“I watched her house and saw you leave here several times a week. I followed you and discovered that you lived on your own, too. Then I sat next to you in church one Sunday and you thought we met by chance. It was all part of the plan, my dear, and you never suspected a thing,” Stan smiled smugly. “All I needed was some time to look around for the cross mentioned in the letter. I copied your key and added a sleeping pill to Elizabeth’s nightly cocktail of medicines. That way I could come here at my leisure. The only problem was it was taking too long. I needed money and the old lady’s such a tightwad.”
“The old lady? Are you calling Elizabeth a tightwad?” Garnet demanded.
“Yes, I am. She doesn’t like to part with a penny even though she has more money than she knows what to do with!” Stan spat out.
Gerdie gasped.
“Did you ever ask her for money?” Garnet asked, recalling the time Elizabeth had been upset after a telephone conversation.
“Sure did. She said I could have it and then changed her mind. Now I’ve got problems like you wouldn’t believe!”
“So when she wouldn’t give you the money, you hit her over the head with the vase and she had the heart attack!” Garnet accused, her voice rising.
“No, she tried to hit me. With her cane. She held it up and told me to get out of the house. But before she could do anything, she dropped to the floor. Her head hit the table on the way down and the vase flew off and smashed.”
Garnet glowered at Stan. “And so you left without calling an ambulance?”
“Now why would I do that and ruin my plans? With Elizabeth out of the way, the house would have to be sold and I could have been the selling agent. Under my control, I would have had plenty of time to search the house and the ability to delay any sale at all, at least until I’d found the lost treasure. And once the house was sold, I would have earned the commission. A win-win situation. But thanks to you, none of that will be necessary.”
“But what about our engagement?” Gerdie wailed.
“Our engagement?” Stan snorted. “I only asked you because I needed you to trust me. Needless to say, the engagement’s off.” He laughed sardonically.
Suddenly, a voice called out from somewhere in the house. “Hey! Garnet! Hello!” It was Dan. Doors opened and closed and he called out again. “Hey! Where are you? I know you’re here!”
Garnet’s heart pounded. She looked at Stan and at the gun aimed at her.
“Answer him,” Stan hissed.
“I’m here. In the library,” Garnet called, barely recognizing her own shaky voice.
Dan’s footsteps echoed down the hall. “Garnet, I found out who drives the ...” His voice trailed off and his expression changed from puzzlement to shock as he entered the library and took in the scene.
Stan pointed the gun at Dan. “Put your hands on your head and get over there with the others,” he ordered.
“But ... “
“Now!” Stan shouted.
Dan obeyed and slowly took his place next to Garnet, his eyes round as they exchanged a look with Garnet.
Stan aimed the gun at each of them in turn, from Dan to Garnet to Gerdie. “Now, I’m going to leave and I don’t want anyone to follow me or call the police. Do you understand? I’m not working alone. If you mess with me, I’ll send my people after you. Are we clear?”
A fresh surge of fear rose up in Garnet. She nodded silently, afraid even to breathe.
But from Gerdie’s lips escaped a raucous noise, like that of an ancient war cry. She stepped forward and snarled. “You have no other people and you know it! You’re not getting away with any of this, Stanley Hunt, you low and despicable scoundrel!”
She lunged at Stan and tried to grab the gun. But he raised it high above his head. His finger touched the trigger and pulled. There was an explosion and a shower of white plaster rained down on both of them.
Dan saw his chance. He charged over and knocked Stan to the ground, straddling him. Grasping the wrist that held the gun, he squeezed tightly, slackening Stan’s grip. But Stan swiped the edge of the cross in his other hand against Dan’s hand, gouging it, and Dan yelped as blood began to trickle from the gash.
Garnet’s fear suddenly shattered. She rushed over and grabbed the arm with the cross, holding it with all of her strength, while Dan forced the gun from Stan’s grip. It fell to the ground with a thud. Gerdie swooped in and snatched it away.
Clumsily, she pointed the gun at Stan’s head and scowled. “Drop the cross and put your hands behind your head.”
Dan picked himself off Stan and inched over to the side with Garnet. Stan lay there panting, clutching the cross tightly to his chest.
“I said put the cross down and put your hands behind your head,” Gerdie repeated.
“You can’t be serious,” Stan taunted her from the floor.
“Oh, I am serious,” Gerdie assured him. “Do it, or see how serious I really am.” Her finger twitched on the trigger.
But before Gerdie could show exactly how serious she or anyone else might be, Ginger strutted into the room with the predatory footsteps of a lioness. The faithful feline circled Stan, who lay in the dust, stalking him, her tail lashing about and her back arching with all primitive instincts in full gear. She hissed at him, the enemy, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that she meant business. And before anyone could even blink, she pounced on his chest, her yellow-green eyes bright with anger, a paw raised over Stan’s wide, steely eyes.
“No!” Stan cried, instinctively putting up an arm to shield his face.
But it was too late. He screamed in agony as she sliced open his eyelid and cheek and clawed open the skin of his defending hand. Stan dropped the cross as his other hand flew up to protect his face and he rolled over, face to the ground. Ginger gave a victory yowl and scampered away, out the door.
“Nice work, Ginger,” Dan called after her as he quickly picked up the cross. “Time to call the police!”
14
The Lost Letter
Garnet pushed open the door of the hospital room, then nearly turned around. But it was too late. Elizabeth had already seen her.
“Look who’s here: our Super Sleuth,” Elizabeth said. She was sitting up in bed and all the medical equipment that had surrounded her a week ago had now been removed. Dan and Gerdie were seated on either side of her.
Why hadn’t Garnet realized before that Dan might be here today? He had tried to speak with her yesterday, outside, after the police had gone, but she’d just hopped on her bike and ridden away.
And now here he was. Dan got up and gestured for her to take the chair.
Garnet shook her head. “It’s okay, I’ll stand.” She’d do her best to ignore him, then cut her visit short. She gave Elizabeth a faint smile. “Sorry the lost treasure wasn’t exactly what you hoped it would be. I don’t even know why the cross is worth anything, but Stan sure thought it was important.”
Gerdie flinched at the mention of his name. “Quite honestly, I don’t think he knows why it’s worth anything, either. He was just going by what the letter said. If I’ve learned anything from this, it’s that for all of Stan’s manipulations, he’s not exactly the brightest bulb. But I suppose all that doesn’t really matter now.”
She sighed. “He had me convinced that we had to find that so-called treasure for you, Elizabeth, before someone stole it from you. He warned me to be careful of Garnet, that we couldn’t trust her.” Tears filled her eyes as she looked at Garnet. “It was his idea to leave you that note to scare you away.” Gerdie wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Garnet reassured her.
Gerdie shook her head. “No, it’s not. Stan was right about one thing: I was gullible and a fool in so many ways. I almost let him get away with theft. He took your silver angel, Elizabeth. And your jewellery. He took the entire box from your dresser. And the box with your financial information. He told me it was for safekeeping while you were in
the hospital.”
“Can she get it back?” Dan asked.
Gerdie nodded. “I told the police. They’ll get it back. They’re also going to have the bank go over all the accounts. And there’s a chance he may have tried to draw up a forged will.”
“A forged will?” Elizabeth made a clucking sound. “He would never have succeeded. My will is safe with my lawyer.”
“I did manage to get this.” Gerdie reached down for her purse and pulled out a yellowed envelope and handed it to Elizabeth.
“What is it?” Elizabeth asked.
“The letter we’ve been talking about. Stan found it in Clara’s attic. It might explain a few things.” Gerdie gave a devious smile. “I pinched it from him last week after we’d had an argument. You see, I was starting to suspect that he wasn’t the man he pretended to be.”
Elizabeth’s eyebrows knitted together. “Oh? What made you think that?”
“Things just weren’t adding up. A few weeks ago he told me that you’d given him this letter and asked him to help you, but he didn’t know where to begin. He thought that maybe I would know some places to look. I wasn’t to tell a soul, though, not even you since, he said, you had sworn him to secrecy and he didn’t want to let you down. I believed him at first.”
Gerdie reached for a tissue and blew her nose.
“But a few days ago, I overheard him on the phone when I was watching TV at his apartment. I knew he was having money problems. He had gambled and lost, and had gone on a spending spree days earlier, buying that BMW and who knows what else, the swindler.” She shook her head. “Anyway, I heard him say that soon he would be inheriting some money and that he would have more than enough to pay his debts. When he got off the phone, I asked him who had died.” Gerdie pursed her lips at the memory. “He got angry and called me a snoop. He blasted me for eavesdropping and told me to mind my own business. And so I did. I took the letter from his desk on my way to the bathroom. I didn’t trust him anymore and meant to talk to you about it once you recovered. Of course, I didn’t let on that I didn’t believe him.”
Elizabeth sighed and patted her friend’s hand. “I’m afraid I also fed his bad habits.” All eyes now turned to her. “You see, I trusted him, too, especially at first. I had no reason not to. So when he told me he was having some financial difficulties and asked me for money, well, I gave him some to help him out. It was only small amounts at first — a thousand dollars here, two thousand there. He always promised to pay it back soon and at first he did. Not all of it, but most. But it never seemed to be enough. He kept wanting more and the amounts kept increasing.
“Then the last time ...” Elizabeth paused. “The last time he asked for fifty thousand dollars in cash. He said it was for a friend who was sick and needed special treatments at a clinic in Mexico. It was a lot of money but I was a silly old fool and agreed to help. I took the money out of the bank and Stan came for it, and ... ” Her hand went up to her forehead and touched the faint yellow bruise. “Now I remember. I asked him who the friend was. Stan gave me a name but I was beginning to wonder if he was lying. When I asked him more questions, he became defensive and asked me if I didn’t trust him. I told him no, it wasn’t that. I was just curious about who the money was for. Well, he became angry, accusing me of reneging on my promise. He called me ’cheap’ and said that if I couldn’t find it in my heart to give money for a dying friend, then I was just a selfish old woman who hoarded all her money. I don’t remember anything else after that.”
“He never got the money, Elizabeth,” Garnet said. “I found it in your purse when I was looking for a key. My mother brought it back to the bank.”
“Well, thank goodness for that.”
Elizabeth held up the yellowed envelope and gazed at her name on the front of it. Carefully, she pulled out the letter, unfolded it, then, lightly with her fingertips, touched the words that Albert had written with his own hand so many years ago. She sighed, then began to read out loud:
18th August, 1942
My dearest Elizabeth,
If you are reading this letter, then the worst has happened. I shall never see you again on earth but in God’s heavenly kingdom. I am entrusting this letter to Charlie in the hope that at least one of us will return. Only God knows if that is to happen.
Since my father has passed on and so have I, there is something you must know. My father prepared a place for the treasure I once spoke of that belonged to my mother and her mother before her. That is what he was speaking of before his death.
Behold the angel. The princess watches over. Have faith, Elizabeth, more precious than gold refined by fire. In time you will discover the key that leads to the cross. Believe like Thomas. In doing so, you will discover the priceless heirloom, worth more than you could ever imagine. I cannot say more lest this letter should fall into the wrong hands (by this I mean the enemy who killed my grandfather).
Remember, my sweet, darling Elizabeth, that I shall always love you. Though our time was short, you will be forever in my heart. Be happy and may God grant you a long and wonderful life.
Until we meet again, with all my love, Your Albert
Elizabeth closed her eyes and tears began to roll down her cheeks. She set the letter on the tray and pulled off her glasses to wipe her tears away. Garnet felt her throat tighten and Dan looked down at the floor.
Gerdie began to cry. “I’m so sorry,” she said softly.
Elizabeth said nothing at first, lost in her thoughts, but after a few moments she put on her glasses and cleared her throat. “Albert told me his father’s pet name for his mother was ’Princess.’ It’s engraved in my locket. What he wrote here was his way of trying to provide additional clues, most of which I think you two have already uncovered. “But this part here ...” She pointed to a line in the letter.
“Where?” Garnet asked, leaning in to see.
“These words: ’Believe like Thomas.’ Reginald mentioned something about Thomas, too, but I don’t understand. If he meant Thomas in the Bible, he was a doubter until Jesus proved to him that he was alive.” Elizabeth looked around at everyone as though she expected an answer, but no one had any to offer. “Just what does this cross look like?” she asked.
“I should have brought it with me,” Garnet said. “It’s made of wood and has a silver Jesus nailed to it. It’s nice, but I don’t know why it’s so important. I didn’t see any markings on it or anything.”
“Where is it now?” Elizabeth asked.
“After the police were done, I locked it back into the iron box in the mantel and took the key,” Garnet said, patting the front pocket of her jeans. “I can get it for you, if you want.”
“Maybe we should look up the story of Thomas and see if we can figure anything out,” Dan suggested, looking over at Garnet.
“Sure,” Garnet mumbled. She gave a quick shrug and glanced away.
Elizabeth observed the exchange between the two. “Not to worry. There’s really no rush. The doctor told me this morning that I’ll likely be going home in a couple of days. We can see to it then.”
“A couple of days? That’s great!” Garnet exclaimed.
“The sooner, the better,” said a voice from across the room. Elizabeth’s roommate had just hobbled back in. She was fully dressed and her overnight bag lay packed and ready to go on her bed. “I’m going in a few minutes and though I’m sad to abandon my new friend, I’m very happy to leave here.” Anna poured herself some water from the plastic pitcher and raised the cup in their direction. “Cheers. To our health and to going home.”
“Cheers,” Elizabeth replied, raising a cup of apple juice.
The women smiled at each other, then Elizabeth turned her attention back to Garnet. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, dear, did your mother ever have any luck finding her father?”
“Sort of. She found out he’s dead,” Garnet replied. She decided not to add the part about him being a criminal.
“Oh, I’m sorry. That’s too bad,” E
lizabeth said. “What did you say his name was?”
“I don’t know if I ever did, but it was Serge St. Jean.”
“Serge St. Jean,” Elizabeth repeated and frowned. “Hmm. That name sounds oddly familiar. Was he from around here?”
But before Garnet could answer, Anna began to cough and sputter as she choked on her water.
“Are you all right?” Elizabeth asked with concern.
Anna nodded. Her face was red but she managed to get her cough under control. “I’m fine,” she said weakly and cleared her throat. “It’s just ... that name. I haven’t heard it in a very long time.”
“That name?” Elizabeth said.
Anna nodded.
“You mean Serge St. Jean? You knew him?” Garnet felt as though the floor was about to open beneath her.
“Yes, I knew him,” Anna said, her French accent suddenly more pronounced. “Serge was trouble. Only trouble.”
15
Strange Coincidence
“He was my brother,” Anna explained. “Or should I say, my half-brother. He was older than me and, as my mother often said, was a lot like our father. A charmer, especially with the ladies, but a drunk, always getting into fights and very difficult to get along with, especially if you had to live with him. He had a crazy obsession to get back something he believed belonged to our family.”
“What was it?” Garnet asked, stepping closer.
“Some jewels. Sapphires and diamonds or something.” Anna waved a disinterested hand. “It is a long story that goes back to our family in Russia.”
The Jewels of Sofia Tate Page 15
