Jolly Dead St. Nicholas (38 page)

His mouth turned down as though in distaste. “That’s an ugly term. I just helped them out of a few tight spots. I guess they forgot the part about paying me back.”

“Do the casino owners know you’ve got this little sideline business going?” Adelaide reached behind her, grasping the doorknob.

“You gonna tattle on me, Mrs. McBride?”

Adelaide felt an icy finger rake up her spine. “How do you know my name?” They hadn’t exchanged pleasantries when he’d hustled her into the office.

“I know a lot about the influential people in your little town.” His gaze became frostier. His mouth was now set in a firm line. He was an imposing figure in an expensive looking silk suit she now realized was cut to accommodate the shoulder holster he no doubt was wearing. As though wanting her to know this, he unbuttoned the suit jacket, pushing the sides back as he put his large, rough looking hands on his narrow hips. She could see the gun resting in the holster just under his left armpit.

Adelaide felt her face grow hot. “
You’re
the people who are trying to build a casino in Crescent Falls!”

“Oh, we’re coming, Mrs. McBride. Get used to it.” He came around the desk in long, determined strides.

Adelaide turned to flee. She felt fear coil around her insides. “You can’t keep me here against my will.” She fumbled with the doorknob, expecting it to be locked. Instead it turned easily in her hand.

He was suddenly behind her, his body brushing against hers. “Allow me.” He opened the door for her with a flourish. “By the way, my name is Bruno.”

Cool air rushed in along with the noises from the casino. She felt a sense of relief that made her dizzy. “Thugs like you will never get a foothold in Crescent Falls…Bruno,” she said over her shoulder as the hurried down the dimly lit hallway.

“We already have,” he called after her.

She glanced back in time to see him close the door, but she didn’t miss the smug grin on his face.

Exiting the hallway, Adelaide ran right into Dora Carmody and Gayle Nelson.

Dora squinted into the dingy hallway. “What were you doing back there, Adelaide?”

Clutching her purse to her chest, Adelaide kept walking. The two women followed.

“We’re going to take a break, maybe go down to the mall. We figured that’s where you’d be,” Gayle said.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Dora observed. “Slow down, no one is chasing you.”

I wouldn’t bet on that. That man was frightening, but not as scary as the information he shared with me. I have to call Luke Fagan and tell him what I’ve found out.

Adelaide turned quickly around almost causing the two women to run into her. They skillfully sidestepped. “I was trying to find the restroom. I got lost. I’ll meet you downstairs.” She spotted the large red sign nearby that read
Restrooms
. They were located in another hallway, this one brightly lit. She trotted off in that direction before Dora or Gayle could reply. Glancing back, she saw that her two friends were heading toward the main passageway leading to the escalators.

Once inside the restroom, Adelaide used her cell phone to call Luke Fagan. “I know the Grand Jury came back with an indictment against Douglas Underwood yesterday, but I’ve found out that another person had reason to steal church money and kill Jerry Hatfield,” she said breathlessly, once he answered.

“Do you have any evidence?”

Since she’d already told him during their phone conversation last night about the argument she’d seen between Brenda and the man on Friday night, she quickly revealed what she’d learned from that man, Bruno, today at the casino. “I just need more time to put the pieces together. Has anyone seen Brenda?”

“We have an APB out for her. We got the security footage from Daniel’s parking lot. It’s grainy, but it clearly shows someone tampering with his truck. There’s no clear face shot but I took my laptop to the hospital so Daniel could look at the sequence. He says it’s Brenda. She’s wearing a stocking cap he recognized as one of his and you can see light hair sticking out in the back.”

“All stocking caps look pretty much alike,” Adelaide said doubtfully.

“Maybe, but this one has a patch sewn on one side—something to do with Yellowstone National Park.”

Adelaide felt almost elated. “He got that years ago when we went there on vacation. I didn’t realize he still had it.”

“I spoke with Brenda’s parents. They haven’t heard from her for several days.”

“That’s what they told me, also,” Adelaide told him.

“When did you talk to them?”

“Yesterday.”

“We also confiscated the computer from the church office. Alex Shane is examining it.”

Frustration welled up inside of Adelaide, along with a sense of urgency. “We need more time to tie her to Jerry’s murder, Luke!”

“I’m sorry, Adelaide, but you know as well as I do that the DA isn’t going to ask the Grand Jury to withdraw his indictment on this kind of speculation. So she owes money to some loan shark. These days, that’s not so uncommon with the economy being what it is.”

Adelaide glanced at her watch. “But I think I know how she got access to the money.” She could hear him sigh on the other end of the line. She realized she must sound like some kind of nut, yammering on with no real proof to back up her insinuations. Also, fear for her son was gnawing at her insides like some relentless parasite. “Look, Luke, I’m stuck here in Columbus until four o’clock, then it will be a two-and-a-half hour drive back to Crescent Falls, which means I won’t be home until around six or six-thirty depending on traffic. Please watch Daniel carefully. Who knows what frame of mind Brenda is in right now.”

Because of an accident on the Interstate, which had their side of the road down to one lane, Adelaide didn’t arrive home until seven forty-five. Exhaustion tugged at her, yet her nerves were like live wires jumping under her skin. She’d found it difficult to get through the rest of the afternoon at the casino. The bus ride had been like torture. She’d called Daniel three times during the trip, just to make sure he was all right.

“Luke is here,” he told her during their third conversation. “We’re trying to piece some other things together. The tech guys at the Marietta PD were able to enhance the security footage. It’s Brenda, so we’ve got her for attempted murder.” His voice had sounded hollow, even tremulous at times.

“I’m so sorry, Daniel,” she’d said. “I’m afraid there may be other charges against her down the road.”

“Luke told me what you discovered.”

“Well, there’s more, but it is just conjecture so far. I need time to sit down and think things through. I’m hoping to do that tonight, after I get home.”

Unlocking her front door, she stepped into the dark foyer. “I could have sworn I left a light on,” she muttered. Then she realized something else. Oscar wasn’t meowing around her ankles as he usually did when she was gone for a long time. She took off her coat, draping it and her purse over the newel post at the bottom of the stairs.

She stood very still, listening to the sounds of the house. “Oscar? Kitty-kitty?” She flipped up the light switch on the wall beside the door, which should have thrown the foyer into a muted glow from the chandelier hanging above. Darkness still prevailed.

Feeling nervous, she carefully advanced through the foyer, down the short hallway, emerging into the kitchen. A vapor light in the alley running beside the house shone in the kitchen window, chasing away some of the gloom. Still, shadows gathered in each corner, like unwelcome intruders waiting to pounce. From the other side of the basement door, she heard a weak meow.

“Oscar!” Fumbling with the knob, she finally pulled the door open. If she expected to see her gray tabby sitting on the top step she was sorely disappointed. She heard him though, from below, his mewing sounding faint in the distance.

“Where are you? Oscar?” She flipped the light switch on the wall near the top step to no avail. Turning to go get a flashlight, she felt a sudden pain in her shoulder. The next thing she knew she was plummeting down the basement stairs. Flailing at thin air, she tried to catch hold of the wooden banister but couldn’t get a good enough grip to stop her momentum. She felt pain shoot up her left arm and heard a bone snap. She hit the bottom with a thud, the unyielding concrete floor connecting with the side of her head. Straining to see, she felt herself drifting away into oblivion.

* * * *

Vernon Dexter drove slowly by Adelaide’s house. Her car was pulled up into the driveway but the house was dark inside. Not even the Christmas tree in the front window was lit. Again, he tried her cell phone, but his call went directly to voicemail. Pulling in behind Adelaide’s Camry, he hurried up the porch steps and banged on the door several times but got no answer. Thinking she might be at the Henshaws, he drove further down Hawthorne Avenue then pulled into their driveway.

Ethel answered the door promptly. Carl was close behind. The aroma of cinnamon came drifting out into the night air. “Vernon, I just took an apple pie out of the oven. You must have built in radar,” Ethel said cheerily.

“Come on in. We’re going to have some in a little while. We just made a fresh pot of decaf, too,” Carl added with a welcoming smile.

Ignoring the invitation, Vernon asked, “Have you seen Adelaide?”

“Isn’t she at home?” Ethel leaned out the door, gazing up the block toward Adelaide’s house.

“No one answers, but her car’s in the drive.” Vernon felt jittery. Something wasn’t right

“Maybe she’s out with someone,” Ethel suggested. “I saw her having lunch with Reverend Preston yesterday at Dora’s. It seems like they’ve been spending some time together lately.”

Vernon cocked an eyebrow. Did she think he hadn’t noticed all the attention James had been giving Adelaide recently? “Maybe I should check with him,” he grumbled. Hunching his shoulders against the cold night air, he turned and left.

Getting back into his Escalade, he turned right onto Buckeye Street. Unlike Adelaide’s dark house, the parsonage was lit up like, well, a Christmas tree. Cheerful multi-colored bulbs blinked on and off, somewhat muted by the sheers at the front window.

James answered the door after the second knock. He was wearing a pair of jeans with a red sweatshirt. Vernon didn’t dislike the man, in fact, it was hard not to like the jovial preacher. He did, however, take exception to all the attention he’d been paying Adelaide since his return to town. He could only hope that the district would find a suitable replacement for Douglas soon so James could be on his way back to Columbus.

“Come in, Vernon. I was just about to have some homemade cherry cobbler. Dora brought it by yesterday. I guess she took pity on me after I dropped a few hints Sunday that I missed home cooking.”

Vernon stepped just inside the door, but went no further. “Have you seen Adelaide this evening?”

Looking somewhat surprised, James shook his head. A frown creased his ruddy forehead. “I know she was going with that group up to the casino in Columbus today. Maybe they aren’t back yet.”

Well, you know more about her plans than I do. I had no idea she was going out of town today.

Ethel and Carl didn’t seem to know anything about this either. Vernon felt a flutter of concern pulse through him. “Adelaide doesn’t gamble.”

James smiled. “Oh, she had another reason for going, believe me. I’m surprised she didn’t share it with you.”

Obviously she shared it with you.
Aloud, Vernon said, “How about you share it with me now.” It wasn’t a request, more like a demand.

“Come on in, Vernon. Sit down. I’ll tell you what I know.” Once they were seated on the living room sofa, James got his cell phone out of his pocket and placed a call. “Dora? It’s James Preston. Where are you?” He listened for a second or two. “When did the group get back to Crescent Falls?” More listening. “I see. Well, thanks. No, we’re just trying to locate Adelaide.” He ended that call, quickly placing another. “Hello? Daniel? Oh, where’s Daniel?”

Getting up, Vernon began pacing the floor.

“Oh, I see. Is Adelaide there? She’s not? Oh, of course visiting hours are over. Have you seen her tonight?” James rose to his feet also. “We can’t locate her. Any word on Brenda?” He listened for a moment, then disconnected the call. “That was Dennis Ackerman. He’s guarding Daniel tonight. Adelaide’s not there. Dora says the bus from Columbus got back about forty minutes ago.”

“Something’s wrong. Adelaide’s car is in her driveway but the house is all dark. Why were you asking about Brenda?” Vernon had never felt so out of the loop.

As James explained the situation as he knew it, Vernon’s pulse began to pound so hard he could hear it in his ears like thunder. “We need to get the police over to her house,” he exclaimed.

* * * *

Adelaide’s return to consciousness was slow and painful. Her head hurt, as did her left wrist. She was lying on a cold, hard surface. Dampness crept through her clothing, causing her to shiver. A heavy musty smell permeated the air. She remembered coming into the dark house, being unable to turn on the lights. She’d heard Oscar meowing from the basement. She’d opened the door…

None of this makes any sense. Oscar never goes down in the basement. I’m sure he was asleep in his bed by the refrigerator when I left this morning. How did he get trapped in the basement? That must be where I’m at. What am I doing down here? I must have fallen down the stairs—no wait, I felt a shove.

Suddenly a bright light hit her in the face. Adelaide blinked against the glare. Someone was shining a flashlight in her eyes. Just as quickly the light went out and she was again plunged into darkness. But she’d seen enough to realize she was in the former coal cellar, a small room in the northwest corner of her basement.

Close by she heard someone move. A match was struck, its yellow flame illuminating a small circle around the person standing a few feet away. The match was used to light a kerosene lamp on the floor by the doorway. The eerie luminescence did little to brighten her surroundings.