by Rick Polad
That seemed to satisfy her, but I was still wondering why she was asking. Maybe she just wanted to know that she was protected. And maybe she wanted to know my armament for some other reason. I had asked her to trust me, a person she didn’t know. But I was in the same boat. Maybe I was being set up. Maybe she was a Walters plant. As 42 turned to the north, I wondered if there were two paranoid people in the car. Still, there was a difference between paranoid and aware… I just wasn’t sure where the line between them was.
***
I gave her some history as we drove and she admired the little towns we passed through. But she was most impressed when we pulled into Peninsula State Park and the bay came into view. Sailboats with furled sails bobbed on slight swells. I parked in the lot by the ranger’s office.
She looked afraid and asked, “What are we doing here?”
“The inn is on the other side of the bay. I have a couple more questions. Do you mind?”
“Okay,” she said hesitantly.
“Do you know anything about the tunnels under the park?”
She relaxed. I had no idea what she thought I was going to ask.
“I do. They’re for moving supplies and people so they’re not seen by the customers.”
“Ever been down there?”
“Sure. Lots of times. Why?”
“I’d like to see them.”
“Well, you’d need someone to show you how to get in. But Walters would not be happy.”
“Walters wouldn’t have to know.”
She had been looking out at the bay. She now turned to face me. “Walters knows everything.”
“You give him more power than you should.”
“I don’t have a gun, so I assume the worst and hope that keeps me safe.”
“Well, I think you’re safe up here. You didn’t tell anyone you were coming did you?”
“Just my daughter.”
I nodded. “Do you know anyone who would be willing to get me into the tunnels?”
After thinking for a minute and looking out at the bay some more, she made a suggestion. “There’s a woman who hates Walters and Meyers… Sadie Peterson. She’s also afraid, but I think she’d love the chance to get even with him.”
“Get even? For what?”
“For beating her.”
“Pardon?”
“He took her down in the tunnels after work and beat her. The official story was she had some kind of accident.”
“How do you know what happened?”
She gave me the most determined look I’ve ever seen and uttered the strongest four words I have ever heard. “Because she told me.”
“Why did he beat her?”
“He said she stole food.”
“Did she?”
“I think so.”
“Why would she do that?”
“We don’t get paid much, Spencer. Many of us work other jobs.”
“Doesn’t justify stealing.”
“No, but she can’t work an extra job. She takes care of her invalid mother.”
I sighed. Life is never easy. “And you think she’d help me?”
“You could ask.”
“If she’s afraid, she probably wouldn’t talk to me. Would you call her?”
“I don’t have her number. But take this.” She slid a ring off her baby finger. It was a sapphire set in a plain silver setting. “This was my mother’s and Sadie loved it. She was always admiring it. Tell her I had it on the wrong finger. She’ll know you talked to me.”
I took the ring. Another job for Samantha—find Sadie. As I turned around and headed out of the park, I realized I trusted Barbara. No one could have planned the ring this far ahead.
I had described the Harbor Lantern Inn, but when I turned into the drive just around the bottom of the bay and pulled up the hill, Barbara was surprised.
“Oh my, Spencer… it’s lovely. I’m staying here?”
I laughed. “You are. If you try real hard, you might enjoy it.”
Maxine came down the steps of the porch and met me with a hug when I got out.
“Do you greet all your guests this way, ma’am?”
She crossed her arms and said, “Yup. It’s in the manual.”
I gave her another hug and, after opening the trunk, introduced Barbara to Maxine. I had filled in Aunt Rose on what was going on and I knew she had shared it with Maxine.
“Rose is shopping for something special for dinner,” Maxine said. “Come with me, Barbara, and we’ll get you settled. And you, fella, you can say hi to Amelie.”
They headed into the inn, chatting like old friends. I sat on a rocker on the porch and had a staring contest with Amelie, the stray black cat Maxine had found in the woods. I won as Amelie lost interest and slowly closed her eyes to continue her nap on the railing in the late afternoon sun.
As I looked out at the bay I thought about Walters. The boss doesn’t beat people… he has other people do that for him so his clothes don’t get dirty, unless he’s crazy and then all bets are off. I needed to have another chat with Stosh about Walters.
Maxine was back ten minutes later.
“Nice lady, Spencer.”
“Yes. I have pretty high standards in the women I bring up here.”
She smiled and reached over and patted my arm.
We caught up and watched the boats in the harbor.
“How you doing with running lights?” I asked.
A while back I had taught Maxine navigation rules and showed her how to tell how boats were moving at night by looking at the lights.
“I’m a pro. I actually do enjoy sitting here and watching the boats at night. The lights are relaxing and kind of magical.” She paused and lost her smile. “I’m sure you didn’t tell Rose all that’s going on, Spencer. But what she told me sounds dangerous.”
“Could be. Missing kids and dead bodies are never a good thing.”
She touched my arm again. “I’m worried about you.”
I took her hand. “Thanks, but I can be dangerous too.”
“I know, but still…”
Aunt Rose pulled up the hill and parked in the spot farthest from the inn. She always said spots at the front were for the guests. The lot was about half full. We helped her carry groceries into the kitchen and sat down at a butcher block table. There was, of course, a cherry pie cooling on the counter.
“Are you staying here or at the cottage?” Rose asked.
I sighed. “I shouldn’t even be staying for dinner. But if pie is for dessert, I’ll force myself.”
“You don’t mean you’re driving back tonight!” said Rose with motherly concern.
“Wish I wasn’t… but I am. I have a meeting with Stosh at eight in the morning.”
Dinner was wonderful as always. Fresh salmon, mashed potatoes, and asparagus, topped off with pie. Barbara spent the whole dinner asking questions about life up here. She seemed surprised that such a place existed.
I offered to clean up, but Rose said I’d better get on the road. I reluctantly agreed. Rose gave me a hug and started to rinse dishes. Maxine and Barbara walked me to the car. I got a goodbye hug from Maxine and orders to stop if I got sleepy.
Barbara asked how long a girl had to know me to get a hug.
“What time is it?” I asked.
She started to look at her watch and then stopped, laughing. I gave her a hug and told her to just forget about everything and enjoy the inn. She said that wasn’t going to be a problem.
I really wanted to stop at the cottage on Moonlight Bay and watch the sky darken from my deck, but I only had another hour before losing the sunlight and wanted to put on as many miles as I could before dark.
Chapter 28
Martin watched the cat sitting in the corner by the door. It was watching him. Once in a while it blinked. He hadn’t been sleeping well and had given up counting the marks on his arm. The ceiling light had already turned off, but there was just enough light coming in the boarded up window for him to make out the shadowy
shape of the cat. When he sat up in bed the cat opened its eyes wider and gradually grew to twice its normal size. When he woke up the cat was gone and a tray of food was on the table. It looked like breakfast.
Chapter 29
It was ten minutes after eight when I pulled into Stosh’s driveway. The sun was just starting to burn off the night chill. I had stopped at a rest area just north of Milwaukee and taken a ten-minute walk in the chilly air. It woke me up enough to make it home safely and get in four hours of sleep. Stosh was waiting for me on the porch.
“Where the hell you been?”
“Nice. Four hours of sleep and I get an attitude.”
“Don’t get out of the car.” He stood next to the door.
“Come on, Stosh. I need sleep, not abuse.”
There was no sympathy in his look.
“I got a call fifteen minutes ago. We found Samantha’s father.”
“Thank God. Where did they find him? How is he?”
It took him a few seconds to respond. I knew it wasn’t good news.
“There was a fire last night... abandoned building just north of Broadway and Foster. Search of the building found a body.”
“Oh no. Are you sure it’s him?”
“They have the ring.”
I closed my eyes and tried not to think about Samantha. “I guess she’ll have to ID the body.”
“Spencer, there’s nothing to ID. He was totally burned. Dental records might do it, but it’s not something you want her to look at. All that’s left is a cinder.”
“Jesus… life sucks sometimes. I wonder what happened.”
“My guess is he was lost and found the empty building to sleep in and somebody torched it… insurance maybe. We’ll find out. The arson squad is good at what they do.”
“But it’s not just arson.”
“No, it’s not. You want me to come with you to tell her?”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No, thanks. I’ll head over there.”
“Okay. She can pick up the ring at the morgue.”
***
I thought I could catch Samantha before she left for work, and I did. I thought about what to say on the way to her apartment but had no real plan. I could certainly empathize after losing my folks, but I had no way to make it easy.
She looked happy to see me, which made me feel even worse. But the happiness disappeared quickly as she saw the look on my face.
I barely managed to get out, “I’m so sorry, Samantha,” before she collapsed into my arms.
I led her to the couch and she sat sobbing with her head in her hands. After a few minutes she stopped crying and asked what had happened. I told her in the gentlest way I could. Somewhere along the way she had taken my hand. I put my arm around her and she leaned on my shoulder.
“He died alone, Spencer. That’s so horrible.” And she started to cry again.
A little before nine she pulled away and told me she’d better finish getting ready for work. I told her not to worry about work, just to stay home and attend to whatever she needed to attend to.
“Thanks, but I’d rather be busy. I need to make some phone calls, but if it’s okay with you, I’d rather do that from the office. It’s so lonely here.”
I’d never seen such a sad, lonely look and knew how she felt. I had felt the same way in my parents’ house for quite a while.
“Sure, I don’t mind.”
“Can I have the ring back?”
“Of course.”
“Do I have to…?” Her soft voice trailed off.
I shook my head. “No. But you can pick up the ring.” I didn’t need to tell her there was nothing left to identify.
“Thanks, Spencer. You’re wonderful.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek and I wiped away some tears.
I asked what the funeral arrangements would be.
“He wanted to be cremated.”
I nodded and tactfully avoided the obvious remark. “Okay, let’s take a ride and get the ring. Do you have a power of attorney?”
“I do.”
She got a folder full of papers and asked, “What are you doing today?”
I stood up and offered her a hand. “I have a couple of stops to make and another address to find.”
“I’ll do that for you.”
“No, don’t be…”
“Spencer…” She started to cry quietly. “I need something to do.”
I understood and nodded. “Did the window get replaced okay?”
“Yes,” she said as she washed a dish and set it next to the sink.
“Good. The stencil guy is coming later this morning.”
“Okay, I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks, Samantha. If there’s anything I can do…”
She gave me another kiss and said I’d be the first person she’d ask.
“Would you drop me at the office after…?”
“Of course.”
As she gathered her things I looked around the apartment. I thought it had looked lonely before. I held the door and followed her down the stairs.
I tried to make small talk as we drove, but it was obviously a tense situation. As we waited at a light I asked her to adjust the side mirror.
“The inside knob is broken so you need to roll down the window and push the mirror.”
A couple of small adjustments took care of it.
***
The new office window looked just like the old window. Back to normal. As I looked at it I thought about the warning and considered the new information that Walters had beaten Sadie Peterson. I decided I still wasn’t afraid but should step up my level of awareness. I also knew I should stay away from the park, but I really wanted to see the tunnels. I knew there was probably nothing down there that would help, but the kid in me was looking forward to the adventure. It would be even better than exploring the limestone caves up in Door County.
When we got back it only took Samantha a few minutes to find Sadie Peterson’s address.
“Thanks, Samantha.”
Her eyes filled with tears again as she looked at the ring. She looked at the inscription and her hands started to shake.
I put my hands on her shoulders and asked if she wanted me to stay with her.
“No… no thanks, Spencer. I’ve been getting ready for this. I still had hope, but it has been so long. I’ll be okay.”
“Well, how about I bring back lunch?”
She nodded and wiped her eyes.
“I’ll get subs from the deli down the street.”
“Thanks. I’ll be here,” she said with a slight smile.
***
Sadie lived on a quiet side street in a wood-framed, two-story house that had seen better days. White paint was peeling everywhere and one window was cracked. Almost all the houses on the block were of the same construction, but most were in better shape. If Sadie took care of her mother, I understood why she didn’t have money to take care of her house. A golden retriever lay in the sun on the porch next door and quietly watched me walk up the steps. Two pots of geraniums were on the porch next to two wooden chairs.
I pushed the bell but didn’t hear a ring. I rang again and then knocked. A minute later a large woman in a white uniform came to the door, opened it a crack, and asked what I wanted. The door was chained. I asked if Sadie Peterson was home. The woman matter-of-factly told me she was at work and wouldn’t be home until dinner. I said I’d stop back. She asked if she could say who called and I told her a friend.
I walked back to my Mustang and wondered how much the lady in the white uniform cost. Sadie had enough trouble without Walters.
The low purr of the engine was always soothing, and I listened to it and thought for a few minutes about the sadness this morning had brought. Not a good way to end the week. I hoped the afternoon would improve the day.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the police station and parked next to the lieutenant’s cruiser. Rosie’s car wasn’t in the lot. Must still be wo
rking nights.
Stosh wasn’t in his office, but the sergeant told me he was in the building so I sat on a wooden chair and closed my eyes.
“I thought I already had my quota of you for today.”
Without opening my eyes, I said, “This’ll take care of tomorrow.”
He dropped a pile of folders on his desk and sat. “How’d it go with your secretary?”
“About as you would think. Pretty damned sad.”
“Yeah, pretty tough, kid. You okay?”
“Sure.”
“And how is Aunt Rose?”
“Hard to be anything but wonderful living in paradise. Cherry pie for dessert.”
“You get your friend settled?”
“I did. Rose and Maxine will make her feel at home.”
He nodded. “That was a wonderful thing you did for Maxine.”
“Well, she deserved it.”
I had met Maxine on a prior case. She was a hooker and a wonderful lady who needed a break. And Aunt Rose needed help at the inn. So when the case was over, I drove Maxine up to Door County.
A knock on the door got his attention and he held up a finger.
“Got a meeting, Spencer. Anything else?”
“Just a couple of interesting facts.” I told him about Barbara and Terrence Jacobs, the last kid reported missing.
“So what happened to the kid after he was brought in to meet Meyers?” he asked.
“The million dollar question. I know you’re not going to like this, but we could set them up.”
“Correct, I don’t. But just out of curiosity, how would you go about doing that?”
“They seem to like orphans, Martin being an exception. We could plant a kid with an orphan history and you could have somebody watching.”
“Use a kid for bait. I don’t see anything wrong with that. What about that did you think I wouldn’t like?”
“Well, I’m not fond of it myself, but I got nuthin’ else… except for Sadie Peterson.”
“I hate to ask. Is it as brilliant as your last idea?”
“Brillianter. Barbara told me about a woman who was beaten by Walters—Sadie Peterson.” I told him the story and about the tunnels. “I’m going to have a chat with her tonight.”
“I know those tunnels are like a siren calling to you, but remember the rock that siren was sitting on.”
