Lilac Avenue (Rose Hill Mystery Series Book 6) by Pamela Grandstaff

Author:Pamela Grandstaff [Grandstaff, Pamela]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-10-11T04:00:00+00:00

After they picked up the dresses, Scott stopped at Claire’s parents’ house, where she stowed everything in her bedroom. Scott drove her back up to Morning Glory Avenue. Cars were leaving Knox’s house, and Claire was surprised to see Hannah walking down Knox’s steep driveway. She was dressed in the black pants and white shirt of a cater waiter.

“What has she been up to?” Scott said.

“Spying,” Claire said. “Awesome, wonderful spying.”

When Hannah spotted them, she waved and ran over to the car. Scott unlocked the back door and she climbed in. Scott drove down to Morning Glory Circle, pulled in Mamie’s driveway, parked, and turned around in his seat.

“Well?” he asked.

“The shrimp puffs were really good,” Hannah said. “But nobody liked the Brie boats. I can’t understand it. I ate about a dozen of those.”

“Hannah,” Claire said. “What happened?”

“Okay, brace yourselves, ‘cause here’s the shocker: the house and everything she owned has to be sold, and after her debts are paid off, what’s left goes to Phyllis Davis,” Hannah said. “Why in the world she would leave anything to that crazy hooker, I don’t know. Knox was fit to be tied; he’s gonna contest it.”

Claire and Scott exchanged a look but they didn’t tell Hannah what they knew.

Hannah continued, “Everyone thought Mamie was broke but she wasn’t. Her trust fund has over ten million in it; that gets split up among the heirs. If she wasn’t broke, then why did she quit paying her bills?”

“And why was she so behind on her mortgage payments?” Scott asked.

“You know,” Claire said. “Doc told me one of the signs of dementia is paranoia over money. Maybe all that hoarding of her money and not paying her bills was part of a mental problem she had.”

“She was mental, all right,” Hannah said. “Why else would she leave all her dough to Phyllis Davis?”

“What else?” Scott asked.

“Let’s see,” Hannah said. “Oh yeah, evidently, there were some life insurance policies that left some money to Knox and both his wives.”

“Anne Marie and Meredith?” Claire said.

Claire looked at Scott but he didn’t look surprised.

“You knew about this,” she said.

He nodded.

“There’s your motive,” Claire said.

“But where’s my proof?” he said. “I don’t even know what killed Mamie. She was in her nineties, Claire. She probably had a heart attack or a stroke.”

“This is where Knox is getting the money to pay off Courtenay for notarizing the signatures on the policies,” Claire said. “I bet you anything if you could get a look at that policy it will be Courtenay’s notary seal and signature on them.”

“If Mamie died of natural causes, there will be no reason to subpoena the insurance policies,” Scott said. “If she was poisoned, no money will be paid out.”

“They’re not giving them the checks until the coroner’s report comes back,” Hannah said. “I heard Anne Marie bitching at the insurance agent about it.”

“Is the agent anyone we know?” Claire asked her.

“I didn’t recognize him,” Hannah said. “He’s not from around here.”

“Dammit,” Claire said.

“Welcome to my world,” Scott said.

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