David stood there momentarily speechless. “…No!”
“What?” I asked. “Why are you so upset?”
“…They …weren’t…” he barely choked out, unable to finish.
“Weren’t what?” I asked, relishing his look of pure misery.
He could hardly speak. “…Repros!”
“You mean they were really Ming vases?”
He looked up, confused. “…Yes. How did you know?”
I smiled. “Hey, don’t sweat it. I swapped them for two reproductions. The Mings are in my garage under a tarp.”
David collapsed down to a step. “What tipped you off?”
“Uh-uh. I get to ask first.” I said, taking the lead.
He threw his arms up. “Go ahead. Ask away. What?”
“Why’d you move them, planting them as two of my reproductions?” I asked, but then realized my house was in chaos and always unlocked lately. It was a perfect set up.
“Because I had some stolen from me recently and yours was the first place I could think of to quickly stash the rest.”
“Who do you think could have stolen them?” I asked.
“Venturing a guess? I’d say this Joey, whoever he is, or taking a longer shot, maybe even Mona. Who knows? Too many people and deliveries are coming and going at my place to keep track. Everyone already knew yours were initially reproductions, so no one gave them another thought as they passed by them. I was protecting the vases by hiding them in plain sight.”
“Joey, I can understand, but why would Mona steal them? I’m not making a connection here.”
Was this just a distraction? If so, for what purpose?
“Because she’s in debt, running from this so called Joey.”
“I thought the FBI was shuffling her around the country.”
“That’s her story. Mona’s had the FBI, Joey, the Mafia and I don’t know who else, protecting her, chasing her and then making side deals with her because of that incriminating and valuable disc.”
“Well, I guess that means the two of us better get going and find that thing. Only, I have to tell you, you’re on your own on this. I don’t do the partner thing. I work by myself.”
“Yeah, but two minds are so much better than one,” he reasoned, smiling.
“No thanks. If I need a consult, I’ll give you a holler.”
“You are acting so cold and calculating on this, Sam.”
I smiled again. “Like someone recently observed, this gives new meaning to getting burned at the beach. Once more, thanks for the coffee. But from now on, I’m trading information on my own terms.”
Chapter 79
Something’s Got To Give Here
I suppose most people would have given up at this point, but not me. I wasn’t taking a back seat anymore. According to what I had pieced together so far, I was close, but not as close as I had hoped to be. I didn’t find that to my liking and apparently neither did Mona when I confronted her. I paced back and forth in front of her. The others were out doing their thing. I was doing mine; letting things play out.
Something had to give.
I stopped in place after hearing her side.
“…Okay,” I finally pointed out. “As far as you’re concerned, this whole thing has changed direction. Have I at least got that right?”
“…Correct,” replied Mona cautiously.
I smiled. “That’s a start. By the way, is there something else you want to explain to me? Something you might want to own up to?”
Mona quickly shot me a look. “…Like what?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe, an explanation as to why you’ve been double-talking everyone, including me.”
“I’d say that’s a little harsh. Wouldn’t you?” she countered.
I sat down thinking about it. “No! Not really. Not when you consider the chaos you’ve caused since you first arrived here.”
She blinked twice. That was all I got. She was one cool individual. How was I going to get anywhere if she didn’t at least flinch at any of these verbal jabs?
She laughed, nervously. “I never would have thought I would have witnessed the day when the infamous Samantha Jamison was capable of instigating a verbal sparring match.”
“Hey, not all of us thrive on stagnation. I certainly didn’t in the last year. Now, about that little problem we seem to have here…”
“What problem? You mean the one with Joey?” she asked, and then shrugged it off. “I’ve got that all covered.”
I was tired of her elusiveness. Maybe she thought I would have put up with it in the past, but I certainly wasn’t buying it any more. Was she stringing me on to see how much I actually knew? I decided to throw her off.
“No, David.”
That tugged at her interest. “…What about David?”
“Why the sudden fascination with his vases?” I probed.
Mona closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. “…How did you know?” she asked, calmly. “No, forget it. You probably already know most of the truth about Joey too. Right?”
“I’d have to say that’s correct. What bothers me is why put me at risk? Couldn’t you have thought of someone else other than Stephen to hide the disc for you?”
“No, not really. I didn’t and couldn’t trust anyone else.”
I was curious as to why Stephen agreed to do it in the first place. “This is bugging me, Mona. You’ve got to give me something here. I need to know the ‘why’ of it. Why would Stephen actually do it? I just don’t get it.”
What could possibly top anything else she’s told me so far?
She turned to me and let out a long sigh. “…Stephen agreed to do it, only if I split the take with him.”
I stared at her, stunned. Touché!
Chapter 80
How Did I Top That?
How did I top that? I still couldn’t get over the fact that Stephen was still haunting me to this day. I thought it was all behind me. It was obvious I wasn’t prepared for Mona’s comeback because I was still sitting in the same chair that she had left me in, well after she had gone.
But was it true, what she said?
Restless and uncomfortable, Mona eventually said she would catch me later. Here I was, wanting to move ahead with my life and was being dragged backward instead.
Another revelation like that one and I’d find myself writing a sequel instead.
This digging for facts and unearthing the truth was wearing on me. I sat mulling over everything that had happened to me lately and knew something more was out there, just waiting to catch me off guard. What?
I was asking, but wasn’t getting. What did I fail to notice? Who had the most to lose? On the other hand, who had the most to gain? Most importantly, who was always caught in the middle? Who else? Me!
Should I rethink this whole thing from the beginning?
I’ve done that in the past and it always seemed to help. Now I wasn’t so sure. There were so many loose ends I didn’t know which one to pick up and run with. I finally decided to try the loosest one. And I mean the loosest.
I grabbed the phone and dialed Harley girl. She picked up on the second ring.
“This better be good, because the minutes are ticking away as we speak,” she greeted me matter-of-factly.
“…Crystal?”
“You got her. Now, tell me. What’s up? I’m pressed for time. If you’ve got this crazy urge to clean other people’s houses, I’ve got all the time in the world to hear what you’ve got to say, otherwise, forget it.” She was laughing.
The pressure was always on when dealing with her, so I got right to it. “Crystal, can I ask you something?”
“Make it quick, girl, I don’t have all day.”
“I need to ask you a favor.”
“And the favor is?”
“A minute of your time.”
“Sure shoot.”
“What are your thoughts on this David guy?”
“Too rich for my tastes!” she offered.
“Still, I think he is sort of interesting.”
“In what way?” I asked.
“He’s got a lot going on over there at his house.”
“Like what?”
“Well, if you ask me, he’s dealing in more than art. I just can’t put my finger on what it is with all those people wearing a path through his door. Some days, it’s heavy.”
“See anyone in particular that was interesting?”
“Nothing more than an odd assortment of individuals.”
“Did any names enter the picture?”
“Yeah, I think I heard the name Joey tossed around.”
I sank into my chair, frustrated.
I felt certain someone was lying to me. Who? Why?
Chapter 81
My Pal Joey
Who was Joey? That was the snag that always kept catching. On the one hand, I felt I had to discover his identity. On the other, I didn’t want to. He was no pal of mine and certainly didn’t seem like the kind of guy you wanted to bring home to meet the family.
I was walking through my thoughts, wondering why so much trouble seemed to be constantly dialing my number. Why was I always sifting minutiae, trying to put a logical spin on it? Curiosity? It certainly was a powerful aphrodisiac. Was it also a killer? Did that old cliché apply to writers too? I felt that solving the finer points on this, and the worry about my safety just might.
I picked up the phone, which was ringing. “Hello.”
“Sam, don’t say a thing, just hear me out.”
It was Clay. What was I just saying about minutiae?
“Look, I’m busy with my own problems here. I don’t need to add to them. Can’t this wait?” I asked.
“Hold on, Sam. Just listen. Then you can hang up.”
“I’m here and I’m listening, but it’ll cost you in the future, you know,” I threatened.
“This is serious. You need to be careful about Joey.”
“How did you know about this Joey business?” I asked, suddenly attentive. But after I asked that, I realized this was the same guy who knew what I was doing even before I knew what I was doing; another story, another book. But now, without any warning, he apparently was inexplicably connected to what was currently going on.
Why?
“All I’m saying is Joey is not the kind of person you want to tangle with. Just let David handle this on his own.”
“…What does David have to do with this conversation?”
“I knew you wouldn’t let me help, so I asked him to.”
My head was spinning. “Well, he’s not. He’s trouble too. And as usual, my patience is wearing thin.”
“Let’s just say for now, Sam, he’s your guardian angel.”
“Were you two related in another life? Like you, he reads like the devil incognito, who happens to be driving me crazy with his evasions and deception. Does any of this sound familiar? More to the point, I definitely don’t need a guardian. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you, very much!”
“Oh, please don’t thank me,” explained Clay. “David was compliments of my favorite dreaded twosome, Betty and Hazel. They were worried and asked me for help. That’s why they’re in Ocean City. They overheard me on the phone with Martha and put two and two together.”
Not wanting to become more confused, I cut him off. “Yeah, I know, and got four.”
What did Martha say to him?
Suddenly, he threw me. “You have work to do Sam.”
“Like what?” I asked, not getting his line of thought.
“Obviously, you haven’t unraveled the gift I sent you.”
“What do you mean unravel?” I asked, still mentally playing catch-up from his previous unexpected comment. But suddenly another thought latched onto it. Was this connected to him leaving town? “Hey! Hold on! Where’d you take off to? What exactly were you and Martha talking about…?” And then, just like that, I was talking to a dead line...
What did my pal Joey have to do with Clay’s gift? How was I supposed to unravel it? What words were exchanged between Martha and Clay? Were they all somehow related? All things being equal, I was steaming hot!
Why was I always left hanging like one of my dangling participles?
Chapter 82
Get The Picture
Instinct was something I was still learning to run with instead of second-guessing myself so much. I was trying not to jump to conclusions and letting all the information I had collected so far coalesce. The difficulty was that none of it made sense because I wasn’t getting the whole picture.
How did it all fit? Could I get to the bottom of it?
I was currently waiting for my two personal bookends to arrive. Their suggested get together was reminiscent of times past. I looked around. It definitely wasn’t the local tea room, but was chosen by them and was a place they insisted upon at the last minute.
I was somewhat concerned as I looked around, and a little uneasy. This was the same place I took that nasty tumble, the Cape May Zoo, where I had developed an aversion to cages.
“Well, we’re glad you could make it,” said Betty in my ear.
I jumped, not expecting someone to sneak up on me, and felt unnerved and annoyed with myself for not being more observant. I turned to face them.
“What’s up?”
Hazel stepped closer. “We found out something real interesting that might surprise you,” she announced proudly.
“Oh, yeah?” No matter what I did, I was never quite prepared for these two and what they always seemed to accidentally uncover.
What was it now?
I looked down anxiously at the tigers pacing back and forth, while standing firmly rooted to the middle of the elevated walkway. “By the way, couldn’t we have met in front of the giraffe exhibit instead?”
Betty looked around. “We wanted crowds so no one would hear what we were saying. Noise tends to obscure conversations. It’s the perfect place to talk. Trust us, Sam. Lightning will not strike twice. What are the chances of you accidentally falling down there a second time?”
I bit back my fear of falling and looked at them, focusing on the subject at hand. “If I wasn’t so anxious to solve this thing, I would have reneged on the invite, coming to conclusions on my own without your help. The only problem with that idea was that you two always end up throwing me angles I never would have figured out by myself. So, I’m here and I’m listening. Go ahead. Talk.”
“We found some interesting facts about that real estate agent, Pat Harris,” said Hazel, smugly. “I can tell you, this is one for the books!”
I looked first at Betty and then at Hazel. “…Well, what?”
They both looked around and then Betty said in a lowered voice, “Does the name Josephine Baker ring a bell?”
I was taken back for a second by her crazy question. “…What does a dead jazz singer have to do with this?” I asked, glancing down below. Those tigers looked hungry. I swung my gaze back to them. “And your point is?”
“Don’t be dense,” said Betty. “We pushed the legal limits on our research, but sure enough, Pat’s not her real name.”
I risked life and limb standing there for a riddle?
“You’re joking. Right?” I asked, still totally confused. “Does Pat sing, too?”
Hazel stared at me. “That’s her real name! Don’t you get it, Sam?”
I stared back. “I guess not. What am I missing here?”
“Josephine? Joey? Pat could be the infamous Joey!”
Chapter 83
Oh My! Another One?
Internally, my levels of cortisol were still escalating, obviously from those bookworms, but I still had to grill, you know who, Martha. She sat uneasily across from me, carefully folding and refolding her handkerchief. Distracted, I just stared at it. I didn’t realize people still used them. It was feminine and lacy… I stopped mid-thought. …I was getting mentally sidetracked.
I sat up straighter, determined to get this right. “
How about some straight talk about you calling Clay.”
“Exactly what conversation are you talking about?” asked Martha carefully. “You’re covering a lot of territory with that question. Remember, I’ve known him a long time.”
Well, shoot! How was I to answer that?
I hated faking my way through these conversations! My brain was getting tired working overtime. I wasn’t getting enough sleep, overly concerned about my safety and who might be, or might not be Joey, who apparently was still searching for me and what I possessed, which was zip! I had gone through everything again. I’m sure I now qualified as an organizational expert, knowing precisely where every damn thing in my house was located.
I zeroed in once more. “Recently is what I’m interested in,” I finally responded.
“How recently?” she shot back, smiling innocently.
She wasn’t doing me any favors, probably trying to figure out where I was going with this. It was always a mind game with her. Martha wasn’t one to give up any information easily. I learned that in the past. She made you work for it. I was convinced she was regularly exchanging words with Clay. I finally decided on a general, all-encompassing approach.
“How about we narrow it down to your current location.”
“Sam, see it from my side. You picked up and walked away, expecting all of us to automatically understand your motives. It caught everyone by surprise, even me.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry, but I needed time for me.”
She eyed me carefully and then spoke softly. “Listen, Sam. Life’s not a bed of roses. Trust me. I know from experience. We all have to make allowances for how people react to certain situations, even you.
“We’ve all gone through a lot in the last year, you losing a husband and all, while making adjustments to your life with all the baggage that came with it. We all have. It can get overwhelming. I understand that. But at some point, you have to stop running and look around at what you really want from life.”
Without Any Warning (A Samantha Jamison Mystery Volume 2) Page 18
