St Kilda Consulting 01 - Always Time to Die

nothing. She agreed with Dan that an amiable Melissa was more useful than an irritated one.
    “Come in, come in,” Melissa said. “It’s cold out there. Sometimes I wonder if winter will ever end.”
    A voice called from the back of the house.
    “It’s Dan Duran and Carly May,” Melissa called out. “They’re here to see Winifred.”
    Carly and Dan didn’t look at each other. They’d clearly asked to see Melissa, too.
    “That’s my husband, Pete,” Melissa explained. “The governor has him working overtime on the books. From what Josh said at Sylvia’s wake, there’s already considerable interest in the ranch.”
    Carly saw that Melissa’s smile didn’t go beyond her lips. Obviously the housekeeper was worried about the future, both for herself and her husband. She had reason to be.
    One foot out the door. Whether they liked it or not.
    “I’m sorry to hear that,” Carly said. “It’s sad to end a long tradition.”
    Melissa nodded tightly.
    “I understand your mother and grandmother both worked on the ranch,” Carly said.
    “Yes.”
    “Do you have time now to talk about that with me?” Carly said. “Your family has been and is an integral part of the Quintrell family history. Your viewpoint would be invaluable.”
    Melissa’s mouth turned down. “The governor made it very clear that no one was to talk with you about the Quintrell family. I’m sorry.”
    “So am I,” Carly said.
    Dan looked at Melissa and asked, “How long does the gag order last? Until the ranch is sold?”
    Melissa stiffened. “Governor Quintrell didn’t say.”
    “And he’s the one writing your references,” Dan said. “Got it.” He looked at Carly. “Let’s see how Winifred is doing.”
    “Wait,” Melissa said, touching Carly’s arm.
    Carly looked at the older woman curiously. “Yes?”
    “Winifred.” Melissa sighed. “She isn’t…well.”
    “We know,” Carly said. “We won’t stay long.”
    Melissa’s fingers tightened on Carly’s arm. “No, you don’t understand. I think…” Her voice died. “I think,” she whispered, “that Winifred is losing her mind.”
    “Why?” Dan’s voice was rougher than he meant it to be. “What makes you think that?” he asked more gently.
    Melissa frowned. “Losing Sylvia, and the pneumonia, and the food poisoning, and the ranch being sold, well, I just think Winifred’s losing her grip.”
    Carly looked at Dan. He was watching Melissa with an intensity that both women found uncomfortable.
    “What happened?” Carly asked, patting the fingers that were clamped around her arm.
    Slowly Melissa’s grip lightened. “She’s always hated the Senator, but lately, it’s like some kind of obsession. She burns with this wild energy whenever his name comes up. It’s crazy. And now she’s been talking wild, saying that the ranch is hers, not the governor’s, because she’s the last living Castillo and the ranch can only be inherited by someone with Castillo blood.”
    Dan’s eyebrows lifted. “What’s the basis of her belief?”
    “That’s just it,” Melissa said in a rising voice. “There’s no reason at all. It’s just crazy. The governor is Sylvia and the Senator’s son. He has Castillo blood in him through his mother, but Winifred hates the Senator so much she can’t stand to see his son inherit, so she’s insisting that the ranch belongs to her.” Melissa let out a harsh breath. “I’m afraid she’s losing her hold on reality.”
    Uneasily Carly remembered the times she’d seen Winifred’s fervor and wondered about the woman’s sanity. Carly glanced at Dan. He was looking past Melissa. His expression said he was thinking hard.
    “I’ll take you to her,” Melissa said with a bright, unhappy smile. “Just don’t tire her too much, and don’t believe everything she says. Maybe she’ll be better in a few days. Here, let me have your coats. Would you like some coffee or tea and cookies?”
    “Not for me,” Carly said instantly. She wasn’t interested in eating or drinking anything at the Quintrell house that she hadn’t personally prepared.
    “None for me, either,” Dan said. He helped Carly out of her coat and shrugged out of his jacket. “We had a late lunch.”
    Because they knew they wouldn’t be eating at the Quintrell ranch if they could avoid it.
    Carly and Dan followed their jackets and Melissa’s tight butt down the long arcade that led to Winifred’s suite.
    Melissa tapped lightly on the door.