murphy always liked eggs, any way she could get them.
The two cats sat on either side of Harry, faces turned upward, whiskers forward, the picture of concentration and concentrated affection.
Harry couldnt help but notice. She tried to ignore them.
Pewter put a paw on her leg.
Damn, Harry muttered.
Oh, break up a sandwich and give it to them. They wont leave crumbs, and if they do, the vacuum cleaner will suck them up. Thats what its for, Aunt Tally commanded.
Youre such a good woman,
Pewter thanked Aunt Tally, as the much-desired sandwich piece came her way.
Ditto,
Mrs. Murphy agreed.
Inez looked at her watch, an old Bulova made just before World War II. Theres still some daylight left. Harry, will you drive me to where Ralston Peavey was found?
Why do you want to go there? Aunt Tally put her cup in the saucer with a
clink.
Youve mentioned it. I think we drove by it years ago and you said something, but I dont have a mental picture of the place.
Youre just doing it to distract yourself. An old trouble is better than a new one.
Well, maybe, Inez agreed halfheartedly.
Once down the driveway from Rose Hill, Harry headed east toward Crozet. She slowed down as she came to the spot. Here. He was facedown, across the middle of the road. Run over forward and backward.
You think once would have been enough.
Maybe its like pumping extra bullets into someone youve shot. Sometimes I think about that when I read the papers or see a TV report about a store owner or someone in their home. A robber comes in. The person has a gun. Shoots the intruder. Well and good. But then he or she empties more into the robber. When the whole sorry thing goes to court, the defendant goes to jail. It makes sense to me that when youre so angry, so scared, maybe you do keep firing. What do you think?
Same as you. I think any citizen has a right to defend himself,
even if he becomes brutal in so doing. Your property, your person, are sacred. But these days the sympathy seems to be toward the criminal, not the victim.
Insane, isnt it?
Yep. Inez looked at the road, as Harry made a U-turn since there was no traffic. Lonely place to die.
Yes. We come in alone and we go out alone.
That we do, but to die surrounded by those who love you surely is better than this.
That evening at around seven, Flo was working late in her office, papers covering her desk, a small notebook in front of her. She heard the front door open; she hadnt thought to lock it. She looked up with surprise.
What are you doing here? were her last words, pencil poised in hand.
The only evidence, which melted by the time she was found, was a large snowy rubber boot print.
F
lo had been shot once through the forehead at close range. Any hope of tire track molds perished with the dwindling but still persistent snow. She often worked late at the office, but when she didnt answer Dicks calls, he drove over, found his wife, and immediately called the police.
A small puddle of water in front of her desk was all that remained of the boot print. Flo was slumped forward. When the police moved her, they found her body covering a notepad on which she had scribbled NE. The pencil was still between her thumb, forefinger, and middle finger. No one had heard the shot because the other offices were empty.
The next morning, Thursday, April 2, Kenda Shindler called Inez at Tallys, for she knew she was staying there. Inez told Aunt Tally, and they were both aghast. It appears Mariah got her revenge. Who else would kill Flo? Aunt Tally said.
Later that day, Liz Filmore called Aunt Tally to see if she and Terri Kincaid could come by to visit her and Inez. Tally told her that Inez would be at Harrys, helping to repair old tack. Inez might be ninety-eight, but her fingers were nimble. Liz said her husband was in San Diego, she was bored, business was slow, and the dreadful news about Flo gave her an excuse to visit Terri.