A Dead Mother by Anna Celeste Burke

Author:Anna Celeste Burke [Burke, Anna Celeste]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-10-27T23:00:00+00:00

20 A Neighborly Confession

“Hello, Leslie. I heard the awful news about Beverly. I can’t believe it. She seemed so healthy. What do they mean on TV that it’s a suspicious death?” Barbara Stoddard asked, peppering Leslie with questions. Leslie stood aside so she could enter the foyer.

“We’re still not sure what it means, but her death wasn’t from natural causes.”

“Are you saying someone killed her? Who would want to do that to Beverly?” Tears had welled up in the woman’s eyes. She was shaking a little too.

“We’re hoping her friends, like you, might help us figure that out,” I said inhaling another blast of that fragrance. “The police are bound to pay you a visit, and so will someone from my office since we’re questioning everyone close to her. She was my client and a friend. I don’t like the idea of losing anyone in such a bad way.”

“The police are going to visit me?”

“Yes, I’m surprised they haven’t spoken to you already since they’ve been out canvassing the neighborhood about the break-in here. Did you see anyone going in or out of here yesterday?”

“Other than you and the police, you mean? Beverly and I agreed to keep an eye out for each other, but I don’t have time to sit around all day and watch what goes on at her house. Besides, there have been people coming and going for months with all the work she’s been doing.”

“That’s what the police will want to hear from you. Do you know of anyone who had a grudge against her?”

“Other than that miserable person, Tanya Wilkins, you mean? That’s who the police ought to speak to. I heard her say she wished Beverly would drop dead. It never occurred to me she might make that wish come true.” Barbara balled up her fists and then began to cry. “Should I have told someone?” She asked.

“No. People use angry words like that all the time and don’t mean it.” I draped an arm around the sobbing woman. “When was that?”

“I can’t recall exactly. It was at one of those holiday get-togethers at the clubhouse. She was fuming when Beverly showed up with Cedric. They used to be an item before he found Beverly. Can you blame him for preferring Beverly to that witch? Beverly was such a wonderful woman.” Barbara dissolved into tears again.

“Yes, she was,” Leslie added as she took a turn consoling the bereft neighbor. Her eyes were filled with tears poised to slide down her cheeks.

I ran and grabbed a couple of tissues for Barbara from a box Beverly kept on a side table near her desk in the den. When I handed tissues to Barbara, her perfume assailed me once again.

“If Tanya hadn’t been such a stubborn cow as Chairwoman of the ARC, Beverly and Cedric might not have met. Funny how life happens, huh?” More sniffles as she blew her nose.

“When you speak to the police, please be sure you tell them what you just told us. If you can remember exactly when you heard her make that comment, that would be helpful.

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