“Now that you’re here and it’s off my chest.” Aaron put out his hand and we walked to the office.
“Brave girl we’ve got here,” Aaron said, squeezing my hand. I sat in my former place beside Grandma. “I’m going after another chair.” He left, returning right away. “I’ll order pizza. How does that sound? Then we’re going to have a discussion and try to get to the bottom of what’s going on.”
“Now? I want to try and forget the whole thing ever happened. However,” I waited a beat before continuing, “we need to talk about a few things.”
“I’m sure, but let’s order something to eat first. Is that all right?” When Grandma and Grandpa nodded, Aaron picked up the phone and ordered a pizza for delivery.
“There has to be some reason for the murder.” My brain was starting to come back to life. “The question is, how did she get into the store? What was she after?”
“Let’s all do what we need to do, and then reconvene? I need the bathroom,” Grandma said. “How about coffee or a soda?”
“Soda.” I stood. “I’m showering first and putting on fresh clothes. I still smell the blood on me from when I first found her.”
“I’ll get them,” Aaron said.
I quickly showered, then slipped into a pair of jeans along with a long-sleeved T-shirt with a picture of the 1963 White House Christmas tree on it. I brushed my teeth and pulled my hair into a ponytail. Red ringlets stuck out like springs from the back of my head. I went downstairs and curled up again on the settee. Aaron had set sodas on the small coffee table. He was at the desk with the computer humming. Grandpa was on his chair, smoking a cigar.
“Does this murder have anything to do with the assault?” I took a sip, and the bubbly fizz tickled my nose. I already felt refreshed. “They have to be connected.” I took a deep breath, and said, “Did you check out the ten names?”
“Yes, I had a chance to ask around. Your suspects are either living in another state, jail, or aren’t physically capable of the crime.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Do you think the assault and murder are connected?”
“Don’t know. Very possible,” Aaron responded.
“I wonder what the detectives are thinking?” My brow rose with puzzlement as I glanced at Grandpa.
“Hard to say,” Grandpa said.
“They’ll have a million more questions. What about cleanup?” Grandma asked.
“Forensics will be calling eventually, then you’ll have to go down to the station. They’ll take your fingerprints.” Aaron looked grimly at me. “Everyone is a suspect, at least until they verify alibis.”
“I’d think the bodyguard and secretary would be high on the list.” Just then my cell phone buzzed. “It’s Max, wondering how I am.” I text back, I’m fine.
“The pizza will be here any minute.” Aaron nodded to the extra chair across from the settee.
“I’m hungry. I’m glad you’ve ordered one,” Grandma said, nodding her head. “I couldn’t think after hearing about this. I worried so much about our little Olivia.” She patted my hand. “But, I see she’s tough and strong, like her mommy.”
“Thank you, Grandma.” I sighed. “Max had wanted to tell me something, but I hadn’t wanted to listen. I was too worried about Jackie coming from New York for possible purchases of dollhouses.” I set the soda down. “I’m going to ask. Just a minute.” I texted him, asking what he’d meant about wanting to tell me something, and sent the message.
“What was the murder weapon?” Grandpa asked.
“The only thing that comes to mind is the hammer that I keep for fixing things.” I started pacing. “It’d have to have been that. What else? The way her head was bashed. Blood was on the floor. Her hair soaked up most of it.” I dropped back into the settee. “What an awful way to die. Poor Jackie.”
“Now what?” Grandpa asked. “Aaron, you’re not holding back, are you?”
“Not at all.” Aaron shook his head. “Now we’re going to make a list of what we know and don’t know.”
The doorbell rang, and Aaron went for the pizza.
“My stomach is in knots. I feel so bad for Jackie,” I said.
I couldn’t eat. As Aaron ate, he typed in everything we knew. I told him about my entering the store, turning on the lights, hanging my coat and throwing my bag in the usual place, then going into the showroom. I told him about the eerie feeling I had when I entered. Talking about seeing the bloody head on the house and calling the police, made me extremely anxious. I remembered little else except all the blood and being petrified. I checked my phone and saw Maggie had left three texts and a voice mail. I sent her a return: im ok cal latr.
“Where was the hammer?” Aaron asked.
“I don’t remember seeing it.” My phone chirruped. Max had texted me back.
The overhead security camera was knocked out both nights.
My eyes opened wide. “The killer must’ve done that.”
“What?”
“Max just texted that the overhead security camera was knocked out both nights.”
“I’ll call right now to report it to the security company, Minnesota Nice,” Grandpa said.
“The bodyguard had said, ‘Problem solved.’ Not sure, but it could mean that he’d put the lights out somehow, such as now they don’t need to worry about a video taping during a break-in. They also may have a key,” I said. “I’m very worried about this. We need a better alarm system.”
“Yes, August, place the call, will you?” Aaron wrote down the number to the security company and handed it to him. “I’m calling the company and letting them know about the security camera.” He placed his call and when finished, said, “That helps the investigation.”
“Maybe Ronnie has some telltale photos?”
“You never know,” Aaron said.
“He also knew about Jackie.”
“Jackie was definitely searching for something, otherwise she wouldn’t have been there so early,” Grandpa stated. “Where’s that phone?” Aaron handed it to him.
I waited to answer until he’d finished recording his message to the security company. “She did take those two dolls, but it makes me wonder if they aren’t in her purse? Her purse wasn’t around. Where was it? I did get the credit card number, but I want the dolls back. They’re my creation. I’m curious if there wasn’t something special imprinted on them?”
“The police report didn’t say anything about missing dolls,” Aaron stated, making a separate note to himself.
“She talked about being a descendant, plus something about Mr. Madison’s attire.”
“Make sure you tell the detectives about all of this.” He typed it in. “It’ll help in the investigation.”
“I’ll inform them when I go for fingerprinting.” Having my family surrounding me made me feel better, but I was getting frustrated by all the questions. “The bodyguard makes me wary. Why would she need one when she wasn’t that big of a celebrity?” I ran my fingers through my hair.
“People have bodyguards for any number of reasons. Stalking, is one,” Aaron said. “Ex-husbands, another.”
“That’s about it. We arranged for Jackie to come at ten and probably purchase the two dollhouses, which you guys know about.” Suddenly I started to feel hunger pangs and reached for the remaining slice of pizza.
“What did she say?” Aaron stared at me. “Didn’t she ask something weird-like?”
“Oh, yeah, right!” I raised my brow. “She asked if I knew anything about a Madison family secret. I said that I didn’t know what she was talking about.”
“Family secret?” Grandma sat up straighter. “Madison?”
“Yes, and something about cufflinks. Don’t understand any of it.” I shook my head.
“It was like she was on a fishing trip,” Aaron said, scratching his head.
“Wanda was her secretary and I don’t know the bodyguard’s name,” I said. “I wonder if they’ve left town?”
“They’re pr
obably still in the hotel,” Aaron said. “They wouldn’t be allowed to leave town yet. All suspects have to be cleared.”
“There’s one other thing. There’s that staircase hidden in the floor behind the counter. Remember? The trapdoor,” I asked. “I’ll have to point it out to the investigating detectives.”
“Wait a minute. Hold that thought, I’m placing a call to the detectives,” Aaron said. He made an immediate call and left the room. After a short while, he returned and said, “Detective Erlandsen will be right over.”
“While we wait,” I said, “Grandma, tell me about the cufflinks. They’re the set that once belonged to James Madison, correct? I know that you’re holding something back, what is it?”
“Yes, I believe that they are. Someone tried to steal them right after we married, before I inherited them,” Grandpa said. “He’s dead.”
“How do you know?” I asked. “Are they the cufflinks worn at your anniversary and my parents’ wedding? I just thought they were from your wedding. That’s why they’re old.”
“Was he incarcerated?” Aaron asked.
“The police informed us. He was sentenced to prison, where he died.”
“They’re quite valuable, aren’t they?”
“Oh yes, very much,” Grandma said.
“Where are they?”
“Hidden in a secret place,” Grandma said.
“Won’t you tell me?”
“Nope,” Grandpa said. “It’s best for you to not know. They’re safe, and that was seventy years ago. This can’t be someone looking for these particular cufflinks, there’s too much of a time span from that incident to today.”
“Jackie mentioned cufflinks, Grandpa. This is too coincidental.”
Just then we heard car doors, and saw the detective walk toward the house.
“I’ll open the door,” Aaron said, getting up. Once the door closed, he said, “Detective Erlandsen, this way.” Aaron introduced my grandparents and myself.
“Let’s begin. I need to know about the trapdoor,” Detective Erlandsen said, looking at Grandpa. “Sir? Mind filling me in?”
“When I bought the building,” Grandpa said, “the bottom entrance was closed off. The outside back door is locked. The basement runs through all three buildings. I think it was set up that way for an easy drop and delivery during Prohibition.”
“I never thought of that secret exit.” I yawned.
“You own the building?”
“No, not anymore. Liv purchased the building.”
“Anything else that you’ve forgotten to tell us, Ms. Anderson?”
“Yes. Jackie removed two dolls before she left that day. I do have her credit card number, but I want them back. They’re my creation.”
“Dolls?”
“The President and Mrs. Madison miniature dolls.”
“Like how big?” He held two fingers apart and asked, “Four inches?”
“Yes. Jackie also asked about Mr. Madison’s clothing and his cufflinks, which didn’t make any sense. Nor that she asked about a family secret, which I can’t explain.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
“Yes, I also had trouble finding my keys the other day.”
“Duly noted.” Detective Erlandsen jotted the information down. “Anything else, call. Here’s my card.” He handed each one before looking at Aaron, and said, “Keep us up to date if there’s anything else that you should think of.”
“Will do.”
“I’ll find my way out.”
As soon as he left, I drew in a deep breath. “What a mess to contend with.”
“What should I do?” Grandma looked at me.
“You can supervise the cleanup.” I frowned. “There’s plenty to do.”
“Back to security,” Grandpa said. “Get the best system there is, installed. We sure don’t want this happening again.”
“Aaron.” Grandpa turned and said, “Now will ya Google that woman? The more we know about a person, the better it’ll be.”
“I’m right on it.” Aaron turned back to the computer and typed in Jackie Newell’s name. As he clicked into the different websites, he relayed the information. “There’s nothing more that we don’t know except for her private plane. She’s rich. A major stockholder in the stores. Her family’s from the Virginia area. Wait a second here…” He scrolled down and read further, then turned to stare at me. “You’re not going to believe this.”
“I already know. She’s a descendant of Dolley Madison.” I smiled. “Which leads to the unanswered question.”
“What’s the family secret?” Aaron asked.
“Not only that. How do the cufflinks factor into the murder?” I wanted to know.
Chapter Four
“Is she a descendant of Mr. Madison through a sibling, or from one of Dolley’s sisters? I don’t have a clue.” I rubbed my chin and ran my fingers through my hair. “I’m tired. The question here is; what did she mean by the ‘family secret’? She asked twice if I’d heard of it. How can there be one after all of these years? Grandma, do you know what it’s about?”
Grandma glanced at Grandpa, and finally said, “No, dear, I’ve never heard of a family secret. I have an elderly unwed relative who never spoke of a secret.”
“Then it’s a mystery.” I raised my arms in despair. “That’s why she was so interested in the Madisons and took those two dolls. Why didn’t she just ask me a few questions about them or how long I’d known we were descendants? It sounds like she recently discovered her lineage.”
“I’m curious why she wanted the dolls,” Aaron stated. “That makes no sense, especially since she planned to purchase the house, dolls plus the furnishings.”
“Yes, however, was she really planning to return to purchase the houses?” I asked, puzzled. “It’s smart that I took the credit card info or may never be paid.”
“I concur with Aaron. Why?” Grandma said.
“There’s that unanswered question. She was looking for something and thought she’d found it in the dolls, I bet.” I thought about the dolls, but was still perplexed. “I’m going to have to look closely at the clothing to see if there’s something that isn’t right about them.” I shrugged. “What else could it be?”
“I agree with my granddaughter. Why else take them?” Grandpa nodded.
“She should’ve started talking about being a descendant when we first made contact.”
“That gives me an idea.” Aaron glanced at Grandpa. “I wonder—no. She wouldn’t be short of money, stocks dropping or anything like that, would she?”
“No. I think she had some kind of hair-brained idea.”
“It has to do with a ‘secret’,” I said.
“Very possible,” Grandma said.
“Good reasoning.” Aaron went back to the website, and clicked out of it.
“I think she wanted money,” Grandpa said.
“The root of all evil.” Grandma embraced me. “We’ll get to the bottom of this. Just you wait and see.”
“I hope so, because nothing makes any sense.” I thought of a previous message from Montpelier. Since I’m a descendant, they send group e-mails whenever something of interest happens. “There’s also been a robbery lately at Montpelier. One of her ruby jewels plus a brooch was taken. There also had been a set of cufflinks that had matched the brooch, but they’ve been missing for many years.”
“Really? Rubies? Brooch? Cufflinks never recovered?” Grandma said, thoughtfully.
“They certainly couldn’t be my cufflinks. I wasn’t born in the 1700s or 1800s nor stole them,” Grandpa said, rubbing his chin. “Talk about a mess.”
“Interesting, isn’t it?” I was starting to believe that my dollhouses weren’t the only reason Jackie of New York! had quickly become a customer. My dreams of the big time, were now at the bottom of the pit. I noticed a glint in Grandma’s eye, like she was hiding something such as the whereabouts of Dolley’s keepsakes. I’ll have to question her later. “A break-in at
the Madison Estate.”
“Cufflinks and rubies.” Aaron massaged his chin. “She must’ve known about the theft. I wonder if this isn’t the ‘secret’ she spoke about? Maybe this is why she came here?” He looked at me. “I wonder if the Montpelier thief is a descendant?”
“But, the cufflinks weren’t stolen recently. See? Nothing is right,” I said, yawning. “If they’ve been in your family for hundreds of years, then the missing cufflinks could be yours.” I looked at Grandpa.
“We’re jumping to conclusions here, guys.” Grandpa took a deep breath. “One thing at a time.”
“You’re right, Grandpa.” I mulled it over in my mind. “Read the entire article, Aaron, so they can hear about it.”
“I wish you’d told us about it right away, Liv,” Grandpa said.
“There isn’t much else to say.” Aaron scratched his chin. “Here goes: The Montpelier estate, home to James and Dolley Madison, was broken into recently. The thieves stole a set of rubies and a brooch purported to have once belonged to Mrs. Madison and given to her by her husband, the President. Mr. Madison had a set of matching cufflinks, but Mrs. Madison bequeathed them to a dear friend, Elijah Putnam, upon her death. They have never been located. The hope is that someday, the person who’d inherited them would eventually donate them to the museum.”
“See what I mean? It can’t be my cufflinks. They weren’t stolen. They’re safely hidden away and haven’t been seen by me for many years,” Grandpa declared. “They’re right here in the desk under this rose.” He indicated the spot. “Press down it’ll pop open.”
“Do it, August,” Grandma said.
“Another time, we’re all tired,” Grandpa said.
“I’m going to look later, Grandpa,” I said. “I am tired so you’re right.”
“Any idea who this Elijah Putnam is?” Grandma asked. “That’s a very old sounding name, isn’t it?”
“Is there a picture of the jewelry?” I wondered if the images would match the cufflinks and the gems that my dolls wore. “Grandma? You look deep in thought. What is it?”
“Nothing, dear. Nothing at all. I’m just thinking about Dolley and why she’d give away the cufflinks, that’s all. She was very poor upon her death.”
The Blood Spangled Banner: A First Ladies Mystery Page 4