Maureen read Hank’s card, and then squinted at Tina. “I remember your name now. Ms. Margaret mentioned you a few times. I guess it’s all right to talk to you.”
She opened the door wider to let them in. The hall’s wooden floor shone with wax. The living room smelled of lemon polish, and everything gleamed. Not an item out of place. Tina was impressed. If Maureen worked all day keeping other people’s homes, it must be hard to then do the same with her own.
“Have a seat.” Maureen gestured vaguely. “Would you like some tea, coffee?”
“None for me,” Tina said.
“Thanks,” Hank said. “I’m good.”
Everyone sat down and Maureen waited.
“Maybe you heard,” Hank began, “about the man who was murdered next door to the Young place.”
Maureen scowled. “Yeah. But they never identified him.”
“Not officially. But it’s believed his name was Joshua Young.”
Maureen gasped. “Mr. Young? Ms. Margaret’s brother?”
“No. He’s still alive, fortunately. This would be a different Joshua. You know anything about him?”
Maureen shook her head. “Never knew of his existence.”
Tina’s heart sank. She’d tried not to get her hopes up, but obviously, she had.
“Did you or Margaret ever notice anything strange going on in the neighborhood or noises in the house? Anything out of the ordinary?”
“Why do you ask that?”
Was she hedging, or just surprised? Tina couldn’t tell.
Hank leaned forward. “Because Leslie heard some strange noises while she was working in the attic. And it seems odd to us that the attic is such a, well, mess, while the rest of the house was kept immaculate.”
Maureen nodded. “I wondered about that when I first started working there. Ms. Young wouldn’t go to the attic. She said it was too overwhelming to deal with and held a lot of old memories, so she preferred to just let it be. If anything needed to be taken up, she’d tell me to do it and to just put it anywhere.”
“But you found out there was something else going on in the attic, right?” Hank asked.
Maureen nodded. “But I’m still not sure I should talk about it.”
“Why not?” Tina asked.
“It could put people in danger. Maybe. I’m just saying.”
“Ms. Ahearn,” Hank said, “people are already in danger. You knew Brandon?”
Maureen nodded.
“He was attacked, twice. Leslie was kidnapped.” At Maureen’s horrified expression, he quickly said, “and she was found within hours in a secret room next to the attic. She’s fine, but rattled, of course.”
Maureen shook her head, and couldn’t seem to stop. “I don’t understand any of this. No one but the people who stayed in the attic should be in danger. It had to be kept secret to keep them safe.”
Hank and Tina stared at her, speechless.
“Maybe one of the husbands…”
Tina got it right away then. “It was used as a safe place for abused women?”
“Yes. It was temporary for when the other shelters were full.”
Tina and Hank exchanged shocked glances, then looked at Maureen.
“It had to be a husband or boyfriend who killed that Joshua Young,” Maureen said. “If I’d ever thought of that, I would have gone to the police.”
She hoped, Tina realized, it had nothing to do with the shelter. It still might not have, but that seemed a stretch.
“Let’s start from the beginning,” Hank said. “How did you find out about what was going on in the secret room?”
“Well, as I said, Ms. Young wouldn’t ever go up to the attic. One day when I was up there, I heard some banging, and other noises. I ran downstairs and told Ms. Young. She sat me down and told me about the shelter. You sure you don’t want something to drink? Kind of thirsty, myself.”
“Some coffee would be nice,” Tina said. She realized Maureen needed to collect her thoughts.
Hank looked as if he didn’t want to take the time, but he read Tina’s expression. She tried to indicate to him he needed to go slow. He nodded. “Coffee would be great.”
“Can I help you with it?” Tina asked when Maureen stood up.
“No, thanks. I’ll get it.”
After she left, Hank walked over toward the doorway. Tina realized he was listening. Why? Oh, maybe Maureen was calling someone. Who would she call? Whoever was in charge of the temporary shelter? But even if she didn’t call them now, she probably will after we leave.
Maureen came back in about five minutes. Hank had managed to take his seat before she walked in carrying a tray.
Hank jumped up again. “Let me take that. It looks heavy.”
Maureen smiled at him. Tina realized it was the first time she’d seen the woman smile. “That’s okay. I’m used to carrying heavy trays.” She set it down on a space that was obviously left clear for it on the coffee table.
Maureen asked Tina, “Cream or sugar?” After she fixed the coffee the way everyone liked it, she took a sip of her own and leaned back in her chair. “You know, I’m still not sure how much I should tell you about all this. I didn’t think it would still be used after Ms. Young passed away.”
“What surprises us,” Tina said, “is that she never told Leslie about it, or left any papers. Well, except we did find a couple of lists of names in her handwriting.”
Maureen looked surprised. “I was sure Ms. Young would tell her niece. Maybe she just kept putting it off.”
“Could be,” Hank said. “Do you know what it was used for originally?”
Maureen nodded. “Runaway slaves.”
“We thought it might be that.” Hank set his empty cup down on the tray, surprising Tina he’d drank it so quickly. “So Ms. Young knew about the space all along?”
“Yes. Her parents knew about it, but never used it for anything. They didn’t ever tell their children while they were alive—Josh and Margaret. She found out after they died. They left a sealed letter with their lawyer for Ms. Young’s eyes only. Ms. Young got involved with a group from church. They quietly helped abused women escape their husbands. But it was hard back then to find a safe place for them, and the only one they had often filled up. Ms. Young decided to furnish that space. She had a man from church secretly do the bathroom. Others helped haul up the furniture. The women would come in through the basement when Ms. Young let them in.” She stopped and stared at Tina. “You say people are using it now. How do they get in if Miss Leslie doesn’t let them in?”
Tina looked at Hank. How much should they tell Maureen?
“It’s an involved process,” Hank said. “A little girl climbs in the basement window nearest the outside doorway and unbolts it. The adults come in that way. The problem is, we don’t know why they’re doing it. Could still be for abused women, I guess.” He rubbed the back of his neck.
Maureen looked incredulous. “That’s just weird.”
Tina and Hank laughed. “Yeah, it is.” Hank sobered quickly. “It hasn’t been a good experience for the little girl, that’s for sure.”
“I imagine.” Maureen’s expressed turned troubled.
“Do you, by chance, know a Mrs. Hendricks?” Hank asked. “She lives one street over and is the girl’s guardian. Irene Hendricks.”
Maureen took a moment to think. “That name is not at all familiar.”
Too bad, Tina thought. Maybe Lisbeth would find out more about her, though.
“What else can you tell us?” Hank asked.
“Not much. When I first began working for Ms. Young, I knew nothing about any of this. I only came in two days a week, and she let the women in at night and warned them to be very quiet, especially on my days. Then I moved in because she needed someone around all the time. That’s when I first heard noises. Soon after she explained to me what was going on, she told the people she could no longer keep the space available for them, that they’d have to find other accommodations. It jus
t got to be too much for her.”
“Then it may not be being used for that purpose anymore.” Tina glanced at Hank.
He nodded, looking somber. “We have part of the answer now, but it doesn’t explain who’s been using the space lately and how they knew about it.”
“I’ve never told a soul.” Maureen frowned. “Of course, there were church members who knew about it, but the whole time Ms. Young was alive, we never heard a whisper that anyone else knew or that it had become common knowledge.”
“No angry husbands showed up?” Hank asked.
“Never. I’m pretty sure none of the neighbors even suspected.”
Hank nodded. “We noticed the back yard has bushes and that hedge to keep it private.”
“They were already there when Ms. Young inherited the house.”
“Do you happen to know,” Tina asked, “if Mrs. Benson knew about any of this?”
Maureen nodded. “She knew. She belonged to the same church, and I think she might have even suggested the whole thing to Ms. Young.”
“Did Ms. Young tell you who at the church knew about this arrangement? Do you have some names you can give us?”
“No, she wouldn’t tell me. She said the less I knew, the better. She said is wasn’t that she didn’t trust me, just that it was safer for everyone.”
“I’m not surprised. Ms. Ahern, we’ve taken up enough of your time. And can’t thank you enough for this information.” Hank stood up. “Can we contact you if we have more questions?”
Maureen shrugged. “Sure. I don’t know how much help I’ve been for the current situation, though.”
Tina got up. “You’ve filled in a lot of the blanks for us. And the coffee was delicious.”
“Thanks.” Maureen smiled again. “Good luck with the investigation. If I think of anything, I’ll give you a call, Mr. Silver.”
They said good-bye, and Tina and Hank went out to his car. The sky had turned overcast, and Tina shivered. Hank raised the top, and they sat there for a few moments just looking at each other.
“So,” Tina said. “We know the background, but it seems as if it has little or no bearing on what’s going on there right now.”
Hank put the engine in gear. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
CHAPTER 45
“You think they may have started using it again for abused women without telling Leslie.”
“It’s a remote possibility. But you’re right, doubtful.” Hank pulled away from the curb. “It doesn’t explain what happened to Joshua Young.”
“Maybe Joshua knew about the secret space and he, his wife, and Sophie stayed there sometimes. The clothing we found in the armoire seems to suggest something like that. Someone found out about it from any of the three of them, and began to use it for illegals or human trafficking.”
Hank sighed. “Someone like Irene Hendricks, you mean.”
“Yes.”
“We need to talk to Sophie again. She may even know how Irene found out about it, if that’s what really happened.”
“Not today. Let her get used to being at the Fitzgeralds. Maybe we won’t even have to do that if we learn more.”
“Not ‘we’ any longer, red. Now’s the time for you to back off.”
“How can you expect me to do that, Hank Silver? We can at least brainstorm together.”
Hank sighed hugely again, then grinned at her. “Well, first, we need to eat. Where would you like to go?”
“Oh, is it that late?” Tina glanced at the dashboard clock. Almost six. “We’re not dressed for anywhere fancy. How about Easton’s Point Pub?”
“Sounds good. Want to ask Michele to join us?”
Tina jerked around in her seat. “She’s following you again?”
“Never stopped. I’m learning to live with it.”
“What she said about the case in New York. Human trafficking. You think that might be what’s going on at Leslie’s?”
“The thought crossed my mind. Rhode Island has become a mecca for lots of illegal immigrants. Your explanation of how Joshua Young could have gotten caught up in all that makes quite a bit of sense.”
“Has Lisbeth found out anything more about him? Where he was living, for example?”
Hank frowned. “I wondered when you’d start asking about him.”
Tina stared at him. “You know something and haven’t told me. Hank!”
“Well, nothing current. We found a record of a Joshua Young at a facility in Massachusetts. He wandered off years ago, and no one has seen or heard from him since.”
“Oh. Oh, my.” Tina’s heart ached for the man. She realized they’d arrived at the pub. She didn’t want to go in right away. “Please tell me more.”
“Okay.” Hank turned off the engine and faced her. “We sent a photo to the facility, and they said it looked like the Joshua Young who’d lived there. They had to match it with their own photos, though. Hardly anyone’s still working there who knew him. And he’d aged, of course. We asked Leslie’s father for a DNA sample. He agreed, but it will take weeks to get results. Of course, none of this tells us how and why he ended up near Leslie’s place. Or about Sophie.”
“Someone in Newport has to know about him. I don’t think he could manage long on his own.”
“The wild card is Sophie’s mother.” Hank checked his rearview mirror to see what Michele was doing. “If she was higher functioning, they may have gotten by. I’m worried that she’s no longer alive, herself, though.”
“How come?”
“I think she would have come forward to identify him.”
“If she knew what happened to him. I hope Lisbeth is grilling Irene Hendricks. That woman knows a whole lot of important information.”
“Yeah.”
They got out of the Jaguar. Tina looked around for Michele and spotted her leaning against her car. The woman had style, Tina had to admit to herself. She wore a black trench coat, black skinny jeans, and black, high-heeled ankle boots. A gleaming white scarf with something sparkling in it encircled her neck, and her golden blonde hair shone in the lamplight.
Tina marched over to her. If surprised, Michele hid it well. “Why don’t you just join Hank and me for dinner?” Tina stopped in front of the other woman, a bit closer than she normally would.
Michele looked amused. “That would be charming.” She moved away from her position against the car and took a step toward Tina. Now Tina was being crowded. She admitted it was a good countermove, but keeping her face as expressionless as she could, she turned and walked to the restaurant’s entrance where Hank waited.
“Ladies.” He opened the door with a flourish. Of course, his face also showed no emotion. They’d all be terrible actors, trying never to emote, Tina thought. But they seemed to be playing parts in real life.
After they were seated, they ordered drinks. Tina asked for a daiquiri, Hank Scotch and water, and Michele a lemon drop martini. Tina was trying to decide if Hank was annoyed or amused by her move. But she ignored him and turned to Michele. “What news from New York?”
Michele laughed. She looked at Hank. “I can see why you love her.”
Hank took a large breath of air, held it a moment, then exhaled. “Is it that obvious?”
“Oh, yes. To me, anyway.”
Hank frowned. “Really.”
When he didn’t say anything more, Tina said, “The topic was New York.”
Michele’s smile widened. “So it was. New York is an interesting place, even without that big city down south.” She looked at Hank. “Actually, some people there are re-thinking what you told them.”
Now Hank looked surprised. The waiter came with the drinks, and Tina realized Hank welcomed the distraction while he gathered his thoughts.
After the waiter left, Hank took a long swallow of his Scotch. “What made them do that?”
“Me, mostly. I know you better than they do.”
Tina glanced between the two of them. Hank looked like a big cat ready to spring, and Michele l
ooked like a kitten who stole all the cream. Tina could feel the electricity between them, and instead of it warming her, it made a huge chill run down her spine.
CHAPTER 46
When Hank didn’t take Michele’s bait, she raised an eyebrow and said, “You don’t want the details? Or shouldn’t we discuss it in front of your little friend?”
Hank grinned. “Your claws are showing, my dear. I’ve decided to be open with Tina. Discuss away.”
Michele took a sip of her martini, then carefully blotted her mouth with her napkin. “You remember Rudy.”
“Who could forget Rudy?”
“You’re right. He’s pretty unforgettable.” Michele leaned toward Tina. “He’s huge, about six-five, way over three hundred pounds. And not the proverbial Teddy bear. He’s tough, but fair. But he has a wicked tongue, and as he himself often says, he doesn’t suffer fools gladly.”
“Got it,” Tina said. “My uncle would say he suffers fools badly.”
Hank laughed. “King of the twisted, and sometimes-not-twisted, clichés.”
Michele looked as if she didn’t know whether to smile or not. “Anyway, Rudy was in charge of us peons. He’d never met Hank before. Called him ‘hotshot’ because of his reputation. Hank ignored that drama and just did his job. As I told you, we were investigating a particularly abominable group of human traffickers. And Hank began to smell a rat in our group. He went to Rudy with his suspicions. The rat was one of Rudy’s pets, so of course he didn’t believe Hank. Instead, he removed him from the team and sent him back to Newport.”
Tina looked at Hank. “I don’t understand why you couldn’t have just told me that.”
Hank glanced at Michele. “Later.”
Tina sighed and decided another daiquiri was called for, so she waved at their waiter. He nodded and came over, apologizing for not getting back to them sooner. After they all agreed they wanted another round and ordered some food, Tina asked Michele. “So, what happened that made Rudy change his mind about Hank?”
“Rudy, as smart as he is, never caught onto the fact that Hank and I knew each other rather well from working together before. I trusted Hank’s instincts more than I did Rudy’s, so I started my own little investigation. I have some, shall we say, assets Hank couldn’t use to get close to the person.”
Cluttered Attic Secrets (Tina Tales) Page 20