Gwen looked past Albert. “You didn’t bring her with you, did you?”
“No.”
“You need to bring her out into public,” Gwen said. “It’s not fair to hide her away.”
“I know, but this is the wrong event to start with.” Rachel loved the idea of going to a ball but the reality would be so much more difficult to deal with. “There are too many people, too many new things all at once. We need to start smaller.”
“As long as you start.” Her voice was so soft, it was nearly a whisper.
He didn’t want to spend the evening talking about Charles and Rachel. He wanted to talk about Gwen. “What were you looking at when I came out?”
A smile grew on her lips. “There just so happens to be one of nature’s masterpieces right there in that tree. Take a look.”
Albert stepped closer and looked up at where she was pointing. There, in the V between the tree trunk and a branch, a spider had spun its web. The delicate fibers glowed in the moonlight, twinkling as they swayed in the gentle breeze.
“You were right,” he said. “It’s a beautiful sight.”
She was a beautiful sight. There she was in the most simple ball gown he’d seen her wear, yet she outshone every other woman in the place. He expected she’d made her choice because she knew he’d arrive in more common attire, and she meant for him to be comfortable. Her kindness only made him love her more.
“Gwen, I’m so sorry I hurt you.”
She looked up at him, and for a moment, the betrayal in her eyes was palpable. “Yes, I was hurt. But I understand why you chose not to tell me about your sister. I accept your apology, but only if you accept mine.”
“Yours?” Albert tilted his head slightly. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
“Oh yes, I do. I refused to see you, even after I knew the truth about Rachel.” She sighed and shook her head. “It was wrong of me to turn away from you when you needed me most. I—”
Albert put a finger to her lips, cutting her sentence short. “That’s quite enough. You’re forgiven. Now, I think we have more important, and more positive, things to talk about.”
Gwen looked at him with wide eyes and lifted her chin. They were so close, just a few more inches and their lips would meet. But the door behind them opened and Matilda breezed outside. Gwen jumped backward and Albert’s hand fell back to his side.
“There you are.” Matilda sounded exasperated as she hurried up to them. “If this plan is going to work, you two need to be seen inside together.”
Oh yes, the plan. They’d veered pretty far off the original target. “Perhaps you should take a moment to fill me in on this plan of yours.”
Gwen shook her head. “Really, I think it’s better if you don’t know the details. That way, if things go wrong, you can honestly say you had no idea what was going on.”
“Then how will I know what to do?”
“All you have to do is stay with me, enjoy the party and dance.” She held out her hand. “Can you do that?”
He reached out and took her hand. Oh, yes, he could do that all night long.
* * *
More than once that night, Gwen wished there was no plan. She wished that all she had to focus on was Albert and waltzing with him. But she had to remain alert for when Charles took the bait. Unfortunately, he was being agonizingly slow about the whole thing. He danced with Odette, he mingled and spoke with the other guests, but he stayed in the ballroom. If he was planning to make a grab for the necklace, he showed no sign of it.
It was when Matilda and Jason were dancing, and Gwen and Albert were wandering amongst the crowd, that a huge crash sounded at the refreshment table. Moving as quickly as she could, Gwen hurried over with Albert right behind.
Odette stood by the table, the floor around her littered with broken glass and running red with punch. Some of it had splattered on her yellow gown. A waiter stood close by, his face ashen. Odette looked horrified, but also something else that Gwen couldn’t quite place.
“Odette, what happened?” Gwen asked.
“I’m not sure. I came over for a glass of punch, and the waiter turned, and we collided.”
“I’m so sorry, miss.” He held a towel in his hand but obviously had no idea what to do with it.
“It wasn’t the waiter’s fault,” Odette said.
Matilda and Jason hurried up to join them. “What happened?”
Odette kept talking to no one in particular. “I just didn’t notice, and I ran into him. I had no idea.”
Gwen had experienced more than her share of clumsy moments. She was familiar with the embarrassment, the desire to disappear, but Odette was acting strangely. The way she wrung her hands, her eyes darting from side to side, she looked almost guilty.
“And then all the cups fell,” Odette continued. “Oh, dear, I had no idea they’d be so loud.”
She had no idea? As if she’d done it on purpose and was surprised by the results. But why…
Albert and Gwen looked at each other at the same time. “The office,” Gwen said.
“What?” Odette’s voice filled with panic. “No, please don’t leave me. I need to apologize. I…I need you to stay.”
Somehow, Charles had convinced Odette to create a diversion so he could get into the office. Gwen didn’t know whether to be angry with her or feel sorry for her. But that decision could wait until later. She turned to Jason. “Please stay with Odette and make sure she doesn’t leave.” Then she, Albert and Matilda took off for the office.
What they found when they got there was a shock. The sapphire-and-diamond necklace sat on Father’s desk, just where they’d left it. But the drawers of the desk were open and had clearly been rifled through.
Albert pointed at the necklace. “I take it that was the bait you spoke of.”
“Yes,” Gwen said. “But he never had any intention of stealing it. He came here knowing exactly what he wanted.”
Matilda looked around the room in disbelief. “What could Father have had in his desk that was so important to Charles?”
Gwen shook her head. “I have no idea.”
“There’s probably one person here who does,” Albert said. “I believe it’s time to speak to Odette.”
* * *
From the look on the police chief’s face, Albert didn’t think he was used to having so many Parkies in his station at the same time. The entire Banks family was there, along with all the Pettibones, as well as Albert and Jason. Odette hadn’t stopped crying since they walked in the door, and Mr. Pettibone kept roaring about what an outrage it was. Two officers attempted to divide and conquer, moving Odette in one direction and her family in the other, but her three teenage brothers were making it a difficult task.
Finally, Detective Sutter walked in. He looked around the room, shook his head and approached Albert. “This is quite a circus you brought in with you tonight. Would you care to tell me why I was fetched from my bed at this hour?”
Albert motioned for Gwen to come closer. “I only know part of it. Gwen knows the rest.”
The two did their best to keep the story short. When Gwen got to the part about baiting Charles with the necklace, Detective Sutter groaned and rubbed his forehead. Then, when he found out about Odette, he looked over his shoulder at the still-hysterical young woman.
“The more I hear, the less I like this Drexler fellow.” He motioned for one of the police officers to come over. “Franklin, I need you to take that crying woman to the interrogation room. And if her father gives you any trouble, you have my permission to let him cool down in the holding cell.”
Albert hoped the Butcher wasn’t still there.
Detective Sutter turned back to Albert. “I want you and Miss Banks to accompany me. That isn’t the way we usually do things, you understand. But that woman is so overwrought, she may need to see a familiar face before she can say anything intelligible.”
They followed him down the hall to the room. A moment later, Officer Frankli
n escorted Odette into the room, quickly closing the door behind him as if she might slip out before he could secure her.
Detective Sutter motioned to one of the chairs. “Miss Pettibone, why don’t you sit down and relax?”
She looked at the chair as if it might sprout teeth at any moment and attack her. “No, I can’t. I shouldn’t be here.”
The detective sighed. “Do you understand why you’re here?”
“I was clumsy. I ran into a waiter.”
“Yes,” Sutter said. “You caused quite a commotion. And during that time, someone broke into Mr. Banks’s office and stole something from his desk. What do you know about that?”
Odette shook her head wildly. “Please, I just want to go home.”
“You’re not leaving me any choice, Miss Pettibone.” The detective turned away from Odette and spoke to Gwen and Albert. “If either of you have anything to say before we lock her up, go ahead.”
Gwen stepped forward as Odette dissolved in a fresh torrent of tears. She put her hands on Odette’s shoulders. “Listen to me. I know you didn’t want to do anything wrong. Somehow, Charles convinced you to help him. But he stole something from my father, so you need to tell us everything you know.”
“I can’t go to jail. I can’t.”
“Then talk to us now.” Gwen looked over at the detective. “If she tells us what she knows, will she go to jail?”
Sutter shook his head. “Not unless she had an actual hand in the robbery itself, which I don’t believe she did.”
Gwen squeezed Odette’s shoulder. “See? You have nothing to worry about. Just tell us the truth.”
For a second, Albert thought Odette was going to break into a new round of wailing sobs. Instead, she sucked in a few gasping breaths of air and wiped away her tears.
“Charles promised me that we weren’t doing anything wrong. He said that Mr. Banks had something of his and refused to give it back. Charles swore to me that he was only retrieving what already belonged to him.”
“Where is Charles now?” Albert asked.
“I don’t know.” Odette hung her head. “He said he’d come back for me after he found his property and we’d go home. But I don’t know where he is.”
Gwen handed her a handkerchief. “Why did you go along with his plan?”
Odette dabbed at her eyes and looked at Gwen as if she should already know the answer. “He told me he loved me.”
Albert sighed. Not only was Charles a thief, but he didn’t care who he hurt to get what he wanted. “You don’t know what he stole from Mr. Banks, do you?”
“No.” Odette looked miserable. “He never told me what it was. Just that it was important to him.”
A knock sounded on the door, then it opened just a crack, just enough to slip a piece of paper through. Detective Sutter took it and quickly read it over.
“Lucky for you, Miss Pettibone, it doesn’t matter whether or not you know what he took. Mr. Banks was able to determine what has been stolen. Also, he has no desire to press charges against you. You’re free to go.”
With a gasp, Odette ran the few steps to the partially open door and pushed through it, almost knocking the officer in the hall off his feet. With a few more declarations of “Sorry, I’m so sorry,” she ran back to her family.
Albert turned to the detective. “What was stolen?”
“That’s a bit of an odd thing,” Sutter said. “It was a business ledger.”
“A ledger?” Gwen repeated. “With a diamond necklace sitting right on the desk, he spent all his time stealing a ledger?”
“It must be very important to him,” Albert said.
“Indeed it must. Also, I suspect he was on to you and your sister, Miss Banks.” The detective shook his finger at her. “I should arrest both of you for trying a stunt like that on your own.”
Gwen was smart enough to offer nothing in response except a contrite look.
“What happens next?” Albert asked.
“The hunt for Drexler continues. I’ve posted officers at the entryways of the park. He was seen by several people leaving your home on foot, so unless he steals a horse or an automobile, it’s likely that we have him bottled up.”
Gwen chewed on her lip, and Albert could tell the wheels of her mind were already whirring, thinking of where Charles might be and how to apprehend him.
Apparently, Detective Sutter deduced the same thing. “I have a word of admonition for both of you, but especially you, miss.” He leveled his finger straight at Gwen. “Drexler is more dangerous than I originally believed. He decided to stay in Tuxedo Park after your father kicked him out, which tells me there’s something here he needs. It may be the ledger he stole this evening, or it may be something else. My personal belief is that we haven’t seen the last of him. Tomorrow is the Fourth of July Picnic. There will be lots of people milling about in the open, which is a perfect cover for any nefarious plans he might have. But I want you both to keep your noses out of this. No more amateur detective work.”
Albert nodded.
“Yes, sir,” Gwen agreed.
The detective sighed. “At the same time, keep your guard up. In my opinion, Drexler isn’t above revenge.”
Albert felt Gwen stiffen beside him. Ignoring convention, he slipped his arm around her shoulder. No one was going to hurt her. She’d arrive at the picnic with her family, and then he’d make sure she was never alone.
If Drexler wanted Gwen, he would have to fight his way through Albert.
Chapter 13
If Charles Drexler hoped to find a place he could skulk around without being noticed, the Fourth of July Picnic wasn’t it. From the moment her family arrived, all Gwen had heard was people buzzing about what a cad Drexler was, and about the manhunt to find him.
As they strolled through the park to find a spot closer to the lake, Father observed the crowd. “Is it my imagination or has the presence of law enforcement increased since last year?”
“You’re not imagining it,” Mother said. “There’s twice as many, at least.”
Matilda huffed out a sigh. “I’m so tired of police investigations and bad people. All I want to do today is have fun.”
Gwen hadn’t told any of her family the detective’s concern that Charles might seek revenge. If she had, they probably wouldn’t have let her out of the house. Now, she wondered if she should tell Matilda. Might Charles be a threat to her? But then Jason Adler bounded up, dressed for motoring and grinning like a boy who just found a bullfrog.
They made their greetings all around, and then Jason turned to Matilda. “My automobile is back in tip-top shape. Would you like to go for a drive?”
Matilda looked past Jason. “Father?”
“Of course. Mr. Adler has proven himself more than trustworthy as of late.”
Mother looked at him askance, still unaware that the young man intentionally plowed into her beloved statue. No doubt she wondered just how safe Matilda would be in Jason’s motorcar, but she said nothing.
“I’d love to,” Matilda said to Jason. Then she hesitated. “But there’s someone I want to say hello to first.”
Gwen turned in the direction Matilda was looking, and for a split second, she thought her heart stopped.
Albert walked toward them carrying a picnic basket in one hand. And on his other arm was Rachel. Her eyes were wide and her cheeks a pretty pink as she took everything in. Gwen thought that the sight of the two of them together just might be the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
As soon as Rachel caught a glimpse of Gwen, she gave a little shriek of excitement and began waving.
Gwen walked to meet them and went straight to Rachel, enveloping her in a hug. “I’m so happy to see you. You look wonderful.” She stepped back, holding Rachel at arm’s length to look at her. “Your hair is so pretty. Did Albert help you with it?”
Rachel beamed. “Yes, he did. But you should show him how you do it. You’re much better.”
Gwen laughed. “Well, I
’ve had much more practice than your brother.” She looked at Albert, and her heart felt like it might burst. She was so overwhelmed with emotion, she could hardly speak—all she could do was smile.
Albert smiled back. “It’s good to see you, too.”
Father cleared his throat. “If you young people will excuse us, Mrs. Banks and I will put down our blanket and enjoy the view.”
As her parents moved away, Matilda said, “Rachel, Jason just offered to take me for a drive in his motorcar. Would you like to join us?”
Rachel looked expectantly at Albert, while Gwen waited to see if he would trust his sister in someone else’s care.
Finally, Albert nodded. “Yes, you may. But you have to stay with Matilda and Jason and follow their rules. Do you understand?”
“Oh, yes. Stay with Matilda and Jason. Follow their rules.” She clapped her hands, then kissed Albert on the cheek. “Thank you!”
As the three walked away, Albert shook his head. “I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing or not. But this is the happiest she’s been in years.”
“You’re being very brave,” Gwen said. “I’m proud of you.”
Embarrassment crept across Albert’s features, and he deftly changed the subject. “It looks like Detective Sutter was serious about his concerns over Drexler.”
Gwen nodded. “Yes. There are so many police officers.”
“Not only that, but the detective’s here.”
“He is? Where?”
“Over there. By the big tree.”
A man stood under the shade of a huge oak, dressed appropriately for a day in the park. Having never seen Detective Sutter in anything but a suit, it took a moment for her to recognize him.
“I don’t know if that should make me feel safer or worry me a bit,” Gwen said.
“Oh, you should feel safe. No matter how many police officers and detectives are here, Drexler would have to get through me to get to you. Which will never happen.”
Gwen grinned up at him. “In that case, I suggest we enjoy our day.”
“A capital idea. What would you like to do?”
“Do you even need to ask? To the archery range.”
A Worthy Suitor Page 13
