Buried Under Clutter (Tina Tales Mysteries Book 2)

by Jan Christensen

  “Possibly. Do you know if any of the furniture was original? We found that box of old photographs. That will help. It’s possible we can match some of the furniture to the photos, and you can stage the house with those, after they’re reupholstered and refinished, as needed.”

  “That’s a great idea.” Jenny moved her arms so the waiter could put down her salad. He served the rolls and butter, as well.

  “Of course, you can hire someone to do all of that. My friend Leslie could help, for example. She has a business on Spring Street.” Tina dug in her purse for one of Leslie’s business cards and handed it to Jenny.

  “Thanks, Tina. You’ve been a huge help with all of this.”

  “You’re quite welcome.”

  “Mother told me about your visit and what you brought her. And what happened afterward.” Jenny frowned.

  Tina felt herself tense up. She wanted to apologize, but for what? She hadn’t done anything wrong. She hadn’t lied to the police about being agoraphobic. “Is she doing okay now?”

  Jenny shook her head. “I think she will be. Since she got that far, going to Uncle Howard’s house, I’m sure she’ll want to become able to go anywhere again. But it did set her back a bit.”

  “I am sorry about that. I was just so shocked when I saw her outside…”

  “I know. I would have been, too. It’s okay. Not your fault.”

  They didn’t say anything for a few moments. Tina couldn’t think of an easy way to broach the subject of Jenny’s affair, so she simply said, “Tell me more about your senator. I’ve heard you and he are very close.”

  The color drained from Jenny’s face. She blotted her lips with her napkin and gave Tina a dismayed look. “Where did you hear that?”

  Tina buttered a roll. “It seems most of your family knows. And some of them would rather have suspicion about Olivia’s murder drawn away from themselves.”

  “Oh. Oh, God.” Jenny rubbed her forehead with her fingertips. “I didn’t think anyone knew. How? How could they?”

  “You apparently go out to dinner with him?”

  Jenny closed her eyes. “Not often. And not anywhere near Boston or Quincy.”

  From her reactions, Tina was pretty sure Jenny really hadn’t known what her family suspected. “Did Olivia know?”

  Jenny shook her head slowly, not opening her eyes. “I didn’t tell her.”

  “But someone else did.”

  Jenney’s opened her eyes, her expression bleak. “Yes. And we talked about it. She wasn’t pleased. Not for moral reasons. She just thought it was a mistake. For me. She thought I should find someone who wasn’t attached.”

  Good advice, Tina thought, wondering what was so special about the state senator. “So she didn’t threaten to cut you out of the will or anything.”

  Jenny looked shocked. “No. She was fond of me. I don’t really think she would have left any of us out of her will, no matter what we did. Family was important to her, and she was a woman who had seen a lot of the world and the people in it. Nothing much shocked her. She figured what we did was none of her business, but she’d help out when she could.”

  What assumptions we make, Tina thought. Of course, we all thought being threatened with disinheritance would be an excellent motive for murder. Or disclosure of some crime or misdemeanor. “You think that even if she knew one of you was doing something, shall we say, illegal, she wouldn’t inform the police or cut that person out of her will?”

  “I seriously doubt it.”

  “Have you told the police this?”

  “No. They never asked me anything like that. And I’ve heard that you should never volunteer anything to the police.”

  “Yes. Add that to a normal New England reticence, and…”

  They both laughed softly.

  “I see only two possibilities,” Tina said. “Either someone did make her so angry she threatened to disinherit them, or the Simpsons did it. Oh, and a third—someone we don’t even know about. Now, that’s a scary thought.”

  “Let’s hope it’s the Simpsons,” Jenny said as the waiter took away her salad plate and served both of them the ravioli.

  “They’re my favorite,” Tina said, remembering Eddie Simpson’s knife pointed at her face. She forced her brain back to the present and why she’d come to meet Jenny. “Now tell me more about your senator. How’d you meet?”

  Jenny took a sip of wine and seemed to consider her answer. “I went to a fund-raiser for his first campaign.”

  “When was that?”

  “Ten years ago. I admired him when I saw him on the TV news or when an article in the newspaper caught my eye. He came over and shook my hand. Something happened right away. I guess he felt it, too, because he spent a lot of time with me instead of mingling like he should have. After a while, I became a little embarrassed by his attention, and worried that other people would realize what was happening. But I also figured he might do this with a lot of women, and tonight happened to be my night.”

  “Did you find out later that was true?”

  “Sort of. Apparently not as intensely. Only a few people know about us. One is Claire, who was working for him when I started work there. After I took my job at his office, she and I hit it off. Several months later she said she noticed what happened with me and the senator when we first met. She said she’d seen it before, but not like that time, and he’d stopped doing it. She wondered if we were sleeping together.”

  “Astute woman. He was already married, right?” Tina didn’t look directly at Jenny but instead watched the waiter clear their table. When he was done, she said a soft “Thank you.”

  “Yes. I knew he was married. I’d seen lots of pictures with him and his wife. And their two children.” She sounded bitter.

  Tina bit her lip. She tried to put on her professional psychologist hat and not judge. One of the hardest things she’d had to learn.

  “If he wasn’t a senator, he swears he’d divorce his wife, and we’d get married.”

  Every woman having an affair with a married man believes that. Tina thought it, but she didn’t say it out loud. Instead, she asked, “You believe him?”

  Jenny sighed. “At first. Not so much any longer. A lot has happened in this country in the last decade or so. Several United States congressmen have had affairs, divorced their wives, and got re-elected. If he wanted to bad enough, he would. Even though he could probably weather a divorce in the voter’s minds, I think he has an image of himself as a man who sticks with his wife.”

  “And you’re coming to the conclusion that he’s putting himself first, and you come in—where?—fourth place after him, his wife, and his kids?”

  Jenny sighed again, even louder. “Yes. I keep trying to break it off. I would have to get a new job. And I haven’t had the energy to go through all that.”

  Tina rested her hand on top of Jenny’s. “You have some breathing room now. You’re a millionaire, for heaven’s sake. Just do it. You sound more than ready.”

  Jenny’s eyes widened. “You know,” she said slowly, “it didn’t even dawn on me that I could do that. For so long, I thought I had to get a new job first, before breaking it off.”

  “You deserve better than this, Jenny. You can call me anytime, if you need to talk.”

  “Thank you. Thank you so much.” Tears filled Jenny’s eyes, and Tina looked away to give her some time.

  Tina hoped she wasn’t enabling a murderer to have a better life. After all, Jenny could be lying through her teeth about good ole Aunt Olivia’s not cutting anyone out of the will if they didn’t behave as she saw fit. From what Tina had observed before and after Olivia’s death of her behavior and attitude, she wouldn’t put anything past her. And yes, she realized she was thinking in clichés. Uncle Bob’s ways were definitely affecting her speech patterns.

  One more thing to put on her to-do list: Fix speech.

  CHAPTER 53

  Back in her neighborhood, several police cars lined the street, and the r
eporters were back. Tina parked in the driveway and waited for Hank to join her. He got out of his car, waved at the reporters but didn’t speak to them, then hurried to escort her to the side door. They stepped in out of the cold and found Laura making coffee. Everyone said hello as Tina and Hank sat down at the table.

  “What’s happening next door?” Tina asked Hank, knowing he would be up on everything, even when out of town. Her mother placed a mug in front of her and poured coffee into it. “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Since they can’t search the office now, they’re working on the butler’s pantry.”

  “Was the silver chest with the gemstones still in the office during the fire?” Laura asked.

  “No, fortunately, they’d taken that in as evidence. They called in an expert to see if the gems were indeed stolen. No word on that as yet.”

  “Are Mickey and Barry in trouble about the break-in?”

  “They’re certainly in the hot seat with a lot of explaining to do. But Lisbeth knows there should have been more guards.”

  “Did they just stand at the doors,” Laura asked, “or at least also walk around the property?”

  “They walked around, and not on a set schedule, either. But obviously, it wasn’t enough.”

  “Whoever it was,” Tina said, “they took a huge risk. I wonder…”

  “How’d your lunch go with Jenny?” Laura asked, ignoring Tina’s wonderment.

  “It was interesting. She claims Olivia wouldn’t disinherit any of her relatives because she believed in family too much. And yes, she’s having an affair with the senator, but after we talked for a while, she realized she could break up with him now she is financially independent and doesn’t have to worry about getting a new job.”

  “You helped her realize that,” Laura asked, “just by having lunch with her?” She looked at Tina with amazement.

  “It wasn’t hard. She already knew what she needed to do. She never had anyone to talk about it with before. And it didn’t dawn on her that the inheritance gave her the freedom to change the situation.”

  “Good job, red,” Hank said.

  Tina felt a blush begin to creep up her neck. She took the last sip of her coffee and then stood up. “I’m going to get on the computer. Hank, what are you going to do?”

  “I’m sticking around. If I can borrow a desk in there, I’ll set up my laptop.”

  “I’m sure Uncle Bob wouldn’t mind if you used his. Let’s go. Coffee was good, Mom.”

  Laura looked pleased. “I tried a new method.”

  “Amazing.” Tina smiled at her and walked to the office, Hank following. Once there, she turned to him. “I can’t believe my mother made a good cup of coffee with a new ‘method.’ You have any new methods you want to try?”

  He laughed and took her in his arms. “Not really. But I have some tried and true ones.” He kissed her, long and hard.

  They didn’t separate until they heard Uncle Bob clear his throat.

  Tina faced him. “What are you doing in here? We’re not in the hall where you usually find us. Why aren’t you in the kitchen drinking some of Mom’s coffee? It’s pretty good by the way.” As she talked, she realized Uncle Bob and Princess smelled of the outdoors. “You braved the reporters and went for a walk?”

  Uncle Bob laughed. “That nose of yours again. It’s pretty easy for me to ignore them since I can’t understand what they’re saying. I think most know now that I’m deaf, and they don’t seem to be shouting at me anymore.”

  “How does Princess react to all of that?” Hank asked.

  “She’s good. I can tell she’s a little tense, but she does what I do—generally ignores them.”

  “You make a good pair,” Hank said. “It is okay if I use your desk? I’ll just be on my laptop.”

  “Sure. I don’t have any chores to do there for a few days. Be my guest. Try to behave yourselves. I’m going to go read a good book. Then I’m going to get ready to take your mother to dinner and a movie in Providence.”

  After he left, Hank asked, “Does he read a lot?”

  “Yes. Most of the time. He rarely watches TV. He could use the captioning, but he’s never really adjusted to doing that while watching. It must be hard to both read and try to see what’s happening at the same time. Probably harder for someone his age.”

  “That’s too bad. But he goes to the movies.”

  “Captioning for them is even worse, but he goes if he’s really interested in a particular one. Have you ever seen anyone use a small screen for captions, or some clunky glasses?”

  Hank shook his head. “No, never noticed that. They can do captions with those? At theaters?”

  “Yes. He’s tried the screen, which sits in a cup holder. It’s hard when you have bifocals to look from it to the movie screen. Says it wears him and his eyes out. The glasses are better, but they’re pretty heavy, and after almost two hours, get uncomfortable.” She sat down, sighing. “If they’d just run the captions along the very bottom of the screen, with what they call open captions, it would be so nice. And hearing people can ignore them because of where they are, but everyone is so against it, even though they have never seen them done that way. He has been to a few movies that have those, and loves them. I’ve gone with him. After a few minutes, you forget they’re there, until you don’t hear something right, and you look down and can see what was said. We had to go to Providence to see those, though, so we haven’t done it very much.”

  “I’d like to see a movie with open captions. Let me know the next time you and Uncle Bob go to one, and I’ll try to join you.”

  “That would be wonderful. Uncle Bob would love having your company. You going to sit down?”

  Hank still stood, looking out the window at Olivia’s house. “I need to get my laptop from the bedroom. I wonder how the arsonist got in.”

  “They’ve ruled it arson already?”

  “No, not officially. But you and I know it was.”

  “And you haven’t considered who was guarding the house? Could either of them have had a connection to Olivia?”

  Hank stared at her, then slowly sat down at Uncle Bob’s desk.

  “That’s what I was going to look up now,” Tina said. “But you probably have a lot better resources than I do.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me right away?”

  “You think it’s a possibility?”

  “Anything’s a possibility. Why didn’t you bring it up last night?”

  “I figured you would brush off my suggestion.”

  “Have I ever done that?” He looked both sad and a bit annoyed.

  Tina thought for a moment. “Not that I remember. Brandon would have…”

  “You’re with me now, not Brandon. And you think your mother would have brushed it off, too. She might have. But Tina, even though I call you cute sometimes, I’ve never doubted your intelligence or discounted out of hand anything you’ve ever said to me. I respect you too much to do that.”

  Something shifted in her chest, and Tina realized it was because she knew Hank was right. He had never put her down, ever. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her. Finally, she could be herself. Only with Leslie had she ever felt this way. Now, to find a man with whom she could do the same thing was incredible.

  Hank sat watching her. Probably her thoughts were flitting across her face, and he was good at reading her expressions. The relaxation was so profound, she could barely move. “You’re right,” she finally managed to say. “You’ve always shown me respect. How come I never saw that as plainly as I do now?”

  “You needed some time, that’s all. I’m glad the time finally arrived.”

  “So am I. So am I.”

  CHAPTER 54

  Hank brought his laptop and placed it on Uncle Bob’s desk. Then he and Tina worked in comfortable silence for a while. Tina was Googling all possible ways Mickey could spell his name when she found him on Facebook. She knew it was him because of the pictures. Most of his updates were about the
progress of the renovations he and Ryan were doing. There were also pictures of Ryan and Valerie.

  Something nagged at her about Mickey. Something he’d said. Suddenly, she remembered. “Hank.”

  He looked up from his laptop.

  “Mickey told me when were first started the clean-out that Olivia had gotten mad at him for the noise his motorcycle made. Soon after, he got rid of it. I wonder why. I wonder if she knew something about him that would hurt him. He’s on Facebook, by the way. Everything he’s put there seems perfectly innocent.”

  “Interesting. I’m running into a wall for information about him before he graduated from high school and nothing about him before he joined the force here in Newport. The McPherson’s go back generations, so Olivia may have known them. And it’s not too unusual that someone doesn’t have records from their high school years. But I still wonder. I don’t know him well, but now I think about it, he never discusses his family or says anything about when he was younger when we’ve talked at work.”

  “If he had a juvenile record, it would be sealed, right?”

  “Yes, the police can look at a sealed juvenile record. I’ll put a bug in Lisbeth’s ear and see what she can find.”

  “You’re going to put a bug in her ear? What kind of bug? You and I have been hanging around Uncle Bob way too long.”

  They were both laughing when Laura came into the room to tell them she and Uncle Bob were leaving.

  “Is it dinner time already?” Tina asked.

  Laura raised an eyebrow. “Yes, it is, but you probably had a big lunch.”

  “I had butternut ravioli. It was delicious. Where are you going to eat?”

  “Anthony’s. I’m in the mood for some clam cakes.”

  “Sounds good.” They said goodbye.

  Hank picked up his phone and told it to call Lisbeth. After they talked a minute, his expression turned incredulous. “He escaped?”

  “Who?” Tina stood up.

  Hank waved his hand at her. “I’ll be right there. I have something else to talk to you about, too.”