Mr. Howard patted his pockets. “I seem to have left my cards back at the motel. He wrote a number down on the napkin. “Here’s my cell phone number, Ms. Kingsley. I want you to let me know if Deke contacts you again. In the meantime, have you gone through any part of the house yet?”
“Well, I took care of Aunt Estelle’s clothes. Ginny Morgan helped me with that. We went through the bedroom drawers and closet. Beth helped me inventory the house, just things in plain sight. If I find something I’ll let you know.” She paused, puzzled. “Just what am I looking for anyway?”
Gloria smiled knowingly. “Any place one could hide a million dollars, darling.’
Laura’s eyes widened. “That is a large sum of money.” She considered the fact a moment and frowned, “But Mother, surely Aunt Estelle would have found something during all these years she lived in the house. She knew every nook and cranny.”
Beth’s brow furrowed as she spoke, “Yes, but if she didn’t know there was anything hidden in the house she wouldn’t have any reason to look for it. Some people go years without going up in their attics or checking under the house.”
Mr. Howard nodded. “That’s true, and with Miss Kingsley’s permission, we’ll have a man check those places.”
Laura nodded. “I think that would be all right, but I don’t want a police car in front of the house calling attention to it again.”
“John, why don’t you just let Laura and I look around? We can take our time and let you know if we find anything.”
“Mother’s right, Mr. Howard, we have the best opportunity and we wouldn’t arouse suspicion.”
He considered it. “What about under the house?”
Laura wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think I’d like to look there.”
Mr. Howard smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “We’ll send someone. We’ll make sure he’s dressed like a workman of some kind.”
Gloria waved a hand and purred, “Of course, John, we could be barking up the wrong tree, couldn’t we?”
He gave her a brief glance but didn’t comment.
Listening the their exchange carefully, Beth spoke up again, “You feel that now that you’ve learned Laura’s uncle came to the house before being picked up by the police that the money is there?”
“All our other leads have petered out. When Mrs. Morgan mentioned that fact today it certainly opened up the possibility.”
Beth turned to Laura and put a hand on her arm. “Laura, I’m really sorry I have to go back to work tomorrow. You know I’d help if I could.”
“I’m sure you’ve already been a great help to Laura, Beth,” Gloria murmured.
“I know.” Beth and Gloria exchanged a look of mutual dislike.
“It’s okay, Beth, at least with mother there I won’t be alone.”
Laura turned to the detective. “And where are you staying, Mr. Howard? Will you be in the area?”
“For a few days, at least until we know what Deke is going to do and we’re sure the money isn’t up here. I have a motel room not far away, on the boulevard. And Ms. Kingsley, if your cousin should come by again, I’d appreciate it if you would act normally. We don’t want to spook him. I’ll be watching the house and won’t be far away. You don’t know whether the money is there, and he knows that. We just want to see what he’ll do.”
Laura massaged her temples. “All right, I’ll do my best.” Lord, help me get through all this. It’s too much for one day.
Gloria beamed at John Howard. “John, if you’ll just drive me back to the inn, I’ll get my things and you can take me to the house.”
His face bland, he murmured, “Yes, ma’am,” but the eyes he pierced Gloria with were as cold as stone.
Observing, Laura gave an involuntary shudder. Something emanated from John Howard and she didn’t like the feeling. She hadn’t been around a detective before. Maybe they got calloused with all the violence they saw. Yet she sensed John Howard was a man she didn’t want to be around any more than necessary.
Laura got up abruptly and Beth stood also. “We’re going back to the house, Mother, we’ll see you there in a little while.” She nodded at the detective.
As Beth drove, Laura leaned her head back against the head rest. “Beth, what do you think of John Howard?”
“I’m not sure. He reminds me of a creep I dated once, handsome, but nothing inside.” Beth sighed and stared at the road ahead. “Maybe we’re just getting spooky after the break in. I suppose he’s just doing his job.”
“I suppose. What a day this has been. I think I’ll be glad to get back to work.”
“And Alan?”
Laura glanced at her friend. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“All I said was, and Alan. Why does that provoke you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just tired. It’s been a long day and now with you leaving and Mother moving in, I’m not sure how I feel. I wish you could stay longer.”
“I do too, girlfriend. Anyway, it looks like you and your Mother will be busy tearing the house apart.”
Laura sighed.
“Do you really think the money’s there?”
“I don’t know, Beth, there aren’t many places to hide something in a small house. I think Aunt Estelle would have found it long ago.”
“How do you feel about your mother moving in?”
“Just pray, Beth. Mother and I never have seen eye to eye and she doesn’t think much of religion. She thinks I’m some sort of fanatic because I go to church every Sunday. I actually was looking forward to a peaceful week, just sorting through things in the house and getting myself together before I have to face Alan again.”
“And she won’t let you rest until you’ve turned the house upside down.”
“Probably.”
Beth heaved a sigh that spoke volumes. “At least look on the bright side, Laura. She’s concerned about you and knowing how much she likes luxurious quarters, the fact that she’s willing to move in with you to protect you, says something.”
Laura grinned. “Yeah, there’s always a bright side, isn’t there?”
“If you call having your mother for a week a bright side, I guess so.”
“We’ll be all right. Changing the subject, when do you have to leave?”
“Oh, probably after church tomorrow, it’s only about a three hours’ drive but I want to get back before dark.”
They rode in silence the rest of the way to the house. The sun had gone down and the sky turned to a soft dusky blue. A star twinkled just above the mountains. Laura took a deep breath.
“The air is so clear up here.”
Laura punched in the code. All seemed secure. She took some clean sheets from the linen cupboard and the women readied the guest room for Gloria.
After they’d transferred Laura’s things to the larger bedroom, Beth stopped and gave Laura a searching look. “Are you okay with sleeping in your aunt’s bed?”
“I’ll be fine, Beth. I don’t have any hang-ups with that. I understand Mother.”
“Okay, just checking.”
As they returned to the living room from the bedroom Beth peered up at the ceiling over the couch in the alcove.
“What’s that?”
“What’s what?”
“Looks Like a trapdoor of some kind. Is it the access to your attic?”
“I have no idea.” They looked at each other and Beth started moving the loveseat while Laura went to the utility room for a ladder.
Beth held the ladder while Laura climbed up and moved the wooden latches. Pushing open the trapdoor, she pointed her flashlight in the small crawl space. She ran the flashlight around several times.
“See anything?”
“No, nothing but pipe and wiring. I can see every corner too.”
“Doggone, thought we had something. Well, you can scratch that area off your list.”
Laura put the ladder back and Beth pushed the loveseat back into position.
“At least we know
your housebreaker didn’t see the attic space.”
Laura gave her friend a puzzled look. “How do you know that?”
Beth pointed to the marks in the carpet made by the feet of the couch as she moved it. “He wouldn’t have had time to get rid of those.”
“Ah.”
Beth held her elbow with one hand and tapped her cheek with a well-manicured finger. “Where’s the crawl space under the house?”
“Beth, you’re not thinking of crawling under the house, are you?”
“No, but it would be good to know where it is when the police send a man to look under there.”
“Girlfriend, you’d make a good detective.”
They changed into jeans and warm sweaters, put on their jackets, and went outside. They’d almost made a circuit of the house when finally, peering through the slats of a built in bench by the spa, they found the opening under the kitchen.
Laura looked the bench over. “How do you get to it?”
“You have to take these three top slats off with a screwdriver.”
Laura made a face. “I’m not crawling in there. I think I’ll let the search guy do it.”
The sun went down along with the air temperature. They hurried back inside the house where Laura promptly added some wood to the fire.
“How about some hot chocolate?”
Beth thought a moment. “Sounds good, I’m still not hungry but I never turn down hot chocolate. Got any more marshmallows?”
“As a matter of fact I do.”
Just then they heard a car rolling into the gravel driveway. Laura hurried to turn off the alarm system and opened the front door just as her mother reached the porch. Behind her, John Howard wrestled with the first of three large pieces of luggage from the trunk of the car.
“Well, here I am,” Gloria beamed, handing Laura her make-up case and purse, “Be a darling and take these to my bedroom.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
The next morning, moving like a sleepwalker, Gloria lowered herself into the lounge chair by the fireplace. She was definitely not a morning person. Laura, seeing her mother without makeup for the first time in many years, felt jolted into a brief sense of her own mortality. Gloria always epitomized glamour, yet now seemed older than her fifty-two years.
Her mother accepted a cup of steaming coffee with a nod of her head and Laura hesitated, reluctant to broach the question on her mind. She knew the answer, yet felt it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
“We’re leaving for church in an hour. Would you like to go with us?”
Gloria raised her eyebrows and gave Laura a pained look. “I’ll pass, darling. You two run along. I’ll just stay here and get myself together.”
Laura returned to the kitchen. Beth evidently heard and put a hand on Laura’s arm as she sat down.
A little while later, as Laura and Beth started out the door, Gloria glanced up from perusing a magazine. “Oh, darling, how long will you be gone?”
Laura shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe an hour and a half to two hours.”
“Oh, fine. You two run along now, I’ll fix a piece of toast or something.”
This time Laura drove and when they were almost to the church, Beth glanced over. “You’re a real conversationalist this morning.”
“Oh, sorry, Beth, I don’t know. I just have this feeling and I don’t know why. I’m not sure what’s wrong.”
“Consider what you’ve experienced in the last few days. That would be enough to give anyone pause to think.’
“That’s true. I’m probably still a little jittery over the break-in and this cousin, Deke.”
“He’s a weird one all right. I hope he doesn’t come back to the house.”
“That’s what bothers me, Beth. I’m almost sure he’s going to turn up again, maybe thinking that with you gone I’ll be by myself.”
“But you’re not by yourself, your mother is there.”
“What if he comes while we’re gone?”
Beth snorted. “I think your mother can handle Deke.”
“What if he’s convinced we know where the money is and comes with a gun or something?”
They pulled into the church parking lot and as Laura stopped the car, Beth turned and faced her. “Laura, stop letting your mind go amok. Mr. Howard said he didn’t have a record and knows you don’t know where the money is. I think he wants to search the house for himself. You and your mother just need to do it first and call the police if you find anything.”
As the young women entered the church, Laura saw Sam standing in the Lobby with his back to her, talking with an older couple. The woman smiled and nodded at Laura causing Sam to turn around. Their eyes met and Laura felt again the intensity of his gaze.
“Hello, Sam, it’s nice to see you this morning.” Suddenly she felt that strange warmth in her chest.
“Good morning, Laura, Beth.”
Not knowing what else to say to him, Laura started towards the sanctuary. Sam stepped forward. “Laura, can I speak with you a moment?”
Beth smiled benevolently. “I’ll save you a seat, Laura.”
As Laura followed Sam to a far corner of the vestry, her mind whirled. What could he want to talk to her about?
Sam glanced around and then lowered his voice. “I hope you won’t think I’m sticking my nose in where it isn’t my business, Laura, but I hope you’ll be careful around your cousin, Deke. I don’t think he’s all he appears.”
“That’s kind of you to be concerned, Sam. I don’t know if I’ll see him again before I have to leave, but I will be careful.”
“Good.”
He glanced around the vestry again and then, “Would you be free for dinner one evening before you return to San Diego? I’d like to make up for my rudeness the other day. Would your fiancé mind?”
Laura hesitated. It was innocent, just a kind gesture. “I’m sure that would be all right, Sam.”
“All right, I’ll call you.”
With a feeling somewhere between panic and euphoria, Laura gave him brief smile and went to join Beth.
Beth had on her ‘cat that ate the cream’ expression. “He asked you out.”
Laura ignored her and opening her hymnal to the first song, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God’, added her voice to that of the congregation.
As the pastor spoke of commitment and pursuing goals, Laura thought of where her life was headed. She believed in serving God, but balked at taking on so many tasks at Alan’s church. She liked her job at the college, yet had the distinct feeling she was being pulled away. Why did she feel that her real life was somehow tied up with her aunt’s ‘house of the forest’? She could probably live in Big Bear with the money from her aunt’s estate, but she was too young to retire and do nothing. Then there was Alan. She was getting married in the spring. Her life would take another direction. Did she really love Alan like she thought she did? Why was it then, when Sam Matheson turned the power of those blue eyes on her, it did something to her insides?
Before she knew it, the service ended and they were singing, “Amazing Grace”. She shook hands with several people she recognized from the day before including Jake and Alice Matheson. She nodded to the Morgan’s and the Devers who were across the church from her and smiled. She didn’t see Deke anywhere and felt relieved, but then realized that he probably just came to the church the day before to meet her. She hoped he’d gone back to Los Angeles, but she had a gut feeling he hadn’t, that he was still around somewhere. When would he turn up next?
As they got in the car, Beth couldn’t stand the suspense any longer. “Are you going to tell me what Sam wanted or not?”
Laura sighed. “He wants to take me to dinner to make up for his behavior the other day.”
Beth shrieked. ‘I knew it! What did you say?”
“I said that would be nice and he said he’d call me.”
Beth grew serious. “I know I’m a tease, girlfriend, but how do you feel about that? I mean, you are engaged to Alan, rememb
er?”
“I know, but it seems harmless. In a few days I’ll return to San Diego and never see Sam again. I’ll be in the middle of putting the wedding together.”
Beth gave her a skeptical look. “If you say so, girlfriend, but I think you’re playing with fire. What would Alan say to going out to dinner with a very handsome, eligible bachelor?”
Laura huffed in irritation. ‘Really, Beth, you’re making too much out of this. We’ll just have a simple dinner and that will be that.”
Beth chewed on her lip and took another tack. “You have to do what you feel is right. Maybe I’m just playing devil’s advocate here. Would you want Alan to go out to dinner while you are gone with a beautiful eligible woman?”
“I trust Alan and I believe he trusts me.”
They pulled into the driveway and as Laura moved to get out, Beth put a hand on her arm. “We’ve been friends for a long time and have prayed each other through some hard times. I’m sensing that if you go out to dinner with Sam, something is going to change in your life.”
“I appreciate your words, my friend, more than you know, but don’t worry, I’m not in love with Sam Matheson.”
“That may be so, Laura, but he’s in love with you, he just doesn’t know it yet.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Laura opened her mouth to respond and at the same time noticed that the front door was not only unlocked, it was ajar. She slowly entered the mud room with Beth right behind her. The alarm wasn’t on. Then she remembered she left it off. Her mother didn’t know the code.
As they stepped into the living room, something wasn’t right.
“Mother? Where are you?” No answer. Laura looked around the room, noticing that one or two pictures were off center. The hall mirror hung at an angle. With panic rising, Laura hurried through the house, calling, but Gloria did not respond.
Beth looked around at the disarray in the living room. “Where could your mother have gone? She didn’t have a car.”
There were clumps of dirt on the small love seat under the attic access. She and Beth had brushed the couch after their own search. Someone else had looked up in the attic. Her mother?
House of the Forest Page 14
