Read Online No Mortal Reason by Kathy Lynn Emerson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathy Lynn Emerson
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little heart.
Ben acknowledged that he had, but felt compelled to add, “I also saw Mr. Howard Grant’s face when he recognized it. He was surprised by the discovery of the bones but, more than that, he was shocked to discover that the bones were Elly Lyseth’s.”
“All that time,” Howd whispered in a broken voice, “she was right here and we never knew.”
Buckley ignored him, addressing Ben. “You’re prepared to say that before the inquest?”
“I am.”
“How is it you come to be here off-season, Dr. Northcote?”
Although the abrupt question caught him off guard, Ben thought before he answered. “Mrs. . . . Northcote wished to come here. She became curious about the place after it was mentioned to her by an acquaintance.”
“Who?”
He hesitated, then decided he might as well test the waters. “A Mrs. Torrence. She—”
But before he could get any further, Myron Grant’s roar silenced him. “Elmira! Is it Elmira Torrence you mean?” At Ben’s nod, Grant’s skin mottled. “How dare Elmira even mention this hotel after what she did?”
Not only was his face livid, but his hands had curled into fists at his sides. Fury made him almost incoherent as he continued to rage against the sister he hadn’t seen in over thirty years.
Ben caught only bits and pieces of the muttered invective, but that was enough to tell him that Diana’s mother had never been forgiven for running out on her brothers after their father’s death.
“Tell them, Howd,” Grant sputtered. “She had no business taking off with that no-account Liberty boy.”
Ben’s eyes narrowed. William Torrence had come from Liberty? He was certain Diana did not know that her father’s family was also from this area. Her mother had only told them about the Grants.
“She was the youngest sister,” Howd Grant said, “the one who stayed to take care of Father after the other girls married. It was understood that she’d go on taking care of Myron and me after Father died.” He still sounded distracted by thoughts of Elly Lyseth’s death, but was considerably calmer than his brother when talking about their sister.
“She had no business—”
“—wanting a life of her own?” Ben interrupted.
Myron’s reply was cut off by the coroner clearing his throat. “If you’ll come with me, Dr. Northcote, I’ll see if we have enough jurors for the inquest. I won’t need you two,” he added, giving the Grant brothers a pointed stare.
* * * *
The flashily-dressed man Diana had seen leaving the scene of the crime was named Norman T. Saugus. The woman was his wife, Belle. She had changed into a low-cut evening dress and carried a patchouli-scented shawl.
In the small, private dining room, Diana could not avoid coming to their attention. Once they introduced themselves, it would have been churlish to refuse when they insisted she join them at their table. Five minutes in their company, however, was long enough to make Diana grateful they’d been almost through with their meal before she arrived.
Hurry, Ben , she thought as she forced yet another smile. Until Ben finished talking to the coroner and came to her rescue, she was trapped. Norman Saugus fancied himself a raconteur. In truth, he was nothing but a braggart, and a boring one, at that.
“I don’t anticipate any problems running telegraph line to Lenape Springs,” Saugus informed her, leaning close enough so she could smell the musky hair oil he used. “We could do it in just a day or two. Get a couple of farm boys to tie a rag on the hind wheel of a wagon and count the revolutions to measure the distance from one pole location to another. Then a bit of digging.” He chuckled. “I’ve done it before. Had a little trouble then with the right of way, but I took care of it.”
“Oh, this is a delightful story,” Mrs. Saugus said with what struck Diana as an excess of enthusiasm. She beamed encouragingly at her husband, but something seemed false about her smile.
Ben acknowledged that he had, but felt compelled to add, “I also saw Mr. Howard Grant’s face when he recognized it. He was surprised by the discovery of the bones but, more than that, he was shocked to discover that the bones were Elly Lyseth’s.”
“All that time,” Howd whispered in a broken voice, “she was right here and we never knew.”
Buckley ignored him, addressing Ben. “You’re prepared to say that before the inquest?”
“I am.”
“How is it you come to be here off-season, Dr. Northcote?”
Although the abrupt question caught him off guard, Ben thought before he answered. “Mrs. . . . Northcote wished to come here. She became curious about the place after it was mentioned to her by an acquaintance.”
“Who?”
He hesitated, then decided he might as well test the waters. “A Mrs. Torrence. She—”
But before he could get any further, Myron Grant’s roar silenced him. “Elmira! Is it Elmira Torrence you mean?” At Ben’s nod, Grant’s skin mottled. “How dare Elmira even mention this hotel after what she did?”
Not only was his face livid, but his hands had curled into fists at his sides. Fury made him almost incoherent as he continued to rage against the sister he hadn’t seen in over thirty years.
Ben caught only bits and pieces of the muttered invective, but that was enough to tell him that Diana’s mother had never been forgiven for running out on her brothers after their father’s death.
“Tell them, Howd,” Grant sputtered. “She had no business taking off with that no-account Liberty boy.”
Ben’s eyes narrowed. William Torrence had come from Liberty? He was certain Diana did not know that her father’s family was also from this area. Her mother had only told them about the Grants.
“She was the youngest sister,” Howd Grant said, “the one who stayed to take care of Father after the other girls married. It was understood that she’d go on taking care of Myron and me after Father died.” He still sounded distracted by thoughts of Elly Lyseth’s death, but was considerably calmer than his brother when talking about their sister.
“She had no business—”
“—wanting a life of her own?” Ben interrupted.
Myron’s reply was cut off by the coroner clearing his throat. “If you’ll come with me, Dr. Northcote, I’ll see if we have enough jurors for the inquest. I won’t need you two,” he added, giving the Grant brothers a pointed stare.
* * * *
The flashily-dressed man Diana had seen leaving the scene of the crime was named Norman T. Saugus. The woman was his wife, Belle. She had changed into a low-cut evening dress and carried a patchouli-scented shawl.
In the small, private dining room, Diana could not avoid coming to their attention. Once they introduced themselves, it would have been churlish to refuse when they insisted she join them at their table. Five minutes in their company, however, was long enough to make Diana grateful they’d been almost through with their meal before she arrived.
Hurry, Ben , she thought as she forced yet another smile. Until Ben finished talking to the coroner and came to her rescue, she was trapped. Norman Saugus fancied himself a raconteur. In truth, he was nothing but a braggart, and a boring one, at that.
“I don’t anticipate any problems running telegraph line to Lenape Springs,” Saugus informed her, leaning close enough so she could smell the musky hair oil he used. “We could do it in just a day or two. Get a couple of farm boys to tie a rag on the hind wheel of a wagon and count the revolutions to measure the distance from one pole location to another. Then a bit of digging.” He chuckled. “I’ve done it before. Had a little trouble then with the right of way, but I took care of it.”
“Oh, this is a delightful story,” Mrs. Saugus said with what struck Diana as an excess of enthusiasm. She beamed encouragingly at her husband, but something seemed false about her smile.
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