“That was me,” Marge said.
“Oh, sorry,” Rina replied. “Anyway, someone was angry and wanted the world to know who Azor Sparks really was. I could see a spurned, unbalanced wife doing that.”
“Why do you say unbalanced?” Decker asked. “Bram mention something to that effect to you?”
Rina looked down. “Just that she had been a bit nervous when they-the triplets-were growing up. She couldn’t seek professional help because it would have been an embarrassment to her husband. So she turned to barbiturates. Dr. Sparks prescribed the medication himself, but left Bram in charge of dispensing them to her. She was addicted to them for a while.”
Decker tried to keep his voice soft. “Might have helped if you would have told me all this in the beginning-”
“Peter, are you saying I should have implicated Dolly in her own husband’s murder based on her past drug use?”
“I’m just saying-”
“Besides, I couldn’t mention Bram without you having a fit-”
“That’s nonsense!”
“Is this really important now?” Marge asked.
“No, it isn’t!” Rina stated. “What is important is Dolores Sparks hated Decameron. She probably felt he had stolen her husband. Either directly-as in they were having an affair-or indirectly-as in Decameron being a bad influence on Azor.”
Marge gloated. “And like I always said, Kenneth Leonard was just an innocent bystander. He came to Decameron’s to clear his conscience about the fraud. Instead, he wound up with a bullet in his head.”
Oliver said, “I think it still could be Fisher/Tyne.”
“It could be,” Decker said. “I haven’t ruled out anyone…including Bram.”
Rina folded her arms across her chest. “He would never, ever hurt anyone. He probably knew what was going on. He was protecting his father’s name, Peter.”
Marge said, “Sounds to me like he’s protecting his mother from a murder rap.”
Oliver said, “She couldn’t do it by herself.”
“So she had help,” Marge said.
“Who?”
“Someone who’s been spending lots of time with the family.” Decker stood up from the table. “It’s time we pay Dolores Sparks a visit.”
30
“She’s unavailable.” Michael was hostile. “Next time call before you harass us.”
“Sorry, but it’s important.” Decker sidestepped around him, entered the house, Marge and Oliver keeping pace behind him.
Stunned, Michael hesitated before shutting the door. “You just can’t barge in here like that.”
“Fine,” Decker said. “Kick me out. Make it obvious to everyone that you have something to hide.”
Michael’s mouth dropped open. “I’ve got nothing-”
“Where’s your mom? Upstairs?”
“You pester my family, you arrest my brothers, you throw around ridiculous charges, you-”
“Save it for the judge,” Oliver said.
“Sorry about the intrusion,” Marge said.
“I don’t believe this!” Michael raised his voice. “I’m calling my lawyer.”
“You mean Waterson?” Oliver asked. “I wouldn’t call him if I were you.”
Decker started up the stairs, Michael at his heels. “Detective Oliver is right, son. You don’t want to do that.”
Michael said, “And why’s that?”
“Ask your brother Bram. Bet he knows.”
As Decker opened the door to the master bedroom, he was instantly attacked by a pair of burning green eyes. Bram was kneeling in front of his seated mother, his hands clasped around hers, a hunk of shiny metal between their interlaced fingers.
A Beretta semiautomatic.
Decker stopped at the threshold. With a hand signal, he told everyone behind him to halt. But Michael paid no attention, storming past Decker.
“He just barged his way in, Bram. I-”
Abruptly, Michael stopped talking when he noticed the gun. Eyes darting back and forth. Quietly, he asked, “What’s going on, Bram?”
The room fell quiet. A cavernous place in beige and white, eerily lit by a couple of reading lamps posted on either side of the king-sized bed. In the corner was a desk piled high with papers. The drapes had been drawn-old, ecru things-worn and frayed.
Dressed in a flowing caftan, Dolly Sparks looked at her youngest son, then returned her eyes to her lap. She was seated in a cream-colored wing chair, her shoulders hunched, her hair bedraggled. Bram was in his usual black garb. His voice was soft…controlled. He directed his words to Decker.
“She’s suicidal. Can you please leave?”
Decker whispered to Marge to call for backup. Oliver placed himself at Decker’s side, but kept the door wide open.
Bram said, “Please, Lieutenant. A tragedy serves no purpose.”
The priest’s face held a sweaty sheen. Decker said, “I can’t leave you two alone, Father. Not as long as she has a weapon.”
Bram said, “Do you have an arrest warrant?”
“No.”
“Then please go.”
“Under these circumstances, I can’t. I’d be negligent in my duties if I did.”
“You’re hearing privileged conversation. You cannot use it against her. Because she wants a lawyer.”
Michael said, “Should I call Mr. Waterson, Bram?”
“No, don’t do that.” To Decker, Bram said, “Do you hear what I’m saying? She wants a lawyer. A real lawyer.”
“I understand.” Decker paused. “So she told you everything. Or maybe you figured it out after Decameron was murdered-”
“What difference does it make?”
Tears ran down Dolly’s face, her fingers gripping the gun. “They’re coming for me, aren’t they? They’re going to take me away-”
“Please, Lieutenant,” Bram was pleading. “If you won’t leave, at least don’t make matters worse.” He held his mother’s hands, pointing the gun away from her stomach. “Mom, I’ll take care of everything. I’ll take care of you. I’ll be there for you. You know that-”
“It’s too late,” she sobbed.
“No, it’s not too late. Never lose faith, Mom. You taught me that.”
“Did I?”
“Yes, you did. You taught me everything. You taught me that our Savior died for our sins. So that we may remember Him in our time of need, and remember His eternal love for us. He loves all of us, Mom, sinners as well as saints. He loves you.”
Dolly was quiet. Decker’s hand moved imperceptibly toward his service holster. He undid the strap, his fingers tightening around the butt of the gun.
Bram said, “The commandments teach us to love our parents, both our physical parents and our Father in Heaven. I love you very much, Mother. We’ll go through this together. But first, you have to give me the gun-”
“The police know-”
“Shhh-”
“They know, Abram. They know!” Her watery eyes met Decker’s face. “I’m going to die!”
Bram said, “No one’s going to die-”
“It was all my fault-”
“Mom, it wasn’t anyone’s fault-”
“I wasn’t a good enough wife-”
“You were a perfect wife,” he cooed. “A perfect wife and a perfect mother. We all love you very, very much. Your pain is my pain. Please let me help you.”
“Why did he do this to us? Why did he do this to me?”
“I don’t know, Mom-”
“After all these years of devotion. I never strayed…not even in my heart. I never wanted anything else but to be a good wife to him.”
“You were a perfect wife.”
“Then why did he turn out that way?”
Oliver crept up behind Decker, whispered in his ear, “Backup’s coming.”
“Mom?” Michael said.
Dolly raised her eyes to her youngest son.
“Mom, I love you, too.”
Dolly didn’t answer.
Michael said, “Mom, please give Bram the gun. We’ll take care of you. Please.”
Dolly returned her eyes to Bram. “Why would he desire such a vile thing, Abram?”