The Case of the Stolen Art Work

by Karen Stillwagon

  Case of the Stolen Art Work

  A Lorelei Silence Mystery

  By

  Karen Stillwagon

  Edited by

  Kelsea Koths

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, event or locales in entirely coincidental.

  Karen Stillwagon

  All Rights Reserved

  Copyright © 2019 by Karen Stillwagon

  This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by any means, without written permission. Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability.

  First electronic edition September 2019

  CHAPTER ONE

  THE LITTLE DOG ran down the beach, chasing the gulls near the water. As the gulls took flight, the little dog chased the waves, barking at the foam. A storm was off to the West. Black clouds could be seen near the horizon, building up for a strong storm. The gulls came back to rest in the sand while little dog looped around for another go at them near the end of the cove.

  “Bindi, come!” the young woman called, stopping the little dog in her tracks. She turned to look at her person before she continued to chase birds.

  The woman, with wisps of long curly red hair blowing in the wind, called again, “Bindi!” She tried tucking the loose strands back up in her messy bun but was unsuccessful.

  The little dog stopped again but didn’t look back this time. She started barking at a log that had washed up at the base of the cliff. The young woman finally reached the little dog, leaned down, and hooked the red plaid leash to the dog’s harness of the same design.

  “What has you so excited?” the young woman asked as she pulled the little terrier to her. She looked at the log and saw the shape of a person crumpled behind it. She looked close, saw it was an elderly woman, her pale skin visible from under the tangles of long silver hair. The young woman reached down, and gently placed her fingers on the neck of the old woman, felt for a pulse. A hand grasped the young woman’s wrist in a weak grip. The young woman gasped.

  “Help me.” The voice came like a whisper from the wind, the sound of the waves almost drowning it out.

  “I’m going to help you,” the young woman said gently as she loosened the old woman’s grip on her wrist. She took off her sweatshirt and placed it over the old woman, hoping to keep her warm until she could make it back with help.

  “Bindi, stay.” The wire haired fox terrier was sniffing the old woman. She looked up and kept her eyes on her person.

  “Please,” the old woman whispered, “don’t leave me.”

  “I’m going to leave Bindi here with you, I need to get up on the cliffs to see if I can get cell reception.” The young woman then knelt down, placed the back of her hand on the older woman’s cheek, brushing away the tangled hair until she could see the old woman’s wet eyes. “My name is Lorelei, I am not leaving you but I need to get help. I cannot move you without fear of hurting you any more than you already are.”

  A single tear ran down the old woman’s cheek as she nodded.

  “I know Bindi doesn’t seem like much, but she’s loyal and will keep you safe.”

  Lorelei headed back down the beach, toward the trail she and Bindi had come down just a few minutes before.

  The trail was well used by the surfers in the area, making it easy to climb back up. She had to use some of the branches that hung over the trail to help her since she couldn’t calm her breathing.

  Once she made her way to the top, she pulled out her phone and checked for service. Still no bars. She headed toward the closest house on the dead end road. She knocked hard and waited a minute. No answer so she went to the next house where two cars were parked in the driveway. Lorelei pounded on the door until a woman answered. After explaining what had happened, the woman led her to the phone where Lorelei promptly called 911.

  “I found a woman injured on the beach, in the cove at Lighthouse Way. I was walking my dog on the beach and found her. She is alive, I left her covered with my sweatshirt. You need to send the paramedics down the trail.” Lorelei listened to the 911 dispatch operator for a moment and answered, “I can’t wait for the police, I promised her I would be back. I will be with her when someone shows up.” She hung up the phone, thanked the woman, then headed back toward the trail that led back to the cove.

  Once she made it down the trail Bindi started barking but did not leave the old woman’s side.

  “Good girl,” Lorelei said as she sat next to the old woman. Bindi climbed into her lap and calmed down,

  “Thank you,” the old woman said.

  “For what?”

  “For coming back.”

  “I told you I wasn’t going to leave you, I just had to call for help.” She took the woman’s cold hand into hers and held it tight. “Can you tell me your name?” Lorelei asked.

  “Dee, Dee Brown,” she whispered as she reached for Bindi with her other hand. She dug her fingers into Bindi’s wiry fur, petting her. Bindi stayed close to Dee as she tried to stay on Lorelei’s lap. The little terrier licked Dee’s hand.

  “What happened?” Lorelei asked.

  She turned her head away from Lorelei and stared out at the waves breaking on the ocean. Some sandpipers were played in the waves, running up and down as the water chased them.

  “Bindi was chasing the gulls when she found you,” Lorelei said, trying to keep Dee talking.

  “I’m watching a friend’s house. I was walking around the yard when I slipped and fell down the cliff.” Her eyes didn’t meet Lorelei’s. Dee kept looking everywhere but at her. Lorelei felt a chill run down her spine.

  “You’re lucky,” Lorelei said, not knowing what else to say.

  “I am lucky you found me,” Dee said. She closed her eyes and said nothing else.

  Lorelei stayed next to her, hugging Bindi, and holding Dee’s hand as she waited for someone to come relieve her.

  Lorelei heard sirens off in the distance. They grew louder as they drew near, then went silent. Lorelei didn’t know how long it would take them to find her.

  “I’m going to leave you for a few minutes again,” she said to Dee, “I’m going to wait for the paramedics at the trail head.”

  “Okay,” Dee’s voice was just above a whisper.

  “I’ll leave Bindi with you,” Lorelei said.

  “Thank you,” Dee responded as Lorelei placed Bindi’s leash in the hand she had been holding.

  “She won’t leave you, but hold the leash just in case,” Lorelei said. “I won’t be far and I won’t be gone long.”

  Lorelei headed back to the trail while Bindi, without a sound, guarded Dee. It always pulled at Lorelei’s heartstrings to ask Bindi to do something that meant leaving her, but Bindi always pulled though and was a better dog for it. Whether it made Lorelei a better person, leaving her best friend, her companion who trusted her, she didn’t think so.

  Voices sounded at the top of the trailhead. Lorelei waved for them to come down to the cove.

  “We got a call of a woman needing help,” one of the paramedics said as he reached Lorelei.

  “Yes. She’s over there,” Lorelei said as she pointed down the beach. “I found her when I was walking my dog earlier.” The paramedic made his way toward Dee Brown, carrying a large case, without waiting for his partner, who was just starting down the trail.

  Bindi barked as he got close.

  “It’s okay, fella,” he said as he approached.

  “Her name is Bindi,
” Lorelei said as she caught up to him. “It’s okay honey,” Lorelei said to the little terrier, calming her down.

  The old woman grabbed the little dog’s leash and pulled her close.

  “It’s okay,” Lorelei said as she sat down in the sand, “I have a paramedic here with me.”

  Dee released her grip on the little dog as the man approached.

  “Can you tell me what happened?” he asked as he set his bag next to her.

  “I was checking on a friend’s house. She and her husband are gone for the month. When I checked the yard, I stumbled and fell. I didn’t have anything to grab hold of so I slid down the cliff.”

  “What is your name?” he asked as he started pulling instruments out of his bag.

  “My name is Dee Brown. I live across the street. I was watching my neighbor’s home while they are away,” she repeated. Lorelei wanted to interrupt, worried the old woman hit her head since she kept repeating herself. But she waited to see how the old woman would continue.

  “Where do they live?” he asked as he checked her vital signs.

  “There,” she said, motioning to the home straight above them.

  “So you were checking on their home?” he asked.

  “Yes. And their home was fine. I went out the back and walked the back yard. I’m guessing the rain the last few days made the ground soft. I slipped and fell.”

  “And no one was near?” he asked.

  “No.” She kept her head turned from the paramedic.

  “And I found her, about a half hour ago. I called as soon as I could get someone to answer their door.” Lorelei looked down at Dee and wondered if she could have helped her sooner.

  “Answer their door?” the paramedic asked.

  “Yes,” Lorelei answered. “I knocked on a few door before someone would respond. The cell phone reception is terrible here.”

  “Ms. Brown, my name is Alan Rowe, and I’m going to take this sweatshirt off you and look for injuries.” Lorelei took the sweatshirt from him and pulled it back on, hoping to avoid more chills. Bindi crawled into her lap but did not relax. Her little body shivered as she kept an eye on the man working on the woman she was supposed to be guarding.

  Lorelei turned away, trying to give them privacy as Alan Rowe examined Dee Brown. The tide was going out and the roar of the waves seemed more distant.

  Bindi let out a low growl. When Lorelei looked over she saw that the other paramedic was approaching. She was a petite woman with short dark curly hair, who handled another large case with ease. Lorelei put her arms around Bindi, whispering in her ear to help calm her down.

  “We aren’t going to be able to get her out of here by stretcher,” the woman said. “Want me to call for an airlift?”

  “Ms. Brown, this is my partner Cathrine McClain, but you can call her Cat.” Turning to his partner he continued, “I think we can get her out of here. Her vitals are good, she’s moving around, reflexes are good. We need a stretcher and rope. Cops should be here any minute and aide us if we need help.” He turned to Lorelei, “Ma’am, can I get your information?”

  “Lorelei Silence, I am staying at the Charleston Harbor Inn, right in town.”

  “Are you just passing through?” Alan asked as he took down her information.

  “No, I just moved back to town a few days ago, after being gone for a number of years. I inherited my grandparents home, you can’t see it from here, but it’s right up there, before you turn onto Lighthouse Way.” She was rambling too, but couldn’t help herself.

  Alan Rowe kept writing, “And your phone number?”

  Lorelei gave him her cell number.

  “Do you have a work number, in case the police want to talk to you?”

  “Police?” she asked.

  “I’m surprised they aren’t here yet, they come out with these calls, as does the fire department. We should be hearing more sirens.” And as he finished writing, Lorelei could more hear sirens in the distance again.

  “I’ll go meet them.” Cat McClain jogged back down the beach to the trail.

  “I don’t want to be carried out on a stretcher,” Dee said after a moment.

  “It will be safest,” Alan Rowe told her as he pulled a foil blanket from his case to cover her up.

  “I’m pretty sure I could walk, with help maybe?”

  “I don’t think so.” He was making her as comfortable as he could while he waited for his partner to come back.

  “Do you still need me?” Lorelei asked.

  “You aren’t leaving, are you?” Dee reached up for Lorelei’s hand. Lorelei leaned over and took it in her own hand.

  “I will find out where you are being taken and I’ll be there before you arrive,” Lorelei reassured her, “I need to take Bindi home and change.” She looked down at her sweats which were covered with sand and seaweed.

  “She’ll be taken to Bay Area Hospital.” Alan Rowe said. He did not look up at Lorelei, he kept working on Dee. “And please talk to the cops before you leave, let them know what happened.”

  “I can do that. Dee, I will be there when you get there. Is there anyone I can call for you?” Lorelei said.

  “No, my husband passed a few years ago. It’s just me and my dog.”

  “Okay,” Lorelei started to stand.

  “Wait!” Dee started again, “Can you go to my house and lock it up for me? My dog is in the back yard. Can you put her inside for me? She’s not used to being left out.”

  “Which house is yours?”

  “It’s the large green one across the main road, all windows upstairs. There is a large garage with an apartment built on top of it, less than a quarter mile from the trail head, on the right. You can’t miss it.” Dee said, her voice getting stronger with each sentence.

  “I’ll check on it and lock it up for you. I am assuming you have keys to get back in?” This brought a smile to Dee’s lips, making Lorelei think she was younger than what she had originally thought.

  “Oh don’t you worry about that, I’ll be fine.” Lorelei took that smile with her as she made for her escape.

  The police were heading down the beach, led by Cat McClain.

  “This is the lady who found the injured woman,” Cat said as she approached Lorelei, who kept Bindi’s leash tight to her side to keep the little dog from jumping.

  “I’m Officer Holloway, and this is my partner Officer Smith,” the tall dark-haired cop said as she stopped in front of Lorelei, blocking her way to the trail.

  Officer Smith pulled a small notebook from the breast pocket of his uniform, opened it, and started writing. “Can you tell us what happened?”

  “Bindi and I were walking on the beach when we found the old woman,” Lorelei said.

  “And Bindi is?” Smith asked as he continued to write.

  “My dog,” she said. Bindi’s ears perked up at her name and looked up at her person. “She was chasing the gulls down the beach. When she got near the log she stopped and started barking. When I called her she wouldn’t come back. When I went to get her, I found her next to the lady who was lying there. She was cold, scared, and didn’t want me to leave. I left Bindi with her and ran to get help.”

  “Where did you go?” Smith asked. His blond hair was long on the top, with the sides cut short. He kept sweeping his hair out of his face as the wind swirled around inside the cove.

  “I climbed back up the trail, couldn’t get cell reception, so I knocked on doors until someone opened up and let me use their phone.” Lorelei bent over and picked up Bindi, holding her close to her chest.

  “Which houses?” he asked.

  “The one to the right, when you get to the road, but no one was home. The next house, to the right, had cars in the driveway so I thought someone would be there, and a woman let me in to use the phone.”

  “Okay, can I get your name, address, and phone number in case we have more questions for you,” Officer Smith said.

  Lorelei rattled off the same information she had given th
e paramedic and Officer Smith wrote it down in his notebook.

  “If there isn’t anything else, I would like to go and get cleaned up so I can meet Dee at the hospital,” Lorelei said.

  “Okay, we will be in touch if we need any further information.” Officer Smith closed his notebook and headed off down the beach where Dee Brown was still on the ground.

  Lorelei climbed back up the trail, making it the top in record time, with Bindi pulling her the entire way. She wanted to get out of there before anyone had more questions for her.

  Another cop car came and parked behind the police cruiser that was already there. The EMT’s had blocked a driveway on the dead end road. The two officers didn’t look at Lorelei as she unlocked her Honda. Her thoughts strayed to the fact that she would have to get a new car soon. Yes, this car had taken her through high school and college, but she needed something she wouldn’t be embarrassed to drive.

  After starting her car, she did a u-turn and headed back to Charleston. Dee’s house, which was only about a hundred yards up the road. As Lorelei pulled into the driveway, a firetruck passed her and turned onto Lighthouse Way. She nosed her car close to the garage.

  “You gotta wait here,” she told Bindi as she ruffled her fur. “I don’t know if her dog would welcome your sassy little self.”

  Lorelei made her way to the gate and let herself in. She was greeted by a sweet golden retriever who seemed glad to have company, even if she didn’t know who it was.

  “How’re you doing?” She knelt down and rubbed the dog’s ears while avoiding the tongue that kept trying to lick her. She found the collar and a name tag. “Hi Lily, I’m a friend of your momma’s and she asked me to let you inside the house. She didn’t want you outside by yourself.” She stood and Lily followed her to the back door. When Lorelei opened it, Lily went to her large bed at the bottom of the stairs, and after making a few circles, making sure it was comfortable, she plopped down.

  Before Lorelei left, she noticed a set of keys sitting on the small table next to the door. Without thinking, she picked them up and pocketed them before locking the door. She walked around the back yard, which was secured by a tall wooden fence. The lawn was mowed, the leaves raked, and there was a chicken coop that was well taken care of. To her left was the back of the garage, and a flight of steps leading up to the apartment Dee had mentioned. She left back through the gate, got in her car and left.