The Cat, The Professor And The Poison

Twenty-seven

The Pink House is an old Victorian, one of the first houses built in Mercy. I knew the place well because it had also been the scene of the murder last fall. I had stayed away from the place since then, so I was amazed by what I saw today. Less than a year ago, the house had been about to fall down. Now it had a fresh coat of salmon pink paint, and all the gingerbread trim was once again white. Flowers and manicured shrubs lined the walkway up to the front stoop.

“This is amazing,” I said to Candace as we reached the front door. “I never thought I’d come back here, but I’m glad I did.”

Kara had promised she wouldn’t wait alone at my house while we were gone and would instead take her computer to Belle’s Beans, the place she called the “hotbed of Mercy gossip.” I knew she was right about that, and I realized I actually looked forward to what she might learn while she was there. I had to admit, I’d come to admire how intelligent Kara was. And she’d loved her dad, loved cats, and maybe one day she’d care for me, too. I wanted her in my life. She was my family.

I rapped on the door using the gleaming brass knocker-definitely a new addition-and a petite woman with short brown hair answered. She seemed about my age but probably had plenty of those little jars of face cream like the one Kara offered Candace last night, because her skin was creamy and smooth.

“Anita Stone,” she said, glancing back and forth between Candace and me. “Can I help you?”

“Jillian Hart. I’m having lunch with Mrs. VanKleet.”

Anita Stone smiled. “Ah yes, but we only expected one guest.”

I thumbed at Candace. “She goes where I go.”

Candace held out her hand. “Deputy Candace Carson, Mercy PD.”

I didn’t think Anita Stone’s skin could have gotten any paler, but she did lose color. She finally took Candace’s hand in greeting and said, “Please come in. I’ll tell Phillip we’ll have one more for lunch. He’s my husband and does all the meals.”

We followed her through the large foyer, and though I knew the layout of this house well, the place had been transformed back to what it had once been probably fifty years ago. The wood banister and trim were shiny with polish, and fresh flowers sat on an antique table we passed. No dust mites or musty odors, either.

“You’ve done an amazing job renovating this house in such a short time,” I said.

“That’s for sure,” Candace said.

“You know the history, then?” she said as we reached the dining room. Then she shook her head. “How stupid. Of course you do. You’re the police.” Anita looked at me. “Are you an officer, too?”

“No. And I’m not signing up anytime soon.” I perused the dining room. The massive oak table that had once been here was gone, replaced by four round tables sporting white linens. A vase of fresh daisies and yellow mums sat on each one.

“I’ll talk to Phillip about the menu and get another place setting. Mrs. VanKleet and her professor friend should be down shortly.”

Shortly was right. They came into the dining room mere seconds after Anita left.

Sarah glared at Candace. “What are you doing here?”

Douglas Lieber rested a hand on Sarah’s back. “It’s okay. I’ve told you that you have nothing to hide. Perhaps it’s better that Deputy Carson came along.”

But Sarah still didn’t look happy. “I can’t throw you out, can I? First of all, this isn’t my home, and second of all, you’re the police.”

“And you’d be right,” Candace said with a smile. “You can’t.”

“Shall we sit down in the parlor while we wait for lunch?” Lieber said. “I assume you’ve met Anita?”

“We did. She’s making sure I get to eat, too.” Candace walked across the polished wood floor to the parlor.

We all followed. The huge pieces of furniture that had once filled this room had been replaced as well. Smaller antique dressers and tables were used only to display artwork or showcase beautiful candles and Lladró figurines. Slipcovered easy chairs and a love seat against the wall sandwiched a coffee table. We all sat down, with Sarah and Lieber taking the love seat. He immediately took her hand in both of his.

I ran my fingers along the arms of the chair, admiring the gorgeous floral fabric, but Candace was all about business.

“Why did you ask Jillian here today?” she said.

“The honest truth?” Sarah said.

“That’s the best kind,” Candace said.

“Um, we were hoping for a friendly conversation,” Lieber said.

“I’m not real good at friendly when two people are dead,” Candace said.

“But I’m glad you called me,” I said quickly. Candace was being the touchy cop again, and I had a feeling that wasn’t the best approach with these two.

Sarah smiled at me. “I called you here to apologize, for one thing.”

“For what?” I said, totally confused. I didn’t even know this woman.

“I understand my sons created a disruption at your home the other night,” Sarah said. “They argued in front of you and nearly came to blows. For that, I am very sorry.”

“Brandt tell you about that?” Candace said.

“He did. Will you accept our apology?” Sarah said.

“I’m not sure I understand why you’re apologizing for the actions of your grown kids,” I said. “But it was really nothing. Tempers flared. I didn’t think twice about it.”

“Brandt told me how Evan was there at your house when he arrived with his new friend, Kara,” Sarah said. “And apparently Evan was quite emotional. I am worried about him. What did he say?”

So that’s what this is about, I thought. “Did you ask him?” I said.

“I don’t want to set him off. Evan has been troubled ever since the divorce, and… and-”

“We think Evan blames Sarah for his father’s death,” Lieber said.

“He thinks she killed him?” Candace said.

“Nothing like that,” Lieber said quickly. “But though Evan and I remain friends, he wasn’t happy about my relationship with his mother, or about the divorce. He thinks her actions-really our actions-might have made Hubert go off the deep end.”

“He did tell me his father’s mental illness had worsened recently, but he didn’t blame anyone,” I said. “Evan was trying to make sense of the murder-something I can never make sense of, by the way.”

Candace cleared her throat, and I took that as a cue to be careful about what I gave away concerning Evan. She said, “You have money issues, right, Mrs. VanKleet? And that’s made you bitter about your husband’s failure to pay support?”

Her cheeks flushed. “He took everything we had. And it’s my fault I never knew how much that was. I still don’t know. But he had enough money to purchase a silly farm.”

Lieber squeezed her hand. “Remember what Brandt told you?”

“To keep your mouths shut?” Candace said. “Innocent people don’t need to keep secrets.”

Lieber sighed heavily. “I suppose what she’s just told you does make Sarah seem vindictive, but it wasn’t like that. She took care of Hubert for twenty- five years. She’s a loving, caring person. Hubert may have pushed her too far, but she would never hurt anyone.”

Sarah seemed to be fighting tears. “I loved that crazy man once. He could be so funny and brilliant and-”

“And he had a plan to make a lot of money,” Candace said. “Have I got that right?”

Whoa, Candace wasn’t falling for the tearful act; that was for sure. But I wasn’t so sure it was an act.

Lieber laughed. “You mean his experiments? The man was mentally ill and getting worse by the day.”

“Did you know about the experiments?” I said.

“Only what he told me,” Lieber said. “None of it made sense. I’m no biologist like he was, but I do have a science background. I couldn’t follow anything he said.”

“Maybe it will make sense to me,” Candace said. “Go ahead. What was his plan?”

“Something to do with animal nutrition. That’s all I know,” Lieber said.

Sarah seemed to have pulled herself together. “But Hubert’s research isn’t why I asked you here, Jillian. And I didn’t count on you bringing the police along.”

“She did, though,” Candace said. “Back to the big question that you seem to be dancing around. What was the professor’s big secret experiment, Mrs. VanKleet?”

“Oh, what’s the difference if I tell you? You know all about him now. He was obsessed with a formula for pet food,” Sarah said. “His dream was to be the scientist on board with a major pet food company. Then he would have more freedom to develop this new food.”

“Why is that such a big secret? Or did he have something in the works already?” Candace said. “Something he could sell to, say, Purina, for a lot of money?”

“He might have thought so,” Lieber said with a smile. “Hubert was a dreamer.”

“Are you saying you knew nothing about him having stray cats all over the place and that he was controlling their diets?” Candace said.

“Evan did mention a few cats, but that’s all we heard,” Lieber said.

“If you’re not being truthful, we’ll find out,” Candace said. “You already told one little lie, didn’t you, Mrs. VanKleet?”

She looked confused. “I never-”

“About needing directions to Mercy. You knew exactly where Mercy is,” Candace said.

“Oh. That,” she said, raising a hand to her throat.

“What does Sarah seeking the income she was promised have to do with murder?” Lieber said.

“She lied because she knew we’d be curious about her money issues,” Candace said.

“It was a mistake,” Sarah said, her eyes downcast. “I’m sorry.”

“But you asked me here,” I said. “Why?”

She glanced nervously between Candace and me. “Well, I spoke with the coroner, Lydia Monk, and-”

“Deputy Coroner Monk,” Candace corrected.

“Yes. Anyway,” Sarah went on, “Deputy Coroner Monk is in charge of issuing the death certificates, correct?”

“That’s right,” Candace answered even though Sarah continued to look at me.

“She told me that you, Jillian, were her good friend,” Sarah said.

Really? What is Lydia up to now? I thought. “We know each other, yes. What else did she say?”

She cast a quick look at Candace and then focused on me. “She told me you were quite friendly with the police and perhaps you could encourage them-” She paused and turned her gaze on Candace. “I suppose since you’re here I should appeal to you directly. We need to know when the house will be released to us so we can get in there and see if Hubert left anything of value. My sons have to go to school, and that means I need money.”

“First of all, Chief Baca will decide when the crime scene will be released, not me,” Candace said. “But I’m not sure the house will be released to you. You divorced the professor.”

“Semantics,” she said tersely. “I’ve consulted an attorney, and my sons will probably be awarded that property.”

She seemed awfully impatient about that farm. Did she think it was worth a fortune? Because I sure didn’t. “But the police have to follow their timeline concerning this crime scene,” Lieber said. “Isn’t that right, Deputy Carson?”

“True,” she answered.

“Can you guess when the house might no longer be under your… what’s a good word? Your jurisdiction?” Lieber said.

“A couple days to a week,” she said. “We’ll want to get back in there for one more thorough search.”

“That long?” Sarah said.

“That long,” Candace replied.

We heard the knocker on the front door, and a few seconds later, Anita escorted Brandt into the parlor.

“What are you doing here?” he said when he spotted us.

“Your mother invited me,” I said.

He narrowed his eyes at Sarah. “She’s lying, right?” Candace stood and walked up to him. “What is it with you, Brandt? Got something to hide?”

Lieber stood and put a hand on Brandt’s shoulder. “Calm down, son. We were hoping to get a few answers about the house, that’s all.”

He craned his neck to look around Lieber and spoke to Sarah. “Didn’t I tell you that the police always suspect the family first? You shouldn’t be talking to them at all. And where the heck is Evan? Is he here?”

“No, I thought he was with you,” Sarah said.

“You need help finding Evan?” Candace said, sounding worried.

“We don’t need anything from you,” Brandt said.

“Fine. This conversation is over.” Candace looked down at Sarah. “If you want information about your ex- husband’s belongings, property or whatever else might have to do with the crime scene, you go through Chief Baca.” She gestured for me to follow her. “Come on, Jillian.”

She marched past Brandt, brushing her shoulder against his arm. I went with her, even though I was a little disappointed I wouldn’t get to taste what was for lunch at the Pink House.