Anything Goes

we’ve made of this room!“ Lily exclaimed when they’d gotten the dog rinsed and hauled out of the tub onto a pile of towels. “You start drying her while I get a big comb.“
    “What’s her name?“ Mimi said, wrapping one of Robert’s best towels around the dog, who had shaken herself and flung water all over the room. “She doesn’t have one... yet.“
    “Then you’re going to keep her?“ Mimi said with a big smile.
    “Certainly. Somebody’s either abandoned her or neglected her. They don’t deserve to get her back.”
    While Mimi cleaned up the bathroom, Lily took the dog down the back stairs and outside on the sunny part of the lawn overlooking the river. She combed and combed and a fairly steady warm breeze dried the soggy animal. She fell sound asleep and Lily suspected that if dogs could purr, this one would be doing so. Every now and then she opened soulful eyes and gazed adoringly at her.
    “What’s your name, dear?“ she whispered into the full white mane, now clean and soft. The dog mumbled her pleasure. Lily smiled. “This is my house and my dog,“ she said happily.
    Then the smile faded.
    This was also where a man was murdered less than a day earlier.
     

Chapter 19
     
    Lily’s desire to continue her discussion with Mr. Prinney was further delayed by the arrival of Major Winslow and Sissy. Sissy was pale and upset. “Oh, Lily! The police were at our house, asking about dinner last night. They said someone had been killed at your house. Right inside your house!“
    “That’s true.”
    Major Winslow put a fatherly arm around Lily and gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “We’re horribly upset for you and your brother. I really should have seen you home!”
    So he is human, Lily thought. I don’t dare tell Robert that Major Winslow said exactly what Dad would have.
    “ That wasn’t necessary. But I thank you for the thought. We—“ She had started to admit they hadn’t come right home anyway, but had gone to town to find food. She caught herself and said, “We took a little spin in the car. Robert thought it might help my headache.“
    “And you didn’t see someone lurking around the house?“ Sissy asked.
    “Oh, no. The man—it was Billy Smith—had been dead for quite a while when I found him.“
    “ You found him?“ Sissy shrieked. “Oh, Lily, how utterly, utterly horrible. I’d have fainted right away. Did you faint?”
    Major Winslow said, “Sissy, you would not have fainted, and I’ll wager Miss Brewster didn’t either. You sensibly called for help, I imagine.“
    “Oh, Daddy...“ Sissy simpered.
    “I rather screamed for help, I must admit,“ Lily said.
    “Who is this person who was killed?“ Sissy asked.
    “Billy Smith was a local person. He was married to our maid Mimi. He was a despicable person. Greasy, sly, violent, with horrible teeth.”
    Sissy looked enlightened. “I think I know who you mean. Was that who we heard shouting at someone here yesterday? I saw him in the woods one day and he scared me to death. I called Daddy who went to run him off. Remember, Daddy?“
    “I do. He claimed he’d come to ask for work. I told him he looked like he’d never done a day’s work in his life. He was a river rat. In fact...“ He paused to readjust the sentence he’d been about to speak.
    But Lily finished it for him. “He was piloting the boat when our uncle died.”
    Major Winslow clapped his hands together. “That’s it! I knew I’d seen him before and couldn’t remember where. Only that I associated him with something unpleasant. Well, thank goodness I sent him on his way. I suspected him of having a part in your uncle’s death, to be honest.“
    “Why is that?“
    “I saw him go down to the cabin while I was helping people onto the dinghy. Looked around to see who was left on board and caught a glimpse of the man who’d been piloting the boat. Didn’t even think about it again until the boat was brought up and I learned that Horatio’s body had been found there. I told the police chief and he said he’d look into it. I expected the man to be arrested. But I never knew his name, I don’t think. One doesn’t introduce staff to guests.“
    “Not often enough,“ Lily said, her original bad opinion of his snobbism flaring up again.
    “Well, no need to rehash old sorrows. Forgive me for bringing it up, if you would.“
    “The police asked us about your scarf,“ Sissy said. “Sissy!“ her father warned.
    “I’m sure