Kate drew in her breath. The label said Elaine Cross.
“Come on,” Sara said. “Let’s go to your room and see what she sent.”
They carried the boxes into Kate’s living room and opened them. Packed in tissue paper were glorious things: dresses, blouses, skirts, even shoes. Silks, cottons, knits, linen.
Kate flopped down onto the couch, totally overwhelmed. “I shouldn’t accept this. It’s too much.”
“Don’t be silly.” Sara was holding up a striped shirt with a dozen tiny buttons down the front. “Think of it as your own personal Santa Claus come early.”
“He never left anywhere near this much at my house.”
“Oh?” Sara pulled out two dresses. One was white with black piping. The other was emerald green with a pale dragon on the back. “You and your mom had money problems?”
“We were always frugal. My father’s life insurance policy didn’t pay out too much. Mom got temporary jobs now and then, but her health didn’t allow for much. Ooooh. That’s nice.”
The talk of Ava Medlar’s finances stopped there. Kate asked if Sara minded if she tried on everything.
“Great plan and I’ll find accessories.”
What followed was an hour of laughter and ideas. Sara added scarves and jewelry and handbags from her own closet. She photographed every outfit Kate put on.
It was when they were putting the clothes on hangers that Sara said, “That Jack is getting back to work is a good sign. You’ve given both of us new life.”
Kate decided to take advantage of that compliment. “Did you really take care of my father?”
“Yes and no. Randal was greatly loved by our mother. She took care of him while I took care of everything else.”
“What about your father?”
“He didn’t participate much with any of us.”
Kate could tell from her aunt’s closed jaw that she wasn’t going to get more information than that. She changed the subject. “What do you really think we’ll find in that stuff from the garage?”
“Old tax records. Probably that damn toaster Jack keeps talking about.”
Kate paused, hanger in hand. “Do you think we’ll ever find the killer?”
“The truth? No. It’s been too long and the evidence has been destroyed. I think Cheryl and her mother kept their secrets so well that no one can find out now.”
“What about Mrs. Ellerbee?”
“I think she knew at least one of the secrets. Probably the identity of either Cheryl’s boyfriend or Verna’s lover. Or both. With her gone, it leaves only the killer with the secret. In my opinion, he knows he’s safe. We’ve found out a lot about the victims but nothing whatever about him.”
“Or her.”
“Killed two women, buried their bodies, then planted a tree? And this time around, disabled Jack’s truck and killed Mary in her nursing home? I don’t see that being done by a woman.”
“Two killers?” Kate said.
“‘A secret can only be kept by one person. More people than that know and it leaks out.’”
“Who said that?”
“Me in Morning Stars.”
“Oh, yeah. They knew too much and it almost got them killed. I loved that book.”
They heard a door slam.