Set the Stage for Murder (22 page)

“
That sounds lovely.” The Japanese teahouse was one of Vicki’s favorite places on the estate. It sat perched on the far side of the lake and was the perfect spot for contemplation. Only a few feet behind it flowed the Red Hawk Kill on its journey to the river. When Lenore’s Folly was built, a system had been designed that allowed water from the kill to be diverted in order to create the lake and pond. The sound of the powerful stream rushing in the distance was a great stress reducer. Yes, the teahouse would provide a nice diversion on a day like today.

“
Oh dear,” Phoebe said, as she entered the pagoda-like structure. “It appears we’ve had a visitor.”

Vicki walked in behind her mother-in-law and stared at the debris-littered floor. Beer cans and an empty vodka bottle rested on a bed of cigarette butts. Vicki looked at Phoebe, her eyebrows raised.

“
It seems that young Mr. Cortez was out and about, last evening, doesn’t it?” Phoebe asked.

“
I can’t imagine who else would have done this,” Vicki agreed. “Apparently, Roz pushed him over the edge last night, didn’t she?”

Phoebe used the toe of her shoe to push aside some of the refuse and point at something. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s a roach clip.”

“
A what?” Vicki asked with surprise.

“
A roach clip, dear. It’s something one uses to hold a marijuana cigarette.”

Vicki chuckled. “No, Phoebe, I know what a roach clip is. I’m just a little surprised that you do.” She was looking at the older woman, marveling at her hipness when it all became clear.

“
Let me guess. Vincent?” Vicki asked.

“
Of course, my dear,” Phoebe stated emphatically. “You certainly don’t think I picked up a tidbit like that from stodgy old Mim van der Vorn, do you?” She turned and started walking back the way they came. “I hate to be a stoolie,” she said over her shoulder, “but I think we should inform the police of young Mr. Cortez’s nefarious activities, don’t you?”

Vicki and Clementine hurried to catch up with her.

***

If ever a day at Lenore’s Folly required a cocktail hour, this was that day. However, last night’s affair on the veranda now seemed frivolous, so Vicki had her guests gather in the morning room. Under normal circumstances, she used the library for indoor entertaining but since it had been the setting for today’s questioning, she nixed the idea. This evening was going to be difficult enough without reminding everyone that they were suspects in a criminal investigation.

As she expected, everyone kept Ethan busy pouring and refreshing drinks. With enormous restraint on his part, Marc kept the appetizers simple but plentiful, recognizing that grief and stress often made people ravenous. He had limited himself to mini goat cheese and herb tarts, as well as a spicy, toasted nut mixture that was the perfect foil for all the alcohol that was being consumed. As Vincent returned to his role of butler and circulated with a tray of tarts, he received looks of acknowledgement from the crowd, but no comments. Theater folk were, by nature, comfortable with people pretending to be something they weren’t; it was the very essence of their world. The fact that Vincent was a butler, pretending to be a policeman, pretending to be a butler, simply made him more interesting. Billy Putnam was already thinking of roles Vincent might be able to play on the stage.

After an abbreviated cocktail time, Vicki moved her guests into the dining room, where they sat down to Marc’s simple dinner of fresh green salad with bleu cheese vinaigrette, roasted chicken and creamy whipped potatoes. Everyone ate heartily, with the exception of the Cortez family. Connor looked absolutely horrible, and both Ed and Sally had seemed preoccupied all day. Vicki couldn’t help but wonder why they hadn’t left Lenore’s Folly once they had been questioned. Since the sheriff didn’t have enough evidence to hold anyone in custody for Meg’s murder, everyone had been free to leave. Understandably, Roz and Juliet were too distraught to travel. Also, now that Roz had the security staff at the estate looking after her, she was probably safer here than anywhere else.

Vicki supposed that Tony was staying on to be near his daughter in her time of need and probably doing so against Caroline’s wishes. Billy and Harold had remained because, well, because they were Billy and Harold. They weren’t about to pass up a free meal, and in Harold’s case in particular, more free liquor. But why had the Cortez family chosen to stay? Was it because Connor wanted to be near Juliet? And were his parents simply keeping an eye on him? Perhaps, but Vicki still found it peculiar.

After coffee and dessert, everyone got up from the table and reconvened in the living room. For some reason it seemed that people were reluctant to leave the group, as they had done on the previous evening. Perhaps they were afraid that they would be talked about the moment they left the room. Or had the killing of one of their own triggered some need for communal gathering? Whatever the reason, the entire coterie sat on the McDowells’ plush sofas and chairs with nightcaps in hand and stared at each other while making only the very smallest of talk. Phoebe, Vicki, and Teddy did their best to keep the conversation alive, but even they found the effort almost too much of a burden.

Finally, Connor stood and said he needed some air and was going for a walk. Immediately, Ed put down a full tumbler of scotch and announced that he would be joining him. Sally watched curiously as the two men in her life walked out the front door and then said she was tired and was going up to her room. Apparently, the circle had been broken and it was okay to leave. Caroline and Tony, who had been exhibiting remarkable unity since the police had arrived on the scene, said their goodnights and followed Sally upstairs. That left Billy, Harold, and an open bar. Chances were the three of them would be very happy together until the wee hours of the morning. Finally, with their social duties done for the evening, Vicki, Teddy, and Phoebe were free to keep a rendezvous.

***

Vincent had no qualms about sharing with the others the information he had gathered while sitting in during today’s questioning. He was no longer an officer of the law and no one had asked him not to talk. He could speak freely, comfortable with the knowledge that his ethics were still intact. Besides, he felt fairly certain that this particular group of people would bring something new to the table. They were acquainted with everyone involved and had been for many years. A story or phrase that meant nothing to Vincent or the sheriff might resonate with one of the people now sitting with him in the converted carriage house where Marc and Ethan made their home.

“
Tell me, Vincent. Did the sheriff confront young Mr. Cortez with the evidence Vicki and I discovered in the teahouse?” Phoebe took a sip of her chamomile tea and looked at her son pointedly.

“
I heard all about your day of detecting, Mother,” Teddy said. “If I had one of those hats that Sherlock Holmes wore, I’d tip it to you.” Phoebe proceeded to give him “the look.”

“
Actually, he did, Mrs. Mac,” Vincent said. “But he made the mistake of doing so within earshot of Ed Cortez, who rushed over and said that all that stuff was his.”

“
What?” Phoebe asked indignantly.

Although Vicki was exhausted, she sat up straight on the sofa. “Well, that’s just ridiculous. And what, pray tell, was he doing in the Japanese teahouse last night? Did he suddenly get the urge to meditate?”

Vincent grinned. “According to Mr. Cortez he was at the teahouse with his son, talking for most of the night.”

“
Did he mention how he managed to get a conversation in between all the smoking and drinking?” Teddy asked.

“
Nope. And the sheriff didn’t ask. He seemed to take what Mr. Cortez said at face value. However, I think there may be more to Sheriff Maeker than meets the eye.”

“
Hmmmm,” Phoebe said dubiously as one of her eyebrows raised slightly “I’m not so sure about that.” It was clear what she thought of the sheriff and his handling of that particular situation. “Why would Ed Cortez want the police to think that he was the one who drank and smoked like that?” She turned to her son. “Theodore, did Victoria mention that we found a roach clip?”

Teddy burst out laughing. “Yes, Mother, she did, indeed. But I want to thank you for repeating it so that I could actually hear you say that phrase with my own ears.” He looked at Vincent. “I’m dying to sit in on one of your conversations.”

Phoebe looked at Vincent questioningly. “I am using the proper term, am I not, Vincent?”

Vincent nodded appreciatively. “Yes Ma’am, you are.”

She shot a look back at her son, who was still giggling on the sofa. “Now, back to my question. Why did Ed Cortez take the rap?” She cast a steely gaze at Teddy, challenging him to react. He put a throw pillow in front of his face to hide his laughter.

Vicki pinched him on the leg. “Behave yourself or go home.”

Teddy wiped a tear from his eye. “She’s just doing it now to get to me. I’m sorry. I’ll stop.” He straightened up and took a deep breath. “Vincent, does the answer to the question my mother posed lie in the fact that Connor is still on parole for that incident with a gun and that smoking illegal substances and drinking alcohol might be a violation of said parole?”

“
That’s my guess, Mr. Mac. Ed Cortez was trying to keep his son out of jail.”

“
And giving him an alibi for the time of the murder,” Vicki added. “Of course he’s lying about the other stuff, so he could be lying about the alibi as well.”

Ethan had leaned forward in his chair. “Is it just me, or is there something … I don’t know … odd going on with the Cortez family?”

“
You mean odder than usual?” Marc quipped. “Come on, we’re talking about a philandering father, a pill-popping, ex-TV star mother, and a son who got the worst each parent had to offer. How much odder can it get?”

“
It gets odder if one of them committed murder,” Teddy offered.

Ethan shook his head. “No, it’s something else; something that happened after they got here but before Meg was killed.” He looked around the group. “I think I first noticed it after dinner last night.”

“
Well, Rosamund was certainly adamant about Connor staying away from Juliet.” Phoebe said. “Perhaps her obvious dislike for their son triggered something in Ed and Sally. No parent likes to see someone attack their child.”

Vicki put her feet up under her on the couch. “Maybe, but I know what Ethan is saying. It was like Sally and Ed got a message at the table that the rest of us didn’t hear, or if we heard it, we certainly didn’t understand it.”

“
Do you think something Roz said had a coded meaning just for them?” Marc asked.

Vicki shrugged and rested her head on her husband’s shoulder. “Maybe. Everything happened quickly and it was all so volatile. It’s hard to remember it correctly.”

“
Then my advice to you, my dear, is to stop thinking about it,” Phoebe recommended. “And the same goes for you, Ethan. It’s been my experience that the subconscious mind works these things out while one is distracted by something else.”

“
I’m sure you’re right, Phoebe,” Vicki agreed. “Tell us what else you know that we don’t, Vincent”

“
Dame Caroline lied to the sheriff about her whereabouts.”

Teddy raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? Do continue.”

“
Well, according to her, she answered the question she was asked, so she wasn’t really lying.” Vincent smiled at the group. “Which is the standard defense of a really good liars.”

“
Something to do with observing the letter of that law, but not the spirit, I suppose.” Phoebe said.

“
Something like that, Mrs. Mac. Anyway, she claimed she never left her room last night. Then one of the officers found her hand bandage on the path between here and the oak and she had to change her story.”

“
To?” Teddy asked.

“
She went for an early morning walk – a very early morning walk, but she says it was later than when the coroner assigned the time of death … by 45 minutes. She says the dressing must have fallen off then.”

“
Are you trying to tell me that she didn’t notice when that monster of a bandage came off?” Marc asked incredulously. “It was as big as her head. How could she not have noticed?”

“
Maybe she was drunk,” Vicki offered. “She really put it away last night.”

“
And there was another bottle waiting for her in the room when she went to bed,” Ethan said. “She might have kept on drinking.”

“
Well, she didn’t have anything else to do,” Marc said. “I found Sir Tony asleep on the sofa in the library when I first got to the Cottage this morning. He never went up to their room last night.”

Teddy reminded them of a more somber possibility. “Or maybe she was preoccupied because she thought she had just killed Roz. What else interesting came out of the questioning, Vincent?”

“
Well, Mrs. Cortez doesn’t have an alibi because her husband claims to have been with their son all night. She says she was in bed asleep until Shakespeare knocked on their door this morning and asked them to come down to the library like Mr. Mac had asked him to.”

“
But you don’t believe her?” Teddy asked.

“I did until Sir Anthony informed the sheriff that he was standing at the library window a little after midnight when he observed her walk into the woods.”

“Did the sheriff confront her with that?” Vicki questioned.