name of the murderer.”
“Mother!” Renmar said at the same time Brie said, “Momma!”
Brie came over and wiggled her hips to sit on the end of our bench. Miss Vivee moved over to let her in. She smiled at Miss Vivee.
“How do you know this, Momma?” Brie said.
Miss Vivee looked at me and then up at the Sheriff. “Koryn Razner told me.”
“Who is that?” Renmar and Brie said almost in unison.
“Who is it, Grandmother? What’s the name of the person that Koryn Razner gave you?” Bay spoke for the first time, interrupting Renmar and Brie’s questioning.
“His name is Darius Hamilton,” she said. “He lives in South Carolina. Don’t know what city, but I’m thinking it’s not far. His father may be a politician or prominent citizen. That might make him easier to find. And I think there may have been previous episodes of violence between him and Gemma Burke.”
“Momma!” Brie said. “What in the world!” She was grinning ear to ear. But Renmar seemed upset.
“Mother. What have you been doing? Is this what all this running around with Logan was all about? Getting information on Gemma’s death?”
Miss Vivee sucked her teeth. “Don’t be silly, Renmar. Of course it wasn’t. You think Logan would let me do something like that?” Renmar eyed me. “She took me to church, the cemetery and to the diner, just like I told you, stuffing me to the brim with Viola Rose’s horrid egg salad every time we went. And,” Miss Vivee put her head down and lowered her voice. I could feel an Oscar worthy performance coming on. “I didn’t want anyone to know, but she took me to see Mac.”
“Mac?” Brie clapped her hands. “That’s so good, Momma! I’m so glad you’re getting out and spending time with your friends. Renmar, isn’t that good?” Brie took Miss Vivee’s hand. “We were getting so worried about you wasting away in this house.”
Renmar stood with her mouth opened. She put her hands on her hips. “I thought you loved Viola Rose’s egg salad.”
“No one makes it like you, Renmar.” Miss Vivee said smiling.
“Enough about egg salad,” Bay said, his voice stern. He probably knew that none of what Miss Vivee said was true, but he didn’t say anything. “We’re going to have to find this Darius Hamilton and have a talk with him. Whatever was speculated before,” he looked at the Sheriff and then his mother, “that autopsy report made it clear. Gemma Burke’s cause of death has been officially classified as homicide.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Thursday Evening, AGD
I was sitting on the front porch minding my own business and for once, since first coming to Yasamee, not involved in any crimes or untruths when the FBI guy cornered me.
“What have you been doing with my grandmother?” he asked me.
“What?” I said my eyes big. “Haven’t we gone over this before? I’m not doing anything with her.” I scooted over as he muscled his way onto the swing where I was sitting. “And if you think that I’ve been manipulating Vivienne Pennywell,” I continued visibly irritated. “You don’t know your grandmother very well. She doesn’t let anyone do anything to her. She is always in control.”
He didn’t say anything for a while. Then he looked at me. “What is it between you and my grandmother? She took to you like a moth to a flame.”
“I haven’t any idea why she decided she liked me. It might have had something to do with her liking the idea that my mother thinks people are from Mars.” I gave him a sideways glance. “Believe me, though. I did not encourage her taking to me.”
“Your mother thinks what?”
Thank goodness he didn’t know anything about that.
“Nothing,” I said and licked my lips. “Your grandmother told me I had to help her. So I really didn’t have any choice. Even though at that time I didn’t know her very well, I was afraid to say no to her,” I lowered my head and glanced at him through the corner of my eye. “Plus,” I fiddled with my fingers, “I was afraid she would turn me over to you if I didn’t.”
“Turn you over?” His eyes lit up. “Oh. Have me turn you in. Because it was you-”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said waving him off. “Whatever I’ve done in the past, I have more than made amends by being nice to that little old lady in there,” I pointed toward the inside of the house. “Even if I did enjoy it. And,” I