Murder at the Bellamy Mansion (17 page)

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Yes,” she said thoughtfully. “I can do that.” She brightened. “Do you remember that house I rented for the summer a year and a half ago? It was called Bella Aqua – so charming the way houses on Wrightsville are given names – anyway, do you remember the big house we stayed in on the south end of the beach?”

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Sure, I remember. How could I forget?” How could I forget indeed. That had been one of the worst summers of my life.

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Well, it’s for sale. What do you think? Do you think Scarlett and Ray would like it?”

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It’s certainly spacious. With rooms for all of us. Even Binkie and Aunt Ruby. And the location couldn’t be better. Great views of the ocean and the waterway. So, yes. I do think they’ll like it.”

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Well, do you . . . uh, do you think maybe the karma might be bad after what happened there?”

I gave that some thought. “You know, Melanie, I have come to believe you can change a house’s karma. Look how I’ve changed mine. And I experienced some horrific tragedies in my house. But now, I’ve replaced all that with happiness. So, don’t let that stop you. Have you emailed them the listing page?”

Melanie bestowed me with a truly radiant smile. “No, but I will. You’ve been a big help to your worried older sister. Thanks, shug.”

I recalled Kimberly’s charade of yesterday morning. “Mel, you are close to Elaine. What has she told you about Kimberly?”

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Oh that poor girl. You know how Elaine is so motherly. She just loves that girl, and has sort of adopted her. And you saw how helpful Kimberly was with the wedding menu. She’s been such a big help to Elaine.”

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Why is she ‘that poor girl’?” I went on to describe the scene I had witnessed yesterday morning when Kimberly had play-acted that the mansion was hers and that she had invited friends to tea. “And when I confronted her, she got so nervous her speech changed. She dropped her g’s, and her speech took on a backwoods twang, and she used words like ‘skedaddle.’”

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Well, she is from the backwoods. She is from West Virginia. And according to Elaine she’s been working hard to lose that mountaineer accent.”

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So she’s from the mountains? So what? Lots of people are. Doesn’t make them ‘poor girls.’ You know, Melanie, you can be a bit snooty.””

Our tea came and I ripped open packets of Sweet ‘n Low. No sugar for me.

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I am not snooty,” she declared. “Now do you want to hear about Kimberly or not?”

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Yes, tell me.”

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You’ve heard about the big mine disaster they had a few years ago, haven’t you?” Melanie asked.

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Yes, of course. Who hasn’t? The mine collapsed and some miners were trapped and died. There’s been something about it on the news recently. Ohmygosh, Kimberly’s from West Virginia. Is she connected to that mine disaster somehow?”

21

Melanie glanced around to see if anyone was listening, then leaned forward and said in a hushed voice, “Her father was one of the miners who died when that mine caved in. And it just tore up their family. Her mother had never worked, and did not have any other source of income. And that blasted mine awarded only ten thousand dollars to each of the families. As if a man’s life and future earnings amount to only ten thousand dollars! So her mother has only ten thousand dollars to live on for the rest of her life.”

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That’s what I heard about on the news recently. Someone – I can’t remember if it’s West Virginia, or the feds – is pushing for more money for the families.”

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Don’t hold your breath waiting for that to happen. Those mine owners are probably bellied up at the troth, asking for a bailout like every other poorly managed company.” Melanie was bitter. As were so many average citizens.

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According to Elaine, Kimberly was in her senior year of high school when it happened. Elaine said that Kimberly and her dad were very close. He didn’t have any sons and treated Kimberly like one, taking her everywhere with him. Plus, who was going to pay for her college tuition? Her dad had promised her he could do it as long as he kept on working.

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Anyway, Kimberly applied to UNCW, got a partial scholarship and moved down here the fall of 2004. Since then, she has worked part-time jobs, taken out student loans, done everything she could to stay in school. And she’s a whiz with computers, Elaine says, and graduated at the top of her class.”

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Poor Kimberly. No wonder she wears those faded old clothes all the time. Listen, Melanie. I’ve got an idea. I’ve got some sweater sets that are too small. I think they shrank in the washing machine, even though they are supposed to be washable. Anyway, do you think Kimberly would be offended if I offered them to her?”

“
Good idea. I’ve got some things I’m not wearing as well. We’ll do it together. Why don’t we wait until after the wedding? Then we can take her out to lunch or dinner, and thank her for her work, and give her the clothes at the same time. Maybe even buy some new things to make it seem like we’re not just giving her hand-me-downs?”

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That’s an excellent idea,” I said.

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The idea was yours. And aren’t you the sweetest thing, offering to help her? I take a lot of credit for your good instincts, Ashley Wilkes. Remember, I had a hand in raising you. I used to change your diapers when you were a baby.” She grinned at me. This subject was an old family joke.

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How many times have I heard that line?” I asked. But I was smiling too.

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I love you, big sis.”

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And I love you, little sis. Are you still trying to diet?”

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Yes.” I replied. “But with no luck.”

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Well, I’m not surprised. You know diets aren’t any good. They don’t work. It’s a matter of lifestyle. You’ve just got to make low-calorie, smaller portions your new lifestyle.”

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I’ll try to do that,” I said. “Jon thinks I’m perfect the way I am, but I’d like to be slimmer.”

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Wouldn’t we all?” she replied. “But you know, Ashley, you’re twenty-six now so you’re just filling out. It happens to all of us.”

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I’d be delighted to grow some breasts,” I said. “I’ve envied you in that department for years.”

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So, it’s happening to you now. Give the tight sweaters away. Buy yourself some push-up bras. Be happy about it. You know Jon will be. I know it isn’t fair, but breasts are the first thing a man notices about a woman. Even before he sees her face. There have been studies done on the subject. We can go shopping together if you want. What else have I got to do?” she moaned. “It’s not like I’ve got houses to show, or buyers to show them to.”

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Speaking of clothes, when do you want to go shopping for our dresses for the wedding? Even though the ceremony will be small and understated, Scarlett will want us in pretty dresses as we walk down the aisle before her.”

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Since we’re doing the Valentine’s theme, I think we should wear red dresses. What do you think?” Melanie asked.

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Sounds good to me. Long or short?”

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I’d say street length. The stores should be full of red dresses right before Valentine’s Day. And with this economy, they’ll all be on sale. So let’s wait until about the first of February, and then hit all the major stores.”

Ordinarily, Melanie buys designer clothes. Her wedding dress was made by Vera Wang. And you know that had to cost a fortune. So for her to be shopping sales was something new. “You really are worried about this economy, aren’t you?”

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Who isn’t? By the way, what are you wearing on Saturday night?”

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Saturday?” I mused aloud. “What’s on for Saturday?”

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Ashley! Don’t tell you have forgotten. We talked about it just last week. Jackie is holding that fund raiser party for her environmental organization at the Bellamy. I’m the co-chair, remember? Although that sweet girl hasn’t asked me to do a thing. Just lend my name to the project.”

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Oh, that. Sure, we’re going. It’s on my calendar,” I said. “Jon and I bought tickets so long ago I almost forgot.

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How is Jackie doing?” I asked. “Have you heard from her? How is she surviving the breakup?”

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She’s OK, or so she says. She’s not the kind to wear her heart on her sleeve. Unless we’re talking about animals. I talked to her the other day. She heard about Cam’s fall and called to see how he was doing.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but she placed her hand on mine to hush me.

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Let me finish. Jackie has contacted some international agency that enforces laws on poaching and the illegal trading of endangered animals. She reported Han and Candi Cheng for owning that ivory we saw on their yacht.”

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Get out! She has already reported them to the FBI and Interpol. Is this law enforcement agency going to take action?”

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She told me they were sending an officer here to Wilmington. She was most apologetic because she knows Candi and Han are my clients. I told her, ‘Forget it.’ Like Daddy always said: We are judged by the company we keep. And I really don’t like having the Chengs for clients. If I can find them some land. Fine. I’ll handle the sale. But the truth is, as far as they are concerned, they can take their millions and sail off into the sunset. As desperate as I am, I do have some standards.”

I clapped. “And you are not desperate. You are just feeling low, like everyone else. It’ll get better. You’ll see.”

I accepted a second glass of tea. “Are you ladies ready to order?” the waiter asked.

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Thanks, but the rest of our party will be here in a few minutes. We’ll wait,” Melanie said dismissively.

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Now what did you want to discuss with me?” I asked her.

My stomach growled so loud I thought everyone on the boardwalk could hear it. I glanced toward the restaurant’s rear door. When would Aunt Ruby and Vanessa arrive so I could order lunch?

Melanie shredded a pink Sweet ‘n Low packet, then added the sweetener to her tea. She fidgeted a little, and then twirled a silky strand of her pretty auburn hair around her finger. A sure sign that something was up.

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OK, why are you procrastinating? What’s going on?”

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Well,” she said sweetly. And favored me with a dazzling smile. “Shug, I was wondering if you would take over the wedding organizing. You and Aunt Ruby could do it together. Aunt Ruby would be a big help. She’s been involved with all the selections.”

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But why? Melanie, you know as well as I do that something like that is not my thing. You are the one with the superior organizational skills and the exceptional taste.”

Melanie ripped the cover off a straw. “Because that Vanessa Holder is just driving me wild. She is unbelievably rude to me. Keeps calling me Melissa. And the woman has no taste at all.” Melanie leaned closer. “Besides, she’s skimming. Trying to cheat us.”

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Skimming?”

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Yes. Misrepresenting the costs of the vendors by overstating what they are charging and pocketing the difference. That on top of the exorbitant sum she is charging us for her services. I know this because Elaine and I discussed Elaine’s bill, and it was far less than the sum Vanessa quoted me.”

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Are you sure there was not a misunderstanding? Perhaps Vanessa was thinking of a more expensive selection of foods.”

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You were there when Kimberly planned the menu. Oysters and shrimp and mostly veggies. How expensive can that be? Besides, why are you defending Vanessa?” Melanie cried.

She whipped off her over-sized Holly Golightly sunglasses and threw them onto the table top. With narrowed eyes, she glared at me. “I made a few calls to the other vendors and they told me the same story. She is overcharging us!”

22

“
Jeez, I’m sorry, Mel. I didn’t mean to doubt you. So, just demand copies of the bills.”

Melanie scooped up her sunglasses and slid them back on. “Apology accepted. And I’ll do more than that. She knows I’ve been distracted by this recession and the poor market. She thought I wouldn’t notice. Well, I’ve been around the block a time or two. She has just picked the wrong person to scam. Her reputation will be in shreds when I get through with her.”

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She has picked the wrong person to tangle with,” I said. And felt glad it wasn’t me.

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I’ve called each of the vendors and they all gave me the same story. She brings them a lot of business and she told them if they want to continue getting her referrals, they need to prepare two bills. One for the actual costs. A second, inflated one for me. The florist told me, plain and simple, that she told Vanessa to go take a flying you know what.”

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Good for her.”

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Now what do you say, Ashley? Will you pick up where Vanessa left off and finalize the plans? That way I can fire her sorry butt the second she gets here.

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Look, the selections are mostly made, all you have to do is work out the last details with the vendors. You know, the florist, the musicians, the equipment rental people.”

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Are you sure you can’t?” What would Jon say when I told him I had this new job. Just this morning, we had been discussing plans to redo my house in town and his house out at Wrightsville Beach to turn both of them into homes for a couple where previously they had been homes for single people.