Underground

Chapter 5

Marianne took one look at my face and flung back the sliding door of the fridge. She pulled out a highball glass and whipped me up a gin and tonic. I sucked it back as she rang it up on the till. She placed the change beside my coaster. She stood with her arm resting on top of the beer taps. I kept my voice low.

"I went to see Shiralise Kaber today."

"How is she?" asked Marianne, slyly glancing around the bar for eavesdroppers.

"She seemed okay, but it could be shock. Jenna's not doing so well," I told her.

"I didn't see her around at uni today," Marianne nodded.

"I asked her if she and Jenna got on well with Rebecca. Apparently not."

A snort came from behind me. I turned and came face to face with Edie. She was waiting for more change for the poker machines. She wiggled her finger at me.

"Rebecca Kaber didn't care much for her kids. Nick's first wife did more for those kids than she ever did."

"You mean Celeste?" I asked.

"Yeah." Her crinkled hand gripped the blue coin cup tightly. Marianne had gone to pour another round of beers. "I'm Vivian Kaber's best friend," Edie nodded. "I know."

"Vivian doesn't like Rebecca?" I asked. "Or didn't?"

"She was a home wrecker," stated Edie.

"What about Nick?" I countered. "He was the one who was married. He screwed over his wife and kids."

Edie nodded in agreement. "I know he was a handsome boy, but I never knew what Celeste saw in him. He might have ditched her, but Vivian didn't."

"I think I saw them together on the weekend," I said. "They seemed close." I assumed the woman at the Kaber house had been Celeste.

"They are. Vivian will change her will once she is truly satisfied that Nick is dead. After the kids are set up, Celeste will get a good share. She's looked after Vivian's grandchildren a lot more than Rebecca did." She spat Rebecca's name for emphasis.

"Did Rebecca know she wasn't getting anything?" I asked. I wanted to keep Edie on track.

"Yep. She figured she'd have what Nick owned, so she didn't care."

"Would Celeste have got anything from Vivian's will if Nick had outlived his mother?" I asked.

"She'd get something, just not as much." Edie moved closer and motioned for me to do the same. I obliged. "I reckon Celeste killed them both."

"But why?" I asked. "Why take the risk of killing Rebecca if she wasn't getting anything?"

"Maybe it wasn't just for the money," Edie winked. "Maybe it was for revenge."

I sat back in my barstool. "Celeste couldn't have killed Nick. Shiralise was in the boat when he fell overboard."

"Maybe she and Celeste are in it together." The excitement was getting to Edie. She was jumping out of her skin.

Marianne put a stop to the conversation. "Maybe you're both getting a little carried away."

The bar stopped, and the regulars stared at Marianne in a mix of disbelief and amusement. She laughed out loud. "Yes, sometimes even I can be logical." The customers turned back to their beers.

Edie turned to me. "I've always felt sorry for Jenna. They've always favoured Shiralise over her. You can't favour one child over the other because she's prettier. But that's Nick and Rebecca for you."