She Waits Part 24

I looked up to the top of the wine rack, it was at least seven, maybe eight, feet tall.

"Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked.

"You bet," Mac said. He opened the ladder. I stood on the top of it and reached up.

"Be careful, dear," Hannah said.

"Really Kate," Maggie agreed.

"You all think I'm gonna fall off a stepladder? Geez," I said impatiently.

Mac laughed outright. "It wouldn't be the first time, Sherlock."

I couldn't see and had to feel my way around. "G.o.d, I hope there are no spiders up here, yees.h.!.+" I s.h.i.+vered. I was serious. I hated spiders.

"Will you stop joking and be careful," Maggie said sternly as she held onto my leg.

Who's joking? Continuing the search, I felt something and pulled it down. I was shocked. I didn't think anything would be there; but there they were-both bags. I handed them down to Mac who was equally shocked.

Teri was beaming. "Sherlock strikes again!"

Maggie stared at the bags then looked at me. "Amazing!"

"Heavens Kate, you're a wonder," Hannah said, shaking her head.

"I'm a little pleased myself," I said happily.

We went up to sit at the kitchen table, as we were wont to do all weekend, and stared at the plastic bags, waiting for them to do something.

Teri suddenly jumped up. "Good grief, I forgot. Your editor friend dropped off the pictures while you were at Bedford's," she said and ran out of the kitchen.

"This should be interesting," I said as Teri came back and handed me the manila envelope. "Good thinking," I said about the magnifying lens she also handed me.

As I examined the pictures, I could see a faint milky white line by the tree.

"What is it?" Hannah asked and Maggie looked as well.

I looked at Teri and smiled. She bent down and looked through the lens. Then she stood up sporting an amazed look.

"I'll explain, if I can," I said. "I think this apparition, for lack of a better word, is Miranda. I think Miranda has been here, off and on, watching over you. Now, with all that's happening, she's here. I remember when my mother died. For an entire year, I had the feeling she was there. I came home on several occasions and thought for sure she was in the room. Teri had similar experiences. I don't know how it happens, but I believe Teri. For instance, the fragrance of hyacinth in this very room-Miranda was here. I have a friend who's a photographer. He's taken and developed hundreds of photos like these. People are sure they see their loved ones in the photo. In each case, once the photo is developed, there is only the milky-white shadow."

Maggie smiled in understanding. "There have been times when I thought the same thing. I never said anything, because I thought it was my imagination. But it's comforting in a way to think she might be here."

Hannah had tears in her eyes. "Every time I look at you, Maggie, Miranda is here." She reached up and touched Maggie's cheek.

"Well, let's get back to the other issue," I said. "I remember what Charlie said at the party about Allison losing a riding glove. We can't overlook Allison being somehow involved. To what extent I don't know. If you look at this logically, there are a few people we could consider because they all knew Miranda then and are still around now. Somebody knows something and I'm going to find out who and what, today," I said emphatically. "Okay, person-by-person. The glove implicates Allison. Next, Nathan. We are all on the same page in one respect: he loved Miranda and she him. That's a big motive especially if he wanted her and she said no. Then there's Jonathan. Same motive-love. Perhaps he found out and killed her in a jealous rage, but since he's dead now, how could he be responsible for the current turn of events involving Maggie?

"Next, we have Doc," I continued. "He knows something, I can smell it. What, I don't know. Although, I can't imagine him a murderer, but he surely knows something. Then we have Sarah. Her little psychotic trip through the woods today leads me to believe she knew where to locate Miranda's jewelry-and she was surely looking for something today.

"While mumbling to herself and talking to the woods are not points in her favor, it doesn't mean she murdered Miranda, but if she knew Nathan loved her then there's a motive there also. Now with Bedford's notebook, we know there was a good deal going on way back when with Sarah, Alexander and her fight with Jonathon over the Winfield Clinic. Who am I missing?" I looked at all of them.

"Tom Caldwell," Maggie said.

"Ah, Tom. Well, he admitted to gossiping about Nathan and Miranda. Maybe he loved her, maybe he told her he loved her and she refused him. Being the sheriff, he could possibly get away with it. Stretching it, I know, but why not. Why should he be left out?" I stopped and rubbed my forehead, I had a tremendous headache. I looked around the table, "Confusing, isn't it?" It was not a question.

"Completely," Hannah said. "How in the world are you going to find out?"

"Well, we have the jewelry and the murderer doesn't know this. That's a big advantage. Since we found the glove at the scene of Bedford's murder, once we have a suspect, we could possibly test any DNA on the glove and compare it to our suspect. That would surely help prove something." I got a cup of coffee and turned toward the table, they were all looking at me wide-eyed. I thought for a moment. "Common threads. Now, I've got a few, we just need to tie them together."

I stared at my coffee cup thinking of the evidence we had: The jewelry, the glove, and now the notebook and the jacket b.u.t.ton. My mind raced. The b.u.t.ton from the jacket. I whirled around to all of them.

"What? I can tell you have an idea, Kate," Teri said.

Maggie nodded. "I agree, I know you well enough, I can tell when the wheels are turning."

"There is one way to find out who is implicated or involved. We have the evidence." I thought for a moment. "Okay, first we need to make sure the evidence is safe, I mean really safe-literally-a safe."

I looked at Mac and Teri. "Can you take the evidence over to Steve and make sure he puts it in evidence lockup? Tell him everything and that I'll be in touch later this afternoon."

I watched them leave then looked at Hannah. "Call Doc and have him come over, please? I'm sorry Hannah, but he knows something and he's got to tell me."

"I'll call him." Without another word, she walked away.

Maggie looked at me. "What do you want me to do?" she asked tremulously. She knew what I was going to ask.

"Maggie, if you don't want to do this, I'll understand, but I need you to call Allison. This is the important part, Maggie: Tell her about the evidence, and that we found it. Tell her about the notebook. Then tell her I have a theory about this but I won't tell you. You and I had a fight over it. Tell her whatever, but see that she's here in an hour."

I saw the look of doubt.

"If you don't want to do this, please believe me, I understand. We'll do it another way," I said. "I know it looks like I'm playing with people's lives here, but there's a murderer out there and I've grown too fond of you to let anything happen."

"Yes, I can do it. You think Allison is going to tell Sarah, right?" she asked.

"I think she's already told Sarah a great deal. Now I want her to come here. I need to talk to her, Maggie. I hope I'm completely wrong about all of this, truly I do. However, we need to know who's implicated." I took a deep breath and regarded Maggie. "Sorry, Maggie, my gut tells me she'll tell Sarah and it will s...o...b..ll from there. I don't want you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. I know how much you care about Allison. So please don't do anything you'll regret." I ran my fingers through my hair and Maggie gently touched my arm.

"I've been thinking about this since you found the locket. I'm not sure what it means, but I have to find out one way or the other. I can't live like this anymore: afraid of going out, afraid of thinking about the past and my mother. I've been alone and scared for a long time. I don't want to be alone and scared anymore."

"It'll be over soon, Maggie. I promise."

Once the phone calls were made, it was all set in motion.

Hannah returned, and put her hand on my shoulder. "Kate, this has to be finished one way or the other," she said. "I called Walt, he's on his way and I know he'll talk. Now, you two plan your attack. I have a kitchen to clean." She smiled and left.

Plan my attack? I hoped I knew what I was doing. I hoped for Maggie's sake most of all.

Chapter Twenty-One.

It turned cloudy and cold, and there was a rumble of thunder off in the distance as Maggie and I stood on the deck waiting for Allison and Doc.

I noticed Maggie deep in thought. When she caught my inquisitive glance, she smiled. "I've been thinking about Aunt Sarah. I remembered when I was little she used to tell me to stay out of the woods because it was where they found my mother. I became afraid of them, and I started dreaming. My father got frustrated and sent me away to school for a couple of years. Kate, there is so much I am remembering this weekend that I never thought of before." She stared at the woods.

"I remember when we were younger, Allison and Charlie used to tease me about my dreams and my fear of the woods. I used to cry myself to sleep sometimes, missing my mother and feeling alone. Then my father had Aunt Hannah come and live with us. I-I had to come home from school. I was asked to leave," she said sheepishly.

"Asked to leave? Now, why would a sweet little girl like you be asked to leave?"

"I have no idea. It was only a little fire," she said, looking down at the deck.

I was shocked. "You started a fire? Where and why?" I was completely intrigued.

"In the chemistry lab, I put magnesium chips in a test tube and held it over a Bunsen burner and kablooee! They extinguished it quickly though. As to why? I wanted my father's attention, I guess. I was lonely and scared," she said with a shrug and looked at me apologetically.

"Hmm, burning down a chemistry lab? I can see you as a kid, freckle faced and full of the devil," I said, laughing. "How old were you?"

She struck a thoughtful pose. "G.o.d, it was nineteen years ago! I was fifteen." I did the math.

"Yes, I'm thirty-four," she said sarcastically and I felt the color rush to my face. "You great detective, you," she added, with a grin. "By the way you talk, you must be at least fifty."

I laughed out loud at that one then abruptly stopped and frowned.

"I'm not fifty," I said, quite seriously, as if she needed rea.s.surance. Perhaps I was the one who needed it.

She laughed then. "It doesn't make any difference to me," she a.s.sured me.

We looked at each other for a moment, then the thunder cracked overhead and she jumped.

"Christ," she laughed nervously as Hannah came to the door.

"Walt just pulled up," Hannah said.

The moment, whatever it was, was gone.

"Sorry Doc, but I could use your help." I told him everything I knew, and he was visibly shaken. "Doc, if you know anything, please tell me." I almost begged him.

Doc looked old and tired and I saw Hannah give him a sad but affectionate glance.

"Walt, I know we promised each other long ago, but now this changes everything," Hannah said to him.

Maggie had come into the room and we gaped at each other. I flopped into a chair.

"What changes what?" I asked, completely dumfounded.

Doc let out a deep sigh. "I have no idea where to start. If you hadn't brought Sarah's name into it I would never be telling you this."

"Understood," I said. "I don't want any of this either Doc, but Christ, somebody killed Bedford and they have been trying to do the same to Maggie. If Sarah can help in anyway, don't you think we should take that chance?" My patience, which I lacked horribly as it was, was running short.

He nodded and continued. "After Nathan married Sarah and brought her home she started having headaches. Nathan told me about them. We tested her, she was fine-no tumors, nothing. I thought it was migraines. It went on for a few years. She and Nathan have always had problems. I often wondered why in the world he married her."

"I know why," Hannah said. "Nathan is a gentle soul. He's weak and he saw strength in Sarah. That's what he told me, at least. When I first met Sarah, I too saw her strength of will and purpose. When my father started the clinic, she was tireless in her efforts. She was very good at fundraising, getting influential people to donate money. Father admired her for that. I believe that's why he gave her so much authority."

"I agree with you there. There was a spark between Alexander and Sarah. They worked well together," Doc said.

Maggie and I exchanged glances. I'll bet.

"Later on, I found out Sarah was seeing a psychiatrist who was medicating her for severe manic depression and paranoia," Doc said. "I found out quite by accident. I never told a soul but Hannah. We've never spoken of it since the day I told her. But, Nathan would call me at all hours, and I could hear Sarah in the background, screaming. I would go over there and she would be livid, claiming Nathan was cheating on her, everybody hated her and the like. Poor little Charlie was always on the stairs, looking like a scared rabbit. She'd run up to him and cradle him, saying no one would ever take him away from her, whatever that meant. It wore Nathan out. Even when she was taking her medication, she was still a very nasty person, which I don't think had anything to do with her illness." Doc stopped for a moment and drank his coffee. "It nearly cost them their marriage."

Maggie leaned forward. "Instead, Uncle Nathan and Mom had an affair." It was not a question.

Hannah again had tears in her eyes. "Yes, Margaret. I'm sorry, I know of one occasion. Before you were born. I am almost sure of it a few years after that, I'm sorry. After Miranda was killed, I didn't think it would serve anyone to say anything." She looked apologetically at Maggie, who covered her aunt's hand with her own. Maggie looked at Doc.

"I always suspected but never knew," Doc said. "When Miranda was a volunteer, I would see them at the clinic. She was always there when Nathan was on duty."

"Doc," I said, "we found a notebook in Bedford's apartment, tucked away next to a book of poetry. In it, Bedford talked about Alexander Winfield and Sarah. The other day at the stable, I overheard Bedford and Sarah talking. Alexander's name was brought up again. You said they worked well together. I'm wondering how well? Do you know anything about that? Hannah?"

They exchanged glances and I knew then that they did.

"What do you know?" Maggie asked.

"I can prove nothing," Doc said. "However, I felt certain that Sarah and Alexander, at some point were..." his voice trailed off.

Hannah merely nodded.

"Perhaps that was one reason Sarah got on the Board of Directors at the clinic," I said.

Doc looked uncomfortable for a moment, s.h.i.+fting in his seat. "A great deal went on in the Winfield family back then. That's why I decided to get my own practice and get out for a while. Hannah and Nathan were the only ones worth anything. Though they were father and son, Alexander and Jonathan didn't like each other. Poor Hannah and Nathan were on the Board because they were family.

"Before he died, Alexander wanted Miranda on the board. Sarah was livid. She felt she had done a great deal for the clinic. Believe me, she was always right there, helping to keep the place running-that was the only good thing she ever did. As I told you the other night, she kept that clinic afloat and got the State's Medical Board to approve it. I don't think she wanted to share the limelight with Miranda, who didn't want it, but Jonathan granted his father's wish. He was a hard man, Jonathan. So was Alexander." Doc looked at Hannah, who nodded, so he continued to Maggie. "Sarah stopped at nothing. I'm sorry, Maggie, but your father was a stinker; a philanderer, I guess, is the proper word. Why he cheated on your mother, I will never know. But he did, from the onset. Miranda would come to see me and cry like a baby. This went on for years, long before you were even born. She would get phone calls from these women boldly asking for Jonathan. She confronted him on several occasions but to no avail. Jonathan wasn't the man any of us thought he was. The honeymoon was over quickly once he brought Miranda home. I think this is what drove her to Nathan." He put his hand on Maggie's shoulder. "Sorry, sweetie."

"It's okay, Doc. I never could get close to him, either. Believe me, I tried. I just felt he never liked me. I thought it was because I reminded him of mother." She stared sadly out the window.

Well this truly sucks. "So what stops did Sarah pull?"

"She threatened to expose Jonathan for what he was, thus scandalizing his beloved reputation in the business world and the community," Doc said. "Then, as if that didn't do it, she promptly stated that Alexander Winfield seduced her and she would expose the entire situation. I personally can't imagine Alexander doing that. But, now that you have Bedford's notebook, it makes sense."

"Do you think Sarah knew about Miranda's affair with Nathan?" I asked.

"Yes, I think she did."

"Do you think she or Nathan is capable of being involved in Miranda's murder?" I asked.

His eyes widened a bit, I could feel Maggie tense and heard Hannah gasp. He appeared to think for a minute. n.o.body moved or said anything further. Boy, patience might be a virtue, but I don't have it. I tried to remain quiet, even though I wanted to scream.

Finally he said, "Yes. I think she could be in some way involved. I'm not sure about Nathan though." We all looked at each other.