Murder Under the Tree (25 page)

* * * *

I spent the rest of the morning running errands, I didn't want to go home yet, and ended up having lunch at Gupta's New Delhi, visiting with Neelam. I had been so busy I hadn't seen her since Phil’s and Dinesh's debut on New Year's Eve at Gatsby's. I told her about Les and warned her about Sheila and if she should see her in the downtown area to immediately call the police.

Finally late afternoon, when I turned the corner onto our block, I saw John's car pulling up into Elizabeth's driveway. I was surprised they were back so soon. As I entered my driveway, I saw another car swiftly pull into Elizabeth's driveway. I turned around to see who got out of the car. Sheila! I stopped the car halfway up my driveway and called 9-1-1 on my cell.

When I got out of my car, I could hear a confrontation. Crossing the street, I saw Sheila pull an object out of her pocket that glittered in the sunlight. God, it was a knife! I ran the rest of the way towards them. Sheila started waving the knife at Elizabeth.

“You stupid bitch!” Sheila screamed at Elizabeth. “You didn't think I'd find your cellphone under my bed! You and your friend over here,” she motioned at me with her knife, “were the ones who called the cops!”

“Sheila, put the knife down,” John shouted, coming towards her. He pulled Sheila's arms back. She went berserk twisting trying to get out of John's hold.

Robert came running from his home, across the street.

I ran over to John trying to help hold Sheila down. Thrashing like a crazed animal, she managed to kick John in the groin. He fell on his knees. Then made a wild slash at my forearm with the knife, cutting it. I let go of her. Sheila lunged at Elizabeth, with the purposefulness of a woman with nothing to lose, her bloody knife up in the air. Robert grabbed Sheila, twisting her around, and yelled for Elizabeth to get into the house.

I heard sirens. Robert looked in the direction of the sound. In that second, Sheila plunged the knife into Robert's chest. I stood, staring in frozen surrealness. It took a few moments for my brain to register what my eyes were seeing. John got to his feet, took a hold of Sheila, and wrestled her to the ground. Elizabeth rushed over to Robert, who lay on the ground. She lifted his head onto her lap. Blood gushed onto his navy sweater, the same sweater he wore the first night I saw him at Elizabeth's party.

I fell down on my knees at his side, still disbelieving, and stabilized the knife with my scarf, then applied direct pressure to his chest area to slow the bleeding. Robert didn't appear to have any signs of a collapsed lung. Blood escaped from the surface cut on my arm. I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder. I glanced up. In all the confusion I didn't see Deirdre come across the street.

“I called the police,” she said.

The sirens came closer.

Elizabeth pushed Robert's hair out of his eyes. “Robert, I'm so sorry. Thank you.”

Robert looked into Elizabeth's eyes for a few moments. “Elizabeth, did I ever tell you you're beautiful?” Robert said a little louder than a whisper.

Elizabeth nodded, tears flowing down her cheeks. “You did.”

He looked in John's direction. “I'm happy you're marrying John. He's a good man for you.”

“How did you know? He just proposed last night.”

Robert glanced at me, then back to Elizabeth. “I'm proud of you. Your mother....” Robert began coughing.

Elizabeth started crying. “My mother? You knew my mother?”

“Forgive me, Elizabeth. I didn't even know about you...six months ago.”

“Who's my mother?” Elizabeth asked sobbing.

“She put you up for adoption. I didn't know.”

“Are you...” Elizabeth stopped talking.

“Your father.”

Elizabeth cried harder. “My father?”

“I love you, Elizabeth,” Robert said wheezing.

I started crying. My tears were dropping onto Robert's navy sweater. I could hear Deirdre also behind me.

“I love you too...Daddy.”

“When I found out...” Robert coughed his lips turning bluish. “I spent every...every moment searching for you.”

Robert gasped. The EMT was here. They ran out of the ambulance at the same time the police turned up and cuffed Sheila. John came over. Sheila was led away. I heard stressed breathing, then Robert's head dropped.

“I love you too. I love you too,” Elizabeth said quietly and kissed Robert on his forehead. Her tears became sobs. “Daddy! Daddy!”

John pulled Elizabeth away so they could get at Robert. He held her tightly in his arms. Deirdre and I went over to her. We stood about six feet away and watched the EMT work on Robert.

After several minutes, they covered his face with a sheet.

Friday, January 9

“Nooooooooo!” Echos of Elizabeth's uncontrollable wailing stayed with me.

I went downstairs to bake a batch of currant scones to take to Elizabeth this morning and found that Phil had beat me to it. A dozen scones were cooling on racks with a message saying he would try to make it home early today.

* * * *

When Elizabeth answered the door to Deirdre and myself, her eyes were red and swollen. “Elizabeth, did you get any sleep?” I asked.

She didn't answer, but fell into my arms, sobbing. Deirdre put her arms around Elizabeth’s back. We stood like this, in a group hug, for a minute or two.

“I'm so glad you're both here,” Elizabeth said.

John stood up saying he was going to leave for a while to tend to some business.

Deirdre took the scones from me. “I'll go in the kitchen and make some coffee.”

Elizabeth and I sat on her sofa. “I started unpacking my suitcase from my trip to visit Dominic, thinking he would soon be going to his grandfather's funeral.” She paused for a few moments. “A grandfather that he never knew he had.”

Elizabeth started crying again. I gave her another hug. “I'm so sorry, Elizabeth.”

“And I don't even know where the funeral's going to be.”

I could barely make out what she was saying. “We'll find out,” I said.

Deirdre came back into the room and looked between us. “Everything's ready.”

Elizabeth wiped her tears. We went into the kitchen and sat at the table.

“I heard you mention the word funeral,” Deirdre said. “Don't you think it will most likely be in Chicago. Didn't Robert say his wife had died there. I wonder if she was your mother?”

As soon as the words came out, Deirdre looked like someone who had really just put her foot in her mouth. All was quiet for a moment.

Elizabeth who had just calmed down, burst out crying again. “I don't know if she was my mother, Deirdre.”

I excused myself, went into another room and made a call.

When I walked back into the kitchen, I heard Deirdre ask, “So how did John propose?” Elizabeth had calmed down again. She blew her nose, then smiled. Deirdre was pouring more coffee for all of us.

“We were walking in North Beach when John suggested stopping for a coffee. We sat outside at a little cafe on Columbus.” Elizabeth looked over at me. “Kay, I know you and Phil used to live in San Francisco. John asked me right then and there.”

“What did he say?” Deirdre asked.

Elizabeth smiled. “That he loved me from afar for a long time and now being with me these past few months, he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.”

“How romantic!” I said.

“John's a sweet guy,” Deirdre said.

“I think so.” She wiped her eyes again. “That evening we went to the symphony to hear Dominic. He was so fantastic. Do you know when he was little, I'd have to get after him to do his homework. He'd forgo it for flute practice. And now look where he is.” She smiled.

“Dominic sounds talented,” I said.

The doorbell rang. I got up, saying I would answer it. As I left, I heard Deirdre say, “You and John were meant to be together. You can't change your destiny. I know I've been hard on you before, but it's been out of love. You're a good friend.”

All that love passing between Deirdre and Elizabeth felt reassuring, real.

I opened the front door. “That was quick. Please come in.”

She stepped into the foyer. “I came right over.”

Her eyes were as bloodshot as Elizabeth's. “Celine, I'm so sorry about Robert.”

“Thank you. I still can't believe it. It was just like Robert, wanting to protect his daughter.”

A tear slid down her cheek. She wiped it away. “I wish we had never come here. But we had to. To find her.” She looked past me towards the voices.

“I called you because Elizabeth needs some answers about her father. You can understand that.”

“I don't know how much he told her.”

“He never said anything. He only first revealed that he was her father when he was dying. And she doesn't know anything about you.”

“I don’t know why he waited to tell her. If he had just come out with it, he could have told her everything she wanted to know. Maybe he never got up the courage until he realized that it was his very last chance.”

I remained silent for a few moments. “Elizabeth and a friend are in the kitchen.” I turned to walk in that direction.

Celine grabbed my hand. “Before we go in there, I want to tell you, I resigned this morning. I'm leaving Sudbury Falls.”

“I can understand that, after all that has happened.”

“I've lived in many places, mostly large cities, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, and others, but I've never known a place like Sudbury Falls. It's
too
much for me.”

Somehow I knew exactly what she was talking about. “I wish you the best, wherever you go. Shall we?” I led the way into the kitchen.

“Hello, Elizabeth.”

Celine looked between Deirdre and Elizabeth. She didn't even know which one was Elizabeth.

“Yes. I'm Elizabeth.”

“My name is Celine Winterberg. I'm Robert's sister.”

“Robert's sister?”

“Your aunt.”

Elizabeth stood up and walked over to Celine and hugged her. I had often said to others,
leave it to Elizabeth
, but once again,
leave it to Elizabeth
, to be this gracious and kind.

They clung to each other; tears flowed. They looked close to about the same age, give or take a few years.

Then Celine said, “I know this is horrible for you, just finding out about Robert and now he's gone.” She paused for a few moments. “Robert told me a lot about you. He was proud to call you his daughter.”

Elizabeth's eyes teared up. “To call me daughter? Why didn't Robert tell me who he was?”

Celine hesitated. “I'm sure he was waiting for…the right moment. To tell you in his own time, in his own way.”

In his own time...he shouldn't have put it off. They could have had some quality time together.

“May I sit down? I'm sure you have questions.”

“She certainly has,” Deirdre said.

“Thanks, Deirdre,” Elizabeth said. She turned to Celine. “I have to know, was his…Robert’s wife who died my mother?”

“No. Your mother was someone he went to high school with. They broke up and then her family moved mid-year. They were seniors. Robert didn't know she was even pregnant until he received a letter from her last year, when his wife was dying. She recognized him from a photo in the Chicago Tribune.”

“In the Chicago Tribune?” Deirdre said.

“It was an article about a foundation he supported.”

“Where is my mother now?”

“After my sister-in-law died, Robert tried to contact your mother. She had died of ovarian cancer.”

Elizabeth looked sad, but nodded at the news. “What was her name?”

“Katherine Warren.”

“Katherine Warren,” Elizabeth repeated in a cracked voice.

I reached over for Elizabeth's hand.

“That's probably why Katherine tried to contact Robert when she did,” Celine said.

I admired Elizabeth. In one day, she learned her two biological parents were dead. She was holding it together much better than I would have.

“Robert searched until he found your whereabouts, then decided to buy Hawthorne Hills, which was up for sale. I was a shoo-in for the nurse opening, being the new owner's sister.”

“Please, tell me anything you can about my father.”

I stood up. “Elizabeth, I think we should give you and Celine some privacy. Would you like to get together after lunch?”

“We could meet at Marissa's,” Deirdre said. “About two o'clock?”

“I'd like that very much,” Elizabeth said.

After Deirdre and I parted, I drove over to the police station to see what was happening.

I hoped this would be the last I had to see of the place for a very long time. I’m sure Chief Kirk would echo the sentiment.

* * * *

I entered Chief Kirk's office. He stood up, shaking his head, but with a mild smirk on his face. “Kay, this is becoming a habit. But I'm glad you're here. I expect you want to know what happened.”

I smiled. This greeting was quite the change.

“Please sit down.” He pulled out the chair for me.

“Thank you. So,” I began pleasantly, “how’s Sheila?”

“She's being held for murder on three counts: Les, Martin, and Robert Peterson. And one count of attempted murder.”

“Only one count of attempted murder?”

Ignoring my question, he continued. “There’s been a new development. We discovered that Lola Castillo was part of this whole thing.”

My eyes went wide. “Lola?”

“Yes, she's also being charged with Les' murder. Sheila identified Lola as her accomplice, and when we brought her in for questioning she broke down and confessed to both Les’ and Martin's murders.”

“What would Lola have against Martin?”

“Nothing. Sheila held Les' murder over her head, and threatened to go to the police, saying she acted alone, unless Lola helped her smother Martin.”

“Poor Martin.”

“Sheila knew Martin was in the kitchen and couldn't take the chance he might have overheard her conversation. She called Lola and they went up to Martin's apartment together.”

“Terrible! And Les?”

“Sheila said it made her sick that everyone saw Les as this wonderful guy, and with Les leaving soon, she had to act.”