Free Better Homes and Corpses by Kathleen Bridge Page B

fanned on her lap.
    “Sorry I’m late. I almost ran over Jillian in the storm.”
    “I saw the way you were parked. Is she okay? I had a terrible dream last night that someone locked us in the workroom safe and only Caroline Spenser’s killer knew the combination.” She hugged herself and shuddered.
    “Jillian’s okay, I guess. Well, not really. Back to your nightmare. How would Caroline’s killer know about your safe?”
    “I don’t know, but I’m going to look up the meaning in one of my books. Here, I brought you something.”
    Elle handed me a small piece of amethyst. I slipped it into my back pocket.
    “Don’t you wanna know what it’s for?”
    “I trust you.”
    “It will keep you safe . . .”
    “Shhh!”
    Angry voices came from the adjoining room. I moved next to the connecting door to hear what was being said. A few words were garbled, so I motioned to Elle to be quiet and opened the door a crack so I could read Cole’s and Detective Shoner’s lips. From what I could gather, Detective Shoner was returning some of Caroline’s personal effects. He recited a list of people with access to the estate before Caroline’s murder: Adam, the Arnolds, me, Salvatore and his son, two house cleaners that came three days a week, a grocery delivery boy, and Dr. Greene. Why was I in the third slot
?
Could there be a murderer hidden in such a short list?
    “Where were the Arnolds when my mother was killed?” Cole asked.
    “It was their usual Friday-night routine to take the train to the city and do the food shopping for the week. They stayed at the town house then returned on Saturday afternoon.”
    “I forgot about my mother’s obsession with Grabard’sGourmet and the Fulton Fish Market.” Cole seemed more subdued.
    “They have their train stubs. They took the afternoon train out of Penn Station. Your mother had a small staff. I’m surprised she didn’t have a full-time security guard.”
    “You’d have to talk to Adam or Jillian about that.”
    “I talked to Mr. Donovon, your mother’s attorney. He told me you were surprised your mother left both you and Jillian with Spenser Communications and the house. Is that true?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why?”
    “Personal reasons. I told my mother I didn’t want anything.”
    “Maybe your mother didn’t feel Jillian was in the best mental health to carry such a responsibility alone?”
    “Jillian’s stronger than you think. Given time, she’ll come out of it. Anything else? I have things to do.”
    “Were you on good terms with your mother?”
    “We talked on the phone.”
    “When was the last time you saw her?”
    “I’ve already told you, seventeen years ago. My father’s funeral.”
    “That’s a long time . . .”
    “It’s really none of your business.”
    “It becomes my business in a murder investigation.”
    “You’re not insinuating I had anything to do with my mother’s death, are you?”
    Detective Shoner answered him with silence.
    “Isn’t this case under Suffolk County jurisdiction, not the town’s?”
    “Don’t you worry about jurisdiction. I’d be more worried about a good alibi.”
    “I have to get back to my sister. Is there anything else?”
    “No, but I want to talk to Meg Barrett before I leave. Where can I find her?”
    I shut the door and crossed the room to Elle.
    Detective Shoner didn’t use the adjoining door; instead, he entered from the hallway.
    “Anything missing?” He looked at me.
    “Ms. Warner only received the photos and list yesterday.”
    “We had our detectives do an initial search of the house on the day of the murder and couldn’t come up with anything out of the ordinary.” He offered his hand to Elle. “By the way, I’m Detective Shoner. I’m in charge of the investigation. You must be Ms. Warner.”
    “Nice to meet you, Detective. Call me Elle.” She shook his small hand.
    “What do you want us to do? Find out if anything is missing or put a dollar amount on the estate?” I was