Why Not Murder

6. Blackmail

6. Blackmail

There had been a major storm at dawn that morning. Branches of all sizes littered the Laymuir grounds. The gardeners were at work clearing up debris. Winnie was outside surveying damage done to the flower beds when Maya arrived. The brilliant sun illuminated all the water droplets still clinging to the leaves crisscrossing everything with beams of light giving the impression that millions of tiny stars had descended from Heaven. Winnie heard Maya approach and turned to greet her. She took Maya to the greenhouse wing at the back of the house and remotely ordered that coffee be brought to them there. They sat on very comfortable beige wicker chairs and the coffee tray was placed on a sturdy wicker table between them. Hudson was at his office as usual.

"This is my favourite place in the house, next to my studio of course," Winnie said.

Maya thanked Winnie for the opportunity to have a private conversation with her and asked, "How did you meet your husband? I hope you don't mind me asking. We normally ask various background questions as part of our investigation."

"No problem," Winnie replied, "It was quite a romance. "We met three years ago in May and were married the following year also in May. Why May? It is my favourite season, so full of hopes and plans. We met because Hudson was submitting a bid for the renovation of one of my father's houses which is also in this district. Competition was fierce for the bid and my father couldn't seem to make up his mind. If my mother were still alive at that time, she would have been able to help him. I am their only child. For some reason I could never understand, my father always wanted a son. I was born ten months after they married. My father told me far too many times, and still does at every chance, that he wishes I were a son. He loves me but he wishes I were a son. My mother was not able to have more children because after my birth she got such a serious infection in her womb and the only course of action to save her life was hysterectomy. Anyway to get back on track, in my opinion Hudson's design was unquestionably the best and so that was eventually what my father decided. Hudson had a way about him and was so very romantic. His career was most promising and he encouraged me to pursue my painting and become a professional artist and not just a dabbler. He introduced me to several of his art dealer contacts and they were all interested in representing me. Their interest petered out though and resulted in zero sales, unfortunately for me, because being professional would justify the time I spend painting and then I would be a real artist. I detest not having or being able to create financial wealth on my own. Everything has been provided to me by my father and now by Hudson."

"These are yours, aren't they?" Maya asked while looking at the floral paintings decorating the greenhouse support pillars. Winnie replied in the affirmative. "They are so much more passionate and interesting than the other paintings in the rest of the house," Maya added.

"This is the only room where Hudson will allow me to hang them, other than my studio," Winnie replied. "It's all about the integrity of his design as a whole he says and not about having individual pieces deter the eye away from that."

Suddenly Winnie's face became very pale, she rapidly excused herself and said she would return shortly. She came back flushed and looking better. Maya wondered whether she had been sick. Winnie had a brown envelope in hand and extracted some photographs which she handed to Maya. They were beautiful photographs of Heather Roberts.

"Why would Hudson have these?" Winnie asked. "These led me to snooping and eventually I found more." Winnie showed them to Maya. Some were shocking and incriminating, mostly of Heather alone, but there were a few that portrayed Hudson and Heather together, in compositions typically used for marriage photos.

Maya handed them back to Winnie and Winnie continued, "He's having an affair with her I'm sure. She's worked for him for about two years now I think. I used to think we married because of the love we have for each other, but now I realize his reasons had more to do with having a family. Frankly I don't understand why he is not faithful to me. He does love me. I think she is creating a situation he can't refuse. Other times I think the reason he even has these photos here in this house, albeit they were hidden in his locked desk and it seems he has totally forgotten that there is a second key for the drawers of that desk. Point being, maybe he's blackmailed. I've also seen his private bank statements and notice that he has various credit cards. One is for me, one is his personal, another for his business but there is another and I suspect it is for her."

"That's quite relevant," Maya said, "Please excuse me for asking, but it is a routine question that must be answered, could you tell me where you were on the evening the car went missing."

Winnie replied, "I was painting in my studio 'til I went to sleep in my own bedroom. The servants can verify. But when exactly was the car taken? I heard nothing due to the music I always play while painting. I'm not sure when I even last definitely saw that car. We have so many and I hardly keep inventory of Hudson's stuff."

"According to Hudson's official statement made when he reported the theft," Maya said, "It was parked in front of the house when he left in his SUV for the office that evening. He did not notice until the following morning that the car was missing."

"Have the servants been questioned about that?" Winnie asked, "They may not know because the cars are not their responsibility so they may not have noticed. Are we going on Hudson's word only?" Winnie's remote sounded. It was one of the maids reminding her that it was time to go for the appointment. It was alright with Winnie that Maya stay at the house to speak to the servants and Winnie drove off with one of the maids who was dressed like a business woman for an important meeting.

The cook was taking a pause allowing the dough some time to rise. A maid entered and emptied dirt from a vacuum cleaner into the trash. All three sat down at the picnic table outside the kitchen door. The cook yelled at the gardeners, calling them over to join them. Clearly the younger gardener and the maid had something going for each other, likewise the older gardener with the cook.

Maya was starting to introduce herself when the cook interrupted her saying, "We've already been warned about you," while catching the humoured glances of the other three, all of them chuckling and smiling.

"Warned?" Maya asked.

"Told," the cook corrected herself.

"So you know why I am here. Were you instructed on what you could say?" Maya asked.

"Not instructed as such, but we do want to keep our jobs," the maid answered.

"Well, if any of you know something that you don't think the others do, I will be back and you can tell me then in private," Maya said.

"The bitch, meaning my not-very-fellow maid, probably knows stuff we don't. Her being privileged by the lady-boss, who knows what she's put together," the maid said.

"No sense being jealous," the cook said, "she's on the same level as you. We all know where she went this morning under the blanket of bullshite. I for one prefer not to suffer the lady's company. She couldn't drive alone considering how she has been feeling and certainly one of our fine men here couldn't have driven her."

"Where did they go?" Maya asked.

"Lady's likely pregnant," the maid said, "All the vomiting no one is supposed to know about, although I will wager anything that the only one who hasn't become aware of the vomiting is the Mister himself." The servants all had a good long laugh. "Supposedly they are going for a meeting with her art agent," the maid added.

When the laughter finally died down, Maya asked them to each tell her about the evening the car went missing and about what they were doing.