Chapter Twenty-One. It turned cloudy and cold, and there was a rumble of thunder off in the distance as Maggie and I stood on the deck waiting for Allison and Doc

It turned cloudy and cold, and there was a rumble of thunder off in the distance as Maggie and I stood on the deck waiting for Allison and Doc.

I noticed Maggie deep in thought. When she caught my inquisitive glance, she smiled. "I've been thinking about Aunt Sarah. I remembered when I was little she used to tell me to stay out of the woods because it was where they found my mother. I became afraid of them, and I started dreaming. My father got frustrated and sent me away to school for a couple of years. Kate, there is so much I am remembering this weekend that I never thought of before." She stared at the woods.

"I remember when we were younger, Allison and Charlie used to tease me about my dreams and my fear of the woods. I used to cry myself to sleep sometimes, missing my mother and feeling alone. Then my father had Aunt Hannah come and live with us. I-I had to come home from school. I was asked to leave," she said sheepishly.

"Asked to leave? Now, why would a sweet little girl like you be asked to leave?"

"I have no idea. It was only a little fire," she said, looking down at the deck.

I was shocked. "You started a fire? Where and why?" I was completely intrigued.

"In the chemistry lab, I put magnesium chips in a test tube and held it over a Bunsen burner and kablooee! They extinguished it quickly though. As to why? I wanted my father's attention, I guess. I was lonely and scared," she said with a shrug and looked at me apologetically.

"Hmm, burning down a chemistry lab? I can see you as a kid, freckle faced and full of the devil," I said, laughing. "How old were you?"

She struck a thoughtful pose. "God, it was nineteen years ago! I was fifteen." I did the math.

"Yes, I'm thirty-four," she said sarcastically and I felt the color rush to my face. "You great detective, you," she added, with a grin. "By the way you talk, you must be at least fifty."

I laughed out loud at that one then abruptly stopped and frowned.

"I'm not fifty," I said, quite seriously, as if she needed reassurance. Perhaps I was the one who needed it.

She laughed then. "It doesn't make any difference to me," she assured me.

We looked at each other for a moment, then the thunder cracked overhead and she jumped.

"Christ," she laughed nervously as Hannah came to the door.

"Walt just pulled up," Hannah said.

The moment, whatever it was, was gone.

"Sorry Doc, but I could use your help." I told him everything I knew, and he was visibly shaken. "Doc, if you know anything, please tell me." I almost begged him.

Doc looked old and tired and I saw Hannah give him a sad but affectionate glance.

"Walt, I know we promised each other long ago, but now this changes everything," Hannah said to him.

Maggie had come into the room and we gaped at each other. I flopped into a chair.

"What changes what?" I asked, completely dumfounded.

Doc let out a deep sigh. "I have no idea where to start. If you hadn't brought Sarah's name into it I would never be telling you this."

"Understood," I said. "I don't want any of this either Doc, but Christ, somebody killed Bedford and they have been trying to do the same to Maggie. If Sarah can help in anyway, don't you think we should take that chance?" My patience, which I lacked horribly as it was, was running short.

He nodded and continued. "After Nathan married Sarah and brought her home she started having headaches. Nathan told me about them. We tested her, she was fine...no tumors, nothing. I thought it was migraines. It went on for a few years. She and Nathan have always had problems. I often wondered why in the world he married her."

"I know why," Hannah said. "Nathan is a gentle soul. He's weak and he saw strength in Sarah. That's what he told me, at least. When I first met Sarah, I too saw her strength of will and purpose. When my father started the clinic, she was tireless in her efforts. She was very good at fundraising, getting influential people to donate money. Father admired her for that. I believe that's why he gave her so much authority."

"I agree with you there. There was a spark between Alexander and Sarah. They worked well together," Doc said.

Maggie and I exchanged glances. I'll bet.

"Later on, I found out Sarah was seeing a psychiatrist who was medicating her for severe manic depression and paranoia," Doc said. "I found out quite by accident. I never told a soul but Hannah. We've never spoken of it since the day I told her. But, Nathan would call me at all hours, and I could hear Sarah in the background, screaming. I would go over there and she would be livid, claiming Nathan was cheating on her, everybody hated her and the like. Poor little Charlie was always on the stairs, looking like a scared rabbit. She'd run up to him and cradle him, saying no one would ever take him away from her, whatever that meant. It wore Nathan out. Even when she was taking her medication, she was still a very nasty person, which I don't think had anything to do with her illness." Doc stopped for a moment and drank his coffee. "It nearly cost them their marriage."

Maggie leaned forward. "Instead, Uncle Nathan and Mom had an affair." It was not a question.

Hannah again had tears in her eyes. "Yes, Margaret. I'm sorry, I know of one occasion. Before you were born. I am almost sure of it a few years after that, I'm sorry. After Miranda was killed, I didn't think it would serve anyone to say anything." She looked apologetically at Maggie, who covered her aunt's hand with her own. Maggie looked at Doc.

"I always suspected but never knew," Doc said. "When Miranda was a volunteer, I would see them at the clinic. She was always there when Nathan was on duty."

"Doc," I said, "we found a notebook in Bedford's apartment, tucked away next to a book of poetry. In it, Bedford talked about Alexander Winfield and Sarah. The other day at the stable, I overheard Bedford and Sarah talking. Alexander's name was brought up again. You said they worked well together. I'm wondering how well? Do you know anything about that? Hannah?"

They exchanged glances and I knew then that they did.

"What do you know?" Maggie asked.

"I can prove nothing," Doc said. "However, I felt certain that Sarah and Alexander, at some point were..." his voice trailed off.

Hannah merely nodded.

"Perhaps that was one reason Sarah got on the Board of Directors at the clinic," I said.

Doc looked uncomfortable for a moment, shifting in his seat. "A great deal went on in the Winfield family back then. That's why I decided to get my own practice and get out for a while. Hannah and Nathan were the only ones worth anything. Though they were father and son, Alexander and Jonathan didn't like each other. Poor Hannah and Nathan were on the Board because they were family.

"Before he died, Alexander wanted Miranda on the board. Sarah was livid. She felt she had done a great deal for the clinic. Believe me, she was always right there, helping to keep the place running...that was the only good thing she ever did. As I told you the other night, she kept that clinic afloat and got the State's Medical Board to approve it. I don't think she wanted to share the limelight with Miranda, who didn't want it, but Jonathan granted his father's wish. He was a hard man, Jonathan. So was Alexander." Doc looked at Hannah, who nodded, so he continued to Maggie. "Sarah stopped at nothing. I'm sorry, Maggie, but your father was a stinker; a philanderer, I guess, is the proper word. Why he cheated on your mother, I will never know. But he did, from the onset. Miranda would come to see me and cry like a baby. This went on for years, long before you were even born. She would get phone calls from these women boldly asking for Jonathan. She confronted him on several occasions but to no avail. Jonathan wasn't the man any of us thought he was. The honeymoon was over quickly once he brought Miranda home. I think this is what drove her to Nathan." He put his hand on Maggie's shoulder. "Sorry, sweetie."

"It's okay, Doc. I never could get close to him, either. Believe me, I tried. I just felt he never liked me. I thought it was because I reminded him of mother." She stared sadly out the window.

Well this truly sucks. "So what stops did Sarah pull?"

"She threatened to expose Jonathan for what he was, thus scandalizing his beloved reputation in the business world and the community," Doc said. "Then, as if that didn't do it, she promptly stated that Alexander Winfield seduced her and she would expose the entire situation. I personally can't imagine Alexander doing that. But, now that you have Bedford's notebook, it makes sense."

"Do you think Sarah knew about Miranda's affair with Nathan?" I asked.

"Yes, I think she did."

"Do you think she or Nathan is capable of being involved in Miranda's murder?" I asked.

His eyes widened a bit, I could feel Maggie tense and heard Hannah gasp. He appeared to think for a minute. Nobody moved or said anything further. Boy, patience might be a virtue, but I don't have it. I tried to remain quiet, even though I wanted to scream.

Finally he said, "Yes. I think she could be in some way involved. I'm not sure about Nathan though." We all looked at each other.

I fished the button out of my jean's pocket and held it up. "Maggie found this in Bedford's apartment. His room looked as if someone had gone through his dresser and desk, obviously looking for something that might be incriminating. Bedford had no suits or jackets in his closet. By the way, where is Nathan? Is he still in Dubuque on what was it? An emergency surgery?" I looked at Doc as I toyed with the gold button.

"So, now what?" he asked.

I glanced at the clock, almost one. Allison would be there soon.

"I think Allison is in some way involved with Sarah. Sarah mentioned a couple of things to me last night that she could only have known through Allison. I also overheard her conversation with Maggie last night by the lake. Sarah thinks I'm to blame for the recent problems. Allison cares for Maggie and believes Sarah."

"What are you planning?" Doc asked curiously.

"I'm hoping Allison is only an innocent dupe, not a dope, and that she'll help us. Then I'm planning on finding the jacket that belongs to this button."

And that was my plan. It had sounded so good a moment ago, when it was a mere thought.

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