Lady Gold Investigates 2

by Lee Strauss

  “Very well, I think that’s all for now,” Ginger said. “Please go back to the lounge and let them know we will be there to join them shortly.”

  After Mr. Steadman left the room Ginger said, “Let’s go over what we know so far, keeping in mind that we are looking at motive, means, and opportunity. We should rule out Mr. Hammond for the moment, he is lacking a motive, and has a lot to lose if this dagger isn’t found soon.

  “This means we have four suspects. Of those four, Mr. Billings seems the most unlikely due to a solid alibi and lack of any real experience in the museum world, let alone having the kind of connections one needs to sell stolen artefacts.”

  “I agree,” Felicia said.

  Boss nudged Ginger’s leg and she gave him permission to jump onto her lap. She stroked his head as she continued her recitation. “Then we have Mr. Barnes, who also has a very strong alibi due to the blood on the basin in the lavatory. It is not easy to fake something like that, if indeed, the blood belongs to him, and if the timing of his injury lines up.”

  Ginger’s hand had stilled and Boss nosed it gently to remind her to keep up the stroking of his fur. Ginger’s fingers responded as she continued. “Then we have Mr. Steadman who has the ‘means’, and he’s the only one we know of who has a key. However, his alibi is the strongest of them all.

  “And then there is Miss Greene who has the weakest alibi and is also lying about her knowledge of the dagger.”

  “That’s not all she’s lying about,” Felicia added with a slight tilt to her head and a twinkle in her eye.

  “What do you mean?” said Ginger in surprise.

  “She and Mr. Steadman knew each other personally before they came to work here,” Felicia said triumphantly. “I suspect they were, and still are, lovers.”

  7

  Ginger was quite taken aback by Felicia’s pronouncement. “Why on earth would you say that?”

  “It took me a while to piece it all together,” started Felicia carefully. “Two of the suspects, Miss Greene and Mr. Steadman, looked strangely familiar, as if I’d seen them somewhere else before, but I couldn’t quite place them. Then, when Miss Greene came in here for the interview and I heard her voice and her brash manner, I suddenly remembered!”

  “Do tell,” Ginger said, leaning in. This must have been the reason for Felicia’s strange line of questioning.

  “Last season, I was with a friend having some drinks down at that new flappers’ jazz club in Mayfair. We were enjoying the music when we overheard a loud conversation at the next table. At that time we couldn’t see who it was because of a large potted plant between the two tables, but it was impossible not to hear some of the conversation, which was clearly between a young lady and a man. She was berating him whilst he was trying to explain something. It was hard for him to get a word in!” Felicia’s eyes widened and she shook her head as she said this, obviously mortified at the thought. “The conversation revolved around the fact that she thought he was being a bit of a milksop and that he didn’t stand up for himself enough. She said that it looked like it was all up to her to make sure his talents were recognised by employers. I mostly only heard her end of the conversation since she was by far the loudest.

  “Honestly, Ginger, we didn’t mean to listen in, and at the time, I wished they would just leave. I don’t know where some people get their manners. It is a very nice club, with some great musicians coming in from France and even America. Just last week there was a trio from New Orleans that was…”

  “Did you meet them or talk to them?” Ginger interrupted. Felicia sometimes tended to wander off the topic.

  “What? Oh, you mean the couple? Oh heavens, no, but they did make a bit of a grand exit. As they stood up, she started complaining loudly about the service in the club and the quality of the cocktails. That whole section of the club was quite outraged. But I got a very good view of both of them as they walked out. No doubt about it, it was our Miss Greene and Mr. Steadman. And not only that—”

  “Come along. We need to search Miss Greene’s office straightaway without alerting her that we are onto her.”

  “Do you think she is the thief? What could be her motive?”

  “I don’t know exactly what her game is, but I am beginning to get a picture.”

  Ginger, with Boss at her heels, and Felicia walked quickly to the second level to again face the suspects. They were all sitting in the exact seats they were before, smoking cigarettes and sipping tea.

  “It’s time we made a general search of the building,” Ginger announced. “If we don’t find anything, it may be time to bring the police into the matter. However, it would be best for the continuation of this museum, and thus for all of your jobs, if we could quickly settle this matter before the police have to step in and the whole affair becomes known to the press.”

  “You don’t think that the thief is one of us, do you?” said Mr. Barnes.

  “I think that’s wot makes th’ most sense at the moment,” offered Mr. Billings. “Don’t you?”

  The staff shot looks of distrust at one another.

  “I am not making any pronouncements at the moment,” Ginger said. “And I thank you very much for your patience. Now, I propose we break into three teams. Mr. Hammond will go with Mr. Billings and Miss Greene whilst Miss Gold can go with Mr. Steadman and I’ll go with Mr. Barnes.”

  Ginger wanted to have either Felicia, herself, or Mr. Hammond on each of the teams so the thief would be under the eye of someone who was sure to be objective and could ensure that no one pocketed the dagger if they happened upon it. Ginger chose to pair up with Mr. Barnes since, out of all the suspects, he was the one who seemed to be the most unpredictable based on his general personality and the fact that he was obviously lying about his background.

  There was a murmur of agreement as everyone rose to their feet. “The cellar can be searched last after we have finished with the rest of the building,” Ginger instructed, “but to begin, Mr. Barnes and I will search the ground floor. Mr. Hammond, would you be so kind as to lead your team onto the floor above us where the new exhibition is to open, and Felicia, you and Mr. Steadman can search this floor. We shall report back here in half an hour. If the dagger is still here, it will probably be hidden in an out-of-the-way spot, so look in every nook and cranny. It will also likely be wrapped in something or hidden in a small box of some kind. Keep in mind that after we come back from our searches we will empty our pockets again onto this table as a precaution.”

  Ginger, with Boss trotting along at her feet, headed straight to Miss Greene’s office which was on the ground floor and situated just around the corner from Mr. Hammond’s larger office. Mr. Barnes followed close behind. Smelling faintly of cigarettes and oiled wood, Miss Greene’s office was also tastefully decorated and very neat and tidy, with one window looking out over the front grounds. It contained a large wooden cabinet, two potted plants, and a large mahogany desk with a wooden chair. On the desk were some files and a large metal paperweight formed into the shape of a knight chess piece. There were also two unopened narrow cabinets. One of the doors of the big cabinet was not quite shut all the way, revealing a shoe rack and shelves filled with sundry items and small boxes that Ginger planned to search through.

  “I’ll start with the desk area, Mr. Barnes, if you would like to begin in the cabinets.” Ginger opened the first drawer of the desk and sifted through the contents. There were six drawers in all, and she took her time sorting through the papers and assorted office items, keeping in mind that the dagger would likely be wrapped in some sort of cloth or pouch. From where she sat, Ginger could easily see Mr. Barnes at work, and she kept one eye on him whilst she searched the desk.

  She had reached the bottom drawer of the desk when Boss whined, getting her attention. She looked up to see Mr. Barnes on his knees, staring blankly into the cabinet. “What is it?” she said as she walked to him. Mr. Barnes had cleared away the shoe rack and removed a small panel which served as a false wall
. This uncovered a hidden compartment with a combination padlock on the small door.

  “Mr. Barnes, could you please quickly return to the lounge, gathering my sister-in-law and Mr. Steadman on your way. I will go to the top floor to fetch Miss Greene. I will meet you in the lounge after we open this door. There might be nothing in here, but certainly Miss Greene has a reason for hiding it.”

  They both left the room and climbed the first staircase after which Mr. Barnes went left and Ginger walked to the next stairwell. It took several minutes to find Miss Greene who was in the middle of searching a chest of drawers next to a partially erected exhibit. Mr. Billings and Mr. Hammond were busy searching just down the hall.

  “Please come with me, Miss Greene,” Ginger instructed. When Miss Greene saw the determination in Ginger’s eyes, her face went white. She nodded blankly and without a word slowly turned to follow Ginger. When they met up with the men in the corridor, Ginger said, “Mr. Billings, please join the others in the lounge. Mr. Hammond, please come with me and Miss Greene.” The tone of her voice made everyone stop.

  “Of course,” Mr. Hammond said, and quickly walked towards Ginger.

  Ginger, Mr. Hammond, and Miss Greene descended the two staircases without speaking and entered Miss Greene’s office. Ginger stopped just inside the doorway.

  “Good Lord!” Mr. Hammond said, as Miss Greene’s hand flew to her mouth. The small padlocked door had been smashed open, and the compartment had clearly been emptied. The heavy chess-knight-shaped paperweight was on the floor beside the cupboard.

  “Barnes,” Ginger said.

  8

  “It’s time to alert the police,” Ginger said.

  Mr. Hammond’s face had drained of colour. “There’s no way out of here without a key.”

  “Are you sure there are no access doors or windows anywhere that open to the outside?” Ginger asked.

  Mr. Hammond shook his head wearily. “None that I am aware of. The windows have all been permanently bolted shut for security.”

  “Good, then it’s just a matter of the police searching the building. This may all be over very soon without making so much as a peep to the press, Mr. Hammond.” Ginger turned to go.

  Mr. Hammond called after her. “Wait! Now that I think of it, there is a high window in one of the cleaning supply rooms on this floor that does partially swing open. It’s very hard to reach, but I imagine if one stacked some boxes or had a ladder one could manage it. A desperate man who was slim enough might fit through. It would be a rather far jump down to the grass, but I suppose…”

  “Mr. Barnes is as slim as a toothpick, and I don’t doubt that some men would jump off the Tower of London if there was money to be made,” Ginger said.

  They ran to the supply room, which was located near Miss Greene’s office, Boss’ nails clicking over the floors behind them. The door was open and a ladder leaned against the wall under the small window which was left open to the outside.

  Ginger immediately turned and ran to the front hall with Mr. Hammond alongside her, fumbling for his keys. He turned the key in the lock, and the large oak doors opened with a very loud creak. They stepped outside into the evening air to see Mr. Barnes sitting dejectedly on a bench, his hands cuffed behind his back. Two constables dressed in plain clothes were standing beside him with one of them scribbling in a notepad.

  “Good evening, Mrs. Reed. Beautiful evening, isn’t it?”

  Ginger recognised the young and charming officer.

  “It certainly is, Constable Braxton.”

  He drew close to Ginger and Mr. Hammond, and out of his pocket he pulled a large white handkerchief which he unrolled to reveal an ornately decorated dagger with a golden, jewel-encrusted hilt and a red velvet sheath.

  They celebrated later with Basil at Hartigan House over drinks. Ginger had asked Basil to bring Constable Braxton, not only to commend the young constable for his role in apprehending the thief, but as a treat for Felicia in reward for hers. Felicia had made herself cosy on the settee, rather near to the blushing constable.

  Basil, wearing a crisp thin-collared shirt tucked into blue pinstripe trousers, sat with one leg crossing the knee of the other. A patterned wool-cashmere sock peeked out from between the folded cuff and his polished leather Italian shoes. He lifted his glass of sherry. “Good work to all of you!”

  Ginger lifted her glass in return. “Thank you, love.” She never tired of her husband’s praises, and was well aware that their particular partnership was rare indeed. Basil’s handsome hazel eyes glinted with pride as he grinned in that dapper manner she adored.

  Basil broke their locked gaze to address the room. “It turns out our Mr. Barnes had several aliases, and had assumed one of the false identities to gain the job at the museum. He’s a professional thief with a history of selling stolen jewellery to unscrupulous private collectors in France and Switzerland. He had designs on somehow stealing the dagger. He must have had a peek at Mr. Hammond’s master list of vault contents that unfortunately was left unlocked in the main office. His plan though, was to wait for it to first go on display.” He chuckled. “Unfortunately for him, Miss Greene beat him to it.”

  Basil continued, “Miss Greene has confessed to stealing the dagger using a key that she had made a copy of. It was a simple thing for her to steal the key from her unsuspecting lover, Mr. Steadman, and place it back in his belongings after she had the new key cut.”

  “Good gracious!” Felicia spouted. “Such deviousness.”

  “Indeed,” Constable Braxton said. “What a nerve.”

  “Apparently Miss Greene and Steadman have been lovers for years,” Basil said, “but the couple did not want to divulge that fact because it would obviously prohibit the employing of Mr. Steadman in the job of second curator.”

  “And let me guess her motive for stealing the dagger,” said Ginger. Basil smiled and nodded.

  “She didn’t want to keep the dagger or steal it. That’s the job of professional thieves who have the connections and experience to sell valuable antiquities off. Instead, she had planned to secretly ‘misplace’ the dagger, which would have eventually led to the end of Mr. Hammond’s position at the Wainwright Museum and possibly his career as well. Especially when the dagger was ‘found’ by his unsuspecting right-hand man, Mr. Steadman, who because of his background in museum work would likely have then been considered for the vacant position of head curator.”

  “Excellent guess,” said Basil with a grin. “Miss Greene has made a full confession and denies Steadman had anything to do with it. Indeed, we have no proof that he did either. It seems Miss Greene was acting totally on her own without Steadman’s knowledge. It was a simple thing for her to go down to where the electrical box was and slightly unscrew the appropriate fuses, plunging the building into darkness. It was also very clever of her to have that little hidden compartment in her cupboard. It was really just a small, lockable box which you can buy at any supply shop. She had modified the cabinet slightly to hide the box behind a false partition. She must have done it during office hours with her door closed. Ultimately a clever, although misguided, plan to further the career of her lover.”

  “What about you, Boss?” Ginger said. Boss jumped onto her lap and expectantly stared at her with his big brown eyes.

  “After this case, perhaps he deserves a promotion,” said Felicia. “We would never have solved this if he hadn’t ‘guided’ us to the vault.”

  “Boss is more easily satisfied, I think.” Ginger offered a piece of dried pig’s ear she’d been saving in her handkerchief. “There, that usually does it.”

  They all laughed at the sight of Boss, the detective Boston terrier, happily devouring his favourite treat.

  It’s never too early to think about Christmas!

  Ginger Gold’s Murder by Plum Pudding is part of a multi-author boxed set releasing in October. Preorders are available on Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo and Amazon. Get your preorder copy for only .99.

 
MURDER BY PLUM PUDDING

  There's nothing more fun than a festive holiday dinner party and Ginger Reed, the former Lady Gold, has Hartigan House decorated and the gramophone playing. Dressed in her finest Parisian low-waisted gown, feather-topped tiara, and T-strapped Italian leather shoes, Ginger is ready to host the delectable event.

  It's a jolly good time, until someone chokes on the pudding.

  Is it an accident or is it murder? And can Ginger unravel the mystery before the church bells ring and the New Year’s day dawns?

  Click HERE to Preorder this special Christmas bundle offer today! Only .99 - the price will go up when it releases individually.

  Want more Ginger Gold?

  Get Lady Gold Investigates Volume THREE - The Case of Missing Time and The Case of the Unlucky Cricketeer.

  Murder on Eaton Square

  The Ginger Gold Mysteries Book # 10

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  Ginger Gold’s Journal

  Sign up for Lee’s readers list and gain access to Ginger Gold’s private Journal. Find out about Ginger’s Life before the SS Rosa and how she became the woman she has. This is a fluid document that will cover her romance with her late husband Daniel, her time serving in the British secret service during World War One, and beyond. Includes a recipe for Dark Dutch Chocolate Cake!