"Katie and I are discussing what to do about him. But in the meantime, I found something I thought you'd be interested in."
I took a sip of my hot mint tea, curious as to what he was talking about. "And what would that be?"
The doctor cleared his throat. "I recalled that you were interested in what had happened to Gerard's things, since you needed his dog's vet records. You know how I mentioned that Alice rented a storage building? I found the keys for it when I was cleaning her desk drawers. I'm happy to get the keys to you—I trust that you'll be able to find what you're looking for. You could just return them to me."
Although I'd already located Coal's vet and gotten the scoop on his records, it would be good to see if Gerard had saved more paperwork on his dog. Even more enticingly, he might've left a clue as to the meaning of Coal's mysterious metal tag.
Checking into a storage building had nothing to do with Ivy Hill, so Bo couldn't really be upset with me for looking into it.
Who was I kidding? He'd definitely be ticked if he knew what I was planning to do, but what he didn't know...
"Sure," I said. "Tell me the name of the storage place, and would you mind dropping the keys off at my house tonight? I live in back of the cafe, so it's on your way. Just open the back gate and come up to my door. I really appreciate this."
"Happy to help," the doctor said. "I'll drop by around six. Tonight's an early night for me."
I felt a little guilty about prying into Gerard's boxes, but if I turned up anything, it could only shine more light on things—possibly on his murderer. I convinced myself that Gerard would've wanted me to check things out.
Besides, Detective Hatcher had dismissively said the cops had searched Gerard's house right after the murder, and by now, they'd had plenty of time to check over the storage building, if they'd wanted to. I doubted they were concerned about the cryptic message on the metal dog tag, but I couldn't shake the hunch that it was directly connected to Gerard's murder and Coal's dognapping.
I was just gathering intel, that was all. There was no need to bother my brother to come along. I'd be in and out in no time.
After this, I'd stop worrying about what that tag meant. The cops had to be closing in on Gerard and Alice's murderer...or murderers...by now.
Didn't they?
Doc Schneider knocked on my door at 6:10. Coal gave a bellowing bark and charged forward, so I shoved him behind me before cracking the door to peek out.
"Hi," I said. "Sorry about the dog."
The doctor smiled. "He came with me easily enough after Gerard's death, but he's been through a lot since then, hasn't he?"
When Coal heard the doctor's voice, he poked his nose around me and sniffed. The doctor held out a hand and Coal inched toward him.
"He likes you," I said.
"I'm glad he's found a good home." The doctor held out a couple of keys dangling from a keychain emblazoned with 6A. I reached out and took it.
"It's at the Meadow Field storage facility," he said. "I found the paperwork for Alice's building rental—which reminds me, we're going to have to figure out what to do with all Gerard's stuff so we won't have to keep paying rental fees. Let me know if you see anything valuable in there that we can sell. Otherwise, we'll just do a huge yard sale or something."
"Will do," I said. "It's too bad he didn't have any close relatives who could take care of these things for you."
"Gerard was used to being alone, I think." He nodded at Coal. "That dog was probably his closest friend." Glancing at the sky, he asked, "Are you going over now? It's so overcast and it'll be dark soon. But I imagine the building has a light."
I shoved the keys in my jeans pocket. "Probably. I'll take a flashlight, too."
"I'd offer to go with you, but my wife and I are dining out with friends tonight." He glanced at Coal. "Maybe you should take your dog with you. He seems quite protective."
"He's not the easiest animal to transport, and I don't think I'll need backup." I tried to sound carefree. "I'm sure people go to those storage facilities at all hours. Besides, you have to have a key to get in."
The doctor nodded. "I've just been struggling to make sense of Alice's death, not to mention Gerard's. The police asked me some rather pointed questions, which led me to believe Alice and Gerard were involved in underhanded activities at Ivy Hill."
"Art fencing," I confirmed. "But the police already have a serious suspect, so I'm sure you and I are off the hook. Glen Rhodes has been taken into custody, from what I've heard."
"Glen?" The doctor paled and placed a hand to his chest. "Surely not Glen Rhodes?"
I nodded. "He was there in Alice's office—they found his prints on a glass. Maybe they uncovered some DNA linking him to her strangulation."
"Glen's company was one of our largest donors," he said.
"That's what I heard."
Doctor Schneider shook his head. "I'm afraid it's going to take a miracle to keep Ivy Hill afloat. We'll probably dismiss Jedi, then if we lose that company donation too..." His voice trailed off and he furrowed his bushy eyebrows.
"Didn't the oyster roast bring in some donations?" I asked.
He nodded. "I deposited those checks, but after looking over Alice's books, I'm afraid that money will only serve to get us caught up on the bills." He shot me a desperate look. "I guess we've been on rocky ground for a while. Alice kept it hidden from everyone."
"I'm sorry." I was at a loss for what to say.
He gave a curt nod and glanced at his watch. "Maybe I'll have to go back into private practice—a rather daunting thing at my age," he said. "But I'd better get going, or I'll be late for dinner. Take care of yourself. Just drop the key off when you're done with it."
"Thank you," I said, closing the door as he headed down the garden path. Coal gave a plaintive whine, and I patted his head. "What's up, boy? You remember the doctor? He's nice, huh?" I couldn't really believe Doc Schneider was so trusting with the entirety of Gerard's earthly possessions, but then again, it wasn't really his direct responsibility. Alice had taken that burden on herself, and now Alice was dead.
I shivered. It was getting dark fast, and it was chilly, too. I sprinted upstairs and chose a black turtleneck sweater, my black jeans, and black boots for my mission. Maybe I'd blend into the shadows if anyone did turn out to be lurking around the storage facility.
It was tempting to take Coal along, but I knew that was far more hassle than it was worth. I was going to be fine. The doctor was the only one who knew I was heading over to Meadow Field Storage tonight, and he was going out with his wife. I'd lock the building door once I got inside, so no one could burst in while I was going through things.
I fed Coal and walked him, then tucked him in with his blanket on his pillow. He gave me a reproachful stare, as if he knew what I was up to.
"I'm working tomorrow—early shift," I explained for absolutely no reason. "I want to go through things before they unload Gerald's stuff. This is the best time to do it."
Coal yawned and gave me a doggie groan.
"Get some sleep," I commanded, grabbing my car keys and easing into my black coat. "I've got unfinished business to take care of." I whisked out the door, making sure to lock it behind me.
Meadow Field Storage Facility turned out to be a well-lit area that was completely gated. I pulled up in front of the main gate, then took out my keys to try them in the lock. When I stepped closer, it was obvious someone had left the main gate unlocked, so I only had to push it open. I fingered the knife in my jeans pocket, just in case. It was probably normal for someone to be on the premises at this time of day, but it wouldn't hurt to be cautious. I drove in and parked, then walked around the long metal buildings until I found 6A.
The garage-style door was locked with a padlock that was bolted to the floor. I tried a couple of keys before finding the one that opened it. I rolled the metal door upward, then felt for an interior light switch and flipped it on.
As I slid the door back down, clo
sing it behind me, I realized there was no way to lock the door from inside. This was probably a good thing for most people, so they didn't get stuck in the windowless room, but it wasn't so wonderful for me. I didn't want anyone surprising me while I was perusing Gerard's things.
I glanced around at the piled-up furniture that was covered with blankets. It seemed things had been stored willy-nilly. Had Alice hired movers to clear Gerard's house, or had she enlisted someone to help her with the gigantic chore? Whoever had unloaded things hadn't been very organized about it.
I found a tall, empty wooden bookshelf near the wall. After much heaving and shoving, I managed to position the heavy shelf so that it wedged against the ceiling, effectively blocking the door from sliding up. No one would be able to burst in on me with that in place.
I rummaged through several boxes and finally found one with manila file folders. I found one titled Coal and browsed through it, but it was the same information the vet had given me. Nothing about the cryptic numerical code on the tag.
I had another thought. What if Amber happened to be a woman? The police had probably checked Gerard's computer files and phone, but maybe that was before I'd given them the Amber tag.
I glanced around, my eyes landing on a bedside table. Surely Alice had cleaned that out before moving it...
I walked over and yanked the single drawer open. Alice hadn't even bothered to empty the drawer before packing it. If Gerard was anything like me or most people I knew, he might've kept more private things in his bedside table. I rooted through a jumble of books—inspirational quotes, Sudoko puzzles, and a worn dog training book.
My fingers closed around a thin gray book, which I slid out into the light. A journal, perhaps? As I opened it, I realized it was a planner for this year.
Had the police even noticed this?
I thumbed through the pages. Penciled-in names seemed to indicate his appointments with golf students. I tried to recall the day he'd died—it was a couple of days after our opening, because I remembered Charity talking about it. I flipped to September.
Gerard only had a few clients scheduled for that month. Isabella Rhodes was one of them, but that wasn't a fact she'd ever tried to hide. In fact, she'd almost seemed proud of her rapport with her adored golf instructor.
I looked for other familiar names in the slots during the week he'd been killed. He'd written Alice's name at nine on a Monday night, but I was guessing that marked the conference call they'd had with Glen Rhodes and Leo Moreau.
Doctor Schneider was also on the list during the week before Gerard's death, but that lined up with what he'd told me about Gerard fearing for his life. Gerard had scheduled time to talk with the psychologist and request that he take Coal if anything happened to him.
My eyes landed on a name that was scheduled just two days before Gerard's death. I caught my breath and reread those three words, disbelieving.
Before I could reason why Gerard would've set up that meeting, I heard the absolute worst sound I could've imagined.
The door creaked as the back of it banged into the tall bookshelf. Someone was trying to get in.
Not a moment later, the door was rammed upward again—and this time it inched open a little. Whoever was out there was very determined.
I leapt under the dining room table, peeking around the tattered blanket that was draped over it. I slid my phone from my pocket. Should I call 9-1-1 or my brother?
Bo would probably get here faster.
I hesitated. If I spoke out loud on the phone, it would leave the intruder no doubt someone was in here. But if I only texted Bo, he might not notice it until morning.
I pressed the call button.
Thankfully, Bo picked up fast. "What's—"
"I'm stuck in a building and someone's trying to get in," I whispered.
"What? I couldn't hear—"
I spoke a bit louder as the ramming noises continued. "I'm in storage building 6A at the Meadow Field Storage place. Someone's trying to break in here." Things fell silent outside and I could see that the bottom of the door was now propped open several inches. They had likely heard me talking. "Come quick!" I hissed.
"On my way." Bo hung up.
It was a ten minute drive. I could be lying here dead by the time my brother showed up.
I pulled out my pocket knife, but it seemed miserably short-bladed. Crawling around slowly, I carefully reached into boxes, hoping to turn up some kind of makeshift weapon with a longer reach.
The back of the rolling door thudded against the bookshelf, and I watched in horror as the narrow shelf actually wobbled. My fingers wrapped around something long and cold in one box...a fireplace poker.
That would do.
I crouched back under the table, pulling the blanket down lower. Minutes passed as someone repeatedly thrust the loud door upward. How was no one else hearing all this racket?
But then things fell ominously silent for a couple of minutes. I froze in position. I was not impressed with the security of the Meadow Field Storage Facility.
Could someone be aiming a gun inside the building?
A strong, sudden heave pushed the bookshelf backward enough that I was sure someone could now slip under the opening. I held my breath, grasping the poker. I was ready to spring and attack the moment someone pulled the blanket up.
"Sis?"
Bo? It took me a minute to wrap my mind around the fact that it was my brother who'd just crawled into the room.
"Here!" I scrambled out from under the table, holding the poker at my side. "Did you see anyone?"
Bo rubbed at his arms, which must be sore from that powerful—and successful—break in. "No one. I scouted around the building first. They must've run."
I climbed over a couple of boxes to give him a hug. I was too shaken to even say thanks, but I knew he didn't expect it.
What he would expect, however, was an explanation.
Sure enough, that was the first thing he asked for. "Could you please tell me why you were rummaging around a storage building in the middle of the night? Who does this even belong to?"
"Gerard Fontaine. It was supposed to be a harmless expedition. Doctor Schneider—he's that psychologist I told you about—gave me the keys to this storage unit so I could find all Coal's records before they turn all Gerard's stuff over for a big yard sale." I gave Bo my most innocent look, as if to say, Wouldn't you want me to have all my dog's records?
Bo shook his head, unimpressed. "Forgive me if I miss my guess, but you weren't perhaps trying to find out more about that message on the metal dog tag while you were in here?"
"Maybe," I said. "But I wanted the records, too. Besides, the cops have already gone over this stuff. There didn't seem to be any danger in it." Even I had to admit how ridiculous I sounded, now that someone—most likely someone dangerous—had been doing their best to get at me in the storage unit.
Bo stood still, as if lost in thought. I realized he was wearing his plaid pajama pants and had thrown on a pair of Crocs. He really had arrived on the scene in record time.
"Okay." His tone was brisk. "Let's look around. Maybe Alice hid something here before she was killed, or maybe we'll find out why someone wanted that tag so much they stole your dog. How about you look through things and I'll guard the door?"
"With what?" I asked.
He unzipped his jacket and pointed to his shoulder holster, where his large Glock was sitting pretty. "Don't worry about it. Just get searching."
"You got it, bro." I pulled out my flashlight and started digging through boxes, trying to hide how elated I felt that Bo had come around to seeing what an opportunity this might be.
It was our chance to answer some pressing questions, and maybe—just maybe—to uncover a murderer in the process.
26
It was 11:41 and I'd gone through nearly everything in the building when I finally found something that seemed out of place. Gerard had stuffed a colorful child's copy of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves into a b
ox of books. That book didn't make sense if he didn't have any immediate family and no children of his own, unless it was a favorite relic of his childhood. I pulled it from the box and flipped through it, and a pamphlet from Ivy Hill fell out.
Snatching it up, I started examining it. Maybe Gerard had used the pamphlet as a bookmark, but that didn't make sense for such a short book. The pamphlet included a map of the Ivy Hill grounds, and one section looked a bit darker than the rest. I turned my flashlight beam on it. Just off the left side of the golf course in the wooded area, Gerard had drawn a rudimentary sketch of a tree with a split trunk.
"I think I have something," I said, holding the map out to Bo. "Check out the left edge of the golf course."
Bo held it up to the ceiling light. "Maybe he was just bored one day and started doodling."
"I think it means something. It's like he was marking that tree, you know?"
Bo nodded and yawned. "Possibly. We have to get to work early—let's call it a night for now. Bring it with you, and we can talk about it in the morning." He opened the door and ushered me toward it, flipping off the light before following me out. "Go ahead and lock up. I'll follow your car back to your place."
I pulled down the unit door and clicked its padlock shut. Once we'd both driven out the main gate, I pulled over in the parking area and Bo did, too. I walked back to the main gate, trying keys until I found the one that locked it behind us.
As I headed home, questions swirled in my head. Had some stalker followed me in through the unlocked main gate? Or was the person already on the premises when I arrived? Did they own a key to the main gate?
It was also possible that the attempted break-in at the storage unit had nothing to do with me. Someone could have been confused about their own unit number and gotten concerned, assuming someone had broken in. Or maybe someone planned to rob a random unit and they'd noticed 6A was unlocked.
Both options seemed unlikely, but they weren't outside the realm of possibility.
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