In the Still of the Night by Churchill Jill

Author:Churchill, Jill [Churchill, Jill]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2013-07-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“She was murdered?“ Lily asked weakly. “Are you sure?“

“Quite sure,“ Howard Walker said.

“But who—?“

“That’s the important question, isn’t it? You said one of your guests knew her. Did any of the others?“

“Mrs. Ethridge claimed to have known Julian West when they were young, although I couldn’t be sure he remembered her,“ Lily said. “And Raymond and Rachel Cameron talked to her a bit about mutual friends, but I didn’t have the impression that they’d ever met her.“

“What was your feeling about her?“

“I have to admit I didn’t much like her,“ Lily said. “She’d apparently lied about Addie asking her to come. And she was a...“ Lily paused, trying to find the right word. “She was a manipulator. In the very sweetest way.“

“Explain that, please,“ Walker said.

“Just little things. She arrived too early and she knew it, but claimed to have a good excuse. She had to rest, she needed to eat ‘just a little some- thing’ and had to have it brought to her room even though our staff was all obviously busy getting ready for the rest of the guests. She asked for a tiny dab of caviar with her snack. It was all very polite and helpless and feminine, but she seemed to me to be quite accustomed to charming people into doing exactly what she wanted. I may be being unfair to her, and might have liked her if I’d gotten to know her better.”

Walker shook his head. “First impressions are often the most accurate. What was her relationship to your friend Miss Jonson?“

“It’s not my business to talk about that,“ Lily said firmly. “I heard two entirely different versions of their relationship and I believe Addie’s. You need to question her about it. She’ll be ruthlessly honest. She always is.“

“Was the other version Mrs. Ethridge’s?“

“It was, but I won’t repeat it until you’ve talked to Addie.“

“Very well. Would you be willing to stay while I question Miss Jonson?“

“Only if it’s all right with Addie,“ Lily said. And then she suddenly remembered that Robert had been calling the Roosevelt home when the whole horror had started.

“Chief Walker, we’ve been invited to the Governor’s house tomorrow. We need to respond to the invitation. May we go?”

At this, he showed surprise again. “You’re friends with Governor Roosevelt?“

“No, but he found out that we were hosting Mr. West, and Mrs. Roosevelt very kindly invited Julian West and the rest of us to tea tomorrow.”

Walker thought for a moment. “Somebody is a murderer. It’s most likely one of your guests or someone who lives here. Certainly you don’t think it’s wise to drag that person, whoever it is, to the Governor’s house?”

He had a point, but Lily didn’t like the inclusion of the household residents among the suspects. “Perhaps you and a deputy could come along.“

“Perhaps,“ he said with a slight smile. “Let’s leave this for another hour. I’ll let you know then.”

Did he think he would solve the murder within a mere hour? Lily wondered.

“May I go back to our guests?“ Robert asked.

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