Alex Harris 00 - Poisoned

my great, great, great, great grandfather. I can’t imagine what. It’s my understanding he died relatively young, murdered by some robber or something.” She shifted on the sofa, now facing me. “I confess all this family stuff didn’t interest me too much. I’m concerned with my present-day family and that’s about as far as it goes with me.”
    “It’s quite a coincidence that both your and Bradley’s family lineage are connected.”
    “Yeah, I thought it a bit odd myself when we discovered the connection. At first I thought Bradley made it up to tease me. But it seems to be true.”
    “Kendra, can you think of any reason someone would want to kill Bradley?” I asked, ignoring for the moment the fact that John felt certain the poison had been meant for Mrs. Brissart.
    Kendra shook her head and another tear escaped. “No. I can’t. I told the police the same thing. Nothing in Bradley’s character would cause someone to want to kill him. You didn’t know him, but if you did, then you would know what I’m saying is true. Bradley was the kindest, smartest man I knew. It sounds like a cliché, I know, but I’ve thought about it, and there is nothing. Nothing at all.”
    “What about Mrs. Brissart?”
    “Mamoo? What about her?” Kendra dabbed at her eyes again then looked horrified. “You think Roberta could have ki—”
    I grabbed the young woman’s arm just in time to keep her from jumping off the sofa. “No! You misunderstood me. I meant can you think of any reason why someone would want to kill Mrs. Brissart?”
    Kendra settled back down on the sofa. “That’s what the police are thinking, isn’t it? They asked a lot of odd questions. More about Roberta than Bradley. Well, no, I can’t imagine anyone hurting her, either. But with all this land stuff…no, that can’t be right,” Kendra bit down on her lower lip. “People don’t kill just because they don’t get something they want.”
    “I think that’s exactly why people kill,” I contradicted her. “Because they want something badly enough, and something or someone is standing in their way.”
    “Then it had to be a member of the family.” Kendra looked grief-stricken. “I guess it would have to be, wouldn’t it?” she said softly. “I just hoped…oh, I don’t know why it would matter, but I just wanted it to be a total stranger. Does that make any sense?”
    “Yes, it does.”
    “If it was a random thing, then we could put it all behind us more quickly. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I guess I always knew it had to be one of us.”
    Alertness swept over me at Kendra’s words, one of us , for I didn’t get the impression Kendra felt like one of the family except to Mrs. Brissart.
    Kendra started to get up. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to go ask Mrs. Platz if she has anything for an upset stomach. I’m not feeling too well today.”
    I looked over to where Kendra had been sitting before she joined me and saw an empty plate. What had she just eaten, and why was she suddenly sick?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

    I watched her walk away to see if I could see any staggering or maybe foaming at the mouth. I was distracted when Stuart sat beside me.
    I gave Kendra one more look and figured if whatever she ate had cyanide in it she would have been dead already. I turned and stared into the brownest eyes I had ever seen. They were just like Mrs. Platz’s.
    “You two looked conspiratorial. What’s up?” He smiled and I could see crooked teeth, which surprised me in someone who could certainly afford to have them fixed.
    “Why do you ask?” I answered back, my voice piqued.
    Stuart shrugged. “Because she looked very upset.”
    “Well, she just lost someone she loved.”
    “So did I,” Stuart snapped. “I know, I don’t look like I’m upset. Is that what you think?”
    I blushed. I hadn’t expected Stuart to be so perceptive. “I’m sorry. I guess people show their grief in different ways.”
    “I guess we do. Bradley was my little brother. I can’t believe he’s gone. And my parents are, well…I can’t even describe what they’re going through.”
    “Were you and your brother close?”
    Stuart rested his head against the sofa and folded his arms. “No. I don’t think one could use the word close, but we were brothers.”
    “Can you think of any reason why someone would kill him?”
    Stuart shook his head again this time dislodging a piece of hair that came forward, obscuring his eyebrows. “No,