Deadly Diamond

“Independent as they are, cats find more than pleasure in our company.”

––Lloyd Alexander

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: The Last Umatilla Trip

Alyx didn’t want to give Carole Berth the opportunity to say no, so she didn’t call ahead before driving to Umatilla again. The temperature was in the high seventies and the sun was shining as usual. It was a lovely day and I was enjoying myself. Better known for palm trees, the beach and Walt Disney World, we drove through the part of Florida that most people from out of state don’t know exists. We passed several miles of agricultural fields, a small grove of orange trees, and an open field with cattle grazing contently, some up close to the fence, their big brown eyes watching the occasional vehicle drive by.

We arrived at Carole’s door before noon. A pale, sickly looking twenty-something young man answered the door. Alyx gave her name and asked to see Carole.

“She’s not home,” he wheezed.

“Do you know when she’ll be back?”

“No clue,” he shrugged.

“Do you mind if I sit out here and wait for a while?”

“Fine with me,” he responded and he closed the door.

She came back to the car and we waited. At one point, I caught the movement of a curtain at one of the windows. I didn’t think it was Carole’s son; the figure I glimpsed before it moved away was much larger. I thought it was probably her husband, and I had a fleeting idea as to why he was hiding from Alyx.

Carole finally arrived home, and was naturally surprised to see Alyx, not to mention me.

“What are you doing out here? Didn’t anyone come to the door?”

“Yes, a young man, who I assume is your son, answered the door, and I told him I’d sit out here and wait for you. He seemed to be having trouble catching his breath, and I didn’t want to make him feel any more uncomfortable. Does he have heart problems?”

“No, he’s full of allergies and has asthma. As you can guess, he doesn’t spend much time outdoors. I’m sorry, did we have an appointment that I forgot?” she asked, more than a little annoyed, I thought.

Alyx pulled the check from the estate sale out of her bag and handed it to her.

“I thought since I had the time, I’d bring this to you.”

Carole took the check and shoved it in her purse. “That really wasn’t necessary, I told you it was all right to mail it,” she said.

“Well, it’s a little more than what I felt comfortable mailing. We sold almost everything and paid you for the items we kept. I’ll arrange for those few things we didn’t sell to be picked up this week if you don’t mind me keeping the key a few days longer.”

I looked hard for any reluctance and didn’t see any––only irritation.

“Actually, the truth for my visit is that I have some questions, and I hope you understand that I have to do whatever I can to help find Althea’s killer.”

“You still want to help her even though my aunt lied to you?”

“If, as you say, she was sick, then she wasn’t responsible for her behavior.”

Carole pursed her lips in resignation but still didn’t invite us in. “So what do you want to know?”

“Detective Smarts isn’t obligated to tell me anything, and he hasn’t, even though I found two pieces of evidence that he missed. Judging from the contents of the lingerie chest that were scattered on Althea’s bed, you must have been looking for something too. Did you find what you were looking for?”

“I really have to go. My husband is waiting for something he asked me to pick up for him.”

Alyx stepped off the porch and abruptly turned around before Carole turned the knob.

“Does your husband have a heart condition?”

“I don’t see how my family’s health is of any concern to you. No, he doesn’t.”

That was the end of the conversation. She left Alyx standing there and went into the house without a backward look.