Saints & Sinners Ball

by Stacy M Jones

  “I don’t think you need the pendulum to tell you that. I don’t even need to be psychic to see that he does.” With that Hattie slipped out of the room and headed down the hall back out into the main area of her shop. She was happy to see that Jackson was already there and chatting with Lottie. She sent Beatrix over with some coffee.

  “I heard you were a hero today,” Hattie called.

  “Something like that,” Jackson said modestly. “Is Harper here?”

  “She’s resting in the back,” Hattie said, busying herself behind the counter.

  Hattie spent the next several minutes cleaning up the morning rush. Hattie was just putting on yet another fresh pot of coffee when her cellphone rang. It was Fr. Borger finally returning her call. She answered quickly and waved to Jackson to join her and Harper in the back room.

  Hattie found Harper asleep in her chair. She nudged Harper’s shoulder and pointed to the cellphone. She mouthed that it was Fr. Borger. Sitting on the couch, and holding the cellphone in her lap, Hattie turned on the speakerphone. She made a quick introduction all around and then explained what had been happening with Fr. McNally and what they all suspected.

  When Hattie was finished, Fr. Borger said, “I think the best bet is for you to come to Dallas, and I can meet you there tomorrow morning if that works. Together we can go to the parish where Fr. McNally worked previously and ask some questions.”

  Harper turned to Jackson and said, “I guess we are headed to Dallas.”

  “I guess so,” was all he said.

  Hattie noticed the brief smile on both their faces. She wasn’t sure if it was because they were getting another lead or they’d have a few days away together.

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Harper and Jackson had been on the road for over an hour. After they made the decision to go to Dallas, they both went home to pack. It was three in the afternoon when they left. They had a four hour drive ahead of them left. Jackson insisted on taking his truck so he was happily and comfortably behind the wheel. Harper was staring out the window, seeing parts of Arkansas she had never seen before. It was really just lots of trees and open land. She had attempted to change the radio station at one point, but Jackson smacked her hand away.

  Jackson liked modern country music, which Harper knew nothing about nor did she really care to. If it had been Harper’s choice, they would have been listening to some seventies classic rock or even the grunge and angry women rockers of the nineties she loved so much. But Harper was stuck listening to songs about beer, trucks and women. To be completely fair, the more Harper listened, the more she softened to it. But there was no way after the stink she put up that Harper would admit that to Jackson, who was singing right along with the song currently coming out of the speakers.

  Thankfully, Jackson had a great voice so Harper was more than happy to listen to him sing, even if she thought some of the lyrics were unrelatable and silly.

  Almost as if reading her thoughts, Jackson pipped over the music, “It’s because you’re still a Yankee. Once you get accustomed, you’ll love it. We just need to get some of that stuffy city girl out of you.” And then he went right back to watching the road and singing.

  Harper rolled her eyes but smiled as she looked out the side window. They bumped along nicely for another hour. Harper pulled out the file that Dan had given her and was going through it again. She turned to Jackson and asked, “If this isn’t the real Fr. McNally what do you think happened to him?”

  “I don’t know, but if I had to guess, he isn’t alive.”

  Harper winced. “Do you think someone killed him?”

  “That or he died and this guy just assumed his identity. It happens,” Jackson explained, matter-of-factly.

  “Wouldn’t the church know that? Where do you think the switch happened?”

  “If I had to guess, I’d say sometime after leaving Brazil and coming here,” Jackson speculated. “The early photos of Fr. McNally in Brazil looked the same as his older photos in Dallas. But the man who arrived in Little Rock does not appear to be the same man. What gets me though is the resemblance. Too many coincidences to just bump into someone whose life you want to steal and you just happen to look like him.”

  “Right,” Harper agreed. “I wondered the same thing. But the woman I spoke to said Fr. McNally was an orphan with no family that she knew of so it’s strange to say the least.”

  “How did Hattie say she knew Fr. Borger?” Jackson asked, switching lanes to go around some slow-moving trucks.

  “She and my father went to school with him. He’s from Manhattan. Hattie let it slip he was her prom date their senior year.”

  “The witch and the priest,” Jackson laughed.

  The conversation was interrupted by Harper’s ringing cellphone. She pulled it out of her purse and looked to see who was calling. It was Det. Granger.

  Jackson lowered the music, and Harper answered. Harper barely got out a hello and Granger said, “I stopped by Hattie’s shop to talk to you, but she said you were headed out of town for a couple of days. I want to let you know Drew confessed to breaking into those houses. Most of the victims were Lizzie’s friends or at least people in her social circle. He’d know when the big events in town were happening and find out who was attending. When you’re running in the same circles, it’s not hard to find out. Then Drew would target those houses on those nights.”

  Harper interrupted, “Was he working with anyone?”

  “No, he says he was working alone,” Det. Granger indicated. Then he added, “We have a lot to still sort out, but he’s definitely our guy.”

  “I’m glad he’s caught, but really it was Lizzie and Dan who tipped us off. You should thank them. Call it a gut feeling, but I don’t think he was working alone. Twice we saw him meet with other people.”

  “Maybe he was trying to sell some of the pieces. The only pieces recovered so far are what you found. Drew claims he sold the rest to online buyers and at some pawnshops.”

  “He isn’t selling that jewelry online or at pawn shops, I guarantee you that,” Harper said tersely, growing frustrated. “I’m not questioning how you do your job, but have you ever had a case with this much million-dollar jewelry?”

  “I can’t say I have. As you know these kinds of cases don’t happen every day around here. We mostly handle smaller burglaries, electronics, money and such,” Granger admitted.

  “I’ve written about them,” Harper explained. “Drew is not working alone. He can’t move that kind of jewelry alone. He’s working for someone or with someone or has a connection he’s selling it to that will move the jewelry out of here. Unless you found jewelry he hasn’t sold yet, you’re not going to find the rest.”

  “He’s still talking. Thanks for the info. I’ll see what more we can get.”

  “You hear anything about who killed Roxy or Tucker?”

  “Not yet, but Drew is still talking so we might get something,” Granger explained. Then he added more seriously, “I spoke to Inslee about being at the Saints & Sinners Ball. He was more than a little insulted I was asking. Inslee said he went to the event early in the evening and met up with a woman he’s been seeing. They left early. Inslee said he was called away from her bed when he was notified about Tucker.”

  “That’s his story,” Harper groaned.

  “Harper, I asked for the woman’s name, and I spoke to her. Inslee was with her. The whole conversation embarrassed her and Inslee. He wasn’t happy. You…”

  “I know he wasn’t happy,” Harper snapped. “Inslee practically assaulted me on a city street. He screamed at me, got in my face. I don’t care what he says, I don’t believe him.”

  “This isn’t a fight you’re going to win,” Granger argued. Then more softly he said, “I don’t trust him at all. But unless there is some solid, irrefutable evidence, Inslee is too powerful in this city. No one is going to believe you. You get something you can prove beyond any shadow of a doubt, bring it to me. Until then, let it go.” />
  Harper breathed heavy. She wanted to argue her point. She knew in her gut there was something more with Inslee. Although Harper hated to admit it, Granger was right. She needed proof.

  Granger asked, “Where are you headed?”

  “Dallas,” Harper said without offering more of an explanation.

  “I find it a little strange you were so gung-ho and stepping all over my toes, and now you’re just up and skipping town,” Granger said skeptically. “Anything you want to tell me?”

  “Nope, just going to visit a friend. We will be back in a day or so. You asked me to back off, so this is me backing off.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” Granger said, his voice low.

  “Well, you don’t have to worry. Down in Dallas, I won’t be in your jurisdiction. I can make some other cops angry for a change.” Harper heard Granger sigh loudly and the call ended.

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  After ending the call with Granger, Harper turned to Jackson and said with frustration in her voice, “He’s really not getting it. They are treating this like it’s the run-of-the-mill burglary. Granger said Drew told him he sold the jewels to pawn shops and online. What person that can afford millions in jewelry is shopping at a pawn shop?”

  “You told him. Det. Granger is smart,” Jackson reassured. “When I met with him to go over my statement after Tucker’s murder, Granger was telling me about some of the cases he worked before coming to Little Rock. He’s not from here either. He’s been a detective for years. Granger’s good, trust him.”

  “I guess.” Harper filled Jackson in on what Inslee had told Granger. Then she added, “It seems like a pretty tight alibi, but Inslee’s so slick and slimy, I just don’t trust him.”

  “Granger’s right though. I hate to admit it, but we probably need to back off of Inslee until we have real proof.”

  Harper nodded in agreement, but she wasn’t happy about it. She thought back to her conversation with Hattie yesterday and the pendulum. Harper wondered if she could ask it if Inslee was lying. She’d have to try it later when she could concentrate better.

  After several more minutes of silence, Jackson asked, a bit of tension in his voice, “Where are we staying tonight? I need the address.”

  Harper pulled out her phone and gave Jackson an address, which he programmed into his GPS. Then she detailed, “It’s a Hampton Inn. There were several conferences in Dallas this week so it was hard to find a place. We are sharing a room.”

  Jackson’s eyes opened wide as he looked at her.

  “Eyes back on the road, Romeo. We are sharing a room, not a bed.”

  Jackson grinned like a cat. “You’re away from Little Rock for the first time. Who knows what you had planned?”

  “Not that,” Harper deadpanned. She insisted, “I’m not a convenience store cookie. You’re going to have to bake.”

  Jackson cracked up laughing until he had tears rolling down his cheeks. He turned to her, still laughing. “Where do you come up with this stuff? No one said you were a convenience store cookie.”

  “Who knows with you? You think you can just grab a girl and kiss her while you’re supposed to be watching the suspect. We don’t know who the other guy is because you were so focused on getting hot and bothered,” Harper said with a straight face.

  Jackson argued, “I was trying to make sure we weren’t caught. Do you really think…”

  Jackson didn’t get to finish his thought because Harper started to laugh. She reached over and rubbed his arm. “What was it you told me when we first met? That I was too uptight, that I needed to get used to your teasing. What’s good for the goose.”

  Jackson shot her a look then put his eyes back on the road. “You’re exasperating,” he muttered under this breath.

  “Well, that makes two of us.”

  The pair drove in silence for nearly the rest of the trip. Harper napped. Jackson sang. She opened her eyes a few times and caught him staring at her. Harper just grinned and went back to napping.

  A few hours later, they were checked into their hotel room and had grabbed a late dinner at the diner next to the hotel. Back in their room, Jackson took a shower while Harper changed into pajamas. She made a quick call to check in on Hattie. After Hattie convinced her all was fine, Harper settled into her bed. She pulled out the pendulum Hattie had given her and stared at it, unsure of how to start.

  Harper positioned her hand underneath the way Hattie had shown her. She asked the pendulum to show her the answer yes, and to Harper’s surprise, it moved front to back. She asked for the answer no, and it swung side to side. Harper steadied her hand and tried a few more yes or no questions she already knew the answer to. Harper was sure that she was not moving the chain and stone. Harper sat amazed she was getting responses.

  She got a little bolder and asked if Jackson thought she was pretty. It swung front to back quickly, strongly indicating that yes, he did. Harper immediately felt silly, like she was back in school at sleepovers she used to have with her friends. Harper concentrated and asked if Inslee was with a woman the night of the ball. To her dismay, it said yes, he was. She tried again and got the same answer. Maybe she needed to ask a different way. Harper was trying to come up with a different way to ask when she heard Jackson clear his throat.

  “What are you doing?” he asked curiously, from across the room. Jackson’s bald head was still damp and he was wearing a gray Army tee-shirt and shorts.

  “Hattie gave me this,” Harper explained, holding up the pendulum so Jackson could see it. “She said it’s a pendulum that will help me tap into my intuition. Hattie said I can ask it yes or no questions and my energy will guide me to the right answer.”

  “Interesting,” Jackson commented. He pulled back the covers to his bed and threw some pillows up against the headboard. He climbed in, pulling the covers up to his lap. Turning to Harper, Jackson asked, “Is it working?”

  “That’s the thing, it’s just my intuition so who knows if it’s really right. I asked some questions I already know the answer to and it gave me the correct answer, but when I asked if Inslee was with a woman that night it says he’s telling the truth.”

  “Maybe he wasn’t there the whole time,” Jackson offered. He clicked on the television and started flipping channels.

  “That’s what I was thinking, but I’m tired now so I’ll ask again tomorrow.”

  Harper got up and went into the bathroom. When she came out, Jackson had shut off his light and was snuggled more into his bed watching television. Harper climbed into her bed and shut off the nightstand light. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling. Harper had thought sharing a room with Jackson might be awkward, but it wasn’t. She felt safe with him. Harper fixed her pillow and was getting comfortable when she felt eyes on her.

  Jackson was watching her intently. He smiled. “You want some company over there?”

  She groaned and grabbed the pillow next to her head and flung it back at him, hitting him squarely in the head. Harper playfully barked, “You stay over there. Go to sleep, we have an early morning.”

  “Your loss.” He yawned.

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  Hattie had thought that maybe the rush in the shop yesterday was an anomaly and all would go back to normal today, but it had been a mad rush all morning again. Hattie had navigated through it without any help because Beatrix was in class. Hattie would have to hire more staff if things continued like this. She was brewing another pot of coffee when Judy and Lottie walked in.

  “Hi, ladies, pull up a chair where you can, and I’ll have your usual right over,” Hattie called from behind the counter.

  Instead of sitting, Judy and Lottie grabbed dirty plates and cups that were left on tables and brought them to the back of the store to be run through the dishwasher. Lottie wet a rag behind Hattie’s counter and cleaned off tables while Judy picked up scraps of paper, refolded newspapers, and put the shop back in order.

  Hattie fussed and told them to sit, but th
ey weren’t hearing it. They ignored Hattie’s pleas and went right on cleaning.

  “We can’t relax in this mess,” Lottie said, washing the last of the tables. “You need help, Hattie. You are too old to be doing this on your own so we can pitch in.”

  “Well then you aren’t paying for anything,” Hattie chirped. She stacked their goodies on a tray and brought them over to the table. Finally, the ladies came over and plopped down in their seats.

  “We are excited that business is picking up, but you really need some help. You can’t carry on like this,” Judy said, taking a bite of her raspberry cheese Danish.

  “I will,” Hattie said, sitting down next to them. She had grabbed a chocolate chip muffin and cup of coffee for herself when she was preparing Lottie’s and Judy’s. She took a sip of coffee. “Tell me, what’s the gossip for today.”

  “Lizzie is like a new woman,” Judy chirped. “I saw her this morning, and you’d think the woman would be upset her brother was arrested, but no. She was practically gushing about having her freedom now.”

  “Does she feel any embarrassment that her brother robbed her friends?” Lottie asked what Hattie was thinking.

  “If she does, Lizzie’s certainly not acting like it. She told me that Drew is finally getting what he deserved. The only thing Lizzie expressed regret over was that she wasn’t going to have the satisfaction of dragging Tucker through court.”

  “Did Lizzie say anything about holding any memorial service for Tucker when the coroner releases his body?” Hattie asked.

  “I asked that,” Judy said, “and Lizzie didn’t seem concerned about it in the least. She’s already started going through his closet and pulling out clothes to donate. She’s called the car dealership about turning in his Mercedes. She’s liquidated some of their assets. I heard from a friend that Lizzie even talked about selling the house and traveling. She’s definitely not missing a beat having those two gone from her life.”