Too Many Secrets

by Patricia H. Rushford

  “You want to open it or should I?” Ryan asked.

  “You do it.” Jennie held her breath as Ryan unrolled the top of the sack and looked in. “Ah … I don’t think you want to see this, Jennie.”

  She didn’t. Unfortunately, Jennie couldn’t keep from looking. Inside the bag, nestled among layers of white tissue and newspaper, lay dozens of diamond pendants, necklaces, and bracelets.

  10

  Ryan lifted a necklace from the bag. “This thing has to be worth a fortune. There must be fifty diamonds in this one alone.”

  Jennie watched it slither out of his hand, moving and shimmering as if it were alive. It caught the morning light and glistened like fire on ice.

  She grabbed the necklace and stuffed it back in the sack.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I don’t know how Gram got this stuff, but if the sheriff finds out …” Jennie’s heart was pounding so hard she could hardly think. She tucked the bag back in its hiding place, slipped the panel back in place, and closed the closet door. “We need to keep this hidden. It proves Gram had something to do with the robbery.”

  “You think Gram is a thief?”

  “N … no,” Jennie stammered, “of course not. It’s just … Oh, Ryan, I don’t know what to think.”

  Ryan hooked his arm around her neck. “I know this doesn’t look good, but we need to stay calm. There’s a perfectly good explanation.”

  Jennie didn’t know why she found his comment so funny, but she started laughing. “Right,” she hooted. “I can just hear it all now. ‘Gram, why are there stolen diamonds in your closet?’ And she’d smile at me and say, ‘It’s quite simple really, my dear. I’m an international jewel thief.’

  “‘Oh, how interesting,’ I’d say. ‘Have you been in the business long?’” Jennie hiccupped. “This isn’t funny, Ryan … why am I laughing?”

  “You’re hysterical.”

  “Hic … that’s ridiculous. I never get hysterical.” He was right, except for one thing. Jennie had gone a step beyond hysterical. She was a nut case. She hiccupped again.

  “Come on.” Ryan grabbed Jennie’s hand and pulled her down the stairs and into the kitchen. He handed her a small paper bag. “Breathe into this.”

  Jennie slid down into a chair, and after a few deep breaths, felt the panic edge away. Ryan reheated the tea she’d fixed for breakfast, then knelt beside her and wrapped her hands around the warm cup.

  “Drink it.”

  She did. After a few sips sanity had returned and with it the cold reality of the secret panel, the diamonds hidden there, and the very real possibility that her own grandmother had stolen them. “What am I going to do?”

  “We,” he corrected. “What are we going to do.”

  Jennie smiled. “Okay, partner, got any ideas?”

  “Just one. We both know Gram isn’t a thief. For one thing, she doesn’t need the money. And if she had stolen them, she’d never implicate you. So we start from that premise.”

  “She wrote to me because I’m the only one who knows about the hiding place. She got them somehow … maybe from the real thieves. Maybe she found out who did it and …”

  Ryan shook his head. “No, that doesn’t make sense. If she knew who stole the diamonds in the first place, she’d go to the police and have them arrested. She sure wouldn’t keep them herself.”

  “Then why are they here?”

  “Who knows? Like you said before, there are too many pieces of this puzzle still missing.”

  Ryan dumped the rest of his tea into the sink and headed for the door. “Listen, I have to scoot. My psych class starts in twenty minutes.”

  Disappointment flooded her, partly because they hadn’t hit on a solution and partly because she didn’t want him to go. “I thought you were going to help me.”

  “I am. Psych’s my only class today. I’ll be back at noon. We can check around town then. Someone may have seen Gram.” Ryan paused. His eyes filled with concern. “You’ll be okay?”

  “Sure.” Jennie half hoped he’d pick up the hesitation in her voice and ask her to go with him. He didn’t.

  “Make sure all the doors and windows are locked,” he ordered, “and stay here until I get back.”

  Jennie thought about arguing with him. She didn’t, even though this parental side of him annoyed her. She just bowed and said, “Yes, master,” then shoved him out the door.

  “I mean it, Jennie,” he said, backing away.

  “Okay, okay. I’ll be careful.”

  Needing to do something to keep busy until Ryan came back, Jennie rewound the tape on the answering machine, hit the playback button, and listened to the messages again, thinking she might have missed something the night before. Who was the man who’d told Gram to come home, and why would he call Gram “Love”? Could he be connected with the JB file in the computer? Is he a friend or a … ? Don’t be ridiculous, McGrady. She’s a grandmother.

  Jennie frowned, remembering an article she’d seen somewhere called “Seniors: Finding Love the Second Time Around.” Okay, so it’s possible. The man had sounded nice, caring. She wished she had more than a voice. Maybe Gram had a picture. Or maybe she’d written about him in a journal.

  Jennie raced up the stairs and into Gram’s bedroom. The picture wall had about twenty photos on it. Gram and Grandpa’s wedding picture, some baby pictures of Dad and Kate, graduation and wedding pictures … Uncle Kevin and Aunt Kate and Mom and Dad … a bunch of the grandkids.

  Moving to her dresser, Jennie noticed a framed snapshot of Gram standing between two men in uniform. One was Grandpa. The other she didn’t recognize. In fact, Jennie couldn’t remember ever seeing the photo before. She eased the old brown-tone from the frame, wondering if names had been written on the back. The original notation was too faded to read, but written in clear black ink, like it had been done yesterday, were the words:

  Found this in an old trunk … thought you might like it.

  All my love … J.B.

  Jennie put the picture back in the frame and carefully lowered it to the dresser. Whoever J.B. was, he’d known Gram and Grandpa for a long time.

  Jennie picked up Gram’s perfume and sprayed some on her wrist. Wild Flowers. The scent spread through the room, and Jennie could almost feel Gram there with her.

  “What’s going on, Gram?” she whispered. “Why is the sheriff after you? What have you done?”

  Jennie was just about to go back downstairs when the phone rang. She started to answer, then stopped. It might be Mom or Aunt Susan. She ran downstairs and waited for the answering machine to pick up. “Jennie!” a frantic voice said after the beep.

  Jennie grabbed the phone. “Lisa! Don’t hang up. I’m here.”

  “Why didn’t you call?” Lisa screeched. “I’ve been worried sick about you.”

  “I got in late and … besides, you were supposed to call me, remember?”

  “I did. About ten times up until nine-thirty. Then the camp counselor locked the doors, so I couldn’t get out to the pay phone.”

  “Why didn’t you leave a message?” Jennie asked, remembering there were only two on the machine last night.

  “The line was busy.” Jennie remembered the aftershave lotion she’d smelled when she had arrived the night before and wondered if the phone-message burglar had been at it again.

  “So, how’s it going?” Jennie asked, pushing aside the burglar thoughts.

  “Not great.”

  “What happened?”

  “Your mom called here this morning and wanted to talk to you.”

  “What did you say?” Jennie felt her stomach drop. Nothing was working out like it was supposed to. Mysteries weren’t supposed to have this many glitches in them. At least they never did in the books she’d read.

  “I panicked. I told her you got sick last night
and couldn’t get her on the phone, so you called Gram and she came to get you.”

  Jennie groaned. “You didn’t.”

  “Well, what did you want me to tell her, that you’d eloped with some guy?”

  “No. She’d never have believed that.” Jennie sank into the chair beside the phone. “Why didn’t you just tell her I was in the bathroom, or that I went for a walk?”

  “It’s not like I had a lot of time to rehearse, you know. Besides, you are sick—in the head.”

  Lisa sounded mad and Jennie didn’t blame her. With the number of times she’d gotten Lisa into trouble, it was a wonder Lisa was still speaking to her. “Okay,” Jennie said, “maybe it will work. What did .Mom say?”

  “She wanted to know what was wrong. I told her you had the flu and that Gram was going to stay in a hotel down here last night then head home today.”

  “Did she believe you?”

  “I think so. Anyway, you’d better call her. She thinks you are on your way to Grams.” Jennie twisted the phone cord around her finger.

  “Lisa, I’m sorry about all this. It’s just that I need to find out what’s going on here. Besides, it wasn’t all a lie. Gram was home.” She filled her cousin in about everything except the diamonds.

  “Do you want me to come down and help?” Lisa asked when Jennie had finished.

  “No. But it might be a good idea if you went home. I could use you there to run interference. We can’t let our moms know I’m down here alone. As long as they think Gram is back, they’ll be okay. I’ll call Mom and give her the same story you did. If I’m lucky she’ll let me stay until the weekend. Maybe Ryan and I can solve this thing by then.”

  “Sounds like you and Ryan are becoming at item. Maybe I should come down there and run interference.”

  “Ryan is a friend.”

  “Right. He’s also very male, very blond, and very gorgeous.”

  “Okay,” Jennie admitted, “I think he’s adorable, and he’s got my heart racing. Satisfied?”

  “Ha! It’s about time. I was beginning to think you were anti-men.”

  “Because I’m not boy crazy like you?” Jennie retorted.

  “I’m hurt.”

  “And I’m Madonna.” They both cracked up on that one. Usually, when Lisa and Jennie got into this kind of banter, they’d go until they were both rolling around on the floor laughing. But nothing about the last few days had been normal.

  “Ah, Lisa?” Jennie asked. “When are you going home?”

  “As soon as I get my bags packed and have Mom come

  get me. What do you want me to do when. I get home?”

  “Whatever you have to—just keep them from coming down here.”

  “I don’t like this, Jennie. Did it ever occur to you that if something has happened to Gram, you could be in danger too?”

  “Don’t be silly,” Jennie answered with more confidence than she felt. “I’ll be fine.”

  They talked for a few more minutes and hung up. Then Jennie called home. Michael answered. “Where’s my mom?” she asked, trying hard to keep her voice calm.

  “She’s seeing a client. I’m watching Nick for her.”

  Jennie felt a fluttering of jealousy, and something else she couldn’t quite name. She didn’t like the idea of Michael taking care of Nick. And whose fault is that, McGrady? You’re not there to do it. Jennie shrugged the annoying feelings aside. She had too many other things going on to worry about Michael. Jennie told him the same story Lisa had about being sick and trying to call. She hoped they hadn’t been home the night before.

  “I’m sorry we weren’t here for you, Jennie,” Michael said.

  Jennie let out the breath she’d been holding. “I think I should stay here for the rest of the week. I wouldn’t want you guys to catch this.” She coughed into the phone.

  Liar, liar, pants on fire. Oh, shut up, Jennie told the persistent voice in her head. She didn’t have a choice. She couldn’t very well tell them the truth, could she?

  “I don’t know,” Michael said. “I’ll bet your mom will want you home.”

  “Couldn’t you talk to her, Michael? I’m okay really. I’d just like to stay at Gram’s for a few days.”

  “Okay. I’ll talk to her and have her give you a call.”

  “Thanks.” Then realizing she probably wouldn’t be there, Jennie added, “I might be sleeping. If no one answers just have her leave a message.” O what tangled webs we weave …

  “Okay. Oh, and, Jennie, your mom and I have settled things on our wedding date.”

  “Really?” Jennie tried not to let her voice reflect her disapproval. Great. Another unanswered prayer. God, don’t you care about me at all? Couldn’t you have made them wait until I found Dad?

  “Yes,” Michael said. “And I think you’ll be pleased by our decision.”

  Jennie took a deep breath. Say it, a voice inside ordered. Tell him you’ll never be pleased by any decision he and Mom make regarding marriage.

  Before she had a chance to respond, he went on. “We’d like you to set the date, Jennie.”

  “What?” Jennie couldn’t have heard him right. “Me?”

  “Well, it was my idea, actually. I know you’re not happy about me being part of your family …”

  Jennie winced. She hadn’t meant to be so obvious. Or maybe she had.

  “Anyway,” Michael went on, “your mom and I decided we’d like to wait until you’re able to give us your blessing.”

  Jennie couldn’t say anything. Maybe it was the sound of his voice, or the realization that they really did care about how she felt. Anyway, she started crying.

  “Jennie? You okay? I’m sorry, I guess I shouldn’t have told you over the phone. It’s just that I was anxious to let you know. Your mom and I prayed and prayed over this. We really wanted to do the right thing.”

  “You mean …” Jennie sniffled, “… if I say no, you won’t marry Mom?”

  Michael didn’t answer right away and when he did, his voice was unsteady. Maybe he was crying too. “I wouldn’t just be marrying your mom, Jennie, but your entire family. You and Nick are part of this, so we decided that if God really wants us to be together, everyone in the family has to be in agreement. The only thing I ask is that you wait a few days before giving us your answer. Think about it. Pray about it.”

  Jennie wanted to say no right then and there. She wanted to tell him she didn’t have to think about it, only the words wouldn’t come. All she could manage was a muffled “Okay …”

  After saying goodbye, Jennie dropped the hung up and walked away. She felt rotten. She’d lied and been a total brat toward Michael and Mom, and now they were letting her have a choice in whether or not they stayed together.

  At first it had sounded like a great idea; now Jennie wasn’t so sure. In fact the more she thought about it, the more angry she became. If she said no, everyone would be mad at her. If she said yes, she’d hate herself. Saying yes would be like giving up on Dad and Jennie couldn’t do that.

  Get a grip, McGrady. Even if it means everybody hating you, you have to say no. Besides, would they really listen to a sixteen-year-old? Probably not—but maybe you can hold them off until you find Dad.

  And for that she needed Gram. Jennie closed her mind to Mom and Michael. She had to concentrate on finding Gram. The whole rest of her life depended on it. As soon as Ryan came back, they could launch into a full-scale investigation.

  To keep busy, Jennie decided to wash the dishes. From the kitchen window she could practically see the whole block. Gram’s house was set up like a lot of beach houses. The living room faced the ocean, and the kitchen faced the street side. Azalea and rhododendron blossoms splashed the yard with pink, lavender, and peach, giving it the impressionistic look of a Claude Monet painting. Birds flitted all over the feeder that hung from the big map
le tree. Everything looked so sunny and bright—and normal—everything except for a shiny black Cadillac.

  The driver cruised to the end of the block, turned around and came back. This time, instead of going past the house, he stopped on the other side of the street. Jennie remembered what Ryan had said about the big guy driving off in a dark car and wondered if this was their intruder.

  Even though her hands were soaking in hot sudsy water, Jennie felt cold. A chill started in her neck and shivered through her. When she realized he wasn’t coming in, Jennie began to relax. He just sat there, like he was on some kind of surveillance. Maybe he was one of the jewel thieves. Maybe he knew Gram had the diamonds and was trying to catch her, or maybe he was waiting for her to leave so he could search the house.

  Jennie wanted to get a closer look at him. But how?

  Of course, the mailbox. She could walk out, nonchalantly check the box, maybe even strike up a conversation. “Hello,” she could say. “Nice morning. Did you read about that diamond robbery the other day?” Okay, so she wouldn’t talk to him. She just needed to get close enough to see his face and get the license number.

  Yeah, right, the common sense part of her said, and what if he grabs you?

  “He won’t,” Jennie reasoned aloud. “Not in broad daylight.”

  She took a deep breath, unbolted the door, and walked down the steps, pretending not to notice him.

  It took forever to get to the mailbox. Her feet felt as if they’d been cast in concrete. She opened the box and pulled out a peach-colored envelope, just like the one Gram had sent to the school.

  The sound of a car engine startled her. She dropped the letter and spun around. The black Cadillac had pulled away and raced down the street and around the corner. Relief and disappointment filled her. Just another minute or two and she would have seen him. Another minute or two and you could have been dead.