STEVEN HAD LONG SINCE finished his dinner and ordered a stiff drink by the time Oliver knocked on the door. He set his drink down and hurried to answer. “About time you got here.”
Oliver extended a hand. “Steven, I presume. We meet, finally. You look just like your pictures.”
“So do you,” Steven admitted as he shook Oliver’s hand and then closed the door.
Oliver immediately went to kiss Margo on the cheek. “You look well.”
“Thank you,” she said. “How was your flight?”
“Long, but what a drive. It got dark way too soon, but what I saw of the mountains was stunning.”
“I think it’s too late for room service,” said Steven, “but...”
“That’s okay, I grabbed a sandwich along the way. Where is Colette?” Oliver asked.
“At home,” Margo answered.
Oliver looked concerned. “Alone?”
“I’m not too worried,” said Margo, “It took the two of you all day to get here. Paige probably won’t head this way until she sees the article and it won’t be in the paper until morning. Tomorrow night is another matter.” She reached for Oliver’s hand and let him help her stand up. “Well, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I’m going to put these tired old bones to bed. I get up early, so just come over when you’re ready for breakfast. Then we can plan our day.”
“Before you go,” said Oliver, “I have a question.”
“Which is?” Margo asked.
“After all these years how can you be so sure Paige will come?”
“In my work as a psychologist, I have seen many people with an obsessive personality, but never anyone as fixated as Paige. People who suffer from it live and relive the moment of their despair daily, and even hourly for the rest of their lives. Few ever forgive and none forget. It is almost as though they cherish their misery. She can’t have her husband back, so it is the money Davet took from her that will drive her here. Paige Fowler will come – I am certain of it.” With that, Margo left the room.
Both boys waited until she closed the bedroom door before they sat down. “What article?” Oliver asked.
“Margo called a reporter.”
“Really? Dad says the trial was quite the scandal in its time.”
“That’s what I’ve heard too.”
After the long drive, Oliver finally relaxed. “What do you think we should do tomorrow?”
“I don’t know. Walk around town hoping to spot Paige before she gets to Colette, I guess.”
“I have no idea what Paige looks like. Have you got a picture of her?”
“No, and I don’t want one. Davet probably does...or did, but I don’t know how we would get ahold of it.”
“Then how are we supposed to recognize her?”
“Margo says she has remarkable eyes,” Steven answered.
“How so?”
“One is light blue and the other is dark blue. I’ve seen a lot of eyes at the hospital, but never any like those. If she shows up...”
“If she shows up?” Oliver interrupted, “No, when she shows up. This is our best chance to catch her, you said so yourself every time we talked about it.”
“You’re right,” said Steven. “When she shows up.”
Oliver got up and went to look out the window. There wasn’t but a few light to see in the darkness. “Good thing Margo sent me the text when she did. I was on my way to catch a plane to London and can’t imagine trying to get back in a hurry from there.”
“That was lucky.” Steven paused and then filled Oliver in on his unhappy wife problem.
“Ouch. I’m sorry to hear that.” Oliver looked at his watch. “Where I come from it is two a.m. I say we get some sleep, and catch Paige first thing in the morning so we can get on with our lives.”
“Agreed.” Steven got up, opened the door and turned off the light. He followed Oliver out, locked the door behind them and checked to make certain Margo was safe. In the hallway, the two young men said goodnight and then went in opposite directions.
MARGO WAS INDEED AN early riser and had three glasses of orange juice, a pot of hot water for tea, and another filled with coffee already waiting by the time Steven and Oliver joined her. They each ordered a full breakfast of ham, eggs, and pancakes, and when they finished, they settled into the comfortable chairs to decide what their next move should be.
Margo sat on the sofa and picked up a folded copy of the Denver paper off the coffee table. “The article is in the morning paper.”
“What does it say?” Oliver asked.
“Not much more than I thought it would. It says Paige disappeared and the money was never recovered.”
“Then it doesn’t matter if Colette sees it, right?” Oliver asked.
“Right,” said Margo turning the paper over. “This is what I want you to see.”
Both boys came closer and Steven read the caption: Mystery Woman Saves Baby from Death in a Hot Car. Steven whistled, “Good for her.”
Margo was grinning when she pointed at the picture of the woman, “That is Colette.”
“Are you certain?” Oliver asked.
“I am positive,” Margo answered.
“Wow,” said Steven, “She’s beautiful. She looks just like...”
“Her mother?” Margo asked. “Well, from everything Davet told me, Colette is nothing like her mother. She is spunky, as you can see, but unafraid of people and things she should fear. Davet was always trying to settle her down, but Colette means to be Colette no matter what anyone says. After she ran way he hired a private detective to watch over her.”
“She ran away?” Steven asked. “Why?”
“Because he wouldn’t tell her what happened to her mother.”
Oliver was silent for a long moment, “She doesn’t know?”
“Davet didn’t know how to tell her, so he didn’t answer any questions at all. He feared the answer to one question would lead to many more. Oliver, how did you feel when you found out?”
“Angry and confused at first, and then...”
“Frightened?” Margo pressed.
“Yes, a little frightened too after I had time to think about it.”
“Davet was trying not to frighten her and I think we should honor his wishes until we absolutely must tell her.”
Steven returned to his seat and directed his next comment to Oliver. “Last night, we discussed telling her now. I think we should, but as you see, Margo is against it.”
Oliver shook his head. “The whole idea of coming here is to end this nightmare. We can’t do that if Colette knows. She could freak out and run away again.”
“That’s what Margo said,” Steven admitted. “The thing is, how are we to watch her and the house without drawing suspicion?”
“I’ve been thinking about that too,” Oliver said. “One of us can watch the house and one can watch the restaurant.”
Margo smiled, “While I go shopping?”
“Or get your hair done,” Oliver suggested. “A beauty shop owner in this town would know if there were any strange women here.”
“That’s a great idea,” Steven said.
“I have a better one,” Margo said as she filled her teacup once more with hot water and then returned to her seat. “I’ve thought about it a lot and watching the house would draw a lot of unwanted attention from the neighbors. Sooner or later they would probably call the sheriff. I think we should tell the sheriff ourselves. He seemed like a very nice man when I talked to him on the phone. Besides, we will need his help when we catch her.”
“Sounds right to me,” said Oliver.
Margo waited for Steven to nod, and then called the sheriff. After she hung up, she said, “He’ll drop by on his way to the office.”
COLETTE AWOKE TO THE sound of someone whistling outside. As soon as she realized where she was and that her father was dead, she moaned, “I don’t want to wake up. Please don’t make me.”
Sluggishly, she got up, pulled the window curtain asid
e and just as she suspected, Ben was in his front yard. There it was again, that thrill, that same excitement she used to feel for him. She pushed that sensation away. She wasn’t staying in Lost Bell any longer than she had to, and he would be going back to the Navy, so what was the point?
Apparently, his mom had talked him into watering the lawn. It made her smile in spite of herself. It also reminded her of how quiet their little town was, far quieter than the streets of Denver where the sounds of honking horns and blasting sirens were a daily occurrence.
With nothing to eat for breakfast either, she was tempted to go back to bed and totally forget being alive. On the other hand, maybe the funeral home had her father’s billfold, and if she was lucky, he left money in it.
She had just finished taking a shower, dressing in blue jeans and a T-shirt and brushing her hair dry when she heard the front door open.
“You up yet?” Ben yelled as he opened the screen door and walked in.
“No,” she shouted back. “Go away.”
“Can’t, Mom made me bring you some bacon and eggs.” With Sylvester right behind him, he walked to the dining room table, set the plate on it and then told the dog to go lay down. Next, he went to the kitchen to get a fork and the salt and pepper shakers. What he found instead was empty cupboards. When he turned around, Colette had her hands in her back pockets and was standing in the doorway watching him.
“You still do everything your mom tells you to?” she asked.
He was not about to let her distract him. “You throw the salt and pepper shakers away?”
“Not, me. I eat salt and pepper on everything.” She followed him to the table, sat down and gladly accepted the fork he handed her. The first bite of toast was scrumptious.
“Where do you think Dave was going when he got run off the road?” Ben asked.
“I cannot even guess.”
She was far more interested in eating than in talking, and he was polite enough to let her finish and set her fork down before he asked, “You broke?”
“Dry as a bone, but I’d rather that not get around.”
“My lips are sealed.” Seated across from her, he put an arm on the table and leaned forward to scold her. “You left the door open and the lights on all night. Your dad always locked up before he went to bed and you should too.”
Colette was amazed. “Who in this town is going to hurt me with the Sheriff living right down the street.”
“Well, see, here’s the thing. I don’t want to spend my nights watching the place.”
“Like you don’t already?”
He was not smiling. “I’m serious. Promise me you’ll lock up at night from now on.”
Ben, she noticed, sounded as sincere as he looked. He looked deep in her eyes, which made her heart skip a beat, and she honestly wished he wouldn’t do that. “Okay, I promise.”
He was relieved. “What are you going to do today?”
“After I paint the house?” She returned his smile. “I have to go see Walt Johnson about the funeral.”
“Want me to stay here in case someone sends flowers.”
Colette frowned, “Like who?”
“Okay, then how about I go with you to see Walt?”
“No thanks, I can manage. I won’t be seeing Dad...his body I mean. Sheriff said to have a closed casket. I guess I know what that means.”
“I guess so.”
She was quiet for a time before she said, “Dad paid for the funeral in advance.”
“That sounds like Dave.”
“Too bad he didn’t pay for the tow truck in advance too.”
“Uh oh, that could be expensive. I wonder if he had insurance on the car.”
Colette pushed her cleaned plate away and folded her arms. “I’m sure he did, but I don’t know anything about all that. I’m just a little kid.”
“Don’t panic, I can help. Did your dad leave a will?”
“I have no idea.” Feeling a little overwhelmed just talking about it, she instead asked, “What are you going to do today?”
Ben rolled his eyes and leaned back. “You know, it’s like I never left. Mom’s got this long list of things she wants done and pinned it to the cork board in the kitchen just like she did when I was twelve. I found it there this morning.”
“Well, what else are sons for?” She looked at the clock and was surprised to see that it was a quarter after nine. “I better get going. I slept longer than I thought.” She got up, grabbed her purse and shouted, “Thank your mom for the breakfast.” If Ben said anything she didn’t hear it before she closed the screen door, hurried down the walk, around the rosebush hedge, up the driveway, and climbed into her pickup.
After she was gone, Ben scornfully shook his head. “You left all the lights on still.” He picked up the breakfast plate, turned off the downstairs lights and went out the door. A second later, he opened the door again. “Come on you crazy dog.”
Sylvester shot up and happily followed Ben out.
LIVING IN SUCH A SMALL town, the sheriff’s home was not far from to the hotel, but it was an unusual stop for him to make on his way to the office. When he parked, more than one head turned to watch as the uniformed Sheriff Ron Steele walked into the hotel and immediately took the elevator to the fifth floor. He knocked on the door and was surprised when Steven answered.
As soon as he spotted Margo, he quickly removed his hat, “I didn’t know you had company, Mrs. Allen.”
“Sheriff, this is Steven Jordan and Oliver Lawson,” Margo said. “Please have a seat. We think we might need your help.”
“I’ll stand,” the sheriff said as he closed the door and then stood in front of it with his hat in his hands.
Margo nodded and asked, “Did you read the paper this morning about the trial?”
“I did.”
“Did you know about the case before then?” Margo asked.
“No ma’am. Dave never mentioned it to anyone that I know of.”
“Very well, I shall tell it from the beginning. There is a lot more to the story than the press knows. You see, Davet married...”
By the time Margo finished giving him the short version of what happened, Sheriff Steele had not only taken a seat, he’d finished the cup of coffee Steven fixed for him in the kitchenette. “Good grief,” he sputtered, “I’ve known Dave since he first moved here and I never once suspected he kept something like that a secret. Does Colette...no, she must not know.” The sheriff thoughtfully stared at the floor. “Three million dollars is a lot of money especially in this town. If Dave spent it lavishly, I would know about it.”
“He probably didn’t spend it or hide it here,” said Steven. “There are banks and vaults all over the world where he might have hidden it.”
“True,” the sheriff agreed. “So...you are telling me Colette is in danger.”
“Yes,” said Steven.
“No,” Oliver said at the same time, “Well, I guess she might be.”
“Paige just wants the money,” said Margo, “but she is unbalanced enough to fly into a rage if she doesn’t get it. She might try to force Colette to tell her where Davet hid it.”
“Which Colette knows nothing about,” Steven added.
“That’s why we need your help,” said Margo. “We want to watch the house and make certain Paige doesn’t get anywhere near Colette. But, if we do, the neighbors might...”
The sheriff nodded, “Oh, I’ll hear about it alright. We get dozens of strangers in town on the weekends so we watch out for each other in Lost Bell. You think Paige is here now?”
“We hope so,” Steven answered. “We’d like to catch her and be done with it.”
“Yes, so would I. I live right up the street from Dave’s house and my son is a good friend of Colette’s. I’ll encourage him to spend as much time with her as she will let him. She’s a pretty independent girl, but she shouldn’t be alone at a time like this anyway.” Sheriff Steele got up and walked to the door. Abruptly, he turned around. “
Come to think of it, the house needs painting and a couple of painters wouldn’t upset the neighbors at all, especially if you paint it something other than red.”
“Good idea,” said Steven.
“You mean us?” Oliver asked. “What do we know about painting a house?”
“I used to paint houses on the weekends,” Steven said. “All we need are some coveralls, masking tape and paint.”
“There’s a hardware store on Third Street. Tell Colette I hired you. No way am I going to let a red house greet me every morning when I walk out the door to my car. You can leave the trim red and maybe use an off-white?”
“Sounds good to me,” said Steven.
“Not to me,” Oliver argued. “I’m a city kid.”
“I think it is a marvelous idea,” said Margo. “Colette can get to know you and she won’t be afraid of you if something happens.”
“She’s right,” Steven said.
Oliver rolled his eyes, “She’s always right.”
The sheriff put his hat back on and opened the door. “I’m glad you told me. You have my number, so keep in touch.”
“We will,” Margo promised.
AFTER THE SHERIFF LEFT, Margo told Steven, “You really should call your wife,”
“I tried to text and call this morning,” he admitted. “She doesn’t answer.”
“You’re a dead man,” Oliver teased.
“Don’t I know it.” Steven turned his attention to Margo. “So, what do we need to know about Colette?”
“Well,” Margo started, “Davet kept all the newspaper articles about the trial and photo albums containing the few pictures he had of his wife in a locked bedroom. I suggested he put them in a safety deposit box, but I don’t know if he did. Like I said, his mind was going. If she finds a way to get into that room, and the articles are there, then we might have to tell her before we catch Paige. Other than that, I guess she’s a typical teenage girl.”
“Boy do I know something about teenage girls,” said Oliver. “I have six sisters back home.”
“And I have one in Rapid City,” said Steven.
“Off you go then,” said Margo. “I think I’ll get my hair done this afternoon. Keep me advised, please.” She watched both young men leave and then slumped. “Come to us, Paige,” she muttered, “Let us put an end to this madness once and for all.”
The Locked Room Page 5