The Ginseng Conspiracy (A Kay Driscoll Mystery) (33 page)

The four of us walked to the church and entered through a side door near the front. It looked like everyone in town was here. Margaret and her family were well-known and well-liked members of the community.

Margaret’s sister, seated in the front pew when we arrived, wiped her eyes with a lace handkerchief. She looked up as we entered the church and managed a slight smile when we offered our condolences. I wasn't sure if the smile was because of Elizabeth's attire or not. She went back to wiping her eyes.

Marissa and Pete Rudd, plus the rest of the Rudd clan, occupied a couple of rows across the aisle from Margaret's sister. Marissa and Pete sat holding hands, their fingers interlocked. She must have closed the patisserie to come. Marissa caught my eye and smiled warmly, mouthing a greeting. I smiled back. Marissa was one of life's optimists. Her glass was never half empty, and neither were her pastry shelves.

The Stewarts also gathered in the church. Al and his wife, John Stewart, and another man whom I didn’t know but who shared a resemblance to the Stewart brothers (a narrow nose, more than a little too long, high forehead, a weak, recessed chin), were a few pews behind Margaret’s sister. John glared at us as we walked past him. Al winked. I remembered John's argument with Margaret when I hid in Al's living room closet with Elizabeth. “Keep your mouth shut, Margaret. Think about your sister. If anything were to happen to you, she'll be all alone.” Had he murdered Margaret and not Dr. Anders? Or perhaps they both did? I started to tremble. Just like the night of the Halloween Ball when I trembled dancing with Al, his closeness terrified me.

A few rows away, Deputy Chief of Police Bill Murphy sat with other members of the police department. Were all of the hooded six here, paying their respects to one of their victims? He sized up Elizabeth and raised his eyebrows.

I noticed Ted Michaels talking with some of our neighbors. Beth, his fiancée, wasn't with him. Perhaps she didn't know Margaret. He glanced over in our direction and made eye contact, as we paraded down the center aisle. He smiled in that handsome way he always did. It made me think of when he held the barbecue in his backyard where I first met Deirdre and Elizabeth and how we laughed about our attractive host. That seemed so long ago.

I looked past Ted to where Dr. Anders was seated at the end of the next pew along with other doctors and nurses I recognized from the free clinic. Dr. Anders looked up at me. His gaze was sharp and unemotional. A knot tightened in my stomach. Murderer, I thought. You cold, calculating murderer.

Professor Laska sat behind Dr. Anders along with others from the college. The first time I saw him, he was in Sherman's office during the funeral luncheon, looking through Sherman's desk drawers. I shook my head. What an outfit of contemptible, vile evil-doers. Which of the six had pushed me into the street? Professor Laska nodded to Elizabeth. Elizabeth touched my arm and nodded toward where John was sitting among that group, motioning that she was going to sit with him.

I was grateful to see Dinesh and Neelam sitting in the next row. Margaret had been a regular at their store. Hers was an adventurous palette. She often tried her hand at Indian cuisine. Dinesh and Neelam moved over in their pew making room for the three of us. Dinesh had on a kurta and Neelam, a beautiful green and gold sari. I had never seen them wear these traditional garments before. We sat down behind Elizabeth, and I touched her shoulder to let her know I was there. As she turned around, a feather floated from her hat.

Many beautiful floral arrangements, bouquets, and baskets surrounded Margaret’s casket and spread across the front of the church. The sweet scent of flowers filled the air. On top of Margaret's casket was draped with a white silk cloth on top of which lay a blanket of calla lilies, orchids, and roses.

A cellist played
Bach's Prelude Cello Suite 1
followed by a string quartet performing
Air on the G String
. Once all was quiet, the choir started in with
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
. Goosebumps appeared on my arms. Phil put his arm around me and I put my head on his shoulder for a few moments, tears rolling down my cheeks. I was going to miss Margaret. Deirdre grasped my hand, smiled, and handed me a tissue.

The elderly minister said a prayer over Margaret followed by readings from Scripture. One of Margaret’s close friends from the Garden Club gave a stirring eulogy to celebrate and commemorate Margaret’s life. I had a bit of trouble seeing her past Elizabeth's hat, but I heard every word of it.

After the service, when we returned to our cars, we saw Ted speed away in the opposite direction of everyone else. He wasn't going to the cemetery? Did he have a pressing appointment?

A long line of cars proceeded toward the cemetery. We were among the last to arrive. After parking the car, we walked along the road toward the large white canopy at the gravesite. Elizabeth decided to leave her hat in the car, for which I was grateful. It looked like most of the people from the church had come. I had never been to the cemetery before. The MacAlister family had a large plot. We sat in the back, and I looked around the grounds and over toward the parking area at all the cars.

Behind us, over by the road, a tall man in a dark suit leaning his back against a car, faced in my direction. He had light brown hair, graying at the temples. I immediately recognized him. He gave me a small wave and a big smile.

My heart started pounding. “Oh, my gosh!” A wave of heat rose to my face.

“What?” Deirdre asked. “Kay, you're flushed.”

Phil was texting on his cell phone. “Phil, I'll be right back. I still have a few minutes before the minister starts,” I said, getting up.

“Excuse me...excuse me,” I said to Elizabeth and Deirdre as I hurried past them while they sat in their chairs.

“Where are you going?” Deirdre asked.

“I see someone I know. I'll be right back.”

When I came up to him, he took off his sunglasses, and his beautiful, clear green eyes sparkled.

I found it difficult to articulate my words. A knot formed in my throat. “Thom. What...what are you doing here?” I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him.

“Kay, I was waiting for you to arrive. It's great to see you. This is it. We are apprehending everyone at the cemetery.”

“You're kidding me. Now?” I asked, releasing him.

“A perfect plan because everyone will be here, unsuspecting. I wanted to make sure everything turned out well and that you were safe.”

“Not everyone, Thom. I saw—”

“I know. I just got word. He's in custody as we speak. This is the end of those guys. You won't have to worry about them any longer.”

“I can't believe it. At last. I better get back. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it.” I started walking away and then turned around. “Thom, I'm glad you're here.” He smiled.

I returned to my seat just in time.

The minister started with a prayer and blessed the coffin.

“Was that Thom?” Phil asked. I nodded yes.

“What's he doing here?”

“I'll tell you later,” I whispered.

The minister proceeded to tell his personal memories of Margaret and Earl, Margaret's deceased husband, whom he had been friends with for many years. Halfway into his discourse, I looked behind me and noticed a fleet of five black SUVs with smoked glass windows, driving slowly down the long curving road in our direction. They parked about a half a block away. I glanced at Thom. He was in his same position looking at me. Five men and a woman in dark suits along with Sudbury Falls Chief of Police Stephen Kirk and Police Sergeant Allen Wallace emerged from the vehicles. They headed toward our group but stayed off to the side closer to Thom. I nudged both Deirdre and Elizabeth. They turned around.

“Something big is about to go down,” I whispered to them, glancing at my watch. I looked ahead to Bill Murphy and Al Stewart and then to Dr. Anders. Dr. Anders was sitting five rows in front of us. All seemed unaware of the happenings going on behind them.

The minister ended his talk with The Lord’s Prayer. Margaret’s sister stepped forward, took a white rose from an ornate urn, and placed it on Margaret’s casket. The minister invited each person to come forward, choose a flower, and place it on the casket. He started reciting Psalm 23. The prayer cards were at each chair, and everyone joined in.

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”
People proceeded toward the front by rows. Not yet his time for a while, Dr. Anders turned around in his seat and fixed a dead glare on me.

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.”
I returned Dr. Anders' glare.

“He leadeth me beside the still waters.”
Bill Murphy placed his flower on Margaret's casket and started back to his seat. He must have noticed Chief of Police Stephen Kirk and continued over to him. Glancing off toward the cars, I saw the Police Chief put handcuffs on Murphy and led him away.

I looked beyond Dr. Anders. Al and John Stewart were seated a few rows in front of Dr. Anders. I could see Al lean over and say something to John. He looked off to the side in the direction of the agents. John, sitting at the end of a row, stood up, slipped around a nearby tree and walked in the opposite direction further into the cemetery grounds. I looked behind me and saw an agent take off after John. Soon, he was apprehended. A few people looked around. Others continued to walk up to the front.

I looked back at Dr. Anders. He intensified his glare, looking at me and not ahead of him. Did he think my looking away signified weakness?

An agent off to the side came up to an empty seat behind Al Stewart, sat down, and tapped him on the shoulder. The agent said a few words to him. Al retreated with him after whispering something to his wife. All of this had taken place within a couple of minutes without much disturbance.

The minister continued leading the Psalm. “
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.”
Dr. Anders took his hard eyes off mine, turned around and proceeded toward the front. He seemed to walk in slow motion. Had he noticed John and Al Stewart were missing?

After Dr. Anders placed his flower on Margaret’s casket, he turned around to return to his seat. He looked past me to where the agents were now standing a few yards behind us. He looked at me with bewilderment in his eyes. I smiled at him and nodded, wanting him to know I was the one he had to thank for what was about to happen. His expression darkened. My face was on fire with him staring at me like that, but I held my smile. He gently patted his suit jacket pocket all the while looking at me. Why? What was he looking for in his jacket pocket? I knew he wasn't going to return to his seat. I just had that feeling. Instead he turned and started walking at a quick pace across the lawn in the direction of where his car was parked.

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.”
Oh no, Dr. Anders. Where do you think you are going? My heart pounded again and then raced. What should I do? I wanted to jump out of my chair and go after the lowlife. He wasn't going to get away. And that was exactly what I did.

I immediately got up, going past Elizabeth and Deirdre again. “Excuse me. Excuse me.” I looked at Thom, who was staring at me, and pointed toward Dr. Anders. Thom and an agent started in pursuit. I needed to slow Anders down, distract him somehow to hold him off from getting away. I knew where he was headed. When we first drove into the cemetery, I noticed Dr. Anders' car parked at the entrance on the other side of the road facing out. If he reached his car, he could have a quick getaway. I speed-walked in his direction and caught up with him. When I came close enough, I said, “Dr. Anders. Dr. Anders. There's something I need to tell you.”

At hearing his name, he slowed down and turned to me and gave me a look that would have killed lesser mortals. “What do you want?” he said. “I have nothing to talk to you about.” I thought his protruding eyes would explode out of their orbits.

“Oh, yes, you do. I've told you, your game is over. I know all about what you've done.” I came so close to him, I grabbed the sleeve of his suit coat. Again, his look with the exploding eyes. “Get your hands off—”

Thom and the agent arrived. They each took one of Dr. Anders' arms. Police Sergeant Allen Wallace arrived and handcuffed him. Dr. Anders turned to look at me one last time. “Good riddance, Dr. Anders,” I said. “I'm not going to miss working with you. Enjoy your new assignment.” As the Police Sergeant walked Dr. Anders over to the furthest SUV, I returned to my chair. I looked over my shoulder and watched Dr. Anders as he climbed into the car, and the Sergeant closed the door.

After returning to my seat, Elizabeth glared at me with her brilliant faux green eyes. “What are you doing, Kay? And who's that man you waved to?” Elizabeth asked.