Murder at Barclay Meadow: A Rosalie Hart Mystery

Chapter One

Before my only child left for her first year of college, she suggested I create my own Facebook profile. Annie said we could friend one another, and chat online. That way she wouldn’t have to tell me all the details of her life in a daily phone call or tedious texting. I could read all about what she was up to, who her new friends were, and what music she liked. The problem was, so could her other five hundred plus friends. Ultimately, though, it was the private chat feature that sold me. So I created a profile, such that it was.

After two months, I had yet to post a picture or write what was on my mind. My profile didn’t declare my relationship status or where I lived because those things had recently changed, rather abruptly, I should add.

Inspiration struck on a crisp cool day in October when I posted my first status.

Rosalie Hart

Still reeling after discovering a dead girl floating in my marsh grasses.

Mr. Miele was delivered by UPS one day in late October. He was the first friend I’d made in the month since I moved into a two-hundred-year-old house bequeathed to me by my Aunt Charlotte. Wedged between the bread box and my now diminished toaster, the coffee bistro’s brushed steel sparkled in the low afternoon sun. Although my aunt’s kitchen was large enough, with tall, white cabinets and a wall of windows that faced south, much of the space was taken up by a stone hearth so massive I could stand up in it. Not everyone could stand in it, but at five foot four, my head barely brushed the flue.

Freshly ground coffee beans filled the room with a seductive, earthy aroma. I tucked the Washington Post under my arm and carried a double shot mocha skim latte dusted with cinnamon out to the screened porch. I sat down and stretched my legs out on an old wicker ottoman. The scent of mildew lurked in the faded floral chintz cushions. This old house screamed for attention and at least a bucket of bleach. Later, I thought, and took a long sip.

I decided to begin with the back of the paper. I’d start with the crossword and sudoku puzzles, peruse the advice and horoscope columns, and eventually work my my way to the hard news. Lately I had the attention span of a goldfish.

As I folded the paper open to the crossword, I looked out at the Cardigan River rushing by at the end of the sloping lawn. I started to look down at the paper but stopped. A shock of color caught my eye. It stood out like a flower in a desert—the bright turquoise vivid and glaring against the gun metal gray water. My nerve endings buzzed with foreboding. I set my cup down and swallowed hard against the dry lump in my throat. Eventually I steeled enough courage to stand up.

The sun warmed my skin as I walked. Innocent puffs of high clouds dotted the sky. An osprey glided overhead and settled into a twiggy nest. I shielded my eyes as I approached, my sneakers squeaking on the grass. I stopped and covered my nose and mouth when a putrid stench saturated the air. Despite the dread squeezing my heart, I continued.

And then I saw her—face down in the river. She was cradled by marsh grasses, the lapping water rocked her gently. Grass reeds were tangled in her lifeless hair. Nausea roiled my stomach. Just before I threw up, I noticed what had caught my eye. Strapped to her back was a dainty cloth pack. I recognized the cheerful colors. A Vera Bradley pattern: doodle daisy.

A few hours later I paced through the kitchen waiting for the sheriff and his deputies to finish. Night had crept up the lawn, making shadows of the men as they worked. The lights on their vehicles bathed the house in manic red and blue flashes like a disco.

When they first arrived, Sheriff Joe Wilgus, a large, brooding man with inky black hair, asked me endless questions about the young woman who was now zipped into a thick, rubber bag. My teeth chattered when I spoke and I chewed every one of my nails down to the skin between questions. After I apologized for throwing up on the crime scene, the sheriff seemed to realize I had nothing helpful to say, and sent me inside.

I noticed a coffee stain on the white enamel of my sink as I made yet another pass. I dusted it with cleanser and scrubbed vigorously. I heard a throat clearing and spun around to see the sheriff standing in my kitchen. His broad shoulders and over six feet of height filled the small alcove.

Sheriff? I brushed my hair from my face with the back of my hand.

Missus Hart.

I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you come in. Do you need to talk to me?

He shifted his weight. His leather holster creaked. Not unless you have something more to say.

No, I said. I’m sorry to be so useless.

His eyes took in my kitchen. They lingered on Mr. Miele. He gave his head a small

shake.

Would you like some coffee?

"Is that what that thing is? Looks more like something out of Star Wars."

I’ll take that as a yes?

He settled his bulk into my aunt’s spindly antique chair. I filled two cups and set one on the table in front of him. It’s French Roast, I said. Extra bold.

He looked up. A deep scowl furrowed his brow. You mind telling me why you’re living out here?

I stepped back from the table. This was my first time answering that question. Well…um…I inherited this farm from my late aunt—Charlotte Gardner. You may have known her? And, you see, my husband and I recently separated and… Separated. Is that what I was now? No longer defined by my qualities, I was simply separated— like an egg white from yolk. I placed a hand over my stomach and prayed I wouldn’t throw up again.

I wondered if anyone would ever move into this old place. Seemed a shame to have so much good land go fallow. His eyes met mine. You do intend to plant some crops, now, don’t you?

I swallowed hard. Yes. Of course. I looked out the window. An ethereal fog was rising like a spirit from the dewy grass. I hadn’t thought much about the fields. I didn’t know how many there were or what, if anything, had ever grown in them. In truth, I hadn’t decided how long I would even be living in this old house; let alone whether or not to plant a seed.

Anxious to move the subject away from my planting crops, I set some cream and sugar on the table cloth and sat across from him, tucking my leg underneath to boost my height. I was wondering….

He tapped the end of his nose. You got cleanser on your face.

I do? I grabbed a napkin and wiped my nose.

You were saying.

I kept the napkin in my fist. What have you learned about the girl?

Seems she was a student. He stirred a heavy dose of cream into his coffee and set the spoon on a napkin. The coffee bled onto the white square. Had a John Adams College ID.

A student. I thought immediately of my Annie. Have you notified her parents yet?

We let the college handle that side of things. Our dispatcher is notifying President Carmichael. He took a long sip and set the cup back in the saucer, his thick fingers barely able to grasp the delicate handle of my aunt’s Spode cup.

"But why aren’t you telling them?"

Well, you see Missus Hart…

Please, call me Rosalie. I smiled over at him.

As I was saying, Missus Hart, colleges have to be careful about these things. If parents hear students are drowning in the Cardigan River, it can, well, let’s just say it might keep folks away.

How can you be so certain she drowned?

Didn’t you find her floating in the river?

Yes, I said. But how do you know someone didn’t put her there?

He leaned forward, resting on his elbows. Do you know the last time we had a murder in this county?

No, of course not, I said quietly.

Sixteen years ago when old Percy Tate drank too much at Beeman’s Bar, went home and shot his wife because he thought she was an intruder. He finished his coffee in one gulp. So how many people would you figure drowned in the Cardigan this year?

I’m guessing more than one. I lowered my eyes.

You live out here by the river, he said, tension tightening his voice, and you think it’s just a pretty view. But what you don’t see is the current rushing underneath. Even the best swimmers can’t stay above the water with it tugging at them, tiring them out, and then sucking them in. He leaned back. The chair complained. We’ve had five drown so far this year. And now Megan makes six.

Megan? My eyes shot up. Her name is Megan?

Now why is that so interesting?

I guess hearing her name makes it all the more real.

Finding a dead body didn’t make it real enough for you?

Yes, of course. But…well…now I’m thinking about the poor mother who chose such a pretty name for her daughter. She’ll be devastated. It’s the worst thing that can happen to a parent. Do you have children, Sheriff?

He ignored my question, reinforcing my feeling of being considered an outsider. This was the Eastern Shore of Maryland, a flat stretch of land between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, dotted with farms and quaint little towns. It was known as the land of pleasant living,’a simple place where people prided themselves on being unguarded, friendly, and beyond anything else, loyal. People like me from the other side of the Chesapeake Bay were viewed as interlopers who breezed through on their way to the coast, or, far worse, settled on the pristine land the locals believed belonged to them.

Two more officers shuffled into the room. We’re about done, Sheriff, the taller man said. Body’s on its way to the coroner.

All right. The sheriff pushed himself up to a stand.

The other deputy twirled his hat in his hands. He was young—baby-faced; sweat bubbled along his hair line. Boss? he said. With the way she was bloated, you figure she was in there a few days?

I’m guessing three.

Probably from that college party we busted up down on the water Friday night, the taller deputy said. Those dumb kids had the keg at the end of the dock. I’m surprised they all didn’t fall in.

But if she was at a party… I stood quickly. Wouldn’t someone have noticed her missing?"

The sheriff looked over at me. You ever go to college?

Yes.

You ever stay out all night?

My face warmed. You said the party was three days ago. Surely someone has missed her by now.

They didn’t miss her enough to notify me.

But…

You see, Missus Hart, the sheriff interrupted, you can conjure up all kinds of theories, but in police work, we only know what we know. He fixed his hat on his head. Now, I’d like you to put this whole incident behind you. It’s no longer your business.

The taller deputy smirked. He elbowed the other one. "Sounds like somebody’s been watching a few too many Law and Order marathons."

I frowned. Then I noticed Megan’s back pack in his hand. The colors were muted by the muddy river and the cloth had dried. He held a zip lock bag in his other hand. I looked closer, trying to make out the contents through the plastic. An accordion of condoms stood out among otherwise benign possessions—a lip gloss tube, a small brush, a smart phone that couldn’t possibly work anymore. So much for evidence. I looked harder. There was something in the back of the bag. An envelope with blurred lettering. No address. No stamp. Maybe a name? I tried to read. Two words. Was the first letter an I?

Hey… The deputy ducked the bag behind his back. What do you think you’re looking at?

What does it say on that envelope?

I felt the sheriff’s eyes on me. I stole a glance at him. A scarlet red flush was working its way up his neck.

I believe I just told you this was no longer your business. He looked at the deputy and held out his hand. The young man knew to give him the evidence bag. Without another word, Sheriff Wilgus headed toward the front door. The deputies fell in behind, and the three officers walked through my adopted home in a slow, deliberate, almost possessive cadence. They glanced into rooms as they passed, their eyes traveling over the diminished wallpaper, the cut crystal in the corner cabinet, the sepia-enhanced photographs of my ancestors.

Whatever happened to old Missus Gardner? a deputy said. She pass or what?

Sheriff Wilgus stopped and appraised the woodwork around the front door. Had a stroke or something, I think. Good thing Tyler’d been checking up on her. She could’ve been dead for weeks before somebody found her otherwise.

Chapter Two

The only place to buy a Washington Post in Cardigan was Birdie’s shoe store. At first I missed not having my paper in the driveway every morning, but after just a week of isolation, the trip into town helped me establish a routine in my otherwise aimless days.

A bell clanked on the glass door as I stepped inside. I was met with the strong scent of shoe polish and a trace of lurking mildew. A card table had been set up in a corner, offering an array of handmade doll clothes with price tags pinned to them. A long wall displayed a variety of magazines and comic books. And although a few pairs of sensible, outdated shoes sat on a low rack, the traffic in the store was almost entirely drawn by the candy, newspapers from several major cities, and the guaranteed source of local gossip.

Doris Bird had my paper ready. Hello, Miss Rosalie. Her wiry gray hair framed a kind face. Thick glasses magnified her eyes, giving her a look of perpetual wonderment. I hear you’ve decided to farm your land.

I stared at her in disbelief. How could she know so soon? I had just said that to appease the sheriff. Now they expected me to actually follow through with it?

An impish grin appeared on her face. The idea seemed to please her.

Out of curiosity, how did you hear?

Lila. Doris backed herself onto a tall stool and crossed her arms. Much-handled photos of a multitude of grandchildren were taped on the wall behind her. I had already learned the names and ages of each one.

Lila?

She’s the secretary over at the Sheriff’s department. Drives that pink Beetle with the eyelashes over the headlights.

I’ve seen that car. I reached for a pack of spearmint gum and set it on top of my paper. Sheriff Wilgus was out at my house the other night. That must be how she heard.

Shame about that girl. It’s in the paper.

"The Post?"

I don’t know about that, Doris said. "But it’s in the Devon County News."

I selected one of the local weekly papers from the tiered rack next to the counter. John Adams Psychology Professor Receives Prestigious National Grant spread across the top of the page. I glanced up at Doris. I don’t see it.

She opened the paper and tapped a stubby finger on an article on page three. Here.

Student dies in accidental drowning. So they ruled it an accident. I wonder how they can be so certain.

Doris shrugged. Lila said the girl must `a been drunk and fell in the water.

It just seems strange no one heard a splash.

Maybe you should ask the sheriff about it.

Oh, no. I shook my head. He makes me nervous.

Joe hasn’t had an easy life, Doris said. But he’s a good lawman. Wrapped up this case pretty quick, don’t you think?

Indeed, I said, thinking his swiftness was precisely the problem. I looked back at the small black and white photo. The caption read: Megan Johnston, 21. Although the photo was blurry, it was clear she was stunning. Light hair, bright smile, round eyes that seemed to dare you to keep looking. She’s beautiful.

Downright shame. Doris glanced down at the photo. Kids are too reckless these days. They think they’re immortal, is what it is.

I agree. Our children may move away but the worry never leaves us.

The bell clanked again. More customers. After paying for my purchases I turned and almost tripped over two small children who had already crowded the candy case, dollar bills tight in their fists.

I hugged the papers and headed for my car. The convertible top was down and my hair was now a mass of windswept curls. This was a relatively new car. On my forty-third birthday, Ed had wrapped a bow around a cherry red Mercedes and parked it in the driveway. I had been happy driving a Prius. But Ed announced, No wife of mine is going to be seen in a car preferred by senior citizens. Driving this baby, he said as he dropped the keys in my palm, will keep you young. The car was everything I’m not—flamboyant, pricey, and impractical. I stopped walking and took it in. Why hadn’t I realized then Ed was in the market for a newer model?

I tucked my hair behind an ear and glanced in the window of Brower’s Café as I passed. The sheriff was seated at a table. Curious, I stepped closer to the window and peered in. He was talking intently to a man with salt-and-pepper hair, their heads dipped close together. Well, if you wanted to have a private conversation, Brower’s would be the place to have it. I tried their coffee the other day and it tasted like a recently paved road.

The man slapped the table and pointed a finger in the sheriff’s flushed face. Oh, I would never do that. He might bite it. I tried to get a better view but all I could see was the back of the other man’s head. My cheek was nearly touching the glass. I wondered who would have the guts to talk to him that way. The sheriff looked up at me. I panicked when his eyes narrowed in recognition.

I jumped back and slammed into a passerby. Oh, I’m so sorry. I spun around. My gum slid onto the sidewalk.

Whoa, there… Tom Bestman said. Tom was the executor of Aunt Charlotte’s estate and now my divorce lawyer. He was of average height and weight with brown eyes and a hairline that was taking its time to recede. He dressed casually for a lawyer and could be categorized as unremarkable. Until he smiled, that is. His was a smile so disarmingly warm and kind, it enabled one to trust him instantly. I was grateful to have him in my court. You know, Rosalie… There it was, that smile. You can’t really read the menu through the window.

Did I hurt you?

Nope. He picked up my gum and set it on the stack of papers. I’m glad to run into you. He hesitated. Literally, right?

I’m very sorry.

No worries. Did you get my email?

Have you heard from Ed’s attorney?

He avoided my gaze.

You have bad news. I clutched the papers tighter.

Tom rolled his shoulders back and shifted his weight. It’s not great news.

What?

Well, Rosalie, it seems Ed has frozen all of your accounts. ATM, checking, credit cards, the whole shebang.

Can he do that? I searched his face.

His eyes met mine. Apparently so.

But why? I haven’t done anything to him. He’s the one who…

Apparently he wants you to sell the farm.

But I’m living there. What does he expect me to do? I stared at the ground. He’s always hated the farm. He wanted me to sell it the day we read Aunt Charlotte’s will. I looked up. He said it was a money pit. And that he never wanted to own something on the…

On the what?

You know what they say. I shook my head. I’m sorry to be crude. He said he didn’t want to own something on the ‘shit house side of Maryland.’

It’s nothing we Eastern Shore folk haven’t heard before. Tom tucked his hands in the pockets of his khakis. So if he was so hot to sell it, why didn’t you?

I was confused. I had recently lost my mother and then Aunt Charlotte and the last thing I wanted to do was hastily sell the last piece of history from my mother’s family. I sunk my teeth into my lower lip. But that was two years ago. Why would he force my hand now?

If you ask me—well, don’t ask me what I think about it or I’ll be the one sounding crude.

Isn’t there something I can do?

I don’t know. He said he won’t unfreeze the accounts until you list the place with a realtor.

I can’t go back to Chevy Chase. Not yet.

Rosalie, Tom said. Charlotte left a small trust to help keep the place up. He patted my shoulder. It may not put a whole lot of food on the table but it should keep you warm.

I have to do what he wants, then, don’t I? After everything he’s done, now I have to sell my home.

Hang on, Tom said gently. Let me see what I can do.

But you said— I glanced over at the Mercedes and frowned. Maybe I could sell my car. I’ve never liked that car.

Tom’s brow furrowed. Is the title in your name?

No, it was a birthday gift. But—oh, my goodness. I placed my palm over my heart. I thought I was smarter than this. I never imagined I wouldn’t be married.

Tom gave me a sad smile. Of course you didn’t.

The door to Brower’s creaked open. Sheriff Wilgus hiked up his belt as the man with the salt-and-pepper hair followed him out. The sheriff looked over at us. Tom waved. I hesitated, then waved too. After a short, disinterested nod, the sheriff continued down the sidewalk. The other man, who was in a tailored navy wool suit, walked next to him.

The sheriff doesn’t look too happy, does he? Tom said.

Happy doesn’t seem to fall into his range of emotions. He seems to be in a perpetual state of annoyance. Who is the other gentleman?

That’s David Carmichael.

Are they friends?

They don’t look to be all that friendly.

I watched them enter the next block. Their heads close, their bodies stiff with tension.

Honestly, Tom continued. I’ve never found the president to be all that affable.

President?

Tom turned to face me again. He’s the president of John Adams College.

I wonder if they’re talking about Megan.

Megan? You mean the dead girl you found? Why are you so curious, Rosalie?

Oh, not so curious. I tore open the pack of gum and offered him a piece. I’m just trying to learn the ropes of small town living.

Good for you. He opened the wrapper. Rosalie, don’t make any decisions you’ll regret later, okay? He folded the gum into his mouth.

Well that’s not a problem. I can barely decide what to eat for breakfast.

That reminds me. Tom stepped closer. I heard you’re going to plant some crops.

You did?

I hope it’s true. You know, things happen for a reason. He cracked his gum. I, for one, am glad to know you’re settling in here. We need folks like you—folks with a history. Folks who want to keep the Eastern Shore the way it’s always been.

As I drove home along the winding road that echoed the river’s curves and bends, I felt a slow burning in my gut. I couldn’t stop thinking about Ed. I felt as if I didn’t even know him anymore. I wondered if our friends had been surprised by our separation or if perhaps they had seen the signs, the cracks in the foundation that I’d been blind to. Like with a Seurat painting, sometimes just a small step of distance can bring things into focus. I pushed harder on the accelerator. The wind restyled my hair.

The day my marriage shattered, I had been making plans for a trip to Napa Valley. We had recently delivered Annie to Duke, and I thought a romantic getaway would be the perfect opportunity to acknowledge the next phase of our lives. As much as I would miss my girl, I was looking forward to our empty nest and hoped it would rekindle the romance that seemed to have cooled without my noticing.

It was a lovely Saturday afternoon, one of those pleasant weekend days when we each engaged in parallel, domestic activities. Ed was upstairs getting ready to clean out the gutters when his phone vibrated on the counter. It sat next to his keys, a receipt, and a mound of loose change.

Ed— I called as I clicked on a bed and breakfast website. It buzzed again. Ed—your phone.

I was struck with the thought it might be Annie. Although she was more likely to text me with day-to-day issues, if it was an emergency, she knew her father’s phone was always close to his heart. I glanced down at the screen. Rebecca. The vibrating stopped.

Ed came into the kitchen while pulling a faded orange University of Virginia sweatshirt over his head.

There you are, I said. Hey—I just found this adorable bed and breakfast. I looked back at my computer and