The Hammett Hex

by Victoria Abbott

  “And then Seamus disappeared himself, and I helped him. I’m sorry, Jordan, I couldn’t tell you, besides you weren’t even born yet. Mick has no idea about any of this, otherwise he would’ve never sent you to see Farley. I didn’t realize he made that connection. I think he just felt bad for the guy, ’cause he just got out of jail, and his business was slow.”

  “Mick and Lucky don’t know about the robbery or the necklace?”

  “They knew that Seamus was in the wind, because he stole something, but they never found out about Farley’s part in it.”

  “Why do you think Farley didn’t sell the necklace? He could have made out like a bandit, which he was, I suppose.”

  “Well, he was pretty sure that he would still be watched. That necklace is worth at least a hundred and fifty grand now, it would have been risky but—”

  “What?”

  “He wanted to give it back to Seamus, or at least back to his family. To thank him for taking the blame and for walking away from his own life to save Farley’s, even though he got twenty-five. I talked to him right after he gave you the necklace, but by the time I got down to San Francisco, he was already dead.” I guess there is some honor among thieves. “It’s in that box he gave you, Jordan. That’s what those guys in suits were after at the hotel. They were Les ‘the Bat’ Blatt’s goons.”

  “I’m the reason Farley Tso is dead.” I felt a lump in my throat.

  “Don’t feel bad, Jordie. Even if he’d had the necklace, and given it up, they woulda killed him. Just to make a point, ya know?”

  “What about Laurie Leff? The necklace belongs to her.”

  “I guess, but she got caught in the crossfire one night she was out with Les Blatt, about twenty years ago, and that was it for her.”

  “She died.”

  “Yup. Too bad. She was a beauty.”

  “And that’s why you came? To keep me from getting hurt?”

  “Yeah, but I texted you not to mention Seamus to anyone.”

  I still had to go back to the planning party. How was I going to keep the burden of this information off my face? Tyler would pick up on it immediately. I had to hope he’d be too enveloped in the sting and attribute any weirdness I exuded to adrenaline.

  How would I deal with the stolen necklace that belonged to a dead bombshell?

  “Now what do we do?” Kev’s huge blue saucer eyes stared into mine.

  “One plan at a time, Kev.”

  * * *

  GRAM WAS DRESSED to kill, a vision in fuchsia silk, her soft white waves shining, looking fragile and delicate with her bird-handled cane at her side. And yet, I knew, having the time of her life. Zoya had caved and served her a G and T in a flowered Shelley china cup.

  Smiley and I were set up at our observation posts in the dining room with the pocket doors closed. The Chinese screen was set up to hide us on the off chance that someone took a trip to the powder room and decided to snoop around. The boys were posted in closets, on the back stairs and, in Gus’s case, behind a wicker love seat. For his sins, Uncle Kev was also in position with a remote video camera setup and a special job when the trouble started.

  Gram was stationed as hostess at a large, low table set up for afternoon tea in the wide, formal parlor with Zoya behind her. A silver samovar gleamed next to the rest of the tea service. Pretty, crustless party sandwiches—my favorite—were arranged to tempt on tiered plates, and cookies and chocolates sat flirtatiously in delicate china dishes. Asta was circling and obviously had a plan too.

  Zoya was wearing a sober dark gray dress that emphasized her slim figure and angry silver eyes. She was also sporting a purely symbolic white maid’s apron. Her jaw appeared to be clenched, if such a thing is anatomically possible.

  Nancy Mitchell, also with a china teacup and saucer, was still and watchful in one of the deep rose velvet wingback chairs.

  I quivered when the doorbell rang.

  Zoya answered the door. The first batch of Huddy relatives had arrived—Janet Kargol and her son, Josh. I still thought of him as Michael. His mother obviously was in charge. He hung back and looked everywhere except at Gram. Zoya escorted them to the parlor, her wide silver eyes radiating daggers. Oh well. We can’t all be as cool as Gram.

  “Darling Auntie Jean,” Janet said, sweeping close enough to give Gram a pair of air kisses. She was tall, with highlighted hair, well dressed and very confident.

  Gram smiled a twinkling smile at her.

  Asta scampered around snapping at Josh’s ankles. Gram ignored her. It was one more way to ratchet up the tension.

  My heart was thundering. We had been right. This niece was much more than she’d pretended to be. I tried to make eye contact with Smiley. But no luck there.

  “I don’t know what’s keeping Clara, but let me say that it’s been much too long and we have missed you. Haven’t we, Josh?”

  He shrugged. I noticed he couldn’t bring himself to look at Gram.

  Gram twinkled a bit more. “We’re so glad you’re here. Tea or champagne?”

  Josh shook his head. Maybe he wanted an energy drink. Janet chose champagne and practically purred as Zoya poured it. From my perch, Zoya looked like she wanted to wrap her hands around Janet’s throat. Luckily, she wasn’t in charge.

  Gram waved her hand toward the table. “Zoya has outdone herself with sandwiches and sweets.”

  The doorbell rang again. Josh jumped. I knew who Janet was and I knew I’d recognize Clara when she arrived too.

  I hadn’t been too worried about Josh, but it belatedly occurred to me that I should be much more worried about his mother. Josh was a twit and Jessica not much better.

  The mothers were the ones to watch out for.

  Was there a chance that I could alert Smiley and warn him? Apparently not. Zoya stormed in with a slightly shorter woman with equally expensive highlighted hair and the person we’d known as Sierra at her side. Clara raised her eyebrow to her sister. “Thought you could have waited the few seconds.”

  “No harm done, Clara. You might have kept up.”

  “Auntie Jean, it’s lovely to see you,” Clara said in a voice like poisoned syrup.

  Gram must have practiced her most sugary responses. “Yes, after all this time, together again. Jessica, how you’ve grown up. I can’t believe you and Josh are here. So wonderful.”

  Asta turned her attention to Jessica and yipped and even hurled herself. Jessica did her best to ignore the dog. Janet looked daggers at Jessica and at Asta.

  “Now that you are all here, let me introduce my neighbor and good friend, Nancy Mitchell.”

  A round of greetings ensued.

  Gram said, “Nancy is not only a wonderful neighbor and friend, but she’s also my lawyer.”

  Eight eyes focused on Nancy, who nodded gravely, radiating calm, steely professionalism. I wouldn’t have liked to be up against her in court.

  Gram twittered. “We have a few estate planning things to discuss, now that we’re mending fences.”

  Clara’s head swiveled. “Mending fences?”

  Oops. Zoya deflected attention by offering tea and champagne. Jessica’s knuckles were white as she clutched but didn’t sip her flute with the sparkling treat.

  “I should have said reconnecting. Being family again. Please forgive me. I am terribly upset because of something that’s happened to us.”

  “Oh? And what is that?” Janet asked. She couldn’t quite suppress a gleam in her eye, visible even to me.

  “My grandson, whom I told you about. Well, I explained to Clara when we spoke. He came to see me and stayed in the hotel Clara recommended. La Perla? A good choice in hotel but a bad reunion. I think he was just after money. We’ve had nothing but trouble since he and his girlfriend arrived. I finally had to show him the door, didn’t I, Zoya?”

  Zoya said, “Gone avay now. G
ood riddens.”

  In a rattly voice, Gram said, “So I really need to get him out of the will altogether. That’s why Nancy is here.”

  Janet glowed. “I’m so glad you gave him the boot.”

  “Yes,” said Clara. “There’s nothing worse than a greedy relative.”

  Jessica smirked and took a gulp of her champers. Congratulating herself, I supposed. Josh reached for a glass himself.

  “To the Huddys!” Gram said.

  It was enough to make you hurl.

  With perfect timing when they were all in mid-sip, Gram added, “You won’t get everything, of course. Most of it will go to a home for pugs—”

  I hoped no one heard me laugh out loud at the resulting spew of champagne. Smiley glowered at me, but his lips twitched. I thought Nancy Mitchell’s might have too.

  The doorbell pealed just in time to distract.

  “Oh my,” said Gram. “I think Gloria must be here.”

  “Who is Gloria?” Janet said with a frown. Of course, they’d be wanting to ingratiate themselves with Gram without competition.

  “Gloria Zeller. Another lovely friend and neighbor, across the street.”

  “But shouldn’t this just be a family affair?” Jessica squeaked.

  “She’ll remember your mother as a girl visiting here and Janet too,” Gram said gaily. “I knew she’d be glad to come. And we’ll need her as a witness for the will. Zoya can be the second one.”

  “Of course,” Janet beamed. I figured she was already working on a plan to get rid of the pug charity.

  We were getting close to our action moment.

  I tried to signal Tyler without making any noise. No luck. He was staring quite murderously at the cousins. But he needed to be directing his anger at their mothers. He needed to see past the expensive honey-brown and blond highlights and remember them with silver hair and Tilley hats. He needed to know that they were not attractive and harmless ladies. I was remembering them always being nearby in the hotel, looking so innocuous when we were leaving for dinners, smiling at me on the cable car, passing by just before I was pushed. I was speculating that it had been Clara or Janet in the hallway behind me near the staircase when I pulled off the bedspread. Jessica and Josh were dolts, even if they were criminal dolts. But we needed to beware of their mothers.

  Zoya arrived in the parlor with Gloria Zeller. She was in fine form.

  Gram waved her greeting and Nancy nodded a welcome to the new arrival. But Josh stared and Jessica’s hand shook as Gram introduced everyone.

  Gloria played her part perfectly. “Don’t I know you, dear?” she said to Jessica, a smile on her kind, generous face.

  Jessica shook her head, ponytail swaying. “No. No, you don’t.”

  Gloria looked startled. “Yes. I do. You are staying next to me in the Himmelfarb house. I recognize you. Of course, you are so very pretty, just like your mother was at that age.”

  “I wasn’t there!” Jessica shrieked.

  Clara reached over and clutched Jessica’s hand, perhaps trying to squeeze some brains into her.

  Jessica said, “Ouch. Mom!”

  “Jessica is often mistaken for people in film and on television,” Clara said.

  Jessica’s free hand went to her hair and she couldn’t hold back a conceited smile. Of course, she somehow had evaded the glares that Tyler was aiming her way through the wall. “As if,” he muttered.

  “No, no, dear, it was the Himmelfarb house. You had your baby with you and your husband came and went too, but from the back door.”

  Josh whirled and yapped, “That’s stupid. You didn’t ever see me. Nobody could see anything back—”

  His mother stepped forward. “You forget yourself, Josh. It’s just a bit of mistaken identity.”

  Gram said. “Well, now I am confused, Jessica dear. Were you trying to visit the Himmelfarbs? Because they both died, you know, and I didn’t think you’d ever even met them. Your mother would have been to that house as a child, wouldn’t you, Clara?”

  “Not that I remember. My memory’s not what it used to be.”

  Gloria said, “Well, mine is as good as it ever was, and I know that I’ve seen this young lady go into my neighbor’s empty house. I assumed she was a real estate agent. Where is the baby now?”

  “There is no baby,” Jessica snapped.

  Gram said, “Gloria, my friend, please have some champagne or tea and a sandwich. We’ll get all this confusion sorted out.”

  “Well, I’m not used to being spoken to in that tone,” Gloria said. “Very unsettling, Jean.”

  “Yes, I’m a bit surprised to see that there’s a bit of an issue with manners and these young people.”

  Janet stepped forward. “The children are just tired because they’ve been, um, hiking around the coast. They’re very sorry for their tone. Aren’t you, Jessica and Josh?”

  I felt goose bumps rise on my arms. Smiley turned to me and we exchanged knowing glances. Gram, Gloria and Nancy managed to keep straight faces throughout. That’s quite a talent, I thought. Zoya’s wide silver eyes were like slits by now. Gram shot her a look and said, “Another round of champagne, Zoya. We all need to . . . What is it the young people say? Chill?”

  I smothered a snicker.

  It was almost time for my big number. Stealthily I made my way out the back and around through the neighbor’s yards to the corner and then hurried along the sidewalk. I approached the front veranda, crouching down without being visible through either the bay or the turret windows. I rang the doorbell and took a deep breath.

  Zoya seemed to enjoy pretending to prevent me from joining the group in the parlor. “Nyet! Nyet! Go avay! Not velcome!” She gave me a couple of shoves to make her point. I gave her a dirty look and pushed my way in.

  “Gram!” I shouted. “You must listen to me. Nothing was Tyler’s fault. The attacks were set up by—” I stopped and stared at Jessica and Josh. “Sierra? Michael? What are you doing here?”

  “Leave at once,” Janet said, standing to block me from Gram. Jessica stood behind her and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yes. I know you from across the street.”

  “You so do not!” Jessica said.

  “And you never even saw me,” said Josh.

  Gotcha.

  “What did he say?” Gram said, leaning forward.

  Nancy pursed her lips and said, “Perhaps you should hold off on the will a bit, Jean. Just until we figure out what’s going on.”

  Gloria said, “I’d like to know too. But you see, I’m not the only person who recognizes this young woman.”

  “This is all ridiculous,” Janet said. “This girl is trying to cause trouble because she’s after your money, Auntie Jean. Would you like me to call the police? You don’t have to let her in your house. If you ask her to leave and she doesn’t, it’s against the law, you know.”

  “I’ll show her to the door,” Clara said grimly.

  Tyler’s voice took them by surprise. “While we’re showing things, why don’t I show her these photos of two ladies who were staying at La Perla when we had our troubles.”

  “How did he get in here?” Janet yelped.

  Tyler strode across the room and thrust my phone into Gram’s waiting hands. Nancy got up and stood behind her to get a look.

  Gram said, “But that’s you, Janet, and you too, Clara. Why is your hair gray? Are you wearing wigs? Or are you wearing wigs now?”

  Clara went to snatch the phone from Gram. Not a good move. Zoya was between them with Gram’s cane in her hands, the metal bird handle aimed at Clara’s temple.

  “This is an outrage,” Clara huffed. “Auntie Jean, you must tell these people to leave. We are your family. They are trying to—get away from me with that thing!”

  Zoya must have lunged.

/>   Smiley said, “Don’t stop now, Gram. You’ll find a photo of your so-called nieces still in disguise on the cable car on the trip where Jordan was pushed and almost killed.”

  I said, “And didn’t you say that Clara gave you the name of the hotel where we stayed? The same hotel where our rooms were trashed and I was pushed down the stairs. Those were violent attacks, and yet look who was right there.”

  Gram’s narrowed. “I told you that my grandson would be staying there and so you took it upon yourselves to attack him and his—”

  Janet said, “That’s enough. We’re leaving and you’ll be hearing from our lawyer. This is an outrage.”

  Tyler said, “The police will want to talk to you all. These are serious offenses, felonies, and will almost certainly lead to jail time.”

  Jessica began to wail. “It’s not my fault. It’s Aunt Janet! She came up with the idea. She made us do it. She said we’d make a lot of money and the old lady probably wouldn’t live long after”—Jessica’s shaky finger pointed at Gram—“all the fuss!”

  Josh yelled, “That’s a lie, you witch. It was you that decided to break into that house and pretend to be friends with her.” He pointed at me as his mother said, “Shut up, Josh. You too, Jessica. Stop talking right now.”

  Jessica chose instead to scream at Josh. “Oh yeah, you doofus. It was your idea to kidnap the dog. You said that would really set her off.”

  Tyler barely managed to stop Zoya before she reached Josh with the cane. I stayed out of the way. Didn’t want to get in the middle.

  Clare said, “We will have the police investigate you people. We’ll tell them.”

  Uncle Kev chose that moment to pop his head in through the door. “That’s great because they’re on their way.”

  Janet forced her way past Gloria and Tyler and even the seething Zoya. “Come. We’re leaving.”

  I said, “They’ll be particularly interested in your using a false name at La Perla and I think they can probably tie you to the black Prius that tried to hit us on our way home from the restaurant on our second night.”