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I went from dead asleep to wide awake in a matter of seconds.
“What happened?” I put the phone on speaker, swung my legs off the bed, and was already changing out of my PJs.
Luna’s voice shook. “Burton came by. He said she’d been murdered. She was found on the stairs at her apartment building. She was hit on the back of the head.”
I put shoes on and glanced again at my clock. “She was on her way to work?”
“That’s right. She had a 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift. Can you come by? We could use a steadying influence here—Mom’s in a state and I’m not much better. I’m sorry to ask you to do this.”
“Of course I’ll be there,” I said. I’d automatically started changing into work clothes, even though it would be hours before we had to be at work, just in case.
A few minutes later, after feeding Fitz and giving him an apologetic rub, I arrived at Luna and Mona’s house. The lights were all on in the house, standing out in stark contrast the rest of the dark street.
Mona was wearing a long robe and slippers and her eyes were red as she gave me a quick hug for coming over. Luna had apparently gone ahead and dressed for the day and looked grimly at me.
“I’ll make you some coffee,” said Mona briskly, ignoring my protests.
Luna waved a tired hand at me. “She doesn’t want to hear the recap again. Who can blame her?”
“What happened?” I asked quietly as Mona busied herself in the next room.
“We don’t know much. Burton was so thoughtful to come by and deliver the news before we heard it from anyone else. He knew Roz and I were cousins.” Luna grimaced. “Mom insists on calling her sister herself later. Thinks it’s her responsibility. It’s going to be awful.”
I said, “So Roz was on her way to work. And it sounds as if someone was waiting for her when she left. But it wasn’t a robbery?”
Luna shook her head. “No one touched her purse or took her phone.” She took a deep breath. “Somebody from this weekend did this, Ann. One of Roz’s friends. There’s no other explanation.”
I said, “Did you get the sense Roz knew something? Did she say anything to you?”
Luna sighed. “She didn’t say a word. I wish she had. But I did feel like she was holding something back. Roz looked worried.”
“Where was her room situated? You went by there, didn’t you?”
Luna said, “Yeah, I stopped by her room and visited a couple of times when I was just walking past. She had a perfect view of the pool room.” She made a face.
“So Roz could have seen something. Maybe she spotted something that at first didn’t even seem like a problem. But then she could have realized someone’s alibi or story wasn’t completely accurate.”
Luna sighed. “And the problem is that Roz was the kind of person who would have just gone right ahead and confronted the person with whatever information she had. Of course she should have gone right to Burton. But that wouldn’t have been Roz’s usual M.O. She was always really upfront.”
Luna’s phone started ringing and she frowned. “It’s not time to go to the library, is it?”
“Not even close.”
She fished out her phone from the depths of a pocket and frowned at it. “Kelly?” she asked as she answered it.
I could hear sobbing on the other end of the phone line and saw Luna frown again as she tried to figure out what Kelly was saying. She shrugged at me and shook her head, unable to make it out.
“Kelly? Kelly. Look, we’re going to come over there to be with you, okay? Ann’s here, too and we’re on our way.” She paused for a moment to allow more indecipherable words to be said and then continued, “Right. We’ll be right there.” She hung up and gave me a look. “Well, obviously, Kelly isn’t taking the news of Roz’s death very well.” She called out to her mom to make sure she was going to be all right and Mona waved her on.
I said, “I can drive us over there if you direct me.” Luna wasn’t a great driver under ordinary circumstances and these were far from ordinary.
A few minutes later and after making a couple of wrong turns along the way, Luna and I were knocking at Kelly’s front door. She lived in a cozy Cape Cod house with a perfectly-trimmed yard and a lush hedge around the house.
The door flew open and a haggard Kelly stood there. She gave us both a hug and led us inside her tidy home. The only signs of anything awry were with Kelly herself. Her hair was sticking up around her head and she was wearing a bathrobe and slippers. Her eyes were swollen from crying but I noted she’d calmed herself down a little as we’d made our way over here.
“Thank you so much for coming over,” she said fervently as we sat down in her living room. “I don’t think I could be alone right now. My mind is racing around in circles. I feel so bad for Roz.” Her voice broke again.
Luna reached over and clumsily patted her hand. “We all do. But from what the police told me, Roz’s death must have been almost instant. She didn’t really have a chance to even register what happened.”
“I’m so glad. But there must still have been a few seconds when she felt herself being pushed.” Kelly shuddered and then clamped her lips shut. A few moments later she added, “I’m so sorry, Luna. She was your cousin. You’re right—the police said her death was practically instantaneous. I just feel so helpless. I was here, sleeping, when she was battling for her life.”
I said, “It seems unbelievable, doesn’t it?”
Kelly nodded. “It does.” She hesitated. “But I did have an inkling something might be wrong. I didn’t think it would be something this wrong. But I sent Roz a couple of text messages last night and she didn’t respond to them. She’s always really good about responding to text messages.”
Luna frowned. “But she didn’t fall until the middle of the night. When did you text her?”
“Oh, Roz always turned in super early. Maybe eight o’clock on nights she was working. So I’d send her a text and she’d reply in the middle of the night while I was sleeping. I’d continue the thread after I woke up in the morning and she’d respond when she took a break. That was sort of our routine.” Kelly stopped short as if realizing this was another thing that wasn’t going to be continuing any longer.
I said quietly, “So it was really unusual for Roz not to write back. When did you realize she hadn’t? Were you up some last night, too?”
“Actually, I was. I woke up at three o’clock to use the restroom and glanced at my phone then. Usually Roz would have already responded by then, so I was surprised. But I figured maybe something had come up at the hospital and she was too focused on getting to work to reply.” Kelly sighed. “I tried to get back to sleep, but I kept thinking how weird it was. I ended up calling the hospital to see if Roz had made it there okay. They told me she hadn’t come in.”
Luna glanced over at me and then said to Kelly, “I thought you’d found out about Roz from the police.”
Kelly shook her head. “I knew something was up when the hospital told me she hadn’t come in. I drove over to her apartment and that’s when I talked to the police. They were already all over the place there.”
I said, “I wonder how they knew to come.”
Kelly gave a shuddering breath. “They told me a neighbor heard a loud noise on the stairs outside her apartment. She stuck her head out to see what it was and then called the police.” She stopped for a few moments and said, “This had to be someone from the party. There’s no other way. Roz wasn’t robbed. She was silenced.”
Luna glanced at me again. I said, “Did she say anything to you about hearing or seeing something at the party? Something to do with Scott’s death?”
Kelly gave her a dull look and groaned. “She said something after we’d gotten back home from Grace’s house. But she didn’t really tell me what it was that she’d seen. She only said she was worried about something she saw the night Scott died.”
Luna frowned. “Did you ask her what she meant by that?”
Kelly covered her eyes. “No. I didn’t. Now I feel so stupid for not being a good listener. I was still reeling from Scott’s death. He and I really had something special together.” She uncovered her eyes and must have seen Luna and I looking skeptical because she quickly added, “I know what it must have looked like over the weekend. Believe me, I feel really ashamed of how I was acting. I was reacting way too much to everything Scott was saying instead of just letting it wash over me. But deep down, he and I had a really remarkable relationship. We’d known each other for so long that I knew what he was thinking and vice versa. I could finish his sentences for him. No matter how many rough patches our relationship went through, we always had that special connection.”
I said, “You’re really lucky to have had a relationship like that.” Kelly perked up at this and beamed at me. I cautiously continued, “So Roz didn’t really explain what she meant by being worried about something she’d seen?”
Kelly’s expression clouded again and she shook her head. “She didn’t. And I feel terrible for not asking her about it. Like I said, I was too wrapped up in grief over Scott’s death. I just know Roz wasn’t entirely sure she could trust her own eyes.”
I asked, “She said that?”
Kelly nodded. “She was really hesitant about saying anything because she said she’d been drinking so much champagne after we got back from the club, she wasn’t really sure how accurate what she’d seen was. Or the timing of it.” She paused and then sighed. “Considering what happened, I’m guessing she saw something really damaging. She must have seen somebody down at the pool with Scott. Maybe somebody who’d said they’d already gone to bed for the night.”
I said, “You know everybody who was at the party really well. What do you think happened to Roz?”
Kelly said sadly, “I think she probably called or spoke in person to whoever she thought she’d seen with Scott. After all, her room had a clear view of the pool. She wouldn’t have wanted to tell the police if she wasn’t really sure she’d seen something suspicious. Roz would have contacted the person to clear it up—‘Hey, I know you said you’d already turned in, but I think I saw you down at the pool again.’ She’d have wanted to clear it all up.”
Luna rubbed her forehead as if it hurt. “I just don’t get how somebody knew to lie in wait for her like that. I mean, were they there all night, waiting for her to go to work? Wouldn’t that have been really dangerous? One of the other apartment residents could have seen whoever it was.”
Kelly gave her a rueful look. “I don’t think the person did that at all. Remember how we were all talking about work over dinner? You and Luna talked a little about the library and then Roz talked about her schedule and when she leaves for work—just because it was so freaking early that it was a point of interest to everyone. So the whole table heard her routine and when she left for work. Whoever did this could have easily parked their car, gone up to her apartment, and waited in the shadows for her to come out.”
I said slowly, “Who might have been capable of something like that?”
Kelly gave another harsh laugh. “I’d have said nobody I know was capable of that, but now I know differently. After all, somebody already killed Scott and now they’ve killed Roz. Someone is a lot more dangerous than I ever realized. But like I already told the police, I don’t know anything. I didn’t see or hear anything. I can just guess as to who might have done it.”
Luna put her hands on her hips as if squaring herself for battle. “And who comes to mind?”
Kelly shrugged and then sighed. “I don’t know if you’ve heard about this, but the police have been talking to me. They know I came back to the party the night Scott died.”
I carefully made sure my face was blank. Kyle hadn’t told Burton about this, but clearly somebody else had seen Kelly return. Kelly continued, “I know that sounds bad. I’m not sure if either of you were awake when I came back in.”
I said ruefully, “I slept pretty soundly that night.”
“Me too,” said Luna. “All the alcohol knocked me out, I guess. I’m just not used to it.”
Kelly said, “I’m not sure who told the police about me coming back, but I’m guessing it was Kyle.”
“What makes you think that?” I asked. I knew it wasn’t Kyle, but I did want to hear Kelly’s opinion of him.
Kelly blew out a gusty sigh. “Nothing, really. I mean, I’ve known Kyle for a zillion years. Like I said before, I can’t really imagine any of my friends getting rid of Scott. But let’s face it—Kyle was really annoyed with Scott and it wasn’t just because of his behavior over the weekend, either.”
Luna said, “I heard something about Kyle and Scott falling out over business stuff.”
“Not really. I mean, they didn’t really fall out. I think Kyle can be something of a pushover and he didn’t really protest when Scott took over the company Kyle helped found and develop. Scott bragged to me that he’d undercut Kyle and hadn’t really compensated him properly for his part.” She shrugged. “He thought it made him a shrewd businessman.”
I frowned. “But they didn’t argue over that?”
Kelly shook her head. “Nope. Kyle continued hanging out with Scott. I even brought up to Kyle privately one time that I’d heard he should have done better when Scott bought him out. But Kyle defended him. That’s the way he’s always been. But I wonder if this weekend was the final straw for him.”
Luna said, “You mean because Scott was hitting on Felicity?”
“Exactly. Scott, of all people, knew Kyle had always carried a torch for Felicity, ever since we were kids. I mean, Kyle did see someone else for a while in high school, but then he was back to mooning after Felicity not long afterward. Not that Felicity pays attention enough to realize that.” Kelly snorted. “Her mind is always somewhere else. Maybe business, these days. Anyway, I could see Kyle’s blood pressure going up every time Scott sat next to her or talked to her.”
Luna said, “And yours too, right? I mean, that was your boyfriend acting that way.”
Kelly said, “But it wasn’t unusual behavior for Scott and it didn’t mean anything. He was just trying to get under my skin, that’s all. Kyle might have seen it differently, though.”
I said, “And I’m guessing you think he’s responsible for telling the police you came back to the house?”
“I don’t really know what to think. But I could see Kyle telling the police for a few reasons. For one, he’s the kind of guy who could possibly fold under pressure. If the police were really pressing him for information, I can see him blurting it right out, even though he knows, of all people, that I’m the last person who’d have killed Scott. Besides, if he saw me arriving, he probably saw me leaving, too. I stormed back out of there just a few minutes later.”
“Why did you come back?” asked Luna. “Did you forget something at the house?”
Kelly gave a dry laugh. “Scott texted me to break up with me. Can you believe it?”
“What?” Luna’s eyes bulged. It still totally sounded to me like something a middle school kid would do to his first girlfriend.
“That’s what I said. I wasn’t going to let that pass with a texted reply, believe me. I hopped back in the car and drove as fast as I could back over to Grace’s house. I stormed to the pool, figuring he was still there and sure enough, there he was.” A mixture of pain and residual anger were in Kelly’s eyes.
I said, “What did Scott say?”
“Nothing. Actually, he kind of looked surprised. Maybe he thought I’d take that lying down and just let the relationship end and was surprised that I had come back over. Maybe he was just shocked to see how mad I really was. I mean, he’d seen me angry plenty of times, right? The two of you saw me angry with him last weekend. But I really saw red this time.”
“What happened?” breathed Luna as if half expecting Kelly to say she whacked Scott over the head with the champagne bottle.
“Like I said, Scott didn’t say a word. I ranted at him for three or four minutes straight, telling him he needed to treat me better and stop acting like a spoiled brat. Then I told him under no circumstance would I consider our relationship over and done with—not while he was that drunk, and not via text message. He opened and closed his mouth a few times and then watched me stomp back out of the pool room and head for the driveway.”
“So he was alive when you last saw him,” said Luna.
“That’s right. And no, initially I didn’t want to tell the cops I’d gone back to Grace’s house after I’d left. Can you blame me? Scott and I had been fighting all weekend and then he suddenly ended up dead—apparently right after I’d returned to Grace’s house. I was going to be their top suspect.” She gave another dry laugh. “I probably am, anyway. But yes, he was totally alive when I saw him. Not just alive but in the pool and trying to swim. If I hadn’t heard he was murdered, I’d have just assumed he’d drowned . . . he wasn’t being really coordinated after all he’d drunk.” The last words came out in a sob.
As Kelly struggled to regain control, Luna reached out and gave her a hug. “I just hate that the last time I saw him, we were arguing with each other. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over that. At least Roz and I always got along really well. I don’t know what I’d do if she and I had been on bad terms before she died.”
Luna agreed. “You two always seemed to get along so well.”
“We never had cross words between us,” said Kelly. She looked at her watch. “I’m sorry. Luna, you’ve just lost your cousin and here I am needing all the support. And the two of you have got to get ready for work. Thanks so much for coming over . . . I think I’m okay now.”
“Are you sure?” asked Luna, peering at her as if there might be tell-tale signs on Kelly’s face.
“I am. I’m just going to make a pot of coffee, take a long shower, and get ready for my day,” she said firmly.
“You won’t take the day off?” I asked.
“No, I need the distraction. I really need some normalcy, period. I feel like I’ve stepped through the Looking Glass or something. I want a regular day.”
So Luna promised to check in on Kelly later and she and I headed out.