Cold Clay by Juneau Black

Author:Juneau Black [Cole, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hammer & Birch
Published: 2017-11-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Vera left the Von Beaverpelt mansion, her mind swirling with thoughts. The idea of the robber killing Julia was tempting to believe—it exonerated Joe and it meant that no one in Shady Hollow was guilty of the crime. Yet…something didn’t fit. What was it?

As always, Vera sought out Lenore what she had questions like this. The raven listened very carefully to Vera’s report, then sat a long time. Vera kept quiet herself, knowing that Lenore was a deep thinker. She tried not to fidget.

“No,” Lenore said at last. “Let’s remember the method, the personality of the victim, and the killer.” Lenore was a devoted reader of mysteries, and was now applying all this knowledge to the problem. “Julia was buried. Buried deep. Think about it. A robber who’s just passing through wouldn’t care if a body turned up. If he killed Julia for whatever she was carrying with her, he’d have just taken it and gone on his way. But we know he didn’t kill her for her suitcase, because we found it where it was hidden. Anyway, he wouldn’t bother to conceal the crime.”

“I knew something didn’t fit!” Vera cried. “Thank you. The burial implies either a need to conceal, or a feeling of regret, or both. That robber wouldn’t have had either of those impulses.” Then she realized something else. “Lenore!”

“What?”

“Something else doesn’t fit. We found Julia’s suitcase in the eastern woods. That’s nowhere near the orchard, and there’s no reason to think a creature would have—or could have—dragged the body all the way to the Cold Clay Orchards just to bury it. Julia didn’t have the suitcase with her. Even if she planned to leave that night, she still hadn’t actually gone through with it at the time she was killed.”

“So she must have gone to the orchard on purpose,” Lenore concluded. “Either to meet someone, or to find something. In any case, she had a reason for being there, and if you find out that reason, you’ll be closer to knowing who killed her.”

“I’ll figure it out.” Vera nodded confidently.

“One thing, Vera,” the raven warned.

“What’s that?”

“Maybe let folks think that the robber is still the killer. We found out how ugly it got when neighbors were eyeing each other up after the murder of Otto Sumpf. We don’t want that again.”

“But what if the murderer is a resident? Someone living in Shady Hollow all this time?”

“Then all the more reason to make them think that you don’t suspect anyone in town.” The raven was a very clever bird. “It’ll put them at ease. Then you can investigate with less worry that someone’s going to try to silence you…like last time!”

“Oh, stop with that. It turned out all right,” Vera said.

“Because I was there to see it, and Orville came to rescue you and carry you back home for medical treatment! Speaking of that, how’s Orville?” Lenore’s eyes bored into hers.

“Er…we haven’t really spoken since the newspaper came out.”

“You should. You’re stronger together. Solving the case will go faster if you combine your talents.

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