Lavender Blue Murder by Laura Childs

Author:Laura Childs
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2020-03-03T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

* * *

But before they got down to the business of selecting a casket, Theodosia had a couple of questions she wanted to get out of the way.

“Alex,” Theodosia said, “I didn’t know Fawn very well—I barely had a chance to speak with her—but in the short time I did, she told me she was quite unhappy. That she wanted a divorce.”

Alex looked shocked. Or maybe pretend-shocked?

“I thought we settled this the other day. Fawn never told me she was unhappy,” Alex blurted. “Never, ever. You have to believe me!”

“They loved each other very much,” Meredith said. “Fawn was a happy-go-lucky girl.”

“And another thing,” Theodosia said, pressing on. “You mentioned that Fawn wasn’t a particularly skillful sailor.”

“She wasn’t,” Alex said. “She was pretty much terrified of boats.”

“Yet she managed to start up the motor, maneuver your sailboat out of the marina and into busy Charleston Harbor, and then put up a sail,” Theodosia said. “At night. Which is rather interesting.”

“It is?” Meredith asked. “Why?”

“Because it makes me think that perhaps Fawn wasn’t alone in that sailboat,” Theodosia said.

“What exactly are you getting at?” Alex asked.

“Maybe Fawn sailed out there with someone’s help. The harbormaster at the yacht club told me the sail was still up when the Coast Guard towed it back to the dock.”

“She could have managed it,” Alex said.

“Maybe she read a book about sailing, boned up on it,” Meredith said.

“Or maybe Fawn managed to sail out on her own and was then picked up by another boat,” Theodosia said.

Meredith looked shocked. “You mean Fawn might have been running away from home?” She blinked at Alex. “She wouldn’t do that, would she? Tell me she wouldn’t do that.”

“Of course not,” Alex said. But he didn’t sound convincing.

“You loved her. We all loved her,” Meredith blubbered.

“If Fawn was so dearly loved, then where is she?” Theodosia asked.

“Where is she indeed?” Jacoby asked, rocking back on his heels. He suddenly looked suspicious of his two charges.

Conversation broke off then, devolving into muffled sniffles and a few whispers between Meredith and Alex. In fact, it was blessed relief when the funeral director finally showed up.

“Bob Doake,” he said, shaking hands with everyone. “I do apologize for keeping you folks waiting.”

Doake was tall, thin, and slightly ethereal-looking. He wore a three-piece pin-striped suit that was a little too sharp. Like maybe he’d been auditioning for the road company of Guys and Dolls.

“Have you had sufficient time to look around?” Doake asked. He steepled his fingers together and arranged his features in a faint, decorous smile. “Have you made any decisions yet?”

“We’re still looking,” Meredith said.

“Take your time,” Doake said smoothly. Then, when everyone just stood there, uneasy about making the first move, he said, “Our Granada model is extremely popular for our male clientele.” He walked a few steps toward a casket and rested his hand on a pouf of pale-blue lining. “This one has a walnut veneer with satin-covered memory foam and silver handles and fixtures.”

Meredith’s nose twitched. “It looks a little cheap.

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