Gone Missing: A Jonelle Sweet Mystery Book 2

by R. Lanier Clemons

  Luther continued staring at Jonelle. She waited him out.

  “Don’t know if you noticed, but it ain’t Bolton Hill where I live,” he said. “Hell, not even the druggies hang out there much anymore. We done here? ‘Cause I’m bored and gettin’ thirsty.”

  Oh well, it was worth a try. She stopped him as he turned to join his friends.

  “One more thing.”

  Luther groaned.

  “You said the attacker was big. Do you mean ‘big’ as in fat, or as in tall. Or both?”

  Luther scratched under his armpit. “Hmm. Lemme see. Oh yeah. Big kinda like you. ‘Cept mebbe a little taller.” He grinned.

  No matter what, I’m not giving up on this old fart. “Do you need anything? I have a couple dollars I can give you. If you want.” She dug into her bag.

  Luther studied Jonelle for several seconds. “You know, you’s a pain in the butt, but hell, I like you.” He waved her hand away. “Naw, you keep your money. I still got some leftover from before.” He rewarded Jonelle with a nod and a rare smile before he limped back to his group.

  CHAPTER 33

  A different set of problems from those presented in LucieBlu’s case, awaited Jonelle as she drove to Sally’s that evening. Much to Adrienne’s chagrin, Jonelle had parked a quarter mile away, forcing them to trudge through a narrow line of trees that bordered each back lot, so as not to be noticed. At one point Adrienne had stepped in a mud puddle and had to clamp her hand against her mouth to keep from swearing out loud. Although everyone had agreed in advance on how the evening should progress, Sally had changed her mind at the last minute. She didn’t want to stay at Irene’s house.

  “I don’t see why I have to,” Sally said. “Whatever you two want to do in here, well, can’t you do it around me?”

  Adrienne glanced at Jonelle. Jonelle looked at Irene who shrugged. All four women sat around a Formica-topped table in Sally’s kitchen. The original plan called for Sally to already be at Irene’s before Jonelle arrived. Since she had a key to the house, Jonelle would let herself in the back door, so that anyone watching from the front couldn’t tell what was going on inside.

  “Look, Sally,” Jonelle said. “The reason we agreed that it would be best for you to stay at Irene’s is because if someone is sneaking around pretending to be Percy—”

  “It is Percy,” Sally interrupted.

  “Whoever it is, the best way I know of to get to the bottom of who keeps moving your jewelry around is to stay here myself. I need to get a feel of what happens here late at night.”

  Sally glanced over at Adrienne. “Then why is she here? No offense dear.”

  “None taken. I’m starting to wonder that myself,” Adrienne replied. She dangled one mud encrusted foot in front of her face.

  The air in the tiny kitchen was stifling. All the bodies congregated around the small table were starting to affect Jonelle’s breathing. She wiped sweat from her brow, got up and moved over to the window above the sink. The breeze that entered the room, though warm, allowed her to breathe easier.

  “Adrienne’s here in case I need to confront… whoever. She can call for help in case I’m incapacitated.”

  “‘Incapacitated?’ Girlfriend, if it gets to that point, I’m outta here,” Adrienne said. She lifted both dirty feet off the floor and stared at them. The gold flip-flops were covered with muck.

  “Would you like me to get you a rag to wipe that dirt off?” Sally asked.

  “She’s fine,” Jonelle said before Adrienne could answer. Adrienne shot her a dirty look.

  Irene gazed up at the kitchen clock. “It’s almost eleven Sally. I really think we should be going.” Irene lifted Sally’s cloth overnight bag from the floor. She motioned for the elderly woman to follow her out the back door.

  Sally looked around, her brow knitted with worry. “What if William calls?”

  “He won’t,” Irene said. “And if he does I’m sure Jonelle will know what to say to him.” She patted Sally on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s go. We can pretend we’re schoolgirls having a slumber party.”

  “That’s a great idea. And Adrienne and I can do the same. Right, Adrienne?”

  Adrienne looked as if sleeping in a strange old house was the very last thing she wanted to do. “I don’t know how much slumber I’m gonna get tonight,” she grumbled. “Never mind wanting to party.”

  Jonelle motioned to Irene, who ushered a still complaining Sally out the back door.

  “Whew. I never thought she’d leave,” Jonelle said. “I need to get these lights off so it’ll look like Sally is following her same routine.” Jonelle indicated for Adrienne to move into the living room. “Get behind me and go slow,” Jonelle cautioned. “In case Hugh is watching from across the street, I don’t want him to see us.” Jonelle peeked into the living room, relieved that Sally had taken her advice and drawn the curtains.

  “Go on up the stairs and turn the hall light on. Once you’ve done that I can shut off the lamps down here.” Jonelle moved over to the first lamp.

  “Hey, hold on a minute. Not so fast,” Adrienne said. “Didn’t Sally say she kept a light on down here?”

  “That was outside on the porch, and she turned it off when she went to bed,” Jonelle said. “She doesn’t like to disturb her neighbors.”

  “Well, that’s dumb. Everybody would know… oh, right.”

  Jonelle nodded. “Exactly.”

  Adrienne climbed to the second floor and flicked on the hall switch. Jonelle turned everything off on the main level, hurried over and dashed up the stairs. She stood on the landing next to Adrienne.

  Neither spoke for a few seconds. “Tell me something,” Adrienne said. “Do you actually have a plan or are you just winging it, hmm?”

  “Sometimes it’s best to let things happen,” Jonelle said.

  “Just as I thought. You have no idea what the heck we’re supposed to be doing in here.” Adrienne folded her arms across her chest. She tapped one mud covered foot on the floor. As Jonelle moved past her, Adrienne pointed to the large bag slung over her friend’s shoulder. “Are you packing heat? In case ole Percy, or whoever, decides to get nasty?”

  Jonelle stood in front of the room Sally used for storage. “Yes, I’ve got my Beretta just in case. I hope I won’t have to use it.” The door opened without a sound. She felt for the light switch on the wall. One weak bulb cast a yellow glow over the area. Unlike the effect caused by sunlight streaming in the room, all the baskets and containers with cloth and yarn created odd shaped shadows and looked sinister in the faint light.

  “Stay in the hall a minute,” Jonelle said, as she eased into the room.

  “No problemo,” Adrienne said.

  The floor creaked softly as Jonelle moved around the space. The whole room was wallpapered in tiny red, blue and yellow roses on a white background. Not sure what she was looking for, she rummaged through the baskets and looked in drawers. She felt under the cushion of the one chair, and searched all over the floor. Nothing looked out of place. The far wall connected to Sally’s bedroom. Jonelle felt around for evidence of a door or any other kind of opening. The wall felt solid. “Turn the light off,” she said.

  “What for?” Adrienne asked.

  “Just do it. Please.”

  Guided by the light in the hall, Jonelle walked over to the window, pulled the curtains aside and peered out. She noticed a light burning in a room on the top floor of Hugh’s house.

  “How long are we staying here?” Adrienne asked. “I need to go home and take a shower.” She peered at her feet. “I’m dirty. I don’t like feeling dirty.”

  Jonelle left the spare room and closed the door. “I suggest you wash that crap off your feet, ‘cause I’m not rushing through here. I plan on staying at least three or four hours.”

  “Are you kidding me? Damn. Where’s the bathroom up here?”

  “I think it’s a little ways down on the right. And lower your voice.”

  Adrienne stood in front of
the door, hand poised over the knob. “Who’s gonna hear us up here?”

  Jonelle frowned and put her finger to her lips. “I don’t know that yet. That’s what I’m here to find out.”

  Adrienne rolled her eyes to the ceiling and opened the bathroom door. “Hey, this is cute,” she said. “It’s got one of those old timey claw bathtubs. Hope Sally won’t mind me using her towel.” Adrienne closed the door.

  While Jonelle waited for Adrienne to return, she glanced up and found herself standing directly under the attic. She had debated with herself whether or not she would make another trip up there. She reached in her purse and felt the smooth contours of her pistol. Jonelle touched the pull string floating down from the trap door. In order to call this evening a success, she knew she’d have to go up there again.

  CHAPTER 34

  “Nope. Sorry. No can do. I’d rather drink poison, lie on a bed of hot coals, run naked through Walmart, anything but that,” Adrienne said, pointing at the ceiling.

  “So, I guess that means you don’t want to accompany me to the attic?”

  Adrienne wrinkled her nose. “What clued you in?”

  Truth be told, Jonelle didn’t want to go back up there either. She sighed and grabbed hold of the pull string. The stairs descended with a slight creak. Adrienne stepped back against the wall. Jonelle removed her pistol and flashlight and gave Adrienne her bag. She tucked the pistol in the waistband of her jeans, flipped the hall switch to illuminate the attic and thumbed on the flashlight. “Well, here goes,” she said.

  As Jonelle’s head cleared the entrance, she gasped. “Damn.” Someone had rearranged the furniture.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” Adrienne asked, panic in her voice. “Should I call the police?”

  “Calm down. Hold on a minute.”

  Jonelle continued up and all the way in. She removed the pistol and held it in front of her. The big wooden chest where she found the jewelry now stood next to the opening. Previously, the chairs were arranged near the chest. Now they were on the other side of the opening. And she knew that they were covered with white sheets before. The cloths covering the furniture now looked blue with white polka dots. Jonelle walked around the opening and lifted one of the sheets. The same chair with the ripped seat lay underneath. She let out a deep breath. “Well, that’s something at least,” she murmured.

  “What did you say? Look, Jonelle you better keep talking or I swear I’m dialing 9-1-1.”

  Adrienne’s voice plucked at Jonelle’s nerves. “Trust me, Adrienne. I will let you know if I get into any kind of trouble. Now please be quiet. I have to think.” Jonelle held the flashlight in front of her and walked around and around the trap door. She played the light over the walls and floor. Drag marks on the floor looked fresh. Whoever moved the furniture had done so recently. Strange, Sally hadn’t mentioned it. She must have heard things moving around up here.

  “When we were here before, what did you see on your side of the attic?” Jonelle asked.

  “An old tailor’s dummy, several suitcases, a crummy old record player, junk like that,” Adrienne answered. Jonelle looked down the opening at Adrienne staring up at her.

  “Since you’d rather stay down there, tell me if you remember what was closest to the trapdoor.”

  “I don’t remember. And why are you asking me anyway? If you’re done up there, come on down.” To Jonelle’s ears Adrienne’s voice sounded far away.

  “Was the tailor’s dummy in the back or front when we were here last time?”

  “In the back,” Adrienne answered without hesitation. “I never would have started looking around Norman Bates’ bedroom if that dummy was the first thing I saw. Why?”

  Just as she thought, the dummy had also been moved. “Just curious,” Jonelle said. She slid a finger over the dummy’s bodice. Dust covered the tip. So, whoever moved the dummy didn’t bother to wipe it clean. Another odd thing. The room was silent. The last time they were up there, she heard scuffing noises across the floor. Jonelle had assumed they were mice, so why didn’t she hear them now? If mice lived in the attic, and she was sure they did, they’d move around as soon as she aimed her flashlight over the floor.

  Jonelle shone the light back over the chest where she found the jewelry the first time. She eased next to it, placed her hip against the side and shoved. The chest didn’t move. She placed her gun and flashlight on top and pushed with both hands. The furniture shifted a few inches. No way could an elderly woman move this by herself. On the other hand, a man could probably do it pretty easily, especially if he had help. Jonelle remembered the realtor’s note in Hugh’s house signed by “William.” To satisfy her curiosity, Jonelle opened all the drawers again. This time, they were empty.

  “Hey. I don’t hear you talking, Jonelle. What’s going on up there?”

  Jonelle took one last look around the attic. “I’m on my way down.”

  “So, what gives?” Adrienne asked as Jonelle stepped back onto the landing. Jonelle pushed the stairs back up before she answered.

  “Somebody moved things around up there, and I’m almost certain it wasn’t Sally.”

  Adrienne stared open mouthed. “Who else could it have been? You know I like her, but I’m starting to get a strange feeling about the delicate Sally.”

  Jonelle thought back to William’s ‘all is not what it seems’ comment and dismissed it. “There’s a heavy old chest up there. She wouldn’t have the strength to move it by herself. My money is on either William or Hugh. Or maybe them both.” Now that she said it out loud, it made sense to Jonelle. What if they were both in cahoots to make Sally think she was going crazy? That would give them control of Sally’s house, once William had her tucked away in a nursing home. As much as she disliked William, she wondered if he would be that cruel, especially considering what happened to his sister. While Hugh seemed a little distant, she had to admit his affection for Sally appeared genuine.

  “Yo! Earth to Jonelle, come in Jonelle,” Adrienne said, snapping her fingers in front of Jonelle’s face. “Looks like you checked out on me for a minute.”

  There were other questions Jonelle had regarding Hugh and William. She walked over and leaned against the wall next to Sally’s room. “I was just wondering about Hugh and William. Granted they’re not all that young, but the two of them together could move stuff around up there with little difficulty. And they could make some excuse if Sally wondered about the noise.”

  Adrienne tapped a French-tipped manicured finger on her chin. “Yeah, I can see that. So, they moved the jewelry and the furniture for some bizarre reason. But what about Sally insisting that Percy visits her at night?”

  Now Jonelle felt things were coming together. “I thought about that. You haven’t seen the picture, but Hugh is almost a dead ringer for Percy. What if, during their tea times, Hugh puts something in the tea, to make her groggy. Then later, wearing a white shirt and black pants, he comes over and wanders around in the bedroom. If Sally was drugged, she could easily confuse the two.” The more Jonelle thought about it, the more she liked the idea.

  “So how does Hugh get in?” Adrienne asked.

  A huge grin spread across Jonelle’s face. “With a key. Sally gave him a key to her new locks for safekeeping. Yes, it’s all coming together now.”

  Adrienne nodded. “Sounds good to me, Sherlock. Can we go now?”

  “Yeah. I like that idea, but I need proof.” With the smile fixed on her face, Jonelle put the pistol and flashlight back in her bag. “We can wait for good ole Hugh, William or both, downstairs.” She moved toward the stairs and then stopped. “Oh, heck. As long as I’m up here, I should check Sally’s bedroom.”

  “For what?” Adrienne already had her feet on the top step.

  Jonelle moved into the bedroom. A foul smell lingered in the air. “Phew,” Jonelle said. “Maybe I need to open the window.”

  Adrienne came back and stood with her. “I didn’t come here to air out the place,” Adrienne said. She s
crewed up her nose. “Though it is kinda stinky in here.”

  It occurred to Jonelle that maybe the mice she heard in the attic had made their way downstairs and into the walls of Sally’s bedroom. Jonelle shuddered. “Sally kept some of Percy’s clothes in that armoire. I want to check inside.”

  The same shoes, shirts and pants remained in the chest. Sally’s clothes also looked as if nothing had changed. Jonelle wandered over to the vanity and examined the jewelry box. Everything appeared to be in order. Satisfied, Jonelle took one final look around the room. Her eyes stopped at the closet door.

  Adrienne followed Jonelle’s gaze. A piece of material was stuck in the door to the empty closet, near the floor.

  The bag slung over Jonelle’s shoulder felt as if it contained an anvil instead of a pistol. Her feet felt moored in concrete.

  “It’s probably nothing,” she managed.

  Adrienne made a squeaking noise, and positioned herself behind Jonelle’s back.

  After breathing in and out twice, and wincing at the rank smell, Jonelle edged forward a few steps and placed her hand on the door knob. She grasped it, turned and pulled. To her amazement, it wasn’t locked. As the door opened, Adrienne screamed.

  There on the floor, dressed in white shirt and black pants, lay Hugh, a dark wig askew on his head. His open eyes stared into space. What looked like dried vomit coated his lips and chin. A wet, foul substance pooled under his legs. Jonelle reached down and felt for a pulse. Nothing.

  CHAPTER 35

  Four women sat in Sally’s living room. Two elderly white women huddled in bathrobes, with scarves around their heads, and two African American women, confused at what they’d just witnessed. Jonelle glanced at Adrienne who sat hugging herself as if the temperature had just dropped twenty degrees. A couple of detectives had refused Sally’s offer of tea while the forensics team worked upstairs. Hugh’s body had been removed and was en-route to the medical examiner.

  To Jonelle’s eyes Sally’s calmness seemed odd. She was concerned the fragile woman was going into shock. She started to move over to where Sally was sitting in the wingback chair, but one of the detectives held up his hand.