Saints & Sinners Ball

by Stacy M Jones

  “Oh Beau,” Hattie sighed. “I was so exhausted last night, I didn’t even sense you were here. I’m sorry.”

  Beau waved her off. “You were busy and tired, my love. But I have to tell you something…” He hesitated, almost as if he wasn’t sure he should. Hattie looked at him waiting.

  “Out with it,” she demanded.

  “Harper nearly caught sight of me yesterday,” Beau admitted. “She was working in her room, and I was worried about her being here alone. She heard me moving around, and she looked down the hall just as I was passing by the door in our bedroom. Harper rushed down the hall, but I made myself disappear before she saw me.”

  Hattie laughed to herself. “I assumed Harper would start to get some of her gifts at some point. At least maybe now Harper will be understanding if I ever tell her I can talk to dead people.”

  Just then Hattie heard movement in the hallway. She got quiet, and Beau made himself scarce. Jackson appeared in the kitchen. With raised eyebrows, he said, “You can talk to the dead?”

  Hattie just stared at him unsure of what to say. Finally, she nodded a simple yes.

  Jackson didn’t respond. Instead, he poured himself a cup of coffee and warmed hers. He sat right next to her. He took a deep breath. “Have you ever wondered why I never question your gift?”

  “Sometimes, but I can tell you’re an old soul. I asked you once when we first met, and you laughed and told me I had good snacks. I let it go at that.”

  Jackson laughed. “You do have good snacks, and you immediately became my friend when I needed one.”

  Jackson took a sip of his coffee. Then he explained, “My sister, Sarah, is a medium. It plagued her all of her years growing up. Our parents didn’t know what was wrong with her. They were scared for her. They thought she was having a mental breakdown. My brother and other sister thought Sarah was faking for attention. I knew though. Our great-grandmother had the same gift. She never told anyone but me that I’m aware of. I told Sarah and together we navigated it. She embraces her gift today as much as she can while raising a family. If you want me to keep your secret, I understand and will. But you don’t have to hide it from me.”

  Hattie had tears in her eyes. Brushing the tears from her cheeks, Hattie breathed out a sigh of relief. “You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that. I’ve been hiding it for so long. Harper doesn’t even know, and I’m not ready to tell her. I don’t think she’d be ready to hear it.”

  “I don’t either,” Jackson agreed, taking another sip of coffee. “You mind if I ask who you were just talking to?”

  “My husband. Beau pops in and out from time to time. I’ve seen Tucker though, twice,” Hattie explained.

  “I wondered when I heard you talking.” Jackson asked curiously, “Was Tucker here at dinner when you were acting strangely?”

  “Yes, he was very distracting,” Hattie admitted, a faint smile on her lips. “I’ve never had to do that before. Usually Beau is only here when no one else is. I didn’t even know until the other day that I could see anyone besides family.”

  Hattie added thoughtfully, “This isn’t a gift I’ve worked to develop or even wanted to.”

  “I can understand that. It was really hard for my sister. It started happening to her much younger and she never seemed to be able to control it,” Jackson detailed. He got up and poured himself more coffee. He held the pot up to Hattie offering more. She declined. Sitting back down, he asked, “Has Tucker told you anything of value?”

  “Not really,” Hattie lamented. “So far talking to him hasn’t really proven useful at all. Not that it’s his fault. With my husband, it took a few months before he even showed himself to me and even longer for him to have full memories back. With Tucker, it was sudden and trauma so who knows.” Hattie got up and got herself together. She dropped her cup in the sink and started going through her bag, making sure everything she needed was there.

  Turning to Jackson, Hattie said, “I need to leave for the shop. Harper went for a run, but she should be back soon. I’m a little worried about her. She is going full-on with this case. I’m concerned about her getting in over her head.”

  “You’re asking me to keep an eye on her,” Jackson stated. It wasn’t a question. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m not letting her get too far ahead of herself, but she’s strong-willed.”

  Hattie smiled at him. “She’s always been. Harper just lost her way for a while in Manhattan. Her father has a way of bullying people into submission.” Hattie headed towards the door.

  Calling out to Hattie’s back, Jackson, who was looking down at the floor absently petting the dogs, mumbled awkwardly, “I feel weird even asking you about this,” he paused and took a breath, “but I’m having some serious issues with my ex-wife. I’m wondering if I stop by the shop if you could give me some insight and maybe some ideas of what to do?”

  “I thought you’d never ask,” Hattie assured him. “Stop in midmorning. I’ll be free then.”

  Chapter Forty

  Harper was a sweaty mess by the time she got back to her Land Rover from her run. She had gone down to Murray Park and ran the trail that crossed over the Big Dam Bridge. Harper had heard that the bridge was the longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge in North America. She thought it would be a good spot to start back into an exercise routine. Harper had run in Manhattan in Central Park during the nicer weather and then in the gym in her office building during the winter. It had been a few months though, and Harper felt it. Her pace was off. Harper felt like she was running through quicksand, but she got four miles in.

  Harper sat in her vehicle, wiping her face with a towel. When she was done, she noticed Drew off in the distance, sitting at a picnic table. He was alone at first, but then a man who looked like Fr. McNally’s brother, Evan, met up with him. It was hard for Harper to see from her vantage point, but it looked like a heated exchange. Harper couldn’t hear them at all, but as the minutes passed by, they seemed to get angrier and angrier with each other. Drew was clearly yelling, waving his hands around, and the man she suspected to be Evan was doing the same. Finally, they stopped and looked around, probably wondering who had just witnessed their outburst. Harper was so far off in the distance and ducking low in her Land Rover, she figured they probably couldn’t see her. To be sure, Harper waited until Evan walked off and Drew sat back down at the table before she left.

  Once home, Harper unlocked and opened the back door and was greeted with Sparkle and Shine who were happy and eager to see her. She filled their water bowls and dropped off treats. Harper headed for the stairs, ripping off her sweaty shirt as she bounded up the steps. She went into her room, pulled off her sports bra and dropped her shorts. Naked except for a pair of panties, she padded towards the bathroom. Harper made it about three feet when she saw the shadow again in her aunt’s room. She froze in place. Quietly this time, Harper crept toward the room. Popping her head in, again no one was there. Harper shook her head and went into the bathroom to shower. She was getting more annoyed than spooked.

  A few minutes into the hot water beating down on her head and back, just as Harper was starting to relax, she heard the hallway floor creak again. Running her fingers through her sudsy hair, Harper demanded aloud, “I don’t know who you are, but you have to leave me alone. I don’t know what the hell is happening, but I’m not dealing with this!”

  Then Harper went back to finishing what she was doing, ignoring the noise. As Harper was finishing up and rinsing the conditioner from her hair, she laughed to herself for saying something so ridiculous. Her aunt and this house were definitely getting to her.

  After her shower, Harper gave her hair a quick fix, applied some minimal makeup, threw on jeans and her favorite emerald green lightweight shirt, and padded barefoot back down the steps. She found Jackson sitting on the couch watching television. Harper teased, “Don’t you have something to do besides sit around and stalk me?”

  “I’m headed to Hattie’s shop in a few minutes,
but I saw you come home. You looked like hell so I thought I’d pop over and say hello,” Jackson teased right back.

  “You’re right, I looked dreadful.” Harper laughed and plopped down in the chair across from him. “I saw something shady on my run.”

  Jackson shut off the TV and turned toward Harper, giving her his full attention.

  Harper detailed seeing Drew and who she thought was Evan at the park and what she saw. When she was done explaining, Harper asked, “What do you think about doing some surveillance on Drew? I wasn’t able to find much about him in my search besides his insurance fraud convictions.”

  Jackson seemed to consider. Harper thought for sure he was going to say no, but he surprised her. “Why don’t we head out tonight after dark? Let’s take your Land Rover though. It blends in better than my truck. I’ll drive.”

  “Still don’t trust my driving?” Harper said with a wide grin.

  “Not at all. What do you think that meeting was about?”

  “No idea, but don’t you think it’s strange that Fr. McNally’s brother would know Drew? I didn’t think Fr. McNally or his family was from around here. I wonder if it was someone he met in prison.”

  “That’s a distinct possibility,” Jackson agreed and got up from the couch. As he was heading out, Jackson asked, “Will you be here when I get back?”

  “I have a meeting with Dan,” Harper explained. She knew Jackson wasn’t going to be happy about it, but she had signed a contract to do work, and she wanted to see what else Dan would say about Roxy.

  “I don’t like that one bit,” Jackson said from the doorway. He was clearly frustrated. “I assume arguing with you won’t work. Call me when you’re back and if you need anything while you’re there. In fact, just check in with me every thirty minutes.”

  Harper shook her head at him. “Not happening, Dad. I’ll see you later though.”

  After Jackson left, Harper got the last of her things together, found her favorite pair of boots and headed out. She was getting more comfortable behind the wheel. She navigated through the city streets and back down to Dan’s office.

  After finding a place to park on the street, Harper climbed the steps to the second floor and entered into the workspace. While she knew the magazine didn’t have many staff, just two writers and a graphic designer, Harper was surprised to find the large open workroom empty.

  Taking a couple of tentative steps towards his office, Harper called out, “Dan, it’s Harper, are you here?”

  Dan’s door was closed, but she heard muffled voices coming from the other side. Harper had already called out and no one responded. She wondered if they knew she was there. Her first thought was that Dan was in trouble, but it was his voice she heard raised.

  “I told you, I don’t know a damn thing,” Dan said, his voice full of frustration.

  “What do you know about Tucker’s murder?” Matthew Inslee barked.

  Dan responded adamantly, “I don’t know a damn thing about Tucker’s murder or Roxy’s. I’ve told you that. I’ve told the cops that. Leave me the hell alone.”

  “You know more than you’re letting on. I know you do. Who are you protecting?”

  “I’m not protecting anyone!” Dan yelled.

  “It’s that witch, isn’t it?” Inslee spat.

  “You leave Hattie out of this. She has nothing to do with this.”

  “You can’t stop me from doing anything,” Inslee mocked. “I’ll run her out of town as soon as I’m elected. It’s a shame though, that niece of hers looks like a good time, if you know what I mean.”

  “You’re a pig,” Dan said, his voice full of disgust.

  “What does Harper know about the murder, Dan? I know she’s talked to you.”

  “She’s doing some work for me on the magazine. That’s it,” Dan countered.

  “She knows more than she’s letting on, and you are going to find out for me,” Inslee insisted.

  Harper heard some things being moved around. It sounded like a struggle. Something was knocked over, and she heard them grunting. Dan yelled, “Get out of my office!”

  “Find out what Harper knows if you don’t both want to end up dead. You’re in over your heads with Tucker’s murder.”

  Chapter Forty-One

  Harper couldn’t believe what she just heard. She was panicked and didn’t want to be seen. She looked around the office for a spot to hide. Harper wouldn’t have time to make it back to the main door, but to the far right of Dan’s office was a dark hall. She could see light, probably coming in from a window. An office maybe. It seemed to be the only option.

  Harper made a mad dash and had slipped into the darkened hall and into the room as she heard their voices grow louder. She assumed they were in the large open workspace now. Harper looked around the room she was in, and it seemed to be a library of sorts. There were shelves of books on metal shelving units that went from the floor nearly to the ceiling. There was also another shelf that held antique-looking vases, nicely framed black and white photos, and small abstract sculptures. Harper moved farther into the room away from the door.

  Standing near the shelf, she looked over the items. Harper picked up a small sculpture, turning it around in her hands to get a better look. It looked like an abstract giraffe. It was an intriguing piece. Harper admired it and set it back down. As she steadied it back in place, Harper bumped a vase next to the sculpture with her arm. Horrified, Harper watched the vase begin to sway and tumble forward. She caught it midair. As Harper did, she heard a distinct clinking sound at her feet. With the vase still in hand, Harper looked down and was left speechless by what she saw.

  Right next to Harper’s booted foot was a very expensive-looking diamond necklace, suspiciously like the one she had just seen in the newspaper. Mixed up in the chain and jewels of the necklace was also the emerald ring she had admired. Harper froze not sure what to do, even more confused about what it meant.

  Harper put the vase down and pulled her cellphone from her pocket. She called Det. Granger, who answered on the second ring. Harper explained where she was and what she had found. She also told him what she had overheard between Dan and Inslee. He said he was sending a squad car right away, and he’d be soon to follow. Just as he was asking if Harper would be able to sneak out, she heard someone approaching.

  Dan walked in the room and absently flipped on the overhead light. He froze when he saw Harper on the phone and the startled expression on her face. Harper was sure she looked like she had just been caught red-handed for something, when really it was the other way around.

  Harper pretended to hang up, but really kept the call engaged. She held the phone in her hand, screen down. She didn’t budge from the spot. The key chain with the letter D flashed in her mind. Harper wondered if Dan could really be the one that tried to break in.

  “What are you doing in here?” Dan asked, confusion evident in his voice. He stepped towards Harper. As he did, she looked down at the ground, which caused him to look down. Dan noticed the jewelry at her feet and popped his head up sharply, looking at Harper with his mouth open and eyes wide. But Dan’s voice was calm and level. “What’s going on, Harper? What is that?”

  “That’s what I was going to ask you, Dan. I found the stolen jewelry in your vase. Can you explain that?” Harper asked accusingly. She stayed firmly planted and did not move.

  “I’ve never seen them before in my life,” Dan said, looking back down at the jewelry and then back up at Harper.

  “Well then how did it get here?” she demanded.

  “It looks like you’re planting evidence on me,” Dan accused.

  “Hardly,” Harper snipped. “I nearly knocked over the vase, and this fell out. I just saw these pieces in the newspaper. What the hell are you doing with stolen jewelry, Dan?”

  For the first time, Dan looked scared. He held up his hands in surrender. “Harper, I swear to you I’ve never seen that before. I don’t even understand what you’re doing back here.”


  Harper explained, “I got here early for our meeting, but you were in your office with the door shut. I heard you with Inslee. When he instructed you to find out what I knew before we both ended up dead, I didn’t stick around to come face to face with him. I ducked in here. Is that why you tried to break into our house the other night? To find out what we know or to scare us?”

  Dan backed up slowly. Harper thought he was leaving the room, but instead, he sat down at the only table in the room. It was a small round four-seater taking up most of the middle of the room.

  Dan looked at her and said sincerely, “Harper, I’m not going to hurt you. I didn’t try to break into your house. I didn’t steal that. The cops already searched here. I can’t account for it, but I think someone is trying to frame me.”

  “I don’t believe you,” Harper scoffed. “You know far more than you’re letting on. Jackson was right not to trust you. The cops are on their way.”

  “You called the cops?” Dan groaned, putting his head in his hands. “Why would you do that?”

  “Dan, you have stolen property. What was I supposed to do?” Harper asked incredulously.

  “Trust me, know that I’m not a thief. You could have started there,” Dan mumbled. He looked at his watch. “How long until they get here?”

  “Any minute,” Harper replied. “Dan, if you did nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about. But I can’t trust you, I barely even know you. And what I do know is that you’ve been holding back on me and with Hattie regarding Tucker’s murder.”

  “I was trying to keep both of you safe,” Dan grumbled.

  “It doesn’t seem like that to me,” Harper said. She walked over to the table and set the phone down. She ended the call, not having any idea if Granger had still been on the other end listening.

  Harper looked Dan in the eyes. “If you really didn’t do anything wrong, you should tell me what you know before the cops get here. It’s the only way we are going to be able to help you. Do you know who killed Tucker?”