Fixing To Die

“Then she’s gone,” An’gel said. “Look at the window. She was sitting right there a few minutes ago.”

The policeman whirled around to stare at the window. He stood frozen for a moment. Then he shouted for backup as he ran for the window and climbed through it. Another officer ran in, spotted the open window, and followed behind the first man.

Marcelline and the woman officer who had accompanied her to the kitchen returned amid the excitement. Marcelline had the rolling tea cart, and atop it sat two large pitchers of ice water and numerous glasses.

“What’s all the fuss about?” Marcelline asked, seeing everyone standing and staring toward the front windows.

“Mrs. Pace made a run for it,” Henry Howard said. “She must be the one who killed Nathan.” He glanced at Mary Turner. “I thought it was a bad idea to have that woman in the house. She’s nothing but a fraud.”

“How was I to know that, Henry Howard Catlin?” Mary Turner said, obviously stung by her husband’s words. “She seemed like a nice person to me, not some con artist.”

Her husband’s reply was acid-tinged. “That’s how they work, honey.”

“Don’t start getting all superior on me because I thought she was a nice woman.” Mary Turner suddenly burst into tears. “Oh, dear Lord, what if she really did kill Nathan?”

An’gel felt she had to get the situation under control. The police officer wasn’t making any effort to, and An’gel didn’t want Mary Turner and Henry Howard’s argument to escalate any further.

“Marcelline, please see that everyone has water, and start with Mr. Wilbanks.” An’gel spoke in a tone that brooked no argument. Marcelline went to work immediately and handed Wilbanks a glass.

An’gel turned her attention to Mary Turner and Henry Howard. “Now is not the time for recriminations. We don’t know for sure that Mrs. Pace had anything to do with Nathan Gamble’s death. I agree it looks highly suspicious, her sneaking away like this, but there could be other reasons.” Like because she’s a fake and a con artist, she thought, but didn’t say aloud. She didn’t want to injure Mary Turner’s feelings any further.

“I don’t care what you say.” Serenity Foster was on her feet, looking furious. “Why would that woman disappear like that if she wasn’t guilty? The sooner they catch her and throw her in jail, the better.” She stared hard at Mary Turner. “And you’re the one who let her stay here. I’ll bet you were in on the whole thing with her, maybe even asked her to come here.”

For a moment An’gel thought Mary Turner would launch herself from her position near the sofa to attack her cousin ten or more feet away. She had never seen the young woman so angry before. “You sit down and shut up, Serenity,” Mary Turner said, “or I swear to God I will take you to court and sue you for everything you’ve got. I have not had anything to do with that woman, other than make the mistake of letting her stay here. Whatever she did to Nathan, she did on her own.”

An’gel figured she had better back up Mary Turner yet again, because Serenity didn’t appear cowed by what her cousin said.

“I will remind you, young woman, that I have already offered to serve as a witness for Mary Turner against you, and I know my sister and our ward will do the same. You had better shut that mouth of yours and try to get control of your temper. These wild accusations aren’t doing anything to improve the situation.” She didn’t bother to look at Truss Wilbanks. The poor man was in no shape now to rein in his client.

Serenity opened her mouth to speak but Marcelline gave her no chance. She marched over to within a few inches of the young woman and got right up in her face.

“You’d better listen to Miss An’gel, girl, if you have any brains at all. I don’t reckon you have many, but you’d better use ’em. Miss An’gel is too much a lady to come slap your face, but I’m not. I’m not putting up with you calling Miss Mary a murderer, no way, no how.”

An’gel hoped Serenity wasn’t going to be stupid enough to ignore Marcelline’s warning.

She wasn’t, An’gel saw. Serenity backed away from the housekeeper, never taking her eyes off Marcelline’s face. She put the chair between them and nodded.

“That’s the last I want to hear out of you,” Marcelline said. “Now sit down in that chair, and keep your mouth shut till somebody asks you to open it.”

Serenity slowly complied with the housekeeper’s command. Her legs shook, and she dropped quickly into the chair. Marcelline stood over her for a moment, then moved away to stand by her employer.

“Thank you, Marcelline.” Mary Turner stared hard at her cousin. “Once this is all done, I never want to see you in this house again or anywhere near it. As far as I’m concerned, you’re no family of mine.”

By this time An’gel had had enough of the drama. Her head had begun to ache, partly from the need for food, but mostly from the tension and the shouting. She used her sternest tone. “Everyone, sit down. Right now. Enough of this carrying-on.”