An Unthymely Death (20 page)

“We’re friends of your stepfather,” I said, after I’d introduced Ruby and myself. “Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

Mike motioned for us to come into the living room and set down the pot with a thump. “Howard is dead. Died last week.”

“We know,” Ruby said. “We’re very sorry.”

“He was getting on in years,” he said brusquely. “It wasn’t unexpected.”

“Still,” I said, “I’m know it’s a loss. Actually, we wanted to talk with you about his will.”

“The will?” The frown deepened. “What about it?”

“We understand that your stepfather originally planned to leave his house to you,” I said.

“That was quite some time ago,” he said shortly. “Excuse me.” He turned on his heel and went out onto the patio.

“He seems defensive,” Ruby whispered. “Maybe he’s hiding something—like the will!”

I went over to look at the rosemary. Yes, I’d been right—it
was
a bonsai. Its thick trunk, exposed roots, and complex branch structure gave it the look of an ancient tree clinging to a cliff face, sculptured by the wind. “Maybe we just caught him at a bad time,” I said.

Mike came back. “I was watering,” he said, a little more pleasantly. “Had to turn the hose off before it created a lake. Now, what was it you wanted to ask?”

“The original will,” I said. “You were supposed to inherit the house, weren’t you?”

“No,” he said. “I mean, How- ard and I talked about that. But when he decided to give the house to the church, he gave me this place instead.”

“This place?” Ruby asked, looking around. “He gave you this apartment?”

He grinned. “Actually, he gave me the whole apartment building.”

“My goodness,” Ruby said weakly. “It must be nice to have a wealthy stepfather.”

“He was a generous man,” Mike replied. “I was fourteen when my mother married him—lucky for me. He probably kept me from—I won’t say ‘a life of crime,’ but he certainly helped to change my direction. I was a pretty impulsive kid when I was younger.” He grinned ruefully. “I guess I just didn’t know what to do with all my energy.”

“Mr. Pennyroyal’s sister didn’t mention anything about a church,” I said.

“Aunt Hazel?” Mike shrugged. “Well, maybe Dad didn’t discuss it with her. He was pretty undecided there for a while. He had other interests, too—the Teen Center, especially. He served on their board and he’d already given them money to buy some new computers. But in the will he showed me six months or so ago, the church was supposed to get the house.”

“Which church is that?” Ruby asked.

“The one just down the block from the house. The pastor is Juliet Giles.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I know Juliet. We’ll have a talk with her. By the way, that’s a great-looking bonsai. How old is it?”

“I started it about five years ago,” he said. “I really enjoy bonsai—and all sorts of container gardening.” He grinned. “In fact, if Howard had given me that house, I wouldn’t have had a clue what to do with that huge yard. I just don’t have the patience for vegetables.”

 

 

We found Juliet Giles, the pastor of Mr. Pennyroyal’s church, trimming the Bible garden beside the old stone building. Juliet and I have known one another since I came to Pecan Springs some years ago, and she’s been a friend of Ruby’s for longer than that. She’s in her late thirties, a petite, dark-haired woman with large, dark eyes. When she saw us coming, she straightened up, a sprig of dill in her hand.

“Have you come to see how your garden has grown?” she asked with a smile.

Ruby turned to me. “Your garden?”

“I helped design it,” I said.

“Don’t be so modest,” Juliet said with a laugh. To Ruby, she added, “China was the moving spirit behind the garden. She suggested the plants and sketched out the shape for us. Members of the congregation pitched in to do the planting.”

“It really looks good,” I said. I glanced around, admiring the many plants we had found room for. Garlic, mint, mustard, flax, and lots more, even a small fig tree. “Have you picked any figs yet?” I asked with a smile.

“Not yet.” Juliet grinned and pushed her hair back. Her eyes were twinkling. “But I certainly have faith that we will, in God’s good time.”

“I’m afraid we haven’t come to look at the garden,” I said regretfully. “I’m sure you know that Mr. Pennyroyal has died.”

 

 

Juliet nodded. “We had the funeral here yesterday. He’ll be missed.” She glanced at Ruby. “You’re on the board of the Teen Center, aren’t you? You must be very excited about moving into the house.”

“There’s a problem,” Ruby said. “The will can’t be found.”

“The will?” Juliet looked incredulous. “You mean, Mr. Pennyroyal’s new will is missing?”

“Right,” I said. “And unless it’s found, it looks as if the estate will be probated under the old will, and your church will inherit the house. We hoped that perhaps you might have an idea what could have happened to the will.”

“Uh-oh,” Juliet said softly. “I hope you don’t think—”

“Of course not!” Ruby exclaimed, horrified. “We know you wouldn’t do a thing like that!”

Ruby might feel confident, but I wasn’t so sure. Not that Juliet would stoop to steal the will, of course. But other people in her congregation might want to make sure that the church inherited the house. In fact, now that I thought about it—

“Juliet,” I said, “isn’t Mrs. Fisher a member of your congregation?”

Ruby whirled to look at me, a question in her eyes. “Mrs. Fisher? Mr. Pennyroyal’s housekeeper?”

“She’s one of our most dedicated members,” Juliet said. “As a matter of fact, I think she was the one who suggested to Mr. Pennyroyal that he leave the house to the church. I’m afraid she was a little disappointed when he decided to give it to the Teen Center instead.” She frowned. “But China, you can’t possibly think that Mrs. Fisher would have—”

I sighed. “I’m sorry, Juliet. We have to consider every possibility. The person who made off with the will knew exactly what he—or she—was doing.”

“Good Lord,” Juliet breathed.

“I don’t think God had anything to do with it,” Ruby replied.

“If you ask me, it was the other guy.” She made a face. “You know who I mean.”

Juliet was frowning. “I just can’t believe that Mrs. Fisher would have taken those signed copies,” she said. “She wanted the church to have the property, yes—but she wouldn’t have done anything counter to Mr. Pennyroyal’s desires. I’m certain of that. And she wouldn’t even
think
of taking something that didn’t belong to her.”

“Then perhaps,” I said, “you can suggest another possibility.” Juliet was silent for a minute, looking around the garden as if for inspiration. “Tell me what you already know,” she said.

“There were two copies of the new will,” Ruby replied. “Mr. Pennyroyal signed them, and Mrs. Fisher and a neighbor witnessed his signatures. Then Mrs. Fisher put both copies of the will into the desk in the library.”

“In the
library
?” Juliet asked. A frown puckered between her eyes.

“That’s right,” I said. “What’s this all about, Juliet? What do you know that we don’t?”

She answered my question with another. “How much do you know about the opposition to Mr. Pennyroyal’s plan?”

Ruby shrugged. “We understand that some of the neighbors are opposed to the idea of the Teen Center taking over the house. They don’t want a bunch of kids around.” She wrinkled her nose. “I guess they’re worried about noisy parties.”

Juliet nodded. “We’ve discussed the issues in some of our church meetings, but we haven’t been able to change their minds.” She looked at me. “Mrs. Jordan, who lives next door to the Pennyroyal house, is the most outspoken of all the neighbors. In fact, I think she’s the one who’s organized the opposition.”

“Mrs. Jordan?” I looked at Ruby. “Wasn’t she the other witness to Mr. Pennyroyal’s will?”

“That’s right,” Ruby said.

“I don’t want to accuse anybody,” Juliet said, “but—” She pressed her lips together.

I could tell by the look in Juliet’s eyes that she knew something important. “Let’s go talk to Mrs. Jordan,” I said. “Will you come?”

“Yes,” Juliet answered. She looked around the peaceful garden. “Although I can think of a few other things I’d much rather do.” She laughed sadly. “Pulling weeds, for instance.”

“Oh?” Ruby asked. “It’s that bad, is it?”

Juliet nodded. “Maybe I’d better tell you what I suspect.” And that’s what she did, as we walked down the street to visit Mrs. Jordan.

 

 

“Why, hello, Pastor Giles,” the woman said, opening the door. She was tall, with a sharp, angular face framed by thick gray hair, her eyes magnified by thick-lensed glasses. She wore a hearing aid in one ear. “Would you like to come in?”

“These are my friends China Bayles and Ruby Wilcox.” Juliet paused and added, meaningfully, “Ruby serves on the Teen Center’s board of directors.”

“On what?” Mrs. Jordan asked, fiddling with her hearing aid.

Juliet leaned forward. “On the Teen Center’s board of directors,” she repeated distinctly.

“I . . . see,” Mrs. Jordan said. She glanced at Ruby, biting her lip. “Well, I . . . On second thought, maybe you’d better come back later. I’m pretty busy just now.” She started to close the door.

Juliet put out her hand. “I think we need to talk
now,
Mrs. Jordan,” she said firmly. “We won’t take much of your time.”

Reluctantly, Mrs. Jordan stepped back and Juliet went inside. Ruby and I followed the two women into a small old-fashioned living room. The slip-covered furniture was draped with crocheted doilies, the walls were crowded with framed photographs, and the room had a musty smell, as if the windows hadn’t been opened in years. If there were a noisy party next door, I thought to myself, she probably wouldn’t hear it.

Ruby and I sat down on the sofa, and Juliet took a chair. “May I bring you some tea?” Mrs. Jordan asked nervously, still standing.

“Thank you, but no.” Juliet was resolute. “I think you know why we’ve come.”

Mrs. Jordan perched on the edge of a chintz-covered chair. “Why, no,” she said. She glanced at Ruby, then looked away. “I really can’t guess.”

“It’s about Mr. Pennyroyal’s will,” Juliet replied. “The one you witnessed recently.” She turned to me. “Tell her what’s happened, China.”

“The will is missing,” I said loudly. “Both signed originals were taken from the desk in Mr. Pennyroyal’s library.”