Classified As Murder

Hubert Morris stood in the doorway, looking irritable. Then he spotted Anita on the couch. He glanced at his watch and frowned. “Anita, I thought you’d be on your way to Memphis now. You’re going to miss your plane.”

“Shut up, Hubie,” Anita hissed at him.

“Don’t tell me to shut up.” Hubert took several steps into the room but paused when Bates turned toward him.

“Why don’t you have a seat, Mr. Morris.” Bates gestured with one hand. “Deputy Berry will be here in a couple minutes, and I reckon she’ll want to talk to all of you.”

By now Hubert had spotted the archival folder Bates held, and it was obvious to me that Hubert recognized it—and its contents.

“Um, I’m really busy right now.” Hubert started backing up. “I’ve, uh, got to call the funeral home. Yeah, that’s right. I’ve got to make arrangements for my wife.” He turned to flee.

Hubert’s luck was out. Kanesha stepped into the room and blocked his exit.

“Going somewhere, Mr. Morris?” Her voice was cool. “If you don’t mind, I’d prefer you hang around until I find out what’s going on here.”

Hubert’s shoulders slumped, and he slunk over to the sofa opposite Anita and plunked himself down. Anita glared at him, but he stared at the floor.

“Bates, I’d like to speak to you for a minute.” Kanesha remained in the doorway, and Bates walked over to her. They conferred in low voices while the rest of us waited in an increasingly tense silence.

I thought back to what Anita said to Truesdale, when he cut her off and warned her about talking until she had a lawyer. What had she said exactly? If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have known what was in Mr.— That was when the butler interrupted her.

I was willing to bet that the final words of that sentence were “Delacorte’s will.”

Anita had told Truesdale about the contents of James Delacorte’s will. But how had she known? Then I remembered what Alexandra Pendergrast told me only a little while ago. Anita’s niece worked as a paralegal for Q. C. Pendergrast. Anita and her niece talked a lot on the phone.

Therefore the niece must have gossiped about James Delacorte’s will.

The full implications of the situation hit me then.

If Truesdale already knew he was James Delacorte’s chief heir, his fainting at the reading of the will was nothing but an act. He wanted everyone to think the inheritance was a complete surprise.

But if I was right about what Anita meant to say, then he clearly had a strong motive for murdering his longtime employer.

Truesdale had just moved to the head of the line of suspects in James Delacorte’s murder, as far as I was concerned.

THIRTY-THREE

Kanesha moved forward into the room, her conversation with Bates finished. She positioned herself near the end of the sofa Anita occupied, and that meant Sean and I had a clear view of everyone in the room.

“Mr. Morris, Ms. Milhaus.” Kanesha paused, perhaps to be certain that Hubert and Anita were paying attention. “I’m going to ask both of you to accompany me to the sheriff’s department. I have questions for both of you, and I think it best to talk to you there.”

Hubert started sputtering, half rising from the sofa. “This is outrageous. You can’t treat me like this.” He plopped back down on the sofa.

“I’m not arresting you, Mr. Morris—yet.” Kanesha put her right hand on the gun at her waist. “Let’s do this the easy way, all right?”

Hubert nodded. He seemed to be staring at Kanesha’s gun, and I had to admire the subtle way the deputy had intimidated him.

Anita still hadn’t said a word. When I glanced at her, she had her eyes closed. Her mouth was moving, but no sound came out. Was she praying? If she was, she’d better ask for a miracle, because I figured that was the only thing that could help her and Hubert now.

Truesdale, from his vantage point by the fireplace, watched everything with a blank face. I avoided looking at him, because I didn’t want to risk his reading my suspicions on my face. I’m not always good at hiding my thoughts.

Bates came forward and motioned for Hubert to follow him. Hubert rose from the sofa and moved on unsteady legs toward the deputy. Bates took him by the arm and led him out of the parlor.

“Ms. Milhaus.” Kanesha spoke in a sharp tone. Anita appeared oblivious, and Kanesha had to reach over and touch her on the arm to get a response out of her.

“I’m taking you to the sheriff’s department.” Kanesha grasped Anita by the arm as she rose. The contents of Anita’s tote bag were still on the floor, and Kanesha guided Anita around them and a few steps away.

Kanesha stopped, and Anita did the same. Kanesha pulled the radio mike from her shoulder and spoke into it. “Franklin, I need you inside, and bring the kit. First room on the right.” She replaced the mike.

“We’ll be going in a moment,” Kanesha said.

“Deputy Berry.” I stood, and Kanesha turned her head in my direction. “I really need to speak with you about something. It’s important.”