Read Online Murder, She Wrote Domestic Malice by Donald Bain - Free Book Online Page B

to both father and now son.
    “Hi, Jessica. He’ll be with you in a minute.”
    “I have time,” I replied, although I wondered how long it would be if Mrs. Caldwell met with him before I did. That question was answered when Cy poked his head into the waiting area and said, “Come on in, Jessica.” He said to Mrs. Caldwell, “Mrs. Fletcher and I will only be a few minutes.”
    He shook my hand, closed the door, and went behind his desk, where he picked up a manila envelope. “Here it is, the codicil you wanted. I think it’s in perfect order.” He withdrew the paper from the envelope. “You can sign it now and I’ll notarize your signature.” He buzzed for Sharon, who entered the office. “Need you to witness Mrs. Fletcher’s signature,” he said.
    With the formalities out of the way, O’Connor said, “I can’t believe what happened at the Wolcott house.”
    “Everyone would prefer not to believe it,” I said. “I see that Myriam’s mother, Mrs. Caldwell, is in your waiting room.”
    “You know her?”
    “I met her this morning. She drove down from Bangor to be with her daughter and grandchildren.”
    “She called earlier and said it was urgent that she speak with me. My father had done some legal work for the family years ago, although I can’t imagine what she’d want from me.”
    I shrugged.
    “Josh was a client of mine,” he said. “In fact, I met with him the day before he was killed.” He made a tsking noise. “What a thing. What’s the world coming to?”
    “Did he seem upset?” I asked.
    “No more than usual. He was a tightly strung sort of guy, a real type A.” He hesitated as though to decide whether to say what he was thinking. “You have any thoughts on what might have happened?”
    I shook my head. “Obviously someone who was angry with him—very angry—let that anger dictate his or her need for revenge.”
    “Do you know Josh’s wife, Myriam?”
    “I’ve met her on a few occasions,” I said carefully.
    “The poor kids. She has a son and a daughter.”
    “So I understand.”
    “Sharon’s cousin Beth had the boy in her biology class. Sharon said Beth told her Mark got into a lot of scuffles. Of course, that’s probably par for the course at his age.”
    “I’d better be going, Cy, or I’ll miss my ride back home.”
    “Oh, sure. Good seeing you.”
    “Thanks for the good work on the codicil. Just send the bill.”
    “Shall do.”
    When I walked into the reception area, Mrs. Caldwell looked up and nodded. I returned the nonverbal gesture and left the building. Edwina was waiting in her car.
    “Get everything done?” she asked.
    “Yes. I just left Cy O’Connor’s office. Mrs. Caldwell was there waiting to see him.”
    “Really?”
    “He said that she’d called earlier today to set up an appointment.”
    “Cy doesn’t handle criminal cases,” Edwina said as she revved the engine.
    “I don’t know if that’s why she was there. He told me that his father had done legal work for the family and that Josh Wolcott had been a client. Maybe she’s there to talk about a will or other family matters.”
    “Pretty quick to be doing that, isn’t it?” Edwina said as she headed for my house. “The body’s not even cold yet.”
    “I have a feeling that when she decides to do something, Mrs. Caldwell doesn’t let anything get in her way, not even her son-in-law’s murder.”
    “Cold as ice,” Edwina summed up.
    As I was getting out of the car in my driveway, Edwina said, “I wish Myriam hadn’t come to the shelter.”
    “Why?”
    “It’s just that someone like Dick Mauser will use Josh’s murder to smear the shelter again.”
    “How will he find out about Myriam’s visit?” I asked.
    “You know Cabot Cove. I’m afraid someone will say something somewhere. And Mauser will pick it up.”
    “If he does, it can’t be helped,” I said. I looked up into the pewter sky and smiled. “Looks like it might snow again. Thanks for the lift, Edwina.