Kill Them with Canvas, page 25
“Come on, Miss.” Daniels led her to the hall.
“I came to warn her. That’s all. She needs me. You can’t arrest me.”
“Don’t forget to read Miss Pervis her rights, Daniels,” Hunter said.
“Will do, Detective.” Daniels continued with Marilyn in tow and reached the front door.
“Do you have enough proof to charge her with Viola’s murder?” I asked after I heard the door click shut.
“Not really. Or at least, not yet. The lab will check to see if her prints and DNA match any found on the evidence and on the victim’s body. We’ll find something.” Hunter tapped his phone against the palm of his hand.
“Uh-oh. Not you too. You don’t look like you’re sure about any of this. Please tell me you’re not still considering Aunt Constance as the killer?”
He ran his tongue over his upper lip. “I’m not. I just … this is too neat and tidy. Marilyn, Aunt Constance’s loyal servant, protecting her from anyone who harms her, kills Viola because she presents a threat? Too easy.”
“Just what I said.” Izzie’s eyes widened. “How about that? I’m thinking like a detective.” She nodded decisively.
“You also said sometimes that’s exactly how a case turns out. Neat and easy.” An inward groan vibrated through me. Why couldn’t this be over? Why did Aunt Constance have to lie about where she’d gone that night? “Say, why didn’t you ask Aunt Constance about her going to the dock? Maybe she’s ready to tell the whole truth, now that we know she stopped at the ferry dock that night.”
“I want to wait until after my talk with Marilyn. Then if your aunt says anything that doesn’t match the story, I’ll know one of them is lying.”
“Huh. I’d think you’d give Aunt Constance the benefit of the doubt and question her first.” I crossed my arms.
“Remember, your aunt is the one who lied in the first place.”
“No, now wait.” I wagged my finger. “She never said anything about where she went for a drive, so that’s not lying.”
“Intentionally leaving something that important out of the conversation is the same as lying.” He threw up his arms. “Why am I arguing with you?”
My phone rang and saved the moment. I cocked my head and stared at Hunter, who hadn’t moved. “I thought you were in a hurry?”
“I’ll wait.” He hitched his thumbs in his pants pockets.
“Fine.” I slapped the phone to my ear. “Hi, Ross. How’s your babysitting gig?”
“Uh, not so great.”
“Meaning?” I held my breath. Could the evening be filled with any more drama?
“Well, I sat with Sarah and we chatted. Did you know she used to sing in a rock band? Crazy to imagine. Anyway, she asked if I could get her a hot chocolate to take the chill off. I’m a gentleman, so I did, but when I got back, she was gone.”
“Oh.” My brow lifted. “Maybe Wink came for her, and she left with him. That would make sense.” I covered the receiver and whispered. “Sarah’s gone missing.”
“Yeah, it would, but then your mom and dad returned. With Wink.”
“Wow. Is Wink mad? I bet he is.” I shrugged at Hunter and Izzie. “But it’s not your fault. You had no idea she’d leave like that,” I hurried to add.
A shaky laugh came through the receiver. “Oh, it gets better.”
“Great.” I sank down in a chair. Not giving it a thought, I pressed the button to put him on speaker. I couldn’t imagine where he was taking this story, but I had a gut feeling I wouldn’t like it much.
“Dewey is panic stricken. He claims Sarah tore apart his shack and scattered everything on the deck. He says she was screaming about her phone going missing. Anyway, he’s upset. She’s upset and gone off somewhere.”
“Is that all? I have her phone.” I explained what had happened and felt a sense of relief.
“But she’s still missing.”
“She probably went someplace else to look for her phone. Did anyone check her booth and the surrounding area? If she thought she dropped the phone there, maybe that’s where she is.”
“Chloe, we’ve looked everywhere. Who gets so worked up over a missing phone? It’s like she went ballistic, screaming at Dewey and throwing things around.”
“Yeah.” My face scrunched as I puzzled over what he said. Nobody obsesses over their phone that much. Well, except teenagers—it’s like they’re attached to their phones by umbilical cords. I unzipped my fanny pack and removed the purple-covered device.
“What are you thinking?” Izzie whispered, even though Hunter and Ross could easily hear her.
“She’s too upset, and it must be for a reason.” I tapped the phone but couldn’t get in. “Great. It’s password protected.” I looked up at Hunter. “I don’t suppose you guys have some sort of master password to break into phones, do you?”
“That would be illegal,” both Ross and Hunter said at once.
“I had to ask.” I set Sarah’s phone in my lap. “Well, whatever she’s hiding, I guess we’ll never know.” Suddenly, the phone buzzed and a message popped up on the screen. Thank goodness for iPhones and the new waterproof feature. Sarah had set her phone to show and send messages even when it was locked. I read the short sentence. “It’s from Wink. ‘Whoever you are, my fiancé wants her phone returned pronto.’”
“Well, at least we know she’s okay.” Izzie nodded.
“Hey, Ross. Sarah’s fine. She obviously caught up with Wink.”
“That’s a relief,” Ross said.
“Thanks for calling, and have a safe trip home. Talk to you soon.” In my mind, I played back everything that had happened this evening. Something about Sarah’s behavior didn’t add up, but I couldn’t put a finger on exactly what. Not yet anyway. As for Marilyn, she had seemed genuinely concerned about Aunt Constance’s safety, even though Hunter could be right that she was crazy enough to kill Viola. I turned to Izzie. “We should get back to town. You ready?”
“Yep. It’s late. Bye, Hunter. Thanks for taking care of things. You’ll let us know what happens, right?” Izzie put on her shiniest smile of encouragement.
“I will. Have a safe drive home. There are traffic checkpoints scheduled this evening. Don’t want you to get a ticket.”
“Aw, you’re looking out for us. Thanks, Detective.” I gave his shoulder a playful punch.
Izzie and I walked down the drive. The moon and stars shined to brighten the evening. I snapped my fingers. “I almost forgot something. I’ll be right back.” Sprinting across the lawn to the house, I caught Hunter just as he came outside.
“Can you wait? I need to run something by you.” We talked for a couple of minutes, and then I returned to the sidewalk and caught up with Izzie.
“What was that about? I saw you talking to Hunter.” Izzie waggled her finger and smiled. “You’re up to something, aren’t you?”
“Not at all. Just wanted to make sure Hunter would keep his promise and let us know if he gets more out of Marilyn.” I couldn’t give her a smile in return. My nerves were frayed, leaving me too tense. I couldn’t shake the gut feeling that told me something was still very wrong. This case of Viola’s murder had too many loose ends. It was time to tie them up and send someone to jail.
We made it to Whisper Cove and home by eleven. Noise coming from the lake hinted that the celebration was going strong, with no indication that folks would be leaving soon. From the looks of our house, where only the porch lights and one window lamp were on, my guess was that Mom and Dad were celebrating with the rest of them.
“I am so exhausted.” Izzie threw up her arms and let them flop down at her sides. “I can’t believe our parents have more energy than we do.”
“They aren’t the ones running their tails off, trying to find a killer,” I quipped.
“And at the same time working day and night to make Paint with a View a success,” she added.
“True.” I unlocked the front door and stepped into the foyer. Max and Milo skidded across the floor and collided with me. “Hey, guys! Look at you. All bathed and brushed like you came out of a salon. So handsome.” I bent down and was treated to dozens of kisses. I bit down on my lip, thinking quick. “Um, Izzie, why don’t you go on up to bed? I think I’ll take these guys out across the road for a bathroom break.”
“You’re the best.” She yawned, her arms stretched wide, and climbed the stairs.
“I do try.” I waited until I heard the bedroom door shut. “Okay, you two. I told a little fib. You’re staying here while I take a walk. How about some treats? I have peanut butter–flavored biscuits ready and waiting.”
Max danced around in circles on his hind legs while Milo sat up and pawed the air.
“Glad you’re on board with the plan.” I hurried to the kitchen and gave them each two treats, then walked through the back doorway and into the yard. Hugging the side of the house, I inched my way toward the front. My plan could turn out to be a total zero, but I had to try. After receiving several text messages from Wink’s number, saying, I want my phone back, whoever you are, I texted back to arrange a meeting at the dock. Chances were, Sarah didn’t know I was the one who had her phone. Then again, chances were, she did. She’d handed me her things after getting out of the lake. Still, she hadn’t directly addressed me in her texts—a small detail, yet worth thinking about.
I skirted around the house and crossed the road to walk along the lakeshore. Another possibility was that Izzie could be on the right track. Maybe Sarah had something on her phone that was too embarrassing and private for anyone to see. Like photos or who knew what. Whatever the reason, I was taking the risk to meet her. I had to find out the truth.
Twenty or so yards ahead, a tall woman with a bob of snow white hair stood on the ferry deck. Sarah shoved both hands in her pockets and tucked her chin under the coat collar. She hadn’t spotted me yet. I scanned the area around her and saw no movement of anyone else near. At least Wink hadn’t tagged along. This wouldn’t work unless Sarah and I were alone. A sudden thought caused me to peer at Dewey’s hideaway. No light or movement came from in there.
Nearing the dock, I waved both arms to get Sarah’s attention. Seeing her reaction wasn’t possible at this distance and in the dark. As if my thought triggered it, the post light next to the dock turned on, bathing a startled Sarah in a yellow glow. She blinked and then scowled.
“You. I thought maybe you had my phone, but I wasn’t sure.” She snapped her fingers while I stepped onto the deck. “Give it here.”
I stopped, keeping a six- to eight-foot distance between us. I held up the device and waved it in front of her. “It’s funny, but did you know the police have a special password, kind of like a master key, to unlock any phone? Yeah, I wasn’t aware either. After getting a call from Ross, telling me how upset you were that you’d lost your phone, I checked my fanny pack. I remembered that you handed me your stuff to dry off. Somehow I must’ve pocketed your phone. Sorry.” I shrugged.
“You’re forgiven—now hand it over.” She thrust her hand out, palm up, to receive it. A nervous tic surfaced, causing her left eye to wink.
I tapped the phone against my hand. “I would, but …”
“Chloe. That’s my property. So, please.” Her fingers wiggled while her feet shifted side to side. “I’m kind of in a hurry. Wink is waiting, and he’s an impatient man.”
“Didn’t you say Marilyn called you about moving evidence out of the storage shed? Yeah, I think those were your exact words.” I took a step back as she stepped forward. My gaze darted across the parking lot and beyond to the grassy area.
“I don’t remember. Now, hand over the phone, girlie. Before I lose my temper.”
I took a breath to calm myself, but my heartbeat hammered against my chest. “Your recent calls show none from Marilyn. In fact, in the past week, you two had no phone conversations. Don’t you find that odd?”
She took several steps toward me, and I hopped off the deck. “I don’t have to explain myself to you or anyone else,” she said, and lunged toward me.
I jumped to one side, and she flew by me, landing flat on her face with a thud. “Oh no. Are you okay?” I reached for her arm to pull her up, not thinking of anything but how she might have hurt herself—broken a bone or gotten a concussion.
She slapped my arm away and sobbed into the grass. “My wedding plans are ruined. I’ll spend the rest of my days in jail. All because of her.” Sarah rolled over but remained flat on the ground. “I could’ve been happy without the presidency. I could. Not without the chapter, though. At least that’s what I thought until I met Wink.” The tears flowed. “He makes me feel so beautiful. Me. Can you believe it?”
I knelt down to sit beside her. “You are beautiful, Sarah. Just a little angry most of the time, but that’s okay. He loves you. Is that why he tried to convince everyone that Aunt Constance was the killer, and not you?”
She nodded and sniffed, then frantically shook her head. “Oh no, you don’t. You’re trying to trick me, but it won’t work.” She stabbed at me with her finger. “I’m not saying another word. So if you’ll hand over my phone, I’ll be on my way.” She sat up and brushed off her lap.
“I can’t let you do that, Miss Gilley.” Hunter walked over and hoisted Sarah to her feet. He looked at me. “Just heard from Daniels. He checked Marilyn’s phone like I asked him to. No calls were made this evening. However, the missing security footage from the Whisper Cove Casino was finally turned over to the station. Good thing the casino is close by and the camera pans the ferry.” Hunter cuffed Sarah while nodding at me. “The owner, Mr. Mackleroy, sent his apologies for taking so long. He just got back from the Bahamas and is the only one who seemed to know where to find the tape we needed. Lucky for us, it shows this lady hitting the victim over the head. The blow was forceful enough to make Viola stumble off the deck and fall into the lake. Miss Gilley walked away without so much as a glance to see if her victim was still alive. I can’t say for certain she went to the shed, because it’s out of camera range, but after a minute or so, she came back into view, got in her car, and drove away.”
“It’s not me. It had to be someone who looks like me,” Sarah sputtered. Her eyes widened. “Marilyn! We have a similar build. It was dark at the time, and she’s the one who probably swung that paddle and clobbered Viola.”
I caught my breath. “How did you know the weapon used was a paddle?”
“I, I—you told me! When you accused me of killing Viola, you said I must’ve gone to the shed to get rid of the paddle so no one would find out.” She glared.
“No.” I slowly tilted my head to one side. “I said weapon. I never mentioned a paddle, and neither did Detective Barrett.”
“Sarah Gilley, you are under arrest for the death of Viola Finnwinkle. You have the right to remain silent …”
I stayed by the dock while Hunter led Sarah to the cruiser, where Officer Daniels stood next to the opened rear door. I was surprised, but not too much, in finding out my hunch had been right. Before this evening—the incident at the storage shed and dock, and seeing how Sarah had behaved—I would’ve put all my money on Marilyn being the killer. Turned out, she was guilty of only one thing, and that was being too protective of her icon, Aunt Constance. Anyone could see she needed some serious therapy and maybe a few yoga classes to calm her. I grinned at that thought, then walked along the lakeshore to return home. It was closing in on midnight, and the noise from the Hallows Eve celebration had quieted to a dull murmur. At least I’d get a peaceful night’s sleep, knowing Viola’s murder had been solved, and justice would be served.
Chapter Twenty
“I can’t believe this is over.” Aunt Constance sipped her tea and smiled. “My life is back to normal, and I have a new opportunity to look forward to.”
We sat on the back patio of Aunt Constance’s house, overlooking the lake. I raised my glass of wine. “Here’s to normal. Even if it lasts for only a short while, we’ll take it.”
Aunt Constance had finally opened up to admit that she’d gone to the ferry dock in hopes of making amends with Viola. However, when she opened her car door, she spotted both Sarah and Viola shouting and arguing. As Sarah had stomped away, and Viola continued her screaming tirade from the deck, Aunt Constance decided it might not be the best time for their discussion. So she’d hurried out of the parking lot, which was most likely when she had dropped her hat, she said.
“You thought Sarah had left, when actually, she hadn’t. Hunter told me she admitted to turning around because Viola had triggered her when she called Sarah a pathetic loser who nobody liked. Sarah spotted the paddle a passenger had left behind on the ferry. She grabbed it and clobbered Viola, then hid the paddle in the storage shed. Hard to believe she had the forethought to return to the painting event, so as not to be missed.”
“The creepy part is how she painted that horrible scene with Viola facedown in the lake and bragged about it to Hunter. If you ask me, she’s the one who needs a psychiatrist,” Izzie said.
Creepy or not, all I could think of at the moment was how the tragedy could’ve easily been avoided. If Viola and Sarah had held their tempers and let the matter go, no one would’ve ended up dead or charged with murder.
“Yes, well, Hunter told me Sarah insisted she didn’t mean for Viola to die and doesn’t even remember finishing the painting. It’s almost as if she was in some sort of fugue-like state, probably in shock over what had happened,” I said.
“Or having a guilty conscience. Who knows?” Izzie sighed. “At least it’s over.”
“Marilyn admitted when she stopped by Sarah’s to discuss some paperwork about the chapter, she asked to see her painting. She knew Sarah had talent and was curious to take a look. Marilyn was surprised how agitated Sarah got. She snapped that she’d thrown the painting in the trash because she didn’t like the way it had turned out. Marilyn told Hunter she thought it was odd behavior, but then she forgot about the incident until she saw the painting at the police precinct when she visited to file a complaint about her neighbor’s tree. She suspected it belonged to Sarah and worried when she noticed the image of the body floating in the water,” I said.
