Rest in Peace (19 page)

“I still think we should check out Pennington House.” Miss Jane’s expression lay somewhere between anger and fear. “It would be just like Aggie to send everyone on a wild-goose chase while she sneaked back to Pennington and holed up in her suite there.”

I wondered if maybe searching Pennington House and grounds would be good for all of us. I didn’t really expect to find Miss Aggie there, but at least we’d be doing something. I reached up and patted her hand. “Maybe we will, Miss Jane.”

Her face brightened. “When?”

“I’m not sure, but soon. I promise.”

She nodded, satisfied. If she’d really thought there was a chance Miss Aggie was at her old home, she wouldn’t have been so willing to wait. But I understood. I was grasping at straws, too.

The phone rang. I scrambled up and hurried to the kitchen. Maybe it was Benjamin.

“Cedar Lodge.”

“Hi. It’s me.” Phoebe sounded as dejected as I felt.

“Oh, hi Phoebe. Have you heard from the guys?”

“No, I was hoping you had.”

“Not yet. But I’m sure they’ll call before bedtime.”

“I hope so. You don’t think they’ll do anything foolish, do you? I mean anything dangerous?” Her voice quivered.

“No, I’m sure they won’t. Benjamin knows a lot of people on the force there. They’re probably still trying to find out what the police know.” But a twinge of doubt pinched at me as the memory of Benjamin and Corky, bursting into a room with a gunman, invaded my thoughts. Of course, that had been to save the rest of us. But now they were trying to save Miss Aggie.

I pushed the thought back as Phoebe’s voice came through the receiver.

“I’m sure you’re right.” Her tone said otherwise. Phoebe was probably remembering, too. “How are the seniors holding up?”

“They have bad moments, but they’re doing well, considering everything. I meant to ask, did you reschedule your dress fitting?” She’d canceled the Tuesday appointment because of Miss Aggie.

“No, I’m going to wait until we know something more.”

“I don’t blame you. I’m probably going to cancel mine for now, too.”

Phoebe sighed. “I can’t believe this has happened. I feel like I’m in a nightmare.”

“I know. Same here. You can come over if you like.”

“Thanks, but I’m cooking dinner for Mom and Uncle Jack.”

My ears perked up. With everything that had been going on, I’d forgotten all about my questions concerning Jack Riley.

“We really need to have your uncle over for dinner again soon. Once we hear from Miss Aggie. I know the seniors would love it.”

“All right. Just let me know when.”

“I will. Try not to worry. I’m sure Corky will call you soon. And if I hear from Ben, I’ll call and let you know.”

We ended the call, and I rejoined the others in the parlor.

“Victoria, we’ve been talking,” Miss Jane said. “We don’t think we’ve paid close enough attention to the facts surrounding the abandoned car.”

“That’s right.” Miss Georgina’s silver curls bounced as she nodded.

“Did you have something specific in mind?”

Miss Evalina sighed. “As much as we’d like to believe Aggie is simply pulling a fast one, the evidence says otherwise.”

Once again, heads bobbed in agreement.

She continued. “Aggie may have left her cell phone behind to try to fool someone. But there’s no way she’d have deliberately broken the bottle of Chanel No. 5 or the clasp of her pearls.”

“No way,” Miss Jane agreed. “She’s too frugal to waste like that. And she’s had the pearls many years.”

“So what are you saying?” My stomach churned.

“We have to face the fact that Aggie has likely been kidnapped again,” Frank said. “Someone probably attacked her as she got out of her car. Maybe knocked her backwards. That’s why some of the stuff was inside the car.”

Miss Georgina gave a little cry, and to be honest, I almost did, too. To hear it admitted aloud was too much.

“Okay.” Miss Jane’s voice quivered a bit. “Let’s go check out Pennington House. That’s where they took her before.”

“But Miss Jane, the Whitly Boys and Wolf are still in jail. And when they’d kidnapped Miss Aggie, it was because she could identify them as the bank robbers.”

“Or so they say,” Miss Jane grumbled. “How do we know the real reason didn’t have something to do with Pennington House? Everything else seems to point to those stupid lost jewels.”

I glanced at Miss Evalina. “Do you feel the same way?”

“I can’t say that I believe Aggie is at Pennington House.” She paused, then glanced around at the others. “But if Jane thinks so, it’s worth checking out.”

“Okay. But I don’t think we should go there tonight. Benjamin said Corky checked the place, so if she’s there, we need daylight to find her.”

Miss Georgina jumped and cried out as a boom of thunder reverberated throughout the darkened dining room, followed by a bright flash of lightning. The power had gone out a few minutes earlier, so the seniors and I sat around the dining room table, finishing our breakfast by candlelight.

“I think we should go, storm or no storm.” Miss Jane seemed to be getting more agitated by the moment.

“Jane, you’re being unreasonable.” Miss Evalina spoke softly to her friend. “We’ve already determined Aggie can’t be inside Pennington House, or Corky would have found her. And we absolutely cannot search the grounds with this storm raging. We’d be soaked through in two minutes, not to mention the danger of being struck by lightning.”

I thanked her silently. I’d been trying to reason with Miss Jane since we’d come downstairs, but to no avail.

Miss Jane whimpered. “I know, Eva. But I can’t stand to sit here doing nothing when Aggie could be…”

“Miss Jane, we could get the copies made and call around to try to find a translator. That way we’d at least be accomplishing something. And if you’d like, you and I can take the originals to the sheriff.”

She took a deep breath. “Yes, and while we’re there, I’ll make him tell us what’s going on. He must know more than he’s saying. At least about Aggie’s car and her personal belongings.”

“On Saturday?” Martin scoffed.

I sighed. “The sheriff is nearly always in his office on Saturdays doing paperwork.”

“Yeah, but that don’t mean you can get in through the courthouse door.”

I thought for a minute. “I’ll call the sheriff. Maybe he’ll come over here.”

That settled, we finished the meal, and the ladies and I cleaned up the dining room and kitchen the best we could by candlelight. We’d have to run the dishwasher later.

As we stepped into the foyer, Frank came downstairs with an oil lamp in each hand. Martin followed with another.

“We thought we might as well play checkers or something.” Frank grinned. “Keep Martin from going crazy since he can’t watch his Saturday movies.”

“Good idea, Frank.” I smiled as Miss Evalina and Miss Georgina followed the men into the rec room. Miss Jane and I headed toward my office. We stepped inside and set our candles on the desk.

“Ack.” With an embarrassed shake of the head, I glanced at her. “I don’t know what I was thinking. We can’t make copies until the electricity comes on.”

She smacked herself on the forehead. “My goodness. I didn’t think of that either.”

“Oh well, at least we have phone service. I’ll try to round up a translator.” I grabbed a wing chair from the corner and set it by my office chair. “Here you go, Miss Jane. You sit here beside me.”

I grabbed a phone book and looked up the local college. After being transferred to several departments, I finally reached a bored female voice who informed me they only taught French and Spanish and had no idea if anyone in the school could translate German documents. She then suggested I call back on Monday.

“Oh!” Miss Jane’s exclamation responded to the sudden flood of light in the room.

“Oh good. Electricity again.” We smiled at each other, and I tossed the phone book in a drawer and turned on my printer. I made three copies of each document and letter and placed the copies in my safe. Then I grabbed the phone and made a call to the sheriff’s office.

“Sheriff Turner.”

“Hi Sheriff. This is Victoria Storm.”

“Don’t you know my office is closed today?”

I sighed. “Yes, I do, in fact, but apparently you’re there since you answered the phone.”

“Don’t get smart with me. What do you want?”

“I happen to have some documents you might be interested in.”

A very rude snort came through the receiver. “Okay. And just what are these important documents?”

“They happen to be letters and other paperwork that Laura Baker found in Clyde’s safe-deposit box.”

“And what are
you
doing with them?” At least it sounded as if he were taking me seriously now.

I explained Laura’s request, leaving out the part about the copies.

He sputtered and griped, then told me to come to the back door of the courthouse and he’d let me in.

“Ready to go see Sheriff Turner?” I glanced at Miss Jane as I stuffed the originals back into the envelope.

“Ready as rain.” She giggled, and I couldn’t keep from responding with a giggle of my own.

Miss Jane ran upstairs to fetch her coat, and I peeked into the rec room, where the foursome now watched a John Wayne movie. I told them where Miss Jane and I were headed then grabbed a couple of umbrellas from the stand by the front door.

I took my heavy jacket from its hook by the kitchen door and slipped it on as we went out to the garage.

Thankfully, Miss Jane didn’t suggest driving her Cadillac. In this downpour, I’d have been a nervous wreck.

The square was empty except for a few cars parked in front of the café, the hardware store, and the Mocha Java. I pulled the van into a spot in front of the courthouse, and we put our umbrellas up and hurried around the sidewalk to the back entrance. The sheriff opened the door before we got up the steps. Evidently, he had been watching for us.

“Come on in before Miz Brody gets soaking wet. What do you mean by bringing her out in this kind of weather?” Hmmm. Apparently he didn’t care if I got soaking wet. But at least he was showing concern for Miss Jane.

She shook her umbrella, and water splashed all over the sheriff.

“Oh, excuse me, Bobby.” I grinned at her saccharin-sweet tone. “I didn’t know you were so close. And incidentally, Victoria doesn’t control my actions, for your information.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I managed to hold back the chuckle that threatened to burst out as Miss Jane and I followed the sheriff into his office.

He motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. We all sat, and he held his hand out toward me, palm up.

Pretending not to see the hand, I laid the envelope on the chair, then took my time getting out of my wet coat, hanging it meticulously on the back of my chair.

Victoria!
I scolded myself. I’d been doing so much better lately with my attitude. I handed him the envelope.

He pulled the papers out and laid them on his desk.

“What’s this?” Tossing the papers aside, he grabbed a handful more and gave them a glance, then threw me an accusing look. “Is this your idea of a joke?”

“Of course not. They’re in German, Sheriff.”

“Oh. Well, can you read German?”

“Sorry, no. I guess you’ll have to find someone to translate them.”

He sucked in his bottom lip, then frowned at the documents as if they personally offended him. “Okay then. Thanks for bringing them by.”

Miss Jane leaned forward. “Have you found out anything more about the suspicious circumstances of Aggie’s car and personal items?”

“No, ma’am. But have you heard…?” He cleared his throat, then clamped his lips together.

“Yes, Bobby, we know about the suitcase and the blood-stains.”

“I’m sorry, Miz Brody. I know Miz Brow…Pennington-Brown was a good friend of yours.”

“Was? Don’t assume Aggie’s dead, Bobby Turner. Because she most certainly isn’t, as you’d discover if you would do your job.”

His face suddenly flamed, and he coughed. “Err…sorry, Miz Brody. Of course she might be alive and well, probably is. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” He stood and strode over to open the door for us.

Miss Jane fumed as we drove home. “It’s easier for them to conclude she’s dead than to find out who took her and where.”

“I know, Miss Jane. I know.” But with the fresh reminder of the suitcase and the bloodstains, I couldn’t keep from worrying. And I didn’t see how Miss Aggie could possibly be at Pennington if her suitcase was in Jefferson City. But I wasn’t about to say that to Miss Jane.

The rain didn’t let up, and by late afternoon Benjamin still hadn’t called back. A quick call to Phoebe revealed that she hadn’t heard from Corky either.

Shortly after dinner the phone rang. I grabbed it and answered.

“Victoria, it’s me.” Benjamin sounded exhausted.

“What in the world is going on? Have you found out anything about Miss Aggie?”

“No, I’m sorry.” He took a deep breath. “We don’t know anything more than we did. But Corky’s father has offered a reward, so we’re hopeful someone will come forward.”

I sighed. “We need to pray the reward will do some good.”