by Lesley Crewe
“Let’s enjoy this, Juliet. We found it and the rest of them didn’t. We’re the winners, not them.”
“You’re right. Hurray for us.”
Later that afternoon Dahlia, Slater, Lily and Eli sat together on the floor in front of the fire in the library and tried to approach the treasure-hunting in a more organized fashion. They realized they were working at cross-purposes by doing everything separately. Four heads were better than two. Well, three heads really.
“Slater. There is no map. Why would she leave a map? She already told us it’s here. It’s not like searching a deserted island.”
“Where there’s treasure, there’s always a map. It’s treasure law.”
Lily looked at Eli, who refused to look back at her, the coward. “Treasure law? What the hell is treasure law? Are you an authority on treasure law?”
Eli grimaced. “Lily, leave it.”
“No, I want to know.”
“Treasure law’s awesome. It’s the pirate’s code.”
“And you want to marry this guy?” she said clearly, looking at her sister.
Dahlia snuggled into him. “He knows all about pirates, don’t you, Slater. Pirates plunder and pillage and kidnap women and have their way with them.”
Slater grabbed her hair and pulled her into his lap. “I love plundering…” He cupped her face in his hand and bent down to kiss her.
The other two stared.
“Excuse me,” Lily said. “There are innocent villagers here.”
“Go get your own pirate, Lily,” Dahlia murmured.
Eli got up and pulled her with him. “She’s right. Let’s get out of here. My timbers are shivering.”
Lily pouted as she was dragged across the room. “So much for trea-sure hunting.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that. I’m still searching for booty, baby, and I think I know just where to find it.”
She giggled. They rushed out the door and nearly careened into Aunt Hildy.
“Sorry,” they said together.
“That’s quite all right,” she said. “I’m only returning a book on astrology. It was a fascinating read. Excuse me.”
Before the kids could stop her she pushed her way in, just in time to hear Dahlia say,
“Oh, Captain Kidd! Don’t lash me to the mast. I’ll do anything you want…just don’t tie me up.”
“I’ll make you walk the plank if you don’t obey my every command.”
Aunt Hildy pulled the door shut quietly and leaned against it.
“I’ll say this for them. They keep themselves amused.”
Elsie couldn’t wait to get home. She’d had a bitch of a day at work. Mrs. Abernathy had been in. In spite of the list (3 “come back”/42 “stay away”), she’d let Mr. Abernathy come home. A week later she’d found him and the cleaning lady under the covers on their king-sized bed.
To top it off, Elsie met Harry for lunch but they didn’t stay in the café for long. He managed to persuade her to come back to his place. He said she deserved a little attention. Afterwards, she buttoned up her blouse and listened to him whistling in the bathroom. At least someone was happy.
Unable to cope with anything that night at home, she ordered three large pizzas and told the girls to divvy them up when they arrived. She had a monster headache and the usual chaos that swirled around her didn’t help her mood any.
Graham banged on pipes downstairs. She hoped it was to fix the hot water tank, but since she’d been avoiding him, she couldn’t be sure he wasn’t just having a snoop around. Her sisters seemed to be up to something in the sunroom. Their heads were bent together over a travel brochure and when she tried to join them, they shut it and clammed up. The girls were baking cookies in the pantry—making a horrible mess to judge by the flour on the floor—while Aunt Hildy entertained the boys in the kitchen with her story of the time she was on a ship that almost sank off the coast of China.
Slater hollered, “I bet pirates sank that ship. I wouldn’t put it past those dudes.”
When he began to tell everyone about a code for pirates, Elsie did herself a favour and tuned him out.
She’d started for the stairs when the front doorbell rang. She went to answer it, Flower at her heels. That’s when she noticed dog barf in the corner of the front porch. Perfect. She looked at Flower. Flower stared into middle space and pretended it wasn’t there.
“Not to fret, Flower. I don’t see it either.”
She opened the door and Mrs. Noseworthy barged in. “I have frozen runner beans for your supper.”
“That’ll go well with pepperoni pizza. Thanks Mrs. …” but the woman was gone, headed for the kitchen. Elsie almost had the door shut when she saw a subdued Robert approaching with a bouquet of roses.
“For me?”
“They might as well be, for all the good they’ll do.”
“Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll help. Women love roses.”
He gave her a weak smile. “These are for Juliet, remember.”
“That’s true. Good luck. She’s in the sunroom.”
He schlepped past her and disappeared.
“Everyone’s here,” Elsie whispered to Flower as they trudged upstairs. “Everyone’s always here.”
Finally in her room, Elsie took off her clothes and wrapped her old bathrobe around herself. With Flower at her feet, she sat at her dressing table and held back her hair with her hands as she peered into the mirror. “I need to make some changes.”
She sat for a bit. “Who’s going to care if I do?” She sat for a little longer and realized her bathrobe really was in rough shape. “I can buy a new one. That’s a start.”
Flower pushed her thigh with a flat rubbery nose. Elsie looked down. “Do you want Mommy to get a new bathrobe?”
Flower gave her a low woof.
“That’s what I thought. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m in dire need of a bubble bath.”
At the word bath, Flower tore out of the room.
Five minutes later, her hair held up in a big clip, Elsie eased herself into the heavenly hot water and closed her eyes. Maybe now she could cry. Maybe she could have one moment of privacy to let it all out.
There was a crash, followed by a bang, then a yell from downstairs.
Maybe not.
“If I ignore it, it will go away.”
No such luck. It came to her.
Dahlia ran into the bathroom. “I need a towel.” She grabbed one and took off.
Lily was right behind her. “I need gauze.” She left.
Slater burst in. “Dee told me to get hydrogen peroxide.” He looked around.
She pointed. “It’s in the medicine cabinet.”
Elsie started to cry—but of course, was interrupted. Faith wanted antibiotic cream.
Elsie had had enough.
“What in blue blazes is going on down there?”
“Stupid Robert tried to kiss Juliet and Kiwi went berserk.”
“Good lord. Is he all right?”
“Once his ass is in a sling, he’ll be fine.” She looked around. “You don’t have any of that sterile adhesive tape do you? And maybe a rolled bandage?”
Elsie sighed. “You may find some in my dresser. Bottom left-hand drawer.”
She heard more drawers open and close than was necessary. “It’s in the bottom drawer. On the left.”
Faith returned. She held the music box.
“What’s this?”
Elsie stammered, “Something Aunt Hildy gave me.”
Faith nodded slowly. “Oh really? She gave you something, but not us. I don’t think I believe you. I think you hid it. All that mealy-mouthed crap about having to share everything. You had no intention of telling us about this.”
“It’s not what you think. She gave that to me. I didn’t ask her to. She just did.”
“You’re a liar.”
Elsie leapt out of the tub. Faith screamed and took off. Quickly wrapping herself in a towel, Elsie made chase down the stairs. By the
time they reached the kitchen, Elsie almost had her.
Everyone was gathered around Robert. Even Graham was there.
Aunt Hildy bristled and rose to her feet. “What’s going on? This has got to be the most ridiculous family I’ve ever run across.”
“And you’re the head of it,” Graham pointed out. He handed a glass of brandy to Robert-the-victim.
“Elsie said for all of us to share the treasure and look what I found in her drawer. Liar liar, pants on fire.” Faith held up the music box for everyone to see. It glittered in the evening light that came through the kitchen window.
Mrs. Noseworthy hopped up and down. “We found the treasure. We found the treasure.”
Juliet looked shocked. She turned to Elsie. “Is it true? You tried to pull a fast one?”
“Mrs. B would never do that,” Slater warned her.
“Shut up. This is none of your business.”
Someone knocked at the back door and Flower raised the alarm.
“Oh for the love of Mike. Who’s that?” Graham grumbled as he headed for the door.
“Mario’s Pizza.” A kid pushed his way in with three large boxes. “Holy shit,” he said when he spied Robert. He took a step backwards. “Ah…that’ll be forty-two bucks.”
Everyone patted down their pockets but no one produced anything.
“Do I have to do everything in this house?” Elsie crossed the kitchen in her bath towel, bubbles still clinging to her legs. She reached for her purse and took out fifty bucks, handing it to the delivery boy.
“Keep the change dear, because you’ve earned it.”
“Thanks lady.” He backed out the door as fast as he could.
Elsie turned to face them. “I don’t give a monkey’s uncle if you believe me or not. Aunt Hildy gave me that box. I didn’t sneak up a heating vent or shimmy my way down the chimney to dig it out of the soot.”
She adjusted her towel. “And since you’re all here, I might as well tell you. There is no treasure, is there Aunt Hildy?”
All eyes turned to her. Even Robert straightened up.
“Tell them.”
“No. There isn’t.”
Everyone screamed at once. Amid the noise and confusion, Faith banged the table to get everyone’s attention. “You guys are idiots…there is treasure. And I found it.”
Now there was complete silence. “I found it and I’m keeping it.”
“Did you know about this Juliet?” Robert demanded.
She shrugged. “No…sort of…maybe.”
Faith turned to her sister. “Don’t be such a wimp. Tell them. Tell them I’m not crazy.”
Juliet crossed her arms. “She’s right. There is a box of treasure. We found it and possession is nine tenths of the law.”
“There is no we,” Faith shouted. “I found it.”
Elsie looked at her aunt. “So you lied to me? I can’t believe a thing you say.”
Lily spoke up. “Faith didn’t find treasure, did she Dee?”
Her sister agreed. “No, she didn’t. She found our costume jewellery. We hid it behind the wall. Remember when you gave us that old junk jewellery when we were kids, Mrs. Noseworthy?”
Mrs. Noseworthy looked worried. “I did? I don’t remember. Was that wrong?”
Faith panicked. “No. No. It’s in a box. It’s old and it’s full of stuff. It was behind the wall. I’ll go get it.” She put down the music box and took off like a flash.
Graham shouted, “Why do you let this old woman wreck our lives, Elsie? Why has she come into this house and turned it upside down? No one should have to live like this. If this is a hoax, I wash my hands of this whole business.”
“This doesn’t concern you anymore, Graham,” Elsie said quietly. “Go and live your own life. Aunt Hildy isn’t your problem now. Neither are we.”
Lily turned to her father and started to cry. “You always yell at Mom. This isn’t her fault.”
Eli took Lily in his arms and cradled her head. “This is very upsetting for Lily, Mr. Brooks. I don’t think you realize the emotional turmoil your separation has caused. And I don’t want to see her hurt anymore. I think she should come home with me.”
Not to be outdone, Slater grabbed Dahlia around the waist. “Yeah, this sucks.”
Dahlia nodded and looked at her father. “Big time. Everyone has ignored my wedding.”
Graham pulled his hands through his hair, looking like he wanted to jump out the window. “How come no one else can see what’s going on? We are all tap-dancing to a crazy woman’s tune. She’s unstable and yet you insist on believing every word she says.”
“You’ve been looking for this treasure too,” Juliet reminded him, “so don’t get all holier than thou on us.”
“I’m done. Do you hear me? Done.”
Faith rushed back with the box and spilled it open over the kitchen table. Everyone looked at it.
Mrs. Noseworthy picked up a brooch. “I wondered where that went.”
Faith looked at her aunt.
“I’m sorry, my dear. These aren’t my things. This is not the treasure I referred to.”
Juliet stomped her foot. “I don’t believe it. How could you have been so stupid, Faith.”
Faith looked stunned. The blood drained from her face.
Robert grabbed the table top, in an effort to keep upright. “Aunt Hildy, you just told us there’s no treasure. So what treasure are you referring to now?”
Juliet walked over and picked up the music box. “I suppose it’s this? Then why does Elsie get it and not us? How much is it worth anyway?”
Aunt Hildy gathered herself up to her full height.
“That music box was a gift given to me by someone I loved. I gave it to her in a spur-of-the-moment gesture. It’s the gift she was to receive upon my death. As I’ve told you before, you will all receive a gift. And despite the ridiculous goings-on here tonight, you will still get those gifts.” She paused and looked at Juliet. “I’m appalled that you would ask about its worth. Is that how you judge a gift?”
Juliet kept quiet.
“I’ve made very few mistakes in my life. And I have even fewer regrets. But I must admit, I do regret the mention of the word treasure.”
Everyone looked glum.
“Oh my, what a bunch. You’re all spoiled brats if you ask me. Fine. I’ll give you one more clue, but that’s it.” She paused. “You’ve all seen it.”
Juliet threw her hands in the air. “Here we go again. I can’t believe this.”
Aunt Hildy suddenly looked very tired. Elsie went over to her. “Let’s go to bed. I think there’s been enough fun and games tonight.”
“Yes. Let’s.” She took Elsie’s arm and gave them a brief wave. “Goodnight. Goodnight. Parting is such sweet sorrow…”
“Blah, blah blah,” Juliet grumped. “We know the rest.”
As Aunt Hildy and Elsie left, Juliet fell into a kitchen chair and looked at Faith, who was still in a state of shock.
“Snap out of if, Faith. Look at the difference. It’s obvious.” She held up some of the costume jewellery and put it next to the bejewelled box. “There’s no comparison.”
Faith nodded.
Mrs. Noseworthy pointed to her things. “Well, I think this treasure is nice too. I like it.”
Dahlia gathered up the jewellery. “Why don’t you take it home, Mrs. Noseworthy? It’s yours anyway.”
She clapped her hands. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Oh goody.” She picked up her box and ran out the back door.
“I’ve got to get out of here,” Graham said.
Lily scowled at her father. “And leave Mom with everything, as usual. Go then. No one cares. Least of all, me.”
Graham turned around and left.
The boys took the girls out on the porch swing. Faith, Juliet and Robert were left in the kitchen.
“What do we do?” Juliet asked no one in particular.
“Play Russian Roulette?” Robe
rt suggested. “I’d find it more relaxing than spending an evening with this bunch.”
“I’ll never get out of the attic,” Faith moaned. “My entire life is that hole upstairs.”
Her sister frowned. “At least you have a hole. We won’t even have that much, unless we find some money.”
Robert rubbed his cheek. “You can have mine. I have more than enough.”
“Oh, shut up Robert.”
Elsie was much too weary to say anything to her aunt. She led her up the stairs and to her bedroom door. “Goodnight.”
The final twist of the evening came when her aunt reached out and kissed her face. “That music box was a wedding gift to me from my lover. He died trying to get to me. He never saw my dress. Take back your man, Elsie, and spend the rest of your life with him. Do it for a woman who never had that privilege. Promise me.”
Elsie’s eyes filled with tears. “I love you.”
“And I, my dear, love you.”
Grabbing Elsie’s hand, she gave it a final squeeze and closed the door.
It was the last time Elsie saw her aunt alive.
Late that night, under a full moon, someone snuck into Aunt Hildy’s room. Hildy woke with a start, and perceived a figure standing over her.
“Who’s there?” She fumbled for her glasses but couldn’t find them.
“Where’s the treasure?”
“What?”
“Tell me.”
“I have no intention of telling you,” she said crossly. She squinted and saw a gun. “Well, that’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think?”
“Where is it?”
“Oh, I’ve had enough.” Hildy looked into the dark. “Go ahead. Shoot me. I dare you.”
Her last moment was one of surprise.
Chapter Ten
Slater wouldn’t stop crying.
It was morning by the time the ambulance left and the police were done with their initial enquiries. But investigators still roamed the premises. Everyone else wandered around in shock. Mrs. Noseworthy hurried over when the police cars arrived and made coffee for everyone. Elsie called Crystal in the first hysterical moments after she found Aunt Hildy’s body—when she’d run downstairs to get Graham and discovered he wasn’t there.
Elsie went into the sunroom and put her arms around Slater. He laid his head on her shoulder and wept like a child. She’d grown to love this kind-hearted boy.
