Sweet and Deadly by Charlaine Harris Read Free Book Online Page B

Galton.
    â€œYes,” Catherine said slowly. “It was really kind of strange. Miss Gaites said she had heard that someone was moving into the old office, and she knew there were some things in there that Jerry Selforth hadn’t wanted to buy. She wanted to know if I needed help moving them.”
    Catherine remembered smothering her dislike, to preserve the false face of friendliness she and Leona had always worn when they dealt with each other.
    A waste of time, Catherine thought now. And it had been funny-peculiar, her calling like that.
    Catherine really had needed help getting those filing cabinets up the collapsible folding stairs that let down from the attic in her father’s old office. And she had still been suffering from the “be nice to Leona, she has no family” syndrome. So she had accepted Leona’s help with protestations of gratitude.
    Though why someone with no family would care to haul heavy things up flimsy stairs, any more than a person with seventy relations, is more than I can figure out, she said to herself.
    â€œWhat did you talk about that day, Catherine?” asked Galton.
    â€œWell.” She hesitated. “The largest things that had to be moved were filing cabinets that Father kept patient files in. Some people still haven’t asked for their files, to take over to Jerry’s new office. Leona was saying how nice it was that some people were so healthy that they hadn’t needed their records for such a long time; that now that the files were going up in the attic, it would be a lot of trouble when someone finally got sick and realized she had to have her records…I think I asked Leona if she had applied to be Jerry’s nurse; and she said no, she had heard he had a friend who was getting the job, a girl who was going to commute from Memphis. That’s all I remember.”
    The sheriff ’s only response was a small movement of his huge hand. Catherine wondered if he had been listening. Then she thought clearly, He’s trying to decide how to ask me something.
    Catherine grew nervous at this hiatus and lit a cigarette. To break the silence, she asked quietly, “How did she die?”
    â€œShe died in her house,” Galton said heavily. “She was beaten to death. With something rounded and heavy; like a baseball bat.
    Catherine went very still and bit the inside of her mouth. Anything she could say would be inadequate.
    â€œCatherine.”
    Her eyes were blurry with tears of shock. She blinked and Galton came into focus again. She was warned by the sharpness in his face. Something important was coming up.
    â€œDid you sell any of your father’s equipment to Leona?”
    If she had formed any idea of what Galton’s question would be, that was not it.
    â€œWhat? Why would Leona want anything from the office? I sold almost everything to Jerry.”
    â€œWhat didn’t you sell to Jerry?”
    â€œBesides those filing cabinets in the attic—” Catherine made an effort to concentrate, but she was too confused to remember. “Leona knew. She did all that, made the list for the lawyer. Father’s estate. I was too upset,” Catherine said miserably. She had always felt some guilt for shoving the task off on Leona, though Leona had certainly been more qualified to do it. “Maybe there’s still the list of stuff for the lawyer? That you could check against what Jerry has now?”
    Galton didn’t comment on her weak suggestion, or explain why he had asked her, she noticed uneasily; but the mention of estates had given her something to chew on.
    â€œIs there anything I ought to do? About Leona’s house? Or about having her buried? She didn’t have any kin, you know.” Catherine hated to offer, but knew she had to. It was the least and last thing she could do for Leona.
    â€œHer lawyer, John Daniels, will handle all that, Catherine. She left a will. It’s a few years old;