She steadied her voice. "What did you do to her?"
"Your aunt was distraught. I gave her something to calm her nerves. See how effective my potions are? I like to mix and match and watch the results. An old hobby left over from my lab assistant days. I love the way chemicals interact with each other, don't you? A little flour here, a little liquid nicotine there, a small dose of epinephrine-"
"I'm calling for help."
"No. You aren't."
With one experienced motion, Britt opened the firing kiln. "This was meant for my traitorous friend, Nina, but I'm sure it will accommodate you as well. Twenty three hundred degrees. Just the right temperature."
"But, why? Nina offered her friendship to you."
"Nina doesn't understand friendship any better than Charlie did. Best friends are best friends for life. Until death do us part. Just like wedding vows. Charlie wasn't a true friend, or she never would have cared about her sister more than me."
"You have that twisted." Did she ever! "You killed Sara and poisoned Charlie. What kind of person are you?"
"You'll never understand true love. You're as fickle as the rest."
She blazed with hate as she lunged at Gretchen. Gretchen readied herself for the physical attack. If she could only get to the drawers that contained the knives. She hadn't anticipated Britt's strength. Nor had she seen the hypodermic needle in the killer's hand. Until it was almost too late. Gretchen grabbed her wrist and tried to snap it away from her, but she couldn't break Britt's grip on the syringe. They were locked together when they fell to the floor. Gretchen felt the sting of the needle pierce the skin of her arm. She wrenched away before Britt could release whatever evil potion she had concocted.
Britt struggled to her feet, panting, preparing for another attack. Gretchen heard a scream from the doorway.
"Mother! What are you doing?" Britt's daughter, Melany, looked stricken.
"Tying up loose ends. You came just in time."
Britt's French twist wasn't perfect any longer. Melany's eyes dropped to her mother's hand.
The firing kiln spewed raw heat.
"Nina is in the closet," Gretchen said, afraid to move, anticipating another rush from Britt. "We need to get help for her."
"What did you do to her, Mother?"
"Gave her something to calm her nerves."
"Tell me."
"You have to help me with both of them," Britt said.
"You don't want your mother in prison, do you? Hold her for me, and I'll take care of the rest. We'll burn the clown suit right along with them. No one will ever have to know."
"My old clown suit? What does that have to do with anything?"
When Britt didn't answer, Melany moved toward them, close enough that Gretchen could see the indecision in her eyes. "You still talk in your sleep," she said to her mother.
"Night after night I hear you apologizing to Charlie for killing her sister. You make excuses for yourself. Did you know that?"
"I'm sorry, baby. I never wanted you involved. Sara had to go. She was interfering with the love between Charlie and me. You know I always thought of Charlie as my best friend. If only she hadn't found out what I'd done. Why did she have to make that sloppy excuse for a room box?"
Melany looked stricken. "The room box with a sample of your wallpaper?"
"And a miniature peanut butter jar and a vial that was labeled as poison."
"You killed her because of the room box?" Melany looked like she might pass out. The girl started trembling. Tears welled up in her eyes. If Gretchen made a run for the window, would she make it? Would Melany let her mother burn Nina while she ran for help? Gretchen couldn't risk it. Britt stared at Gretchen, every muscle flexed for combat. "I had no choice. She and I went to dinner the night before the party to celebrate. She was so excited about the room boxes. We stopped back at the shop. She had forgotten her house key, left it on the desk. I peeked under the display cloth while she was in the back room. I saw what she intended to do. To our friendship, to you and me."
"Mother," Melany cried, "I'm the one who put that room box in with the others. I was the one who wanted to expose you for what you really are."
"No!" Britt said. "It was Charlie. Not you. Help me now. We'll talk later."
"Please, Melany," Gretchen said. "Call for an ambulance. Save Nina."
"You're already an accessory," Britt said to her daughter. "You knew about the explosion at the store and didn't turn on me then. You're on my side. I'm your mother." Britt smiled sweetly.
Gretchen thought again of escape. Could she climb out the window before Britt plunged the syringe into her back?
Even if she made it, her aunt would be a pile of ashes before Gretchen could get back with reinforcements. Neither of them would make it out alive if Melany sided with her mother.
Melany came closer. "You pretended to be Ryan Maize. I found the do-rag," she said, her eyes riveted on her mother.
"You set him up. And all the time it was you."
"Clever, wasn't it?"
Gretchen edged away. She could see the raw terror on Melany's face.
Melany stared at her mother. Fearful. Uncertain. Britt had a sharp eye on Gretchen. "He would have died peacefully while engaged in his favorite pastime, if she hadn't interfered. Charlie's murderous son, dead by his own hand." Her voice hardened. "Melany, grab her."
Melany was very quick. Gretchen stepped back, fear clamping down on her chest so she could hardly breathe. Britt's eyes widened in sudden comprehension when her daughter turned toward her. Melany pushed her backwards. Britt stumbled once and almost fell down. She recovered, but Melany was on her. Another push. Britt screamed as her back made contact with the hot metal of the open kiln. Melany was going to roast her mother. Gretchen rushed forward and tried to pull Melany away.
"No! " she screamed. "Let her go."
"She deserves it. Look what she's done. She's evil!"
Britt screamed.
Gretchen pulled at Melany with all her strength and pleaded, "Don't become what she is. Let her go."
Melany hesitated.
"Don't become her," Gretchen whispered.
Abruptly Melany released her mother. Britt crumpled to the floor, moaning. Gretchen saw severe burns along her shoulders and spine. The clothes on her back had been burned away. Gretchen ripped her top over her head the way she had seen April remove hers to fight the shop fire. She wrapped the cloth across Britt's back to douse the few remaining sparks of fire and to protect her skin from further damage.
"Make the call, Melany. I'm going to check on Nina."
Melany stood as though paralyzed, staring at her mother. Then she dropped to the floor and buried her face in her hands. Britt moaned beside her.
Gretchen placed the emergency call, requesting more than one ambulance. She didn't leave her unconscious aunt's side until she heard the sirens outside the house.
38
They were all crowded into Nina's hospital room: Gretchen, Caroline, April, and Brandon Kline.
The only one missing was Matt.
"Where was he while all this was happening?" Caroline said. "I'd asked him to keep track of you."
"That explains why he kept popping up," Gretchen said.
"You gave him permission to follow me around?"
"He didn't need my permission. Besides, you didn't expect me to allow my favorite daughter to put herself in jeopardy."
"Britt isn't in this hospital, is she?" Nina said. "I won't be able to sleep if she is."
"You're going home today; you don't have to worry,"
Brandon said. "And I'm driving you."
Nina blushed.
"I owe you an apology," April said sheepishly to Nina.
"I pooh-poohed all that psychic nonsense. . I mean. . well. . I mean. ."
"Spit it out," Nina said, grinning. "You believe me now?"