Chapter 10
R-r-ring! R-r-ring!
The phone rang early the very next morning and Jessica dashed down the stairs to pick it up. She had high hopes that it could be Seth.
"Hello?" she sounded almost breathless.
"Hey, Mrs. F, it's Mort."
Jessica's shoulders slumped as she forced herself to sound cheerful, "Oh, yes, Sheriff."
"I just wanted to tell you that I went through the files again and I came up with two really good suspects: John and Alison Bennington."
"You mean The Benningtons who live on Crescent Street?" Jessica asked, in disbelief.
"The very same."
She looked puzzled, "Mort, I've known the Bennington's for five years; since the day they moved in. They're nice enough, but very private. What makes you think they're the murder suspects?"
"First, the date fits," Mort told her, "Blackmailer Henshaw had opened his post office box eight days after he did some work in the Bennington's kitchen."
Jessica didn't sound convinced, "did you check Bennington's garden for larkspur?"
"No, but that's the second point I was going to make. The Benningtons have a fairly large plot filled with azaleas and roses. When I took pictures of their yard to show to Adele, she pointed out that they were also growing some flowering plants called foxglove."
"Foxglove? Oh myyyy," Jessica sounded worried, "those particular purple plants are considered poisonous because they contain atropine, too!"
"That's what Adele said," confirmed Mort, "and the really suspicious part is that I noticed half the area where the foxglove grew seemed to have double the amount as the other half!"
He paused, pride showing in his voice.
"Sheriff," Jessica began, "you're not planning to arrest the couple, are you?"
"You don't think I should?" he now sounded disappointed, "Uh, I guess not, then. Something tells me that you think I don't have enough evidence against the Benningtons, either."
"I just have this nagging feeling about the case that won't go away," Jessica admitted.
Mort groaned. It was as if whenever he wanted to turn left, she always turned right.
"So let me get this straight, Mrs. F.," Mort told her over the phone, "you don't think it's possible that the Benningtons killed Henshaw?"
"I didn't quite say that, Mort. I just think you need to do a little more investigating on them. Maybe check up on their background for any other crimes they might have committed, and also note any huge cash deposits in the bank."
Mort sighed, "I suppose I can do that...but that'll take more time and effort. And out of curiosity, Mrs. F., just how far back should I go when checking their background?"
"Five years, three months," Jessica sounded positive.
"THAT'S a bit specific," Mort sarcastically stated, "and how did you arrive at that time-frame?"
"I just used common sense, Mort," she explained, "as I had mentioned previously, I know the Bennington's had bought their house five years ago and I do believe it was in February, making it five years, three months from today. I doubt they would have taken the trouble to have the movers pack up and transport incriminating evidence to a new place, so I assume whatever bad thing they did, it occurred after they moved."
There was a slight pause as Mort took in all the words.
"Makes sense," he had to concede, "so I guess we will have to hold up on arresting them until I can gather more information to make sure it points to their guilt."
"I think that will be very wise, Mort."
"Alright, then, I guess I'll go do some more investigating. I'll keep you informed."
"Wait, Mort," Jessica held tight to the phone, "there is something I need to ask you."
"Sure. Fire away."
"I think we need to go back to Mr. Henshaw's room at Hill House."
"Again?" Mort didn't sound convinced.
"Yes, somehow, I keep thinking I've missed something," Jessica insisted.
"Sorry, Mrs. F," Mort informed her, "but we cleaned up that crime scene and packed all the evidence away."
"Oh dear," Jessica sounded disappointed.
"I don't see what else you expected to find, anyway," Mort said, "I mean, you and I went over that place with a fine tooth comb!"
"I suppose," Jessica thought and then asked, "any chance I might be able to take a look at all the evidence later today?"
For anyone else, he would tell them it wouldn't do them any good, but with Jessica Fletcher, she had a way to seeing things other people missed.
"I don't see why not," Mort decided,"so, how about you drop by here around 2?"
"Noontime would even be better, Sheriff," Jessica stated, anxious to find more answers.
"Alright, see you then."
Jessica said in her most sincere tone, "See you later, Mort."
#
When she hung up, she rubbed her forehead; a slight headache was developing. Searching through her drawers, she found the container of aspirin. After filling a glass with water, she downed two tablets. She hadn't slept well, after a night of thinking about Seth, the Henshaw murder case and her book, in that order.
She suddenly heard two knocks on her backdoor. Quickly throwing the bottle of aspirin back into the drawer and shutting it with her backside, she gave a cheerful smile just as Seth stuck his head in.
"Jess! There you are! Good mornin'!"
He loved how Jessica always looked so bright and cheerful in the morning. She looked Cabot Cove smart with classy slacks, a plaid shirt and a comfy red sweater pulled over it.
For Jessica, miraculously seeing Seth so early, cleared her of whatever headache she had developed.
"And a hearty good morning to you, Seth!"
She then became busy, quickly reaching for a plate of fresh muffins for breakfast, "You're just in time to share some blueberry muffins with me!"
Ahhh, breakfast! Seth knew timing was everything, as he went over to the counter to pour mugs of the freshly brewed coffee for Jessica and him. No words were needed for this almost daily ritual. He was relieved to be doing something familiar after that talk they had yesterday. Seth had decided that if they ever talked about it again, it would be because she brought it up.
"I suppose you plan to spend you day chained to the typewriter," he assumed as he placed both mugs on the table and took a seat.
She placed a blueberry on a plate in front of him and sat beside him.
"I plan to do some writing," she promised.
"Oh? Only some writin'? So, then, when will the snoopin' part of your day commence? Before or after you get your writin' in?"
"Seth!" she berated him as she put some sugar in her coffee, "If you must know, I am going to make a quick run to the sheriff's office, but the rest of the day I've reserved for writing!"
"I'm surprised you have any time for writin' at all," Seth commented as he took a bite of the muffin. The delicious taste seemed to explode in his mouth, "so what's happenin' with that new detective character in your latest novel -Detective Alicia Armstrong, isn't it?"
"That's Ariana Armstrong," corrected Jessica smiling, appreciating his interest, "I'm actually stuck at a spot again. You see, late at night Ariana was in the kitchen reaching for the door of the refrigerator when she was suddenly attacked from behind by the killer, but I'm not sure where to proceed from there..."
"She was attacked at the refrigerator and never got her food? I say that's a double shame for her!" Seth teased.
"Well, I just can't figure out how to proceed once she's been attack at the refrigerator," Jessica said, half-thinking to herself.
"Maybe you could have a decadent chocolate cake in her icebox," Seth suggested, "then that'll be a reason your woman detective has a knife in her hand and she could use it to defend herself."
Jessica smiled.
"Don't quit your doctor job, Seth," she teased before getting serious again, "actually, that wouldn't work anyhow because I wouldn't want to have two knives in the same scene. But you know," she considered, "maybe I should have her get something out of the refrigerator before she's attacked..."
"A fine idea at that!" Seth approved,"And if you make it a chocolate cake, it'll give the woman more character!"
"Oh you!" Jessica lightly berated him and she began to half-think to herself, "let's see...if she reaches in the refrigerator, that means..."
Her voice faltered, and then she seemed to be in a trance before her eyes brightened and she gave Seth an all-knowing expression.
He knew that look.
"Jess? You've figured out something, haven't you?"
But Jessica didn't seem to hear him as her eyes wandered over to the drawer where the aspirin had been kept and then to her refrigerator.
Her eyes flashed with excitement, "Of course! The aspirin! The refrigerator! That's it! Seth!"
Once again, Seth was puzzled, "What aspirin? You mean, it was in the refrigerator?"
"No, I'm not thinking of the book any longer, Seth," she corrected him, "it's regarding the Henshaw murder!" she couldn't believe the answer to the blackmail scheme was there all along; in the refrigerator of Henshaw's room at Hill House. She looked at Seth with determination, "Seth, can you drive me over to the library?"
"Now?" Seth didn't look too happy as he ruefully glanced at his muffin, "but my breakfast..."
Meanwhile Jessica had quickly disappeared into the living room and now reappeared again, busily putting on her coat.
"Just take the muffin with you, Seth, this is important!" Jessica stated impatiently, ready to go.
"Of course it's important; it's always important," he complained, yet he got up to find a container, "important should be your middle name! What's gotten you so worked up anyway?"
Jessica's eyes gleamed, "Seth, I think I may have figured out the identity of the blackmailed item that got Mr. Henshaw killed!"
TBC
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