They found Connie’s cousin. Her team was warming up but it would be a while before their race.
“Let’s go to the merchandise tent and see what they have,” Elizabeth said.
They wandered over to the tent where they checked out various items of clothing with the Edmonton dragon boat logo on them.
“This would be a nice souvenir,” Elizabeth said, holding up a red vest. “I bought a black one at Mom’s first race here.”
When she’d paid for it they went to a jewellery tent and Connie bought a necklace with a dragon pendant and matching earrings. At the next tent Connie held up a black t-shirt with a red dragon on the front. “I like this. I think I’ll buy it.”
They returned to their chairs where they found Elizabeth’s dad and Sally. After they cheered on Connie’s cousin’s team, Elizabeth went and took Chevy out for a tour of the grass along the street. When she returned it was almost time for Sherry’s race.
Her team beat their first race time by three seconds and Sherry was ecstatic.
“See, you had nothing to worry about,” Elizabeth said, as they gathered up their chairs to head home.
“Well, I’ll see you at work, ladies,” Connie said, waving goodbye.
* * * *
That evening Elizabeth tried not to keep watching the alley for Jared’s van. She had told him to park on the cement pad behind the fence. She had also said they would eat around six o’clock and that was still half an hour away. Terry and Sherry had arrived already, Terry explaining he had to make sure Sherry got home and to bed early.
They were sitting on the patio in the back yard when Elizabeth saw the top of Jared’s van over the fence. At last. She jumped up and went to open the gate to let him know he had the right place.
She watched as he pressed the buttons to open the side door and lower his lift from the upright position. He unlocked the brakes that held his wheelchair, swung it around, and wheeled onto the lift. Jared smiled at her as he pressed the button and the lift lowered quietly to the pavement.
Once off, Jared pushed the button on his key ring to raise the lift and fold it in the doorway. The sliding door closed and locked.
Elizabeth bent towards him. He put his hand behind her neck and held her for such a long and lingering kiss she had to catch her breath when she pulled back. He grinned impishly as he turned towards gate. She walked beside him keeping her hand on his shoulder as he wheeled up the sidewalk to the patio. It would have been better for holding hands if he had an electric chair, but he preferred the manual chair, as wheeling it kept him fit.
“Dad, Terry, Sherry, I want you to meet Jared,” she said.
Phil held out his hand. “Great to finally meet you. Elizabeth and Sally have told me a lot about you.”
Jared grinned. “I’ve heard about you too. It seems you barbeque the best steak in the city.”
Terry offered his hand, while Sherry came over and said with a cheeky grin, “Elizabeth did say you were the most gorgeous man she’d ever met and I have to agree with her.”
“Sherry!” Elizabeth felt herself turn bright red and she noticed that Jared did, too.
“What? It’s true.”
“That’s the last time I tell you anything,” Elizabeth laughed.
Chevy went to the chair and Jared reached down to pet him. Encouraged, Chevy jumped onto his lap. Elizabeth went to take him off but Jared held up his hand. “No, he’s fine, aren’t you fellow?” he said, scratching Chevy’s ears.
“Would you like a drink?” Terry asked.
Jared shook his head. “Thanks, but I brought some pop with me.”
Elizabeth reached into the backpack hanging on the handles of his chair and withdrew a can.
“How do you like your steak, Jared?” Phil asked from the barbeque.
“I’ll take it rare, please.”
“Good choice.”
They chatted while eating their salad, then went to the barbeque where Phil dished up their steak, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob. After dessert they settled into their chairs while Sally passed around the coffee. “Well, I’m stuffed,” Jared said. “That was so good! The rumours about you and steak are definitely true, Phil.”
“Thank you. I’ve had years of practice.”
“I’ve got to go home and get some sleep,” Sherry said, yawning. “I was scared of missing the alarm this morning so I didn’t sleep very well last night.”
Terry jumped up. “Let’s go, then. Good night, all.”
“Call me after your race and let me know how you did,” Elizabeth said. She had to work tomorrow and hated the idea of missing the final races and maybe not seeing Sherry receive her first medal.
“Come on, Phil,” Sally said. “I’ll beat you at another game of Scrabble.”
“What do you mean, you’ll beat me?” He followed her into the house.
“It looks as if my family has, not so discreetly, left us alone together,” Elizabeth grinned.
“I don’t mind,” Jared said. Chevy, who had been gnawing on a bone, jumped into his lap again.
“Would you like some more coffee?” Elizabeth asked.
“No, thank you.”
There was a rare lull in their conversation. Usually they talked a mile a minute, and had a hard time saying all they wanted to in their time together. Elizabeth had decided to tell him the problems that would arise for her if she took on the job so he would understand why she had to turn him down. For, after much thought, her head had won out and she knew she just didn’t have enough time to do her research and write her article, and also run around town trying to solve a long-ago murder that might not even be a murder.
“I’ve really thought this over and I can’t see where I can help you. My vehicle isn’t set up for your wheelchair, and I’ll either be gone all day researching or in my room working on my article. I won’t have the time to go with you and dig around for information.”
“We can use my van for travelling.” Jared leaned forward eagerly. “I’ll pay for the gas. And there’s plenty of room for Chevy, too, if you’re bringing him. I could even look after him sometimes if you want. He could keep me company.”
“I was planning to work out of Edmonton,” Elizabeth said. “I’d drive each road in a day and after the three days begin to write the article. I can’t do that and work on your mystery in Redwater.”
“Redwater isn’t that far from Edmonton. We can stay at my dad’s. He’s got lots of room and some of the house has been renovated to accommodate my chair. You can leave from there.”
Elizabeth sighed. This was not going well. Staying at his father’s house was definitely not an option. “I think it would be very awkward, investigating the suspicious death of his previous wife while eating at his table.”
“Yes, I guess you are right.” Jared’s voice was subdued. Then he perked up. “I called my grandmother who lives here in Edmonton and she said you can come over and meet her. You could ask her some questions about my mom.”
“Your grandmother?”
“Yes, my mom’s mother.”
“Did Sally tell you to do that?” she asked, suspiciously. “Are you trying to get me hooked on this?”
Jared smiled. “Sally may have given me a few hints. Plus, I just plain like your company.”
Elizabeth felt herself grow warm at the statement. She knew it wasn’t a good idea, but she was having a hard time turning this man down. And she did want to spend more time with him.
“We can go now, if you want,” Jared said, as if sensing her wavering.
“Isn’t it a bit late?”
“No, I just have to phone her and let her know.”
“Okay,” she relented. “But this doesn’t mean I’m on the case!”
“She doesn’t live far from here so we’ll take my van, then I’ll bring you back,” Jared said, a wide grin spreading across his face.
Chevy rode on Jared’s lap out to the vehicle. He jumped off when Jared wheeled onto the lift. Elizabeth picked him up a
nd climbed into the passenger seat.
“Did you tell your grandmother about the photograph?” Elizabeth asked, holding Chevy on her lap.
“I said that something had come up about Mom’s death and I had someone who wanted to ask her some questions about it.”
Elizabeth shook her head with a laugh. “You sure are taking some liberties.”
“That’s my nature,” Jared grinned.
Chapter 6
They drove down a tree-lined street in an older section of the city and stopped in front of a small, stucco house. Elizabeth climbed out and waited for Jared to ride down on the lift. There was a ramp for him to wheel up to the landing at the front door. She noticed that the outside door had been removed so it wouldn’t be in his way. He pressed the bell.
A woman in her mid-seventies opened the inner door. Her face broke into a smile when she saw Jared.
“Come in.” She stood back and gestured for them to enter.
“Grandma, this is Elizabeth Oliver. Elizabeth, my grandmother, Olga Dombroski.”
“Nice to meet you,” Olga said, with a slight Ukrainian accent. “Come into the kitchen. I have a pie in the oven.”
Elizabeth let Jared go first then followed.
“Please, sit down,” Olga said to Elizabeth, indicating a chair. Jared wheeled to an empty spot at the table. She sat and put her hands in her lap. “Now tell me what this is about.”
Jared reached into his pocket, pulled out the photograph, and handed it to her. Just the sight of the stone brought tears to her eyes. “Such a terrible thing to put on her grave. Such a terrible thing.”
“Turn it over, Grandma.”
She read the words on the back and her eyes widened. She looked at Jared. “What does this mean? Someone thinks she was murdered?” She held the picture to her chest and began to rock back and forth. “Who would murder my daughter?”
Jared held up his hand. “We don’t know that she was murdered, Grandma,” he said gently. “I received that in the mail two days ago. I don’t know who sent it or why.”
Elizabeth was beginning to feel uncomfortable. This wasn’t a good idea. Olga was getting upset and she couldn’t blame her.
“Did you go to the police?”
Jared nodded. “I talked to them but they said they needed more information, so I asked Elizabeth here if she could help me.”
“You are a private investigator?” The woman asked sharply, peering at her.
“No, actually I’m a travel writer.”
“A writer?” Her voice rose. “What does a writer know about murder?” Olga turned to Jared.
Jared put his hand on her arm. “Grandma,” he said quietly, as if trying to calm her. “Elizabeth has found the killers in two other murders.”
“Why don’t you hire a real detective?”
“Because, I can’t afford it.”
“I have some money.” Olga said.
“No, Grandma. You keep your money.”
Elizabeth didn’t like the sound of this. She was going from being uncomfortable to becoming resentful that Jared had put her in this position.
Before she could say anything Jared said. “Grandma, Elizabeth isn’t here to try and figure out what happened to Mom.”
“Oh? Why not?”
“Because she has a job and she has to write an article for a magazine.”
“So, why did you come if you’re not going to help?” Olga glared at her.
Elizabeth felt her temper rising. This woman had gone from not wanting her to look into the mystery because she wasn’t a real detective to demanding to know why she wouldn’t try to help Jared. She bit her tongue. It probably wouldn’t do much for their budding relationship if she told off Jared’s grandmother.
“She came because she’s a friend and I asked her to,” Jared said.
“Oh,” Olga said, contritely. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.” She smiled then hurried over to the counter and put on her oven mitts. She opened the oven door. The smell of baking pie filled the air but Elizabeth couldn’t tell what type it was.
Olga put the pie on a wooden board and closed the oven door. “Would you like a piece? It’s blueberry.” Olga cut the pie and set the steaming pieces in front of each of them.
Elizabeth accepted the peace offering with a smile and cut hers up so it would cool quicker.
“Grandma, can you tell me about Mom’s death?” Jared asked around his first mouthful.
“I’ve already told you many times.”
“I know, but can you add more, like the little details?”
“I don’t know what I can add. I only know what happened.” She settled back in her chair and began.
“Someone phoned, I don’t remember who. I answered it. She said that Anna was dead. I said no, but she said yes. ‘How?’ I asked. ‘She threw herself down the well.’ she answered. I didn’t wait to hear more. I hung up.”
Elizabeth nodded sympathetically and took a bite of the pie. It was delicious.
“Your Grandpa Victor didn’t believe me when I told him.” Olga demonstrated with her hands as she continued. “He grabbed me and shook me. He yelled at me, asking me why she had killed herself. I told him ‘because you didn’t let her come home. You forced her to go back to Paul.’”
Elizabeth couldn’t help herself. “Why did you say that?”
“Because it was true.” Olga jabbed her finger on the table. “Anna stood here at this table and begged him to let her and Jared move in with us for awhile. She said that Paul drank a lot and sometimes hit her.” A tear ran down her cheek. “She was pregnant with our second grandchild and Victor wouldn’t let her stay with us.”
“Why not?’ Elizabeth asked gently.
“Because he was set in his stupid old ways,” she said, vehemently. “He thought a woman was supposed to stay with her husband no matter what he was like. Then when he heard the news he kept saying ‘If I’d known it was that bad I would have let her stay.’ I yelled at him ‘You saw her tooth, you heard her story!’”
It was beginning to sound like there may be some merit to what was on the back of the photograph. Elizabeth knew the conversation was drawing her into the vortex and she listened, helpless as it happened. “Did Paul really beat her?” she asked.
Olga nodded. “She had a chipped tooth when she arrived and a bruise on her cheek.”
“And your husband sent her back?” Elizabeth couldn’t believe a father would do that to his daughter.
“Yes,” Olga said, her breathing agitated. She was reliving the moment. “‘You son of a bitch!’ I yelled at him. ‘You and your almighty ways, worried more about what people think of you than your own daughter; so self-righteous that you wouldn’t help her when she really needed you!’”
Elizabeth and Jared could only stare at her. Elizabeth could tell that he was shocked by her outburst.
“‘Anna is dead and you murdered her.’ I told him.” She began to cry. “And, God help me, I let him. I let him.”
Olga wrapped her arms around her and rocked back and forth again. “Oh, Anna. Oh, my poor little Anna.” The tears ran down her cheeks.
Elizabeth and Jared sat silently, letting her recover from her thirty-year-old grief, and then Jared offered her a tissue. It was obvious that she’d gone over that conversation many times during the past years. When she was finished wiping her eyes, Elizabeth asked. “Did you go to the funeral?”
“Yes. We still had family and friends in the area so I phoned my sister to ask when it was. We went down just for the day. When we got to the funeral home a woman came up to me, said her name was Meredith, and handed me an envelope. ‘Anna asked me to give this to you.’ she said.”
“I asked her when she’d done that and she said on the day she died.” Olga stood. “Wait a minute and I’ll get it for you.” She left the room and returned a few minutes later with a worn envelope. She handed it to Jared.
Jared slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the yellowing piece of paper.
Dear Mom and Dad,
If you are reading this letter then you know that I’m dead. I’m sorry I wasn’t the type of daughter you could be proud of. I don’t blame you for anything that has happened to me. It was my choice to go out with Paul and I admit I did it to spite you. So what happened afterwards was a result of my stupidity. I hope you can forgive me for everything I’ve done to hurt you.
Please find it in your hearts to be caring grandparents to Jared. Let him come to visit you, write him letters, send him birthday and Christmas gifts, phone him, do everything a grandparent does. And tell him about me. Tell him I loved him with all my heart. Please don’t let him forget me.
Thank you.
I love you both.
Anna.
There was silence when he finished.
“How come you never showed this to me before?” Jared asked, as he stared at his mother’s writing.
“When you first asked about your mother I thought you were too young to read this and then you quit asking. I figured I should leave well enough alone.”
“Did you show this to the police at the time?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yes, they decided it was a suicide note since everyone they talked to said she was unhappy. Plus, she wrote it as if she knew she was going to die. That suggested suicide.”
That could also suggest she might have been afraid of someone, Elizabeth thought. She glanced at Jared before asking Olga. “Did you tell them about Paul beating her?”
“Yes. According to their records she had never filed a complaint against him so they said that it could have been a one-time occurrence.”
“Do you think this letter was a suicide note?”
“Everybody did,” she said defensively, before adding softly, “but I always had my doubts. I never really believed that my Anna would do that.”
* * * *
“You were four when your mother brought you here,” Elizabeth said to Jared, as they drove away from his grandmother’s house. “Do you remember anything?”
“All I remember is a long bus ride and then Dad coming to pick us up.”
The Travelling Detective: Boxed Set Page 31