Murder by Yew (An Edna Davies Mystery #1)(58)

“Sorry, didn’t know you had company.” The newcomer spoke to Dee but his eyes remained fixed on Edna.

What an odd thing to say, Edna thought. My car’s parked right out front. She didn’t say anything, however, but waited for an introduction.

The man was turning to leave when Dee stopped him. Obviously, she had seen the look of recognition on Edna's face. Holding up a hand, she said, “It’s okay, Zach. You might as well stay. She’s already made the connection.” Picking up Edna’s half-empty teacup, she smiled. “Nothing to worry about, though. Come in and meet Edna Davies. Edna, this is my fiancé, Zachary Linden.” As she spoke, Dee bent to put the cup and saucer onto the silver tea tray.

Zachary moved to stand beside Dee. He grinned down at Edna, but his eyes were cold and watchful. “Ma’am,” he said, nodding once.

“How do you do?” Edna was at her most formal, inclining her head slightly. What was he doing here in Rhode Island in Dee’s house? Dee had just said they were engaged to be married. Did she know the police were watching him? Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, Edna started to rise. “I’m intruding. I should go.”

“No. You should stay.” Dee put a hand on Edna’s shoulder and gently but firmly pushed her back into the chair. “Just a minute,” she said and took her fiancé by the sleeve, pulling him toward the door from which he had appeared so silently. She spoke in a voice too low for Edna to make out the words.

As she watched the pair, Edna convinced herself that Dee was unaware of the man’s criminal activities. She would wait until he’d gone and let Dee know what Starling had told her about Charlie and the mime working undercover and how this man had been followed from the warehouse. Maybe he was here casing out the joint, she thought with a wry smile. The furniture’s obviously valuable.

Once Zachary had left the room, Dee returned to the sofa. “Actually, Edna, I’m really delighted you stopped by today. I’ve a surprise for you. Zach’s gone to get it.”

Eyebrows raised in question, Edna reached into a pocket of her slacks, searching for a tissue. It was a nervous habit, but she needed to do something with her hands while she thought of how to begin to tell Dee about her beloved. Instead of a hankie, though, her fingers found the piece of paper she had shoved there earlier. Maybe I should start with Dee’s own identity, she thought, taking an unsteady breath and removing the scrap from her pocket. Straightening out the crumpled sheet, she laid it on the table between them.

“What’s this?” Dee frowned, looking from the sketch to Edna’s face and back again.

“See for yourself.” Edna watched as Dee picked up the paper.

“Why, it’s a drawing of me.” Dee looked both surprised and pleased. “Did you do this from memory?” Her delighted laughter faded as she looked at Edna’s face.

Ignoring the question, Edna said, “You’re Daisy Farwell.”

Dee’s smile was calculating, and after a brief pause, she replied. “I guess it doesn’t matter that you know. Yes, I’m Daisy Farwell—or I should say, I was. That was a long time ago.” She looked down at the paper in her hand, speaking the last words almost to herself.

Edna thought of Dee and Tom standing side by side in her front yard. “Tom didn’t recognize you, did he?” It was more of a statement than a question.

“Not at first.” Dee’s eyes narrowed as she looked up from the small portrait. “Even afterwards, it wasn’t my face he recognized, it was the ring.” She barked a short laugh. “He was the only one who would know this ring besides Bobby.” She held up her right hand so Edna could see the sapphire stone on her ring finger. “Bobby’s mother’s,” she said by way of an explanation. “It was my wedding ring. Tom was Bobby’s best man, and Jenny was my maid of honor.”

“Afterwards.” Edna was aware of that one word, standing out among the rest. “Afterwards, what? Are you saying he was here last Thursday … after he left my house?”

“You guessed it.” The words were delivered in a sing-song manner, tauntingly.

“Why didn’t you tell the police?”

Dee shook her head and giggled. “Now, why do you think?”

“Because you … “ Edna paused, then felt her stomach turn over as realization hit.

“Poisoned him?” Dee completed the sentence, smiling menacingly. “Yes. You see, I couldn’t have him inviting Bobby back here, not with Joel Junior breathing down my neck, wanting to take back everything his daddy left me.”

“I don’t understand. What does that have to do with a girlhood marriage?”

“To a good Catholic boy?” Dee raised her eyebrows. “We may have been married in a hurry by a justice of the peace, but Bobby took his vows seriously.”

“You mean, you’re still married to Bobby?”

“Hell, I don’t know. Haven’t seen him in forty years. There might be a law that says we’re not, but I'm sure Junior would find a way to use the information against me.” She turned to look down the room at Joel Senior's portrait. “I was still wet behind the ears when I married Bobby. I should have made sure he was dead instead of just leaving him out in the desert.”

Edna felt nauseous. This was more than she wanted to hear, but a morbid fascination kept her silent and glued to her seat.