“I would love that! We can meet at the diner tomorrow after the lunch crowd and before dinner starts.”
“Sounds perfect,” Kay agreed. “See you around 3.” She turned her attention to Cody who was staring at a woman in a car. He started barking. Kay recognized the woman immediately. It was Erna.
Kay yanked at the leash to run back to the house. “Come on Cody! Come on boy!”
An uneven sidewalk tripped Kay, but she broke the fall with her hands. Erna slowly drove past Kay and glared, then made a hasty U-turn to drive away. Cody ran and high-tailed back to the house. He began barking and scratching at the front door. Gavin who had been in the shower finally opened the door. Cody continued to bark, then ran back toward Kay. Gavin followed him dressed only in his bathrobe and slippers.
“Kay!” Gavin called nearly sliding on the fresh snow. “Kay, I’ll be right there. Don’t move.”
Her face was covered in tears and melting snow, the palms of her hands were bleeding. Gavin knelt down to comfort her. “I’m so sorry. I should have gone with you for the walk. Please forgive me. None of this would have happened.”Cody nuzzled against Kay’s face.
Kay didn’t share with Gavin that it was Erna creeping about that caused her to stumble. She didn’t want him calling the police. Instead she let Gavin continue to apologize, run a hot bath for her, then prepare a hot-toddy. Sometimes a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do, she mused.
Monday at the Diner
Once again Kay and Peggy met at their regular haunt, the Park Ridge Diner, this time to discuss the mysterious note and map. Kay pulled the envelope from her purse and spread the papers across the booth’s table.
“Darn, I forgot my reading glasses,” Kay blurted.
“I have extra pair,” Peggy offered rummaging through her purse. “Here.”
“These big things are yours?” Kay questioned.
“They’re George’s but I carry them around for him for when we go out to eat.”
Kay smiled and gave Peggy a sideward glance as if to communicate “Be his girlfriend not his mommy.” Still, she was glad to borrow the reading glasses and fretted silently about her memory.
Peggy noticed scrapes on Kay’s hands. “What happened? Did you and Gavin get into a fight?” She laughed.
“That reminds me. I almost forgot,” Kay started. “That horrid woman from the estate sale came stalking with her car last night when I was talking to you. She even had the nerve to come to my front door on Sunday morning!”
“That can only mean one thing, Kay. That whatever this note will reveal she wants to know!” Peggy said. “Do you know her name?”
“Elizabeth Woods,” Kay began. “No, no, I’m confused, that was her deceased friend’s name. Erna something,” Kay strained to remember. “No, that isn’t it. I have it written down somewhere.” Kay searched her purse for the scrap paper.“Wilson! Erna Wilson.”
“Erna Wilson,” Peggy repeated. “Don’t know her except from the sale. She told you her name?” Kay nodded yes.
“I didn’t tell Gavin about her stalking. But she frightened me. That’s why I have these scrapes. He just thinks I tripped from the snow.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” Peggy said twisting an imagery key by her lips and tossing it away.
They two of them ordered tea and muffins then went about the task of decoding the note and studying the map. This was the coded message:
WVZFVORNZYVHS,
RZ XZGV R’A BCH SCAV YM JZOVBHRBV’G WZM, XZOO BCFAZB SIBH.
SV KROO SVOD MCI URBW MCIF TRUH. IGV HSV AZD. GCCBKV’OO YV
AF. & AFG. YVB URVOW!
OCJV, YVB 2/11
Kay stared blankly at the note. Peggy cleared her throat, sipped her tea then went into her purse for pens and paper.
“This note was obviously written from someone who writes in English, agreed?” Kay started.
“English, but it’s Greek to me.” Peggy joked.
“And the recipient had to know the code too, you think?” Kay added. “We can decode this. We were teachers. We often intercepted notes from kids who had devised some silly code. It’s just letter substitution.”
“Thank goodness we’re retired and don’t have to deal with text messages,” Peggy added.
“You got that right, Peg.” They both rolled their eyes at one another.
“I brought along an old postcard that has English alphabet on it. The size of letters means how frequently that letter is used in the English language.”
“So you mean vowels are printed larger on the postcard than say consonants like X YZ?” Peggy asked. “And letters like S R T which are frequently used would also appear larger.”
“Exactly!” Kay confirmed. “So once we figure out which letters have been substituted for vowels we could probably figure out what the note says through elimination.”
They high-fived one another, asked the waitress for more tea, and hunkered down to business. Kay determined that the vowels A, E, I O, and U were substituted with Z V R C I. They easily deduced the first word of the note was “Dear” and the closing was “Love.”
“This will make the words easier to decipher.” It took her another 30 minutes to determine that the more common constants S, T, R, D, L, were substituted with G H F W O. By 4:30 and two more cups of tea they cracked the code:
Actual letters: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Coded letters: Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
This is what the note said:
Dear Elizabeth,
In case I’m not home by Valentine’s Day, call Norman Hunt. He will help
you find your gift. Use the map. Soon we’ll be Mr. and Mrs. Ben Field!
Love, Ben
Kay and Peggy looked at each other and said in unison, “Norman Hunt!”
“That’s our Norman.” Peggy’s voice was overheard by most of the other customers in the diner. “What does he know about all this” she began in a hush tone. “Who is this Ben Field and how did he know Norman?”
“I wonder what Ben meant, ‘in case I’m not home’? And what’s the significance of the 2/11?” Kay was discouraged that solving the coded letter only led to more unanswered questions. “We’ll have to do a little digging. Maybe Norman was Elizabeth’s lover?” Kay suggested as she folded the letter and placed it back in her purse. “The Elizabeth mentioned in the letter must be the same Elizabeth Woods who… just…died. And I bought the loveseat.”
A nauseating weird feeling swept into Kay. Owning the loveseat was losing its appeal. Unearthing these souls from the past made her uneasy. She knew an inanimate object couldn’t be dead or alive. Yet, the loveseat now made her think of death.
“Do you really think Norman could have been involved with this Elizabeth?” Peggy asked with a tone of disbelief.
“Well, lots of women thought he was a catch for years. Who knows,” Kay was at a loss for any further explanations. “I’ll have Gavin ask Norman tonight,” she said presumptuously. The early dinner crowd started to fill the tables and booths. Kay and Peggy called it an afternoon and left.
***
“I positively will not ask Norman about his past love life and that’s final,” Gavin insisted to Kay. “I have a better idea. Just give the loveseat to Norman and that will be the end of it,” Gavin joked.
“But he may know something that could help us. It may belong to that young woman, Denise. You know, Elizabeth Woods’ niece.” Kay threw that out to soften Gavin. She could tell that he had noticed Denise’s good looks. Gavin didn’t take the bait.
“There’s something that may be hidden and buried,” Kay dragged on.
“And that’s how it should stay. The past is best buried and left alone.” Gavin turned away to go upstairs before he lost his temper. Kay followed.
“That’s not how you felt when your niece Peggy, my best friend, had to meet her father. And what about that woman in Ireland who duped you to even the score with a businessman?
Since when does the past stayed buried with you?”
“That’s different,” Gavin muttered.
“Is that the best you can do?” Kay scoffed. “Of course it’s different because it involved you.” Kay stamped her foot and stormed down the stairs. She began banging cabinets and slamming doors.
“Why don’t you just go to Denise with this and let her figure it out!” Gavin shouted. “Noooo, because you’re a nosy parker.”
That did it. Kay hated when he demeaned her sleuthing to nothing but being a snoop.
“You’re just jealous.” Kay stood at the landing of the stairs shouting back. “In fact, I think you’ve been blocked with your writing. You say you’re writing, you go to the study and do something on the computer but I think you’re really blocked.”
“Oh you’re ridiculous,” Gavin replied.
“Oh yeah, well did you know that I’m writing a mystery novel,” Kay chirped.
Gavin quickly stumbled down the stairs. “You’re not the writer, I am!” He declared short of pounding his chest like a male silverback gorilla.
“What’s the title?” He asked.
“Sleepless in Montvale,” Kay replied off-handedly because in truth she wasn’t writing anything.
Gavin burst with uncontrollable laughter. He repeated the title several times in disbelief and literally collapsed on the sofa with tears in his eyes. “No one…will read it, Kay,” he barely articulated.
“Don’t be so sure about that Mr. Murphy. You’re just blocked and you won’t admit it.”
It was true, well some of it. He had been blocked with his writing. First he blamed it on the holidays, but now it was nearly mid-February and he was stuck again. Gavin was sure once Valentine’s Day arrived this Friday everything would be better for both of them as well as his writing. That is, if they made it to Friday without killing each other.
Let’s Talk – Tuesday Afternoon
Denise dreaded the lunch date she promised Erna, and only accepted it because Erna insisted Denise required special attention during this period of grief for her Aunt Elizabeth. Of course Denise knew better than to accept Erna’s surface explanation. She knew all their conversations would eventually lead to the red loveseat. So the uneasy friends agreed to meet at Murty’s for a late afternoon lunch. They both lived in Pearl River and it was convenient.
Erna arrived early and was surprisingly neat and dressed with a black pant suit, a floral scarf around her neck and pearl earrings. She was intent on showing Denise her more stable persona hoping that anything she said would be held with validity. Erna fiddled with her napkin nervously waiting like a cat ready to pounce.
Denise, who was in her early 30s made her entrance into Murty’s quickly ducking away from the immediate glances of the men seated at the bar. Male ogling always rattled her. But it was in her genes just as her Aunt Elizabeth was a stunner, so was Denise. Gavin, who happened to stop by for a quick beer recognized Denise immediately. In fact, he took note of her pretty face the first time they met under unpleasant circumstances. He did not approach her, and Denise hadn’t noticed him. She spotted Erna on the restaurant side and quickly joined her in the booth.
“So glad you agreed to meet with me, Denise,” Erna said cheerfully. “Can’t help but notice how you draw the attention of all the men, just like your auntie.”
“Oh I don’t know. I mean Aunt Elizabeth loved the attention, I don’t.”
Erna laughed, shook her head and wagged her finger at Denise.
Gavin was curious who Denise was meeting and craned his neck to take a quick peek. That awful woman, he thought to himself. He recognized Erna sitting across from Denise.
The waitress came by to take their order. Both ordered coffee and a sandwich. Denise wanted to keep their meeting short, while Erna wanted to keep it inexpensive.
“So, how is everything going, has everything been moved or sold from your aunt’s home?”
Denise wasn’t surprised that Erna would cut to the chase about Aunt Elizabeth’s belongings. But for an instant she wanted to believe the fantasy that Erna was truly interested in knowing how she was coping after the loss of her aunt. After all, Aunt Elizabeth had been Denise’s guardian. Denise’s mother, Aunt Elizabeth’s sister, passed away unexpectedly when Denise was a toddler.
“It’s going slower than I thought it would.” Denise replied with a heavy sigh.
“I know these things do take time. Just want you to know I am here if you need any help with anything. Sometimes, there are things our family didn’t tell us about and an old friend can help.” Erna spoke gently and cupped Denise’s hand between her own.
Denise was weary of Erna’s sudden compassion, and the comment about family not telling you about things made her more suspicious. They ate quietly and passed the time talking about the weather, Denise’s boyfriend and the upcoming Valentine’s Day. Then the red loveseat popped its ugly head into the flow of conversation.
“I always had my eye on that red loveseat, Denise. I am sorry that I made such a stink about it. But it had sentimental value to me. You young people just don’t understand that.”
Denise lowered her eyes to gather her thoughts carefully before speaking. “Look Erna, I’m not a kid. I’m in my thirties. Of course I understand sentimentality. I wish you had made your wishes known when we were setting up the sale.” Her voice was louder than she wanted it to be.
“How could I!” Erna shouted. “I was away, and you and your boyfriend organized everything without me. I didn’t hear about the estate sale until the day before.”
The men at the bar turned to see what was wrong. Gavin couldn’t make out what the two women were saying, but he knew from the volume of their voices and tone that they weren’t exchanging pleasantries.
“There’s nothing I can do. It’s been sold.” Denise stated emphatically.
Erna abruptly went to pay the bill, returned to Denise only to say an obligatory good-bye. “This isn’t over, Denise. Take care, dear.” Denise’s eyes flooded with tears. She shook her head incredulously at how their luncheon had gone so wrong. Gavin waited a few moments then followed Erna.
Tuesday Evening Jeopardy
Right after Kay and Gavin finished the dinner dishes, she announced she was meeting Peggy at Gloria’s. She explained they were going to discuss the details of the potluck Valentine’s Dinner that Gloria and Norman were hosting on Friday. Gavin raised his eye-brows, his journalist instinct told him this was a mere ruse to speak with Norman about the letter and map. But he decided not to let-on because he had done some of his own detective work yesterday when he followed Erna to her home in Pearl River. It eased his mind to know where the “enemy” lived. He never mentioned to Kay that he had seen Erna and Denise at Murty’s. Not to hide the detective work but simply as a man he knew better than to tell Kay that he was at his old watering hole for a mid-afternoon beer.
The three friends sat at the kitchen table in Gloria’s home while Norman watched Jeopardy. During a commercial break, Kay coyly asked a quiz-like question to Norman.
“Norman, I have an answer and you can give me the question,” Kay began. Norman gave her his full attention. “She was Ben Field’s future wife.”
Norman’s face went pale and he placed the television on mute. Gloria joined them in the living-room. “Is everything OK? Who is Ben Field?”
“What the hell is this, 20-questions,” Norman said indignantly. “I thought you ladies were planning our Valentine’s dinner.”
Peggy became alarmed she was aghast how Kay approached Norman.
“I never heard of a Ben Field,” Gloria said. Her mind traveled in a dark direction. Was this a lover of Norman’s? She couldn’t help thinking like this after her ex-husband of 25 years came out.
Norman shut-off the TV, threw down the remote and shook his head. Kay couldn’t believe his reaction and regretted ever mentioning Ben’s name. Still, the three women stared at Norman waiting for more information. Norman took a deep breath and began.
“And?” Gloria asked with growing curiosity. Kay was relieved that Gloria took the reins in prodding Norman further.
“You ladies must know something already that you’re not telling me.” Norman surmised.
The three of them looked at each. Kay shrugged while Peggy smirked. Gloria was the only one who wasn’t privy to the note.
“OK what’s this really all about?” Norman demanded.
Kay cleared her throat took the letter and map from her purse and handed it to Norman. He was astonished and immediately recognized it as the letter and map from Ben Field.
“Where did you find this?” Norman said waving it about. He got up and began to walk in circles.
“What is it?” Gloria piped up. She rushed to Norman’s side to try to calm him.
Kay had misgivings now and worried that this may cause a fight between him and Gloria, or worse a heart attack for Norman. She held Peggy’s hand for comfort.
“Ben Field was a good friend of mine,” Norman said with his voice cracking.“He gave a letter like this to me and I was to help Elizabeth Woods find the Valentine’s gift that Ben hid before he went to Vietnam. He never made it home…he was killed.”
A blanket of silence fell upon them in respect for the fallen soldier. Ashamed too that they had been removed from the war all those years ago, living their lives while young men died by the thousands. Norman blew his nose. Gloria hugged him. And yet, she and the others still wanted to hear more about this Elizabeth Woods. Kay especially wanted to know the connection between the red loveseat and the letter.
“I’ll put the kettle on,” Peggy suggested.
“Yes, I think we all could use a cup of tea,” Gloria said. “Thank you, Peggy, for helping.”
Small Town Spooky (Cozy Mystery Anthology) Page 13