Chapter Six

“I can take you to Ev’s apartment to get the dog and jam, drop you off at Wheaton Hall, and go back to the Silven place,” the older woman said after taking the wheel.

“Thank you,” Doro agreed.

“Of course,” Mrs. Lammers replied. “I can call after I get home. I’m sure it’ll be before midnight.”

“Yes, please do,” Aggie replied.

Mrs. Lammers nodded. “I want to check on Wade’s children and make sure they’re all right. I may keep them home from school tomorrow, since I don’t want them hearing no speculation about their father being poisoned or anything else.”

By anything else, Doro felt sure she meant the relationship between Aggie and Wade. Although she wanted to discuss the case more fully, Doro did not wish to upset the older lady any more than she already was. At the moment, she looked and acted well, but Mrs. Lammers had been hospitalized with a heart attack last fall. “That would be wise.”

After Aggie seconded the agreement, Mrs. Lammers drove to Ev’s place. The door to the garage was always open, so Doro climbed the stairs and found the apartment door unlocked, as well. Doro called out to Tee before letting herself inside. The puppy launched herself at Doro, who bent down to fuss over her. “You haven’t been alone too long, little girl.” Nevertheless, the dog danced and pranced, as if she had endured days of isolation. Tee’s excitement brought a smile to Doro’s face. “Let me find the jam before I get your lead and head out.” The jar sat on a table in the middle of the room, while the dog’s gear was in its usual place on a hook near the door, so Doro did not go far to fetch them. Within moments, she and the puppy were in the Lammers’ vehicle. Tee yipped excitedly as Mrs. Lammers and Aggie made over her. Then, they were at Wheaton Hall. The entire trip took less than fifteen minutes. After exiting the vehicle, both young women thanked their chauffeur.

“If I’m later than midnight, I’ll wait until morning to call,” Mrs. Lammers said.

“We’ll stay in the reception room until then, so we hear the ring,” Aggie replied.

Mrs. Lammers nodded before driving off.

When the vehicle turned the corner, Doro addressed her friend. “Ev walked Tee after the picnic, but I should take her for a quick jaunt before we settle down for a while. Do you want to come along?”

“Yes. Some fresh air would be welcome.”

Since darkness had descended, Doro led the way along one of the lighted walkways on campus. The gas post lamps, set twenty to thirty feet apart, provided sufficient illumination. As they ambled along, Tee darted from side to side. Occasionally, she stopped to sniff, do her business, and move on.

“She’s such a good little dog,” Aggie observed.

“She is,” Doro agreed. “Ev is the one who got her walking nicely on the leash. Now, she loves to stroll around campus and town.”

A chuckle left Aggie. “She doesn’t stroll. She trots along at a good pace.”

“She does.” Although small, Tee was a ball of energy. An adorable ball of energy. With her black fluffy coat and one ear standing up, as if listening for something important, she had a lock on cuteness.

“She’s popular with the students. More than a few times, some of mine have been tardy because, according to them, they were visiting with the campus police pooch.”

Doro joined in the laughter. “She’s too friendly to be a law dog. She loves being out-and-about, though. I won’t be able to take her as much as Ev does, since the end of the semester is busy.” Anxiety curled in the pit of her stomach. “I hope she doesn’t get upset by not seeing him for a time. Dogs can be very sensitive.” Doro did not admit how upset she herself was.

“Doc may let her visit when Ev is better. Until then, I can walk her between my classes and office hours. But tomorrow is Sunday, so we’ll both be free to fill her time.”

“Thanks, Aggie. I can’t take her to the library because my boss is allergic to dogs. She has stayed in my apartment while I work, but only for a few hours. If you walk her, she’ll get tired and rest while she’s alone.” Doro bent to pet the dog’s sleek head. “Ev will be able to take care of her again soon.” She certainly hoped that would be the case.

After strolling around the campus for fifteen minutes, the little group arrived back at Wheaton Hall. “I’m going to get food and water for Tee. I know Mrs. Lammers won’t call for a couple of hours, but why don’t you wait down here, just in case?”

“Good idea.”

When the dog’s needs were met, Doro and Tee went back downstairs and joined Aggie, who was sitting on a love seat in the far corner of the reception area.

“I thought this was a good, out-of-the way spot. Residents don’t usually come down on a Saturday night, and almost everyone spent the day at the festival, so they’re probably resting.”

“It was a full day, even without Ev and Wade getting sick. How about a cup of tea while we wait and talk?” Doro asked.

“Nothing for me right now,” Aggie replied.

“I’ll wait, too.” Doro settled across from Aggie on the matching loveseat, while Tee settled at her feet. The pair of settees flanked the massive stone fireplace, while a sofa faced it. In winter, a blaze was kept going all day and into the evening, but spring led to fresh flowers replacing wood in the grate. Briefly, Doro thought about the May baskets being prepared for the following days. While some had been sold before the cakewalk, many folks would make their own. Although she did not expect one, Aggie surely did. But Wade was in no shape to deliver it. Fresh apprehension filled Doro. What if the men took turns for the worst? What if she and Aggie ended up investigating another homicide case—a double homicide? A shudder rippled through her. Although Doro loved sleuthing, she did not want Ev and Wade to die. Or anyone else, for that matter.

“Are you chilled?” Aggie asked, concern written on her face and roughening her tone.

“Maybe a little,” Doro replied, although the chill was inside her. Since Aggie had to be worried about the lawmen, particularly Wade, Doro strove to put on a calm façade. “Do you mind discussing possibilities? It has to be upsetting to think about someone wanting to hurt you, directly or indirectly.” Doro yearned to identify the culprit, who needed to be behind bars as soon as possible. Waiting for Ev and Wade to get on their feet did not strike her as wise.

“Talking about it isn’t any worse than thinking about it,” Aggie observed. “In fact, it’d probably be good to go over everything. Ev and Wade can’t, and who knows if the county sheriff will investigate even if poison is found? Doc didn’t say how long it’d take to get results back, but I’m guessing a few days.”

“Maybe not that long,” Doro replied. “I recently read a mystery where arsenic was the poison involved, and the test only took a short time. I asked Gladys Hollingsworth about it, and she told me those tests are fairly fast. It doesn’t seem like mercury testing would take much longer.”

“Since Gladys teaches chemistry, she should know. It’ll be a relief to find out what was used, because I don’t like a poisoner being on the loose, especially when we can’t be sure of the target.”

Doro considered the possibilities. “If the Fultons are still involved with bootlegging, they might want Ev and Wade out of the way for a time.”

For a long moment, Aggie studied Doro. “Because a shipment of liquor could come through or near Michaw?”

“Exactly.”

Aggie frowned. “We don’t know that the Fultons took part in bootlegging. There were never any solid clues.”

Doro rolled her eyes. “Maybe not, but there was plenty of circumstantial evidence.”

“I can’t deny that, but it seems like a stretch for them to taint my jam to hopefully put Ev and Wade out of commission.”

Once again, Doro reviewed the events following the bake-off. “The jam jar was there for at least twenty minutes. Most folks left the tent area, but we don’t know how long Parker and Harland were around. The Fultons could’ve been in the tent for a while, and Betty lingered.” She paused before making an observation. “Any of them could’ve tampered with the jam.”

“I suppose,” Aggie murmured. “Since there was a lot left, I told Mrs. Jones I’d be back to get the jar and put it in my basket for the auction.”

“Others were around when you said that,” Doro put in. “A dozen or so.”

“That’s right,” Aggie agreed. “But most people moved on quickly, since the basket auction was next on the schedule. It’s a popular part of the day, and folks had to walk to the church.”

“A handful of women went home to get their food, and others retrieved their baskets from the icehouse, so witnesses are apt to be few, if any,” Doro said. “With no one watching, anyone could’ve slipped a toxin into the jar and stirred it up.

Aggie leaned back and closed her eyes. “I’d like to know how much poison, if any, is in the jam.”

“I would, too, because that could reveal the poisoner’s intention.” Doro stopped before suggesting murder, not assault, might have been the intent. Aggie was not only astute, she was attuned to the undercurrents among a handful of townsfolk like Betty and Lila. Although others disapproved of Wade stepping out with a young professor, who would want to kill one of them? Or even harm them? The Fultons would not go that far, would they? Or could they be partnering with a bootlegger, who wanted to get even with Ev for some past clash? Other Prohibition agents had been targeted by gangsters. Shaking her apprehension proved difficult. What if someone else, someone they had not yet considered, was to blame? But who and why? Because she did not want Aggie more upset, Doro hurried on. “I’m sure it was only to make you or Ev and Wade ill.” But she was not sure. Hunches were plentiful. Turning them into clues would take more time and effort. A lot more.

One of Aggie’s shoulders rose and fell. “Probably so.” Her tentative tone telegraphed doubt, as she cast a troubled glanced at Doro. “You seemed uneasy over Doc Silven’s focus on the boys being responsible.”

Doro leaned back on the loveseat and drummed her fingers on the arms. “Not entirely. It just doesn’t seem like a prank to me, and Doc was dismissive when I mentioned the Fultons.”

Aggie rolled her eyes. “He indicated town talk is of no interest to him, which is understandable. His practice and family keep him busy.”

“True, but the poisoning is odd.”

“I agree, but you and I are avid mystery readers,” Aggie replied with a grin, “and you’re a top-notch amateur sleuth. You’ve solved two murders.”

“You helped on both,” Doro pointed out, “especially, the one in December. And, we solved our first crime when we met.” A decade earlier, Doro had been visiting her professor father when she had overheard Aggie, who was a student worker at the time, being reprimanded by another faculty member for losing his final exam. Because he was also threatening to have her scholarship revoked, Aggie had been near tears. Wanting to help, Doro had suggested investigating the lost exam. With assistance from her dad and another student, the two young women had caught the culprits. In the aftermath, a close friendship blossomed and, after a decade, it was in full bloom. Doro counted their happenstance meeting among her luckiest stars.

“I wouldn’t be here now, if you hadn’t convinced me to crack the case.”

“It was good for both of us,” Doro commented. “I always loved solving little mysteries but, up until the missing examination, I’d only done minor tasks. Finding lost pets and mislaid belongings. Nothing too challenging.”

“You also got me reading whodunits,” Aggie observed. “Before the lost exam, I mostly stuck to poetry.”

“Which is still your first love.”

Color crept into Aggie’s face. “Maybe not my first.”

Conflicting emotions assailed Doro. “Wade is a good man.” The statement, while true, assumed little. Although Aggie was her best friend, Doro did not press for more information. Aggie wanted to consider her feelings before discussing them. Doro respected that, because she had never revealed the extent of her ambivalence over Ev. Strike that. She was not ambivalent. Her mind was set on being a career woman, but heart pangs sometimes threatened her certitude.

“He is,” Aggie agreed. “How are we going to find out who’s responsible for him and Ev being sick?”

“We can ask around and see if Betty or Lila was in the tent while we were at the bandstand, but something else bothers me about Betty.”

A rueful smile tugged at one corner of Aggie’s mouth. “Other than her pursuing Wade and disliking me, what?”

“Remember, Doc talking about someone who died from long-term exposure to poison?”

Aggie nodded.

“He didn’t want to say who, because of the family, so the man must’ve lived in Michaw.”

“I suppose so, but what are you getting at?”

“Betty’s husband died after a lingering illness, from what I know, which isn’t much. It was a few years ago, so after influenza swept through the area.”

Aggie’s jaw dropped. “You think she poisoned him?”

“I don’t know, but it’s possible. She could’ve slipped arsenic or some other substance into his food over a period of time.”

“That’s awful.”

“It is, but Betty can be obnoxious.”

“That doesn’t mean she’d kill her husband,” Aggie said.

“It’s just a thought,” Doro replied, but one that refused to leave her mind. “She can be further down my list.”

Aggie’s lips twitched. “Why am I not surprised that you have a list?”

“So far, it’s in my head,” Doro replied with a trace of defensiveness as she pulled a notepad and pencil out of her pocketbook.

“Do you ever go anyplace without writing materials?” her friend asked with a giggle.

“No. Do you?”

A half-shrug moved Aggie’s shoulders. “No, because I like to jot down ideas for poems.” Her gaze narrowed on Doro. “You haven’t mentioned your book in a while. Are you still working on it?”

“Not much, since I’ve been busy at the library and teaching my classes. The mystery novel course has gotten more and more popular, so I’ll have two sections every term. I’ll focus on my book over the summer.” Doro had been penning a mystery for more than a year. She loved doing it, but finding time was difficult. “As for our suspects, Parker and Harland should be near the top.”

“Not at the top? We know Parker has a motive, and the two of them had an opportunity. The means is available to everyone.”

Aggie’s points were valid, but Doro could not shake her suspicions. “You agree with me that Lila and Betty have a motive, don’t you?”

“They do, but would either of them taint my jam? Betty was close enough to hear me when I mentioned coming back and putting it in my auction basket. Everyone knew Wade would bid on it. And others would let him win in the end. Would she want to harm him when she’s been in pursuit for a few years? It seems crazy.”

“Or vindictive. If she had no hope of them stepping out, she might.”

Aggie’s jaw dropped. “What a terrible thought.”

“It is, and I’m not sure that’s what happened,” Doro said. “I’m saying it’s a possibility, one we can’t overlook. The same is true for Lila, although we need to know if she went back to the tent after we left.” She jotted down notes while speaking.

“Someone on the May Days committee might have information,” Aggie suggested.

“A great point.” Doro tapped her pencil on the pad before writing more notes.

Aggie gnawed on her lower lip. “I hate thinking Wade was targeted because of me.”

“If either Betty or Lila targeted him, it wasn’t because of you. It was because he didn’t kowtow to their wishes.”

“I suppose,” Aggie murmured. “There’s another possibility. Maybe some youngster got in trouble, and Wade told the parents. That would upset a boy, don’t you think?”

The entreaty in Aggie’s voice telegraphed uncertainty. Doro wished she could vanquish it by agreeing, but she couldn’t. Not when other options seemed more logical. “Maybe so.”

Aggie’s brow furrowed. “But you don’t believe that’s the case.”

“I don’t, but we won’t dismiss it.” She rolled the pencil between her hands. “While revenge is an excellent motive for either Betty or Lila, directed toward you or Wade, someone might’ve wanted both local lawmen out of commission.”

“Someone like the Fultons.”

For a long moment, Doro studied her friend. “You don’t agree they could still be involved in bootlegging?”

“Even if the Fultons are involved, there’s been no illegal liquor transported through Michaw,” Aggie pointed out.

“That we know about,” Doro replied. “Michaw is far enough from the city that Prohibition agents aren’t around, and it’s situated close to Chicago Pike. By driving a couple of miles south, rumrunners could hit that road and be on their way. The Fultons are staying on for some reason. Making money through rumrunning seems like a powerful motivation. It’s happened in other towns around here, so why not near Michaw?”

“No good reason,” Aggie admitted. “And they were in the tent when we got back from the awards presentation.”

“Plus, they rushed off,” Doro added. “So, you agree about putting them on the list?”

Aggie nodded. “It seems even harder to find out about them and rumrunning, but Ev and Wade could learn more.”

The observation reignited another suspicion. “They might already know something. If there’s any evidence of the Fultons’ involvement in bootlegging, Ev’s former boss could’ve contacted him.”

A puzzled expression blanketed Aggie’s face. “The Parsons’ involvement came up in the Frotis murder case, but I wasn’t aware of Ev talking to anyone from the Prohibition Bureau at the time or since.”

Doro’s lips flattened. “Neither was I, but he can be very close-mouthed, especially about his old job.”

“That’s sensible, since it’s a dangerous one involving sensitive information. I’m sure he doesn’t want to inadvertently reveal something important.”

A harrumph left Doro. “There’s no chance of that. When I’ve asked if he knows anything about bootlegging going through Sylvania or Michaw, Ev says that’s not his job anymore. Of course, he’s also admitted the Bureau would most likely contact him if there was rumrunning here. Especially if a raid was eminent. He won’t tell me, though, or anyone other than Wade. I don’t suppose he’s mentioned anything to you.”

“Of course not,” Aggie replied. “Wade isn’t as reticent as Ev, but he wouldn’t reveal that kind of information to a civilian, including me.”

“And nothing he’s said or done makes you suspicious?”

“No. Has Ev given you any clues?”

“Only to insist he knows nothing, and he’s very insistent. Almost too strong in his protests.” She paused for a long moment. “I don’t want to set aside the Fultons sidelining Ev and Wade. Not only was it well-known that Wade would bid on your basket, everyone had to expect me to join you two for lunch, and probably Ev, as well.”

“And Ev bid on yours.” Aggie’s grin returned full-force.

Warmth crept into Doro’s face as she avoided her friend’s steady gaze. “Ev and I share Tee, and we’ve gotten friendly. Besides, Ev and Wade are now good friends, and people know you and I have been best friends for years. They might expect the men to both bid on our baskets and then, share them due to that.” Because Doro did not wish to delve into her feelings toward Ev, she hurried on. “Getting back to my point, someone might’ve planned to harm both Ev and Wade, but maybe my imagination is running wild.”

A low laugh left Aggie. “Ev would say that.”

Under normal circumstances, Doro would have chuckled and agreed. But she was too worried to feel amused. If the Fultons were bootlegging, they had accomplices. What if Ev was the primary target and Wade was secondary? Doro did not voice the idea because Aggie would rightly point out that the poisoner couldn’t have known Ev would eat extra jam. With effort, Doro thrust the thought from her head. Her worry about his well-being was intensifying her already vivid imagination. “He would accuse me of being fanciful,” she agreed, “but do you?” Anxiety clouded Doro’s mind, which made sorting through details difficult. In previous cases, she had not felt as emotional. Logic flew out the window when feelings walked through the door.

Aggie’s demeanor again grew solemn. “No, I don’t. Even though Ev teases you about reading too many mysteries, I wish we could talk with him and Wade.”

“So do I.”

Surprise flashed in her friend’s hazel eyes. “Usually, you’re worried about them taking over.”

That had been true at the start of a murder case last fall. As an early suspect, Doro had run afoul of Ev, who was then the new campus security officer. Even after he believed in her innocence, Ev only reluctantly agreed to let Doro take part in the investigation. By the end, mutual respect grew between them, but in the interim, they’d had rough moments. Mostly due to Doro’s curiosity about anything mysterious. “True, but in this case, they aren’t physically able to take over.”

Aggie’s lips twisted. “Which is worrisome. Not only did someone taint my jam, Wade is ill. Very ill. Ev is even worse.”

The observations wrung Doro’s heart. “Doc thinks they’ll recover. We must believe that, too.” Even as she spoke, Doro felt fresh fear invade every cell of her body. Ev, so strong and healthy, had collapsed like a pierced balloon. Although he had regained consciousness, he was a long way from being well. Doc’s reassurances were circumspect, which kept Doro from relaxing. Figuring out who was behind the poisoning would take her mind off Ev’s precarious condition. A glance at Aggie revealed she probably needed a distraction, too. “I’ve jotted down our ideas. We can methodically go over the clues and suspects. Then, when Ev and Wade feel better, we can share what we’ve learned with them.”

Most of the fear left Aggie’s expression. “Good idea, but before we do, a cup of tea sounds good. Maybe a sandwich, too, since we haven’t eaten for hours.”

“We can hear the hallway telephone in the kitchen,” Doro said.

After preparing a light meal, and sharing some with Tee, the young women returned to the reception area. Fatigue and anxiety weighed Doro down and, from the look of her friend, the same was true for Aggie. Despite that, Doro broached planning their next moves. “Mrs. Lammers may have good news about Ev and Wade, but neither of them will be up and around soon.”

“Not according to Doc Silven, and he should know,” Aggie agreed. She slipped off her shoes and tucked her feet up. “What are your plans?”

A chuckle escaped Doro. “Don’t you want to talk with Ev and Wade first?”

Aggie rolled her eyes. “You can’t fool me, Dorothea Banyon. Your mind has been churning with ideas ever since Doc mentioned poisoning, so don’t tell me it hasn’t. I know you too well.” The assertions were softened by a wink.

Following the release of a pent-up breath, Doro owned up to her mental meanderings. “My first thought was to confront everyone, but that wouldn’t be wise or helpful. We mentioned asking if others saw Lila, her uncle, or Betty around the tent while we were at the bandstand.”

“That’s doable,” Aggie agreed.

Doro picked up the notepad, which she had left on the loveseat. After flipping to a blank page, she made notes. “I’ll ask Mrs. Jones if any committeewomen stayed near the tent. If someone did, we can talk to her as soon as possible.”

The jangling of the hall telephone had both of them jumping to their feet and dashing toward it. Doro let Aggie answer and listened with eager ears. Not that she learned much from her friend’s side of the conversation.

As soon as Aggie replaced the earpiece, she turned to Doro. “Mrs. Lammers spoke with Wade, and he’s feeling better. Or so he claimed. He insists we shouldn’t worry.”

Doro’s mouth felt like it was filled with cotton, but she choked out a question. “What about Ev?”

Aggie’s gaze darted away from Doro. “He woke but was semi-coherent. Doc says it’s not a terrible sign.”

Not terrible but bad. Were long-term health consequences an issue? Doro didn’t know, but the idea was frightening. “Did she say if you and I can visit tomorrow?” Seeing Ev’s condition for herself would provide a clearer perspective, although it might not ease her mind.

“Doc wants us to call before going.” Aggie sent her friend a reassuring glance. “He wouldn’t say they’ll recover unless he believed it.”

“Of course,” Doro murmured. Would Ev’s recovery be partial or complete? She moved her anxiety to the back of her mind. “It’s been a long day, and we’re almost into tomorrow. You’ll want to be up early to call Doc, so we should get some rest. We can discuss our plans in the morning.” Although she would have liked to get going immediately, Doro knew doing so was not feasible.

“I could drop in my tracks,” Aggie replied, “so sleep is a good idea.”

Doro nodded, but she was not sure how much slumber she would get. Her mind was filled with worries and wonderings.