A Willing Murder (Medlar Mystery 1)

Kate sat back on her heels. “Not possible, is it?”

“No. This isn’t going to itch, is it?”

“It won’t touch your skin. Stop moving!”

There was a knock on the door and in unison Jack and Kate said, “Come in.”

Sara entered, paused a moment to ascertain what they were doing, then sat down on the end of the bed. She had on a black dress that Kate was willing to bet was by some Italian designer. “What’s going on?”

“Our Kate is going to elope with Alastair Stewart and have Noreen for her mother-in-law.”

“That’s good,” Sara said. “Three months later you can ride up on your Harley and rescue her and be the hero.”

“Been writing romances again, have you?” Jack said.

“Sort of. Kate, what did you get out of Alastair?”

She and Jack told everything, talking together, interrupting each other.

“Not much, is it?” Sara said.

“No, but I have something.” Jack went to a cabinet by the door and withdrew a DVD in a jewel case. “It’s a copy of the video of everyone who entered the nursing home.”

Kate and Sara looked at him in awe.

“I called Gary—my security guy, remember?—and he knew someone who knew someone.”

“How much?” Sara asked.

“Three hundred and fifty.”

“Not bad,” Sara said. “Have you seen it?”

“Yes. That’s why I slept late this morning. There’s no one I know on it. No one I’ve ever seen before.”

“I’ll have to look at it,” Sara said. “Maybe some ancient old person is someone I went to high school with. Your pants look good. Great job, Kate.”

She looked around his legs at Sara. “Can he actually sing?”

“Quite well. If I’d known that back when he graduated from high school, I would have kidnapped him and made him try out at Juilliard.”

“Only if I could have taken Mom, Ivy and Evan with me.”

They were silent for a moment. If they’d all left town then, maybe Evan would still be alive.

FOURTEEN

They left for the cemetery at nine. Sara and Kate were frowning in worry about the coming service. Would many people show up? Since few remembered the deceased, would they laugh and giggle? Stand around complaining about their bosses and spouses? Be disrespectful?

“You two are going to get wrinkles,” Jack said.

“Too late for me to worry about that,” Kate said. “And too soon for Aunt Sara.” That she had purposefully said it backward made them laugh.

At the grave site, the two coffins were side by side and draped in roses. White for Cheryl; red for Verna. They wouldn’t be covered until the notes had been put inside.

Four rows of chairs were on three sides and with no one there, they looked imposingly empty. There were two florist vans parked close by and they were unloading huge arrangements.

“They from you?” Jack asked Sara.