Free Breach of Duty (9780061739637) by Judith A. Jance Page B

Mildred George turned to face us. “Good afternoon,” she said. “You must be the two detectives Grace Tipton called to tell me about earlier. What can I do for you?”
    So much for our making an unannounced visit. “We’re sorry about your sister-in-law,” I said, pulling out my ID and handing it across the counter. “We’re looking for information that might help lead us to the person or persons responsible. Anything you could tell us about her friends, associates, or business dealings would be most helpful.”
    Mildred George examined my ID carefully before handing it back. “I’m afraid I can’t help you there,” Mildred said. “When it comes to Agnes, I don’t know very much. We were notified of her death, of course, by the medical examiner. And since you’re here, I’m assuming that her death is now being treated as a homicide, but beyond that, I don’t know anything that would be of use.”
    â€œI take it you weren’t close?”
    Mildred George laughed outright. “You could say that.”
    â€œEstranged then?”
    Mildred George smiled a sad smile that didn’t extend all the way to her eyes. “No,” she said. “Estranged presupposes there was some closeness to begin with. In the case of Agnes Ferman and me, there was never any love lost.”
    â€œWhen’s the last time you saw her?”
    â€œChristmas,” Mildred said. “We had dinner Christmas Eve at Hilda’s house up in Marysville. Hilda is Andy’s sister—his younger sister. She’s also the family’s self-appointed peace broker. I think she thought that if she put Andy and Agnes together in the same room, they’d end up burying the hatchet. That didn’t happen, though. Hilda waited too long. Andy seems to recognize Hilda, but then he sees her several times a week. Before that Christmas dinner, the last time he saw Agnes was years ago at Lyle Ferman’s funeral. Since then, he’s slipped so badly that I don’t think he had any idea who she was. Since he didn’t remember her, he could hardly be expected to remember what it was they had quarreled about all those years ago.”
    â€œMaybe your husband doesn’t remember what the quarrel was all about,” Sue suggested quietly. “But do you?”
    Mildred appeared to study Sue for some time before she answered. “They quarreled over me,” she said at last.
    â€œOver you?”
    â€œMy sister-in-law didn’t approve of me,” Mildred said quietly. “She was a good friend of Andy’s first wife. Agnes and Betty went all through school together. Agnes has always regarded me as a home wrecker, even though Andy and Betty’s home was wrecked long before I appeared on the scene.”
    â€œWhen was that?” I asked.
    â€œThirty-five years ago.”
    â€œThat’s a long time to pack a grudge,” I suggested.
    Mildred raised one artfully arched eyebrow. “When it came to grudges,” she said, “Agnes was an expert.”
    â€œI see,” I said, wanting to follow that thread all the way to the end. “Can we assume then, if things have been that rocky between you and Agnes all these years, that you’re not particularly broken up that she’s dead?”
    Mildred George shook her head. “No,” she agreed. “It would be downright hypocritical to pretend otherwise. I’m not sorry at all.”
    â€œSo where were you last Monday night?” Sue asked.
    â€œI was home,” Mildred said at once. “Home with my husband.”
    â€œWill your husband be willing to verify that?”
    â€œDon’t be ridiculous,” she said. “Grace told me you were at the house this morning. You’ve seen Andy. His condition makes it so he barely recognizes me from day to day. He has no sense at all for the passage of time.”
    â€œThere’s no one else who