Confessions
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Chapter 10
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After breakfast, Amanda and Liz were up in the bedroom speaking privately because Liz claimed she wanted to make a confession regarding the murder of Eunice the maid.
As they sat side by side in the bed, Amanda thought she had heard wrong, "So you're telling me that you're confessing to killing Eunice?" she asked Liz.
Liz looked at her as though Amanda was crazy, "What? No! This is what I get for wanting to be friends with you? Accusations of being a murderer?"
Amanda calmly asked, "Didn't you just confess to murder?"
"No, I didn't! I said that I wanted to confess to something having to do with the murder!"
"Oh."
"Let me start at the beginning," Liz began, "It all started out when I lost my engagement ring."
Amanda glanced down at Liz's hand. The engagement ring was there.
"I don't get it," Amanda stated, looking completely baffled, "You have your engagement ring on."
"Not THIS engagement ring, Silly!" Liz stated with a roll of her eyes, "The originalengagement ring Daniel had given me! When he proposed to me a few years back, he had given me a ring that he claimed was a family heirloom. THAT'S the one I told him I lost!"
"Oh, I see," Amanda stated, although she didn't at all, "The family heirloom one. So you never found the lost ring?"
"Welllll," Liz hesitated, "Not quite. The thing is...I didn't reallylose that original ring. I just pretended to."
"Why?"
"Because it was all wrong for me, Amanda!" she said it as if it were obvious, "It was a puny one carat ring, if you can believe that! Plus it wasn't even my style to begin with. It was too...old-fashioned. I wanted something more posh, more modern, and definitely more European..."
"-and with a bigger diamond as well," Amanda added, now getting a better feel for Liz.
Liz nodded, "That goes without saying. Size really does matter, doesn't it?"
"I suppose with rings," Amanda diplomatically commented back.
"I know, right?" Liz concurred as she held up the huge diamond ring in the morning light, letting its sparkle shine.
Amanda wanted to get the conversation back on track, "While this story you've related is quite... different,what does it have to do with Eunice's murder?"
Liz stopped admiring the ring, to look at Amanda directly.
"She knew," Liz purposely emphasized.
Amanda was confused, "She knew? Who is 'she' and what did she know?"
Liz sighed, acting as if Amanda were very dense, "Amanda, do I really have to spell out everything for you? This will not bode well for our friendship, let me tell you. Euniceknew that I hadn't actually lost the original heirloom ring! She probably discovered it hidden in my drawers, a few years back! Later, she threatened that if I didn't pay her a thousand dollars, she would tell everyone, including Daniel, what I had done!"
Amanda leaned in, "You didn't pay her, did you?"
"Of course I did! I couldn't let my precious Daniel know that I had lied to him to get a bigger ring! It would break his heart!"
Amanda comfortingly put her hand over Liz, "You know, Liz, Daniel might have understood if you had gone to him at the outset and explained that you wanted a different type of ring. He loves you. He'd understand."
Liz shook her head, "He may love me, Amanda, but I couldn't make it seem as if I were marrying him for his money! You should understand that, being that we are in the same boat. After all, Dean is as rich as my Daniel!"
"No, we are not in the same boat, Liz," Amanda disagreed, "We aren't even floating in the same waters. Dean's wealth doesn't affect how I feel about him in the least."
"Whatever," Liz stated, waving that comment aside, "The point is that although you and I have rich significant others, we don't want them to think we are with them because of their money!"
"But I'm not in the relationship for the money," Amanda corrected her, "I didn't even know that Dean came from a moneyed family until this weekend!"
"You say that money isn't important now, but wait until you have lots of it and living a life of luxury!" Liz warned her, "You'll want it all the time! Just think about it, Amanda. If you marry Dean, you'll probably never have to work again!"
"But I like working!" Amanda stated defensively, "I like everything about it. The day-to-day challenges of the job as well as the excitement of dealing with all sorts of people, especially my co-workers!"
An image of Lee quickly flashed in her mind, but she pushed it aside.
"Dealing with all sorts of people," Liz repeated, with a look of disdain, "How utterly dreadful!"
Amanda quietly stated, "Dealing with people isn't so bad."
Liz wasn't convinced, "The only good thing about dealing with people is if they are of a lower status, they'll help me realize exactly who I don't want to be!"
"Instead, you'd rather be the person with a much bigger engagement ring," observed Amanda.
"Exactly!" Liz nodded, "We're getting along famously now, aren't we?"
Amanda didn't answer and instead asked, "Did you tell any of this Eunice- blackmailing- me scheme to Agent Stetson yet?"
Liz looked aghast at Amanda "No way! Why would I do that?"
"It may help him understand the kind of person Eunice was," Amanda pointed out.
"No, that's not a good enough reason, so no more talk of that!" Liz decided, "Let's change the subject but still make it about me, please!"
"Alright," Amanda agreed, still wanting to keep talking about the investigation, "I'll need your opinion on something. If you didn't kill Eunice and I know I didn't, who do you think is the killer?"
Liz perked up, "To me, it's obvious. I think it's Deidre who did the maid in!"
"Oh? And why would you say that?"
"Because Deidre is so unlikeable and self-centered!"
Who isn't in this household? Amanda internalized.
"That's it?" Amanda questioned, "Liz, just because a person has an awful personality, doesn't make them a killer!"
"But she is SO annoying!" claimed Liz, "Dee has been making googly-eyes at Agent Stetson all weekend. That makes her actions suspicious. I think she's hoping to get in good with the lead investigator!"
"-or it could be she's paying attention to him because she's actually attracted to him," Amanda theorized, feeling slightly glum.
Liz shrugged, "Yeah, it could be that, too, and I don't blame her. Did you get a good look at him?"
"Liz! You're a happily married woman!"
"But I have eyes and I'm not dead!" she clasped Amanda hands, "See how honest I am with you? I'm being a good friend to you!"
Amanda didn't know about that, but she knew it would benefit her to stay on Liz's good side.
"I'm glad we're friends, too," Amanda concurred as she watched Liz's face carefully, "You know, Liz, I don't really know Dean's family very well since I've just met them Friday. Do you know any other reason why any one of them might have wanted Eunice dead?"
"No, but just because I was blackmailed by Eunice doesn't mean I killed her!"
Something Liz just said made Amanda's mind pause. Her logical mind was trying to tell her something, but she didn't know what.
"Amanda?" Liz asked.
Amanda had been staring off in space, but now turned towards Liz, "Uh, what?"
"Is something wrong? You look rather...strange."
Amanda's face suddenly brightened, "Liz, you just gave me another angle regarding the murder!"
"I did? Whatever did I say?"
Amanda lifted her index finger to make her point, "It stands to reason that if Eunice had something on you, then maybe she may have had something on someone else as well! Perhaps she was blackmailing others!"
"That is definitely something to ponder," Liz concurred, "and Eunice is certainly diabolical enough to blackmail others!"
"And that is why, Liz, you definitely need to tell Agent Stetson you were being blackmailed. It might give him the idea to take a closer look at others as well!"
Liz shook her head, "Oh no! I can't! Then I may become a suspect!"
Amanda needed to dissuade her, "Not necessarily. Telling him might actually remove you as a suspect!"
Liz looked unconvinced, "Really? How?"
"Well..." Amanda had to think fast, "you did pay Eunice off, so you wouldn't have a reason to kill her. And since yours is such a weak motive, just like my curtsying was a weak motive for me, Agent Stetson would want to look for bigger motives instead!"
Liz thought about it, "You think so?"
"I do."
"It would be nice to be eliminated early as a suspect..." Liz considered.
Amanda looked pleased, "And I'm sure he'll appreciate your truthfulness as well!" She then cajoled Liz, "I think you should go tell him now. The sooner he knows, the better!"
Liz lifted her chin in determination, "Alright, but...I will only go if you will come with me."
Amanda seemed hesitant. She was not wanting to face Lee so quickly after he turned her down with getting involved in the investigation.
"Oh, Liz, I'm sure you could talk with Agent Stetson on your own. He's really easy to talk with..." her eyes widened, "not that I have had a lot of experience speaking with him or any experience of any kind, in fact, but he seems to be a good listener!"
"I can't do it on my own, I know I'll chicken out! Please, Amanda! We're such good friends now!"
Amanda asked carefully, "So, if I go with you, you will tell Agent Stetson about the ring?"
Liz lifted her hand in a pledge, "On my honor as your closest friend this weekend."
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Meanwhile, Lee was in the middle of interrogating Deidre in the library They sat opposite each other on the opposing sofas. Lee was writing in a pad.
"...and where were you, Deidre, in the morning hours, between 2- 5 am?" Lee was asking her in his most official-sounding voice.
Deidre's smile seemed seductive, "Poor little me, I was asleep, ALONE in my bedroom, although I could have used some company..."
Lee looked up from writing in his pad, "Deidre, I want you to take this interrogation seriously."
"I can't, not when I'm alone with YOU," she insisted.
"Try harder," Lee encouraged her.
His direct manner made her sulk, "Oh, alright! I'll be a good sport, I suppose," she stated with a sigh, "Let me think...I was asleep and then I woke up at 4:30 am to get ready for the day. I came downstairs to check when to get the Murder Mystery Game started. By then, it was around 5:30, and Eunice was already lying there on the ground, and I thought, 'Oh great, she's already in her role!'"
Lee looked up from his notebook, "You didn't find it strange that Eunice was just lying there, motionless?"
"Eunice does what she wants, WHEN she wants," explained Deidre, as if that was a good enough excuse.
Lee continued writing, "Go on."
"Well, when I saw she was into her role and all, that's when I went back up to wake everyone up to begin the game... The end. Happy now?"
Lee was scribbling furiously, "Hold on, I'm almost done," he said as he continued writing. Then he shut the notebook and stood up, "That's it and I thank you for your cooperation, Deidre."
She looked disappointed, "So that's it?"
"For now, yes."
Deidre reluctantly stood as well. She came around coffee-table until she was standing very close to him, "You know, Lee, I know you must be under a lot of strain. Perhaps I could help alleviate your stress with a nice massage. My treat."
Lee's expression was solemn, "Deidre, you do understand that I am conducting an official investigation, don't you?"
"I do, but all work and no play..." she began, as she walked her fingers on Lee's chest, "...makes little Lee very sad and gray!"
Then without any encouragement, she snaked her arms around Lee's neck and reached up with the intent to kiss him.
At first, Lee had planned to resist. But his stomach did a funny flip at her closeness. Whatever fragrance she was wearing spoke of musky sensuality. And his entire body was reacting instinctively to her seduction. It had been a long time for him and he had to admit that it was difficult to resist a desirable body wanting him. Besides, it would make him stop thinking of...never mind!
Pulling Deidre closer by the waist, he reciprocated the kiss, deepening it.
Knock!Knock!
Lee and Deidre were so involved in their tight embrace that they didn't hear the slight knocking.
He was lost in a physical haze until he heard Amanda's voice call out his name at the same time she opened the door.
"Agent Stetson," Amanda began, as she walked in, "Liz and I wanted to talk to you about- oh! Oh my gosh!"
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