by Millie Mack
“Those responsible for my son Jamie’s murder must think you know something or have discovered something.”
Carrie stared at Mrs. Faraday for a moment.
“You’re surprised I used the word ‘murder’? I never had any doubt in my mind my son was murdered. An expert swimmer doesn’t drown. That is why I wanted you to come and stay with us. I hoped you would discover some evidence that would convince the police it was murder. Have you any evidence?”
“Mrs. Faraday, I don’t know whether I’ve any more evidence now than when I first arrived. All I know is from the first night someone has been trying to stop my progress. I now believe Jamie was murdered because of a story he was investigating on smuggling. I also believe the studio was deliberately set on fire to destroy any evidence about this story.”
Mrs. Faraday sat quietly as Carrie spoke and then said, “I knew it. I suspected all along Jamie was working on a story. Any ideas on what we should do next?”
“Charles had an excellent idea today, getting all the various players together to discuss what they knew. It turned out each person had a little piece of information that provided clues to the smuggling connection.”
“You mean you discovered a real clue to Jamie’s death?” Mrs. Faraday leaned forward as she asked the question. “What happened?”
“As we went around the room, we discovered that Jamie asked a couple of people to help him with some research about the docks. He even asked Swatski, the magazine’s photographer, to take some pictures of a certain boat that was arriving. Plus, Joel told me when Jamie first came back he quizzed him about his export business. Then Christopher said his father spent time at the docks in Poland before they came home. Jamie’s conversations were so casual that no one person realized he might be writing a story that put him in danger.”
“A story about the docks would certainly explain why he was at the harbor the night of his death.”
Mrs. Faraday made the same assumption Carrie made earlier, so Carrie added, “I’m afraid there’s still a missing link. We don’t know the relationship between the harbor where Jamie was murdered and the docks where ships arrive. But I feel we’ve made progress because everyone knew something. Even Christopher has more information to share with his uncle.”
“You mean his father’s journal?”
Carrie couldn’t hide the surprise on her face.
“I can tell you’re surprised he told me. As much as he likes secrets, the excitement of his youth often requires he share his secrets. He was bursting at the seams to tell someone he found it, and we have a good relationship. I must say he was somewhat disappointed that you didn’t leave the journal for him so he could show me.”
Carrie started to answer, but Mrs. Faraday raised her hand. “No need to explain to me. I know there was no way to leave something that important lying around, but you might want to remind Christopher of this.”
“I’ll definitely talk with him. I briefly looked at the journal this morning. It also makes references to importing or, to be more accurate, smuggling. However, there was nothing specific about what is being smuggled or who is involved. The good news is we keep gathering puzzle pieces.”
“Then that’s the answer of what to do next. We’ll do the same thing as a family that Charles did today with Jamie’s associates.”
Mrs. Faraday picked up her phone. “Hello, Mrs. Cavanaugh, what are we having for dinner? Good, slice the chicken down and serve it cold, with salads and the baked rolls. Hold the hot vegetables for tomorrow night. Yes, the regular time, but we are going to eat in the study tonight.” She turned back to Carrie. “Tell Charles and Christopher what we are planning, but not Suzanne.”
Carrie found the comment a little unusual. She phrased her answer carefully. “Are you saying you don’t want Suzanne to join us? Because I happen to think Suzanne knows more than what she’s revealed.”
“Oh, no, I want her there! I just don’t want her to know in advance that we are going to discuss the case. I’ve felt for a long time that Suzanne is leaking information to someone outside this house. This someone is closely watching what we are doing.”
“I’ll share with Charles and Christopher our concerns about Suzanne. I especially want Christopher to hold back the information about the journal. Instead, let’s use dinner to confront Suzanne and find out what she knows.” After a pause, Carrie said, “I better go tell the others what we have planned.” Mrs. Faraday nodded in agreement.
Carrie rose to leave when Mrs. Faraday added, “You know, Carrie, I can see now why both my sons have found you so attractive. James found you a challenge to his intellect, and Charles…well, you have touched him deeply. James made a good choice when he asked you to help solve his death. I hope Charles will make a good decision, too.”
33
Carrie left Mrs. Faraday’s room feeling elated. She couldn’t deny the positive feelings she had from the meeting.
However, Carrie couldn’t dwell on the meeting with Mrs. Faraday any longer. She needed to concentrate on the upcoming dinner with Suzanne. She was deep in her own thoughts as she turned the corner in the hallway and bumped smack into Charles. He caught her before she fell to the floor.
“Well, hello! How did it go with Mother?” Charles asked.
“To be honest, it was an unexpected pleasure. We got along just fine. I was just coming to tell you what your mother and I decided. We want to share information with the family, just like you did in your meeting this morning. Where’s Suzanne?”
“She’s downstairs in the study,” Charles said. “She’s still pouting about not having tea with Mother. Why?”
Carrie spent a few seconds filling Charles in on the plan for the dinner and the approach with Suzanne. He said he would let her know that dinner was in the study and then stay downstairs to help Mrs. Cavanaugh get the study ready for the meal. Charles was about to head down the steps, but instead he turned around and gave Carrie a hug. “I knew it would go well with Mother. You two are more alike than either of you were ever willing to admit.”
Carrie stood and watched him for a moment. She still wasn’t sure about her personal feelings for Charles, but she was sure glad they were working together on the case.
She pulled herself back to reality and headed to Christopher’s room. She barely finished knocking on the door when it was flung open.
“I was hoping it was you. It’s about time you showed up.” He took her by the arm and guided her to the chair. “I understand you hid the journal for security reasons, but I wish you had left me a clue. I could have been working on it during the day.”
“I know you’re upset with me, but when I left you the note, I thought Suzanne was going to be here with you. I didn’t like writing down anything about the journal with her around. As it turned out, she went with us to your uncle’s office. Anyway, I figured you would go to my room and look for the journal.”
“Actually, I did sort of toss your room while you were out,” he answered softly.
“Ah, I see,” Carrie responded sternly. Then she broke into a grin. “You did a good job. I was in my room before having tea with your grandmother, and never knew you were there.”
“Good, I was careful to put everything back where it was. I finally decided you must have taken the journal with you. I guess you shared it with the people at Uncle Charles’s meeting.”
“You know about the meeting?”
“Grandmother told me you all went to a meeting about my dad. I’d have liked to have gone, too, but I guess it was just for adults.” He sounded down. “While you were gone, I did tell Grandmother about the journal. I felt I needed to tell someone since I didn’t know where the book was.”
“First of all, partner, I didn’t have the book with me. It was in my room the entire time. Second, no one at the meeting was told about the journal. You found it, so you should be the one to tell your Uncle Charles about it before anyone else is told of its existence. Third, don’t forget you also need to tell him about th
e two men and what you saw the night of the fire.”
Christopher seemed relieved about the status of the journal. Then he thought about what Carrie just said. “Wait a minute! You’re saying the book was in your room? I couldn’t find it, and I looked everywhere.”
“Obviously, you didn’t look in the right place. I thought you would have found it, based on finding your father’s journal.”
“You hid it under the floorboards?” he asked in disbelief.
“Not exactly, since the room has wall-to-wall carpet.” She took him by the hand and led him over to the fireplace in his room. She moved the fireplace set and then lifted the hearth rug.
“That’s where it was? Gee, I even lifted the fireplace set. I should have looked under the rug. Can we go and get the book and go over it now before dinner?”
“I’m afraid looking at the journal will be delayed a little longer. Look, your grandmother sent me over to talk with you. At dinner, we’re going to continue the meeting about your father’s death.”
“Oh, I see,” he said dejectedly. “So you’ve been sent to tell me that my dinner will be sent up to my room.”
“No, silly, I’m here to tell you dinner is being served in the study and don’t be late.”
“Really?” Christopher could barely hide his excitement.
“Really, but there’s a restriction,” answered Carrie.
“I knew it. I have to keep my mouth shut and listen to the adults.”
“Hey, what’s wrong with you? You’re my partner and a full participant. The restriction has to do with Suzanne. We don’t feel we can trust her. We want to be careful what we say in front of her. That’s why any discussion about the journal needs to wait until we are alone with your uncle.”
“Haven’t I been telling you guys she couldn’t be trusted? I never understood what Dad saw in her. If nobody trusts her, why are we inviting her to our meeting?”
“For the same reason your father kept her near. To find out what she knows!”
34
Carrie left Christopher’s room and returned to her own. She had time before the dinner with Suzanne and needed to relax. She would forget Suzanne for the moment and do some writing.
She liked the atmosphere of her room at the Faraday’s. It was quiet and comfortable and the desk was a perfect size to hold her laptop and still have room for papers. It was a great place to spend some time with her character Ascot.
Carrie had used her ATM escape from her two assailants to also save Ascot from the agents who had him trapped in the alley. Now she was working on a scene where Ascot was going to meet the man who had been providing him with information. She decided this meeting would take place in a bar. She wanted the inside of the bar to be old and dark, which seemed appropriate for Ascot’s secret meeting. The bar at the Admiral’s Saloon gave the impression of being old. Carrie would combine some of its characteristics with some of the features of pubs she had visited in Europe.
Ascot entered the bar. It was so dark that he was forced to stop in his tracks while his eyes adjusted to the light. Once his eyes adjusted, the room came into focus but light was still limited. The walls were covered in a dark wood paneling that no doubt had deepened in color after many years of inhaling smoke and liquor from the patrons.
Ascot spotted two men drinking beer at the bar. It was early afternoon but they were very comfortable in their seats as if they had been there for many hours. Ascot looked down the length of the long bar; there were no other customers. He looked to his right and saw an alcove that was set up for dart tournaments, but there was no one playing darts. Ascot looked at the booths that lined the right-hand wall of the bar. Although the booths had high backs, he could see no activity or hear any voices. Where was the guy he was supposed to be meeting?
He was just debating whether to leave when he saw an arm extend out from a booth at the back of the bar. Then the hand made a waving motion, inviting him to approach. Ascot started the long walk to the back of the bar. As he passed the bartender, he nodded. Finally, he reached the booth and he turned to see who was seated there. He couldn’t hide his surprise when he recognized—
Carrie knew this piece of writing would need editing, but she was pleased with what she had written so far. She was sitting back relaxing when she noticed the calendar on the desk.
Good grief, I’m about to miss a deadline, she thought, realizing she needed to call her editor and ask for an extension on a photo shoot she did.
Carrie lifted the receiver on the phone near her bed and heard a conversation that was already in progress. That’s unusual, she thought, having been under the impression that this was Jamie’s private line. I wonder where the extension is. She was about to put the receiver down when she recognized Suzanne’s voice. However, this voice was not the little girl voice she associated with Suzanne. This voice was all business.
“Did you hear something?” a soft male voice asked.
“No, but I’m using one of the cordless phones from the studio, so the base station may have been damaged in the fire. I didn’t want to use one of the house lines in case someone picked up the receiver,” answered Suzanne. “Anyway, as I was telling you, I don’t know what that kid found. All I know is that he went to her car last night and got something out from under the seat.”
“I thought your room was right over the driveway. Couldn’t you see what the kid got?” asked the man on the other end of the phone line.
“It was dark. That part of the driveway isn’t lit. In fact, if it weren’t for the lights from the fire department equipment, I probably wouldn’t have seen him at all. I could tell it was something small and easy to carry. It might have been a book, or it might have been his father’s journal. The note that Carrie left for him this morning referred to whatever they found as ‘it.’ She seems to be encouraging Christopher’s fantasies by playing detective with him.”
Now Carrie knew the reason why Suzanne returned to her room that morning for a sweater. While Carrie was politely fixing Suzanne a cup of coffee in the kitchen, she was reading Christopher’s note.
“Playing detective or not, she must think whatever the kid found is important. Otherwise, she would have told Christopher where she hid it,” he suggested.
“But even if he found the journal, we don’t know if it contains anything important,” Suzanne suggested.
“I hope you‘re right. Except for that journal there’s nothing to worry about. All the remaining papers and photos went up in smoke last night. We saw to that. We broke open every file and desk drawer before dousing them in flammable liquid. Why don’t you talk to the boy? Tell him you saw him and ask him what he found. Tell him that the two of you must form an alliance to help solve his father’s murder,” Then he added with a snicker. “Becomes the little brat’s friend.”
Carrie listened carefully, hoping to identify the voice as one of the two men who chased her. Unfortunately, the second man hadn’t said enough that night for Carrie to be sure it was him.
“I’ve tried to get along with him, but he doesn’t like me. Look, I’m not sure there is anything else I can do here. Carrie has managed to gain everyone’s confidence. Christopher likes her, and if I’m not mistaken, Charles is infatuated with her. I’m not sure how much longer they will let me stay.”
“Then use the time you have left wisely. Find out what the kid found and keep a close eye on Carrie She’s a problem we didn’t plan on.”
“She’s not my problem! You guys were supposed to convince her to leave town before something happened to her. If you had you done your job at the harbor, she wouldn’t be a problem.”
Carrie gulped, now she knew Suzanne was definitely talking with one of the men who chased her. She wondered if Suzanne was naïve enough to think those men were only going to talk with her at the harbor. What on earth could Jamie have discovered that would have these people willing to kill others? Carrie forced her brain back to the phone conversation.
“I want to meet with the boss.
You tell him that I want out and I want my money. I’ll simply disappear, no strings attached. In fact, I’m calling the travel agency tomorrow. I want to go back to Europe,” demanded Suzanne.
“I’ll talk to him. I’m sure he will decide to get you out of there. But in the meantime, keep doing your job!” He paused and then added, be at the public phone booth tonight at ten, and I’ll call you there with further instructions.”
“All right, I’ll be there. Bill, that phone better ring; no more excuses. I want to leave this house, and tomorrow won’t be soon enough.”
With those last words, Suzanne hung up the phone. When Carrie was sure the other party had hung up, she replaced her receiver. At least now Carrie had the proof Mrs. Faraday and Captain Becker both wanted. Suzanne was definitely connected to Jamie’s murder.
Carrie went to the fireplace and removed the journal from its hiding place. She slipped the book into the band at the back of her slacks. She threw on a sweater to cover the journal’s hiding place. She looked in the mirror and turned to the side to make sure the outline of the journal didn’t bulge out from the fabric of the sweater. As she was fixing her makeup, she saw the determined look on her face. She would confront Suzanne Redmond with the phone conversation she just overheard. She would ask Suzanne why Jamie Faraday was murdered.
35
The study set-up was similar to the day of the funeral. A large folding table was added to hold the food. The jigsaw puzzle was gone and the round game table was covered with a cloth and was serving as the dining table. Mrs. Cavanaugh clearly added to the request from Mrs. Faraday for sliced chicken sandwiches. The table displayed the chicken, nicely sliced, with an assortment of cheeses along with hot rolls, a green and a pasta salad, plus chips and a relish tray. To round out the meal, there was a plate stacked with brownies, along with individual fresh fruit bowls.
When Christopher and Carrie arrived, Mrs. Faraday and Suzanne were already seated at the table, and Charles was in the process of opening a bottle of wine. Carrie helped Charles place the wine glasses on the table for each of the adults and poured a soda for Christopher.