“I’m sorry if we’re bringing up bad memories,” Autumn said.
“Nonsense,” Kate said. “I’m so bored with life now. We play bridge, and gin and bingo. We go on walks and do exercise, but life holds no mystery for me anymore. When I realized why you called, well it got my juices flowing, so to speak.”
Kate took a drink from her tea. “You probably think less of me for having an affair. I know when my husband found out things turned bad. He kicked me out, and my cousin took me in.”
Before either Autumn or Shawn could say anything, Kate continued, “I deserved it, of course. I broke my marriage vows. I didn’t allow myself to open up to any man after that. My lover broke my heart, and my husband discarded me, as he should have.”
Autumn watched as she took another drink. “If you’ll pardon me asking, you seem to have done well for yourself, since you can afford a place like this.” Had she really just said that? She bit her lower lip as she waited for an answer. One glance at Shawn made her grimace. He frowned at her.
But Kate just laughed. “Don’t worry, dear, I didn’t keep any of the money. That is all buried. But my husband was a wealthy man, and he wanted to get rid of me. That means he settled a lot of money on me to make me go away. When my cousin took me in, she and I got our Realtor’s licenses and worked to make a large following in the Springs. And we made good investments. We sold out years ago and managed to live quite well. But then Carol got sick and she had to move to the nursing wing here. I didn’t want to live alone so I followed.”
“I’m sorry,” Autumn said after a pause.
“As am I,” Shawn said.
They all sat back as the waitress delivered their burgers and fries. For a few moments they ate in silence. When she was halfway done with her burger, Kate pushed her plate away.
“I met my lover at the golf course,” Kate said. “I know now I was a fool. After I wrote the letter to him, he told me he’d set it up. He had never really cared about me. I was quite a bit older than him. He just needed my help with the robbery.”
“How did he need your help?” Shawn asked. “Why couldn’t he just get into the bank, rob it and leave?”
“He wanted the key to my husband’s office,” she said. “Harold kept a very valuable piece of jewelry in his desk.”
“There was nothing like that mentioned in the police reports,” Autumn said. But as she thought about it, a rare piece of jewelry could have something to do with the amount of money that had been reported as stolen.”
“What sort of jewelry?” Shawn asked.
Kate toyed with a curly fry, and for a moment Autumn thought she wouldn’t answer. “It was a sapphire necklace. One night when he’d had too much to drink he told me about it. One of his elderly clients kept it in a safety deposit box. Harold saw it when she put it in, and he coveted it. I don’t know how he did it, but he took it out of the box and put it in his desk. He told me when the woman died he planned on smuggling it out of the building and keeping it for himself.”
Autumn wanted to say that Kate’s story didn’t explain how her lover knew about the necklace, and needed Kate’s help in getting the key, but before she could ask, Kate continued her tale.
“He must have told someone else about it, because my lover knew.” She ate the fry she’d been playing with. “Ernest was an incredible lover, and he wined me and dined me, making me think I was his world, that we would spend the rest of our lives together. Of course, it soon became obvious he was more interested in the bank. But I tried to over look it. Harold was obsessed with his work. When he did come home I got a very chaste kiss on the cheek before he retired to his study with his scotch and whatever else he did in there.”
Kate ate another fry, but Autumn could tell she just did it because they were there. The older woman stared at her plate. Finally, after a pregnant pause she started to talk again. “I got angrier with each night, and when Ernest would call I would meet him anywhere. We used every hotel in town, I think. He made me feel so wonderful that when he started to ask about the bank, and what I thought were the weaknesses, I told him everything I knew. Then, like a puppy following orders, I made a copy of Harold’s desk key. I used this little device he gave me and pressed the key into it. I did it to get back at Harold. I don’t think I thought about the consequences.”
She looked out a nearby window. “I didn’t think about being involved in stealing things.”
Autumn looked over to Shawn, who was watching Kate. He turned to look at Autumn and she shrugged as if to say, “What do we ask next?”
He held up a finger, and Autumn took that to mean, let me handle this. She nodded.
“Kate, may I ask you something?” Shawn patted her hand, and gently clasped it. Kate didn’t shake off his touch. “Why didn’t you tell the police about Earnest? If you felt guilty, I would think you would have helped the police solve the crime.”
“I think I was in shock,” she said. “After that, I knew the police would see me as a conspirator. I was afraid they would arrest me and put me in prison.”
When she looked back at them there were tears in her eyes. “It feels good to talk about it. I’ve felt guilty for years.”
Kate squeezed Shawn’s hand and reached her free hand toward Autumn, who took it.
“Find the necklace and get it back to whom it belongs, please,” Kate said. “I don’t know who it is.”
“We’ll do that,” Shawn said. “But I’m curious as to why you chose Nevada to hide the loot. More over, I’m curious how you got your hands on it if you weren’t involved.”
This time Kate laughed. “My devious side came out. I enlisted the help of my cousin. After I saw Ernest kissing a woman, I knew I’d been used. He still came to see me, but I’m sure it was only because he was worried I would turn him into the police. I knew I needed to get into his apartment. The police had no clue who he, or his friends were. Jane, my cousin, seduced him. While they were otherwise occupied in a hotel I went to his apartment. I had a key. He had told me he planned to hide the money there, but I didn’t find it. But I did find a key to a storage unit, in Pueblo. He’d written the name of the place and the number of the unit on a piece of paper. I used the little device he’d given me to make a copy of the key, and the next day Jane and I went to Pueblo.”
Autumn was shocked at this news. She didn’t think the storage facility was that old.
“We opened the unit and found a few suitcases.” Now, she smiled. “We rented our own unit, under a fake name, and put all the things in there.”
“Good on you,” Shawn said. “But why not leave it there? Why take it to Nevada?”
Her smile brightened. “That is easy. Earnest was smart. I knew he would come after the money, and we couldn’t leave it in the unit.” She turned to Shawn. “I figured you knew this part, since your last name is Hollis.”
Autumn turned her gaze to Shawn. Had he lied to her? The shocked look on his face told her he hadn’t, he was just as shocked by Kate’s statement as she was.
“What does the name Hollis have to do with it?” Shawn asked.
“He was a friend of Jane’s, his name was Hollis, Stuart Hollis.” Kate laughed. He was a handsome man, just like you, Shawn.”
“Are you sure it was Stuart Hollis?” he asked.
“Quite sure,” she said. “Do you know him?”
“Yeah,” Shawn said. “Stuart Hollis was my father.”
It was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on them all.
“Such a wonderful man,” Kate said. “But you said was?”
“Yes, he’s been dead for ten years,” Shawn said.
“I’m so sorry,” Kate said. “What did he tell you about the money?”
“Nothing,” Shawn said. “He never mentioned it to me, and there is no story in our family about money being buried on our land.”
Shawn sat back in his chair. His face was blank, and Autumn was sure he was trying to process what he’d just heard.
“Perhaps he
told your mother,” she said. “I don’t think he was married at the time. He and Jane had a thing. He said the money would be safe there until we decided what to do with it.”
“My parents didn’t get married until 1972,” he said. “I wonder if he ever told Mother.”
“Is she still alive?” Kate asked.
“Yes,” Shawn said. “But she moved to Florida years ago. She said she wanted the oceans rather than the desert.”
“I’d rather have the mountains,” Kate said with a smile. “Perhaps she can give you more information.”
“We have the coordinates,” Autumn said. “We just haven’t searched yet.”
“Oh, it’s there, unless someone else has found it,” Kate said. “Near the abandoned mines. Stuart said putting it in the mines would be too obvious in case Earnest came looking for it.”
“What happened to Earnest,” Autumn asked.
“He died, about fifteen years ago,” Kate said. “I thought about going back for the money then, but Jane talked me out of it. She said I could be held responsible for the robbery.”
“How did he die?” Shawn asked.
Kate shook her head. “He was shot to death, by a jealous husband here in Colorado Springs. Earnest Lenny. I’m sure you can find his obituary online. He was in and out of prison for petty crimes. A leopard never changes its spots.”
“Thank you,” Shawn said. “We appreciate the information.”
“I hope you find the loot, so to speak, and it gets turned in. I’m sure I’ll be dinged for my part in the robbery in the afterlife.”
“But you’re helping to restore it to its rightful owner,” Autumn said. “That counts for something.”
Kate laughed. “Now, I have a question of my own.” She directed her gaze at Autumn. “Is your name really Autumn Pumpkin, or are you pulling my leg?”
Chapter 10
When they got to the parking lot, they sat in the car in silence, the air blasting them in the face.
“Are you all right?” Autumn finally asked.
Instead of answering her question he said, “We need to find a hotel, and then I need to find a quiet place to talk to Mom. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Autumn said.
They sat for a few more moments, he put the car into gear and they drove around for about twenty minutes until they found a hotel with a vacancy. One room, two beds. Autumn thought about asking if they could search for a place with two rooms, but decided Shawn might need the company right now. He had made a promise not to touch her, and she didn’t plan on asking. She was safe in that regard.
They checked into the room and once their bags were inside he said, “I’ll be back. Do I need to bring anything back?”
“Maybe some snacks,” she said. “The burger was dinner enough for me.”
He nodded and left, and when she was alone, Autumn wondered what he was feeling. His father had not been one of the robbers, but he was involved in hiding the loot. Or maybe he didn’t know it was stolen. Perhaps Jane had told him that Kate was hiding things from her soon to be ex husband. But if that were the case, why would he not question the fact they never returned for the items?
And then something hit her, like a brick falling out of the sky. What if Shawn’s father was really Earnest? What if Kate lied to them about Stuart being the helper? Who had control of the Hollis land in 1964? Was it Stuart himself, or his father? Or brothers, or cousins? There were so many question that didn’t get answered. Maybe Shawn would have answers to the questions when he returned.
Autumn pulled out her phone and did a search on the ranch. It had opened eight years ago. The history showed that it had been in the Hollis family for generations, and they had worked the silver mines. That’s where the family had made their money, thought the mines.
She wondered if Shawn’s mother knew what sort of resort he ran, or if she really cared. She probably had the money she wanted, and was enjoying her life in Florida. If Mrs. Hollis was angry about the questions Shawn asked, it might take a while for him to get the information he wanted.
She thought about taking a bath while he was gone, a long, soaking bath. She didn't have any bubbles, but soaking in hot water was one of her favorite past times.
She had just stood up to take off her clothes when the door opened. Shawn strolled in with no snacks or drinks, and a foul expression on his face.
“That was fast,” she said as he plopped down on one of the beds.
“She didn’t answer,” he said. “I left a message. She could be playing golf, bridge, or playing with her boy toy.”
Autumn’s eyes widened. “She has a boy toy?”
“Yup,” Shawn said with a laugh. “I met him the last time I visited her, about six months ago. He’s about ten years older than I am, maybe fifteen.”
“Does that bother you?” Autumn asked.
“Nope,” he said. “I hope she’s enjoying herself.”
“You’re better than I am,” Autumn said. “I’m not sure how I would feel about my mother having a boy toy.”
“Well, you have hang-ups about sex,” he said. “It’s not surprising to me that you wouldn’t want your mother to enjoy sex.”
“I do not have hang-ups,” she said. She turned her face away from his. “I just don’t have a lot of experience in that department.”
“Define a lot,” he said.
“I’ve had two lovers,” she said. Why was she telling him this? She waited for him to make fun of her, but he didn’t, which surprised her.
“That just makes you selective,” he said. “I rather like that.”
“You can’t say you’ve only had two lovers, can you?”
“It really depends on your definition of lovers,” he said. “If your definition is intercourse, I’ve had six. If you think it’s playing with people, doing scenes and the like, then it’s a few more.”
“Define few,” she said with a laugh.
“More than twenty, less than thirty,” he said. “Sometimes ladies come to the resort and they need a lesson or two. In that respect we really don’t have sex. Although they do have an orgasm, like you did last night.”
She blushed. “Do you consider what we did last night having sex?”
“Yes,” he said. “I had your clit in my mouth. That’s more than just a lesson.”
“So, you’ve never—feasted—on the other ladies?”
“No,” he said.
“Then why did you do it to me?”
“Because I wanted to,” he said. “I’m attracted to you, Autumn. But I meant it when I said I would not touch you again unless you asked.”
“And I told you I’d never ask,” she said.
“We’ll see,” he said.
His phone rang the minute the words were out of his mouth.
“Saved by the bell,” she said as he looked at the screen.
“Hello, Mom,” he said as he held it up to his ear. “Thanks for calling me back.”
He chuckled before he said, “Of course, you always return my calls. I didn’t mean it that way. I’m here with my friend, Autumn, and I wanted to ask you a question about Dad. Can I put you on speaker?”
Autumn figured he’d received a positive answer, because he did just that.
“Mom this is Autumn, Autumn this is my mother.”
“Hello, Mrs. Hollis,” Autumn said.
“Please, dear, call me Sylvia.”
“Very well,” Autumn said. “If you don’t want to answer Shawn’s questions in front of me, I understand.”
“Nonsense, ask away, Shawn,” Sylvia said.
“Did Dad help hide thousands of dollars, and possibly a valuable necklace, in 1964?”
Sylvia had obviously been drinking something, because she started to cough and it sounded as if she were spitting up water.
“Mom?” Shawn asked. “Are you all right?”
“Give me—a moment—” she said between coughs.
They waited, and finally Sylvia said, “How do y
ou know that? Have you been out digging by the mines? Did you find something? Your father told me it would never be found.”
Autumn stayed silent as Shawn explained about the storage unit, and about her visit.
“Clever girl,” Sylvia said. “To the best of my knowledge the money is still there. Your father never said anything about a necklace, though.”
There was a short pause. “He loved Jane, not enough to spend the rest of his life with her, but he did love her. It was before I met him.”
“You talk about it so casually,” Shawn said.
“Oh, you of all people should know that you can be lovers with someone without being in love with them,” Sylvia said. “Sometimes you have to kiss a lot of people before you find your prince, or princess, as the case may be.”
There was a pause before Sylvia said, “Your father was the love of my life, Shawn. When he died it cut me to the core. I could never love another man like I loved him. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy male company.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Shawn said with a laugh. “Love you.”
“And I love you,” Sylvia said. “Autumn, I hope to meet you in person at some point in time. Have fun on your treasure hunt, you two. Ta-ta.”
She hung up before they could respond.
“That’s Mom,” Shawn said. “She never was one to stick around and chat.”
“She’s a character,” Autumn said.
“I know it’s trite to say, but I’m incredibly lucky that she’s my Mom,” he said.
Autumn didn’t respond. Her mother had always given Autumn the impression that Autumn was a bit of a nuisance to have around. As she grew, Autumn spent less time at home. Nowadays she barely spent ten minutes at a time on the phone with her mother, and was never invited over for dinner unless it was a holiday. Autumn’s dad was the same way, preferring to spend more time on the golf course instead of with his family.
“Something wrong?” Shawn asked.
“My relationship with my family is not as good as yours,” she said. “Call me jealous.”
“I’d rather call you apprentice,” he said with a laugh. Then he stood and slapped his hands against his thighs. “I’ll go gather drinks and snacks. It shouldn’t take long.”
Buried Treasure (Silver Creek Resort Book 1) Page 12