Rest in Peace, Miss Aggie (The Misadventures of Miss Aggie)
Page 19
I leaned forward. “Were the men ever apprehended?”
“No. I’m sorry to say, in spite of my attempts, they were never brought to justice. I recently discovered that Schmidt died of cancer in a hospital in Wales. I’ve no idea what happened to Heffner. He simply disappeared.
“For a number of years I turned my attention to finding the stolen goods and doing my best to return them to their rightful owners or their families. I’ve had some success, although too often the trail ended in the records of some concentration camp.
“I was especially interested in a group of emeralds taken from a very wealthy family in Berlin. I managed to find two descendants. A young brother and sister. They’d been living in a French orphanage for several years, since their parents died in an automobile accident.”
Miss Aggie sat up straight. “So this is why you wished to find the rumored Pennington emeralds?”
He sent her an apologetic smile. “Yes, I’m afraid so. The recent documents that Miss Storm turned over to the sheriff confirmed that the emeralds were indeed in the hands of Clyde Foster and your brother.”
Miss Aggie whirled and faced me. “What documents?”
I told her about the translations, and she nodded, smil- ing, not seeming in the least bit surprised. I would have expected some excitement at finally having proof that the jewels existed.
Mr. Riley nodded. “So, the jewels were at Pennington. At least at one time. But we’ll probably never know who has them now, if anyone does.”
Miss Aggie’s cheek twitched, then a smile curved her lips. “Don’t be too sure. I haven’t been on a sightseeing trip, you know.”
I coughed, spattering hot tea all over my lap.
Miss Aggie frowned. “Be careful, Victoria. You’re so messy sometimes.”
“Excuse me, Miss Aggie. I didn’t exactly do it on purpose.” I narrowed my eyes. “Do you have something to tell us?”
She grinned. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
We waited while she looked around at her roomful of friends, an expression of glee on her face. “You know, you aren’t the only ones who can investigate.”
Frank, a little miffed that he and Miss Evalina had missed all the afternoon excitement, emitted an impatient whoosh of air. “Would you get on with it, Aggie?”
“Okay.” Her voice sounded chipper. “I left the car in the parking lot deliberately, to throw anyone off the scent who might be following me.”
Martin rolled his eyes and snorted.
“Don’t you snort at me, Martin Downey. That’s the way the detectives do it, you know. She frowned. “But I didn’t know I’d left my cell phone, and the bracelet must have broken and slipped off when I got out of the car.”
Miss Georgina threw her friend a confused look. “But Aggie, who was tailing you?”
“I don’t know. But someone could have been. Whoever killed Clyde, maybe.”
I had my own idea about that but kept it to myself.
Miss Aggie shifted in her chair. “You see, I’d suddenly decided it would be a good thing to go through Forrest’s personal items. Simon kept them stored in his attic. Of course, he’d looked through them after Forrest’s death, but since he had no idea he needed to search for evidence of a crime, he could easily have missed something.”
Seeing her point, I nodded. “But your nephew and his wife were out of town.”
“Exactly. I could have called him, but then I’d have had to explain what I was looking for. And to be honest, I didn’t know. And I didn’t want to tell Simon I suspected his father of being a crook.”
I hadn’t thought of that aspect.
“Go on, Aggie.” Miss Jane’s eyes were bright with excite- ment and maybe a bit of envy. This sort of thing was right up her alley.
Miss Aggie leaned toward Miss Jane, and I could almost picture them when they were girlhood best friends, tilting their heads together over their teenage secrets.
“I took the bus to Jefferson City and stored my suitcase in one of the lockers. Then I jumped in a cab and went to Simon’s house. I didn’t have a key, so I had to break a window to get in, but it was easy. Simon really needs to put in a security system, and I told him so, too. I went to the attic and started going through boxes and trunks. But there were so many, and it was getting late. I retrieved my suitcase and got me a hotel room for the night. I didn’t want to stay anywhere nice, because whoever was tailing me would be sure to watch those places, so I went and got me a room in a dinky downtown hotel. I changed hotels every night, just in case, and stored my suitcase in the locker in the daytime.” She glanced around, her eyes sparkling. “It’s the most fun I’ve had in years.”
“But Aggie,” Miss Evalina said. “When the police found your suitcase, there was blood on some of your clothing. What happened?”
Miss Aggie appeared surprised for a minute, then laughed. “Oh. So that’s why everyone thought I was dead. I broke my perfume bottle when I got out of my car at the airport. When I picked it up, I cut my hand. Look.” She held her hand up. “It’s still not all the way healed.”
We stared at the deep scratch on her finger that had caused us so much grief and worry.
“I’m really sorry you were all so worried. I didn’t know you’d find out that Simon was away. I thought if you called and no one answered you’d think we were out somewhere.” She looked thoughtful. “I should have realized one of the kids would be going over to get their mail and stuff.”
I smiled and, reaching over, patted her hand. “It’s okay, Miss Aggie. You didn’t know. So, did you turn up anything interesting in Forrest’s things?”
Her lips tilted in a slow smile. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a yellowed sheet of paper, which she proceeded to unfold.
“This,” she said, “is the map that will lead us to the Pennington jewels.”
Chapter Twenty
Miss Aggie insisted on trudging the mile and a half to the cave entrance rather than go into the house through the secret room. After all, she didn’t want to spoil our surprise before Pennington House’s official opening day. So with the men loaded down with shovels and a pickax, we started off.
The storm had stopped, but a fine drizzle hit any un- covered skin it could find, and my slacks were drenched.
“I don’t know why we can’t take Benjamin’s truck,” Frank complained. “I don’t like this at all.”
Miss Aggie grabbed Corky’s sleeve and stopped, whirling around to shine her flashlight in Frank’s face. “I told you I don’t want ruts on the lawn. And if we take the back road, we’ll have to crawl through a barbed-wire fence.”
Frank scowled. “I’m glad Evie stayed behind. At least she won’t get sick, even if everyone else does.”
“Hogwash, Frank Cordell,” Miss Jane retorted. “Eva only stayed behind because she didn’t want you to worry. She’d much rather be here with the rest of us.”
At that, a sheepish look crossed Frank’s face. “For crying out loud, Aggie, will you get that light out of my face?”
She turned the flashlight, and she and Corky started again, leading the way with Jack Riley and Frank close behind. We all knew the way to the storage cave, but she insisted. After all, it was her property and her map. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I couldn’t wait to see her face, if the jewels truly were where the map indicated. Of course, if they weren’t. . .well, that didn’t bear pondering. Because if they weren’t there, then someone had already removed the jewels, and we’d never find them.
In front of me, Miss Georgina tripped, and Martin took her arm to steady her. Benjamin walked between Miss Jane and me, and I held tightly to his arm. I had a hunch Miss Jane held on tight, too.
Benjamin had suggested we clue the sheriff in, but Miss Aggie was adamant that it was none of his business. She intended to turn the jewels, if there were any, over to Jack, so he could attempt to get them to the owners or their descendants. If that wasn’t possible, they would be donated to the state of Israel.
“There.” Miss Aggie pointed to a marked tree. “The cave opening is behind these bushes.”
Corky and Benjamin held branches back while the rest of us passed through. The cave entrance yawned before us. I knew there was a drop into the cave.
Benjamin jumped down. “Corky, if you’ll help the ladies, I’ll make sure they don’t fall.”
One by one, Corky lowered us into Benjamin’s strong hands.
When he set me down, I glanced around. The cave looked just the same as it had the last time we’d been here. That’s when we’d discovered it had been used as a holding area for the contraband that had been passed through the tunnel on tracks to the secret office.
Miss Aggie turned her flashlight toward the corner nearest the tunnel entrance, then stepped over and looked downward. She turned. Corky had jumped down into the cave, and she waved him over.
“This should be the spot.” She took a deep breath. “I need to sit down. I feel a little faint.”
Corky put his arm around her protectively while Jack brought a wooden box for her to sit on. I handed her a bottle of water from my backpack. She drank, then replaced the lid, nodding to Corky.
Benjamin and Corky took turns digging in the red-dirt floor of the cave, occasionally using the pickax to break up extremely hard-packed clay. Jack, Frank, and Martin directed beams of light from their flashlights.
Finally, the sound of metal on metal rang through the cave.
Miss Aggie jumped up. “You’ve found it!”
“Now wait a minute, Aunt Aggie. We don’t know for sure.”
Corky bent down and began to dig with his hands, brushing dirt aside as he went. “There’s something here, all right. Benjamin, I need a hand. It’s wedged in pretty deep.”
Tugging and grunting, they heaved a heavy iron box out of the hole and set it on the ground in front of Miss Aggie. Silence hung over the cave. I knew I couldn’t speak if I tried. Was this the famous buried treasure? The Pennington jewels found, at last?
Miss Aggie looked at the heavy padlock. “How will we get that thing off ?”
Corky put his hand on her shoulder. “Let’s take it to the house, Aunt Aggie.”
“No, no. I don’t want anyone to see the house yet. We’ll have to take it to the lodge.”
With the heavy box between Benjamin and Corky, we trudged back to the vehicles, the going a lot slower this time.
By the time they piled into Benjamin’s Avalanche and Corky’s SUV, the seniors were exhausted from the walk and the excitement. I had to admit, I was winded myself. I scooted in next to Benjamin, and Miss Jane got in beside me. We both leaned back and sighed.
Benjamin laughed. “You sounded exactly the same.”
Miss Jane smiled. “That’s because Victoria and I are kindred spirits.”
“We are, indeed. Friends and companions in adventures unimaginable.”
“Yes, and many more in the future.”
I laughed. “But maybe we could wait awhile and let this adventure settle a little.”
When we got back to the lodge, I started the coffeemaker and put the teapot on, while Corky and Benjamin carried the heavy box down the outside basement steps. They’d knocked most of the dirt off, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
Frank headed up the stairs. “Don’t open it yet. Let me get Evie first.”
Buster nosed around the box, and I shoved him back.
“What do you need to break the lock? Will a hammer do?”
Corky pursed his lips and looked thoughtful. “It might. The hinge looks pretty rusty.”
Frank and Miss Evalina came down the steps. Benjamin looked inside my toolbox and found the heaviest hammer I had. Three blows later, the padlock lay on the floor
Corky put his hand on Miss Aggie’s back and gave her a gentle shove. “Go ahead, Aunt Aggie. Do the honors.”
She walked forward and fumbled with the hasp. She gave a little tug, but nothing happened. Turning to Jack Riley, she said, “Will you open it, Jack? After all, you’ve been searching a long time.”
He stepped forward. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Otherwise I wouldn’t have said it. Open the box.”
We all leaned forward with bated breath as Jack gave a tug and yanked the lid up.
A cloth of some sort covered whatever was inside. Jack smiled at Miss Aggie and motioned for her to remove it.
I’ll never forget my first glimpse of the contents of that rusty iron box.
A divided tray displayed what appeared to be diamonds, of every size and shape. One compartment held a matched set of necklace, earrings, and bracelet. Another contained three brooches. And the next, a diamond stickpin and cuff links.
At Jack Riley’s intake of breath, I looked at him. Tears were in his eyes. “I recognize all of these.”
Corky lifted the tray, revealing another underneath. Loose stones, which appeared to have been removed from settings, lay in each compartment.
Jack Riley’s lips tightened, as did the muscles in his face. An expression of agony crossed his features. “Let’s see the next one.” His voice was hoarse.
The emeralds rested on what might have once been a white velvet lining. Even now, after being locked away for so many years, the stones winked and sparkled.
Miss Aggie lifted the jewels out one by one and held them in her hand. She slipped the bracelet on her wrist, then held the heart-shaped necklace up to her throat. She put one earring on her ear, turning the little wheel in back until it fit. I watched, entranced, as she closed her eyes for a moment. Then one by one, she carefully placed the jewels back in the trays.
She smiled at Mr. Riley. “There, now I’ve worn them. Please try to put them into the hands of their rightful owners.”
With a tear in the corner of her eye, she climbed the steps and disappeared into the kitchen.
I glanced around. “You know what I can’t understand. If Forrest had the map all these years, why didn’t he retrieve the jewels?”
Mr. Riley nodded. “A very interesting question, Miss Storm. Perhaps Aggie has the answer and will share it with us. If not, then we’ll likely never know.”
The next morning we all met at the courthouse. The sheriff really needed a bigger office. How did he expect us all to squeeze in there? Somehow we’d managed, though. Tom had brought chairs, and we all sat in a double semicircle around Sheriff Turner’s desk.
He frowned. “I don’t know why everyone needs to be here. I had business with Riley about jewels found on the Pennington property and with Victoria about the break-in at the lodge.”
I almost snorted but controlled myself. I didn’t want to sound like Martin. “Sheriff, you know very well what we’ve all been through because of these jewels. And anything that happens at the lodge is of concern to all of us.”
“All right, all right. Jack Riley’s story checks out, and the jewels match the ones stolen from Germany and other countries in Europe. I’m prepared to sign them over to him and let him continue his work.
“Now for the other matter.” He fired a look at me. “You could have been killed. You should never let a stranger into your house.”
“She wasn’t a stranger.”
“But you didn’t know that. As it turns out, you’d have been better off if it had been a stranger.” He huffed and shook his head. “Christiana Baker admitted to coming here to harass her grandfather into revealing where the jewels were hidden.”
Miss Jane said, “But how did she know about them in the first place?”
“Seems her grandmother, Clyde’s ex-wife, told Laura Baker the rumored story of the lost jewels and her suspicions that Clyde had them stashed somewhere. Christiana got it into her head to get them from her grandfather. So she came here secretly. She says they argued, and as he turned to walk away from her, he tripped, hitting his head on the doorstop. She got scared and ran.”
> Benjamin, his reporter antennae up, leaned forward. “Do you think she’s telling the truth?”
Sheriff Turner scratched his head. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. She took a lie detector test and passed it. The death was accidental. Too bad she has all those other charges against her. I think she must have gone a bit crazy.”
“Yes.” Miss Aggie’s voice sounded faraway. “Jewels some- times do that to a person.”
“She’s out on bail. Her mother hired some fancy lawyer. He’ll probably get her off. I’ll be surprised if she serves any time at all.”
I shivered at the thought of Christiana’s wild eyes as she waved the loaded gun at us. “If you’re right, I hope they at least get her help. She obviously has a mental problem.”
Our business seemed to be over, so we left. Jack would carry the jewels with him when he left in a few days. In the meantime, they were locked safely in the bank.
Benjamin needed to get his article written on the jewels, so he headed back to the Gazette, while Corky headed out to Pennington House.
Frank and Miss Evalina got into their truck and left for the center, and Miss Aggie, who’d finally gotten her Lexus back and was pretty well glued to it, followed the rest of us home.
Miss Jane glanced at her watch. “It’s only nine thirty. We might as well go on to the center.”
Miss Georgina glanced at me, her eyes filled with mirth, and winked. “Oh Jane, why don’t we stay home today and play cards? I’m not in the mood for the center.”
“Hah! I’m going whether you do or not. I have other friends, too, you know.” She stopped and stared at my face, then glanced back at Miss Georgina. She took a deep breath, then smiled. “You’re teasing me.”
I threw a grin her way. “Turnabout’s fair play.”
She smiled. “You’re right. I’ve given her a hard time about Martin, not to mention the handsome Cedric.”
Martin snorted. “She don’t care nothing about that Cajun.”
“Don’t you think I know that? But he’s still handsome.” Miss Jane threw him a glare, then continued. “Oh, all right. I am sort of seeing someone.”