The Scrimshaw Set: Books 1 & 2

by Gayle Hayes

  "The postmark is for December 5 at Tel Aviv. Of course, he could've asked someone else to mail it for him," Dolan said.

  "You're welcome to read the letter. It's not personal." Emma gave it to the detective.

  "He seems to be pretty fond of you. How do you feel about him?"

  "I had a crush on him at first, but I realized he'd never be around. I met someone in Montana last summer. He's younger than Jack. It makes more sense. I'm not up for the type of relationship I'd have with Jack. He's more like an uncle. He's about twenty years older than I am." Emma said.

  "Well, this letter doesn't help us much, I'm afraid. But it's good to know he might've mailed it from Tel Aviv last week. Keep in touch, Emma. I'll let you know what shakes out."

  Emma got out of the detective's car and walked slowly back to her apartment. She'd believed Jack when he said he'd be satisfied with her friendship. Still, he was behaving like someone who wanted to be more than friends.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

  Emma shopped over the weekend for Christmas gifts for each person on the support staff. She also bought a multicolored boa scarf for Ally to wear with her new winter coat. Then Emma found a book about Monte Dolack online. Now the only challenge was to avoid eating all the delightful treats the staff, clients, and companies doing business with Davidson Kelley and Gordon would bring to the office. Along with a selection of artisan breads, one firm had delivered a meat and cheese tray the Friday before. Boxes of chocolates, assorted cookies, and even gourmet ice cream tempted her in the office lunch room.

  Monday morning, Emma mailed the few Christmas cards she'd written over the weekend and hoped they'd get to her friends in the week remaining before the holiday. She'd written separate cards to Phyllis and Carole. She hoped they would understand she already committed to office duty during Christmas week, and that it was too late for her to change it. She no longer felt any particular loyalty to Tom Davidson, but she had a reputation for doing what she promised to do, and that was still important to her.

  Emma was about to start her car at the post office when her phone rang. She was surprised to see the call was from Phyllis.

  "Hi, Phyllis. I mailed your card just now."

  "Hi, Emma. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Eric's been in a bad accident. He's in the hospital in Great Falls," Phyllis said.

  Emma felt as if the life was sucked out of her. "What happened? Was he on the job?"

  "He was hit by a drunk driver. I'm not sure what his injuries are. They don't give out information if you're not family."

  "Is his family there?" Emma asked.

  "No. His sister's in Kansas. His dad's in his seventies and lives in California. It happened around three this morning. I called as soon as I heard about it."

  "Thanks, Phyllis. I need to call you back. I can't think. I want to be there, but I don't know if I can get a reservation. I'll look into it and let you know."

  "Take care, Emma. Let me know if you need a lift from the airport. I'm sorry," Phyllis said.

  Emma ended the call and sat very still for a moment. She knew a deputy's job could turn dangerous at any time, but she thought Buffalo Jump, Montana was about as safe as it could get. She wondered how badly Eric was hurt. Was he conscious? Would she get there in time? Emma pulled out of her spot and drove to the office. She closed the door behind her and pulled down the shade on the door. Then she booted her laptop and started looking for a seat on a flight to Montana. Within an hour, she'd found one ticket on a non-stop flight leaving Denver about seven in the evening.

  Tom Davidson was doing his Christmas shopping online when she walked into his office.

  "Tom, I'm sorry, but I have an emergency. I'm leaving for Montana tonight," she said.

  Davidson didn't turn around. He simply pointed and clicked while talking over his shoulder.

  "We'll see you next week then. Enjoy yourself."

  Emma realized he'd not heard her. "Tom, it's an emergency. I may not be back."

  Tom spun his chair around to face her. "You volunteered for office duty."

  "I've taken the office duty every year for the last five years, Tom. My best friend was in an accident in Montana. There's a very good chance I won't be back next week. Start looking for someone else."

  "I don't like your attitude. I'll look for someone else to take your job while I'm at it," Tom threatened.

  "That's fine, too. I planned to give you my two-week notice in January. Consider yourself on notice. I'll ask Ally to clean out my office." Emma turned and walked down the hall. She did not intend to leave the office this way. She expected Tom to be more sympathetic. She was upset and angry. After taking a few minutes to compose herself, Emma took care of the most critical tasks on her pending cases and told Ally she would not be taking any new clients. Then she told Ally she'd given her notice to Tom Davidson and would be leaving the office after the first of January. She asked Ally to pack her stuff and take it to her apartment.

  "I'll tell the manager you're coming by some time with my things. She'll let you in my apartment. Leave everything in the living room. I'll make it up to you. I so appreciate this, Ally. There's no time to explain. Eric's in the hospital in Montana. I don't know how serious it is."

  "Oh, Em. What'll I do when you're gone?"

  "You'll be fine. I bet you don't remember my name at this time next year."

  "Are you serious? You're the best part of coming to work."

  Emma hugged Ally. "I got you something over the weekend. I'll leave it on the kitchen counter for you. Try to stop before Christmas so you'll have my gift to open."

  Emma took some time to go over a few details on cases Ally could handle by herself. Then she packed her laptop in the briefcase, grabbed her coat and handbag, and headed out the door. She selected the ground floor in the elevator. The door closed. Her stomach sank as the elevator descended. She realized she was leaving life as she'd known it for the last time.

  Once Emma was home, she checked the refrigerator and poured a small amount of milk down the drain, tied up the garbage in the kitchen, and started packing her bags to leave. The items in the bathroom were always the most time consuming, so she usually kept a bag packed with small sizes of everything and then added the few things she needed on a daily basis. She was moving very fast. She was sure she'd forget something important. There was no time to waste. She knew she'd accomplish great things if she could be this focused all the time. Then she realized the stress would probably kill her. She was checking the hamper for anything she might want to pack without washing it first, heard her phone, and could not remember where she'd left it. She went from the bedroom to the bathroom to the kitchen and found it next to the refrigerator. The call was from Detective Dolan.

  "This is Emma."

  "Detective Dolan, Emma. I've got some news for you," he said.

  "I have some news, too. My friend in Montana was hurt last night. A drunk ran into him when he was on duty. I don't know how bad he is, and I'm catching a flight tonight. I have to hurry. What's your news?"

  "Geez, I'm sorry, Emma. I hope everything turns out all right. I wanted you to know we caught the guy who killed Jack's friend, Henry. There was another security camera in the backyard. It captured this guy breaking into the house. We don't have the weapon yet, but it's unlikely Jack's still a suspect."

  "I didn't know Jack was a suspect," Emma said.

  "Well, I should've said, a person of interest. Technically, everybody's a suspect until the case is solved. But it looks like a run-of-the-mill robbery."

  "Do you know what he was after?"

  "McDonald's son said he kept a stash of gold and silver. It hasn't turned up yet, but it will. Anyway, I thought you'd like to know. Let me know how it's going in Montana," Dolan said.

  "I will. I probably won't be back, so I hope you have a Merry Christmas."

  "Thanks, I will."

  Emma ended the call. She was sorry it hadn't occurred to her to find a Christmas gift for the detective. He'd
taken a genuine interest in her and her case.

  Emma changed her clothes and carried her bags to the car. She would have liked to avoid leaving it at the airport indefinitely, but there was no one she could ask for a ride in the last minute during rush hour.

  Later, when Emma unplugged the phone from the charger, she noticed she'd missed a call from Detective Dolan. She went to the call log and touched his number.

  "Hi, again. I saw a missed call from you," Emma said.

  "Hi, Emma. Say, I'm off duty now, and I'm not far from your place. Do you need a ride to the airport?"

  "It's a long way. I'll leave my car in long-term parking."

  "Terrible idea. I wouldn't offer unless I wanted to do it," he said.

  "Actually, I'd rather not leave the car. I'd really appreciate it. I loaded the trunk already. I'll meet you in the lot."

  "I'll be there in ten minutes," he said.

  Detective Dolan insisted on staying with Emma until he was sure she'd board her flight. Emma walked up to the first available kiosk and scanned the boarding pass she'd printed earlier. Then she confirmed her flight information, found her seat assignment, and entered the number of bags she was checking. She placed the bags on the scale and tucked the luggage tags in the outside pocket of her handbag. It was a brisk walk to her gate, and she was glad she wore sensible walking shoes instead of the spike heels slowing down the woman ahead of her. She'd had to sleep on the floor of an airport once when she was in college, so she always traveled in jeans and layered tops.

  When they arrived at the security area, Emma selected a bin for her things and began the screening process. Detective Dolan relaxed and started watching the other passengers. Then he heard Emma's voice. He usually had a hard time hearing her, because she was so soft spoken, and he'd suffered some hearing loss in Desert Storm. Now she was talking louder than the TSA agent. The detective knew there was a problem.

  Another TSA agent asked if Detective Dolan was Emma's friend and then checked his identification. The detective followed him to Emma's location.

  "The scan is showing something in my briefcase, but they can't find it. They think I'm smuggling something onboard. I've repacked my stuff in my other suitcase. I need you to take the briefcase and keep it for me. I've got to make this flight."

  The detective looked at the results of the scan and then looked inside the briefcase. He saw nothing, but something clearly showed up on the scan. He told the TSA agent he suspected Emma was victimized by an acquaintance and asked for a copy of the scan results.

  "I'll take care of this, Emma. You go ahead."

  Emma gave him a hug. "What would I do without you?"

  The TSA agent was satisfied with the detective's explanation and handed the briefcase over to Dolan. Then he escorted the detective out of the security area and went back to work. Detective Dolan watched Emma progress until she disappeared from view. He left the terminal and walked to his car while thinking about the hidden object in the briefcase. Emma didn't know about it, but he was sure Jack Hennessey and Henry McDonald did. Detective Connor had mentioned Henry McDonald started out as an upholsterer. Was McDonald proficient enough at his craft to make something disappear inside Emma's briefcase? Was this connected to the break-in at Mrs. Hennessey's house? Could Jack Hennessey be responsible for McDonald's death, after all?

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

  Emma used the restroom in the waiting area and settled into a hard plastic chair between an older woman and a young man in his twenties. The old woman was relaxed. Her head had dropped to her left shoulder. The young man was texting on his phone. Emma closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and tried to decompress. She was startled when her cell phone rang. It was Jack Hennessey. After draping the strap of her handbag over her chest and back to distribute the weight, Emma picked up the canvas bag she always kept in her luggage for something sturdy in an emergency. She'd loaded it with the items from her briefcase before she gave the briefcase to Detective Dolan. Then she walked to a quiet area where she could hear if her flight was called.

  "Hell-o, Jack. This is a surprise," she said. She found it difficult to hear Jack, because the TV was on near him.

  "How are you, Emma?" he asked.

  "I'm having a hard time hearing you, Jack."

  "Can you hear me now?" he asked.

  "Much better. Where are you?"

  "I'm in New York with Katie and Donuts."

  "You never said. Is Katie married?"

  "No. He left after Donuts came along."

  "I was trying to remember your daughter's last name."

  "I don't think I told you. Why do you ask?"

  "No reason. I thought you'd told me."

  "Are you still holding down the fort for Christmas week?"

  "No. I'm on my way to Montana for Christmas."

  Jack was quiet for what seemed a long time.

  "Jack? Did I lose you?"

  "How's the briefcase working out?" he asked.

  "Great. I don't plan to work in Montana, though. I didn't take it with me."

  Emma thought Jack sounded relieved. "Good. It isn't meant for long trips. You need something on wheels for traveling," he said.

  "I agree. It's heavy with the laptop in it. Jack, they called my flight. It was good to hear from you. I hope you enjoy the holiday with your girls."

  Emma ended the call, leaned on the wall behind her, and took a deep breath. The sound of Jack's seductive voice no longer held any power over her. He'd used her for some purpose. Her life might be in danger. Now they were playing this cat and mouse game over the briefcase. She didn't get Katie's last name, but Detective Dolan might be able to find her.

  The bad news from Montana, the confrontation with Tom Davidson, the stress of leaving her office in good shape, and packing to catch the flight left Emma feeling drained. She'd never been able to sleep sitting up, especially next to a stranger on an uncomfortable flight. Now, she found she could not stay awake. She reclined her seat slightly and gave into her exhaustion.

  Emma woke when the flight was a half hour from Great Falls. There was no view in the dark, but she could make out scattered lights below whenever there was a break in the clouds. She'd reserved a rental car, but she was not looking forward to finding her way in the dark. It would be out of the question in a place like Denver, but she imagined there would be little traffic in Great Falls at nine in the evening. Emma braced herself for the landing and was relieved when it went smoothly. She felt the adrenaline kick in again while waiting for the passengers in the rear to make their way to the front of the plane.

  After claiming her bags, Emma walked to the rental car booth. A Jetta was waiting. She'd requested the car thinking it would be easier to drive something familiar in an unfamiliar place. She loaded the bags into the trunk and followed the directions she'd been given by the rental car agent. Fortunately, there was only one hospital in Great Falls. It should take only fifteen minutes to get there. Emma was surprised there was very little traffic on I-15. She took Exit 278 and was at the hospital less than five miles later. There were very few cars in the lot when she parked the Jetta and headed to the hospital. She was surprised to find it was a large complex. She was glad the rental agent directed her to the tower for after-hours visitors. A friendly, middle-aged woman at the main desk showed Emma a floor plan of the hospital so she could find Eric's room. She began to relax. If he was still in the hospital, he was still alive.

  When she arrived at the door to Eric's room, Emma stopped for a moment to compose herself. Then she opened the door slowly and walked to the foot of the bed next to the window. The room was lit only by the glow from the signs on the building. Eric appeared to be sleeping. She slipped out of the room, walked to the restroom, and took a few minutes to fix her hair and makeup. Then she walked back to Eric's room and sat in the dark waiting for him to stir. A variety of patient monitors were the only noise in the room. After staring at the red, green, and blue numbers, geometric shapes, and squiggly lines for an hour, Emma
called Detective Dolan and hoped he was not asleep. She left Eric's room and walked to the Visitor Waiting Room she'd noticed when she arrived.

  Emma brightened when Detective Dolan answered.

  "Hi, it's Emma. Hope I didn't wake you."

  "I'm turning off the tube as we speak. Are you in Montana?"

  "I'm at the hospital. Eric's sleeping. It looks like his arm is broken. The left side of his face is bruised. But he's alive."

  "Good. Say, I need to get your approval to open up the briefcase. We'll likely do some damage in the process."

  "Do what you need to do. I don't want it back. I'm curious to know what's in it. I guess there's always a chance whatever it is was there when Jack bought it."

  "You're kidding yourself, Emma. We have him on the surveillance camera at Henry McDonald's place. McDonald was a master upholsterer back in the day. My guess is he hid something for Jack Hennessey. What it is…well, that's another thing. Could be he's passing intelligence. Or, he might be hiding proof of something else. The scan makes it look like a CD/DVD image. I'll let you know what we find."

  "I'll be anxious to hear. The reason I called so late is to tell you I talked to Jack before I left Denver. He called from New York to touch base. I think he was checking up on the briefcase. He got very quiet when I told him I was traveling to Montana. I could almost hear a sigh of relief when I told him I left the briefcase at home. He said it wasn't meant for traveling. I don't think it occurred to him I might take it through an airport scanner. Anyway, he said he's with his daughter, Katie, and granddaughter, Donuts. That's his nickname for her. She hits on him for a chocolate-covered donut whenever he's in town. He said Katie isn't married. He left when the baby came. So, Katie might be going by Hennessey now."

  "How do you know he's really in New York?"