Dead Guilty

back.’’
‘‘Hello,’’ the first woman interrupted. ‘‘I’m Kather ine Markum and this is my sister, Elisabeth—also known as my evil twin. We’re Ray’s cousins. Momma here was Ray’s momma’s sister. We appreciate your not leaving his valuables in the house to get stolen.’’
‘‘Speak for yourself,’’ said Elisabeth.
‘‘They’re at the museum. My head conservator cata loged them when they were stored,’’ said Diane. ‘‘We also have Mr. Waller’s journal of photographs describ ing his holdings.’’
‘‘We had no idea that Raymond had anything valu able,’’ said Katherine.
‘‘One of my employees tells me that it’s a very good collection.’’
‘‘Don’t you be thinking you’re going to get your hands on it.’’
‘‘Elisa, please,’’ said her uncle. ‘‘This is Ray’s funeral.’’
She ignored him. ‘‘I’ve already had people call wanting to buy them. We’ll be picking them up right now.’’
‘‘We who?’’ said her sister. ‘‘Ray has a will, and I know he wouldn’t leave anything to you. It’s not like you and he were friends.’’ Katherine turned to Diane. ‘‘I am sorry to be airing our dirty linen in front of you, a perfect stranger, but at least you don’t have to live with her.’’
Diane was beginning to regret telling Garnett that it was all right to store the baseball collection at the museum.
‘‘One thing I don’t understand,’’ said Katherine. ‘‘Why did the museum work Raymond’s crime scene?’’
Diane started to explain when a tall middle-aged black man stepped forward and spoke to the family.
‘‘Excuse me. I’m Russell Keating, Raymond’s attor ney. I have his will. You should have gotten a letter from me. We’ll be meeting tomorrow in my office.’’ He turned to Diane. ‘‘I think, right now, a museum is a good place to hold his collection. I understand you have it in an environmentally controlled room.’’
‘‘Yes, we do.’’
‘‘Humph,’’ said Elisabeth. ‘‘We have airconditioning.’’
Katherine lowered her head. ‘‘Please, Momma, tell me I don’t have the same DNA as this woman.’’
‘‘Kathy, I’m getting really tired of your snide little comments,’’ said Elisabeth.
‘‘We can clear all this up tomorrow,’’ said Keating. ‘‘In my office at ten A.M.’’
Diane gave her condolences to the rest of the family and walked with Lynn Webber to her car.
‘‘Well, they’re a pair,’’ said Lynn. ‘‘I’ve never seen twins who look so much alike and are so different. Raymond told me a little about them. He liked Kathy, couldn’t stand Elisa.’’ Lynn stopped at her car and opened the door. ‘‘I’m glad I’m not going to be at the reading of the will. He told me he wanted the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City to have his collection.’’
‘‘You’re right. I’m glad to be missing that too. I have an appointment at the hospital in about thirty minutes to have a CT scan done on our mummy. Would you like to attend?’’
Lynn stared at her for a long moment. ‘‘A mummy? Oh yes, you told us about him.’’
‘‘We inherited him. We don’t have any provenance on him, but we’re all excited just the same—hoping he doesn’t turn out to be a fake.’’
‘‘That’d be interesting.’’ Her eyes misted over. ‘‘That’s the kind of thing Raymond would have just loved. He’d have had me and him front row seats before you even knew you had a scheduled date. I am sure going to miss him.’’
As Diane spoke with Lynn, she caught sight of Garnett and Kingsley as they got in Garnett’s car to leave. She wondered if Kingsley got any information of im portance from the gathering.
Garnett reached for his cell in his breast pocket and put it to his ear. She felt her phone vibrating in her purse. She took it out and looked at the display. It was David.

Chapter 31
    Diane said good-bye to Lynn Webber and headed toward her car a few feet away, punching up David’s cell number as she walked.
    ‘‘What’s up?’’ she asked.
‘‘We have another murder.’’
‘‘Anyone we know?’’ Diane was half joking, half
    expecting it to be Steven Mayberry.
‘‘It’s Kacie Beck.’’
Diane was stunned. ‘‘Kacie? I just spoke with her.’’ ‘‘I’m on the way to work the scene. Neva’s with me.
    The two of us can do it. Don’t you have an appoint ment at the hospital for the mummy’s CT scan?’’ ‘‘Yes,