by Kathi Daley
“Sometimes, I have to wonder what goes through people’s heads to make them act the way they do. Joe was her friend. He had been her friend for a very long time. Why would she kill him?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose we might never know, just like we will most likely never know what happened to the young man who ended up entombed in the attic of the Vandenberg house.”
Tony turned, so he was looking directly at me. “Actually, I do know what happened to the man in the attic. I was going to wait until later to tell you since we had a nice evening planned and the story is actually pretty ugly.”
I just looked at Tony, confused as to where he was going with this.
“Remember two commercial breaks ago when I excused myself to return a call?”
“Yeah.”
“It was a buddy of mine who collects handwritten contracts, letters, diaries, ledgers, or any other original document dating back to nineteen fifty or before. He is also part of an online group that collects similar items, and they have a chat room where they share information. I told him what I was after and he agreed to do a search to see if he could find anything leading back to either Edward or Ethel Vandenberg.”
“Did he find something?” I asked.
Tony nodded. “He did. He actually found a man who owned a diary written by a woman named Cecilia Worthington. Cecilia lived in the area currently known as White Eagle from nineteen forty until nineteen fifty-two. She moved to Denver in nineteen fifty-two, and when she died in nineteen eighty-six, her daughter sold the fifty-two diaries she’d kept from nineteen thirty-four to nineteen eighty-six as part of the estate sale to liquidate her mother’s assets.”
I sat forward, giving Tony my full attention. “Did Cecilia know Ethel?”
Tony nodded. “She did. And based on what Cecilia knew, I suspect they were close. Cecilia’s mother worked for Ethel as a cook between nineteen forty until somewhere around nineteen fifty. Based on what my friend was able to find out, Ethel and Cecilia became friends, and at some point for reasons unbeknownst to him, Ethel shared her deepest, darkest secret with Cecilia.”
I couldn’t help but hold my breath. “And?” I asked in a soft voice.
“Unfortunately, we were correct in our assumption that the skeleton in the secret room was Ethel’s child. About a year before her mother died, Edward began sexually abusing his daughter. When her mother found out, she tried to leave with Ethel, but as she tried to get away, Edward pushed his wife down the stairs and then told everyone she’d fallen. Ethel was too scared to say anything, so she didn’t. Her father continued to sexually and physically abuse her until she became pregnant with his child when she was only thirteen. Her father sequestered her in the house and didn’t allow her to see anyone, including the help while she was pregnant. She delivered her baby by herself while riding out a violent thunderstorm that occurred one night when her father was away. According to what Ethel told Cecilia, she believed the universe was angry about the birth of the child. Ethel told Cecilia that at the exact moment her baby was born, a bolt of lightning struck the house, damaging the clock which has never worked since.”
“Oh, god. That poor thing.”
“It gets worse,” Tony warned me. “I guess the baby wasn’t right. Ethel was sure the reason he wasn’t right and the reason he was delivered into the world during a lightning storm, was because he was conceived in sin.”
“What do you mean by not right?” I asked.
“Either Ethel didn’t specify, or Cecilia didn’t share the details in her journal, but it sounds as if the boy was both mentally and physically challenged. Edward didn’t want anyone to know about the boy, so he kept him in the attic, and the only one who was allowed to visit with him was Ethel, who saw to his care.”
I shook my head in disbelief. I really couldn’t imagine.
“As the boy aged, he became physically stronger and much harder to control. Edward was afraid the boy was going to hurt someone, so he decided to kill him. By this point, the boy was able to physically stand up for himself, and a struggle ensued. According to Cecilia’s account, Ethel tried to stop her father and shot him in the back as he stabbed his son. Edward left the house after Ethel threatened to finish him off, and based on what Ethel told Cecilia, she never saw him again. She assumed he was dead, but she wasn’t certain. After her son died, she had her friend, Conway, seal off part of the room which served to eliminate access to the damaged clock, and to create a permanent tomb within the walls of the house for her son.”
“It sounds as if she loved the boy.”
Tony’s eyes softened. “I’m sure she did.”
I sat back and stared at the television screen. “You know, I was really frustrated that we hadn’t been able to dig up the details relating to the skeleton in the closet, but now I wish we hadn’t. Ethel’s story is a lot more horrific than any of the cheesy stories being played out on the screen tonight.”
“I know.” Tony glanced at the television screen. “Do you want to turn it off?”
“No. Not yet. My mind is too disturbed to go to bed, but let’s find something lighter to watch for a while. Maybe a silly comedy with no real plot.”
Tony held up the remote. “You got it. Silly and meaningless coming right up.”
Chapter 23
Friday, November 1
“You look adorable,” Bree said after I arrived at the haunted house after-party dressed as a bat.
“You too. Cinderella?”
“Sleeping Beauty.”
“Ah. Well, it’s an awesome costume.” I looked around Brady’s home, which was packed wall to wall with the volunteers he’d wanted to thank. The haunted house had wrapped up late last night, so he’d decided to do this Halloween themed party tonight. “Where’s Mike?”
“He’s over at the bar talking to the guy dressed as a zombie.”
I glanced in that direction. “Mike came as Batman?”
Bree nodded. “I wanted him to come as my prince, but he was having nothing to do with that. When I suggested a knight in shining armor as an alternative, he decided to come as the dark knight.”
“I guess it works. Batman is a justice fighter, and so is Mike.”
Bree smiled as she looked at her husband. “He is at that. And those tights are the best.” She looked back in my direction. “By the way, where is Tony?”
“He got a call just as we were parking, so I decided to come inside and let him have some privacy.”
“Privacy? Who is he talking to?”
“One of his clients. I’m not sure which one, but it sounds as if one of the large companies he set up the software for has a glitch in their system. I’m hoping it won’t require an out of town trip to fix it, but based on what I heard, it sounds like he may need to be there in person to do what needs to be done. I guess we’ll see.” I smiled at a friend who waved in my direction. “By the way, speaking of trips, I spoke to Mom about Thanksgiving, and she is fine with a trip to the lake. I even suggested Grizzly Lake since, as you pointed out, they have a new resort and each of us could have our own little cabin, and she agreed. She is going to ask a friend to come with us, so she won’t have to bunk alone.”
“That’s great. Did she say which friend?”
I frowned. “Actually, she didn’t. I think Aunt Ruthie is planning to go to her son’s. Maybe someone she knows from one of her clubs. I think she has several single friends. Anyway, I guess we should call tomorrow and make sure we can reserve three cabins. Tony and I are fine with something small, but Mom will want a two-bedroom and a large kitchen.”
“I’ll call and see what we can get. I’m really looking forward to this. The resort even offers spa treatments. What I wouldn’t give for a facial and massage.”
“Tony said they have horseback riding and kayaking on the lake, as well as awesome hiking. I’m going to miss my fur babies, but I’m pretty excited as well.”
Bree frowned. “I didn’t even think about what we were going to do with Leona
rd. I guess they don’t allow animals?”
“They don’t, but Shaggy is going to stay at Tony’s to take care of our crew, so you can just bring Leonard over there.”
“Do you think Shaggy can be trusted? Leonard is Mike’s baby.”
“He can be trusted. Besides Mari will be staying at the house with Shaggy, and you know how great she is.”
Bree smiled. “What is their deal anyway? Are they friends? Are they dating?”
“Shaggy says they are friends, but if I had to guess, they are friends with benefits. I don’t suppose it matters. Mari is great, and she seems to have had a really positive influence on Shaggy since she’s been back in town.”
Bree looked toward the door. “It looks like Tony is off the phone. I’m going to grab a drink. Brady made black martinis that are to die for.”
I waited where I was as Tony walked toward me. He really did look awesome in his Dracula costume. Bree might have a dark knight, but I had myself a dark prince.
“How’d it go?” I asked.
“It’s fine. I need to log on and check a few things tomorrow, but I’m pretty sure I can fix what I need to remotely.”
“That’s good. I was hoping you wouldn’t have to go out of town.”
“Actually, I still might have to, but for a different client. I won’t know until Monday, so let’s just enjoy the weekend and worry about it then.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Tony nodded toward the entry where one of the men who’d volunteered as Frankenstein walked in with a woman dressed as a black fairy. “Isn’t that Star?”
I looked in the direction Tony had indicated. “Yeah, that’s her.”
“Did you ever decide if you were going to talk to her about your father?”
“Actually, I’ve given it a ton of thought, and I think I’m going to leave it alone, at least for now. I stopped by her shop this past week pretending to be looking for a gift for my mom, and I asked her about the packet of information she’d received. She told me she’d put it in her safety deposit box. She hadn’t even looked at it. She said that her past was in the past and digging around in it had brought nothing but heartache, so she was going to put a pin in the whole thing for now. She did hang onto the file rather than destroying it, so that does mean she could change her mind at some point, but I think, for now, she is content to leave the past in the past, and so am I.”
“That’s great. I really think that is for the best.”
“I’m going to make an effort to establish a friendship with her. Partly because she might be my sister and I’d like to get to know her better, and partly so it will be easier to monitor the situation. If it looks like she is going to dig in again, we can figure out what to do at that point.”
“That sounds like a good idea, but be careful. I can see a lot of potential for emotional upheaval by getting close to this woman.”
“I know. I did think of that.”
“Should we get a drink?” Tony asked.
I nodded. “Lets. It’s been a really difficult couple of weeks, and I, for one, could use a night of relaxation. A few of Brady’s black martinis should do the trick.”
“You know,” Tony said, kissing my neck, “there are other ways to relax.”
I smiled. “Yeah? What did you have in mind?”
He whispered in my ear.
I smiled. “Now that my dark prince sounds exactly like the sort of thing I would enjoy.”
Next from Kathi Daley Books
Preview:
Milton Standoff was a tall man, with a thin build, long arms and legs, small eyes, and a sharp nose. The first time I met him, I couldn’t help but notice that the man looked a lot like a stork or maybe a crane. He moved with slow precision, which mimicked his speech and manor. He was an odd fellow, that was for certain, but in spite of his arrogant manner, dismissive attitude, and razor-sharp way of speaking, I really couldn’t understand how he’d ended up dead in my parlor.
“State your name please,” a police officer I didn’t recognize instructed. My good friend, Police Chief Colt Wilder, worked out of the tiny satellite office that covered the small town of Holiday Bay, but he’d been out of town for a few days, so emergency calls received by his office were routed to the main switchboard in the much larger town southwest of us.
“Abagail Sullivan, but you can call me Abby.”
“And you own this inn?”
I nodded. “Yes. I own the Inn at Holiday Bay, my inn manager, Georgia Carter, runs the place, and my new employee, Jeremy Slater, lives on the property with his niece, Annabelle. Jeremy helps Georgia with day-to-day operations. He is the one who discovered Mr. Standoff this morning, and he is the one who called it in. I’m sorry. What was your name again?”
“Officer James.”
“Are you in town covering for Colt, I mean Police Chief Wilder?”
“I work out of the regional office, and happened to be in the area when the call came through, so I responded.”
“I see.” I smiled so as to appear appreciative, but I really wished Colt were here. The inn had only been receiving guests for three months, so this was our first dead body. Actually, I hoped it would turn out to be our only dead body. “So what exactly do you need from me?”
“I need you to walk me through exactly what happened this morning,” the man continued.
I nodded, took a deep breath, and began to speak. “Jeremy opened up the inn like he does every morning. He lives in the basement with Annabelle, so it is easiest for him to unlock the exterior doors, start fires in the three wood-burning fireplaces located on the first floor, and open the blinds and drapes before he has to leave to take Annabelle to school. As he does every morning, he was performing these chores when he noticed Mr. Standoff here laying on the floor in the parlor. He went in to investigate and found the man dead. It appears as if he’s been hit over the head with the pilgrim that we had on display on the fireplace mantel.”
The man jotted down a few notes while I tried to rein in my sudden need to ramble. Just answer the man’s questions, I reminded myself, as I suppressed the urge to go off on a tangent about how I had bought the mansion sight unseen after my husband and son died in an automobile accident and how I’d not only found a new start but a new family here in Holiday Bay.
“And what time were the exterior doors locked the previous evening?” Officer James asked.
“Ten o’clock. Jeremy always does his walkthrough at ten o’clock. He noted in the logbook we keep that it appeared that all our guests were in for the evening when he locked the exterior doors, banked the fires, and dimmed the lights. When he began opening things up this morning, the exterior doors were still locked, and it didn’t look as if anyone had accessed them since the previous day, although I suppose it is possible that Mr. Standoff hadn’t been in his room during the walkthrough as Jeremy thought.”
“I assume the guests have access to an exterior door even after hours?”
I nodded. “The back door leading into the kitchen can be opened with the room keys.”
“Who else, other than you and your guests, has a key to the inn?” Officer James asked.
“Georgia, of course, and Jeremy. We have a part-time employee who helps with the cleaning. Her name is Nikki. She lives next door and is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. She would not have killed this man.”
“Anyone else?”
“I guess Lonnie has a key.”
“Lonnie?”
“Lonnie Parker is my contractor. He oversaw the renovation of this place, and even though that part of the project is complete, he still pops in from time to time to take care of any repairs that might be needed. I can absolutely assure you that Lonnie wouldn’t kill anyone.”
The man paused, tapping his pen on his notebook. “Someone did.”
“Well, yes, someone did, but I don’t see why any of our guests would have done such a thing. Yes, Mr. Standoff was an arrogant sort who’d managed to get on everyone’s nerves
, but to kill the man? I just don’t see it happening.”
Officer James continued to tap his pen against the small pad he held. He had a slow way about him that I found to be very annoying. Finally, he spoke. “I understand your need to protect your guests and employees, nevertheless, as I’ve already mentioned, someone killed this man. I’m going to need information on every employee and each of your guests, beginning with each person’s full name and their reason for being in town.”
“Okay.” I took a breath and told him what I could about Georgia, Jeremy, and Nikki.
“And your guests?” He prompted.
“Let’s see. A man named Gaylord Godfry is staying in unit six, which is the unit on the top floor in the area which previously served as the attic. He has been with us for more than two months. He is a retired history professor who is in the area to work on his novel.”
The man jotted down a few notes. “Did it seem as if Mr. Godfry had a conflict of any sort with Mr. Standoff?”
“No. Not really. Well yes, I guess in a way he did.”
The man looked at me over the top of his pad.
I elaborated. “As I already mentioned, Mr. Standoff was an arrogant and generally unlikeable sort. I guess his family has been around since the Mayflower, and apparently, he seemed to think that his lineage provided him with a unique knowledge of all things colonial. He would get into arguments with Gaylord over who settled where, when they settled, and how this particular pattern may have contributed to certain developments in United States history.” I took a breath and then continued. “Gaylord has a doctorate in history. He taught the subject at a university level for years; whereas Mr. Standoff was nothing more than a washed-up actor in town to direct the annual Thanksgiving pageant. Of course, Gaylord knew more about the actual history of the area and of the United States as a whole than Standoff ever would, but the visiting director was just too arrogant to see it, so the men did spar from time to time.”