by Joanne Fluke
“All right. Just let me wet my whistle first. I’ve got some catching up to do.”
Lyle studied his former partner as he drank. At first glance, Marc looked the part of a builder, sporting jeans and a blue work shirt open at the collar. But Lyle knew that Marc ordered his jeans from a tailor in London, and that the shirt was actually cut from the finest silk with an elaborate blue-on-blue pocket monogram. Marc’s loafers were handmade in Italy and his watch was a diamond-studded Rolex worth thousands of dollars.
Marc drained his champagne glass and set it down. His face was slightly flushed and Lyle was sure that he’d had a couple of beers at the game. He’d always been very closemouthed about his aborted baseball career before.
“On the night before the last game of the playoffs, I got a call from some guy who wouldn’t identify himself. He said that if I came in to relieve, he’d give me a hundred big ones to throw the game.”
“Do you mean a hundred thousand dollars?” Charlotte looked shocked as Marc nodded. “Whatever did you say?”
“I told him I wasn’t interested, that there was no way I wanted to get involved in something like that.”
“Well, I should hope not!” Charlotte pursed her lips together. “Did you report it to the authorities?”
Marc shook his head. “I figured it was a joke. We had some real bozos on the team and that was right up their alley. At the game the next day, I got called up to relieve in the sixth when the score was tied four-four. I got two strikes on my first man and then he caught a piece of my curveball and lined one straight at me. I had to dive to make the catch and I racked up my elbow so bad they had to take me out of the game.”
Grace was sitting on the edge of her chair. “That’s exciting! I just love baseball except that I’m always working when the games are on television and every time I try to tape one to watch later, Moira ends up telling me how it came out before . . . Okay, Moira. I’ll be quiet. But did your team win, Marc?”
“Nope, we lost. And the next day I got an envelope in the mail with a hundred big ones inside.”
“Good heavens!” Charlotte gasped. “They thought you got injured on purpose?”
“I guess so. I thought about turning it in, but the kind of guys who pay to fix a game don’t like anyone to know about it, especially the police. And there was no way I could identify who’d sent it anyway. So I stuck it in a safe deposit box and went off to the hospital for elbow surgery.”
“But the surgery didn’t work,” Lyle prompted. He’d heard this part of the story before.
Marc nodded. “That’s right. After five different doctors had worked on me, they told me to forget about pitching again. And since my career in baseball was finished, I used the money to start my construction business.”
“No one ever asked you to return it?” Charlotte’s hands were trembling slightly as she refilled Marc’s champagne glass.
“Of course not.” Marc shrugged. “Everything turned out the way they wanted, even though my part in it was strictly unintentional. I’ve always regarded that cash as a kind of workman’s compensation. And I’ve never told anybody about it before.”
“Well, we certainly won’t repeat it!” Alan nodded emphatically. “I don’t blame you for keeping it, though. After all, how could you return it if you didn’t know who’d sent it in the first place?”
“That’s exactly the way I figured it. And that’s enough about me. We’ve got just enough time for a few words from the happy couple before I present my gift.” Marc drained his champagne glass again and motioned for the waiter to pour more. “You first, Lyle.”
Lyle was solemn as he got to his feet. “Since Charlotte and I got married twenty-five years ago, I haven’t regretted a single day.”
“Isn’t that sweet?” Grace started to applaud, but Charlotte reached out to grab her hands. She was well acquainted with her husband’s sense of humor.
“And that single day was June fourth, nineteen eighty-nine.”
“I knew it!” Charlotte was laughing as she got to her feet. “He doesn’t mean it. At least, I don’t think he does. And now, I have a surprise for all of you. My book is going to be published!”
“Your book?” Moira looked puzzled. “We didn’t know you were writing a book, Charlotte.”
Charlotte smiled modestly. “Well, some people might not call it a book, but I do. Remember the genealogy study I did last year?”
“Of course.” Paul rose to his feet to shake Charlotte’s hand. “I, for one, was very impressed. If I remember correctly, you traced your ancestors back to the fifteenth century.”
Charlotte looked proud. “That’s right, Paul. All the way back to Vicar William Henry Wingate’s birth in fourteen thirty-one. But that’s not the book they’re going to publish.”
“Tell us, Charlotte.” Grace clapped her hands together, as excited as a child. “Who’s your publisher? Is it a work of fiction, a murder mystery, or maybe a romance? You certainly could do one of those after being married for twenty-five years. No, I can’t see you writing a romance. It’s not cultivated enough. So I bet it’s a family saga. I just love family sagas, I read one last week about some very valuable family jewels that were . . .”
Moira reached out to put her hand over Grace’s mouth. “Never mind, Gracie. Be quiet and let Charlotte tell us.”
“Thank you, Moira. My book is going to be published by the Clark County Historical Society. And I’m not sure what category it is. Let’s just call it a genealogical study of our land on Deer Creek Road, since I’m tracing the lineage of ownership.”
“That sounds fascinating.” Moira tried to look interested even though the very idea bored her silly. “How long have you been working on it?”
“I just started the research a few months ago and I’ve already discovered some things that are really quite shocking.”
Laureen looked interested. “Like what? My mother traced the history of our family, but she quit when she came upon proof that my maternal great-uncle was a horse thief.”
“Oh, it’s much more shocking than that.” Charlotte began to smile. “For example, I discovered that there was once a bordello right where our building stands.”
Moira let out a whoop of laughter. “That’s wonderful! Our own little red-light district. What else did you find?”
“I’ve barely scratched the surface, but I’ve been studying old assay records and I found several references to a silver mine that’s reputed to be on our land. According to local legend, more than a dozen prospectors were murdered before they could stake a claim.”
Alan began to grin. “Maybe Laureen and I should do a little exploring this summer. We’d own that mine if we found it, wouldn’t we, Clayton?”
“Of course.” Clayton nodded. “Our title includes all mineral rights.”
Marc frowned. “Don’t waste your time, Alan. The odds of finding anything worth excavating are even longer than the odds at roulette. Right, Johnny?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Johnny flashed his famous grin, the one that made middle-aged ladies ask for his autograph after every show. “I think the odds at roulette are pretty good.”
Marc snorted. “Only if you own the house. Roulette’s a sucker’s game and you know it. How about the double zero?”
Jayne put her hand on Marc’s arm. “Hush up, you two. What else did you find, Charlotte?”
“Well, there is one other thing.” Charlotte lowered her voice. “Now, I’m not entirely sure about this, but one of my references alludes to some extremely unsavory individuals who may have held title previously.”
Clayton, who was about to take a sip of champagne, set his glass down with a thump. “What on earth are you talking about, Charlotte? We went through a title search as part of our escrow and the title is clear.”
“Oh, I’m sure it is, Clayton. What I’m interested in are the crimes that may have been committed while these individuals owned our land.”
“What kind of crimes?” Hal leaned forward. “Co
me on, Charlotte. You can’t leave us up in the air.”
“I guess not.” Charlotte’s lips turned up in a mischievous smile. “All right, Hal. One more tidbit of information and that’s it until I get the proper documentation. My reference alludes to several mysterious and unsolved murders.”
“Holy . . . uh . . . cripes!”
Grace laughed out loud as Moira switched words in midsentence. “Go ahead and swear, Moira. What we just heard deserves more than a ‘cripes.’”
“And I used to think genealogy was boring.” Lyle put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “How about a toast to Charlotte, the genealogical sleuth?”
As soon as the waiter had refilled their glasses, Marc stood up. “To Charlotte’s book. Come on, everyone. Drink up. And then it’s time for my present. I’m treating Lyle and Charlotte to the best dinner money can buy.”
“Thank you, Marc. We love to dine out.” Charlotte took a sip of her champagne. Then she noticed that everyone was leaning forward in anticipation. Marc must be taking them to a very exclusive restaurant. “Where are we going?”
“I made reservations at the fanciest restaurant I could find. And I arranged a special dinner, just for you two. How does langoustes à la parisienne sound? Followed by canard à l’orange and maybe a little strawberries Romanoff with crème Chantilly and candied violets?”
Charlotte sighed. “That sounds heavenly. But where are we going?”
“Well, that presented a little problem, but I found the perfect place. Come on. Let’s go.”
Lyle looked around at the half-empty bottles of champagne. He knew how much this had set Johnny back and it was too good to waste. “You mean we’re leaving right now?”
“Right now.” Marc drained his glass and stood up. “Come on, everybody. You all know the plans.”
Charlotte and Lyle exchanged puzzled glances as they got up and followed Marc out the door. Johnny whisked them into a private elevator and seconds later they stepped out on the sidewalk in front of the casino.
“This way.” Marc led them to a silver limousine idling at the curb. “Charlotte? Lyle? Climb in. I’m sending you to the Ritz for a romantic dinner.”
“The Ritz?” Lyle frowned as the chauffeur held the door open for him. “Where’s that, Marc?”
“In New Orleans.”
“New Orleans? But . . . Marc!” Charlotte was so flabbergasted, she couldn’t think of what to say.
Darby laughed. “Jayne and I packed your things, Charlotte. Your suitcases are in the trunk.”
“That’s right.” Marc nodded. “You said you always wanted to go to Mardi Gras and this year you’re going.”
Charlotte looked confused. “But where will we stay? Lyle tried to get hotel reservations over three months ago and everything was booked solid.”
“I’ve got a little more juice than Lyle.” Johnny grinned at her. “I called in a marker from a friend of mine and you’re all set up in the bridal suite at the Orleans Hotel. What’s the matter, Charlotte? Don’t you want to go?”
Charlotte began to laugh. “Of course I want to go! But . . .”
“No more buts.’” Marc reached out to give her a hug. Then he shook Lyle’s hand. “Now climb in. The chauffeur has your tickets and you’d better hurry. Your plane leaves in an hour.”
Lyle opened the French doors and stepped out onto the private balcony. There was another parade passing in the street below, headed by a group of jazz musicians in white suits, and Lyle groaned as he heard the familiar strains of “As The Saints Go Marching In.” He’d always liked that song, but he was sure he’d heard it a hundred times since arriving in New Orleans. Mardi Gras was a perpetual party and Lyle was growing tired of celebrating. He felt like stretching out on the bed and going to sleep, but Charlotte was so eager to take part in the festivities that it wouldn’t be fair to disappoint her on their last night.
He stepped back inside the suite, shutting the doors on the music, and glanced at his watch. Charlotte was still in the bathroom, putting the finishing touches on her makeup. If she didn’t hurry, they’d be late for the costume party in the hotel banquet room. Lyle felt a little silly in black leotards, a black-and-white checkered tunic, and a hat with tassels and bells. But when he’d tried the harlequin outfit on this morning, Charlotte had convinced him that it was perfect for the occasion.
“Almost ready, honey?” Lyle sat down in the wing chair facing the fireplace and yawned. One more party and then he could go home and recover from this vacation.
The bathroom door opened and Charlotte stepped out. She was dressed in a powder-blue velvet dress decorated with lace and pearls. Tonight she had long, plump curls piled up on the top of her head. Since Charlotte’s hair had been short when she’d gone in to put on her costume, she had to be wearing a wig. “Well? What do you think?” Charlotte raised a blue velvet mask to her eyes and twirled around. “Do I look the part?”
“You look gorgeous, honey.” Lyle evaded the question. He wasn’t sure who she was supposed to be, but guessed it was someone like Marie Antoinette.
“Let’s go then.” Charlotte headed for the door and Lyle stifled another yawn as he followed. Ten more hours until he could catch some sleep on the plane. He’d never guessed that a vacation could be so exhausting.
There were several people on the elevator, and Lyle nodded to another harlequin, two devils, and a woman in a dark red velvet dress that looked a lot like Charlotte’s.
Charlotte frowned as she checked the other woman in the mirrored walls of the elevator and when her lips finally turned up in a smile, Lyle breathed a sigh of relief. Charlotte had decided that she looked better than the other woman.
The elevator descended slowly, and at every floor more people in costume got on. Lyle found himself holding his breath. The scent of mingled perfumes and colognes made him feel slightly dizzy.
As the elevator started down again, Lyle felt a hand in his pocket. About to yell that someone was stealing his wallet, he felt a burning pain just below his shoulder blades. He tried to turn to see what was jabbing him, but the elevator was so crowded he couldn’t move. Then, as his vision began to cloud, he heard Charlotte gasp in pain, and then everything went pitch-black.
TWO
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Ellen Wingate sighed as her clamoring first graders went through the lunch line. Macaroni and cheese with chocolate pudding for dessert. Chocolate always made Billy Zabinski hyper, which was fine if he could run off some of that energy during noon recess. But today the wind was gusting and it was below zero.
“Miss Wingate? Billy’s playing around with my braids again!”
“Billy? I want you to sit here.” Ellen caught Billy just as he was about to dunk Tina Halversen’s long blond braids in his milk and moved him to another table.
“Are we gonna get out-thide today, Mith Wingate?” Tommy Barnes looked up from his plate and gave her a gap-toothed smile. Tommy was a dear child, freckle-faced with an unruly shock of bright red hair, and every time he lisped, he reminded Ellen of Ron Howard in The Music Man. Before she could answer, Billy Zabinski chimed in.
“Please, Miss Wingate? We’ve been real good all morning. Will you let us out?”
Ellen bit back her laughter. Billy made school sound like a prison and he did have a point. It was February in Minnesota, and for the second week running she’d had to amuse them after lunch. “I know you’ve been good, Billy, but it’s much too cold. We’ll have our recess in the classroom and I promise we’ll do something extra special.”
“We could play eraser tag,” Colleen Murphy suggested.
“Perhaps.” Ellen sighed. The last time they’d played eraser tag in the classroom, they’d tipped over a desk and Annie Benson had skinned her knee. It would be safer to read them a Dr. Seuss book, if Billy would shut up long enough to listen. “All right now, is everyone settled?”
Thirty-one heads nodded in unison and Ellen smiled. They were good kids, but a seven-hour school day was mu
ch too long without the regular breaks for recess. Actually, buttoning and snapping and zipping up thirty-one sets of winter clothes was a trial in itself. They waddled out onto the playground like little stuffed bundles for ten minutes, barely mobile until the bell rang and she had to go through the whole process again in reverse. The alternative was trying to have recess in the classroom without breaking either the furniture or their necks.
“Be good for Mrs. Heino now.” Ellen turned to the lunchroom monitor, an elderly woman with a hearing problem. When Ellen first started at Garfield Elementary, she’d asked the principal whether Mrs. Heino’s hearing loss had occurred before or after she’d taken the job as lunchroom monitor. But Mr. Eicht had no sense of humor, nor did the rest of his staff. Ellen wondered whether it had something to do with enduring the endless Minnesota winters year after year.
“Mrs. Heino?” Ellen raised her voice. “You can send Billy to get me in the lounge when everyone’s through eating.”
Mrs. Heino nodded and Ellen beat a hasty retreat. She had ten minutes, perhaps fifteen if Mary Christine Fanger dawdled over her food.
When the current year had opened, Ellen had been delighted to find that the first and the sixth grades had common lunch periods. That meant she’d see Rob Applegate in the teachers’ lounge every day. Since he was the only male teacher, and single, and she was the only female teacher under forty, it seemed natural that eventually they’d get together.
Twenty-eight years old, Ellen hadn’t been out on a date since her junior year in college, when her roommate’s fiancé had buttonholed one of his friends to take her to their engagement party. Ellen’s escort had danced with her dutifully, but the moment the party was over he’d dropped her off at her dorm and she’d never heard from him again. Men just didn’t seem to be interested in tall, lanky women with glasses. Of course, she had plenty of men friends. She helped them write their term papers and study for their exams, but they’d never shown any signs of wanting a closer relationship.
Rob Applegate was different. A thirty-six-year-old bachelor who lived in an apartment over his mother’s garage, he was as tall as she was, and almost as skinny. Alma Jacobson, who taught third grade and knew everything about everyone in Thief River Falls, said he didn’t have a girlfriend, but that his mother was hoping he’d get married before she was too old to enjoy her grandchildren. And he seemed to like Ellen, always stopping by her room to ask how someone’s younger brother or sister was doing.
