James, Miranda - Out of Circulation (CAT IN THE STACKS MYSTERY)

I waited a moment before I spoke, trying to marshal my thoughts. I could understand why Azalea and her sister Lily had taken against Vera so harshly, but I honestly couldn’t see that their feelings translated into an active motive for murder.

I voiced that to Kanesha, and she nodded. “I agree with you. Mama and Aunt Lily hated Vera like you wouldn’t believe, but neither one of them would ever have laid a hand on her.”

“But the sheriff obviously disagrees,” I said.

“Up to a point.” Kanesha shook her head. “Once he thinks he’s done me enough damage, he’ll ease off my mother.”

“What are you going to do about it in the meantime?”

“Do my best to figure out who really killed Vera,” Kanesha said. “But it can’t look like I’m doing it. That’s where you come in.”

I wasn’t completely flabbergasted. I had helped her on previous cases, pretty sub rosa as well, but her words sounded more like an order than a request. “I’ll do what I can to help, naturally.”

“Good. The first thing I want you to do is to talk to my mother. She won’t talk to me about it, no matter what I say to her.” I could hear the frustration in her voice.

“What makes you think she’ll talk to me?” I quailed at the thought of cornering Azalea and persuading her to talk to me.

“I’m not sure she will,” Kanesha admitted. “But you’ve got to try. I know she likes and respects you.”

“Really?” With Azalea I had never been able to tell what she thought of me. Most of the time I felt like an inept schoolboy when she was around.

Kanesha nodded. “Oh, I know what she’s like, believe me. Makes you feel like you can’t even tie your own shoes without someone helping you. But that’s just her way. She doesn’t tolerate fools, and to her a lot of the world is filled with fools. But she doesn’t think you’re one of them.” She graced me with a brief smile.

There was no point in holding out. The moment I’d agreed to do what the Ducote sisters wanted, I knew I’d have to talk to Azalea. “Okay, I’ll talk to her.”

“How about now?” Kanesha stood. “The sooner, the better. We need to find out whether Mama saw anything. That’s the thing that really puzzles me. She had to be in that stairwell when Vera fell down the stairs, so surely she must’ve seen whoever pushed Vera.”

“But why isn’t she saying anything?”

“Exactly my point.” She stared hard at me. “So when are you going to talk to her?”

“I’m at work,” I said. “I can’t just walk out and go play detective.” Actually I could probably have the time off, but I really dreaded confronting Azalea.

“You couldn’t get some time off today? Surely they’d understand, after what happened.”

I sighed. “You’re right. I’ll see if I can’t take the rest of the day off. The sooner I talk to Azalea and get it over with, the better.”

“Thanks. I appreciate this.” She handed me a card. “My private cell phone number is on the back. Call me if you turn up anything significant.”

“I will.” I stuffed the card in my shirt pocket.

Kanesha headed out the door, and I turned in my chair to regard my cat. “Well, boy, looks like we’re going home early today. Time to get your harness back on.”

Diesel meowed, then stood and stretched. He knew what home meant.

Five minutes later, we headed out the front door. I explained to Melba Gilley, the director’s secretary and an old friend, that I didn’t feel well and was going home for the day. I knew Melba was dying to quiz me over what had happened at the gala, and I promised to tell her all about it later.

On the brief walk home, I pondered where to talk to Azalea. I figured the kitchen might be best, because I tended to think of it as her domain. I was pretty sure she did, too.

The house was quiet when Diesel and I entered through the back door. I hoped everyone besides Azalea was out, because it could be awkward if someone walked in on us.

“Hello, anyone home?” I released Diesel from his harness, and off he trotted to the utility room.

When there was no response to my question, I walked into the front hall and repeated it, aiming my voice up the stairs. About ten seconds passed, and Azalea appeared at the top of the stairs, dust cloth and furniture polish in hand.

“You need something, Mr. Charlie?” She frowned. “You sick? What you doing home so early?”

“I came home early because I need to discuss something with you. Would you mind coming downstairs? It’s important,” I added when she hesitated.

Her frown deepened, but she came down the stairs and followed me into the kitchen.

“Want some coffee?” she asked as she laid the dust rag and polish on the counter. “They’s still some left from the pot Miss Laura made a while ago.”

“No, thank you,” I said. Diesel wandered into the kitchen. He paused to warble at Azalea, and she gazed at him blankly. “Please, Azalea, sit down. I really need to talk to you.”

She complied, but her expression threatened mutiny, to judge by the set of her lips. “What is it?”

“It’s about last night,” I said. I held up a hand as she started to rise, mutiny turning swiftly to outrage. “Azalea, please. I’m serious. For your own sake, sit down and talk to me. You’re in trouble, whether you want to believe it or not.” She hesitated, and I played what I considered my trump card. “Aunt Dottie will haunt me to the end of my days if I don’t do everything I can to help you. She might just haunt you, too, if you don’t listen to reason.”

I braced myself for the lightning strike that I figured was about to hit, but to my great surprise, Azalea burst into tears instead.

EIGHTEEN

I froze. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned Aunt Dottie. I’d never expected Azalea to react like this. What should I do?

Diesel acted while I hesitated. He went to my housekeeper and placed a paw on her thigh. Startled, she glanced down at him, still sobbing. “What’s he doing?” she finally managed to choke out.

“He’s showing you that he’s concerned. He knows you’re upset, and I’m sorry about that. The last thing I meant to do was upset you.” I started to get up, but she indicated that I should stay where I was.

“I be okay in a minute, Mr. Charlie.” Azalea blew her nose into a handkerchief that suddenly appeared in her right hand. She looked at Diesel again, still sitting beside her and watching her closely. “Don’t you worry no more, cat.”

Diesel meowed twice before he left Azalea and came to sit next to my chair. I rubbed his head, and he butted against my hand.

“Are you sure I can’t get you something? Water, iced tea?”

She shook her head. “No, thank you. Guess I’m just tired. Can’t remember when I slept so bad. Hardly closed my eyes all night.”

Thinking guiltily of how soundly I had slept, I nodded. “It’s no wonder you couldn’t sleep. After everything that happened last night.”

Azalea regarded me warily, her momentary breakdown finished. “What you want to talk about?”

“Last night,” I said. “But first I need to tell you something. Miss An’gel and Miss Dickce came to see me at the library this morning. They’re concerned about you, too, and they want me to help make sure the real killer is identified. They know you couldn’t have had anything to do with Mrs. Cassity’s death.”

“That’s mighty nice of them, to be concerned like that.” Her expression hadn’t changed.

I decided I’d better not mention that Kanesha also wanted me to help. That would put her back up straightaway.

“Now, about last night,” I said. “I know it’s not pleasant, but I need you to tell me about everything that happened in that stairway. Let’s start with how you came to be there.”