Saks & Violins by Mary Daheim

Author:Mary Daheim
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780061763335
Publisher: HarperCollins

THIRTEEN

THE COUSINS WAITED to finish their discussion until they returned to the kitchen.

“The obvious suspect in drugging Andrea is Suzanne,” Renie declared, retrieving her Pepsi from the table.

“Definitely,” Judith agreed. “She’s the one who picked up the prescription refills. Of course, her motives might be pure. Maybe Andrea really is an emotional wreck. I don’t blame her.”

“She was a wreck before Dolph was killed,” Renie pointed out. “Otherwise, the pills wouldn’t be refills, which they are. You can tell from the labels.”

Renie’s back was to the swinging doors that led to the dining room. Judith raised one finger to signal quiet and leaned slightly out of her chair. Suzanne entered the kitchen. “Can I help you, Suzanne?” she inquired.

“Rudi has left the B&B,” Suzanne said.

Renie swiveled around. “Is this an announcement, like Elvis has left the building?”

“Of course not,” Suzanne asserted. “I merely wanted to let you know. I’m going for a run. I expect that Gregory will also have left by the time I get back. It’s not safe to let him stay here. Trust me.” She turned away and headed for the front door.

“I don’t trust her,” Judith declared. “Supposedly, her mother has been making funeral arrangements. I don’t know how, when she’s virtually in a coma. And another thing—Suzanne says she owns a gym or a health club in Manhattan. Yet I’ve never once heard her mention anything specific about it. Most people who run a business talk about it. I find it odd, especially since her schedule has been changed. You’d think she’d bring up some problems that her absence might cause.”

Renie smiled. “You really are a most suspicious person. Don’t you think the gym can run itself? She probably has a reliable staff. Besides, she knew she’d be gone a week or two if she was completing the West Coast trip with Dolph and Andrea.”

Judith rubbed the 7-Up can in her hands. “You’re probably right. Did you find anything of interest in Estelle’s room?”

“Only Estelle, who watched me like a spy from a bad movie,” Renie replied. “That room has no bathroom, so I couldn’t look at anything except electrical outlets and the furnace vent.” She made a face. “I couldn’t get into Suzanne’s room because her door to the shared bathroom was locked. I guess I’m not much of an inspector—or a sleuth, for that—” Renie stopped. “Where did you say Estelle came from?”

“You mean before she got here? Oregon. Why?”

“I noticed the airline tag on her suitcase,” Renie said with a sly smile. “There was only one, and it was marked from JFK to here—not to Portland.”

“Was there a date?”

“Yes.” Renie’s smile widened. “The twenty-fourth, which means she got here the same day as the rest of the Kluger group.”

“Maybe even the same flight,” Judith remarked thoughtfully. “She arrived in a tan car, a rental. I wonder if we could find out where she picked it up. It’s still parked outside.”

“I’ll look,” Renie volunteered, getting up from her chair. “There’s usually a sticker or something to indicate which rental agency the car comes from.

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