Garage Sale Riddle

by Suzi Weinert

  “We got feelers out to local herpetologists.”

  “Who study reptiles and amphibians,” Becca volunteered. “Your college investment wasn’t wasted, Mom.”

  “And…” Jennifer encouraged Goodwin as they started up the stairs.

  “And we’re running down some leads. Connecting one to this William Early guy is a real long shot. But ya never know. Gotta be in the ballpark to hit the home run.” He barked a derisive laugh. “At least we’re in the dugout.”

  CHAPTER 66

  They closed and locked the bedroom door to prevent sale gawkers from entering while they pushed aside the bookcase to reveal the safe. Goodwin knelt to study it. “Uh-huh. Looks like a good one, although with enough determination any safe can be cracked one way or another.”

  “You’re not very reassuring.”

  “In my business, you don’t see secure safes; you see the one’s broken into. But I’d like to think you’re okay here.”

  “Really?” Jennifer asked, thinking of the staggering amount of Venuti’s cash inside.

  “Well, hey. I can’t guarantee it, but this looks solid.”

  “Do you know much about safes?” Becca asked cautiously.

  He brushed aside her concern. “Enough for government work. Now let’s talk about something else. We got you at the hotel under your own name, right?”

  “Because you said with Roderick in jail, we didn’t need further protection.”

  “Right. But I didn’t know about this William Early then. Of course, somebody could follow you there from here because they know you’re here. This Early guy came to your front door right here?”

  “Yes, but we haven’t noticed anybody following us.”

  “Nah, you wouldn’t see them. They’re good. See, if he wants what you have and he’s got plenty of cash, he’s hired private eyes to shadow you.”

  “Are you trying to scare us?”

  “No, no.” He shook his head and started again. “Chelsea told you about her self-defense class. The idea is to make sensible decisions instead of risky ones about where you go and what you do. That way you’re part of the solution, not part of the problem. So if you know you’re shadowed you can make better choices than if you don’t know. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. During these last three days, play your cards close to your vest. Don’t take chances. Even if this feels contrary to your real nature, these are special circumstances. You get my drift?”

  “Thank you, Deputy Goodwin, for wanting to help. I understand. Do you, Becca?”

  She grinned, “Well, youngsters like me still feel immortal and irrepressible. But I will try.”

  “Better than that, you must succeed, young lady.” Jennifer wasn’t smiling.

  “Whoa,” Becca scoffed. “That’s my momster talking.”

  Before Jennifer could respond, Goodwin interjected. “Okay, let’s push the bookcase back, unlock the door and head in our separate directions.”

  They did and when Becca went down the stairs first, Jennifer turned to Goodwin. “You started to tell me about Anthony Venuti earlier.”

  “Yeah, well, I was in a soft-hearted mood because of your mother’s involvement. She’s a gracious lady who’s been through a lot, so I took a personal interest, which cops shouldn’t do.”

  “I don’t have to tell her what you know, but maybe I can better protect her if I know the truth.”

  He sighed, making a decision. “Okay. Now this is strictly confidential because I like the way your family works. You care about each other. Sure, it’s out there, but the kind of work I do…I don’t see it much.

  “My FBI friend said Anthony Venuti came to them with information they needed to take down Mafia criminals. When things got hot for him and The Hand put out a hit on him, they moved him into a witness protection program. My friend said he went kicking and screaming because he wanted to take his ladylove with him, but they convinced him it wasn’t fair to force her to abandon her family and friends for a life on the lam with him. Still, she might find comfort knowing he’s alive. That’s how you can feel for someone you love.

  “Okay, I’m telling you all this because you introduced me to someone special and then you saved Chelsea from a vicious predator. I…I owe you something beyond solving your case, although…” he laughed, “I hope to do that, too.”

  She put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Cliff, for telling me. I don’t know how, but if the time comes, it might comfort my mother. You are kind to share this.”

  He turned to amble down the stairs just as her cellphone rang. “Hello,” she said to the phone while waving goodbye to Goodwin.

  “It’s Mary Ann. Is this a good time to talk?”

  That’s an abrupt segue, Jennifer thought, but instead she said, “Sure, Mary Ann, how are you?”

  “Oh, Jen, my life’s evolving in such unexpected and exciting ways. What a total contrast from two years ago when Dan died and I wasn’t sure I could go on. Life looked bleak. I didn’t dream of the thrill of a man in my life again. But Charlie is my dream come true. How could I possibly be this lucky?”

  “Wonderful to hear you happy, Mary Ann.”

  “Jen, I could only reveal this to you, but…well, we’re intimate.” Jennifer could almost feel the blush over the phone. “At first I felt scandalized. But then I thought ‘I’m in the fourth quarter of my life. What am I waiting for? Why waste precious time?’”

  “Wow!”

  “Wow hardly covers it. Jen, I’m putting my whole self into this relationship to fan this miraculous flame. Just when I felt almost dead myself after Dan’s death, suddenly I’m tingling with life. I feel like a teenager again. Oh wait, here he is. Would you like to say hello?”

  “Well, I…sure.”

  “Hellew, Jennifah,” said a baritone British-accented voice. “Mary Ahn tells me yoah huh best friend. Delighted to talk with you.”

  “Hello to you, Charlie. Are you two having fun together?”

  “Quite so. Didn’t think I’d evah meet someone like Mary Ahn. I heah we’re going to get togethah with you and Jason when you return. When’s that?”

  “I drive north Monday, arriving Wednesday, if all goes as planned.”

  “Well, let’s put something on the calendah soon aftah. Meantime, safe travel to you and yoahs.”

  “Thanks, Charlie. Nice to talk with you. Bye.”

  “Ta-ta, Jennifah. See you soon.”

  Mary Ann’s voice came on. “Can’t wait for you to meet him, Jen.”

  “Meantime, enjoy each other, you two.”

  Mary Ann giggled. “Don’t need encouragement for that, dear friend.”

  Signing off, Jennifer marveled at her friend’s transformation from quiet and uncertain after her husband’s death, to this positive, enthusiastic person. Her friend’s personality change in two years, from grief and despair to euphoria, seemed impossible. But, why not? Isn’t happiness the thermometer for how well your life’s going? Still, she worried that her friend’s vulnerability made her susceptible to a predator’s clutch. But, surely not in this case….

  She thought of her own life, marveling at her good luck at most of life’s intersections and especially in marrying Jason. In their forty-one years together, they’d shared the usual joys and sorrows, but grown together in new ways enriching them both.

  Spontaneously she dialed his number. When he answered, she wasted no time. “Hi, Jay. Just feeling a wave of love for you and wanted to tell you so.”

  “Well, you caught me at a good time because I’m feeling a wave of love for you. How’s it going in sunny Florida?”

  She briefed him on major events and described the imminent trip home. She omitted the William Early part, which she knew would only worry him since he couldn’t protect her from 1,100 miles away. She told him about Mary Ann and Charlie, preparing him for their proposed upcoming double date.

  Jason added, “The movers expect to arrive Thursday with your mother’s stuff.”

  “Perfect timing,” she
observed, “because we arrive the day before to direct them bringing in furniture at Donnegans’ house.”

  “Miss you, Jay.”

  “Love you, Jen.”

  CHAPTER 67

  Next morning while Becca recovered from another late night with her new friends, Jennifer and Grammy arrived to let Peggy’s team into the house at 8:45. Several buyers’ cars parked in front awaiting the sale opening in fifteen minutes.

  “The sale did well yesterday,” Peggy told her. “The weekend should be busy, too. Hello, Mrs. Ryerson. Going to stay awhile today?”

  Grammy nodded and smiled, unsure how she’d react at watching her belongings sold.

  Jen and Grammy had locked their purses in the car and settled onto kitchen chairs, sipping coffee they’d brought in paper cups.

  When one customer carried a stack of books to the checkout table and another a box of china, Grammy said, “Nice to see others will enjoy books I won’t read again and china I haven’t had out of the cupboard for years. They’ll be appreciated once more, whereas I stored them on shelves at this stage of my life. Most things I use daily are in the moving van going north.”

  This relieved Jennifer’s initial doubts, but she didn’t want Grammy to stay long enough to change her mind. When they left for lunch, Jennifer told Peggy they wouldn’t be back until time to lock up when the sale ended at 4:00.

  Becca joined them for lunch at Mira Mare, where they ogled the sunlight sparkling on the channel’s ripples as power boats noodled along the waterway just beyond their terrace table.

  Jennifer’s cellphone rang. “Deputy Goodwin here. Got some news. Convenient to meet now?”

  “Sure.” She told him where they were. “If you haven’t had lunch, please join us. Our treat.”

  Ten minutes later, he ambled in.

  “What’s up?” Becca asked.

  “Remember I said tracing the snakes was a long shot? Well, sometimes you get lucky.”

  “What?” Grammy leaned forward with interest. Becca pulled back.

  “We got a call from a guy who said he was the elderly caretaker at William Early’s property here in Naples. His hobby is herpetology and he works with the Conservancy to rescue snakes, which he cages at his carriage house on the acreage. Eastern diamondbacks are his specialty. He said men who work for Early’s private detectives forcibly stole three of his snakes, put each one in a canvas bag, and hauled them away. When he protested, they knocked him down and kicked him hard enough that he had to go to the ER.”

  Becca’s eyes grew large as she listened, tucking her legs protectively beneath her on her chair. “Three snakes?” Her voice quavered. “But we only know about one with Birdsong.” She thought of their garage. “Maybe two. That means there might still be…”

  Jennifer speculated. “Was the one in the garage an unrelated accident or part of a larger pattern?”

  Goodwin continued: “After the hospital patched him up, he called Early to describe what had happened. Early blew him off, said he’d release the snakes when he finished with them, which is what the Conservancy intended anyway. When the caretaker asked what they’d be used for, Early said it was none of his business. This made him mad enough to call the police, because he says he’s lost all respect for Early.”

  “Why doesn’t he just quit the caretaker job if he hates his employer?”

  “I asked. He said it’s more complicated than that.”

  “Why?” Grammy asked.

  “Because he’s William Early’s father.”

  The three women gaped at Goodwin.

  Jennifer’s memory raced back to a previous hospital ER incident when she waited for her mother’s diagnosis and saw an old man waiting for Early. She recalled the old man pushed away Early’s offer to help him. Father and son weren’t on friendly terms even then.

  “When I went out to interview this guy, he unloaded. Says his son’s a business shark and Civil War nut who uses the same ruthless tactics in business and getting relics he wants.” He turned to Jennifer. “Which leads him to you.”

  “Uh-oh.” She grimaced.

  “He told his father he’s after a woman’s documents, ones which could lead to the biggest find in recent Civil War history and he intends seeing them, one way or another. I wanted to bring him in for questioning, but his father says he left Naples on a private plane early this morning. And not his own plane, although he has one. No, he hitched a ride on a friend’s plane to hide his trail. We know the plane’s flight plan takes it to Culpeper, Virginia, but it already landed and their ground personnel say those arriving passengers left. So right now, we don’t know where he is.

  “Maybe he’s gone but his ‘associates,’ as he calls the men he hires to carry out his orders, could turn up anywhere. Even if we find him, for certain he’ll lawyer-up, so we’ll have little chance to get the information we need.”

  “Where does this leave us?” Grammy asked, a hand protectively over her heart.

  “With only circumstantial evidence, we can’t declare Birdsong’s death a homicide to throw all-out effort into finding Early. No, but we do have one advantage. We have bait.”

  “Bait?” Becca puzzled.

  He looked straight at Jennifer. “You.”

  CHAPTER 68

  “Who have you told about your travel plans to Virginia?” Goodwin asked the three of them.

  They each considered his question.

  “Peggy and her staff and the neighbor across the street,” Grammy offered.

  Becca nibbled a bite from her lunch plate. “The new friends I spend evenings with in Naples.”

  “The Realtor,” Jennifer added, “and the hotel knows when we’re leaving.”

  “Then change those plans and tell no one.”

  “But…”

  Goodwin nodded. “I mean change your plans enough to confuse anyone wanting to follow you. You told me Early’s associates questioned your neighbors in McLean to locate you in Florida, so he knows where you live in Virginia. We can’t undo that. But if he doesn’t know your travel schedule or exact arrival date, you gain a brief safety edge, at least for the trip. Virginia is another matter. Meantime, the smartest solution might be chartering a private plane to fly you there. I think the sheriff’s department could facilitate arrangements to keep your names off the radar to casual hackers.”

  Grammy spoke up immediately. “Let’s do it.”

  Jennifer glanced her way, wondering at the huge expense, until she remembered Anthony Venuti’s gift to her mother made this decision financially viable. And this solution protected them much better than an easy-to-trail auto trip.

  “When did you plan to leave?” Goodwin asked.

  “Monday morning,” Grammy said.

  “Okay, how about Sunday evening instead?”

  Jennifer nodded. “We could do that. The estate sale ends at four. We could finish up last-minute tasks at the house,” her nod reminded Grammy and Becca about emptying the safe, “and fly out that evening.”

  “If you all agree, I’ll make the arrangements. Another benefit is you can take on board those valuables in carry-on suitcases that you planned to guard on your road trip.” Goodwin finished his meal. “I have to go. Besides your case, I have three others on at the moment. You’ll hear from me soon about the flight arrangements. Tomorrow is Sunday. We don’t have much time.”

  As he rose to go, Jennifer touched his arm. “Thank you, Detective, for the many ways you’ve guided us through this harrowing experience.”

  “I should be the one thanking you. Sometimes doing my job brings me a bonus. Knowing you—and Chelsea—rates as that bonus for me.”

  The three finished lunch, paid the bill and looked in on the estate sale before returning to the hotel. At the hotel desk, Jennifer said, “We’re due to check out on Monday, but we may decide to stay an extra day or two. Is that a problem?”

  “In high season here, it would be impossible, but now it’s summer and no problem,” the desk clerk confirmed. “We’ll keep your
reservation open-ended.”

  In fact, Jennifer knew they’d disappear Sunday night, but this tactic provided a different path for nosy pursuers to follow.

  “Guess this is the last night with my Tony and other new friends,” Becca noted. “I won’t tell him, but I’ll know it.”

  “Important that you say nothing,” Jennifer reminded her. “Our safety rides on this new travel plan.”

  “I understand, Mom. The sooner the better because I have zero desire to face the third snake, if that’s what they have in mind. You can count on me.”

  After Tony Venuti came for Becca, Jennifer and Grammy sipped a glass of wine on their balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

  “This is my last night in Naples.” Grammy’s voice quavered. “Why don’t we have a quiet evening together? Maybe order room service right here, just the two of us, and watch sunset afterward.”

  “Mom, what a perfect idea. Let’s do it.”

  “And get to bed at a reasonable hour for a good sleep since tomorrow guarantees excitement.”

  That night Jennifer experienced not a vision but a dream, although this time it was a nightmare.

  “I know why you’re digging that hole.” An ominous voice spoke from the surrounding nighttime darkness. She turned. The lantern light revealed an evil-faced man clad in a Union blue uniform standing menacingly close. She gasped. William Early! Not possible, yet here he stood. Glancing down in confusion, she looked in astonishment at her own l860s clothes—long skirt and long-sleeved blouse. In her hands, she held an ancient shovel with which she dug at the ground.

  Jennifer had been transported back 150 years to the time of the Civil War? But how? Why?

  Her instincts underscored this dreaded man’s sinister intention, but she had no weapon to protect herself. She couldn’t outrun him or hide in the dark. And why was she digging out here alone at night with no weapon or companion to defend her?