Murder Under the Tree (16 page)

I told her about my morning at the P.I.'s office and about how her relaxation exercises worked magic.

“What did the report reveal?”

“I didn't get a chance to study it. I can't think about that tonight. I'm going to give it a rest for a day...or two.” I thought of Andrew's birthday.

Deirdre nodded in understanding.

The guests started to arrive. Deirdre had an interesting assortment of lovely hors d'oeuvres. I wasn't sure if feng shui extended to food arrangement or variety. But her trays were filled with healthy foods of all the colors of the rainbow: cherry tomatoes filled with pesto, blue cheese zucchini bites, smoked salmon canapés, artichoke spinach dip, There were fruit-stacked sticks and a variety of raw vegetables, edible cups of tofu with chopped nuts and water chestnuts, probably to balance textural differences. And of course, a mirror reflected the buffet and her candlelight, doubling her apparent food quantity and manifested energy.

Deirdre came over to me, her face bright red. “Kay, did you see who just walked through the door?”

I glanced past her and saw Robert Peterson. “What's he doing here?” Was he crashing yet another party?

Elizabeth must have noticed Robert also and was on her way over to him wearing a short, daring, red dress that fit her like her own skin. I looked over at the other side of the room where John stood talking in a group, but his eyes were following Elizabeth. Was that smoke coming out of his ears? I looked back at Elizabeth and Robert now talking and then to Deirdre, who still looked stunned.

“Elizabeth must have invited him,” I said. “We should go over and say hello?” Along the way I collected Phil, who was standing over at the bar.

Deirdre welcomed Robert to her home. John, all smiles, soon joined us, putting his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders, signaling she was with him.

Mike came over with two glasses of champagne and handed one to Robert. “So you must be the new love interest, Robert, is it?”

Deirdre's eyes shot daggers at Mike. Elizabeth looked indignant. As did Robert. I looked over at John and added him to this list.

Then I looked over at Phil pleadingly. My eyes going wide. All was silent.

Elizabeth's petulant lips, that matched the color of her dress, opened to respond. Before this turned ugly I blurted out, “Mike, are you set for the gig tonight?”

Everyone looked at him. He seemed to realize that perhaps he had said something wrong. “Well—”

Then John turned to Elizabeth and said, “Elizabeth, a word please.” He hesitated, then added softly, “Now.”

Maybe John didn't know Elizabeth all that well. People usually didn't say “now” to Elizabeth and get away with it.

Elizabeth smiled at John. “In a bit. I invited Robert to the party, and he can only stay for a few minutes.”

Elizabeth turned towards Robert as John walked away and stood at the edge of a group, watching Elizabeth and Robert. I imagine he was fuming, but he handled himself well.

Phil then turned back to Mike. “Let's go in the kitchen and look over the setlist for tonight.”

Well, that went smooth. I went over and joined some friends from the book club.

After Robert left, Elizabeth rejoined John. By the look on their faces and gestures, they weren't handling it well now. I hoped John wouldn't walk out on Elizabeth tonight.

Deirdre came into the living room from the kitchen and over to me. “Kay, I want you to try this spicy tuna roll. Let me know what you think.”

I hated sushi.

“I just want to see if you think it's too hot. I know you like spicy food.”

I took a bite. My eyes watered. “Deirdre, it's pretty hot.”

“What do you all taste in it?”

Hmm. I thought for a few moments. Once I regained control of my tongue, I said, “Well I can barely taste the tuna, if that's what you're asking. The horseradish is overpowering.”

“Taste anything besides that?”

I looked suspiciously at Deirdre and laughed. I took another nibble and thought about what I was eating. “What do you want me to taste?” What was she up to?

“Peanut butter. There's peanut butter in it.”

“You're kidding me. I didn't taste that at all. Why in the world would you put peanut butter in a tuna roll?”

“I just wanted to demonstrate how easy it would be to 'poison' just one person in an hors d'oeuvre situation. Or at a Christmas tea. The rest of the sushi only has tuna.”

I looked down at my sushi roll in surprise. Very clever, Deirdre.

Phil came over to say he and the other members of the band were going to leave. The rest of us headed to Gatsby's an hour later.

When I pushed opened Gatsby's heavy glass door, I felt the swell of warmth and light and chatter rush over me. I was happy to see Andrew and Rose. Will and his new girlfriend had already arrived and were sitting at our table. I went over and gave them each a big hug. Will introduced me to Frances, who was very personable and who I liked immediately.

Deirdre, Elizabeth and John, and Neelam joined us at the table. I watched John smile at Elizabeth, and was happy to see they seemed to be okay. John and Elizabeth definitely had their differences, which sometimes led to conflict. It was hopeful to see them learning to be flexible and be together in harmony. It appeared they were finally focusing their energy to flow in the same direction, rather than a clashing of incongruous vitalities. I had been hanging around with Deirdre too much lately, it seemed.

At ten o'clock, the lights dimmed and spotlights came on. Then one light strayed off over to our table. I could feel Andrew and Will's eyes on me. Phil looking handsome in his dark suit, walked over to me carrying a large bouquet of red roses in one hand and a microphone in the other. I let out a quiet, little nervous laugh, and felt my face flush. I hoped he wasn't going to sing to me right then and there.

Phil handed me the flowers, his eyes sparkling, and said, “Twenty-eight beautiful roses, one for each year that we've been married.” Everyone applauded. “Twenty-eight wonderful years with this amazing woman. I love you, Kay.” He kissed my cheek and walked back on stage. “I'm a lucky guy, everyone.” There was another round of applause. “It was our anniversary a few days ago, but I was so busy getting ready for tonight...” Boos began to be heard throughout the room, including those from Elizabeth and Deirdre. Phil stopped talking and threw up his hands in a good natured gesture, being caught off-guard for a moment, then said, “This first song is for Kay.”

I blew Phil a kiss. Finally I had received it...my big surprise! Will, Frances, Andrew, and Rose were all smiles, as were Deirdre, Elizabeth, and Neelam.

The band started playing “Unforgettable.” They weren't bad!

After the song ended and the next started, I turned around to see who all showed up. In the very back off to the side, I spotted Robert Peterson looking in our direction at Elizabeth with a grim expression on his face. Sitting next to him, talking in his ear, was Nancy Reinhardt.

Thursday, January 1

New Years Day

Everyone slept in that morning. I laid on my side and watched Phil sleep beside me with a smile on his face. The show was a success; it was a fun evening.

Then I remembered Robert Peterson sitting in the back with Nancy. Had Elizabeth invited him to the show as well? She said he had to leave Deirdre's party early, so why had he shown up only a couple of hours later at the gig? I got up and looked out our bedroom window towards Robert's home. His car was in the driveway, the same car I was sure I saw in St. Paul. I threw on my bathrobe and went downstairs. Putting on my coat and boots, I walked down the driveway to get the newspaper. After picking it up, I looked over towards Robert's car. Why not? I trampled across our white-carpeted lawn to his driveway and looked at the back of his car. There was a blue and red Chicago Cubs bumper sticker on it.

I knew it. His
was
the car I had seen in St. Paul. He followed me when I drove Elizabeth's car, thinking I was her. Glancing up at his house, I noticed the blinds move in an upstairs front window. I went back into the house.

Andrew's birthday was a pleasant, relaxing day. Something we all needed. We watched a comedy movie and played the Rock 'n Roll Band interactive video game, playing and singing to the Beatles edition of the game. We actually could have done this all downstairs on real instruments, but it was fun having a computer rate your playing ability, and for me, the vocals.

Phil's carrot cake was a hit, as I knew it would be. Phil was a great baker.

Early evening, after Andrew and Rose left, I went upstairs with Will to finish packing what he was going to take with him when he left this weekend for his new job in Madison. We would follow in two weeks and bring the rest of what he left behind. After packing a half dozen boxes, Will decided we should take a break and he started down the stairs to shoot some pool with Phil. I followed behind. As I watched Will descend, I thought about how our sons were remarkable, caring people. I was so proud of them, of their integrity and compassion for others.

I turned the corner and entered the study. Taking the private investigator's report on Nancy Reinhardt out of the bottom drawer of the desk, I sat sideways on the sofa with my legs up and looked it over. DeMire had done a background check in criminal and sex offender databases with no results. A credit check. Nancy had a hefty $45,000 in credit card debt. Probably why she needed to get into the men's wills. It listed her education and work history, when and where. Three retirement homes in ten years in eastern Wisconsin. Why the move to western Wisconsin? There would have been more opportunities in the Milwaukee area and closer to where she was from.

Her job before this was in Two Rivers at Harbor's Edge Village. I'd call tomorrow to find out what kind of an employee she was. Viktor had mentioned Two Rivers was where Les had killed the boy while drunk driving. It was a small town about the size of Sudbury Falls. I had lived here for less than a year and recognized many of the people in town. Did Nancy know of Les when she lived there? Neither Viktor nor Chelsey mentioned that Les knew Nancy before. If Les had, I'm sure it would have been mentioned.

Viktor said Les couldn't figure out why Nancy didn't like him. If Nancy had known of Les' felony, she might have known of his prison term. It would have been on his application record in the files at the Home, unless Les lied. Maybe she never even looked. His probationary period would have been long over; she wouldn't have had to deal with that. And she started at the Home after Les did. But wouldn't a director want to know the backgrounds of everyone who worked for them?

I turned to page three. Identity verification. Associated people: Mary Reinhardt, Two Rivers and Sheila Harris, Two Rivers, Sudbury Falls. Wait! The other site had mentioned a Sheila Reinhardt. Nancy had hired a relative as the manager of the kitchen!

I went on the computer in the study and searched on Leslee Hollingsworth born in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Nothing about his being born there, but an obituary popped up for Melissa and Les' father who had lived in Green Bay. Two Rivers and Green Bay were about forty miles apart.

The phone rang.

“Happy New Year, Kay! That was a great show last night. Phil was really on.”

“Thanks, Elizabeth. It was great.”

“His song to you was so romantic.”

I doubt Elizabeth wanted to talk about the show. “What's up?” Must be either Robert or John.

“John. I thought last night he would have asked me to marry him. What, with New Year's Eve being a traditional time to get engaged.”

Elizabeth didn't give me time to answer. “What's he waiting for? He has the ring.”

I shook my head. I knew there was nothing that was going to be rational about this conversation. Was she as oblivious as Phil? “Might be John was a bit troubled when he saw Robert at Deirdre's party.” Elizabeth should get real. Her behavior towards Richard and Mike's comment, must have felt threatening to John. “By the way, did you invite Robert to the show last night?”

“No. He was there?”

“For a while.” I proceeded to tell Elizabeth about seeing Robert Peterson's car when I drove to St. Paul. “It was creepy, Elizabeth. He must have followed me there, thinking I was you. I was in your car and wore your hat. But why?”

“What's creepy about it? I think it's sweet.”

Get real, Elizabeth. “Sweet? Stalker sweet.”

“Kay, you're starting to sound like Deirdre. Robert's an angel. He does a lot of good for people.”

I shook my head. My eye started to twitch. “I think you had better watch out for this one. And as far as John...you guys need to talk. I'm sorry, I have to go.” Elizabeth wasn't facing reality. I was fed up trying to reason with her.

After I hung up with Elizabeth, I took out Lola's counselor's notes. Dated about a month ago, the counselor wrote that Lola was making headway with her anger in light of her troubled relationship with Les. She had discussed with Lola about recognizing the early signs of anger, and had given her different steps she could take to relax and deal with the anger in a positive way using behavior modification techniques. Lola had been encouraged to join an anger management group session that met twice a week, which she did. Lola was reported as doing well in the sessions. Sharing and trying to help the other participants. She seemed happy with Lola's progress.

If the counselor was satisfied with Lola, I was also for the moment.

It had been a long two days. I wanted to spend some time with Will before he left on Saturday for Madison and his new job. This could wait. Of course I was fooling myself. I put everything back into the desk drawer and went downstairs to join Will and Phil. I was there with them, but my thoughts had not come along with me. I kept thinking of that report. Why had Nancy hired a relative to be in charge of the kitchen?

Friday, January 2

Tonight I promised to help Deirdre finish painting her shop. At least I hoped it would be done tonight; Deirdre's jobs always ended up taking a lot longer than expected due to her trying to take creative detours during their execution. Will had plans with friends after dinner, and Phil and his band planned to listen to the recording of their show. He had been listening to the recording on his own since the show, and he had been groaning a lot whenever he perceived a slight error on his part. I didn't notice anything wrong; it sounded wonderful to me.