A Puzzle in a Pear Tree (13 page)

22

IT WAS A TYPICAL TEENAGE ROOM. CRUMPLED CLOTHES ON the floor. A poster of what appeared to be terrorists but was probably just a rock group on the wall. A boom box by the bed blaring some incomprehensible noise, perhaps the terrorists’ latest hit.

Lance Ridgewood lay in bed. He was unshaven. He wore ratty jeans and a dirty T-shirt. Cora decided that was a costume, part of his image. It occurred to her Lance was a handsome young man, would clean up pretty well.

She slammed the door to attract his attention and said, “Hi, Lance. Mind if I ask you a few questions?”

He raised his head, looked at her. “Cops already did.” “Yeah, your mom told me. I thought maybe I could help.”

“Don’t need help.”

Cora walked over to the boom box, switched it off.

“Hey!” Lance threw his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. “What you doin’, lady?”

“Your girlfriend just got killed. I know you’re in shock, but you can’t hide behind a wall of sound forever. The cops were here last night?”

“If you talked to my mom, you already know that.”

“I know what she said. I’d like to hear what you have to say.”

“Yeah, the cops were here. During the Knicks game, for Christ’s sake.”

“Dorrie
was
your girlfriend?” There was just the hint of a sarcastic edge to Cora’s voice.

“We’d been going out. Yes, I’m upset, but why hassle me? I already told them everything I know.”

“That was before they found out she was pregnant.”

“Boy, was that a shock. I don’t know how that happened.”

“You and your father never had a little talk?”

“That’s not funny.”

“No, it isn’t. Come on, Lance, give me a break. I don’t think you murdered Dorrie, and I’m going to find who did. How about helping me out?”

“What do you mean, you don’t think
I
killed her?”

“I thought you got into Yale. You were holding her when she died. You were her boyfriend. And she was pregnant. A scandal that would freak out your parents and might scare off your college. If you were taking an SAT test, and the question was
Who had the best murder
motive,
you think you might be leaning toward
A, The
boyfriend
as the most likely answer?”

“I didn’t do it,” Lance grumbled.

“No, I don’t think you did. Unfortunately, proving it is going to take more than just your say-so. First off, was that your kid?”

“No way.”

“Well, that’s mighty strange. Dorrie was playing the Virgin Mary. Another immaculate conception is just too much coincidence, even in Bakerhaven. What’s the matter, weren’t you using birth control?”

“I can’t talk to you about this. You’re a . . . woman.”

Cora smiled. “You started to say
old woman,
didn’t you? Thought you might offend me. That wouldn’t offend me nearly as much as if you lie to me. So, try again. Was the kid yours?”

Lance glared at her for a moment. Then his lip quivered. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“If it was, she would have told me.”

“And she didn’t?”

“No.” Lance snuffled and looked up. His eyes were wet. “You gotta understand. Dorrie wasn’t like that. Yeah, she was a bit of a klutz. It would be just like her to screw up her birth control and get pregnant. But not with someone else. She wouldn’t do that. And there’s no way she wouldn’t tell me.”

“So how do you account for it?”

“The doctor must be wrong.”

Cora’s silence was eloquent.

Lance’s face hardened. “Look, lady. You didn’t know Dorrie. I did. And you’re way off base.”

A fresh tear formed in Lance’s eye, started down his cheek.

Cora thought about it, then sighed. “Hey, buck up, kid. Maybe I’m doing you a disservice. You pushed my buttons griping about the Knicks game. If Dorrie really meant something to you, help me get her killer. Okay?”

“How?”

“Tell me about Dorrie. What was she like?”

“Dorrie was fun. That’s what makes this so hard to believe. She had real spirit, you know. Threw herself into everything.”

“Like what?”

“I dunno. Whatever. Lately it was skiing. We went to Catamount just last week.”

“Dorrie was a good skier?”

“No.” Lance smiled fondly at the memory. “She’d fall down a lot. Real klutz, you know. But she never got frustrated. She knew how to laugh at herself. Had more fun than anyone.”

“She tease people?”

“Oh, sure. But not in a mean way. Everybody liked Dorrie. Everybody.”

“So who would want to kill her?”

Lance shook his head. “That’s the thing. No one would. It’s gotta be a mistake.”

“Uh-huh,” Cora said, without enthusiasm. “So help me understand what happened. You were in the manger holding Dorrie. . . .”

Lance shuddered. “Yeah.”

“Did you know it was her?”

“Sure.”

“You saw her face?”

“No.”

“How come?”

“Her whatchamacallit was down. You know, the thing over her head.”

“Her cowl.”

“Yeah. The hood of her costume.”

“So how did you know?”

“I saw her in town hall. Before. That’s where the costumes are. I was going in to change just as she was coming out.”

“Did she say anything?”

“She said, ‘See you out there.’ ”

“That’s all?”

Lance flushed. “She said, ‘See you out there, hot stuff,’ if it really matters.”

“What did you say?”

“I asked her what she was doing. She told me she’d swapped spots.”

“What happened then?”

“She said, ‘Gotta go,’ and ran off.” He exhaled irritably. “If you must know, she said, ‘Gotta go, Joey babe.’ She called me Joey babe and I called her Mary kid. When we did the Nativity.”

“So what did you do?”

“Went and changed.”

“The next time you saw her was in the manger?”

“That’s right.”

“Did you speak to her then?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Why not?”

“No talking, no kidding around, no personal contact. Those were the rules. I expected her to break them. But if she didn’t, I certainly wasn’t going to.”

“When you got there, where was she?”

“On the floor, holding the Baby Jesus, leaning against Joseph.”

“Who was Joseph?”

“I don’t know. Some dweeb.”

“Alfred Adams?”

“Yeah. I don’t know him. I only know ’cause it was on the schedule sheet.”

“You talk to Alfred?”

“No way. I did just what I was supposed to. Crept up behind him, tapped him on the shoulder, slid into his place. And he slipped out the door.”

“You took Alfred’s place holding Dorrie up? Was she dead?”

He cringed, young and vulnerable. “I don’t know. That’s what the cops asked me, and I don’t know. I mean, how could I? I was just grateful Dorrie wasn’t trying to crack me up. You don’t screw around with the Nativity. Mr. Ferric would tell the principal, and there’d be hell to pay. But Dorrie didn’t always follow rules.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Like I said. Dorrie liked to kid around. And sometimes she’d crack
herself
up doin’ something stupid, and once she started giggling, you couldn’t stop her.” He nodded. “Dorrie was a gas.”

“I see.”

“Anyway, she didn’t, and I was glad. That’s what I was feeling then. I was just glad she was taking it seriously.”

“She stayed like that for how long?”

“Until the next Mary relieved her. That would be your niece, right? Is that why you’re so interested?”

“A Yale man after all. My third husband was a Yalie. Yes, I confess to having a personal interest. Though I doubt if anyone seriously suspects Sherry. Anyway, you were holding Dorrie when Sherry came. What happened then?”

“They wrestled around, and Dorrie fell out of the stable.”

“You saw her fall?”

“Sure. I thought she just tripped. Like I said, Dorrie could be a real klutz. But she didn’t get up. I jumped down to help her. I rolled her over, raised her head. But . . . But . . .” His eyes filled with tears again.

“Tell me something,” Cora said. “Before it happened. When you were posing in the crèche. Did anyone come close?”

“You mean in front of the stable?”

“In front of the stable. Behind the stable.
In
the stable. Did anyone come close to you and Dorrie?”

“No.” After a pause he added, “Just your niece.”

Cora grimaced. “Right.” She plodded on determinedly. “How about on your way to the stable? Did you see anyone?”

“Of course I saw Maxine.”

“Why do you say ‘of course’?”

“Because she was playing Mary. Dorrie relieved her.”

“And you passed Maxine on the path. How would that happen? Wouldn’t that make Maxine late leaving, or you early?”

“I didn’t pass Maxine on the path. I met her in town hall. She came in while I was getting ready to go outside.”

“What did she say?”

“ ‘Boring, boring, boring.’ She said her first Joseph hadn’t dressed warm enough and kept shivering. But he was a dream compared to the second Joseph, who stood like a stone statue and didn’t relate to her at all. Which is the problem with women. They expect guys to pay attention to them at all times under all circumstances.” At Cora’s look, Lance mumbled, “Sorry. I mean some women.”

“I know what you mean,” Cora told him. “So Maxine Doddsworth was one of those women?”

“I didn’t mean to say that. That’s not really fair. I guess I’m just biased on the subject of Maxine.”

“Why is that?”

Lance shrugged the hair off his forehead and answered casually, as if everyone in Bakerhaven were aware of what he was about to say.

“ ’Cuz Maxine used to be my girlfriend.”

23

MAXINE DODDSWORTH’S ROOM WAS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT from Lance’s, except the terrorists on her poster were cleaner cut.

Maxine lay facedown on her bed, her head buried in a pillow. Even in that position her designer jeans looked stylish, her pink cable-knit sweater lush.

“Maxine,” Cora said.

“Go ’way.”

“Maxine, we have to talk.”

“I said go ’way.”

“I just talked to Lance. Would you like to know what he said?”

Maxine didn’t answer, but she didn’t say
go ’way
either.

“He said you two used to date. Go out. Go steady. Be his girl. Whatever you kids call it these days. Anyway, you were his girlfriend before Dorrie.”

Maxine’s head turned sideways on the pillow. One bleary eye glared up at Cora. “So?”

“The police are looking for someone with a motive to murder Dorrie. Stealing your boyfriend sounds like a good motive.”

Maxine sat up in bed. “That is
so
lame. That is
so
bogus. Dorrie was my best friend!”

“Did you know she was pregnant?”

“I can’t believe it! That is
so
not Dorrie.”

“It happens,” Cora said.

“No. It can’t be true. Dorrie would have told me. Except . . .”

“Except what?”

“Nothing.”

“You were going to say except if it was Lance. Dorrie might not be so eager to tell you if Lance was the father of her baby. Isn’t that it?”

Maxine’s mouth twisted in despair, and her metal braces gleamed. Cora wondered vaguely if a boy might dump a girl with braces for one without. She knew from bitter experience, men were capable of anything. Cora sighed. “Tell me about you and Dorrie.”

“Why?”

“Because I intend to get whoever did this. If anyone can help me, it’s you. I take it you and Dorrie were real close.”

“Absolutely. We did everything together.
Everything.
”

“That’s how she met Lance?”

“That wasn’t her fault!”

“No, I suppose not. Never mind Lance. Tell me about Dorrie.”

“Like I say, we did everything together. She went horseback riding, I went horseback riding. I went skating, she went skating.”

“You go skiing last week?”

“Sure. With Lance and Dorrie. What about it?”

“Who’d she ride the lift with, you or Lance?” Maxine’s mouth fell open. “What are you getting at? What difference does that make?”

“Probably none. What about it?”

“We took turns. I rode with Dorrie. Dorrie rode with Lance. Lance rode with me.”

“Dorrie didn’t mind?”

“Hell, no. You are
so
off the wall. Dorrie and I were like
that.
” Maxine held her thumb and first finger together defiantly. “Just like
that.
”

“How about in school?”

“We took the same classes. The same activities and sports. We were both in the school play.”

“Was that your idea?”

“Hell, no. I’m no actress. But she had a passion for it.”

“How about the Virgin Mary? Was doing that her idea?”

“Well, it sure wasn’t mine. Bundle up and stand in the cold? But she wanted to, so I did.”

Cora approached it tentatively. “And changing hours?”

“We wanted to go Christmas shopping, that’s all.”

“Whose idea was it to switch?”

“Both of ours.”

“Yes, but someone must have brought it up.”

“I think Dorrie did. I don’t remember.”

“Tell me about being Mary.”

“I relieved the first girl. She crept away. I took her place. It wasn’t that bad. Joseph put his hands on my shoulders, I could lean against him.”

“Did you talk?”

“Not at all. That’s strictly forbidden.”

“Even so. You’re high school kids.”

“We probably would have if we’d had a good group.

But I checked the schedule. The first Joseph was Mr. Virdon, the tech director. He’s young, but he’s a
teacher.
” Maxine imbued the word with the same
oooh-gross
expression as if she’d said
“slimy worm.”
“The one who relieved him was that geek Alfred, who would have run straight to Mr. Winston. So I kept my mouth shut.”

“What about when Dorrie relieved you? Did she say anything?”

“She squeezed my shoulders, whispered, ‘Move it, buster.’ ”

“Did Joseph hear?”

“If he did, he didn’t let on. So I doubt it. Alfred’s the type who would have told, trust me. A real geek.”

“So what did you do when Dorrie relieved you?”

“Went and got my coat. It was cold out there.”

“Your coat was in back of the stable?”

“That’s right. And you know what? A coat that’s been hanging outside for an hour isn’t that warm.”

“So you got your coat and boots, and went back over the actors’ path. Did you meet anyone?”

“On the path? No. No one.”

“How about when you got to town hall?”

“Lance was there. Dressed like Joseph.”

“You could tell it was Lance? Even with the long hair and beard?”

Maxine shrugged. “Lance is Lance. Anyway, we talked.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing much. Just told him it was freezing and real boring.”

“What did he say?”

“He said, ‘Great.’ ”

“That was your whole conversation?”

“I told you, I was freezing.”

“But you knew right away it was him? Lance?”

“Sure I did. I’d seen the schedule. I knew it was his turn.”

“So when Dorrie switched spots with Becky Baldwin, you knew she’d be working with Lance?”

“It didn’t bother me.”

“But you knew?”

“Sure. That’s when I saw the schedule. When we looked to see who Dorrie could swap with.”

“Where did you see the schedule?”

“It’s posted in town hall.”

“I know. And that’s where you saw it?”

“Yes. We drove over to check it. Dorrie’s got a car, of course.” Her eyes faltered. “
Had
a car, of course. Anyway, we checked the schedule and saw that Becky Baldwin had the slot. So Dorrie called her, asked her to switch places. And Becky did.”

“Did that surprise you? That Becky agreed?”

“Not at all. Dorrie always gets—got what she wanted.”

“Why was that?”

“You know. She has rich parents.” Under her breath, Maxine muttered something Cora couldn’t quite catch.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” Maxine said.

Cora let it go. But she had the distinct impression what Maxine had murmured was, “Two of ’em.”