The Greenleaf Murders by R.J. Koreto

Author:R.J. Koreto [R. J. Koreto]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Level Best Books
Published: 2022-10-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

“So I made some notes about what I remembered from Aunt Myrtle. She had two sons, but they had little appetite for family gossip and didn’t have anything to add. It’s a woman thing, I think, so after I wrung my father dry, I went to his sister, my Aunt Emma, and she knew Aunt Myrtle even longer than I did, of course, and remembers a time when the family was more tightly knit. When they could still bully the family girls into going to debutante balls.” She pulled an iPad from her bag.

“Okay—according to family lore, Susan was beautiful and lively. But reading between the lines, there was something a little…off about her. A little Scarlett O’Hara, you know?”

“Vague scandals?” asked Wren.

“Yes…well, gossip anyway. Apparently, before her marriage, there was a scene at a ball. What’s a dance card? I felt I should know.”

“Women would write down the names of the young men they were going to dance with.”

“Really? Wow. That must’ve been something. Anyway, there was some fuss about who was supposed to dance with who, and Susan felt that another debutante was taking away someone she was supposed to dance with, and it got pretty ugly. Or whatever passed for ugly in that set.”

“It’s more your world than mine,” ventured Wren. “But don’t people in clubs and so forth get angry when someone is paying too much attention to someone else.”

Hadley thought about that for a moment. “You’re right, Wren. I’ve seen it happen. Especially when they’re coked up.”

“So nothing changes?” asked Wren.

“I don’t know. I don’t think Aunt Susan ever spent the night in a drunk tank. But the principle is the same. And she also caused jealousy. She was caught with a married man.”

“Caught? As in, in bed with him?”

“You know, that wasn’t clear. But I don’t think it went that far—what did Aunt Agnes say—she was ‘chaste.’ Another old-fashioned word. The bar for bad behavior wasn’t very high at the turn of the century. I think it was just sitting in some room like this at another party, with a married man old enough to be her father and showing some ankle. Apparently, even showing an ankle was a big deal back then. That’s how it came down to me—the so-lovely Susan, a quick and gentle touch on a gentleman’s arm, and he was so flattered this young woman was hanging on his every word, and then smirking when his irritated wife tracked him down.” Hadley was smirking herself. “Anyway, the family pushed her to marry Benjamin. He was wealthy, and very steady. Word has it he was a good businessman, rather dull. Rein her in and make her behave.”

“I don’t know about dull,” said Wren, looking around their room. “Maybe straitlaced, but not dull. I think this house was his dream. Rich men have always used their money to build houses that were an extension of themselves. I’ve seen it again and again. If it’s just money, you get nothing but vulgarity.” She looked at Hadley.

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