Shelley Freydont - Celebration Bay 03 - Independence Slay

by Shelley Freydont

  “Just a lucky hit,” Henry assured him. “I’m usually not so maladroit with an umbrella. Isn’t that right, Leo?”

  “Mr. Henry’s real good with an umbrella. We fight with them when we look for the treasure. Sometimes he lets me win, though.” They smiled at each other, comrades at arms, playmates in fantasy. Liv wasn’t sure it was a good thing for Leo. She knew it couldn’t be healthy for a man past middle age.

  “You mean this thing is real?” Haynes asked, incredulously.

  “Of course it’s real.”

  “I thought it was a prop.”

  “It was, but it’s a real sword.”

  “Good Lord, I could have killed you.” Haynes dropped the sword and sank into the nearest chair.

  “Isn’t that what you wanted?” Henry asked.

  “Of course not. I just wanted you to tell the truth.”

  “Ah, but what is truth, really?”

  “I have half a mind to run him through myself,” Ted said sotto voce.

  Liv cut him a look.

  “I’ll toss you for it,” Chaz said. “I’m not altogether maladroit with an umbrella myself. What a nutcase.”

  “Now to the real problem at hand,” Henry said.

  “What’s that?” Grossman asked.

  “Who killed Jacob Rundle?”

  “The gardener?” Grossman shook his head.

  “Yes. In my absence, someone killed Jacob Rundle, who was standing in for me at the reenactment. That’s why I asked you all here tonight.”

  Hildy descended on him. “Why didn’t you tell me what you were doing? I was scared out of my wits. I thought you and Mr. Haynes were going to kill each other. I even got Ms. Montgomery to come hieing over here to help me save you.

  “How dare you!” Hildy reached behind her back and, before Liv could scream, “Watch out!” Hildy yanked at the back of her apron. The apron slid off; she wrapped it in a ball and threw it at her employer.

  “I quit. You’re a selfish man. You don’t care about what your shenanigans do to other people. Leo’s had a bad time of it ’cause you had to go traipsing off to Hollywood. Well, they didn’t want you, did they? Did they?”

  Slowly, Henry shook his head.

  “It’s about time you stopped living in your glorious past and came down to earth with the rest of us.”

  She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. Leaving everyone openmouthed.

  “Hildy?” Henry asked—mainly to himself, Liv thought. As if enlightenment had finally dawned. She hoped it had, because his actions had caused a lot of trouble and they still hadn’t caught the killer.

  She looked around the room. He had assembled all the probable suspects, just like a detective in an old movie. But maybe for once he’d done something useful.

  With Henry being able to prove he was in LA, and Grossman in the bleachers, Haynes on his horse, the only other invited guest was the nephew. And…

  “Mr. Grossman, when you met Frank down by the lake the afternoon we were here, was that a planned meeting?”

  “What?”

  “Did you plan to meet him after you’d finished work that day?”

  “No, I just, uh, wanted to look around the property.”

  “Mr. Grossman,” Chaz interrupted. “There are laws against misrepresentation.”

  “I didn’t plan to meet him.”

  “But you saw him out by the boathouse when you were looking out the window, didn’t you?” Liv asked.

  “Well, yes. And to tell you the truth, I was curious. I’d seen him take an object off the table when he left.”

  “The figurine.”

  Grossman’s eyebrows raised. “Yes.”

  “You little thief,” Henry said, but without much surprise or anger. “I wondered what happened to that. I was afraid Hildy had broken it.”

  “He’s lying,” the nephew said. “He’s just trying to keep the attention off himself. He probably killed old Jacob.”

  “I am not. And I did not. When I confronted you, you offered to cut me in.”

  “That’s a lie,” Frank said.

  Grossman turned on him, stretching up to his full height. “Did you really think that once I was in possession of Gallantine House I would steal from the museum for some paltry commission to help a common thief?”

  Slowly, they all turned toward the nephew, who had been gradually edging toward the door.

  “That’s total bull. I only came here in the first place because you were missing and mother was frantic with worry. I’ll tell her you’re alive and well. And I thought maybe you could lend me some more money to tide me over.”

  “Lend you money? I’ve never lent you any money. When you loan money you have an expectation of getting it back. I knew you would never pay me. I gave you that money. The more fool me. Because in spite of all your promises, I knew I would never see any of it again. But you’ve seen your last penny from me. And your last stolen artifact. Get out.”

  The sounds of sirens rose faintly in the distance.

  “Perhaps we should all wait for the sheriff,” Ted said.

  “You can’t keep me here.” Frank Gallantine made a dash for the door, but Henry, in his own inimitable style, grabbed his arm. Frank knocked him to the ground and ran.

  Whiskey started barking. Leo jumped in front of Frank, blocking his way to the door.

  “Get away from me.”

  Leo stood his ground. “You hurt Mr. Henry.”

  “Bo-oo-oo! Crazy boy! Out of my way!” Frank raised his arms at Leo as if to strike. No, not to strike but to scare. Like a big bear on its hind legs.

  Leo stumbled back and fell on his butt. Whiskey jumped in front of him, barking like crazy.

  A bear on its hind legs, thought Liv. Or a ghost disappearing. Presto!

  “It’s the ghost!” Leo cried.

  “Good Lord,” Ted said.

  “Chaz!” Liv yelled. “He’s yours.”

  “Don’t mind if I do.” Chaz jumped from his chair.

  Frank swung around, making for the door. But before he got two steps, Chaz’s fist slammed into his nose.

  Blood gushed everywhere, just as Hildy returned with Bill Gunnison, three officers, and Phillip Schorr.

  “Sorry, Hildy,” Chaz said, shaking his hand.

  “Don’t you worry none, Charlie. This is one mess I won’t mind cleaning up.”

  The officers handcuffed and Mirandized Frank and led him out to a squad car.

  Bill looked around the room. “Would anyone like to tell me what just went on here?”

  “You just hold your horses, Bill Gunnison.” Hildy bustled out of the room; she returned seconds later with a tray of gauze, Band-Aids, and iodine.

  She marched over to Henry. “Sit.”

  Henry sat and held out his arm. “Does this mean you’re not quitting?”

  “Who would take care of you if I did? But there are going to be some changes made.”

  Leo knelt by Henry’s chair carefully watching Hildy clean the wound.

  “I don’t envy Henry,” Ted said. “That woman is formidable.”

  Henry waved his other hand. “Daniel, get everyone drinks in my stead. Leo, you can go on back to the kitchen and get yourself a soda.”

  But Leo wasn’t about to leave his side.

  Daniel made drinks just like it was an evening soiree instead of the wrap-up of a murder investigation.

  And Liv thought that there wasn’t so much difference between a faded movie star and a lawyer who portrayed his ancestor in a summer pageant. Both of these men had a streak of fantasy at odds with reality.

  When Hildy finished, Henry began his presentation. For presentation it was. Down to “the plot thickens.”

  “But it’s Leo here who is the real hero. He recognized the killer, didn’t you son?�
�

  “He acted just like the ghost,” Leo said.

  “Yes, he did, and you solved the case,” Henry said.

  Liv had to force herself not to tell Henry to stop filling Leo’s head with any more flights of fancy. She’d have to make sure Phillip Schorr explained to Leo that he wasn’t to do any more case solving in the future. That was all they needed.

  The pastor and Leo were the first to leave. “Leo does have school tomorrow, and then he starts his new job at the Woofery.”

  “Well, don’t be a stranger, Leo,” Henry said.

  “I won’t, Mr. Henry.”

  “I’ll join you,” Daniel said. “If that’s okay with you, Bill.”

  “Yes, we’re pretty much finished here.”

  George Grossman, with a quick apology to Henry, followed the others out.

  “Well,” Henry said, “it’s been quite a night.”

  “Yes,” said Bill. “And it happened to work this time, but don’t ever pull something like that again, Henry. This is not the movies.”

  Henry laughed, a full, round baritone. “No, Hollywood is a bit more dangerous. All that backstabbing, you know.”

  Bill’s mouth tightened, but he refrained from answering.

  Henry saw them all to the door.

  “Just one thing,” Liv asked. “Do you mind if I ask. Is there a document?”

  Henry shrugged.

  “You’d be holding out on primary source material, if there is,” Chaz said.

  It was the first time she’d heard him speak like a serious journalist.

  “My dears, this country has lived two centuries without knowing whether it was truth or not. I think it can survive a few more without knowing for sure.” He winked at Liv.

  “Good night all,” he said, and closed the door.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  It was Friday before Bill showed up at the Events Office, bringing Chaz with him. “Figured I might as well tell it once and get it over with.”

  “Hell, I thought he was arresting me.” The smirk was back in Chaz’s expression.

  “And I might yet if you keep up this tendency to deck people.”

  “Hey, the last time I was aiding an arrest.”

  “Uh-huh.” Bill lowered himself into a straight-backed chair Ted had brought in from the outer office.

  “Is your sciatica flaring up again?” Liv asked.

  “A bit, but with any luck things will quiet down around here, including my back.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “You don’t have anything special planned for the next month or so?”

  “Nothing major. Besides, Ted and I are going on vacation. Not at the same time. There will always be someone in the office if we’re needed.”

  “And I’m booked with a bunch of fishing groups,” Chaz said. “The only thing I’ll be fighting are bass and lake trout. A-a-ah. Peace and quiet.”

  “And mosquitoes,” Liv said under her breath.

  “Nah, those I’ll be swatting, not fighting.” Chaz grinned. His face had turned from black and purple to yellow and green. Not pretty.

  “Bill, can you tell us anything about what happened to Jacob Rundle?” Liv asked.

  “Pretty cut and dried. It goes something like this: Rundle and Frank were both helping themselves to portable loot out of Gallantine House. Frank found out and suggested they join forces. Rundle had more access to the inside of the house. Frank had better places to fence what they stole.

  “But as usually happens with the good, the bad, and the ugly…” Bill grinned. “Notice the allusion to the movies?”

  “We noticed,” Ted said. “Get on with it.”

  “Well, Rundle got greedy, according to Frank anyway. Though, consider the source. Rundle started holding out on him, dealing on the side. Then he found the ‘treasure chest’ when he was cleaning out one of the storerooms in the mansion.”

  “And Henry caught him,” Liv said. “I bet that’s why he told him not to come back in the house.”

  “Got it in one,” Chaz said.

  “How did you know?” Liv asked.

  “I asked Henry.”

  “Anyway,” said Bill, “it was just around the time that everybody was preparing for the reenactment. But according to Frank, Rundle was two-timing him, and approached Daniel Haynes on his own.

  “And I surmise, mainly from what Daniel said, that Daniel sent him packing. Somehow Frank heard about Grossman offering to buy Gallantine House and rushed into town to see what was going on. Read: to see what he could steal before the sale went through.

  “My words, not his. He’s talking, but I’m not sure how much of it is truth and how much wishful thinking. There’s a streak of theatricality in that family that didn’t stop with Henry.

  “Anyway, Henry leaves town. Frank goes to confront Rundle. Rundle is getting ready for the reenactment. Puts Frank off. So Frank follows him up the tower stairs to have it out with him.

  “They’re arguing away. When it comes time to give the signal, Rundle puts the musket down and picks up the lantern. Frank picks up the musket. He swears he just meant to scare him, but Rundle turned around and fell into the bayonet.”

  “Really,” Ted said. “He expects to get off with self-defense?”

  “He’s an idiot,” Chaz added.

  “Oh, he won’t get off completely. But we cut him a deal.”

  “Why?” Liv asked. “He killed that man.”

  “Yeah, and we might prove it someday. But the case pretty much rests on his account and circumstantial evidence. Better ten to twenty than back on the streets and ripping off other people or putting Leo through a court case.”

  Chaz gave Liv a look, and Liv knew he was reminding her about the reason he got in fights, because the law didn’t always work.

  “But what about the cape Leo said he was wearing? Did you find it? And wouldn’t that mean it was premeditated? Frank wasn’t in the reenactment.”

  “Yeah, it does. But we don’t have a cape and Frank isn’t talking.”

  “It’s better than nothing,” she said as much to Chaz as to Bill.

  “It is. Besides, he’s seriously in debt to some not-very-nice people.”

  “Priceless,” Chaz said. “He won’t be able to pay if he’s in jail.”

  “Obviously,” Liv said.

  “He can’t get to them, but they can get to him.”

  “And probably will,” Ted said. “Save the taxpayers a bundle.”

  “A bundle,” Bill agreed.

  “You’re shocking Liv,” Chaz said.

  Ted and Bill both turned toward her.

  “Liv, he’s scum. He’ll get what he deserves.” Bill shifted to ease his back. “He might get off. Depends on what kind of lawyer he can come up with.”

  Chaz barked out a laugh. “They’ll get to him whether he’s in jail or not.”

  “Who?” asked Liv.

  All three men gave her their versions of a don’t-be-dense look.

  “Oh, the people who loaned him money. So can we get back to what happened?”

  “Sure, what do you want to know?”

  “Did he tell you how he got away?”

  “More or less. He would have gone back down through the tower and out the side gate if Leo hadn’t come blundering up the stairs and blocked off his escape. He had to play the old falling-over-the-parapet trick. It worked with Leo because he didn’t know about it.”

  Liv blushed. She’d fallen for it, too.

  “Anyway he had to sit on the ledge waiting for the battle to start so he could get away. And then, miraculously, the general left his horse and went into the woods, and Frank jumped down from roof to roof like he’d probably done all his life. Took his place with the volunteers, and when they ran to the shore he went into the boathouse and deposited the loot he’d taken from the hous
e. Then rowed away with the rest of them. The perfect getaway. He seemed very pleased with himself.

  “The man can think on his feet, I gotta say that about him,” Bill said.

  “Too bad for him he didn’t keep going,” Ted said.

  “That’s about it. Henry and Daniel have made up. Grossman has returned to his historical research, which I hope keeps him in another part of the country for a long time. And I have work to do.”

  Bill stood.

  Chaz stood, too. “I’ll come with you. You can give me a ride home. I’ve got to put up my Gone Fishing sign and start tying some lures. A case of beer and some beef jerky. See you in September, maybe.”

  He strolled toward the door, turned back. “So have a nice vacation, Ms. Event Planner. Try to relax a little bit. Where are you going?”

  Liv shrugged.

  “Let me guess. Manhattan. Bright lights, big city, trendy bars.”

  “No.”

  “The islands? Nice sweet drinks with umbrellas in them. Cabana boys with ripped abs?”

  “Nuh-uh.”

  “You gotta do something. You can’t just work. At least take a weekend at the spa, mani-pedi and all that.”

  “Actually,” Liv said. “I’m going to stay right here. I think it’s about time I learned to fish.”