Murder Under the Tree (6 page)

He came back into the room a few minutes later. “That was Andy. It's really coming down in the Cities. He's not sure he and Rose will be able to make it.”

“I wish the snow would let up. I'd hate it if we couldn't all be
together...especially tonight.” What was the special surprise gift Phil had for me? He sounded disappointed. Maybe he was having Andy and Rose bring it for him.

I started peeling the apples. There were a lot of people at the Christmas tea at Hawthorne Hills. Being so rushed, the kitchen staff might have accidentally contaminated the food with peanuts. It would have taken only one careless worker. Perhaps they had been short-handed, and a devasting mistake was made.

“Phil, I'm going to run over to the retirement home and bring a plate of Christmas cookies to Sarah.”

“In this snow? What if you get stuck?”

“Don't worry. I'll be back in an hour. It's Christmas Eve, and I'd like to spread a little cheer.”

“I'll come along. You can drop me off downtown and I'll walk back.
Finish
my shopping.”

Heavy, feathery flakes swirled hypnotically in front of my eyes as I drove the short distance to downtown and then Hawthorne Hills. I welcomed the warmth of the retirement home as I entered the front door with my cookies in hand. I went up to the third floor and rang Sarah's doorbell.

She answered straight away. “Merry Christmas, Sarah.” I handed her the cookies.

“Kay, come in. Thank you.” She took the plate in her hands. “They look delicious. I'll put on the tea kettle.”

“Oh, I can't stay long.”

“For a few minutes then. My children are coming tomorrow. There's a Christmas dinner here for the families.”

I sat on the sofa facing her Christmas tree with its lights flashing off and on. If I had to watch those blinking lights all day, I'd go mad.

“Kind of surprising, considering what just happened.”

“Les? Well, it is Christmas. Life goes on.”

“Yes, business is very much as usual. Kind of bothers me.”

Sarah nodded.

“Sarah, I've been thinking about Les. The kitchen staff was so busy at the tea. It could have been a simple mistake.”

“And what if it wasn't? Remember all the others who also had peanut allergies?”

There was that. “I wonder what Les did on his days off?”

“I never thought of it. Why?”

We needed to get a clearer idea of Les' life. “Why would somebody want him dead? Did he live off campus?”

Sarah looked contemplative. I gave her a moment. Sarah and company were going to have to come up with something more than the coincidence with the peanut allergies if this investigation was going to go anywhere. We needed to establish a clear motive. I went on.

“Did you ever see him with any friends from outside work?”

“Kay, I've only been here a month. I'll have to ask Anne and Martin about that.”

Glancing out the window, I could see the snowflakes getting heavier. Standing up, I said, “Sarah, I better get going. I'll come back on Boxing Day to talk about this in more depth.”

“Merry Christmas!” we said to each other and hugged.

When I reached the lobby, Nancy glared at me from behind the front desk. I smiled at her. She then gave me a half-hearted smile. I was relieved that I wouldn't have to see her every time Phil's band performed.

I opened the front door. The cold blast of wind just about forced me back inside. As I walked out, I turned around, and saw Nancy on the phone. Was she calling someone about me? I was definitely starting to get paranoid. Martin’s, Anne’s, and Sarah's ideas of her murdering Les were rubbing off on me.

While brushing the snow from my windshield, I decided that I would drive over and pay a visit to Police Chief Kirk, to learn which foods served at the Christmas tea had contained the peanuts.

* * * *

The parking lot was full at the police station, so I parked on the street. Loud Christmas music blasted out when I opened the door. The reception area was packed with people. The décor consisted of gaudy, red bells strung from wall to wall with lots of gold garland about. A bowl of punch was the centerpiece on a table surrounded by trays of cookies and platters with the makings for sandwiches. Chief Kirk was parked at the punch bowl, speaking to his receptionist, trying to be heard over the loud music.

When he saw me, he dipped the ladel into the punch bowl and offered me a cup. “Hello, Kay.” His breath was hundred proof. Thrusting the cup toward me, he spilled a bit over his hand and back into the punch bowl.

Guess I didn't have to wonder if it was spiked. “Thank you. Where are the napkins?” I turned in the direction of loud laughter coming from the other side of the room. A group of officers stood in a circle, looking at some photos on a projection screen. It appeared to be the same group at another office function, mugging for the camera. The laughter grew louder as what seemed like an endless stream of photos paraded across the screen. I guess you had to be there. Or drunk. Or both.

“What brings you here?”

Chief Kirk and I went back a couple of months. He was given the credit for solving the ginseng murders, when I had handed the evidence to the FBI on a silver platter, since I wished to remain anonymous.

“Do you think we could go into your office?” I shouted. “I have a few things I wanted to ask you?”

“What?”

I pointed in the direction of the offices. “Can we go to your office?”

“Sure.” He grabbed a second cup of punch. “This way.”

We entered his spacious office. He had a table-top Christmas tree over to one side. Papers were strewn all over his desk. He shoved them aside to make space for our punch cups.

“Now, what's up, Kay?” He drank the contents of one cup.

“I've been dying to learn what the lab found out.”

He had a blank look on his face.

“Which foods at the Christmas tea had the peanut products in them?”

He still didn't say anything.

“You had the food analyzed on Les Hollings table, didn't you?”

He burped. “Excuse me, Kay. Oh yeah. The food. I asked for the food from Les' table, but Dr. Lee said it had been thrown away with all of the other leftovers. He apologized for the mistake. I looked in the kitchen. There wouldn't have been any way to distinguish the food from Les' table with any of the other food.”

I had a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't believe it. “The food samples were destroyed!”

“Now calm down, Kay.”

“Dr. Lee told me he would make sure that the staff packaged the food to give to you.” Why hadn't he? Did he have something to hide? I couldn't take another doctor from the free clinic being a murderer as was the case almost two months ago. What was it with the people in Sudbury Falls?

“Well he didn't. It was an accident. Could be some of the kitchen help cleared the tables before he had a chance to say anything. It doesn't matter much. Peanuts were found in Hollings' stomach contents. Speaking of which, did you see the trays of food out there?” He looked at his watch and drank down the second cup of punch.

I looked across the desk at the tipsy lout in front of me. “Why didn't your officers handle collecting the evidence themselves? This is a police investigation! As far as we knew, the person responsible had access to that kitchen, and your men left them alone with the evidence!”

Chief Kirk dropped his cup on the table, looking a bit taken aback at being chastised for his handling of the situation. He wiped some sweat that was trickling down from his forehead. Then put his hand up in a calming gesture.

“Kay, all signs point to the same conclusion: this being an accidental death. The new coroner reported it as such. There's no need to treat this like it was an underhanded murder! Accept the fact that something terrible has happened to a good man, but it was an accident. Please try to enjoy your Christmas with your family.”

“So you're definitely ruled out criminal intent?”

He stood up and walked over to the door, opening it. “Would you like another cup of punch?” He smiled weakly.

I got up and walked to the door, not returning his smile. I heard Alvin and the Chipmunks coming from the other room. “Merry Christmas,” Kirk said as I left.

“Merry Christmas.” When I made it to the reception area, I saw some of the police officers dancing. I glanced over my shoulder as I opened the door to leave. Kirk was back over at the punch bowl. I shook my head.

* * * *

Will's car was parked out front when I pulled up. Thank goodness, he made it home. I opened up the garage door.

Will was in the kitchen. He had found the stash of cutout cookies. “Will...Merry Christmas!” I gave him a big hug. “I'm glad you're home. How was the drive?”

“Slid a few times. Lots of cars in the ditch. I see Dad frosted the snowmen.” He stuffed the rest of a cookie in his mouth.

I laughed. “Somethings you just don't grow out of.”

“When's Andy getting here?”

“Soon, I hope. So how does it feel to be a college graduate, home for the holidays, and then off to Madison to start your new job?”

“I'm glad to be out of school. The job's a little scary. What if I can't do it?”

“Will, you'll do great.” I kissed his forehead. “By the way, I bought a gift for Frances' mom.”

“About that...I had it wrong. They're not coming here for Christmas dinner. I'll be going over to Frances' Christmas night to exchange gifts. I'll give her mom the present then. What did you get?”

“A beautiful silk scarf.”

Will made a face.

“She'll love it, Will. I'd like to have it myself.”

“Where's Dad?”

“Downtown. Doing some shopping.”

“I still have some gifts I need to get.”

Like Father, like son. Will went upstairs. “You'll probably run into him,” I called up the stairs after him.

I took off my coat and hung it up. Before I put my apron back on, I looked at the gifts under the tree. Were there any for me from Phil? I found a flat box about the size of a large hardcover book. Was this the big surprise, or was Andrew bringing it? Phil might still be out buying it too, I supposed. This was probably something else.

* * * *

Andy and Rose made it through the snowstorm in time for everything. Phil and Will had returned a bit earlier and sneaked off to the basement storage room, where the wrapping paper was kept.

We sat down at the dining room table with our “Christmas Carol” feast and said grace. The table was beautiful with my mom's dishes and the glowing candles. Phil made a Christmas toast, ending with “God bless us, everyone” in a Tiny Tim falsetto. Everyone cheered as glass clinked against glass, followed by knives and forks against china. I smiled looking around the table; our little family was all together on this most important evening, having a great time. All was good in the world.

After dinner and a small emergency with lighting the plum pudding, we went into the living room. We had a tradition on Christmas Eve of playing Christmas songs on the instrument of one's choice. Andy played “Greensleeves” on his alto saxophone and then he and Rose played “Run, Run, Rudolph” on guitars. Next, Will played Feliz Navidad on his guitar and sang. We stood around the piano and sang as Phil played several Christmas carols. I did my best with “Silver Bells” on the piano, playing guitar chords with my left hand and “finger picking” with my right.

Phil poured champagne for everyone, and then we sat down and exchanged gifts. Everyone received a sweater from me. It was starting to be a signature gift kind of thing. Also I gave everyone, including myself, a greeting card saying that a donation was given in their name to Save the Children, an organization which impacts the lives of children and families in poverty.

Andy was our supplier of books each Christmas. He always had mysteries for me, which I loved. This year he had also provided me with the non-fictional title,
Private Eye: How to Improve your Skills at Sleuthing, Surveillance, and Solving Mysteries
. I smiled when I saw it and looked over at Phil, who rolled his eyes, when he read it, but smiled too. “Sorry this comes a little late, but you can save it for next time.” Andy smiled.

“There better never be a next time,” Phil mumbled under his breath to me, then turned to accept his gift from Andy.

I received a Monet umbrella from Rose, and Will gave me a digital recorder since, according to him, I had been so
fascinated
with his when he had listened to a lecture on it at home. Phil gave the usual music related things to the boys. The last present I opened was from Phil. It was a lovely scarf. I loved it, but I didn't think he would be whispering on the phone about a scarf. My big surprise must still be coming! I flung the scarf around my neck and gave Phil a big kiss.

We decided to walk the seven blocks to Christmas Eve Mass at St. Mary's. The snow had tapered off. Everyone's twinkling lights were on, as were the sky's. The moon lit the way through the snow. While walking, I started humming Christmas carols. Soon we were singing. A few people that we met along the way joined in. We stopped singing and listened to the church bells when they started to ring.

Thursday, December 25

Christmas

Christmas dawned, all calm and all bright. Everyone slept in. I crept down the stairs to avoid waking anyone, and turned the tree lights on. Had Phil put the secret present under the tree for me to find this morning? Not seeing one, I walked into the kitchen, made a pot of coffee, and glanced at the clock. Our guests would be arriving for Christmas dinner at one o'clock, giving me five hours to get everything ready. Turning on Christmas music softly in the kitchen, I started humming as I put a ham and asparagus strata together. Thoughts of Christmas memories from long ago, with my parents and brothers and sisters, brought a smile to my face.

When I turned around, I saw Phil standing in the doorway watching me.

“Merry Christmas, Kay!” He walked over, put his arms around me, brushing my face with his lips.

I smiled. “Merry Christmas! You're up early.” I ran my finger over the shape of his lips. Then I looked at him a little funny. If Phil was planning to surprise me with an extravagent gift, he was doing a good job of disguising the fact. I turned and put the strata in the oven.