“Then have your mother dismiss her.”
“I’m not sure she would do it. Furthermore, Celeste might defy her too. She has the idea she’ll take orders only from my stepfather.”
“I believe you’re actually afraid of the woman,” Penny commented.
“In a way I am,” Lorinda admitted. “Mother used to dislike her intensely. Strangely, since she has become ill, she seems to depend more upon Celeste than she does upon me.”
“Did it ever occur to you that Celeste might deliberately be planting ideas in your mother’s mind?”
“Yes, I’ve thought of it. I don’t believe Celeste would be evil enough to do it on purpose, but she is highly superstitious. I wish she were out of the house.”
“You could get rid of her if you really wanted to. Just call in the police, and have them take over.”
“I couldn’t do that. Mother would never forgive me.”
The girls entered the study, and Lorinda switched on a light. After pulling the blinds, she removed the wall picture, and prepared to open the safe.
Before she could spin the dials, footsteps padded on the stairway. Celeste appeared suddenly in the study doorway.