100 Proof Murder Read online

  Jill hadn’t noticed a hump in William’s nose in the photos at the memorial service. ‘You and Alexis obviously have the same father, but I’m curious about William’s appearance. Do you suppose he had plastic surgery?’ She handed back the picture.

  ‘I never thought much about it, but maybe he did after he married Rose. That woman couldn’t be any vainer about appearances. One of Dad’s suits probably cost more than everything in my mom’s closet put together.’ Kevin tucked the photo back in his wallet.

  ‘Despite a lack of expensive clothes, your mom was a beautiful woman. I’m sorry for your loss. I’m sure she was very proud of you.’ Jill placed her small hand over his larger one.

  ‘That’s nice of you to say, Jill. And yes, she was.’ Kevin reversed the position of their hands and then motioned for another round of drinks. ‘Rose knew about me, all right. She demanded William have nothing to do with me, which worked for a while. Later when he started to get to know me, she tried to pay me off several times. Her last offer was for a million dollars to go away and never contact her family again. I would’ve taken the cash if there was a treatment that could save my mother. But there wasn’t and she went downhill fast. Afterwards, all I wanted was revenge.’

  ‘Against Alexis?’ Jill asked quietly.

  ‘No, not against Alexis.’ Kevin slapped his palm against the polished surface. ‘My lawyer insists my only hope for success is for my sister’s half. But that’s not what I want. I want Rose to feel the deprivation, the rejection, and the humiliation that my mother lived with for years.’

  An icy chill ran up Jill’s spine. Part of her wished to bolt from the room, away from an angry young man who frightened her. But another part felt sorry for Kevin. He’d grown up with the same deprivation, rejection, and humiliation as his mother, through no fault of his own. ‘Alexis needs to be told the truth about the situation.’

  Kevin finished his first drink just as the server delivered the second round. ‘Then you’ll have to be the one to tell her. Did you see how Alexis looked at me while Tony Rossi was dying on the floor? Like I was the one responsible.’ He answered the question for her. ‘Why would I try to kill the master distiller? I was hoping he’d take me under his wing.’

  ‘You’re serious about learning the bourbon-making business?’

  ‘Of course I am. I want to work alongside my sister, not replace her. That’s what my father had in mind. And he’d planned to change his will and split his estate between his children.’

  ‘Did Rose know of his intentions?’ Jill moved her wine glass out of reach.

  ‘Mama Rose knew he wanted to bring me into the business, she just didn’t know that William owned all of Grandpa’s shares. Why wouldn’t she know he’d planned to change his will? She had her father and the entire household staff spying for her, so nothing went on inside that house she didn’t know about. And the fact someone murdered him before he made the change makes Rose a more likely suspect than me. Wouldn’t I have waited until after I was officially named an heir?’ Kevin glanced furtively around the room, then focused on the table where Nick sat. ‘Would your boyfriend like to join us for a drink? He can keep you safer here than over by the wall.’

  Jill swiveled around and smiled at Nick, who realized his less-than-perfect cover had been blown. He walked to where they sat and extended his hand. ‘How do you do? Nick Harris, Jill’s fiancé. I’m also an investigator for the state police.’

  ‘Kevin Scott, nice to meet you. I hope your normal duties don’t involve undercover work. You practically leaped from your chair when Jill touched my hand.’

  ‘Usually they don’t, but I’m afraid I’m overprotective where Jill is involved.’ Nick sat down next to her.

  ‘Understandable.’ Kevin studied Nick over the rim of his glass. ‘May I buy you a drink?’

  ‘Actually, I need someone to drink this.’ Jill moved the second glass of wine in front of him. ‘Today one will be my limit.’

  ‘I’m especially protective because I asked Jill to get a sample of your DNA, and we seldom involve civilians in such a fashion.’

  Jill felt her cheeks flush from Nick’s admission.

  ‘Is that why you scooped up my cigarette butt?’ Kevin asked her. ‘I saw your reflection in the glass. I thought maybe you were an anti-litter freak.’

  ‘Yes,’ Jill admitted, red-faced. ‘But I also wanted to talk to you and hear your side of the story.’

  Kevin shrugged. ‘That cigarette will rule me out as a suspect, but why would you care about me or what happens to my rightful inheritance? I told you I harbor no ill will toward Alexis.’

  ‘Maybe I’m a big fan of justice. Or maybe I feel bad about how you were treated.’

  ‘In case you haven’t noticed, Jill, life isn’t fair. And I don’t need anyone’s pity. I’ll settle our tab on my way out.’ Kevin downed the rest of his bourbon. ‘Congratulations on your engagement, Mr Harris.’

  ‘Wait!’ Jill demanded, scrambling to her feet. ‘Everyone can use a helping hand. Why don’t I talk to Alexis about hiring you as a production trainee?’

  Kevin hesitated, then looked back. ‘Why would you do that?’

  ‘Because it’s the right thing to do, and for some reason I trust you.’

  ‘You think Alexis would do that for you?’

  ‘Yep, that woman owes me plenty of favors. Give her a call in the morning.’

  ‘Why are you helping him?’ Nick asked once Scott had left the restaurant. ‘Kevin hasn’t been ruled out in either William’s murder or the attempt on Rossi’s life.’

  ‘Please.’ Jill dragged the word into two syllables. ‘As Kevin said, he wouldn’t kill his father until after the will was changed. And what would his motive be to kill Rossi?’

  Nick pushed the wine away and pulled her to her feet. ‘Let’s just get that cigarette over to Detective Grimes before you go making new friends. She can also check into his alibi for the Monday William died.’

  Instead, while Nick took the elevator up to the homicide department, Jill stayed in the car, planning what she would say to Mrs Parker Scott. That woman probably even lied in her sleep. At the attorney’s office she had acted shocked about Kevin’s existence. But Rose not only knew about William’s firstborn son but had known he planned to change his will. That sounded like motive for murder in Jill’s book.

  ‘Are you ready to sign a complaint against Lacey while we’re downtown?’ Nick asked when he returned.

  Jill didn’t have to think for long. ‘No, that sort of thing can take hours. I’ll do it soon, but not now. Today. I plan to catch Rose in one of her multitude of lies.’

  Nick had other ideas for their afternoon. ‘No, I don’t want you going to Parker Estate by yourself.’

  ‘Why on earth not?’ Jill demanded.

  ‘Three reasons, actually. If Mama Rose is indeed the murderer, then it’s not safe.’

  ‘I promise not to eat, drink, or inhale anything while I’m there. What’s your next reason?’

  ‘Like I explained, Ross Lacey has a wall of photos of you. If you’re his new subject of fixation, you won’t be safe until that creep is behind bars.’

  Jill cocked her head to one side. ‘Do you plan to stay with me twenty-four-seven until Lacey’s trial?’

  ‘Don’t tell me you’re sick of me already. We’ve only been semi-engaged for a short while.’ Nick merged into heavy traffic.

  ‘I’m far from sick of you, but I want to hear your third reason.’

  ‘Tomorrow I go back to work. So I want to drive to my sister’s house to see how Mom’s getting along and tell my family the good news. Before Mom is too far gone to understand,’ he added in a soft voice.

  Jill touched his arm tenderly. ‘If you had opened with that reason, the other two would’ve been unnecessary. I’d love to drive to your sister’s house. Let me text Michael that I’ll be back late, then I’m ready to go right now.’

  ‘Such an amazingly cooperative woman. Whoever would’ve guessed?’<
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  ‘Certainly not my partner, and I would appreciate you not telling him. I prefer to keep my current reputation at work.’

  Nick’s sister, Sarah, and her family lived in a picture-perfect area of fertile farmland and rolling green pastures that stretched for as far as the eye could see. Not surprisingly, even the air smelled better than around the Louisville area, so long as you didn’t count the earthy tang of organic fertilizer used by Amish and Mennonite farmers. God’s country. It was a term Jill had heard all her life, yet she had never fully understood it until she drove the backroads of Anderson County.

  ‘Wow,’ Jill said. ‘It’s beautiful. Your mother should love it here. I know I would.’

  Nick took his eyes off the two-lane highway long enough to smile at her. ‘Would you really? There are no clubs, no theaters, no four-star restaurants and no malls, unless you count Walmart plaza.’

  ‘As long as they still have the internet, I can be happy. Tell me about your sister’s family.’

  Nick dropped his speed behind a slow-moving truck. ‘Sarah works at a local hair salon. My brother-in-law, Bob, is an auto mechanic. They have a girl in high school and a boy in middle school. Both kids are active in sports and 4-H, so their parents do plenty of running around until their daughter gets her driver’s license.’

  ‘Good kids?’ Jill asked, smirking. ‘No sudden toilet-flushing when Lieutenant Nick walks into the house?’

  ‘As far as Uncle Nick knows, they’re very good kids.’ He turned into a long gravel driveway and stopped in front of a rambling one-story house with a metal roof, trimmed hedges and flowerbeds along the walkway.

  Jill jumped out of the car and froze. ‘What if they don’t like me?’

  Nick slipped an arm around her waist. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. A travel writer who drinks wine from a cardboard box, has a nose for murder, and jailbirds for relatives? What’s not to like?’

  ‘Could we let them know the details a few at a time?’ she asked, suddenly shy. But like with most things in life, Jill needn’t have worried.

  Nick opened the unlocked the door of a tidy and unnaturally quiet living room, considering teenagers lived in the house. ‘Anybody home?’ he called as they walked inside.

  A young woman in blue scrubs and white leather shoes was doing paperwork on the couch, while the big screen television was on but apparently muted. ‘Hi, I’m Karen Harper, RN. And you are?’ She let her question hang in the air.

  ‘Nick Harris, Julie’s son. And this is my fiancée, Jill Curtis.’ He pulled out his wallet. ‘Would you like to see ID?’

  ‘I don’t think so, Mr Harris. I see plenty of resemblance with your sister.’ The nurse stood and shook hands with each of them. ‘I’ve been assigned to do an assessment of your mother. I’m just writing up my findings.’

  ‘Where is everybody?’ Nick asked, slipping his wallet back in his pocket.

  ‘Let’s see.’ The nurse ticked off locations on her fingers. ‘Sarah and Bob are still at work. Both kids are staying after school for a sports event, but your sister will pick them up on her way home. And an aide is helping your mother with her bath, while I write up my findings.’

  ‘Jill and I would like to hear your assessment, Miss Harper, since we live in Louisville and can’t visit as often as we’d like. Do you specialize in Alzheimer’s patients?’ When Nick sat down next to the nurse, Jill positioned herself near the doorway to the hall.

  ‘I’d be happy to answer your questions. My specialty is all forms of dementia, even though a definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s often isn’t possible until after the patient dies.’

  Nick hung his head for several seconds. ‘Where is my mother in the normal progression of the disease?’

  ‘The progression isn’t always the same for all patients, but I can describe the various stages if you like.’ She waited for an affirmative nod before continuing. ‘In the beginning patients have difficulty remembering names or following conversations, but they are still able to perform routine activities without more-than-usual assistance. Those with mild cognitive impairment, called MCI, who go on to develop Alzheimer’s may exhibit mood swings and are slow to react. They may need help with complicated activities and often lose their train of thought. For instance, they may wear the wrong clothes for the weather, get lost while traveling, or forget to pay bills. As the patient becomes aware of their memory loss, they may become irritable, fearful or depressed. Once patients become disabled by memory impairment, in other words unable to function safely on their own, we call this moderate or stage two. I feel your mother is entering this stage. Although a patient can still recall the distant past, recent events are difficult to remember, including the day of the week or their location. They start to forget familiar faces, and caregivers must give very specific instructions.’ Harper paused to gauge Nick and Jill’s reaction. ‘During the final stage, patients become less responsive and no one is recognizable. They lose bowel and bladder control and require constant care. Once they lose the ability to chew and swallow, they become susceptible to pneumonia and respiratory infections, especially once they become bedridden. This stage eventually leads to coma and death.’ Nurse Harper’s face filled with compassion. ‘I won’t try to sugarcoat this. Alzheimer’s is a hideous disease. Although some medications can slow the progression, we don’t know what causes it and we have no cure.’

  ‘Thank you for sharing your evaluation.’ Nick dropped his face in his hands.

  Jill glanced down the hallway to make sure it was still empty. ‘Have you noticed Mrs Harris becoming worse as the day wears on?’

  ‘As a matter of fact, yes. It’s referred to as Sundowner’s Syndrome. According to Sarah, your mother became hostile last night when she tried to do a Sudoku puzzle. She threw the puzzle book across the room and began shouting that someone had switched her book with a harder set of puzzles.’

  ‘Do you mean she’s been able to do Sudoku in the morning?’ Nick looked up.

  ‘Oh, no, but during the morning Mrs Harris is aware of and accepts her limitations. She probably hasn’t been able to do those puzzles or balance the checkbook for a long time since the ability to deal with abstract concepts like numbers is usually lost in the early stage.’

  Nick inhaled in a deep breath. ‘Do you have any idea how long she’ll be able to stay with my sister’s family? It’s Sarah’s intention to keep Mom home for as long as possible.’

  ‘That’s understandable, but every case is different. It all depends if Julie becomes dangerous to herself by trying to wander at night, or use the stove without supervision, or if she makes life unbearable for the rest of the family. Sarah and Bob will know when the time is right. In the meantime, try to visit as often as you can. No one knows how much quality time any of us have left.’

  As Jill signaled that people were coming down the hall, Nick rose to his feet. ‘Thank you, Miss Harper, for your insight. Jill and I intend to take your advice to heart.’

  ‘Nicky, I didn’t know you were coming,’ Mrs Harris said when she and the aide walked into the room.

  ‘Hi, I’m Vera, from Homecare.’ The woman stretched out her hand. ‘You must be the son Julie has talked so much about.’

  Nick wrapped his mother in a bear hug. ‘Yes, I’m Nick and this is my fiancée, Jill,’ he said over his mother’s head.

  Jill watched his mother’s face when he identified her. That tidbit of information didn’t get past her.

  ‘Fiancée?’ Julie Harris asked. ‘Is this the same nice girl you brought to Lorraine? When are you two getting married?’

  Nick laughed. ‘Yep, this is Jill, but we haven’t set a date yet. I only asked her two days ago.’

  His mother pushed Nick away and threw her arms around Jill. ‘That boy has been dragging his feet, no?’

  ‘Yes, he has.’ Jill returned the hug cautiously as though afraid the older woman might break. ‘But I finally pried the question out of him.’

  ‘Who’s getting married? Certainly not my littl
e brother.’ A pink-cheeked auburn-haired woman strolled in from the kitchen. On her heels were two teenagers, one the spitting image of her mother, the other bearing a considerable likeness to Nick. ‘Nice to meet you, Jill. I’m his big sister, Sarah.’ She offered Jill a warm embrace but gave her brother the evil eye. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I only took one package of pork chops out of the freezer and you can eat a package by yourself.’

  Nick quickly came up with a solution. ‘Leave those chops in the fridge until tomorrow. Tonight this family celebrates the occasion in style, my treat. We can either go out to dinner or order up a storm of takeout food. Vera and Karen, you’re both invited to join us.’

  ‘After all, you’re part of the family now.’ Mrs Harris smiled at her two caregivers.

  In the end, Vera and Karen went home to their families and the extended Harris clan celebrated the engagement with takeout Italian delivered to the backyard picnic table. Large portions of veal parmesan, chicken Piccata, and lasagna, along with pizza for the kids, enough for everyone to try everything with red wine for the toast. Nick and Jill drank iced tea, since they still had to drive back to Louisville.

  ‘Jill and Nick, don’t think this will be your only celebration,’ said Sarah, lifting her glass. ‘Since you didn’t give us any notice, we have no cake. So we’ll just have another party down the road when Sue and Bobbie can be here. Plus, we must buy you presents. I know for a fact Nick owns no potato peeler or a decent measuring cup.’

  ‘And I’ve gotten along just fine without them,’ Nick retorted.

  And so the evening went – the two siblings sparring back and forth while the kids egged them on, greatly amused.

  By the time Jill climbed in the car to go home, her face hurt from laughing. ‘I really like your family,’ she said. ‘Surprising them tonight was a great idea.’

  ‘Did you enjoy your dinner?’ He arched a sly eyebrow.

  ‘Everything was delicious, but it doesn’t get you off the hook for cooking. I expect a big pot of jambalaya for tomorrow night, and you can expect Michael. No way can we get rid of my partner two days in a row. Then we can break our big news to him as well.’