Leann Sweeney - The Cat, The Professor and the Poison

We followed her through the large foyer, and though I knew the layout of this house well, the place had been transformed back to what it had once been probably fifty years ago. The wood banister and trim were shiny with polish, and fresh flowers sat on an antique table we passed. No dust mites or musty odors, either.

“You’ve done an amazing job renovating this house in such a short time,” I said.

“That’s for sure,” Candace said.

“You know the history, then?” she said as we reached the dining room. Then she shook her head. “How stupid. Of course you do. You’re the police.” Anita looked at me. “Are you an officer, too?”

“No. And I’m not signing up anytime soon.” I perused the dining room. The massive oak table that had once been here was gone, replaced by four round tables sporting white linens. A vase of fresh daisies and yellow mums sat on each one.

“I’ll talk to Phillip about the menu and get another place setting. Mrs. VanKleet and her professor friend should be down shortly.”

Shortly was right. They came into the dining room mere seconds after Anita left.

Sarah glared at Candace. “What are you doing here?”

Douglas Lieber rested a hand on Sarah’s back. “It’s okay. I’ve told you that you have nothing to hide. Perhaps it’s better that Deputy Carson came along.”

But Sarah still didn’t look happy. “I can’t throw you out, can I? First of all, this isn’t my home, and second of all, you’re the police.”

“And you’d be right,” Candace said with a smile. “You can’t.”

“Shall we sit down in the parlor while we wait for lunch?” Lieber said. “I assume you’ve met Anita?”

“We did. She’s making sure I get to eat, too.” Candace walked across the polished wood floor to the parlor.

We all followed. The huge pieces of furniture that had once filled this room had been replaced as well. Smaller antique dressers and tables were used only to display artwork or showcase beautiful candles and Lladró figurines. Slipcovered easy chairs and a love seat against the wall sandwiched a coffee table. We all sat down, with Sarah and Lieber taking the love seat. He immediately took her hand in both of his.

I ran my fingers along the arms of the chair, admiring the gorgeous floral fabric, but Candace was all about business.

“Why did you ask Jillian here today?” she said.

“The honest truth?” Sarah said.

“That’s the best kind,” Candace said.

“Um, we were hoping for a friendly conversation,” Lieber said.

“I’m not real good at friendly when two people are dead,” Candace said.

“But I’m glad you called me,” I said quickly. Candace was being the touchy cop again, and I had a feeling that wasn’t the best approach with these two.

Sarah smiled at me. “I called you here to apologize, for one thing.”

“For what?” I said, totally confused. I didn’t even know this woman.

“I understand my sons created a disruption at your home the other night,” Sarah said. “They argued in front of you and nearly came to blows. For that, I am very sorry.”

“Brandt tell you about that?” Candace said.

“He did. Will you accept our apology?” Sarah said.

“I’m not sure I understand why you’re apologizing for the actions of your grown kids,” I said. “But it was really nothing. Tempers flared. I didn’t think twice about it.”

“Brandt told me how Evan was there at your house when he arrived with his new friend, Kara,” Sarah said. “And apparently Evan was quite emotional. I am worried about him. What did he say?”

So that’s what this is about, I thought. “Did you ask him?” I said.

“I don’t want to set him off. Evan has been troubled ever since the divorce, and… and-”

“We think Evan blames Sarah for his father’s death,” Lieber said.

“He thinks she killed him?” Candace said.

“Nothing like that,” Lieber said quickly. “But though Evan and I remain friends, he wasn’t happy about my relationship with his mother, or about the divorce. He thinks her actions-really our actions-might have made Hubert go off the deep end.”

“He did tell me his father’s mental illness had worsened recently, but he didn’t blame anyone,” I said. “Evan was trying to make sense of the murder-something I can never make sense of, by the way.”

Candace cleared her throat, and I took that as a cue to be careful about what I gave away concerning Evan. She said, “You have money issues, right, Mrs. VanKleet? And that’s made you bitter about your husband’s failure to pay support?”

Her cheeks flushed. “He took everything we had. And it’s my fault I never knew how much that was. I still don’t know. But he had enough money to purchase a silly farm.”

Lieber squeezed her hand. “Remember what Brandt told you?”

“To keep your mouths shut?” Candace said. “Innocent people don’t need to keep secrets.”

Lieber sighed heavily. “I suppose what she’s just told you does make Sarah seem vindictive, but it wasn’t like that. She took care of Hubert for twenty- five years. She’s a loving, caring person. Hubert may have pushed her too far, but she would never hurt anyone.”

Sarah seemed to be fighting tears. “I loved that crazy man once. He could be so funny and brilliant and-”

“And he had a plan to make a lot of money,” Candace said. “Have I got that right?”

Whoa, Candace wasn’t falling for the tearful act; that was for sure. But I wasn’t so sure it was an act.

Lieber laughed. “You mean his experiments? The man was mentally ill and getting worse by the day.”

“Did you know about the experiments?” I said.

“Only what he told me,” Lieber said. “None of it made sense. I’m no biologist like he was, but I do have a science background. I couldn’t follow anything he said.”

“Maybe it will make sense to me,” Candace said. “Go ahead. What was his plan?”

“Something to do with animal nutrition. That’s all I know,” Lieber said.

Sarah seemed to have pulled herself together. “But Hubert’s research isn’t why I asked you here, Jillian. And I didn’t count on you bringing the police along.”

“She did, though,” Candace said. “Back to the big question that you seem to be dancing around. What was the professor’s big secret experiment, Mrs. VanKleet?”

“Oh, what’s the difference if I tell you? You know all about him now. He was obsessed with a formula for pet food,” Sarah said. “His dream was to be the scientist on board with a major pet food company. Then he would have more freedom to develop this new food.”

“Why is that such a big secret? Or did he have something in the works already?” Candace said. “Something he could sell to, say, Purina, for a lot of money?”

“He might have thought so,” Lieber said with a smile. “Hubert was a dreamer.”

“Are you saying you knew nothing about him having stray cats all over the place and that he was controlling their diets?” Candace said.

“Evan did mention a few cats, but that’s all we heard,” Lieber said.

“If you’re not being truthful, we’ll find out,” Candace said. “You already told one little lie, didn’t you, Mrs. VanKleet?”

She looked confused. “I never-”

“About needing directions to Mercy. You knew exactly where Mercy is,” Candace said.

“Oh. That,” she said, raising a hand to her throat.

“What does Sarah seeking the income she was promised have to do with murder?” Lieber said.

“She lied because she knew we’d be curious about her money issues,” Candace said.

“It was a mistake,” Sarah said, her eyes downcast. “I’m sorry.”