For Letter or Worse

by Vivian Conroy

  Delta put her phone away and returned to the others deep in thought. This was getting odder and odder.

  * * *

  After lunch, Hazel said she could run the store alone for the afternoon, and Delta really had to take Gran to the gold-mining museum. “It’s one of Tundish’s highlights, and you have to see it right away. Buy a few souvenirs.” Hazel grinned at Delta. “No objections. You need some time off. You’ve been far too busy.”

  At the gold-mining museum, with its authentic front and old mining cart advertising the opening hours and prices, Gran pinched Delta’s arm. “It’s been too long since we did anything this fun together.”

  Delta felt a bit of guilt that she hadn’t visited Gran more often or asked her to come here sooner. But she had been busy settling in and had thought Thanksgiving or Christmas would be perfect for family time.

  “Zach called me last week.” Gran glanced at Delta. “He wanted to know how you were doing.”

  Delta froze. Her strained relationship with one of her brothers was a sore point. Because she was a lot younger than Zach and her other brother, Greg, she had never been very close with either of them. But the general family dynamics had been supportive, especially of Greg’s athletic career and ambitions to compete in the Olympics. Delta had never known anything but her parents catering to Greg’s needs. Zach had started to feel neglected, and with his decision to marry on the day Greg had to compete in a very important contest, forced their parents to choose between attending the contest or Zach’s wedding. This had caused a lot of stress and had even driven a wedge between their parents, with Dad choosing to support Greg at the contest and Mom attending the wedding. When Zach had told Delta after the wedding that he was still angry because Dad should have come, Delta had snapped and broken off contact with him. He didn’t even know she had changed her life.

  Gran said, “I told him you were fine. I haven’t told him about the move and all. I think you should do that yourself.”

  Delta sighed. “I do want to get back in touch with Zach, but…I can’t forget how he tried to manipulate Mom and Dad over his wedding day. I know he struggled with them always being there for Greg and not putting as much time into him, but to play them against each other like that—”

  “He’s sorry about that.”

  “Did he say so?”

  “No, but he must be. Delta, you’re not a prosecutor after Zach. Or his defense attorney. Leave what he did to him. Be his sister.”

  “But I’m also Greg’s sister and Mom and Dad’s daughter. I can’t separate all that.” Delta pressed Gran’s arm. “I will think about it. Maybe I’ll send Zach a card for Christmas with my new address. But let’s not discuss it now. Let’s have a good time, okay?”

  “Fine with me.”

  Inside, they found Mrs. Cassidy at the reception desk. It was decorated with a painting of a gold-mining camp, people milling about with equipment, and a lucky man in the middle holding up his find. Mrs. Cassidy, in nineteenth-century dress, grinned at Delta. “Good afternoon. Welcome to the museum.”

  Delta said, “We’d like to have a look around. Hazel gave me the afternoon off. This is my gran. Gran, this is Mrs. Cassidy.”

  “Oh, the outlaw enthusiast.” Gran smiled and extended her hand. “Have you already found one in the family tree?”

  “Not yet, but I keep looking.”

  The women shook hands.

  Mrs. Cassidy asked if they’d like something to drink, but Delta told her they had just had lunch and were going to look around a bit first. They went into the room where a presentation breathed life into Tundish during the gold rush, with old photos and claims from the day. Then they moved on to the actual objects: scales, sieves, and mattocks stacked along the walls. A dummy was dressed up like a miner, and old guns told the story of violent robberies and double-crossing. Friends who had shared claims had turned on one another when the gold fever grabbed them.

  “Excuse me.” Mrs. Cassidy moved in and put a hand on Delta’s shoulder. “I’ll tell her a bit about the actual mine. Now you go to the front. Jonas is there. He said it was urgent.”

  Delta nodded and left Gran in the capable hands of the museum’s most tireless volunteer. At the reception desk, she found Jonas with Spud. “Hey, boy.” She leaned down to rub his head. “Where have you been? You missed all the excitement when we dug up the statue.”

  “I dropped him off with a friend this morning who has an anxious dog. She doesn’t dare go into certain places, and when Spud is present, she gets more confidence. A small thing to help out.” Jonas smiled down on his German shepherd. Then his expression sobered. “Guess what the sheriff found out about our handyman friend?”

  “I have no idea. Is he Sally Drake’s killer?” Maybe they could have established that from finding blood on his clothes?

  “Could be, but we don’t know that yet. No, it’s a real shocker. He’s related to Lena Laroy. He’s her brother.”

  “Her brother?” Delta echoed. “Does that mean he was at the party with her permission? But why as a caterer? Why not as a guest?”

  “I don’t know. It does give the impression that the two of them were up to something. Maybe Lena found out about the statue being in Sally’s possession, and her brother came in disguise to take advantage of the opportunity. He had access to the house and the grounds during the party, and with so many people milling about, he was barely noticed.”

  “On the other hand, the presence of that many guests would make it tricky for him to start digging for a missing statue. Or didn’t they know at that time that it was buried?” Delta stared at the floor, deep in thought. “The argument I overheard did allude to giving something, handing something over.”

  “See.” Jonas nodded. “Now the trouble is that he won’t talk, and she’s nowhere to be found. Maybe she fled out of state, even.”

  “Because she knew her brother was about to get caught?” Delta mused. “We assumed she was an innocent victim of the circumstances, who might even have been killed by that handyman, and now it appears they could have been in league with each other.”

  “We don’t know for sure, of course, but she doesn’t seem to be as innocent as we first assumed. We need to find Lena and put pressure on her to tell her side of the story. That brother of hers is tough and won’t crack under pressure. But she has a name and reputation to protect. Do you have any idea where she might be?”

  “No. Sorry.”

  Jonas nodded. “Oh well, you can’t know everything.” He turned away from her, then said, “I’m glad nothing happened this morning. When I took you to the villa, I had no idea we’d run into any kind of danger. It’s a risk I should have anticipated. I can understand if you’re mad at me.”

  “Of course I’m not mad.”

  “You shouldn’t have been there. Me, the deputy, okay, it’s our job, but you’re just a shopkeeper from town. If something had happened to you—”

  “But nothing did. And you are here now to ask me where Lena is. So, we’re still on the case, right?”

  Jonas turned to her. He shook his head slowly. “I don’t know, Delta. This could be getting out of hand. Where is Lena? What does her brother know? What were they up to? How does Sally’s murder fit in? We should be very careful from now on. Maybe…leave this to the police?”

  “What about your promise to Drake?”

  “He wanted to protect his wife. But now it turns out she was the one plotting something. There’s much more at stake than we knew when we started.” He took a deep breath. “Do you have any idea what that statue we dug up is worth?”

  “Fifty thousand?”

  “More like two hundred thousand.”

  Delta’s eyes widened. “Really? It looked like a normal statue, you know, made of jade, maybe, but—”

  “It’s a matter of age, provenance, heritage. This thing seems to have been in the hands of
a powerful ruler and was also made by a master craftsman, who left only a few art objects after his death. Sally knew exactly what to take from that depot. It was the most valuable piece they had.” Jonas thought a moment, then said, “Take care, Delta. Don’t go after leads by yourself, and tell Hazel and those crafting friends of yours the same thing. I don’t want any of you to get hurt.”

  He walked away with Spud by his side. The dog looked up at him as if he sensed his tense mood and wanted to cheer him up.

  Delta’s heart sank. It had all turned complicated, but they couldn’t leave it be at this crucial stage. Where was Lena? What was Zara up to with her interest in the precious statue? Her story about a neighbor having seen events at the villa this morning had clearly been a lie.

  How much had Drake known or suspected? Would Sally not have confided in him when she came to him?

  But she had tried to get a place in his firm, which suggested she was low on cash. So, had she actually stolen the statue for someone else? Her husband, Abe Jarvis?

  Lena’s brother?

  But how could Sally have ever gotten in touch with Lena’s brother?

  Delta rubbed her temples. She would write down all her new information. Perhaps if she connected a few dots, a clearer picture would emerge.

  * * *

  “I’m so sorry,” Delta said to Gran, “that I didn’t have as much attention for you today as I should have.”

  They were standing on the platform at the back of the Lodge Hotel, overlooking the lake with the lights of the houses and boathouses along it and the snowcapped mountains against the velvet sky. The moon was strong tonight, and the evening air seemed alive with the sounds of nature.

  As often when she regarded the beauty around her new hometown, Delta was filled with gratitude that she had been able to make the move from Cheyenne to here and do what she loved most: draw and develop stationery. Gran had made that possible for her, and Gran was with her now. Still, she had left her several times today to go after the murder case.

  “Don’t worry about it, Delta.” Gran placed a hand on her arm. “I know you have a lot to take care of here. And that young man, Jonas, is very nice, I heard from Mrs. Cassidy.”

  Delta groaned inwardly at the idea of the well-meaning Paper Posse women trying to pair her off with Jonas. “We’re just friends.”

  Gran nodded. “Of course. You need friends now that you’re building your life here. It’s such a nice, quiet little town, with so much history. Those murders bother me, though.”

  “They have nothing to do with me. I merely try to help out with what I know.” Delta pulled up her shoulders. “It’s a sort of intellectual challenge. I enjoy it.”

  “You used to be good at puzzles.” Gran smiled at her. “You always wanted to try ones for an older age group. And you could even finish them, because you were so determined.”

  Delta wrapped her arm around her grandmother. “I can’t believe you’re actually here. I hope you don’t mind I didn’t put you up at the cottage. But we have no spare room and…” Maybe she should have given Gran her own bed and slept on the couch?

  “This hotel is fine. Ray Taylor is taking good care of me.” Gran winked. “I feel rather flattered, at my age.”

  Delta grinned. “Ray can turn on the charm whenever he wants to.” She thought a moment and added, “I think he really likes Hazel. But she doesn’t want to give him a chance, because he’s been such a ladies’ man in the past.”

  “People can change.” Gran looked pensive. “But more often than not, they stay basically the same. It takes a strong woman to deal with a man who has been in the public eye and will get attention wherever he goes. If Hazel can avoid it…”

  Delta studied her expression. “Do you think it would be better for her if they don’t get together? You’re probably right. I have a soft spot for Ray. I know he’s more serious than people think. And he did have a hard time coming back here and sensing how hostile part of his own family was. He did patch things up with Rosalyn, a bit, but… I guess it’s not easy to run a hotel with so many different opinions. Rosalyn wants to change the look of the main rooms, with help of Calvin Drake, and…let’s say not everyone sees the need.”

  “This Calvin Drake seems to be quite a force around town. I heard he also made changes to the community center?”

  “No, that was done by those two ladies, Lydia and Clara. You can see it when we go rehearse for our part in the town festival again. Some consider it true design, others an eyesore.”

  Gran took a deep breath. “Delta—”

  Delta’s phone beeped.

  “One moment, Gran.” Delta pulled up her phone and checked the screen. An unknown number. She hesitated a moment, not sure she wanted to answer. But Gran gestured at her. “Go on, answer it.”

  “Hello?”

  “Delta Douglas?”

  “Yes? Who’s this?”

  “Lena Laroy.”

  Delta almost dropped the phone. “Lena? Everyone is looking for you. We thought you…might have been hurt.”

  “I need to talk to Jonas Nord. Can you bring him to a meeting place if I tell you where?”

  “Why don’t you ask Jonas yourself?”

  “I don’t have his phone number. I got your number off the card you gave me for the card-making workshop. Please help me.”

  The woman’s tone was anxious, and Delta bit her lip. “Where do you want to meet?”

  “There’s this steakhouse along the road to Boulder. It’s called The Bull Horn. I’ll be at a booth in the back. Don’t take forever. I don’t feel safe here. Bye.”

  Delta lowered the phone and stared at it. “This is really odd. Lena Laroy wants to meet Jonas at some steakhouse. I have no idea what she wants him for or… I should have given her his phone number instead of playing messenger for her.” She exhaled. “Well, nothing to be done about that now. I’d better call Jonas.”

  “You can go with him to this steakhouse. I’m going up to my room anyway. It’s been a long day.” Gran smiled at her.

  “I’ll walk you to the elevator.” Delta called Jonas as they went along. He answered at the third ring. “Yes, Delta? Is something up?” He sounded a bit on edge, and Delta recalled his instructions not to go after leads alone. Lena’s brother was a hardcore criminal who had waved a gun at them. Was Lena any better?

  “Lena Laroy called me. She wants to meet us at a steakhouse. She gave me instructions to get there. Can you come pick me up? I’m at the Lodge.”

  “I can go by myself. Tell me where it is.”

  “No. I’m coming. I have no idea what she wants. She played the helpless card before, and I fell for it, even taking her into my cottage. But she went through my sketchbook, maybe not out of curiosity, but on purpose. Because she’s been up to something with that brother of hers all along.”

  “I don’t think—” Jonas sighed.

  “Come and pick me up. Bye.” Delta disconnected.

  Gran looked up at her. “Be careful, darling.”

  The concern in her eyes tore at Delta’s heart. “It’s a public place,” she assured her. “Nothing will happen to us there. I wouldn’t have agreed if it was somewhere in the forest or…you know.” She leaned over and pecked Gran on the cheek. “Good night.”

  “Call me after this meeting so I know you’re okay.”

  “I will. But Jonas won’t let anything happen to me.”

  “And you won’t let anything happen to Jonas.” Gran gave her a knowing smile. “Have a good evening, darling.” She stepped into the elevator, the doors closed, and Delta was left alone. Jonas didn’t really need her to take care of him, right? He was strong, able, and he had his police force experience. Still, it was nice not to have to do things alone.

  With a smile, Delta walked out of the hotel to wait for Jonas. His Jeep breezed into the parking lot soon enough. He jumped
out and rounded the vehicle to her side. She thought he wanted to open the car door for her, but Jonas said, “I’m not taking you, Delta. Tell me where it is, and I’ll go handle it.”

  “No way. Lena called me, not you. Besides, we have no idea what she’s really up to. Why did she vanish? Is she afraid of Zara or someone else? Or did she know her brother was around with his gun and she didn’t want to be at home when he struck? She probably figured he’d get away with the jade statue, and his real identity, his relationship to her, wouldn’t get out.”

  Jonas shook his head. “That doesn’t matter now. Let me handle it. I know what I’m doing.”

  “I’m sure, but I want in on it. Please?”

  Jonas held her gaze. “Why? Because it makes a good story for your crafting friends?”

  Delta felt a little hurt, but saying she wanted to make sure he was all right wouldn’t make it better. He’d never accept that. “I won’t tell you the directions to the meeting place, so let me into the Jeep, huh?”

  “Okay.” Jonas opened the door with a sigh. “You’re really something.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Delta settled into the seat and buckled up.

  Jonas got in and started the engine. “Where to then?”

  Delta told him as they went. The radio was playing a country song, and she would have enjoyed this if the atmosphere hadn’t been so charged.

  “You do realize this is only going to get us in trouble,” Jonas said. “You should have told Lena to go to the police.”

  “Sure. But she wouldn’t have listened, and we would have known nothing. Are you not a little bit curious how much she knew about her brother’s activities? And how he got to know about the statue buried in the garden, the one Sally Drake probably stole from her employer?”

  Jonas shook his head. “If Lena suspects her brother killed Sally, she won’t tell us the full truth. She’s had time to think up some story, and she wants to sell it to us and then have us help her sell it to West. I’m not game for something like that. I want West to solve this case and avoid getting charged by Drake because Sally was killed near the house while West was present on the scene. If we somehow contribute to West being led astray, we’re helping the criminals in this case. Maybe we’ll even let a killer get away.”