“Finally, he told us. That made it worse for Graham, made him hate my father more. I didn’t know what to believe. It was a shock to think that my dad had two wives. I used to look at my mother and think what an idiot he was making of her. I didn’t care so much about that, though. She wasn’t good to him, ever. She never really loved him, I didn’t think It wouldn’t matter to her. But, when Graham realized that my father really had two wives, it was terrible for him. I’m not allowed to have anyone, Graham would say over and over, and dad can have whoever he wants?
“One night it was too much. They had a terrible fight. I was there when it happened. My father told us both to meet him for dinner, at the mall, behind a back alley. We went, sat there opposite him while he tapped his fingers on the table hard. You two are bringing a curse on the whole family, he said. Imagine him talking about a curse, a man married to two women at once. It really made Graham nuts. He couldn’t stand it. It was the last straw.
“My father went on and on and then, suddenly, Graham just flipped out. He jumped up, grabbed the steak knife and lurched over towards my dad. I grabbed Graham’s wrist, twisted his hand and the knife fell back down on the table. My father looked like he was going to explode. He started to call Graham rotten and smarmy.
“Like father, like son, Graham yelled as his face contorted. You cheating on two women at once. Be a man, stand up and tell the truth.
“My father jumped out of his seat and ran out the back of the restaurant. Graham wasn’t going to let him go. He grabbed the knife and ran out after him to the narrow, side street. It was just getting dark. The street was empty. I ran behind both of them, but when I got there, it was too late. Graham had caught my dad by the back of the neck and started stabbing. There was blood pouring all over. I screamed and screamed but nothing came out. My voice was frozen.
“Finally, Graham dumped my dad on the ground. I was terrified. Graham started running, but I couldn’t leave my dad alone, like that. I ran into the restaurant for help, then stopped. Who would believe me? No one. Nell’s eyes were clear now and gleaming.
“Did you catch up with him?”
“No. He was gone. I didn’t know where he went. I just knew that he took the knife with him. I went running back to the alley way, to my dad. He was laying there uncovered. I threw leaves and branches over him to cover him up. Later on, a few people walked by. They didn’t even notice. I even grabbed a piece of paper that was lying on the floor and scrawled a good bye note on it. Then I stuck it in the wall.”
That must have been the note Cindy’d found.
“Your mother’s in jail for the crime,” Cindy said breathless. “They’ve been suspecting her all along.”
“There was no way I was going to tell on Graham,” Nell was babbling. “How could I? I loved him. And it wasn’t his fault. My father asked for it, he pushed both of us right up to the edge.”
“Now, Graham’s dead too,” Cindy said, pointedly, reining her in. “Who killed him?”
Nell looked up at her scared. “Graham couldn’t live with himself after this happened. He got more and more agitated every day, had to see me constantly to tell him it was okay. It was too much for me, I couldn’t take it. He was making me crazy. Can you understand that?”
“Yes, I can,” said Cindy.
“I told him to give me some time, to stay away. He wouldn’t listen. No matter what I said, the next minute he’d call. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t get a minute’s peace. I couldn’t sleep at night anymore.”
Cindy felt a long, chill go up and down her back.
“So I called a tough kid in school I know. This kid likes me. He’s tough, but he’s sweet. He wouldn’t hurt anyone. I told him Graham was bothering me and I couldn’t take it anymore. I asked him to keep Graham away, to frighten him off a little bit. That’s all I said. I thought he’d rough him up a little and that would be that.” Nell started gasping for air. “I never wanted to hurt him. The kid didn’t mean to hurt him. They fought, they wrestled. Things went wrong.”
Nell’s face was pouring with perspiration as tears started to fall. She shot up and went for the bureau drawer, pulled it open and yanked out a big, glistening, silver life.
“Was that the knife Graham used to kill your father?” Cindy asked, horrified.
“Yes,” Nell yelled, now holding it up to her own throat. “And I’m killing myself with it. I don’t want to live anymore.”
“Nell, give that to me,” Cindy yelled back. “You can’t do it. It wasn’t your fault.”
“It was my fault. I deserve it. I want to die.”
As Nell raised the knife high, Cindy flew at her, yanked the knife out of her hand, and held her tightly as she sobbed and sobbed so loudly, it drowned out the winds, pounding rain, and wooden shutters that were banging madly against the walls.
CHAPTER 28
YOUNG WOMAN DETECTIVE SOLVES SORDID MURDER ON HER OWN!
Once again the headlines screamed the news of Cindy’s victory in the strange, convoluted case. Mattheus bought at least ten copies, grinning from ear to ear.
“You have an angel with you, whispering secrets none of us can hear.”
Cindy smiled wanly. “Just female intuition,” she said.