“How old were you?” Scarlet enquired.
James looked up towards the ceiling. “I want to say five.”
“Was your Mom pleased?”
Returning his focus to Scarlet, James responded, “She didn’t say a word. Just looked at it and left the room. I remember we were in the yellow and green kitchen on Sixth Street. Dad watched Mom leave before taking camel cigarettes out of his denim jacket and systematically smoking the entire pack. My sisters and I stayed with him in that kitchen for hours. Then, Dad returned the empty package to his pocket, kissed my sisters, and then lifted me up to sit on the table. His breath smelled so bad, I had a hard time not gagging as he spoke to me.”
Motionless, and not taking her eyes off James’ face, Scarlet asked, “What did he say?”
Looking at the busy wallpaper, James answered, “I don’t know if I truly remember this, or if my oldest sister, who was ten at the time, told me. He said, don’t let life beat you down and never ever stop dreaming.”
Desperately wanting to know more, but sensing the recollection had been somewhat draining for James, Scarlet said, “That’s quite a first memory. I hope you’ll forgive me for not asking your star sign instead.”
Laughing, James assured her he appreciated the depth of her question and hoped he hadn’t been too morose.
Reluctantly, Scarlet suggested they show their faces for a while downstairs, before returning to their secret hideaway.
“You must help me find the ever important, Larry,” Scarlet instructed with a chuckle as they made their way down the steep staircase.
Conspicuous among all the other masks, in a corner of the library, stood the gold jester, Larry.
After spending a fruitless fifteen minutes looking for Tom, Scarlet proposed,
“Why don’t I just go and introduce myself. Strike up a conversation by complimenting him on his choice of mask.”
Having thoroughly scanned all the bustling rooms, James agreed there’d be no harm in approaching the man, who was clearly not engaged at present.
Accepting her second glass of champagne from a passing waiter, Scarlet touched James’ arm. “If Larry and I are still chatting in twenty minutes, please come rescue me.”
“Can we make it ten?” James countered with a boyish grin.
Scarlet gave a cheerful consent before crossing the library to greet Larry.
“That’s the best-looking mask here,” she said brightly. “I hope you don’t mind me coming over for a chat. Tom has talked about you often; I believe you’re off to Haiti in a few days.”
Nodding his head, Larry said something, but with all the other voices and the thickness of the mask, it was hard to make sense of it.
Putting an open hand up to where his ear would be under the mask, Larry pointed to the foyer. Although skeptical as to any rooms being much quieter, Scarlet nodded her agreement. Briefly stopping to let James know her new location, Scarlet and Larry walked the short distance before resuming a somewhat one-sided conversation aside Tom’s neo-classical Greek bust.
James’ six foot four frame gave him the advantage of seeing over many people’s heads. This enabled him to keep his promise to Scarlet’s father, even as groups of people walked through the foyer.
Looking at his watch and selfishly hoping ten minutes had passed, James was startled by Tom’s voice behind him.
“Thanks, I’m having a wonderful time,” James gave in answer to Tom’s question.
Tom took in the bustling room. “It’s one for the books this year. Everyone loves the mask theme, and I think I’ve set up a couple of my friends with some of the lovely ladies from Trade Elite.”
“Well done,” James said with a smile.
Looking around the library, Tom asked, “Where’s Scarlet? I want to introduce her to Larry.”
“Already done, my friend,” James said confidently. “We spotted him here in the library, Scarlet’s talking to him now.”
“Are you sure?” Tom asked quizzically. “I just left Larry in the billiards room.”
Frowning, James responded, “They’re right over there, by your Greek bust.”
Standing in that exact spot was a plump blond woman talking animatedly to a bemused looking member of the catering staff. Scarlet and the Jester were nowhere to be seen.
Eyes trained on the foyer, Tom said, “I don’t know who Scarlet was chatting with, but it wasn’t Larry.”
Tom’s statement hung in the air for a few seconds, before its meaning had his complexion paling dramatically.
James forced his way into the foyer. “We need to call the police.”
Tom, already on the phone with Niles, nodded as he abruptly instructed Niles to meet them by the bust.
Ending the call, Tom looked down at his phone. “Call her. We can call her.”
James shook his head. “We both left our coats and cell phones in the car.” Trying to control his breathing, he added, “We need to search the house.”
Tom began biting his thumbnail. “We’ll take sections, as soon as Niles gets here.”
Right on cue, Niles briskly walked towards them, reddish blond eyebrows questioningly raised.
Without taking a breath, Tom gushed, “I just left Larry in the billiards room. He’s not wearing a mask. I told him about Scarlet’s resemblance to his daughter, and he said he’d be honored to meet her. The mask was too hot and cumbersome for Larry. He tried it on, then set it down on a table in the great room. I asked one of the waiting staff to give it to the housekeeper before it walked away. Scarlet was talking to someone wearing that mask, and now she’s disappeared.”
“How long has she been missing?” Niles asked as soon as he got the opportunity.
Looking at his watch, James said, “Five minutes.”
Nodding, Niles volunteered, “Okay, let’s just take a moment to think. Every single person in this room is an invited guest. I’ve had all the doors covered. Some drunk guy picked up that mask. A beautiful woman comes up and starts chatting to him. Of course, he’s not going to tell her she’s got the wrong man.”
“Guys,” James began, looking from one to the other, “I honestly believe she wouldn’t have moved from the foyer without telling me.”
Niles placed a hand on James’ upper arm. “I agree. You two have been thick as thieves since you arrived tonight. I’m calling the police.”
Snapping into action, Tom said, “James you take the great room, billiard, study, and library.”
Waiting until Niles had explained the situation to Detective Smyth, Tom continued, “You take kitchen, pantry, dining, and sunroom. I’ll cover the game room, cozy, gym, office, and breakfast room.”
Over James nervously repeating his list of rooms, Niles volunteered, “Smyth is on his way with a group of cops to help us look. Let’s meet here after our searches. Quick but thorough,” he said to the men’s departing backs.
Returning to the foyer within seconds of each other, the trio gave their reports. Unable to hide their disappointment at none returning with Scarlet in tow, Tom was the first to speak, “We’ve only covered the first floor. There are two more stories.”
No one wanting to mention the fact that anything innocent would not have taken Scarlet above stairs, James struggled with his nagging thoughts. “What about a basement?” he asked, unable to look Niles and Tom in the eyes.
Coughing, to clear an uneasy tightness in his throat, Niles said, “No basement, just a wine cellar.”
“Can you check it out while I grab Scarlet’s and my cell phones from the car? James asked. “She may be somewhere where there’s a phone and tried to call.”
Three men agreed, once again, to meet back in the foyer.
Gutted, but unsurprised by no calls to either of their phones, James took the opportunity to search the four-car garage. On his way back to the kitchen entrance, he found Detective Smyth chatting with the door monitor.
“Just him, Sir,” the young man reported, pointing at James.
Detective Smyth look
ed over his shoulder as the young man added, “And he’s been approved by Mr. Remmy.”
Turning and shaking James’ hand, Smyth began, “I’m going to have five of my men interview every single person here. Someone has to have seen something.”
James concurred with the Detective’s logic. Smyth introduced the arrival of a second man as his partner, Detective Williams.
Looking through the door, into the kitchen, Smyth said, “This is James Attwood. A friend of Miss Oaks.”
Allowing the fair-haired detective a moment to shake James’ hand, Smyth continued, “Jeff, I need you to organize questioning of all the guests and the entire catering staff. In fact, start with the catering staff. They haven’t been drinking or engrossed in conversation, so are more likely to have noticed goings on.”
Williams gave an affirmative and Smyth said, “I need to talk with the owners of this,” he stood back to take in the full height of the Tudor-style house, “enormous home.”
Looking over at James, Detective Smyth enquired, “Do you know where I might find Mr. Remmy and Mr. Blythe?”
“In the foyer,” James replied, leading the way.
Tom and Niles answered questions regarding background checks of the catering staff. Leaving them scratching their heads when asked if any guests had criminal records, James climbed the steep blue-carpeted stairs.
James’ breath caught in his throat. The aroma of Scarlet’s perfume still hung in the air. Less than an hour ago, he’d been happier than he’d been in a very long time. Now, because he’d taken his eyes off her, she was missing and possibly in great danger. Remembering their conversation, James, heart pounding, ran back down the stairs and almost fell into the foyer.
Smyth, Niles, and Tom all turned to stare at him. “Scarlet was telling me about the history of this house,” James panted. “How it belonged to a Polish woman who’d hidden Jews during the Second World War.”
Somewhat bemused, Niles confirmed, “Yes, her name was Irena Lazinski. The woman was a saint, but sadly went a little batty in her old age.”
Impatient for the three men to understand his meaning, James blurted, “Scarlet and I were in that windowless room at the top of the blue stairs. She said this Polish lady was kind of obsessed with still having secret places to hide people. She had always wished for Priest holes, correct?”
Niles narrowed his eyes. “If they exist, they’ve never been found. There used to be a tunnel beneath the house, but it was boarded up long before I bought the place.”
“The previous owners of the home closed it up?” Detective Smyth enquired.
“Yes. The only living relative is a granddaughter. I purchased this home from her three years ago. She relocated to Amsterdam directly after the sale, I believe.”
Scratching his chin, the Detective asked, “This woman would know of the tunnel’s location?”
“I don’t understand it,” Niles responded shakily. “We checked every single person who entered this house. She has to be here.” His voice raising an octave, Niles added, “The bathrooms, maybe she got sick and is cradling a toilet somewhere.”
Tom, eyes downcast, reported, “I checked them.”
“We need to locate this tunnel, Mr. Remmy,” Detective Smyth imparted, gravely.
His legs, suddenly weak, James said, “I think we should alert Scarlet’s Dad.”
Detective Smyth reached into his inner jacket pocket. “I’ll do that right now.”
Smyth walked away from the group, talking into his phone in hushed tones. Moments later his partner approached at speed. “One of the catering staff reported another member of staff asking questions about the dynamics of this home. Places he could go and not be interrupted.”
“The description?” Detective Smyth enquired.
Tapping the notebook in his hand, Detective Williams replied, “Possible.”
Glancing at the three men who’d followed them into the room, Smyth asked, “Can you bring him in here, Jeff?”
Returning moments later, Detective Williams introduced a broad-shouldered man, seemingly to be in his mid-thirties, as Dave Wainright.
“Have a seat, Dave,” Detective Smyth said casually.
Taking in the proximity of Niles, Tom, and James, the man did as instructed.
Trusted pad and pen poised, Smyth said, “Please recount, to the best of your ability, every detail of the conversation you had regarding the dynamics of this home.”
Running his hand along the edge of the table, Dave began, “He asked if I knew of any secluded areas where he wouldn’t be discovered.”
“Why didn’t we hear about this?” Tom demanded.
Throwing Tom, a warning look, Detective Smyth continued, “Did it seem an odd question for this man to ask?”
Red-faced, Dave said, “It’s a very common question to be asked at these events, Sir.”
Trying, but failing, to sound non-accusatory, Niles enquired, “It’s a common question for catering staff, who we pay top dollar, to want to sneak off into private areas on our grounds?”
Palms placed flat on the dining table, Detective Smyth exhaled. “I understand how worried you are Mr. Remmy. We are all, I believe, tired and frustrated. But, please allow me to do my job, or I’ll have to ask you to leave this room.”
Muttering to himself, Niles took a couple of steps back from the table.
Looking directly at Dave, Detective Smyth asked, “Why is that a common question?”
“Because it’s New Year’s Eve,” Dave replied with a shrug. Nodding towards a passing waiter, he elaborated, “Some of the staff are seeing each other. They want to grab a little personal time to… you know.”
Smyth looked up from his notebook. “I see. You understood this to be the man’s intention.”
Dave pulled a face. “This guy, more likely he wanted to light up.”
Unable to practice patience, James asked, “What did he look like?”
Receiving, you’ve done it now, looks from Niles and Tom, James hastily apologized for interrupting.
With a curt nod in James’ direction, Detective Smyth continued to look at him as he said, “That was my next question.”
Narrowing his eyes, Dave explained, “Lots of people working these gigs are models hoping to get their break in acting. They’re a pretty tight-knit group. When time allows, they find secluded spots and cover for one another. This guy sure didn’t fit that demographic. He was wearing a baseball cap, which I found a bit odd. I told him once the party began, he’d need to take it off.”
“How old would you say he was?” Smyth asked, pen poised once again.
Rubbing a hand against his jaw, Dave replied, “Certainly older than me. I’d guess late forties or early fifties. Looked like he didn’t take care of himself. Had that saggy, sallow skin thing going for him.”
Exchanging glances with his partner, Detective Smyth asked, “Did you notice the color of his eyes or any hair that was visible?”
Dave shook his head. “I didn’t see any hair, and I’m sorry, I don’t remember the eyes at all.”
Smyth tapped a pen against his lower lip. “You only saw him one time, early in the evening?”
“Yes, Sir,” Dave replied with certainty. “He was one of the first to get here, told me he was new and wanted to get the lay of the land.”
While Dave continued with his description of the clothes the man wore and the estimated time of the conversation, two uniformed police officers approached Detective Williams.
Completing his notes and allowing Dave to leave, Smyth looked up at the officers, “You found the tunnel?”
The younger, rosy-cheeked officer, replied, “No, Sir.”
Smyth massaged his temples. “What have you got?”
The second, marginally older, officer spoke, “We interviewed a young woman named Susan Rider. She was asked by Mr. Tom Blythe to give a jester mask to Mrs. Elma Teague, the housekeeper. Ms. Rider was quite upset as she says she lost the mask. Per the young woman, directly after receiving th
is order from Mr. Blythe, she was asked by Mr. Niles Remmy to refill the punch bowl. Ms. Rider says she placed the mask on the butcher’s block while she retrieved more punch from the butler’s pantry. After refilling the punch bowl in the great room, she returned to the kitchen and found the mask was gone.”
Just as James wanted to scream, we all know the mystery man was wearing a mask, a third uniformed officer ran up to Detective Williams. The officer relayed a message in rushed, low tones.
Detective Williams, with relative abruptness, addressed the two officers, “All officers outside now. Abort all other interviews and cover every inch of these grounds.”
Concluding a brief discussion with his partner, Detective Williams, talking into his phone, hurriedly left the room.
Smyth turned to face, James, Niles, and Tom. The three men, struggling to remain calm, looked expectantly at the detective. “Six members of the catering staff have monitored activity in and out of the kitchen this evening,” Smyth informed them. “The fifth shift was taken by a young man named Todd Silver. He remembers two staff members leaving together and not returning in what he considered the typical time frame. He presumed they were doing what Dave has alerted us to but said it was quite bizarre.”
Niles, Tom, and James listened intently as Smyth continued, “Todd said it was a man and woman, both in the uniform black and white, but the female’s clothes were way too big for her. He said the pant legs were dragging on the floor and the shirt cuffs hanging over her hands.”
Pausing for a moment, the detective solemnly added, “Todd said they were walking very closely together. Unnaturally so. He said the woman looked extremely nervous, but Todd assumed it was… well because of the behavior Dave outlined.”
Niles enquired whether all the door guards had confirmed there was no re-entry by this couple and Detective Smyth while answering his cell phone, nodded in the affirmative.
Sighing the detective said, “I need to go and speak with Joe and Rose Oaks.”
“We’re going to help with the search,” James declared, speaking for his friends.
Scarlet Oaks and the Serial Caller Page 23