The de Vere Deception (David Thorne Mysteries Book 1)

by Loy Ray Clemons

  She glanced at the door and dropped her voice. “This time of year—Christmas season and all—most of the shops don’t close until nine. I’ll pull the front window blinds down at closing. Can you come back to the delivery door off the back alley tonight after closing, say around ten o’clock?“

  “Yes.” He paused at the door. “By the way, my work is complete at the castle. I had planned to return to the States soon, but with Freddie’s condition— well, I plan to stay a little while longer.”

  Chapter 45

  By moonlight, Thorne found the back door of the bookstore, and knocked lightly. A light came on behind the frosted glass panel in the door, and Helena opened the door. She directed him through the storeroom to the checkout counter, and brought a ladder from a janitor’s closet.

  Declining his help, she muscled the heavy wood ladder into the checkout area.

  She leaned the ladder against the wall, and went to the front window to make sure the blinds were completely closed. She returned and went up the ladder, retrieved the painting from the wall, and handed it down to Thorne.

  The landscape painting was in a heavy frame, and he saw it was dark—not only with age, but the technique was muddy. He smiled to himself. A son’s love easily hides a mother’s inadequacy.

  Thorne turned the painting over and found a manila envelope taped to the back. It was a blank envelope, and appeared to have been placed there recently. He carefully opened the envelope, went over to a desk, and switched on a small lamp.

  A folded piece of paper dated three days earlier, had a hastily handwritten letter signed by Freddie, and a safe deposit box key taped within the fold

  Dear David,

  This is to let you know of my concern for my safety. I’ve instructed. Helena to assist you, but I don’t want her involved in the affair.

  It’s better at this time for her not to know anything about it. This key is for a safe deposit box at the Beaton and Wicke Bank in the centre of town. Only your name and mine are authorized to use the key. In the box are instructions on how to proceed. I realize you are quite surprised at my asking you to handle this affair, but I feel I can trust you alone to administer to Helena’s best interests should anything happen to me.

  Freddie

  Thorne folded the envelope and put it and the key in the pocket of his overcoat. He said, “It’s just a personal note to me about his opinions on the additions.”

  Helena gave him a puzzled look and shook her head. “That’s Freddie. At times he has a strange way of doing things. But, why the secrecy about that?

  Thorne shrugged. “I suppose he didn’t want the others to know. I appreciate your help, Mrs. Hollister, and I’ll—”

  “Please, call me Helena, David. I know you must be a good friend of Freddie, and I feel I can trust you, too. Will you promise me you’ll let me know if you find anything that might be related to Freddie’s accident.”

  I will,” said Thorne. “In the meantime if you could find any notes Freddie may have left showing his appointments in the past two weeks, please let me know.

  Chapter 46

  Thorne spent the night in Bridgetown at the White Rose Inn, and went down for breakfast early the next morning. He met a courier with the paperwork Bada had promised the day before, signed it, and took the cashier’s check.

  The dining room was almost empty except for a couple of businessmen getting an early start. He buttered a slice of toast and considered the individuals involved in this increasingly complex situation. Who had the motivation and the means to make an attempt on Freddie’s life? He made a list of all those he had come in contact with since taking the job. The list was far too cumbersome, but he felt it best to make it complete and remove the obvious names such as Gweneth, Andrea, Helena and Hammersmith—and probably Gilbert Bada.

  But then, who—who were the most obvious persons who would have sought to kill Freddie after they thought he had double-crossed them?

  The first to come to mind again was Roger Linsdame, or possibly Roberts and Kelly, but they were just two thugs who were working for another man.

  Who else? Raskin? Kirk Halstrom? Blackstone? Rainier? Forestal?

  Linsdame had the most to lose if Freddie moved the bookstore. He would lose business to future development east of the river. But was that enough reason to kill a man?

  Neville Forestal had been vocal in his opposition, but that was all. Even if he was successful in stopping the relocation of the bookstore, he’d always be at odds with the Bada family—and Gweneth, his future wife.

  Freddie made no secret of his past disagreements with Forestal. Was this the real reason Forestal opposed the relocation of the bookstore to the castle enough to kill Freddie? No, Forestal didn’t seem like the type of person who would resort to murder over a loss in a Council meeting.

  Jacque Rainier appeared to be unaware of the search for the documents, but he had huge financial problems—problems that the sale of a multi-million dollar necklace—or the documents—would solve.

  Thorne put the pen down, leaned back and ran his hands through his hair.

  He was going to lose his friend, Freddie. Another good friend, Gweneth, was going marry a man that would disrupt the Bada family—and her life—and on top of all this, he had been fired for no reason.

  His job was to have been that of a consultant. Not a private detective—not a problem solver for other people’s problems—not a Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe or Rockford or Magnum chasing criminals. He had no business being involved in these people’s lives. He had taken an assignment as simple as finding a document for a client. Now he had slowly, but surely, gravitated to investigating a possible murder—yes, a murder. He was sure now if—no, not if, but when—Freddie died, it would be murder.

  He’d been disconnected for so long from other people he realized he now had had found a friend—a flawed, but genuine friend, in Freddie. Freddie had trusted him and him alone to take care of his wife, Helena.

  Quite a commitment from a man he had known for less than two months.

  Chapter 47

  The Beaton and Wicke Bank was in a small storefront three blocks from the bookstore. Unlike its older, more staid competitors, it wasn’t overly impressive, but was clean and efficient.

  A middle-aged man in a tweed sports coat at the front desk stood and welcomed Thorne. “Good morning, Sir. May I help you?”

  Thorne produced the key and identification, and the man looked at a monitor. “Fine. Mr. Thorne, Mr. Hollister came in last week and put you on our access list. Now, if you’ll just step this way.”

  Inside the vault, the man matched keys and withdrew a large box. Thorne stepped behind a curtain, placed it on a counter and opened the box. A single large manila envelope was in the box, and inside the envelope was another letter from Freddie. A large plastic bag contained old letters on parchment—letters he hoped would better describe the location of the documents supposedly hidden in the castle.

  The documents were inserted between acid-free paper sheets and inserted in protective individual plastic folders, the type used to protect photographs and artwork. Freddie’s handwritten letter was paper-clipped to typewritten transcripts of the documents.

  TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,

  If you’re reading this, it means something has happened to me. Whoever you are, Helena evidently trusts you. Please keep this information secret from Helena for her safety. She’s aware only of my Life Assurance Policy, but my whole reason for my actions is for her to benefit from the contents of this box. If I’m correct in trusting you, you need to know about these letters and how they affect the group planning to search the castle for the hidden de Vere documents.

  Last year I bought these letters. The first is a two-page letter from Richard Moldar to his son, Bascomb. I’ve revealed only the first page of this letter to the group involved in the search. It alludes to the possibility of finding proof that Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, was the true author of the works attributed to William Shake
speare. In my opinion, the letter is inconclusive, but shows promise. The last line of the first page of the document indicates the strong possibility ‘treasures’ are hidden in the castle. I think this may be construed by others to mean the writings of Edward de Vere. However, this isn’t the complete case. The second page reveals that Moldar has hidden within the walls of the castle a priceless necklace designed for Queen Elizabeth I. I have shown the group only the first page of the Moldar letter, not the second as their interest appears to be solely in the de Vere documents.

  I don’t know what to do, or who I can trust with this information, so I am in the process of finding someone who may give me advice and assistance.

  The second smaller document is a letter to Richard Moldar from his father Thomas and tells about the origin of the stones in the necklace. Both letters are weathered with age and are difficult to read even under the best of circumstances. I went to a specialist in antiquated documents in Newcastle and told him this was an old novel. I asked him to authenticate the period of the document and give me a transcription, which is enclosed. Please remember to provide for Helena if anything happens to me.

  She has been a wonderful wife.

  My unending gratitude,

  Frederick Hollister

  Stratford-upon-Avon

  October 23, 2012

  Chapter 48

  Thorne paused after reading Freddie Hollister’s letter. He collapsed in the chair in the cramped cubicle and realized Freddie’s real purpose. His plan to acquire big money was to secure financial security for his wife, Helena—and now Thorne was part of that plan.

  Staring at the letter, he began to think how he could extract himself from this convoluted maelstrom. His mind was in a tumult. Events were pressing in, crowding in upon him.

  No, don’t panic, he told himself. Get control. Think. No impulsive moves to run. Think it out before you make a decision. Remember, you had a friend in Freddie. Don’t abandon your friends. For you, they’re few and far between.

  He sat in the same position for the next fifteen minutes until he was interrupted by a man’s voice through the curtain. “Is everything all right, Mr. Thorne?”

  “Yes, thank you. I’m just going over a few things. It may take time.”

  “That’s all right, Sir. Please feel free to take as much time as you need.”

  He went back to reviewing the transcripts of the documents. Carefully removing the plastic inserts containing the aged documents from the envelope, he set them aside. He scanned the transcription of the first document and realized he’d already seen it. It was the copy of the letter that had been furnished him by Bada and Freddie in Scottsdale and the one he’d read on the flight to England.

  He read again the first page of the transcript he had previously seen.

  To my deare son Bascomb

  In the yeare of our Lorde 1594

  I wish you goodspeede on travel to the Newe World.

  Our woorke and stryving in tyme should yield goode

  benefitte to us for our Patent of Monopoly for the

  newe tobacco and corne to England. You are commended

  for your labours and are a wyse young man naming sons

  Cecil for Lord Burghley and Raleigh for the Queene’s

  friende. Burghley is a wyse man and doth gyve us

  the Patent. He hathe received great support from me.

  I now gyve you other counsel to remember. In previous

  yeares your tutor Warren Cagney hathe sat at meate

  at Moldar Manor with the man Edward de Vere. A man of

  talent clever and accomplished and fitte and well

  traveled. Cagney saith he was a goode and trusted

  freend of de Vere and tutor in his tender yeeres.

  Cagney when visited upon by the man who spoke in

  private of his family tree and records. He did shew

  these to Cagney and he marveled. He did also shew

  his writing of playes and poetry and giveth them to

  Cagney. They bespoke of strange things of highe

  importance of Court and suche. They bespoke also of

  a Venetian merchant, a high-borne and sad Denmarke

  prince, a violent Moor and others. The man de Vere

  asketh Cagney for the safekeeping of suche and

  saith a gentleman cannot offer suche and would

  suffer damage at Court. He taketh another name.

  Upon arrest and debtors prison for Cagney he doth

  leaveth all his goodes and de Vere papers behind in

  the manor and de Vere papers may be used for oure

  benefitte when needes be to seeketh the Queene’s

  favour. I have builded her a castle and a Keepe and

  these treasures are kept safe where the poesies doth

  welcome and should I pass you will fynd such upon

  your safe return from the Newe World.

  The transcription of the second page of the Richard Moldar letter to his son Bascomb, had been described in Freddie’s note. Thorne now realized why the letter had stopped so abruptly on the first page.

  Chapter 49

  This second page took up where the first page left off.

  Other treasure, hid too where the poesies also welcome, is suche of rare diamondes to maketh of us the most desirable of all men before our gud Queene Elizabeth. This treasure I freely gyveth her when she cometh to Kilshire. I have a necklace mayde of the diamondes given me by my deare father Thomas may God rest his Soule. The stones were placed in designe by Henri DuBoise of Paris and the most prominent diamonde is large and magnificent and one of pinke. Its name was called by the king of the island Fire of Ar-Wan and it is surely priceless. My deare father Thomas Moldar May God rest his Soule giveth when upon his death bede to me his son Richard the diamonds and his letter and it telleth of the origin of diamondes.

  Fair Winds and Affection,

  Your Father

  Richard Moldar

  Earl of Hofley.

  In the yeare of our Lorde

  1594

  The letter Richard spoke of was the smaller document that had been included with the other two sheets of parchment.

  To Deare Son Richard

  In my manner I writ you and my gud King Henry is dead, God rest his Soule. I too will soon take leave of you. I gyve my guds and lands to you, deare son. In packet withe this is my treasure of stones from my father Geoffrey Moldar, God rest his Soule. When at a tender age in 1507 I tooke my dvffle to sea with my father Geoffrey Moldar, God rest his Soule, and my fellowes Chandler Garret and David Doyle of Manchester and Joshua Jacobs and the Travis brothers, Corey Travis and Nicholas Travis, God rest their Soules. All fyne freends to drinke and wench and makemerrie and set at meate with. We all became gud friends with the holystone and to scrvbe the decks. Our gud King Henry, God rest his Soule, charged us to sea for guds in the East with leaders Captaine Peter Alexander and Captaine Richard Cotton and Captaine Gregory Frederick, God rest their Soules. All ships in the flotilla of Admiral Samuel Leon, God rest his Soule. Diego Dias, the Portugee, fovnd the islande of Madagascar gud for lymes after much salmagundi in 1500. We did followe his rovte of traval around Africa and were blown southe to

  unknown lande. My father Geoffrey Moldar, God rest his Soule, did go ashore in a smalle boate with five other stout men in the darke nighte on the unknown land of King Anikan and found his treasure of golde and great and valuable stones.

  He returneth to the ship with his eye out and dreadfully wounde on his head and did hide up the stones in the hold and he did yeeld to death at dawn. He gyveth me his bootie and charged me home to England lest crewe gyve me the Black Spote and stealeth the treasure. My gud King is now dead, God rest his Soule. I go soon.

  Your Father with Loving Affection,

  Thomas Moldar

  Earl of Hofley

  Stratford-upon-Avon

  In the yeare of our Lorde

  1548

  Thorne now knew where the neckla
ce he’d found had originated. He revisited the question in his mind who the necklace belonged to, and who was working clandestinely with Freddie.

  Normally, the legal owner of the castle, the Bada family—or Bada, Limited—owned what might be found within its walls. Then again, would the necklace ever have been found were it not for Freddie and his curious spirit? Upon Freddie’s death, should it go to Helena? That was Freddie’s desire. What about the partners of the original group that hired him; Bada, Raskin, Blackstone, and Kirk-Halstrom? Should they share in the find?

  What about the partners in the castle that night? It would appear those partners—whoever they were—should not be considered true partners, and were probably responsible for Freddie’s death. The conversation overheard by Thorne the second night at the castle seemed to indicate this might be the case.

  It would be just a matter of time before Freddie died. Thorne felt he should make another visit to Freddie and try and find out who these partners were. He placed the packet with the necklace and the plastic inserts containing the original transcripts of the documents back in the manila envelope. He paused before putting Freddie’s letter back in the envelope. He decided he should keep it, closed the safe deposit box, and called for the attendant.

  Chapter 50

  When Thorne stepped off the elevator at Freddie’s floor, he knew immediately he was too late. Helena was in a corner crying uncontrollably and being comforted by a man and a woman.

  The doctor was speaking to another group of four. One of the young women was sobbing and wiping her face with a handkerchief.