“Barnes, people sometimes see things that they don’t recognize as being important at the time. Now we know you dropped off some flowers for Audrey Ashley at the star bungalow on the night Edmund Albright died, but don’t worry. We’re not here to talk about that. What we want to know is, What time were you there?”
“I don’t know. It was after midnight but not yet one o’clock. Sometime in there.”
“And did you see or hear anything?”
“Like what? I didn’t hear a gunshot, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“No, I didn’t think you would have,” said Charlotte, “because he was very likely dead before you got there. Now, this is important, so please think carefully. Did you see anyone in the grounds?”
“Well, yes, I think I did. At least, I’m pretty sure it was that night, because that was the last night I dropped off the flowers.” He could not bring himself to meet either of their eyes.
“Who did you see, Barnes?” Seated beside each other on a dark-brown sofa in the hotel lobby, Charlotte and Paula waited for him to respond. When Paula seemed about to prompt him, Charlotte touched her lightly on the arm, pinched her lips together, and gave a light shake of her head.
“I saw her.”
“Who, Barnes? Who did you see?”
“Why, Miss Ashley, of course. She came out of the director’s bungalow and ran toward her own house.”
“And where were you?”
“I was, well, let’s just say I was nearby.” He can’t bring himself to utter the undignified words “I was hiding in the bushes,” thought Charlotte.
“And why didn’t you tell the police what you saw?” Paula asked. “You should have come forward, Barnes. You know that.”
“How could I? They’d have wanted to know what I was doing there at that time of night. And anyway, this fellow committed suicide, didn’t he? So what would be the point?”
Charlotte sighed. “Well, the police are going to want to talk to you now, I’m sure. Although seeing Audrey Ashley come out of the director’s bungalow doesn’t mean she killed him.”
“Killed him!” said Barnes.
“Yes,” said Paula. “That’s what this is all about. That’s why we need you to tell the police exactly what you saw.”
“It’s time to call Ray,” said Charlotte.
*
The door into the hotel lobby opened and Ray entered, with Audrey on one side and Maxine on the other.
“It’s a little unorthodox, I know,” he said, “but Audrey and Maxine wanted to hear what Charlotte has to say, so I agreed to arrange a meeting.”
“You’ve got it all wrong,” Maxine shouted. “Audrey didn’t kill Edmund. I did.”
“No, Maxine,” said Charlotte. “You didn’t. And while it’s natural for you to want to protect Audrey, I’m afraid this time you can’t. You didn’t kill Edmund Albright.”
When Maxine started to protest, Charlotte held up her hand.
“It’s no use. But don’t worry, Maxine. There’s enough murder to go around. I’m sure you didn’t intend for Gillian Pritchard to die, but you killed her so Audrey could take over the lead female role of Wendy in the production of Peter Pan, a role that you rightly realized would catapult her to stardom. There was no shortage of love in the Ashley family. Everyone adored little Audrey, and when her acting talents began to emerge, the whole family worked together to give her every chance of success. There was never any doubt that she was going to be a star. And Maxine, you made sure that the opportunity presented itself, but sadly, at Gillian’s expense.”
Audrey raised horrified eyes to her sister. “Is this true?” she croaked.
Charlotte then described how Audrey had killed Edmund Albright, making it look like a suicide. Audrey clung to her sister as her eyes filled with tears, and her body shook with huge sobs. “It’s not true! I didn’t do it! I was there, that’s true, but he was alive when I left him! I swear he was.”
Ray phoned for backup.