Murder Is Private (6 page)

Chapter 13

Audrey’s tender pot roast took longer to cook than expected. Although dinner was worth the wait, the sun had already set before Susan and Evan got to the beach behind the school auditorium.

“It’s beautiful here,” said Evan. “I haven’t seen the ocean in ages.”

The rhythmic ebbing and flowing of the current was hypnotic. They strolled past the auditorium, farther down the sand than Susan had yet been. Trudging down the deserted beach, she felt her calves getting more toned by the minute. Evan stopped walking.

“What’s that?” he said. He pointed at a wooden pier.

“It looks like a fishing pier.”

“I’d say it’s an invitation to sit and rest before heading back.”

They walked out onto the pier, took off their shoes, and hung their legs over the side. Moonlight shone on the water.

“Audrey seems nice, Mom. Was she how you pictured her?”

“It was hard for me to imagine her. I guess so. I wasn’t expecting the southern accent.”

“Georgia Babes. Yeah, wasn’t that the foundation that helped you find her?”

“Thanks, Captain Obvious. If I was a smarty-pants med-student like you I guess I would have anticipated the accent.”

Angry waves crashed against the pier. A sound reminiscent of a lawnmower crescendoed toward them.

“That sounds like a motor boat. A speeding motor boat,” said Evan. Susan could barely hear him over the noise.

The water splashed up at the pier as the boat whizzed by. The sound waned, then dissipated.

“The driver must be drunk, going at that speed without lights on. Good thing the moon is full tonight. He could have crashed right into us.”

“Lots of kids here on spring break, according to Audrey.”

“I’m here on spring break,” said Evan, chuckling. “You don’t see me drinking and driving a boat in the dark. Some people are so irresponsible it makes me crazy.”

“I saw only one person aboard. Did you see anyone else?”

“No, just the driver. Let’s head back to Audrey’s, Mom. It’s been a long day and I need to sleep,” said Evan.

Susan scanned the area looking for Alonzo or Kymani on their way back. The beach was dark and desolate at this hour. Hard to believe it had been teeming with beach chairs, loud music, and umbrellas when they’d toured the campus earlier. She was exhausted and trod through the sand, her legs like iron weights. When they finally reached the back of the auditorium, she saw a flicker of light.

“Evan, did you see that? The light was on in the top window of the auditorium, then suddenly it’s off.”

Evan looked up. “I did see that. Maybe someone was practicing in there.”

“Not on the second floor. The entire floor is used to store props and scenery. No one would be up there, especially not at this hour on a Saturday night.”

“Maybe it’s haunted,” he moaned with his eyes widening.

“Not even funny. My students told me strange things have been going on in the auditorium at night––eerie music…flickering lights. And with the choral teacher’s murder and the assault on the security guard, they have to be related.”

“You may be right. Tell Lynette. She can talk to the local police about it. Meantime, I’m about to fall asleep right here.”

An attack, a murder, flickering lights, a secret alliance between the orchestra conductor and an eccentric violin student, a speeding motorboat with no lights, a clandestine rendezvous in the arboretum. Susan’s heart fluttered. This enticing mystery begged for a solution.

Chapter 14

Susan wished she didn’t have to teach today. Yesterday, they’d spent nearly the entire day at the beach––Audrey, Lynette, Annalise, Evan. Even George showed up to meet his nephew. George was obviously ill at ease around people. His tongue twisted up when he tried to speak, like he was hiding something. He didn’t seem all that bright, either. Evan asked him the name of the flowering trees in Audrey’s yard and he didn’t know. He was a gardener, right?

Bibi greeted Susan at the classroom door. She was smiling and bubbling like a bottle of newly opened champagne. “I think Trish is coming back to school!”

“That’s wonderful, Bibi. Didn’t you tell me she was going into rehab? Has she gotten the help she needed?”

“She swears she doesn’t have a drug problem. She didn’t sound depressed on the phone, at least not until we started talking about poor Mrs. Watkins. Then she bawled for a long time.”

“I heard she and Mrs. Watkins were close.”

“Mrs. Watkins was like a mother to Trish. Trish had her cell number. They texted all the time. Mrs. Watkins had just spoken to her the day before her overdose.”

“I’m anxious to meet Trish and glad she’s doing well.”

The morning passed quickly. The sky threatened rain, so Susan took her lunch to the teacher planning area. Schwartz was already there, eating.

“You seem to be doing a great job,” said Schwartz. “The students are happy; Audrey is happy. Hope the kids aren’t wearing you out.”

“I’m having fun. I’ll have plenty of time to recuperate when I get back home.”

Alonzo joined them a few minutes later. Damp from head to toe, he took off his jacket and sat down. When he shook out the jacket and hung it over a chair to dry, Susan noticed a few light pink leaves clinging to it.
I’ve seen lots of purple trees, lots of yellow ones too, but pink––not so much.

“It just started pouring. Lucky you beat the rain,” said Alonzo.

“Didn’t you stay under the awning?” asked Schwartz. Alonzo shrugged and abruptly changed the subject.

“Spring break for us will be here before you know it,” Alonzo said. “Anyone got fun plans? Schwartz, you traveling again?”

“Not this break. Planning a long European visit next summer though. Touring more World War II sites. I also hope to get back to Salzburg. That’s one gem of a city. Spent two weeks there last summer, but it wasn’t enough.”

“I went there one summer back in my college days,” said Susan. “What I remember most is taking the tour bus to see the places where they filmed
The Sound of Music
. Couldn’t believe I was standing right there in the church where Julie Andrews got married.”

“You mean Maria von Trapp. Julie Andrews was the actress who played her,” said Schwartz.

“Of course. And the Alps were breathtaking. I think I even found some edelweiss.”

“What’s up, Alonzo? You look like you’re a million miles away,” said Schwartz.

“Me? Oh, I was just thinking about this week’s concert at Trinity.”

“I was there last week. What a wonderful job you all did,” said Susan.

“Thanks.”

“Who was that violinist with the dreads?” asked Susan. “I recognized the others from Ear Training. He’s the only one I don’t know. Is he a senior?”

“I don’t know,” replied Alonzo. “His name’s Kymani, but I barely know him. He’s not the chatty sort.”

Barely know him? Why’s he lying?
wondered Susan.

“Schwartz here plays the violin, you know,” said Alonzo, redirecting the conversation.

“Really?” she asked.

“It’s just a hobby. I’m not very good.” Schwartz gathered up his garbage. “I better get back. Hope the rain stopped.”

Alonzo glanced at his phone. “Yep. It’s that time.”

When Susan got back to the rehearsal room, the door was unlocked. She
always
locked her classroom door. She realized she’d left her purse was in her desk drawer. In her office, she saw the back of a man pawing through the desk.

“Hold it right there!” said Susan. “I’m calling security.”

“Hold your horses! Who do you think let me in?” When he turned around, Susan recognized him as Celia’s husband. The last time she’d seen him was at the funeral where he gave Schwartz the bloody nose. Forget security. She’d call the police.

“What are you doing here?” She stood with her hands on her hips.

“Relax, little lady. I just came to pick up Celia’s things. I’m going.”

Susan grabbed her purse and fished out her wallet. She quickly checked the contents––Barnes and Noble discount card, Visa debit, picture of Annalise, a twenty dollar bill. Phew, it was all there! What a condescending creep. No wonder Celia had an affair.

Chorus rehearsal zipped by. Susan released the students a few minutes early so she could get back to the house and see Evan. The rain had stopped, but the air was still heavy. George passed her by, riding a lawn mower. Not that she was an expert, but she’d never seen someone mowing wet grass. Especially when it had been sunny every other day since she’d been here.

He’s going in my direction.
She put her newly toned calf muscles to work and speed walked after him. She wouldn’t have been any competition for a riding mower, except George had to stop every few minutes to pull wet grass out of the bottom of the machine. She wasn’t hiding from him, but followed discreetly. After all, she’d hate for him to think she was stalking him when they just happened to be going the same way. He was headed toward the arboretum. Did he have a rendezvous scheduled?

George abruptly stopped the mower several feet from the entrance and hid behind the same shrubs she’d used as camouflage the day she saw Kymani and hoodie boy exchange money. She took cover behind a tree and watched George watching the arboretum. After a few minutes, Kymani strutted in and sat on a cement bench in the arboretum. He tapped his foot and looked around. It was several minutes before a blond girl with a high pony tail appeared. She looked like a sorority girl, not a thug. What was she doing buying pot or, worse yet, an illegal gun? Maybe she was his girlfriend.

Susan was too far away to see if any buying or selling was happening. She pushed her bifocals further up on her nose, but still no luck. The meeting was brief. The blond girl left through one entrance, while Kymani left the way he’d come in.

George started up the riding mower again and headed back toward the auditorium and classrooms. Susan felt something drip on her head. Was it raining again? She looked up and realized she was standing under a tree which was bursting with pale pink flowers. Flowers identical to the ones she saw stuck to Alonzo’s jacket at lunch. The sky opened up and Susan ran toward Audrey’s, covering her head with her tote bag.

Chapter 15

“Susan, you’re drenched,” said Audrey.

“It started raining on my way home; I’m fine.”

“You should know better than to leave the house without an umbrella, especially in the spring. It rains in New York in the spring, too, doesn’t it? Let me get you a towel.”

Susan rolled her eyes at Audrey as she walked toward the bathroom.

“Mom, I saw that,” whispered Lynette. “You rolled your eyes at Audrey. You rolled your eyes at your own mother. It’s annoying being treated like you don’t know how to take care of yourself, isn’t it?”

“Hush. I don’t want Audrey to hear you.” The doorbell rang.

“Hey, Kevin! Come on in,” said Lynette. Susan thought he looked like a male model––neat hair, freshly ironed shirt, clean shaven.

“Mrs. Wiles, did you get caught in the storm?”
Now I understand how he made detective,
Susan thought.
So observant.

“So, Kevin, how’s the case going?” Susan avoided eye contact with Lynette.

“Still working on it,” he replied.

“Her husband came by the school today to get Celia’s things,” said Susan. “Scared me half to death when I walked in on him snooping through the desk. Did he have an alibi for the night of Celia’s murder?”

“Says he was out drinking at a bar. We’re still trying to find someone who saw him that night.”

Audrey returned with a fluffy yellow towel for Susan. “Hello, Detective. Come, have a seat.” Kevin joined the women.

Susan wiped her bifocals and dried her arms and legs. She needed to change her clothes but didn’t want to miss anything Kevin might say regarding the case. Why was he here, anyway? Was it about the case, or did he just want an excuse to see Lynette again? He smelled like after shave.

“We got an anonymous phone call down at the station. Someone reported seeing a person hanging around the arboretum the night of the murder. Said it was a man. The time fits with our window for time of death. I came to ask you if you think it could have been one of the boys in the dorm. The dorm overlooks the arboretum. Someone on the second or third floor may have witnessed the murder. Am I right?”

“Yes, it’s possible,” replied Audrey.

“We questioned all the boys in the dorm the day after the murder. No one admitted to seeing anything.”

“They may have been frightened,” said Audrey. “That’s probably why the call was anonymous.”

“Okay, thanks for your help, Mrs. Roberts,” Kevin said, “I’ll get out of your hair. Bye, Lynette.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Bye, Mrs. Wiles.”

After the detective had left, Susan lost no time in making her case. “Lynette, see. He kissed you. I know he still has a thing for you.”

“On the cheek, Mom. People do that with friends. You need to curb your imagination.”

“Do you think the anonymous call was legitimate?” replied Susan, not totally convinced that Kevin only felt friendship towards her daughter.

“Not sure,” said Lynette, pondering her question. “Why didn’t he call sooner, I wonder? He didn’t tell us much. All he confirms is that it was a man.”

“Do you think it was Derrick, Celia’s husband? He found out shortly before the murder that his wife was having an affair, and he can be violent, we’ve seen that,” said Susan.

“Things aren’t always what they seem, Mom. Kevin’s working on the alibi. We have no eye witnesses or physical evidence connecting Derrick to the crime scene.”

“
We
? Sounds like you’ve been helping Kevin.”

“The department is stretched thin with spring breakers on the loose, so I’ve been giving him a hand. Nothing official. We’re going back to the bar tomorrow. It’s been tough finding a witness to corroborate Derrick’s story.”

“I have to get out of these wet clothes before I catch a cold,” Susan said abruptly. She went upstairs and changed into yoga pants and a t-shirt. She did a search for Derrick Watkins her laptop, and came across a newspaper article detailing a fire in a condo that he shared with Cecilia.

According to the article, the cause of the fire was undetermined. It said that both occupants escaped, but that the ground floor of the condo had been destroyed. Neighbors reported hearing shouting, and the next door neighbor was quoted as saying, “It felt like furniture was being shoved against the wall. My living room was shaking from all the commotion.”
Interesting,
thought Susan.
Maybe they were fighting and Derrick tried to kill her by setting the apartment on fire.

Susan went downstairs hoping Audrey had some information.

“How did you find out about that?” Audrey asked her when Susan mentioned the fire. “It happened years ago. We all thought Derrick caused the fire. Luckily, Celia didn’t have a scratch on her. Derrick had a burn mark from his wrist to his elbow. I say he got what he deserved.”

“Hey, Mom! Audrey!” Evan came in the kitchen door, sweaty in his running clothes. Audrey grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and handed it to him.

“Lucky you didn’t get rained on,” said Susan. She left Audrey to prepare dinner. Someone––probably Lynette––had warned Audrey that cooking was not one of Susan’s strengths. Susan plopped down on the sofa and opened the cozy mystery she’d been enjoying, but had trouble focusing. She couldn’t stop thinking about that fire in the Watkins’ condominium. Why had Derrick gotten burned, but not Celia? If he’d wanted to kill her, why did he start a fire while he was in the house? She read some more.

Evan, freshly showered, sat down next to her.

“Evan, if there was a fire and two people were in the same room, why would one get a severe burn from wrist to elbow, while the other escaped unscathed?”

“Did they get out at the same time?”

“From what I understand, yes. Neighbors heard noises like they’d been fighting.”

“If the burn covered only that area, could be that the burned person was holding an appliance that caught fire.”

“The cause of the fire was undetermined. If an appliance malfunctioned, they’d know that, right?”

“Yes, they probably would. If they were fighting, maybe one person hit the other with something hot, or threw something hot. Boiling water? Grease?”

“Thanks Evan. That might be the explanation.” Susan was puzzled. Why did Derrick get burned if he threw hot liquid at Celia? She could have been defending herself. The article didn’t say that though. There was a knock at the front door, followed immediately by the sound of a key turning.

“George, hi!” said Susan as her half-brother entered the house. “Audrey’s in the kitchen.”

“She invited me to drop by for dinner. Thought it would be nice to spend time together as a family.”

Oddly enough, Susan found herself resenting George and Audrey’s relationship. Susan hadn’t bonded well enough with George or Audrey yet to think of them as family. She felt like George was an acquaintance at best. He came over and whispered in her ear.

“Did you find out anything helpful?”

“Odds and ends. I’m suspicious of Celia’s husband, Derrick. I’m also thinking some criminal deals are taking place in the arboretum. I read about Celia shooting a robber ten years ago during a burglary. I’m thinking maybe the dead burglar’s brother was released and came after her for revenge.”

“Good, definitely a start. Keep at it.” He patted her back and smiled his chipped tooth grin.

“I will.”
God, he’s strange,
she thought
.

“Hey, Evan! Having a nice visit?” said George as Evan wandered into the living room.

“Sure am. I needed a mental break from school and Florida is doing the trick.”

“Dinner’s ready!” called Audrey. Susan missed having Mike at the table. Lynette and Annalise came downstairs and with everyone seated around the table, it looked like a big, happy family. Too bad it didn’t yet feel like one.