Hothouse Orchid (Holly Barker 6)

“Do you think Ms. Mason’s murderer is inside?” Teddy asked.

“You never know,” Bruno replied.

“No, I guess you don’t. I’m new in town, so I don’t know anybody-except Adele, of course-so I’m not into guessing who it might be. I hope you get the bastard.”

“So do we,” Weathers said.

“Good day to you,” Teddy said, then walked down the steps of the church, crossed the street and got into his car. When he drove away, Weathers and Bruno were still standing there, watching him.

Teddy took the funeral program from his pocket and looked at the back page. Burial was to be at a local cemetery, and there was a map. He began to follow it.

He found the cemetery with no problems. He parked the Toyota and walked toward the hearse, where the coffin was being unloaded, and people were starting to gather. He stood perhaps fifty yards away and watched the brief service. He saw Lauren Cade and the two local cops standing apart, viewing the gathering as he was.

Finally, the coffin was lowered into the grave, and the group started to walk back to their cars. Teddy watched until Lauren Cade and the two cops moved, too, then he walked back to his car and drove away.

25

Teddy stopped at the Vero Beach Book Center and went inside. He needed a book more absorbing than a second reading of Winston Churchill to take his mind off Adele Mason, now lying in the sandy Florida soil.

He was impressed. It was a very large bookstore, with everything he could have asked for in reading matter. He bought a New York Times and, after half an hour’s browsing, a new biography of Andrew Jackson. A review of the book had stirred his interest, and he didn’t know a lot about Jackson’s period of American history. When he walked up to the counter to pay for his purchases, he was surprised to find Lauren Cade ahead of him in line.

She bought a novel, and when she turned was equally surprised to see him. “Hello, Mr. Smithson,” she said.

“Good morning, Ms. Cade.” He laid his purchases on the counter, along with some cash.

“I saw you at the funeral,” she said, “and again at the burial. Why did you stand so far back?”

“For the same reason you did,” Teddy replied.

“And what would that be?”

“To see if I could spot the killer in the crowd.”

She smiled. “Well, you never know. It was worth the effort, I think.”

Teddy took his purchases and walked with her to the parking lot. “Did you spot him?”

“No,” she said. “Did you?”

“I’m afraid my instincts misled me,” Teddy said.

“How so?”

“I saw a man who struck me as a possible suspect, but he turned out to be a police officer-the chief, in fact.”

Lauren looked at him sharply. “Why do you say that?”

“I can’t explain it; I just didn’t like the look of him, and when Detective Weathers introduced him to me outside the church, I liked him even less.”

“That’s very interesting,” she said.

“You suspect him, too?”

“I shouldn’t talk about it,” she replied.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. I suppose you consider me a suspect as well.”

“Off the record, I don’t,” she said. “Everything you told us turned out to be true when we checked. Much of it was confirmed by Ms. Mason’s diary.”