“Mrs. Allen, thank you so much for meeting me.”
“Call me Margaret, please. I have been thinking of Laura since we talked. I’m getting older and it takes a while for my brain to recall information.”
They were seated at a booth in the sparsely occupied room.
“Laura had a gentleman friend although I don’t know who it was,” said Margaret. “Laura wasn’t forthcoming with details but she confided in me she and the mystery man were talking about marriage. I asked if they planned to keep the marriage a secret too and she gave me a puzzled look.
“Ms. Abbott was a favorite teacher. She had few problems in her classroom. She had a knack for handling the bullies with calmness and that isn’t always easy. I know Mr. Markham, the principal, asked her to teach the sixth-grade the following year with the same children from the previous year. She was happy about that because little Joanie Garretson would be in her class again. Don’t get me wrong, Ms. Abbott treated all the students the same. The fact is, she and Joanie had a special bond. The two resembled each other. That was cause for concern but Mrs. Garretson assured Mr. Markham it is a coincidence and the two are not related.”
“It seems odd they look so much alike,” said Molly. “They say we all have a double in the world. Maybe that’s all it is, a coincidence.”
“Maybe so, but it does make you wonder. As far as I could tell, Laura didn’t have friends. She was new in town and didn’t seem interested in joining any organizations where she would meet people her age. I’m not saying she is anti-social; however, she didn’t mind being alone.”
“Do you know where she lived? I assume it was an apartment.”
“No, it wasn’t an apartment, it was a boarding house on Elm Street. I dropped her off there one day during a terrible thunderstorm. Let me think,” she said challenging herself to remember. “It was Emma Barkley’s boarding house. Emma still has rooms for rent. The house is an old Victorian and beautifully kept. Emma is particular about who she rents her furnished rooms to. To my knowledge, she has never had a problem with her tenants. She would be a good one to talk to about Laura. Emma is a wonderful woman but a consummate snoop. Her mind is sharp and I’m sure recalls everything about Laura’s stay in her home.”
Molly and Margaret enjoyed a leisurely lunch. Margaret worked through her lunch hours so often, Mr. Markham was happy when she left the school grounds and told her to take her time. Molly told Luke’s story about his broken arm. Margaret remembered that day and told her about his many misdeeds in elementary school. She laughed when she said: “… and he was one of the better-behaved children.”
Chapter Six
Molly noticed the sign for Elm Street and looked for Emma Barkley’s Boarding House. It was only three houses from the corner. She saw an older woman in a rocking chair on the wrap-around front porch of the beautiful Victorian home. Molly guessed the home was built in the early 1900s. She loved the look of the house with the arches, cone-shaped roof, bay window and a porch on the second level. The house was painted a soft blue-gray with antique white trim.
The lady on the porch waved as Molly drove slowly by prompting her to stop the car. She approached the woman.
“Are you Emma Barkley?” Molly asked.
“Yes, dear, that’s my name. You’re that girl from the flower shop, don’t tell me you are looking for a room to let. I know you are married to the writer. I’ve read both his books and I wish he’d get busy and write another.”
“Mrs. Barkley, I didn’t recognize you. It’s nice to see you again. No, I’m not looking for a room, however, your home is wonderful.”
“This house has been in my family for over one hundred years. Mr. Barkley and I raised five children in this place. I’m alone now and I rent to young people who keep me young too. I don’t have rooms available, but I suspect Jenny Bryant in room six will marry her young man soon.”
“Mrs. Barkley, do you remember Laura Abbott she was a tenant of yours?”
“Yes, I remember Laura, do you know where she is? I have worried about that girl since she disappeared some time back. She left a note on my door with enough cash to pay off her lease. I’d gone to the market one afternoon and when I returned, she’d packed up her things and left. I never heard from her again.”
“Do you know anything about her personal life? Were you aware of any visitors she may have had?”
“There was one young lady who called on her one day. She was a pretty girl although she wore heavy makeup and acted a little too sure of herself. It was during the day and Laura was at school. Summer vacation began the day before and Laura said she needed to clean out her classroom. I asked the girl her name and she didn’t say, she said she’d try to call on Laura again. I don’t know why I remember that now, I’d forgotten about her. I believe she came back later another day. Laura didn’t come down for supper that evening and I assumed she’d gone out with the girl. Now that I think of it, I don’t believe she left her room. The following day, Laura disappeared.”
“Laura didn’t give a forwarding address or any mention of where she had gone?”
“No, she thanked me for letting her stay here and left me the cash in an envelope.”
“Was there any sign of a struggle or indication she’d left in a hurry?”
“No, her room was neat and clean, it was like nobody had lived there.”
“That girl was the only friend who visited here?”
“Yes, Margaret from the elementary school brought her home one day during a terrible thunder and lightning storm. Laura had a car she kept on a storage lot in town. She didn’t drive it often. She either walked or took the bus to wherever she was going. The library is around the corner and she went there every few days. She brought home three or four books at a time. When the weather was nice, she’d sit on the porch on the second floor and read for hours.”
Molly watched as a late model car pulled into the driveway.
“My daughter, Carol, is here checking on me. My children don’t trust the old lady to take care of herself,” Emma said without annoyance.
“Hello, Mama, I see you have company.”
“Yes, Carol, this is Molly Ryan Sullivan, she owns that cute little flower shop in Stan’s old building and her husband is the writer, Luke Sullivan.”
“Molly, how are you?” She extended her hand. “Carol Hancock, my husband and I had an office in Kincaid Towers until we retired last year.”
“I’d heard Stan closed the insurance office, congratulations on the retirement. I stopped by to ask your mother about a former tenant and have so enjoyed visiting with her.”
“Mama will talk your ear off if you let her,” laughed Carol. “Who is the tenant? Anyone I know, Mama?”
“It was a long time ago, Carol. Do you remember the pretty schoolteacher, Laura Abbott? She kept to herself most of the time.”
“I remember a schoolteacher, she’s the one you worried about because she left abruptly. I don’t think I ever met her. Why are you looking for her, Molly?”
Molly told Carol about the ring and the mystery surrounding Laura and her seemingly sudden disappearance.
“Mama, do you still have the journals you used keep when you wrote notes about your tenants?”
“I’d forgotten about those; I loved all the young girls who stayed in my home. Some only lived here briefly before they up and married one of the local boys. I had nurses from the hospital and secretaries and some teachers, like Laura. When my arthritis got bad, it hurt too much to write, so I stopped keeping track. These days my tenants are all older and their stories aren’t as interesting. I’ll go find the one on Laura.”
“Tell me where you keep them, Mama, I’ll look for it.”
“No, dear, I know exactly where they are, keep Molly company while I look.”
*****
“Your mother is an amazing woman, Carol. You must be proud of her.”
“It’s hard to believe she is eighty-seven. Until a couple years ago, she cared for this hous
e all by herself. My brothers and sisters and I insisted she hire a cleaning lady or we would sell the house out from under her. She refused to speak to us for a month until she agreed it was a good idea. Mama took care of the five of us and my dad for years. Dad was an expert handyman but would have starved to death if Mama hadn’t cooked for him every night for forty- eight years. After he died, we tried to talk Mama into selling this old place, she wouldn’t hear of it. She ran an ad in the newspaper and within a week the house was filled with young people again.
“Jean Wright, the woman who has lived here for over twenty years, helps Mama with the cooking and most of the others pitch in or make their own meals. It works out well and Mama can stay in the house she loves.”
*****
“I found it, all you wanted to know about Laura Abbott,” said Emma when she rejoined Molly and Carol on the porch.
“Would it be all right if I took this with me to read it over? I don’t want to tire you out and I promise to bring it back tomorrow.”
“Yes, dear, I believe it’s time for my story on the television. Carol pretends she doesn’t like to watch my favorite daytime show but I notice she comes over promptly at two o’clock during the week.”
Carol looked sheepishly at Molly and nodded her head in agreement. “My mother is a bad influence on me,” she laughed.
*****
Molly put the journal in her bag and checked in at Buds and Blooms on her way home. “Has Joanna called? I know she is off today but I was hoping she’d call.”
“She hasn’t called but Dylan Roth was here earlier asking about her. Is she in some kind of trouble, Molly?”
“I hope not,” Molly replied.
*****
Molly excused herself and shut the door to her office. She opened the journal and found Laura’s name.
August 1st: Laura Abbott joined our little family today. She is a pretty girl who will teach fifth grade at Parker Elementary School starting next month. She is such a reserved young woman, I hope those rambunctious boys don’t take advantage of her quiet nature. I’ll ask Mary Frasier to take her under her wing. Those children know better than to give Mary any trouble.
August 10th: I finally talked to Laura today. The girl keeps to herself and I don’t want to intrude. I caught her when she walked back from the library with an armload of books. She said her favorite thing to do is read. I think that’s part of the reason she is close to being antisocial, I like to read too but it doesn’t stop me from conversing with human beings. Laura talked about her home life. Her father ran a business that took him out of the country frequently and his wife traveled with him. Laura was left in the care of a housekeeper who apparently gave her little attention. She wasn’t allowed to play with other children after school and found her only happiness between the covers of books. Against her parents’ wishes, she studied to be a teacher and was happy when the elementary school here in Hillsboro offered her a job. I feel she has little contact with her parents.
September 3rd: School started today and once again I can hear the happy sounds of children walking by the house on their way to their new classes. I think Laura was nervous this morning although she tried to hide it. Mary said she will take care of any boy or girl who is out of line with the new teacher.
December 22nd: School is out for the holiday. The house is quiet because many tenants are spending time with their families in their hometowns. Laura is still here and says she has no plans to visit her parents for Christmas as they are in Europe. I’ve invited her to join our family Christmas celebration. I hope she agrees, I won’t enjoy the day thinking of her alone in her room.
January 15th: It seems I worry about Laura more than necessary. Mary tells me the students in her class are the best behaved in the entire school. Laura is still quiet, but she seems happier than when she first came here. She talks about her students often, there is one little girl who she has a special fondness for. Mary says they could be sisters, they look so much alike.
Everyone who knows both Laura and Joanna mention how much they look like each other. It must be a coincidence; Betty Garretson says Laura isn’t a relation on either side of the family. Betty should know, she’s Joanna’s mother, Molly thought to herself.
May 29th: Laura was bubbling when she came home from school today. Her face was flushed, and she had a bounce in her step. There must be a man in the picture. I know she was planning to take her class on a field trip to the Danforth Art Gallery. I wonder if the curator is an attractive young man. Laura had the look of a person in love.
June 21st: School is out for the summer. Mary is celebrating but I sense sadness in Laura. She will miss her class but she has the mysterious young man to keep her company. I wish she weren’t so secretive, it makes me worried that she is involved with a married man. That can’t be the case, Laura would do nothing risqué.
July 3rd: A young woman came to visit Laura today. She didn’t look like anyone Laura would be friends with. Laura wasn’t in and she said she’d come back later.
July 5th: The holiday is over. The girls and I made potato salad and baked beans and their boyfriends roasted hot dogs on the grill. I don’t condone beer drinking, but it is a holiday and the young people didn’t overdo. Laura didn’t know who the person was who came to see her two days before. She thinks the girl might have mistaken her for someone else as she knew no one who fit her description.
As Laura walked toward the house, that same person approached her. I watched as they talked. Laura looked perplexed at first and then stunned as the one-sided conversation continued. The girl walked away and Laura ran into the house and up the stairs without a word. I thought it best to leave her alone. It was obvious she was in a state. Maybe my suspicion that the man she was involved with was married was correct and Laura wasn’t aware of it.
July 6th: I woke up this morning feeling melancholy. I think it was a premonition of what was to come. Attached to my door was a note from Laura apologizing for leaving without notice and thanking me for being her friend. Along with the note was the balance of her rent through the lease period. I wish I knew why she left. No matter what trouble she was in, I would have helped her. Things always look dismal when your heart is breaking. I’m sure that happened to Laura.
Chapter Seven
Emma’s journal didn’t answer the question of what happened to Laura Abbott. It did, however, raise the prospect of someone threatening or intimidating her. According to the description of the person, she was too young to be Alec’s sister, Beatrice. The woman was several years older than Alec and much older than someone the same age as Laura.
*****
Stephanie knocked on the office door. “I’m sorry to bother you, Molly. Dylan Roth is here, and is upset that he hasn’t heard from Joanna. Do you have a minute to settle him down?”
“Yes,” said Molly as she stood to greet the young detective.
“Molly, I keep calling Joanna and her phone goes to voice mail. Her mother hasn’t heard from her either. She was meeting with that artist guy early this morning. Have you heard from her? If not, I’ll go after her myself.”
“Dylan, I haven’t heard from Joanna, I’m sure she is all right. You know she often forgets to charge her phone. You don’t want to go barging in at the Danforth place only to find out she left hours ago.”
“I can’t wait much longer, we had a date tonight and if she doesn’t call me by then, I’ll know she’s in trouble. Maybe it’s too late already.”
“You can’t go there in an official capacity. Let’s give her until six o’clock, if she hasn’t called by then, I’ll go with you. That way it will look like a friend calling for a friend and won’t seem threatening.”
“I don’t want to wait but I trust your judgment. I only hope when we find her it isn’t too late.”
Dylan left the flower shop and Molly knew he would return promptly at six if Joanna didn’t show up.
She had to admit, she was worried herself. Joanna acted strangely when she s
aw Alec Danforth yesterday. It had been several hours since she’d met him at his studio. Maybe she should call Detective Wentworth, if he thought there was cause for alarm, it would be better if he investigated and not Dylan.
“Molly,” cried Stephanie, “Joanna is here, and she looks fine.”
“Joanna, where have you been? Dylan is worried sick about you.”
“Why? He knew I was going to the Danforth place this morning, and I had classes this afternoon. We aren’t meeting until seven thirty tonight.”
“He’s been calling you and you haven’t answered.”
“I turned off my phone when I went to Alec’s studio and forgot to turn it back on.”
“I’ve been worried about you too, Joanna, you seemed to be under a spell after meeting Alec yesterday.”
“Molly, you are being silly, I wasn’t acting strangely. Alec is a gifted artist, I’m in awe of his work. We talked about Ms. Abbott. Alec cared deeply for her and hasn’t gotten over losing her.”
“I want to hear all about it but first, you must call Dylan before he breaks down the door of the Danforth mansion.”
Joanna smiled, “I didn’t mean to make him worry but I’m glad he cares,” she said as she called him.
Molly was curious to hear what Joanna had to say and relieved that she seemed like her old self again. She waited while Joanna called Dylan and then her mother.
*****
“You look busy, Molly. I can talk to you about Alec later.”
“Not on your life, this is a journal given to me about Laura and the time she lived in Hillsboro. Unfortunately, it only raises more questions. Tell me about your day.”
“I arrived at nine o’clock sharp, unfortunately, Alec’s sister was standing at the door of the mansion. I don’t think she would have let me by if Alec hadn’t come to the door himself. When I saw him with those piercing blue eyes, I felt like an eleven-year-old again. He seemed bigger than life then and I remember thinking he could see right through me.
Murder in Evergreen Page 4
