Alex Harris 00 - Poisoned

exactly what it meant. Probably a mind-your-own-business or don’t-get-involved look, which he knew was way too late anyway, so I just ignored him.
    “I understand your feelings, but like I said, attempted murder is very vague and given her age. I’m sorry, but she’ll probably be released this morning,” John explained to Mrs. Brissart.
    “So she gets away with it?” Mrs. Brissart asked.
    “In a sense, I suppose she does, though in all honesty, nothing became of her attempt. She’s really quite shaken. If it makes you feel any better, I think a night in jail humbled her.”
    “Ha! A century in prison would not humble my sister, Detective, don’t kid yourself.” Mrs. Brissart got up and walked over to the large window looking out onto the front yard. “Fine. Let her go. But, I warn you, neither one of them better come anywhere near me. Maybe I’ll get a restraining order.”
    “You can certainly try, Mrs. Brissart. And rest assured, we will find who killed Bradley. We have not given up on that,” said Jim Maroni.
    “Good. I hope the next time I see either one of you,” Mrs. Brissart took in both detectives, “it will be because the killer of my grandson is behind bars. I don’t know if I’m more disgusted with May for trying to kill me or because her little ploy has taken valuable time and effort away from the investigation into Bradley’s death.”
    “I assure you it’s our top priority, Mrs. Brissart,” Detective Maroni said.
    I got up to leave along with the two men. I told Mrs. Brissart to have a safe journey and to call when she returned. Mrs. Platz appeared with our coats when I suddenly looked at Mrs. Brissart. “I never did ask you. How many of those macaroons did you eat?” I turned to John. “There were still several left that had the cyanide in them, isn’t that correct?”
    “Yes. Two or three, I think. You and Mrs. Platz were very lucky.”
    Mrs. Brissart looked up into my eyes. “I didn’t eat any, Alex. I hate macaroons.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

    John turned slowly. “You don’t like macaroons? How long has that been?”
    “All my life.” Mrs. Brissart looked at him with a puzzled expression. “Why do you ask?”
    John put his coat down and went back to Mrs. Brissart and took a seat on the stool. “Who knows you hate macaroons?”
    “Why everybody, I would imagine. I’ve never liked them. The batch I made for Bradley was from an old family recipe.” A nostalgic smile crossed her face. “Whenever my mother made it she’d make something else for me.”
    I came and stood next to John. “What are you getting at?” I asked him, though I had a feeling I already knew.
    “If everyone knew you didn’t like them and wouldn’t eat any, then the poison wasn’t meant for you. It was Bradley they were trying to kill all along.”
    “If that’s supposed to make me feel any better, it doesn’t.”
    “Mrs. Brissart! Oh, I’m so sorry.” John took her hand. “Sometimes I forget not to be a policeman.” He turned to Jim. “We better get going.” He took his coat again and went to the front door. “I’ll see you later, Alex.”
    With that, both detectives exited the house leaving four bewildered faces.
    After wishing Mrs. Brissart a good trip again, I left just as Stuart and his parents arrived back. After exchanging a few words with them, I went back to my office. It was almost lunchtime and in addition to hunger pains, I felt a pinch of guilt at not being in much lately to help out. Maybe I could talk my sister into going out for something to eat before we continued with our work.
    Sam looked up. “Hi. Have you been with Mrs. Brissart all this time?”
    “Yes.” I filled Sam in on all the latest developments. I took a sheet of paper from Sam’s computer printer. “I need to make a list. Maybe that’ll put things in some kind of order.”
    “Okay.” Sam leaned across the desk.
    I wrote down Bradley’s name and drew a line down the middle of the page. “First column, possible suspects and the next column is motives.”
    “Okay. Put Kendra down,” Sam said.
    “Kendra? She was beside herself with grief last night.”
    “But didn’t you tell me at one point that she’d taken acting lessons?”
    “Yeah. I think she’s been taking some classes and she mentioned combining acting with her teaching.”
    Sam gave me a knowing look. “Then last night could have been an act for your benefit. She knows you’re hot and heavy with the detective in charge.