Murder in South Carolina Page 9

  The funeral would have been easier if she didn’t care at all that Walter was dead, but she did care—even when she saw some of the women come in she suspected had probably had affairs with her husband. But she would get through it. She had to.

  Justine Crouse, her college friend, had been a dear. She was an attorney in Winston-Salem and was handling all the legal matters. She also seemed to genuinely care about Dolly’s grief.

  Megan Eller had been a help, too. She’d stayed at the house and received guests and played hostess when Dolly didn’t feel like doing it.

  Nola Dean had been the most help of all. She’d made the arrangements as Dolly had asked of her. Nothing had been left out. She had also taken care of the police and the reporters. That was a big load off of Dolly’s mind.

  She decided she was going to concentrate more on her friends and less on herself. She might even share some of the money with them. Of course, she’d do it when they least expected it and in the form of gifts. There was no way she was going to let them know about all the cash in the safe deposit box, but everyone knew about the huge insurance policy. It would be coming to her soon.

  She wondered if the cash in the bank was what the man was referring to when he told Nola Dean he wanted his property back. Well, if it was, he was out of luck. She had no intention of giving that money to anyone. Walter had died for it and she was going to keep it, like he told her to do.

  Wouldn’t Walter get a kick out of knowing that at last I was listening to him and doing just what he wanted me to? A smile almost formed under the mourning veil, but she checked it. She didn’t want to let anyone know she had any thoughts except those of a wife mourning her husband’s passing. Especially the policeman. He’d watched her through most of the ceremony. She wondered if it was because he suspected her of something or better still, did he think she was an attractive available widow? She couldn’t help hoping it was the latter because he certainly was a handsome, desirable man and all six feet of him exuded sexuality.

  “Ashes to ashes and dust to dust,” the clergyman said as a closing to his prayers at the grave site.

  He then stepped over and took Dolly’s hand. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Overton. If you need me, feel free to call.”

  “Thank you so much, Reverend. I’ll do that,” she mumbled and nodded her head.

  Justine put her hand on Dolly’s arm. “Shall we go back to the house now?”

  “Shouldn’t I stay a little longer?” Dolly looked at her.

  “No. You’ve done all you can for Walter. We need to get you home.”

  Dolly stood and looked at Nola Dean and Megan. “You two are coming back to the house aren’t you?”

  “For a little while,” Nola Dean said. “I have to get home soon and look after Maxie. The little fellow will have to be walked soon.”

  “I can’t stay long either, Dolly. I’ve got to head back to the office.” Megan paused as she spied a man coming toward them. “Someone is coming to speak to you.”

  “Who?” Dolly asked then smiled. “It’s that friend of yours, Nola Dean. That handsome real estate guy. Link Holloway, isn’t that his name?”

  “I’m going to the car,” Nola Dean said, ignoring Dolly’s question. “I’ll see you back at the house.” She scurried away.

  It was obvious Link saw Nola Dean run away, but he seemed to ignore it. He reached Dolly’s side. “I’m so sorry, Dolly. I happened to be at the beach when I heard the news. Are you all right?”

  “I suppose I will be.” She shook his hand and wondered why Nola Dean would let such a hunk slip through her fingers. “It was good of you to come. “We’re serving sandwiches back at the house if you’d like to come there,” Megan offered. Like most women, she was struck by Link’s good looks. “Just follow the line of traffic.”

  “Thank you, I’d be delighted to join you.”

  “Yes, and I’d be delighted to have you.” Dolly said and began walking toward the waiting limousine.

  “Dolly,” a man’s voice stopped them. “May I offer you my condolences?”

  “Rex Collier,” she took his hand. “Thank you so much for coming.”

  “Mother was sorry she couldn’t come, but Father and I are representing the family.”

  “Dolly.” Grady Collier took her hand. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s nice of you both to come. Please come to the house.” She turned to Megan. “Would you give Grady and Rex directions to my house? Or better still, ride with them and show them the way?”

  “I’d be happy to,” Megan said.

  “I’m glad you’re going with us.” Rex looked at her. “There are a couple of business things we can discuss on the way.”

  She smiled at him. “Of course.”

  “We’re parked over here under the trees. Maybe we can stay at the house a little while then go to the office and see what needs to be done,” Grady suggested.

  They fell into silence as they walked toward the car.

  * * * *

  Nola Dean stood on the back patio munching a carrot stick and keeping an eye out for Link. She had no intention of getting cornered by him. It hadn’t been easy, but she’d managed to stay away for him for the thirty minutes they’d been at Dolly’s house. At the graveyard she’d seen Joe Randell and Bett Willis. She kept hoping they’d make an appearance at the house and she could team up with them. If Link saw the three of them together, he wouldn’t bother her. He wasn’t one to engage in long conversations with the police.

  “Hello.” A somewhat deep, but melodious voice said to her.

  She swirled to face Rex Collier.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  She smiled. “It’s fine. I’m trying to keep out of someone’s way. I was so intent on keeping him in my line of vision I didn’t know anyone had walked up.”

  “Maybe I should leave then.”

  “Please, don’t think I’m rude. I’m glad to have someone to talk to. My name is Nola Dean Buckingham.”

  “Rex Collier.”

  “Oh yes, Dolly told me you and Walter were cousins.” Nola Dean looked into his blue-gray eyes. “I haven’t offered my condolences. Please accept them now.”

  “Thank you, but if Dolly told you about the relationship she probably also told you Walter and I weren’t very close.” He sighed. “Though it was a tragedy the way he died.”

  “Yes it was.” She dropped her eyes and wondered if she should tell him she thought Walter had died in her condo.

  Before she could decide, he went on. “Do you have any idea who could have done such a thing?”

  “No, but I’m sure the police are working on it constantly. I even saw the detectives at the funeral.”

  “Oh, really?” He sounded surprised and then added, “That was nice of them.”

  “I know. They seem like good people and I’m sure they won’t give up until they find out who killed Walter and the other man too.”

  “You seem to be very attuned to this case, Ms. Buckingham.”

  “Yes...well...” She saw Link headed toward them. “Oh dear, here he comes.”

  “Nola Dean, love. I’ve looked everywhere for you.” He came up beside her and tried to put his arm around her shoulder.

  She slid away. “I need to see if there’s anything I can do in the kitchen.” She turned toward the door.

  “No, you don’t, my sweet.” Link caught her arm.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Link.” She jerked her arm away. “I am not your sweet.”

  “Well, you will be my sweet again just as soon as we work things out.” He winked at Nola Dean. “Isn’t that right, my love?”

  “I’m afraid it’s too late, old boy.” Rex set his coffee cup on a wrought iron table and moved beside Nola Dean. “As a matter of fact, Ms. Buckingham and I are going for a walk. If you don’t mind, we don’t want a third person along.”

  Link stared at them. “What’s going on here?”

  “Absolutely nothing,” Rex said with a smil
e. “We find we have a lot in common and we’re going to walk around and talk about it.”

  He took Nola Dean’s arm and moved with her toward the backyard.

  When they were out of earshot she said to him, “How can I ever thank you?”

  “It isn’t necessary. I could see you detest the man and it’s my pleasure to scurry you away from him.”

  “I wish Link would leave me alone. I have no interest in him, and I’ve told him so. It only seems to make him more determined to try to resume our relationship.”

  “Then let’s not talk about him.” Rex smiled at her. “I’m sure we do have things in common. One of them being our dislike of Link. After meeting him, I can say I don’t like him at all.”

  Nola Dean laughed out loud. “And we both knew Walter.”

  “Ah, yes. Poor Walter. Killed on the beach.”

  “Oh, but he wasn’t...but...I mean...”

  “Ms. Buckingham, it seems you know more about the death of my cousin than I do.”

  “Nobody told me not to say anything, though I haven’t even told Dolly or anyone.”

  “Told them what, dear girl?”

  She looked up at him. “Rex...May I call you Rex?”

  “Of course.”

  “I think Walter Overton was killed in my condo.”

  “Nola Dean, what in the world are you saying?”

  Before she could stop herself, she told Rex the entire story of coming in and falling over a body.

  She concluded her story with, “Though there’s no way to prove it one way or the other, I think the body was Walter’s.”

  “It makes me shudder. And you weren’t hurt at all?”

  “Not at all. The killer only knocked me out.”

  “Are you’re sure you can’t identify the man?”

  “Positive. I’ve told you everything I can remember. It was so dark I didn’t even see the body until I fell on it. There’s no way I could identify anyone. Of course the police are sure one of the killers was Arthur Brown.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t swear he was the one who attacked me, though from his description, he was about the size of the man who grabbed me.”

  “I’m thankful you weren’t hurt.” He smiled down at her. “The world can do without Walter Overton and Arthur Brown, but you need to stay around for a long time Ms. Nola Dean Buckingham.”

  “Thank you for those words and for listening to my story about the body. It felt good to get it off my chest, but I haven’t wanted to burden Dolly with the details.” She looked back toward the house. “I think we’d better get back before someone wonders where we are and sends out a search party.”

  “You’re probably right, Father was already getting antsy to get to the office and see what kind of mess Walter left, but I have enjoyed our walk.”

  “So have I.”

  “Good, maybe we can do it again.”

  “Maybe.” She smiled a genuine smile for the first time.

  Chapter 12

  Joe Randell loosened his tie and poured a cup of coffee from the pot which had sat in the maker for hours. He sipped it and frowned as he moved to his desk. He opened the ham sandwich from the machine and wished he’d gone to lunch with Bett after the funeral. She’d invited him, but for some reason he said no. Maybe it was because he thought his long-legged partner might be a little interested in him. Joe had no intention of letting their relationship ever become more than partners. He liked her, but that was as far as it went.

  He finished the sandwich, threw the wrapper in the trash can, and wanted to light a cigarette. The fact he’d given up smoking almost six months ago didn’t change the fact that every now and then he had a craving for the taste of tobacco and the feel of nicotine racing through his system. Instead of dwelling on his need to smoke, he pulled the thin folder across the desk and opened it up. It contained all the information they’d been able to gather on the murders. At times like these he wished he’d never given up the habit of smoking in the first place.

  An officer stuck his head in the door. “Joe, there’s a woman here to see you. Says she’s Arthur Brown’s widow.”

  “Send her in.”

  Joe knew Brown had been married a few times, but he was sure the last marriage had ended during Arthur’s last stretch in prison. He was surprised when a woman who looked much older than her early thirties, came through his door.

  He stood and held out his hand. “I’m Joe Randell.”

  “I’m Nellie Brown. Thank you for seeing me.” She was dressed in pink polyester pants much too tight for her ample figure and a multi-colored cotton blouse.

  Joe nodded for her to take a seat in front of his desk and wondered what had happened to the feisty twenty-year-old blonde who had been Mrs. Brown the last time he’d met Arthur Brown’s wife.

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Brown, but I don’t recall having met you before.”

  “You ain’t never met me, sir. I’m Arthur’s first wife.”

  “Oh?”

  “He married a couple of other women after me.” She smiled and he noticed a small cavity in her front tooth. “Of course, he never bothered to divorce me before he married them.”

  Joe shook his head and wished Bett would hurry back from lunch. He wanted a witness to this conversation.

  As if an answer to prayer, Bett appeared at the door. “I’m sorry, Joe. I didn’t know you were busy.”

  “Please, come in. I want you to meet someone.”

  After introductions, Joe said. “Now, Mrs. Brown. What can I do for you?”

  “I’m not sure, Mr. Randell. I thought you might be able to tell me when we can bury Arthur. We don’t have much money, but I do have a life insurance policy on him. It’s for five thousand dollars. I think that’ll be enough and maybe give me a little left to put on the bills.”

  “I’m sure it will.” He leaned back in his chair. “Mrs. Brown would you mind answering a few questions for me?”

  “I don’t mind.”

  “When did you last see Arthur?”

  “A few days ago. He comes around every once in a while. He said he had some big job to do for some rich man he called Mr. Smith. He wanted me to fix a rip in his black pants and I did it while he waited. Then he give me and the kids a hundred dollars. He said there’d be more.”

  “Do you know where he got the hundred dollars?”

  “From the rich man, I guess. He didn’t say and I didn’t ask. I was grateful to get the money. It’s hard raising four kids on welfare, you know.”

  “I’m sure it is.”

  “Arthur did tell me he’d have a lot more money when the job was over. He said he was going to give me some of it.”

  “Did he tell you what the job was, Mrs. Brown?” Bett asked.

  “No.”

  “What was the exact date you last saw Arthur?” Joe prodded.

  “That’s easy. It was the day that awful storm hit town.”

  Bett and Joe glanced at each other.

  “Who is Mr. Smith?” Joe asked.

  “I don’t know. Arthur said he was doing a job for a rich man named Mr. Smith.”

  “Did you see Arthur again, Mrs. Brown?”

  “No. He didn’t come back no more. He did call me that same day.” She shifted her position. “He said he was in a fancy hotel fixing a door. I told him I thought he was crazy. He wasn’t the kind to be in any fancy hotel.”

  “Was this before or after you fixed his pants?”

  “It was before. I think he wanted to brag about the place.”

  “Do you remember what day that was?”

  “Sure it was the same day. The day of the storm.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.”

  There was a pause.

  “Is there anything else you want to ask me?”

  “Not right now.” Joe said. “If we think of something later, may we call you?”

  “Sure. Why not?” She started to stand. “About Arthur’s funeral...”

  “I’ll have the body r
eleased to you as soon as the coroner has finished with it, Mrs. Brown.” He stood. “Thank you for answering our questions.”

  “Well, Bett,” he said as soon as Nellie Brown was out the door. “We have a lead. Let’s go to the fancy hotel and see if anyone remembers Mr. Smith.”

  * * * *

  Nola Dean walked Maxie, fed both animals and took a long hot bath. It seemed to relax her a little. The funeral had shaken her more than she thought it would.

  She felt guilty for not telling Dolly about the body in her condo. She felt guilty for not spending the night with her friend, leaving someone else to do so, and she felt guilty because she couldn’t help the police find out who killed Walter. She even felt guilty because she was glad she’d told Rex about finding the body. It was these feelings of guilt which made her forgo television and work up a list of people she thought might want Walter dead. Unfortunately, because of Walter’s infidelity, her friend, Dolly’s name was at the top of the list.

  After a few minutes of thought, she crumpled the paper and tossed it in the waste can. It was no use. Though she knew few people liked Walter Overton, she couldn’t come up with a single person who hated him enough to kill him.

  “Maxie,” she said to the sleeping dog at her feet. “I’ve got to get my thoughts together. Maybe I should let the police handle the crime and I’ll concentrate on having a good vacation.”

  She went into the kitchen and opened the freezer door. “Oh, good. I have some Klondike bars. That should help me think.”

  The telephone rang as she took her first bite.

  “Hi, Mom,” Emily’s voice made her forget all about the events of the day.

  “Hi, sweetheart, how are things at school?”

  “Getting better, I think, but I didn’t call to talk about me.” Her voice sounded serious. “I heard about Mr. Overton’s murder. Isn’t it awful?”

  “Yes. It’s been pretty bad for Dolly.”