“Miss An’gel’s looking for you again, Miss Dickce,” Clementine said.
“Seems like An’gel’s always looking for me,” Dickce said. “Y’all excuse me. I’d better go see what she wants.”
When Dickce walked into the parlor, she noticed that Junior was still evidently with Kanesha, because everyone else was present. Wade was sitting in the outside corner of the room at the front of the house. Dickce wondered if that had been his own idea, or had Rosabelle suggested it? Either way it was probably just as well he stayed as far away from his mother as possible for the time being.
No one spoke upon her return, but An’gel motioned for her to take her former seat. As she did so, An’gel edged her own chair closer to Dickce’s.
“I presume you talked to Benjy.” An’gel spoke in a low tone.
“Yes,” Dickce said. She really didn’t want to discuss what Benjy told her right now. An’gel might get annoyed with her, and the last thing they needed was to have an argument here in front of Rosabelle and her family. An’gel was a bit hotheaded, and her temper might get the better of her.
“I’ll tell you all about it later,” Dickce whispered. She could tell her reluctance to talk didn’t sit well with her sister, but she refused to be drawn into conversation. It wouldn’t do An’gel’s temper any good, but she didn’t always need to get her way over everything.
The afternoon wore on, and once a person left to talk to Kanesha, he or she did not return. Bernice was called next after Junior, then Wade and Juanita. Rosabelle followed, and that left Antonio with An’gel and Dickce.
An’gel suddenly got up and went over to the sofa and took the spot Rosabelle had vacated moments before. Dickce wondered what her sister was up to.
“Have you decided whether you will stay here with us tonight?” An’gel asked. “I suddenly realized that you had no bags with you when you arrived. Nor did you appear to have a vehicle.”
Antonio smiled. “Ah, yes, I perhaps should have mentioned that I have a car and driver. We went first to the charming Farrington House when we arrived in Athena. I have reserved a room there because I was not certain, you understand, of my reception from my dear wife, even though she summoned me. She is a whimsical creature, but that is part of her charm.” He laughed. “Now that I know she really needs me, I of course will call the driver and have him bring what is necessary. He will remain at the hotel because I realize you do not have room for my man.”
“I’m afraid that’s correct,” An’gel said. “We would have to bed him down on the sofa in the library, but of course he would be welcome to do that if you prefer to have him near you.”
“No, no, that is not necessary,” Antonio said. “He will stay at the hotel.”
Was it her imagination, Dickce wondered, or did Antonio seem a little uneasy over the idea of having his manservant in the house?
CHAPTER 33
An’gel wondered whether it was her imagination, or was Antonio protesting a bit too much about his manservant? What reason could he have for not wanting the man to stay here at Riverhill? True, it would be somewhat inconvenient in terms of sleeping arrangements, but on the other hand, having another able-bodied man in the house in case of trouble wouldn’t be a bad thing. Kanesha might prefer not to add a new person to the mix, she realized, and she decided to let the matter drop. Her curiosity over the manner of Antonio’s arrival was finally settled.
“Signor Mingione, would you come with me, please?”
An’gel turned to see a deputy standing nearby.
“If you will excuse me, ladies,” Antonio said with the flash of a smile. “Yes, Officer, I will come.”
“Miss Ducote,” the deputy said to An’gel, “Chief Deputy Berry asked me to let you know she’ll be ready to talk to you and your sister shortly.”
“Thank you,” An’gel replied. When he left the room, she noticed the deputy who had remained in the room all this time went with him. She motioned for Dickce to join her on the sofa.
“Now we can talk,” An’gel said. “Tell me about Benjy.”
“All right,” Dickce replied. “Here’s what he told me.” She gave An’gel the details about the rubber spiders and repeated Benjy’s denial that he had anything to do with frightening Maudine to death with them. “I believe him,” she concluded.
“I reckon I do, too,” An’gel said, “but it sure looks like someone is trying to implicate him in all this. He had no opportunity to squirt the water on the stairs, nor did Junior. Since neither of them could have set up the first accident, then I think we have to rule them out as being responsible for the second.”
“I agree,” Dickce said. “Who was the target, though? Rosabelle was insistent that she was the intended victim the first time, and then she said she is just as terrified of spiders as Maudine was.”
“I don’t know,” An’gel replied. “I keep going round and round with it, but I never come out with a clear answer. I found Wade’s accusation that Rosabelle is the murderer interesting. I have to confess I wondered myself if she wasn’t responsible.”
“Me, too,” Dickce said. “I wouldn’t put anything past her now, not after the displays we’ve seen. Wade might be right. What he said about his father’s will could be important.”
“Rosabelle told me that the trusts set up by her first and second husbands would dissolve with her death, and her three children would receive their shares to use as they see fit.” An’gel paused. “According to Wade, if one of the children dies before Rosabelle, that portion doesn’t pass to the grandchild and instead reverts to the estate.”
“And to Rosabelle,” Dickce said. “She does love money, but do you think she would really murder her own children to get it?”
“Let’s say she would. Why then would she want to murder Marla, her daughter-in-law? Marla would have no claim on the estate, even if she outlived Wade.”
“Out of spite?” Dickce said. “Or a trial run maybe?”
“Possibly,” An’gel replied. “But if Rosabelle died first, Wade would inherit his father’s money. Marla would benefit that way. And possibly Benjy as well, if he is in either Wade’s or Marla’s will.”
“That’s really pushing it,” Dickce said. “Think instead about Bernice and Juanita. With Maudine gone before Rosabelle, Bernice’s share doubles because Junior gets nothing. What about that?”
“If Bernice outlives her mother, then she inherits a considerable amount,” An’gel said. “Then Juanita inherits from her mother.”
“I wonder what Rosabelle could do with the money if all three of her children predeceased her?” Dickce said. “Would she be able to will it to anyone she chose, since the beneficiaries of the trust were dead?”
“It’s like a maze,” An’gel said. “So many potential routes to the answer. But which one is the right one?”
“If there’s another murder, that would give us a clearer picture,” Dickce said.
“Don’t say that, even in jest,” An’gel said sharply. “I can’t stand the thought of another murder in the house.”
“I know,” Dickce said contritely. “It is horrible, isn’t it?”
“I hope Kanesha figures this out soon. I want all these people out of our house, and I never want to see any of them again,” An’gel said. She glanced at her sister, expecting total agreement. Instead Dickce looked uneasy. “What is it?”
“Oh, nothing, really,” Dickce said. “I hope it’s over soon, too.”
An’gel wasn’t satisfied with that answer, but she knew that pressing Dickce about it wouldn’t get her anywhere. Dickce could be stubborn to the point of madness, and right now she didn’t have the energy to force the issue. She had a sneaking suspicion Dickce was hiding something from her, but whatever it was would have to wait.