“German, you say? Our Professor Johannsen would be the person to talk to. I’ll switch you over.”
“Thank you.”
“Professor Johannsen. May I help you?” The accent was definitely German, and I sighed with relief.
I gave him my name and told him what I was in need of.
“You say these documents and letters date back to the 1940s?” His voice sounded charged with excitement.
“Yes sir. Some of them are mid–World War II, but most are after 1945.”
“Very interesting. I would be delighted to translate for you. Can you meet me here in my office around one o’clock this afternoon?”
I calculated the time and decided I’d be able to leave the letters and be back here before Sarah got home from school.
“Yes, I’ll be there. Thank you for meeting with me so promptly.”
“Not at all. I’ll see you at one.” He disconnected the call.
I went to the kitchen, where Mabel stood over the chopping block cutting onions into quarters. She looked up hopefully.
I shook my head, wondering if I should tell her about the conversation with the man at the plant. I knew she’d worry more, but she needed to know.
“I’m sorry. I spoke to someone in his department. They haven’t heard from him in several days. Can you think of any friends or relatives who might know something about his whereabouts?”
“Yes. There was a couple Bobby and Carol used to talk about. I never met them. Now what was their names?” She thought for a moment, shaking her head, then her eyes lit. “Borden. Their last name was Borden. He was Tom, and she was Nancy. Will that help?”
“I’m not sure, but we can try. I don’t suppose Sarah would know their phone number or address?”
“I don’t know. I’ll ask her when she gets home from school.”
“Okay, but I’m going to call information. Maybe we can find out something before Sarah gets home.”
I returned to my office and called long-distance infor- mation, giving them the city and the names.
Soon, an automated voice said, “Please hold for the number.”
I grabbed a pen and sticky note and wrote it down. Then, on a deep breath, I punched in the number.
“Hello?” Expectation filled the woman’s voice.
“Hello, my name is Victoria Storm. Am I speaking to Nancy Borden?”
“Ye–yes.”
“Mrs. Borden, I’m searching for Bobby Carey. I under- stand you and your husband used to be friends with him and his wife, Carol.”
“Yeah. What about it?”
“I’m trying to find Bobby. Would you by any chance know his whereabouts?”
A short laugh sounded through the earpiece. “If I did, I’d know my husband’s whereabouts.”
“Your husband is missing, too?”
“I don’t know about missing. He and Bobby left here yesterday, three sheets to the wind, if you know what I mean. I haven’t heard from them since.”
Nausea gripped me. How was I going to tell his mother about this? And what could we tell Sarah?
“So Bobby was with you and your husband yesterday?”
She laughed, and when she spoke, her words slurred. “Bobby’s been here since last week. Came over all depressed. I couldn’t blame him much. That wife of his, dumping him and the kid the way she did.” She inhaled and, after a few seconds, exhaled loudly. Then wracking coughs assaulted my ears. “Sorry, these cigs are gonna be the death of me. Anyway, Tom bought a couple of six-packs, and that was just the beginning. Bobby went and bought hard liquor, and one thing led to another. They’ve been drinking for days. Like I said, I don’t know where they are. They’ll likely come dragging in sooner or later.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Borden. Would you mind taking down my phone number?”
“Sure, just a minute.” I could hear her scrambling around. “Okay, I’m ready. What’s the number?”
I spoke slowly so she’d be sure to hear it correctly, then had her repeat it back to me. I suspected she’d had a few drinks herself. “If he does return, will you ask him to please call me or his mother?”
“Sure. I’ll tell him.”
I went back to the kitchen. Mabel was seasoning whole fryers to roast. Dread and fear filled her eyes when she looked at me. “What is it? My boy’s not dead, is he?”
“No, no. Nothing like that. In fact, I have information he was alive and well yesterday. I’ve left your phone number and mine with a message for him to call.” I gave her a bright smile.
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t lie to me, Victoria. There’s something you’re not telling me.”
I never have been good at keeping secrets. Case in point, the way Mrs. Miller always got the family secrets out of me.
“Okay, I’m sorry. I wanted to spare you, but you’re his mother, and I haven’t the right to keep this from you.”
She sat, eyes straight ahead, as I gave her the information I’d gotten from Nancy Borden.
Tears filled her eyes, and she reached for a tissue and blotted them away. “Well, I didn’t expect this. I never knew Bobby was a drinker. I guess it just got to be too much for him. He was so crazy about Carol. Don’t know what I’ll tell Sarah, though.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine. He’ll get over this. It’s probably a one-time thing.”
“I hope so. Thanks for hunting him down.” She picked up one of the roasters and placed it in a large pan, then did the same with the other. She covered them both with the lid and placed the pan in the refrigerator. Apparently, the conversation was over.
“Okay. I have to run over to Springfield and meet someone on business. I should be back before Sarah gets here. If Benjamin calls, ask him to please call me back.”
I went upstairs to change. How much should we tell Sarah that would let her know her father was safe without thinking he didn’t care about her enough to call her? I said a quick prayer as I changed into dress slacks and jacket. I hadn’t been on a university campus since I’d graduated ten years ago.
I retrieved a set of the documents from my filing cabi- net. As I made the hour-and-a-half drive to Springfield, varying emotions fought inside me. Sadness and heartbreak for Sarah’s situation, and a tinge of excitement about the documents.
Chapter Seventeen
I pulled my van into the visitors parking area. A little overwhelmed by the massive campus, I went searching for the building that housed the Foreign Language Department. Thanks to a friendly young student, within a few minutes I was ushered into Professor Johannsen’s office. Immediately, the smell of furniture polish and old leather wafted up my nostrils.
The professor, who appeared to be in his late sixties or early seventies, sat behind a massive oak desk.
When he saw me standing there, he stood and gave a slight bow, then motioned to the wine-colored leather chair in front of his desk. “Please sit down, Miss Storm. I am Professor Johannsen.”
When I was seated, he returned to his chair. “You have something to show me?”
“Yes.” I reached into my oversize bag and took out the envelope in which I’d stuffed the copies. I handed them across the desk to him.
With a nod in my direction, he shook the documents onto his desk. He picked up one at random. Then another.
“Hmm. These two are merely receipts for merchandise.” He gave me a questioning glance.
“Yes, but I still need them translated. Please don’t leave anything out.”
“Very well.” He appeared disappointed. I hoped he’d find something that would interest or even intrigue him. If I was right about Clyde’s involvement in crime, I was pretty sure he would.
He smiled and stood up. “I’ll have my assistant give you a receipt for these and will call you when the translations are complete.”
“All right.” I stood, too, since I was obviously dismissed. “Do you have any idea when you’ll have them done?”
He frowned. “I have a banquet to attend tonight. I might perhaps have time
to at least start them tomorrow afternoon. But my assistant will call you.”
“Very well. Thank you, Professor.” I reached my hand across the desk, and he took it in his massive one.
I left the campus feeling like I’d been kicked out of his office. To soothe my feelings, I went through a coffee shop drive-through and treated myself to a caramel cappuccino.
I pulled into the driveway at Cedar Lodge at two forty- five, proud of myself for making good time.
Mabel was putting the chickens into the oven as I walked in.
“My son called.” Excitement filled her voice, and a wide smile graced her face. “A few minutes after you left. He’s fine. He apologized and said he’ll call Sarah tonight. He said he had no idea so much time had passed since he went to the Bordens’ house. He’s not used to drinking, you know.”
“I’m so happy to hear that. Sarah will be ecstatic.”
“He said he was going to call his boss right away and make sure he still had a job. And guess what?” Her face was radiant.
“What? It must be great.”
“He got saved this morning.” She put her hands to her face, but I could still see the tears that were raining down her cheeks. “I’ve been praying for him for years. This morning, he woke up on a cot in a mission. Tom was there, too, but he was still asleep. Bobby went downstairs to see what was going on. Breakfast was being served, so he sat down to eat. A man came over and began to talk to him about the love of God. Bobby said suddenly the words the man was speaking went right into his heart, and he repented right then and there. Then the man led him in a prayer to accept Jesus as his Savior. Oh, my.” She reached for a tissue then wiped her wet face.
“That’s wonderful, Mabel. God is so good.” I gave her a hug. “We were worried about what to tell Sarah, and all the while God was speaking to Bobby’s heart.”
I went up to change into my jeans, praising God all the while. “Thank You, Lord. Your way is so perfect. And You have all the answers. Thank You for the joy that little girl will experience today. Please comfort Bobby and keep him strong. And Lord, I ask that what You’ve done for Bobby, You’ll do for his wife, Carol, and the Bordens. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
When I got back downstairs, Sarah was in the kitchen, laughing and chattering like she’d never had a care in the world. I walked into the kitchen, and she stopped speaking. The look she gave me was one of total joy. When she grabbed me around the waist and hugged me tight, a strange but thrilling sensation bubbled in my chest.
“You kept your promise. You found my daddy for me.” She continued to hang on, and suddenly my arms wrapped around her, and I hugged back.
Finally, I leaned over, brushed her bangs back, and looked into her eyes. “It was really God who did it, honey. He just used me as a tool to get the job done. See how much He loves you, to do that for you?”
A look of awe washed over her face. “God did it for me?”
“Yes, for you and your grandmother and for your daddy.”
A beautiful smile appeared on her face. “Cool. He sure loves us a lot, doesn’t He?”
The phone rang, and Mabel, with tears still flowing, went to answer, then handed it to me.
“Hi, honey.” I knew from Benjamin’s voice he had some good news. “Guess who just turned up at Simon’s house?”
I gasped. “Miss Aggie?”
“The one and only. Fit to be tied because Simon had offered a reward for her. Said she felt like a display in a mu- seum when she was only taking care of some business.” He chortled.
I joined him, laughter bubbling up. Miss Aggie was safe. “Ben, that’s wonderful. When is everyone coming home?”
“Corky and I are leaving now. Miss Aggie is staying on a day or so to talk to the police about a few things and to visit with Simon. She plans to fly to Springfield and rent a car.”
“I have to go tell the seniors. Come by when you get to town.”
“Oh, believe me, sweetheart, I will. I can’t wait to hold you in my arms. I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too.”
I ran up the stairs and called out, “Hey, everyone, Miss Aggie’s fine and she’s coming home!”
Miss Jane’s door was the first to fly open. “What did you say? Aggie’s home?”
By then all the seniors were out in the hall.
“Did you say Aggie’s home?” Miss Georgina’s face was bright enough to light the whole house.
I laughed. “No, but she’s safe, and she’s coming home in a day or two. I just got off the phone with Benjamin.”
We all trooped downstairs and filed into the parlor, where they insisted I tell them about the call from Benjamin, word for word.
“Can you beat it?” Martin frowned. “Here everyone was worried half to death thinking she’d been killed, and she gets mad because her nephew reported her missing and offered a reward. Women.”
Frank winked at him and placed his arm around Miss Evalina. “Aw, Martin. Women are great. Especially my Evie. Maybe if you had one of your own, you wouldn’t be so snappy.”
Miss Evalina blushed and patted her husband’s hand. “Aggie is probably embarrassed that she went off without thinking. We all know she’s a little absentminded sometimes. But I don’t think she set out to deliberately make us worry.”
A tap on the parlor door drew my attention. Mabel stood there smiling. It was a joyful day in more ways than one.
“I’m leaving now, Victoria. I put everything on the steam table. The salad is in the refrigerator, and dessert is already on the buffet.”
“Thanks, Mabel, and I’m so glad everything turned out well with Bobby.” I turned to the seniors. “I want to say good-bye to Sarah.”
She was in the backyard giving Buster a farewell hug. They’d become great friends. In fact, when she was around, I might as well not be. And he used to be stuck to me like glue.
When I walked out the door, she came running, a big grin on her face. “See you tomorrow.”
“Okay, see you tomorrow.” When they drove away, I went into the yard with Buster. “Want to stay out a little longer, boy?”
I’d been making him stay in the yard in the daytime and in the basement at night. He was such a monster dog. An oversize puppy, really.
He rubbed against my leg, and I scratched his head. “Oh, why not? Come on inside.”
He followed me into the parlor and plopped down in front of the fireplace, tolerating the pats and affectionate murmurs the seniors poured on him.
A big grin split his shaggy face. My heart turned over, and I gave him a hug before I flopped down on my chair. What a perfect day.
I was waiting on the front-porch swing with Buster asleep by my feet. Benjamin’s truck pulled up and parked in front of the lodge. I ran to meet him and snuggled into his arms, welcoming the familiar scent of his aftershave. Buster nudged us once, then went back to his spot by the swing.
“How long have you been waiting out here in the cold?” He took my hands and rubbed them.
“It’s not that cold. Only fifty degrees tonight. And I’ve only been outside a half hour or so. The seniors were so ex- cited that they stayed up late. I knew you’d be arriving any- time, so I came out to wait. We can go inside if you’d rather.”
“Nah. Let’s sit on the swing. My favorite place.”
“Mine, too, as long as you’re here with me.”
We sat, and he pulled me close. I leaned my head on his shoulder. The world seemed so right when Ben was near and so wrong when he wasn’t.
“I thought Corky might stop by with you.”
“No, I dropped him by Phoebe’s. That’s where he left his truck. He’s probably still there.”
I laughed. “I’m sure. Oh, by the way, Jack Riley’s back. He said he’d been away on business.”
He raised an eyebrow and grinned.
“Uh-uh.” I put a finger to his lips. “Don’t you dare say ‘I told you so,’ because I’m still not convinced he’s innocent.”
He shook h
is head. “Vickie, Vickie.”
“Never mind. Tell me about Miss Aggie.”
“I don’t really know anything more than I told you on the phone. She was rip-roaring mad, though.”
“I hope she’ll tell us what’s going on. She didn’t go to Jefferson City merely to sightsee. She’s up to something.”
“You may be right.” He bent his head and nuzzled my neck, sending a thrill clear to my toes.
“Behave yourself.”
“I’m tired of behaving myself. Let’s neck.” A wide yawn interrupted his ardor.
I laughed. “I think what you need is to go home and get some sleep.”
“Yeah, I know. When are we going to finish making plans for the wedding?”
“Let’s talk about it when Miss Aggie gets home and this mystery about Clyde’s death is solved.”
He groaned. “It’s always something.”
I reached over and brushed a lock of his sandy hair from his forehead. “We don’t want an unsolved murder hanging over us during the wedding and our honeymoon, do we?”
He sat up and took my hand. “I guess you’re right. But I don’t even want to think of postponing our wedding day.”
“Neither do I, but I don’t think it’ll come to that. We may be closer than we think to solving Clyde’s murder.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean? Have you been up to something?”
“Not really, but I think the documents Laura brought me are going to reveal something.”
I told him about the references to Jack Riley in some of the letters and then admitted I’d taken them to be translated.
“I asked you to take them to the sheriff.”
“But I did. I simply made copies first. You know he wouldn’t have told us anything.”
“Does he know you have copies?”
“No, but what difference does that make? I didn’t break any law, and I gave him the originals, so I’m not withholding evidence.”
A muscle jumped beside his mouth, and then he chuckled. “No, I suppose you’re not.”
I leaned over and pressed my lips briefly against his. “Good night.”
Rest in Peace, Miss Aggie (The Misadventures of Miss Aggie) Page 16
