Christmas Cloches and Corpses

by Leeson, Gayle

  “I don’t think so,” Dwight said.

  “Darling, I’ll talk with you later—there’s something I need to do.” She ended the video chat.

  “Max, what are you up to?”

  Ignoring me, she requested a video chat with Grandpa Dave. Within seconds, his face filled the screen of her tablet.

  “Good afternoon, ladies. I was getting ready to make some lunch.”

  “What are you having?” I asked.

  “Chicken salad on—”

  “That’s wonderful, darling,” Max interrupted, “and I hope it’s delicious, but I have something pressing to ask you.”

  “Anything,” he said.

  “Do you have the necessary tools to pull up and replace floorboards in a closet?” she asked.

  “Max, what’s going on?” I asked.

  “Of course,” Grandpa said. “Is it something you need done today?”

  “Tonight,” she said. “When everyone else—except you, Amanda—is gone.”

  He blew out a breath and searched my face. “What are you two up to, Pup?”

  “I’m not up to anything, and Max won’t tell me what’s going on with her.”

  “It could be nothing, and I don’t want to get Dwight’s hopes up, but years ago, Daddy had a strongbox he kept hidden from Mother. It’s in the room that’s currently vacant—that used to be their bedroom.”

  “How do you know it’s still there?” I asked.

  “Because I keep my eye on that box. It was Daddy’s.” She lifted her chin. “It was important to him, and it’s important to me. Anytime this house was sold or bought or renovated, I watched to make sure no one got close to Daddy’s box. If they started to, I’d make something happen to scare them away.”

  “What’s in it?” I first imagined all sorts of treasures, and then I immediately imagined a whole lot of dust and pennies.

  “I don’t know if there will be anything worthwhile in there, but I have to think there is,” Max said.

  “It’ll be worthwhile to you,” Grandpa said gently.

  “Yes, but I want it to be valuable to Dwight—something Zoe can sell and get enough money out of that she can move him out of that dreadful nursing home.”

  Grandpa and I exchanged worried glances.

  “How are we going to get into the vacant space after hours?” I asked. “Ms. Oakes always makes sure it’s locked.”

  “Hire the spy to get the key,” Max said.

  “But—” I was interrupted by Jason returning.

  Naturally, he couldn’t see Max, but he came over to speak with Grandpa Dave.

  “Hey, Dave! How’re you doing?”

  “I’m great. How are you?”

  “Good. I’m getting ready to take your granddaughter to lunch,” Jason said.

  “Great.” Grandpa Dave grinned. “I was just about to grab a bite myself. You two have fun.”

  “Thanks.” I walked over to get my jacket.

  “Aren’t you going to cut off your tablet?” Jason asked.

  “It’ll go off on its own,” I said, looking over my shoulder to see Max impatiently waiting for us to leave so she could talk with Grandpa Dave some more.

  What in the world was in that box? And how much were Grandpa Dave and I going to have to risk to find out?

  Chapter Seventeen

  J ason and I went to lunch at our favorite sandwich shop. I ordered chicken salad, and he ordered ham and Swiss on rye. As we sipped our sodas and waited for our food, I told him about my dilemma.

  “Should I tell Ms. Oakes and Maggie Flannagan what I learned from Sarah Conrad? Or should I butt out?” I asked.

  “What did Dave say?”

  I realized Jason thought that was why I was video chatting with Grandpa. Oh, well, it beat him knowing the truth—that we were discussing breaking into a locked room and removing floorboards in a closet because our ghost friend wanted us to.

  “Neither of us is sure what to do,” I said. “While I don’t want to intrude on anyone’s privacy or falsely accuse the nursing home staff of negligence, I’d want to know if someone had concerns about the place if Grandpa lived there. I’d at least want to exercise more vigilance.”

  “Don’t worry. Ryan is actively investigating the nursing home. If there’s anything shady going on there, he’ll find it.” He took a deep breath. “Let’s talk about something more pleasant.”

  “Okay.” I drew the word out, wondering why he’d take a deep breath as if he were dreading whatever pleasant subject he wanted to discuss.

  He smiled. “So, do you have plans on Saturday?”

  “I have to work until noon.”

  “I know, but this would be after that.”

  I gave him a playful side-eye. “Mr. Logan, are you asking me on a date?”

  “In a way.” He laughed. “I’m trying to invite you to my grandparents’ Christmas party. It’s a potluck, and it would give you an opportunity to meet my family in a laidback setting.”

  Now I understood why he’d been hesitant. “And I’d be meeting your entire family at once. Sure, that’s laidback.”

  “I understand if you don’t want to go,” he said.

  “Oh, no, I do.” I felt this was a crucial point in our relationship, and I did want to go. “It just makes me a little nervous, that’s all.”

  “No need to be anxious. They’ll love you.”

  Remembering Max wanting Grandpa Dave and me to break into the vacant shop, I hoped he and I wouldn’t be spending Saturday evening in jail. Surely, we could make bail by then.

  When I got back to Designs on You, Max was waiting to chat.

  “How was lunch?” she asked.

  “Jason wants me to meet his family on Saturday.” I blew out a breath. “Not just his parents, but his entire family. His grandparents are having a Christmas potluck.”

  She squeezed her hands together at her chest. “How exciting! He wants to introduce you to the whole clan! This romance is getting serious.”

  “What should I take to the potluck?”

  “Who cares?” She flicked her wrist. “No one will care what you bring—they’ll be too busy checking out what you wear and how you look at Lover Boy.”

  “Great. Thanks for that. That brings me to my next question—what should I wear?”

  “Something fabulous, of course. But we have the rest of the week to plan your Saturday,” she said. “Let’s talk about tonight. I’m thinking our best course of action might be to have that little spy kid to lift the key.”

  “Max—”

  “It would be exhilarating for her! Plus, it would be good practice for her if she truly does want to become a spy or a detective.”

  “No,” I said. “I refuse to let a child take part in something that could end up getting Grandpa Dave and me arrested. But I did come up with another idea over lunch.”

  I took out my phone. Grandpa Dave wasn’t showing up on social media, so I gave him a call.

  “Hi, Pup. You aren’t engaged or anything, are you?”

  “No. Why would you think that?” I asked.

  “Well, you’re calling me right after lunch with your young man. I thought you might have news.”

  I did have, but I’d fill him in on that later. Hopefully, he’d be more help than Max had been in deciding what to take to the potluck. “I called to see if you’d be willing to pretend you have a friend interested in the space upstairs.”

  “Well, I’ve already committed to pulling up floorboards in a closet, so sure, I can handle that.”

  Max giggled.

  “Tell that specter she’s going to be the death of us all,” he added.

  “Never, darling,” she said.

  “Ms. Oakes is always out of here by 5:15 every evening,” I said. “If you were to show up at the end of the day—say around five o’clock—and ask to see the space, we can assure her that we’ll lock up after you take some measurements. According to Sienna, Ms. Oakes is desperate to get that space leased, so I’m guessing she’ll
concede to our offer to lock up.”

  “You’re good. I’ll get there a little before five and wait in the parking lot. That way, if she leaves early, I’ll be there to intercept her.”

  “Dave, you’re an absolute treasure,” Max said.

  “I doubt Ms. Oakes would see it that way if she knew what we were doing,” he said.

  “I hate deceiving her,” I said. “And now that I know about her mom, I’m guessing she goes to the nursing home on her way home every day. I’ll do my best to find someone to rent that space after this.”

  “Me, too, Pup.”

  “Me, three!” Max chimed in.

  I rolled my eyes at her. “If Ms. Oakes won’t leave us alone to retrieve the box, then we’ll have to think of something else.”

  “Did you decide whether or not to tell Ms. Oakes and Maggie about Sarah’s allegations?” Grandpa asked.

  “I’m going to talk with Ms. Oakes, maybe when we meet with her after work,” I said. “Maggie is already aware of our concerns, and I’m afraid saying anything more would only make matters worse. But I feel obligated to broach the subject with Ms. Oakes.”

  “Especially since giving her the willies about the nursing home will make her more willing to get out of here and leave you the key to the empty space.” Max winked. “Excellent thinking, darling.”

  I opened my mouth to protest but figured it was pointless. Instead, I told Grandpa I’d see him soon.

  I had finished Ruby’s coat and hat and called her to let her know it was ready. She’d be picking it up this afternoon. I put the coat and hat on the mannequin to let Max try it on like I’d promised her.

  Moving the mannequin in front of the three-way mirror, I asked Max if she was nearby.

  She appeared by my side. “I’m here. I was simply resting up for our exciting evening.”

  I was dreading our so-called exciting evening, but I didn’t say so. “This won’t take but a moment. I thought you’d want to see yourself in Ruby’s coat and hat before she comes to get it.”

  “You know I do!” She superimposed herself onto the mannequin and gasped. “Isn’t this incredible?”

  “You look gorgeous,” I said.

  “Who are you talking to?”

  I turned, surprised to see Sienna. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “I did it quiet, like a detective would. Who are you talking to?”

  “The…um…the coat. I’m really happy with the way it turned out.”

  “It is very pretty,” Sienna said, “but do you always talk to your clothes?”

  I shrugged. “Sometimes, I do.”

  She gave me a nod that made me think if the detective business didn’t work out, she might want to consider being a therapist. “I didn’t get to talk with you when I came by earlier this morning because I got busy with Joey and Biscuit.”

  “Well, it’s always nice to make new friends, don’t you think?”

  “Yes, it is. And Joey and I exchanged phone numbers, so we can be friends from now on even though we go to different schools,” she said.

  “That’s great.”

  “Yeah. Anyway, I wanted to follow up with you and see if there’s anything else you need me to do.”

  “No,” I said. “I’m delighted with the thorough job you did, and I’ll certainly hire you again if and when the need arises.”

  “Great. Thanks.” She sat on one of the sewing machine chairs and began spinning around. “So, Amanda, what’s your favorite color?”

  “I can’t say I have a favorite,” I said. “I like them all—separately and in various combinations—”

  “When you’re not here working, what do you enjoy doing?” she asked.

  It dawned on me that she was working on her report for the person who drew my name for the Secret Santa gifts. Smiling slightly, I walked away from the mirror, leaving Max to admire herself a little longer, and took a seat beside Sienna. Answering the diminutive detective’s questions would be a good distraction from the nail-biting evening that lay before Grandpa Dave and me.

  Chapter Eighteen

  R uby had been delighted with her coat and hat. I was glad she was still a satisfied customer, and I was also pleased with the boost to my bank account. I waved to Ruby from the window as she walked down the sidewalk to her car.

  Max materialized and offered up a sad little sigh. “I looked beautiful in that coat.”

  “You certainly did.”

  “I’m sorry Zoe didn’t get to try it on,” she said.

  “Me, too. Have you spoken with her since this morning?”

  “No.” She gave her head a vehement shake. “I’ve been staying off social media because I don’t want to talk with her yet.”

  “I’m hesitant to talk with her too. Despite what you said earlier, I still feel like I might’ve caused trouble between Zoe and her mom.” I looked at the clock. It was creeping ever closer to five o’clock. “What are you expecting us to find in your dad’s strongbox?”

  “I don’t really know. I haven’t looked inside it in more than eighty years. Daddy smoked, but he hid it—or tried to—from Mother. Anything he didn’t want her to know about, he secreted away in that box.” She smiled. “Sometimes when she and Dot were at the store or somewhere, he’d get out the box and show me all his little treasures. That’s what he called them—little treasures. He said Dot and I were his big treasures.”

  “Did he ever share what was in the box with Dot?” I asked.

  “I don’t think so. I was Daddy’s pet. Dot was Mother’s.”

  “Can’t you recall anything that was in the box?” I pressed her because I was not only curious about its contents but afraid that whatever was in the box wouldn’t be worth the risk Grandpa and I were taking to get it.

  “There were a few coins, some cigarette packs, and—” She crossed her fingers. “—hopefully, some money.”

  I doubted there was enough money—or anything else in the box so valuable—to allow Dwight to move to another nursing home, but I didn’t tell Max that. If nothing else, if Grandpa and I could extricate the box from its hiding place without suffering dire consequences, it would be worth it to let Max enjoy some nostalgia.

  Glancing over at the window looking out onto the parking lot, I saw Grandpa pull in and shut off his engine. When he didn’t get out of the truck right away, I guessed he wanted to come into the building as late as possible to avoid having Ms. Oakes stay until he was finished measuring the room.

  Frank and Ella crossed the lot to get into their car. Frank waved to Grandpa, and Grandpa got out of the truck to speak with Frank for a minute.

  As Grandpa carried his small red toolbox toward the building, Frank and Ella got into their car. I thought, Two down. Three, actually, since Jason left earlier this afternoon for an appointment.

  I hoped Connie and Ford had no reason to stay late. Since Ford probably needed to get Sienna home, and Connie tried to never miss dinner with her family, I doubted they’d be here for much longer.

  When Grandpa came in the back entrance, Max and I went to meet him.

  “Hello, Pup.” He winked at Max. “You must’ve seen me coming.”

  “I did. We should hurry on up to Ms. Oakes’ office before she leaves.”

  Ms. Oakes was coming out of her office with her keys in her hand when Grandpa and I—and Max, of course—got to the top of the stairs.

  “I’m sorry to bother you, Ms. Oakes,” I said. “Have you got a second? My grandpa and I would like to speak with you.”

  She pressed her lips together firmly before asking, “Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

  Grandpa crossed the hall to where Ms. Oakes was standing. “I’m Dave Tucker, Ms. Oakes. We’ve met previously, but you’d have no reason to remember an old coot like me.”

  “I remember you, Mr. Tucker, but I’m in a terrible hurry.”

  “I realize that, but I’d just like to take a few measurements while I’m here, if it isn’t too much trouble,” he said.


  “Measurements of what?”

  Jerking his head toward the vacant space, he said, “I know someone who might be interested in the space you have available for lease.”

  “Oh, really?” Ms. Oakes quickly unlocked her door. “I have all the dimensions you need.” She dropped her purse onto a chair, went around the desk, and began rifling through the top drawer. “Here you go.”

  Grandpa looked at the paper, which gave the shop’s square footage, length, and width. “I appreciate this, but I need a bit more information. I need to know the number of electrical outlets and how far apart they are, how close the outlets are to the center of the room, the amount of storage space—”

  “My goodness, what kind of shop does your friend have?” she asked.

  “He doesn’t yet.” Grandpa chuckled. “But he’s thinking hobbies.”

  “A hobby shop.” Ms. Oakes nodded. “That sounds charming.”

  “So, could I take some measurements?” he asked.

  “Sure, but—”

  Max waved her hands and then mimed a mother rocking her baby in her arms.

  “I understand your mom is in Winter Garden Nursing Home.” I realized I’d interrupted the woman, but I needed to have my say before she took off. I knew Max wanted me to tell Ms. Oakes about Sarah’s concerns so Ms. Oakes would go on and leave, but I wanted to warn her because I was worried about all the residents there.

  Ms. Oakes looked at her watch. “Yes, my mother is in the nursing home. What does that have to do with anything?”

  “I have a client who was in today—Sarah Conrad—and she told me she recently moved her mother out of that facility.” I explained the reason behind Sarah’s actions.

  “That is worrisome, but I’m sure it’s an isolated case.” She looked at Grandpa Dave. “Are you sure you can’t simply come back and get the measurements tomorrow?”

  “If you wouldn’t mind allowing me to borrow the key to the vacant space,” I said, “I can let Grandpa take his measurements and then give the key back to you tomorrow morning.”

  She sighed. “Fine.” She took the key from the corkboard in her office where she had the keys to each space individually labeled and hung on a small hook. She handed me the key. “I’m holding you personally responsible for this key.”