“He was surprised, but polite.Old habits die hard.He was having trouble thinking or he would have asked what I was doing there in the middle of a storm.I poured myself a drink and took a seat.I wanted him to be comfortable so he’d keep drinking.And then I told him all the things I knew, and how disappointed I was in him.I wish you could have seen his face before he passed out.He was very surprised.”
I could hear the wind chimes give a loud jingle with a sudden burst of wind and it made me jump.
“Everyone knew Henry owned a gun, and that he kept it in the desk drawer.”She paused.“I made sure his prints were the only ones on it, and helped him pull the trigger.I left the note where it was, thinking that was as good of a reason as any for a man to kill himself.And then I left.The rain washed most of the blood away that had gotten on my hand and rain slicker.”
“What about Milton?”I asked.“You took a risk.”
She gave a small, satisfied smile.“Milton had a situation of his own that I was aware of.All I had to do was leave a note for him that it would be best for Henry’s death to be ruled as suicide.He was very cooperative.”
“You made another mistake,” I said quietly.“Henry was left-handed.Seems like an important detail you missed.”
“I know,” she said.“I realized it too late.It just didn’t occur to me in the moment with my adrenaline racing.I was so afraid he was going to wake up before I could get it done.”She shook her head.“And his sister never let it go.I always had a feeling that detail would come back to haunt me.And then you knocked on my door.”
Dash was already on his feet.
“Noreen Goble,” he said.“You’re under arrest for the murder of Henry Wainwright.”
She looked up at him from her chair.She didn’t run.She didn’t cry.She looked around her kitchen—the rooster collection on every shelf and surface, the crossword on the table, the calico cat on the counter, the light still coming warm through the window over the sink.
“I’m seventy-eight years old,” she said.“No jury in the state of South Carolina is going to convict me.”
“That’s up to the courts,” Dash said.“On your feet, please.”
She stood and smoothed her slacks.She held her wrists while Dash cuffed her and led her out to the deputies.They walked her down the front path in handcuffs, while neighbors watched in shock, and put her into the back of the waiting cruiser.
I stood on the porch after the cruiser pulled away and Dash came and stood beside me.
“You okay?”he asked.
“I think so.”I looked at the ceramic rooster by the door.“I keep thinking about Josephine.She’s going to find out that somebody who worked for him for over two decades killed her brother.”I shook my head.“I don’t know if that’s better or worse than not knowing.”
“It’s the truth,” Dash said.“That’s what she asked for.”
“The truth,” I repeated.I didn’t meet his gaze.
EPILOGUE
Dash walkedme to my front door.
He’d been quiet on the drive back from Charleston, which had suited me fine because I had nothing to say either.But the longer I stayed silent, the angrier I became.Something wasn’t right with Dash.I couldn’t keep pretending like it was nothing, or that his secrecy wasn’t weighing heavy on me.
Red flags were meant to be heeded, and I’d ignored them so long I’d let myself think I was in love with the man.But you couldn’t have love without trust and honesty.
He waited while I got my key out and unlocked the front door, and then he turned to look at me.
“You want to have dinner tonight?”
“No,” I said, making myself meet his gaze.“It’s been a long week and I’m tired.I think I just need a quiet weekend to rest and catch up on everything I let lapse at the shop.”
He studied me for a moment, trying to read something in my face that I wasn’t offering up.I kept my expression neutral and waited.
“All right,” he said finally.“You did a good job on this case.I know it wasn’t easy.Call me if you need anything.”
“I will,” I said.
He nodded, and didn’t try to kiss me goodbye.
I closed the door behind me and locked it, leaning back against it as tears pricked my eyes.Chowder came trotting out from the living room in his pajamas, his soaps still playing on the big screen, and he looked between me and the closed door with his head tilted.
