Denise Swanson - Murder of a Sleeping Beauty

“I’m waiting.”

“Okay, but listen to all my reasons before jumping down my throat.” Skye sat straighter. “I think it’s Mrs. Ingels.”

The chief was silent for a moment before saying, “Why?”

“The strongest evidence is the juice bottle. It’s a very rare brand and the label was peeled just like the housekeeper said Lorna Ingels did. Then there’s the diary. It clearly shows how controlling Lorna was, and how ticked she was at Lorelei for dropping out of the pageants and cheerleading and all the other stuff that was so important to the woman. That gives her motive and opportunity. She certainly had access to Lorelei’s diet pills, so that gives her means.” As Skye finished listing her case, it sounded measly even to her.

Wally rocked back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. “There’s just not enough evidence. A juice bottle with a peeled label and a mother who doesn’t like the fact that her daughter is gaining weight is not enough to arrest her on, let alone get a conviction.” He stared a while longer. “Even if her prints were on the bottle we found at the murder scene, and we find a bottle of the pills in her medicine cabinet, there could be a logical explanation.”

“So she gets away with it?”

“Unless we find some hard evidence.” Wally gave a dry laugh. “Or unless she confesses.”

“Maybe I could get her to confess. Unless, of course, she’s in Bolivia by now.”

“Not a good idea.”

“Do you have another plan?”

“No.” The chief stood. “But I do need to look into this bank matter, so if you’ll excuse me . . .”

Skye followed him down the stairs, waving to her mom on the way out.

Wally walked her to her car. “Go home, get some sleep.” He put his hand on her cheek. She felt the calluses in his rough palm. “Please don’t put yourself in danger.”

She swallowed a lump in her throat. “I won’t if you won’t.”

He leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. “Let’s both be careful.”

CHAPTER 23

A Thing of Beauty Is a Toy Forever

At five the next morning, the phone woke Skye from a light doze. She had spent another restless night before finally falling asleep around four-thirty.

“Skye, you awake?”

She was too tired to come up with a smart remark to her mother’s dumb question. “Yeah, what’s up?”

May was whispering, which meant she was still at work. “Allen Ingels really has disappeared. Car’s gone, safety-deposit box cleaned out, and closet empty.”

“Wow! What about the rest of the family?”

“Lorna claims she doesn’t know a thing about it.” May’s voice got lower and more serious. “Looks like he took Linette, too.”

“Oh, my! Mrs. Ingels must be frantic.” Skye wondered if Allen knew his wife had killed their older child. Maybe he was trying to protect his youngest daughter.

“Not really. Wally said she seemed almost like she couldn’t care less.”

“Mmm. Why don’t you meet me for breakfast at the Feedbag? I want to run some ideas by you.”

“Okay. I’ll keep my eyes open.” May sounded energized.

“Great. Say, how about calling Charlie and Vince, and seeing if they can join us?”

“You have a plan?”

“Part of one, but this time Wally’s not going to be able to call me the Lone Ranger. If I go in, it’ll be with backup.”

After the call, Skye took a leisurely shower and examined the possibilities. She coaxed her hair into a chignon and put on her most expensive outfit. She didn’t dare wear fake jewelry, so she put on the only real ones she had—the Leofanti emerald ring and a string of pearls her parents had given her for graduation. She wished she had some of the pieces her ex-fiancé had given her, but he had taken them when he moved out on her. Skye thought Lorna would be more willing to talk to someone who seemed her social equal.

After calling the school and telling Opal she would be making home visits that morning, she tucked a small tape recorder into her purse and drove to the restaurant.

Her troops were already assembled. Skye pulled out a chair and sat facing the three expectant faces. “Mom has filled you both in?”

The men nodded.

“Great. Here’s the plan.” Skye outlined what she wanted the others to do while she was attempting to get Lorna to confess. “Any questions?”

Vince was the first to speak. “How can I hear anything if I’m hiding in the bushes? How do you know she’ll ‘entertain’ you in the library and not the living room?”

“By the looks of the living room, no one ever goes in there. And as to you hearing, I’ll tell her I’m warm, and ask that she open the window a crack.” Skye looked around. “Anything else?”

“Why do I have to stay in my car?” Charlie pounded the table. “Are you thinking I’m too old to really help?”

“No. If I thought that, I wouldn’t have had Mom call you.” Skye patted her godfather’s arm. “You need to be on your CB in case we need Wally fast. You’re the only one who’s got any pull with him.”

Charlie grinned. “Ain’t that the truth.”

“Mom, you okay with watching the back of the house?” Skye suddenly looked worried, thinking maybe she shouldn’t have gotten her mother involved. “I could get Trixie if you want.”

May huffed. “The day I can’t take a walk in the cemetery is the day you bury me there.”

“Great. Vince, you take Mom and pick up your old walkie-talkies, so she can alert you if she sees anything. If either of you thinks there’s a problem, Vince tells Charlie, and Charlie calls Wally.”

Everyone nodded.

“Vince, remember that if I say, ‘Oh my, look at the time,’ I’m in trouble. Get help.” Skye looked around the table. “Since the cemetery is the only place where we can inconspicuously park cars anywhere near the Ingelses’, we’ll meet there in fifteen minutes.”

Skye went over her plan in her head as she pulled into the Ingels’ driveway. Her mom should be in place with binoculars, Vince would be along the library side of the house in the bushes, and Charlie would pull into position as soon as Lorna shut the door after Skye.

She rang the bell. No answer. She rang again. Boy, will this be embarrassing if Lorna isn’t home . She looked at her watch. Almost eight. It should be the perfect time. Lorna should be up and dressed, but not have gone anywhere yet. One more ring. This time the door was inched slowly open.

Not a good sign. Skye was already wrong about one thing. The woman wasn’t dressed, and she doubted Lorna had been up yet. Shit!

“Mrs. Ingels, I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Skye Denison, the psychologist from the school.”

The woman turned and walked away, leaving the door ajar. Before following, Skye thumbed up the button in the knob, disengaging the lock.

As Skye trailed Lorna across the foyer, she noted that the woman had continued to go downhill since the last time she had seen her. Today her blond hair hung in hanks, with one side flattened. Her skin seemed to have coarsened, showing large pores, discoloration, and wrinkles. She was dressed in a stained floor-length bathrobe, with bare feet peeking from beneath the hem. Skye felt a momentary twinge of sympathy. If Lorna had killed her daughter, clearly she was suffering for it.

Lorna shuffled into the library and curled up in a wing-back chair. She finally spoke. “What do you want?”

“Ah, I was wondering if I could do anything to help you.”

The woman glared. “Can you bring back my daughter . . . daughters?”

“No, but perhaps I can help you locate Linette. Do you have any idea where her father might have taken her?” Skye reached into her purse and clicked on the tape recorder.