probate lawyers in the state, and they assured him that the will was airtight, so the irritation caused by Lily’s obnoxious brood would fade soon like a poison ivy rash.
Chesterfield put on workout gear and started a series of calisthenics that would keep him supple. In a month, he would open his magic act in Las Vegas and he needed to be in top shape. Some of the illusions he performed required a great deal of elasticity because of the narrow spaces into which he had to fit. Chesterfield loved performing magic and the adoration it brought him, so he was willing to put up with the pain his rigorous routine caused him.
An hour after he started working out, Chesterfield slipped on running shoes. He was about to go outside when the phone rang.
“Robert?” Regina Barrister asked.
“Hi, Counselor. Do you have news for me?”
“Yes, and it’s all good. I just had a call from Clint Easley. The county is not going to bring any charges against you. The official verdict is going to be that Lily’s death was an accident.”
“Which it was.”
“Her children tried to pressure the district attorney to bring murder charges, but there’s no evidence that you or anyone else was with Lily when she died.”
“Does this mean I don’t have to worry about being charged with Lily’s death or any of the Multnomah County cases?”
“There’s no statute of limitations on murder, but you’re free and clear unless new evidence causes any of the cases to be reopened.”
“I certainly made the right choice when I hired you. I’ve heard that they call you the Sorceress, and the nickname is very apt. Thank you for all you’ve done. I’m a fan for life.”
Chesterfield hung up. For a moment, he stood stock-still. Then he pumped his fist. He’d beaten the system and gotten filthy rich in the process. Life was good, he thought. No, it was great!
* * *
Regina Barrister ended the call and looked out her office window at the river and beyond to the sun reflecting off the pristine white snow that covered Mount Hood. The sight should have thrilled her. Instead, she felt as if she had to take a bath. She had a strong suspicion that Robert Chesterfield was guilty of the crimes charged in Peter Ragland’s indictments, and the possibility loomed large that Chesterfield murdered his wife.
The only positive she could take away was the fact that Robert Chesterfield was no longer part of her life.
PART THREE
VANISHING ACT
2017
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
By the time Regina finished telling Robin what she remembered about Robert Chesterfield and his case, the sun had almost set. Robin was so absorbed by Regina’s tale that she didn’t feel the chilly breeze drifting inland off the river.
“Do you think Robert Chesterfield killed his wife?” Robin asked Regina.
“The weather was terrible on the day Lily Dowd died. She could have slipped or the wind could have knocked her off the cliff. I was almost knocked off my feet several times when we walked to the place where her body was found.”
“So, you’re saying that Robert didn’t have anything to do with her death?”
“I’m saying that the police never found any evidence that Lily Dowd was murdered. If she was, there wasn’t a shred of evidence implicating Chesterfield. No jury would ever have found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Dowd’s children sued Chesterfield for wrongful death in a civil case with a much lower standard of proof, and that case was dismissed for lack of evidence.”
“What about the poisoning cases?”
“Chesterfield always denied the charges, and the police never produced any evidence connecting him to the chocolates that killed Randall. It wasn’t even clear that Arthur Gentry was poisoned. If I were on a jury, I would have had a reasonable doubt.”
“I’m not asking how you would have voted if you were on a jury,” Robin said. “I asked you if you thought Robert Chesterfield murdered Sophie Randall or Arthur Gentry.”
“What does it matter what I think? I wasn’t present when the killer doctored the chocolates. I didn’t see who did that. Any opinion I have is a guess. I will tell you that Chesterfield insisted he was innocent. I will also tell you that I did not like the man, and I was glad when my representation ended.”
* * *
The next morning at work, Robin searched the internet to learn as much as she could about Robert Chesterfield. One piece of information made Robin very sad. After Chesterfield’s criminal case was dismissed, Gary Randall also