“That looks like the houses I was in this morning,” Susan said.
“That’s not surprising. It’s the first house built in Donald’s first development. You see, he bought this house for the land and then, after getting the town’s approval-and I’ll never know just how that happened-he built seven houses on the property. When you called, you said you were talking to former neighbors. I’ve been wondering who-besides me, of course-agreed to speak with you.”
Susan was still puzzling over what she was hearing. “The people I spoke with live on Brampton Lane.”
“That’s the house at the top of Brampton. Donald had his own built first and then the rest of them were constructed, starting at his house and then going right down to the road.”
“ Brampton Lane? I talked to Sophie Kincaid and Daria Woods. Is that really the same Brampton Lane?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did it take me over an hour to travel from there to here?”
“You went by car. On foot you would have made it in less than five minutes.”
Susan shook her head. “I knew I was lost, but I had no idea how lost.”
“The roads around here aren’t well marked.”
“I guess. How long have you lived here?”
“Almost ten years. I moved in right after my divorce. I rented for six years and this place has been mine for the last four.”
“Whose idea was it for you to buy this place? Donald’s or yours?”
“I wanted to buy it as soon as I saw it, but Donald wasn’t interested in selling. I knew he was developing other homes in the area, and just hoped that eventually he would lose interest in this place and sell it to me and that’s the way it worked out.”
“Did you get the impression that he needed the cash?”
Edith thought about that for a minute or two. “Probably. He came over here one Saturday afternoon and told me he was interested in selling and named an outrageously high price. And I paid it. In cash.”
“Why?”
“I love this house and I could afford to pay what he was asking. And it was worth it-not just to get the house, but to be relieved of the worry that Donald would turn me out once my lease was up, tear this place down and replace it with one of those pretentious houses he’s so fond of.”
“Do you like Donald?” Susan asked, although she was fairly sure she knew the answer.
“Can’t stand him. He knew how I felt about this house and he never once renewed my lease until the last minute. Every single year I had weeks of worry. I spoke to him about it more than once, but he said that’s the way he preferred to run his business. I was so thrilled the day he and Nadine moved to Hancock, I could have danced naked on the roof.” She grinned. “Not that I did. But I could have.
“You know, ever since you called this morning, I’ve been thinking that it’s interesting that they bought the house next to yours,” Edith continued.
“Because Nadine ended up murdered and I’ve investigated murders?”
“Exactly.”
“But there’s no way anyone could have known Nadine was going to be killed when they picked out that house.”
“Except-possibly-for the person who killed her,” Edith suggested.
Susan thought about this for a moment. “That’s an interesting idea. And it would limit the possible suspects…”
“To those who knew they were going to move and found them the house next door to you!” Edith continued enthusiastically. “How many people might fall into that group?”
Susan shook her head. “I have no idea. But unless we’re sure that there’s a connection between Nadine’s murder and the move to Hancock, it really doesn’t eliminate anyone from the list of suspects.”
“Now, see, that’s why you’re so successful when you set out to solve a crime!” Edith said enthusiastically. “I would have gone off in the wrong direction and made all sorts of mistakes. You stay on point, don’t you?”
“I try,” Susan admitted, not mentioning that she had gotten involved in this investigation because she didn’t want it to come closer to her home or anyone living with her at present.
“I assume you’ve eliminated both Donald and his mother.”
“The police eliminated them immediately. They were together when Nadine was killed.”
“Blaine Baines is probably busy celebrating. She and Nadine didn’t get along at all.”
“I’ve heard that she wanted him to marry someone with more drive.”
“Sophie Kincaid told you that, right?”
Susan nodded.
“Don’t believe her. Sophie doesn’t like to think she’s not the most important person in Donald’s life.”
“Daria said they’d had an affair and Sophie sure didn’t bother to deny it.”
Edith shook her head. “They may have, but I doubt if it was important to them. I mean, it’s not like they were in love with each other or it was going to break up their marriages. They’re both such self-centered people. I can’t imagine either doing anything that might jeopardize something they value.”
“So you think Donald’s marriage did matter to him.”
“Yes. Donald appreciated that his marriage brought him stability and a certain place in the community. And a place in the community meant a lot to Donald.”
“Really?”
“I gather you’ve never dealt with him professionally.”
“You mean bought or sold a house. No.”
“Part of his shtick was I live here and love it so you’ll live here and love it. He mentions that he’s been married for years and years. He talks about how he and his wife belong to this club and that, and go see plays at the local theater, and walk in the nature center, and that sort of thing. It’s a fictional sort of 1950s view of the suburbs-completely untrue, of course, but it must work. His business is thriving.”
Susan thought about that for a moment. “That’s not how his mother works, is it? I mean, she was a single mother struggling to make a living from what I understand.”
“No, Blaine ’s big on snob appeal. But I’ll bet Donald learned the value of image from his mother. They may not project the same image, but they do project images. Hers as a rich single professional is as effective as his as a happily married man. People might think they’re completely different, but, believe me, they’re as alike as two people can be.”
“Maybe it’s time I spoke to Blaine Baines,” Susan said. “I don’t suppose I could tell her that I’m looking for information about her daughter-in-law.”
“You have the perfect excuse. Tell her you’re going to put your house on the market, that you don’t want to live next door to a house where a murder took place.”
“Considering my reputation, I doubt if she would believe that. But I wonder if she might have a very small inexpensive luxury estate on her list. Something suitable for a young couple with twins.”
TWENTY-TWO
SUSAN DROVE HOME WITH ONLY HALF HER ATTENTION ON the road. She had learned a lot this morning and she spent some time mulling it over, trying to put the pieces together. The connection between the Baines family and Perry Island must be significant and might be useful if the police began to think that Shannon was the only person in Hancock with connections to Perry Island. But, less than an hour after bragging to Edith about her ability to stay “on point,” she found the idea of locating a home nearby for her Chrissy and the twins (and Stephen too, she amended hastily) very distracting. Chrissy hadn’t mentioned moving to the city since the day she arrived. Perhaps she now realized how helpful having family nearby could be. And the twins kept her so busy. Certainly if Susan found the perfect place-like one of the cute carriage houses that had been converted to single family homes in the older part of Hancock-Chrissy might review her options. Besides, it was time for Susan to find out just how Blaine Baines was reacting to the murder of her daughter-in-law.