The Hunt Ball (12 page)

Shaker noticed the clump first. “What the hell?” He quickly dismounted as Sister held HoJo's reins.

“I can't really see in there. What is it?”

He picked up a piece of cloak. “Zorro.”

C H A P T E R   1 5

T
he front moving through kicked up gusts of twenty knots, not enough to knock one down but enough to cut through a thin jacket. The cold was settling in along with the night.

Athena and Bitsy sat in the branches of a scrubby pine. Their luminous eyes observed everything. Both birds kept their backs to the wind.

Young Georgia, Inky's half-grown vixen daughter, huddled in the back reaches of her many-chambered den. She listened to the commotion at the wide entrance. This particular den, like an old pre–Revolutionary War home, had undergone many improvements over time. Hearing Sister's voice reassured Georgia that she had a friend out there among the other humans, but she loathed the fuss at her main entrance.

Given the grade of the topography, Ben Sidel couldn't set up tripod lights. Ty held a powerful beam, as did Gray Lorillard. Shaker was also pressed into service. Ben wanted foxhunters with him on this task. The only person he brought out from the department was Ty Banks, who had a real feel for police work.

Sister, on her hands and knees with Ben, pointed out the scraps of material.

Ben, wearing plastic gloves, carefully teased out long pieces of light wool, although most of the cloak, which Shaker first pulled out, was intact.

Shaker shone his flashlight right onto the spot.

“The cub has been working at it,” Sister replied.

“It looks like the fox was pulling it in.”

“She was. See.” She pointed to triangular holes at the edge of the cloak, the lining torn, the chain just showing. “This will make wonderful bedding.”

“Then why are other parts of the cloak outside the den?” Ben, like most foxhunters, knew precious little about their quarry.

In Ben's defense, he was new to the sport, but the majority of foxhunters do not study foxes. They listen to hearsay or read an article here and there. The only way to learn about foxes is to observe them, to live by them, although reading about them doesn't hurt.

“She took what she needed. The cloak isn't torn much,” Sister replied.

“M-m-m.” He started to reach down into the hole.

“Ben, don't do that.”

“Why?”

“Because the cub is in there. The reason Shaker and I came this way was to check the path and to see if the den had a new occupant. She or he will bite you, and believe me, it hurts.”

“Sheriff, you need prophylactic rabies shots,” Gray suggested.

“Too late now,” Ben grunted. “Ty, give me that flashlight.”

Ty handed him the heavy flashlight run on a nine-volt battery. Ben tilted it to illuminate the deeper recess of the entranceway.

“Nothing,” Sister remarked.

“How do I know this fox doesn't have more in the den?”

“You don't.”

“Then I've got to dig the critter out.”

“Shaker and I will do that. We can trap the cub without harming the animal or ourselves. We'll move her—I think it's a vixen—to another den. Shaker, how about that one in the apple orchard?”

“Yeah, that's empty.”

“Why won't she come back here?” Ben was curious.

“We do a soft release. We'll put her in a big hound crate, with food and water. We'll put the crate in front of the new den. Every day we'll check on her. The third day, we'll put fresh straw by the den, a little sweet-smelling hay, and a five-pound feed bin with a lid on it, a small hole drilled in the bottom. We'll tie that to the closest tree. Come nightfall, we'll open the gate. She might run off for a few hundred yards, but it's too good a location. She'll be back.”

“Why hasn't some other fox used it?” Ben handed the flashlight back to Ty.

“Oh, it was Uncle Yancy's and he's fickle that way. He moves around. If he were human he's the kind that would redecorate every year. You know the type.”

Ben laughed. “You know the foxes as well as you know your hounds.”

“Some. We'll pick up a fox on a new fixture or during breeding season, courting foxes. That's exciting because we're trying to figure them out. They've got us figured out.”

“How long do you need to get the fox out of here?”

“If you and Ty will go down to the house and wait for me, Shaker and I should be able to do this pretty quickly. The reason I ask you to go to the house is that she can smell you, hear you. The more people there are, the more frightening for her. She might fight harder.” She stood up. “Gray, will you go down with them and bring back the caller, the little trapping cage, and the heavy gloves? They're in the kennel storage room. Oh, bring a shovel, too. We'll have to stop up the other getaways.”

“Georgia isn't going to like this,”
Bitsy chirped.

“Sister's right, though, the orchard den is much better than this one.”
Athena heard mice scuttling to their homes as the wind was stronger now.

“Little apples are tasty to foxes.”

Athena, full of the devil, egged Bitsy on.
“While all the humans are here, why don't you give them a song?”

The small screech owl puffed out, warbling what she thought was a little ditty she'd heard on the barn radio.
“Since my baby left me—”

“Jesus!” Ty jumped out of his skin.

Even Shaker and Gray froze for a moment, then laughed.

“What the hell is that?”

“Son, that's Bitsy, the screech owl.” Sister had to laugh at him. “She lives in the barn.”

“Well, what's she doing up here?” He regained his composure.

“Bitsy's the social sort. She likes to know what's going on.” Sister enjoyed the little owl with her big eyes. “Sometimes she hangs out with the great horned owl. Bitsy's song might scare you, but Ty, if Athena ever flies over your head, that really will put the fear of God in you. She's huge and you don't know she's there until she's right on top of you. If she balls up her claws they are as big as your fists. Shaker and I call her ‘The Queen of the Night.' ”

“Hoo ho, hoo hoo.”
Athena let out her deep, soothing call.

“That's her,” Shaker said.

“These animals are like people to you, aren't they?” Ty, a suburban boy, found it all strange.

“No, they are what they are, but we live with them and respect them. They have powers beyond what we can imagine. This earth belongs to all of us.”

“Chiggers, too,” Gray called over his shoulder as he started down the steep path.

Once the three men were out of sight, Sister and Shaker turned off their flashlights.

Wind at their backs, they squatted by the den, the dark aroma of fox filling the air.

Neither one spoke for a long time.

Bitsy flew closer, landing on a branch of a young fiddle oak.
“Did you like my song?”

“Ha ha,”
Athena chortled, then joined Bitsy.

Sister and Shaker could see the outline of the two birds.

“She really is nosy.” Shaker had grown accustomed to Bitsy.

She'd emerge from the rafters at twilight. If he was still in the kennels, she'd perch on a branch or even the weather vane to watch him.

“She reminds me of my aunt, who lived in great fear that she'd miss something. If she were alive today I expect she'd be the first person to buy a wrist TV.” Sister grinned remembering Aunt Sian.

“Some people are like that.”

“Did you all like my song?”
Bitsy then broke into the chorus.

“Bitsy, for God's sake, have mercy.” Sister grimaced.

“Ha ha,”
Athena laughed louder now.

“I remembered the words,”
Bitsy said and prepared for another go.

“Save your voice, dear. The night is young.”
Athena appealed to the little owl's ego.

“You're so right. I hadn't thought of that.”
Bitsy ruffled her light-colored chest feathers.
“Winter's here.”

“Yes.”
Athena watched the two humans sitting quietly.
“They have owl-like qualities, those two. They silently watch. Neither one is quick to move until sure of the game.”

“Still think it's a pity about their eyes.”
Bitsy made a crackling sound with her sharp beak.

“We don't need them mucking about in the dark. They'd just get in the way. There's enough trouble with the coyote coming in and hunting at night. Imagine if the humans were out there with them. Between the two of them, they'd flush our game.”

When Gray arrived with the required items, it didn't take Sister and Shaker longer than twenty minutes to get the pretty young gray fox into the cage. One of the reasons, apart from their skill, was that Athena called down to Georgia, telling her she'd be better off cooperating and a much better home awaited her.

Upon seeing her, Sister remarked, “She's dark gray but not black like her mother. Bet she has her mother's intelligence.”

While Shaker settled Georgia into the big traveling crate, Sister met with Ben and Ty waiting in her kitchen.

Gray offered the men a drink, which they declined, but they eagerly downed Sister's fresh coffee. It might be a long night for them.

“I hope you can lift a print.” Gray sat across from Ben at the old kitchen table.

“Not much chance, but we can always hope. A better shot is a strand of human hair, anything like that, a spot of blood.”

Sister commented, “Whoever it is knows where the dens are. Has to be someone who has hunted with us for years.”

“Could be a deer hunter.” Ben had to consider every angle.

“Yes, it could. Donnie Swiegart knows where the dens are. Not that he'd kill Al Perez.” Swiegart was a local man who was as passionate about deer hunting as she was about foxhunting, the difference being that he ate what he brought down whereas she never brought anything down.

Shaker opened the door to the mudroom. They heard him stamp his feet. He hung up his worn buffalo plaid coat, then opened the door into the kitchen.

“Coffee?”

“How about green tea?”

“Green tea?” Ben's eyebrows raised.

“Lorraine got me hooked on drinking green tea at night.” He smiled. “You know, I really feel better. I feel clean from the inside out, sort of.”

“Better try it, Chief,” Ty said, suppressing a smile.

“What's wrong with you?” Sister directed this at Ben.

“Nothing. I have a little insomnia, that's all.”

“Green tea will help.” Shaker flicked the round black knob on the big gas stove.

“So will milk. Ben, you have too much on you and this county just doesn't give you and your department enough money. No wonder you can't sleep. You can only do but so much. If you don't take care of yourself we're all up a creek without a paddle.” Sister was sympathetic.

“Right.” Ty smiled shyly at the master, then glanced at his mentor and superior.

The fire cracked in the huge walk-in fireplace, topped by a wooden mantel, the ax lines cut in 1788 still visible. The kitchen was the oldest part of the house. The rest had been built when the federal style was prevalent.

Gray leaned forward. “Two Zorros.”

“Yes, it seems that way,” Ben replied. “Charlotte and Carter passed a Zorro on the way to their car that night, then passed Zorro again going in the opposite direction. They assumed Al had forgotten something in his office.”

“It's baffling. Al was in full costume when he was found, and now this.” Sister rose as the teapot boiled.

“Boss, I'll get that.” Shaker got up, too.

“I want one myself.”

“Go sit down. I'll do it.”

She returned to her seat.

“Bill Wheatley said there had only been one, the one Al checked out when I questioned him the day after the murder. He'd gone straight to the costume storage area to make certain the costume Al wore really was from Custis Hall. It was.” Ben tapped his forefinger on the table.

“Two Zorros,” Sister echoed Gray. “It occurs to me that while people thought they were seeing Al, they were seeing the second Zorro.”

“Possible.” Ben turned toward Ty. “Check out costume rentals in Virginia tomorrow. Might get lucky.”

“I wonder if Al knew there was a second Zorro?” Gray found this all disquieting.

“You'd think he wouldn't willingly go off with another Zorro, now wouldn't you?” Shaker was baffled.

“You'd think.” Ben dropped his eyes. “Like I told you last week, Sister, Al did not die by a clean snap of the neck. He strangled up there. Whoever killed him didn't or couldn't do it fast. And there wasn't a mark on him. No sign of a struggle.”

Sister's eyes widened. “An ugly way to die.”

Gray considered the situation. “Well, honey, if Al had been cleanly killed before he was hanged, that would be one thing. Actually, it would make this easier to understand. You'd think he'd fight like hell even with hands bound not to climb that ladder. Did he willingly put his neck in the noose or was he tricked into it?”

“He couldn't be that dumb,” Shaker exploded.

“Dumb? Or trusting?” Sister evenly replied.

C H A P T E R   1 6

“
C
areful.” Professor Kennedy's voice sharpened.

“Sorry.” Pamela, wearing thin plastic surgical gloves as did the others, placed an iron snaffle bit on white cloth.

As she arranged it, Felicity, using a digital camera, snapped photos.

Pamela started to pick it up.

“Pamela, where is your mind today?” The good professor was becoming irritated. “Tootie has to measure it.”

“I forgot. I think my blood sugar is low.” Pamela did not sound convinced by her own excuse. Then she laughed. “My father's sister says, ‘Got the suga', suga' runs in the family.' ”

“Does. It's more prevalent among us than whites.” Professor Kennedy leaned over with her magnifying glass. Finding nothing too interesting in the bit, which had been made in a mold, then sanded for smoothness, she indicated that it should be replaced.

Tootie thought the smoothness of the metal impressive. She tapped the small measuring tape, bright yellow, against her thigh.

Professor Kennedy brought out a pair of epaulettes. “H-m-m, color much better than I would have anticipated. Military uniforms were big business throughout Europe, Russia, the whole New World. When uniforms began to simplify, thousands of people were out of work. It's the little things like that that make history real.”

Pamela gingerly took the epaulettes, the hanging gold tendrils of metallic thread springing slightly. Professor Kennedy took them back from her and peered intently through her magnifying glass. She said nothing but placed them herself on the white cloth.

“Shoot?” Felicity asked.

“Yes. And then shoot upside down,
carefully
. I need both sides.”

Valentina, books under her arm, walked by as the bell rang. “Hey, I got out two minutes early. Hello, Professor Kennedy. I'm here to help.”

“Good. You can—” She didn't finish, as Knute Nilsson walked up from the wide hall leading to the administrative offices.

“Professor Kennedy, I'm surprised your eyes aren't red from mold and dust,” he joked.

“Visine,” she briskly replied, then added, “The cases and the objects are cleaner than I expected.”

“Good. Good.” He smiled broadly. “Mrs. Norton can't stand one gum wrapper on the floor. She runs a tight ship. Have you found anything that surprises you?”

Canny, she lied, “No. Not yet anyway. As you know, there's a wide range of articles here and authenticating some of them will take time. The dresses made in Paris, still lovely, aren't they?” He nodded yes and she continued, “Those of course are much easier because the French dressmakers to the aristocrats kept excellent records, measurements, types of materials. Many even made drawings, colored, too, to remind them of what their patronesses had ordered. Then, as now, no two ladies wish to appear at the same ball wearing the same gown.”

“Easier for us men, isn't it?”

“Today, yes. But can you imagine the layers for your full-dress military uniform? Gentlemen had batmen, dressers, because no man could do it himself.”

“How could they dance in boots?”

“They didn't. They wore their dress uniform but with silk stockings, expensive breeches, and equally expensive pumps. Society required money and lots of it.” She warmed to her subject.

“Still does,” Pamela said sourly. “My mother spends enough on clothes to pay for Argentina's army.”

“I'm sure she's quite beautiful,” Professor Kennedy replied.

“She is. Pamela's mother was Thaddea Bolendar, the famous model back in the late seventies. She made the cover of
Vogue
.” Knute, like most men, went weak at the knees at the sight of Pamela's mother.

Professor Kennedy, a woman and therefore far more sensitive to the mother-daughter dynamic, instantly appreciated the source of some of Pamela's unhappiness, for Pamela, a little overweight, resembled her father more than her mother. In short, she would never be a beauty, but if she worked at it, she could be attractive. Her sharp eyes took in six-foot-one-inch Valentina's unforced, athletic beauty, all that gorgeous blonde hair, those blue eyes. Then there was petite Tootie, standing right next to Pamela. Poor Pamela suffered by comparison, for Tootie in her way was every bit as stunning as Pamela's famous and spoiled mother. As for Felicity, she was simply pretty. One had to study Felicity before realizing how pretty she was.

Professor Kennedy smiled brightly at Knute. “My experience is that the children of highly successful parents, once they learn not to compare themselves to their parents, go on to become successful themselves.”

“That's an interesting observation.” Knute clearly didn't get it.

Pamela did and she brightened. “Really?”

“Well, yes, because success, regardless of career, can be broken into discrete bits of practice, if you will, traits, behaviors. Even though you need special skills for different tasks, jobs, there are certain things that cut across all careers. For instance, something as simple as determination. No one gets anywhere without it.”

“We've got that.” Valentina beamed and then in one of those moments of insight, underrated in the young even though they have them, she grasped Pamela's discomfort. “I think Pamela is more determined than any of us.”

Pamela didn't trust the compliment coming from her archrival, but she was glad of it.

Tootie, per usual, kept her thoughts to herself.

Bill Wheatley breezed in. Seeing the cases open, Knute standing there, he skidded to a halt. “Knute, I had no idea you were interested in our heritage.”

Knute teased Bill back, “Now, Bill, just because I don't go into a rapture over a ribbon doesn't mean I don't care.”

Bill chuckled, speaking to Professor Kennedy, “To tell the truth, Professor, I'm afraid few of us have paid much attention to the treasures in our display cases here much less to their manufacture. We're all so busy with our duties we forget to stop and smell the roses, if you will.”

“You've studied the clothes,” Knute contradicted him.

“Yes. It's been so helpful for costumes for plays set in the beginning of the nineteenth century. Don't know beans about the rest of it.” His eyes fell on the snaffle bit. “Valentina, Tootie, girls, this is right up your alley. And if you don't know, Sister Jane will.”

“The master?” Professor Kennedy appreciated the social grace and skill with which Sister had made her feel welcome at the Opening Hunt breakfast.

“She has ancient pieces of tack, bits, boot pulls, you wouldn't believe the junk she has in the barn or up at the house. She's got one old curb chain from the time of Charles I! When an argument broke out about the introduction of the curb chain, damned if she didn't bring it out.”

“A curb chain?” Professor Kennedy knew little about horses or their accoutrements.

“A chain under the horse's chin,” Pamela replied. “Sometimes they have a larger link smack in the middle.”

“You use them with a Pelham bit,” Tootie added, pointing to the snaffle. “Wouldn't use it with this.”

“Ah, well, as you can gather, the development of equipage is not my forte. I suppose I should learn the basics.” She paused. “Until Henry Ford made cars affordable, we needed horses.”

“Still do.” Valentina loved her gelding, Moneybags.

“Luncheon with Sonny,” Knute said as he checked his watch. “Professor, if you ever need help on sailing history, call me. In fact, I just bought a three-masted schooner, in need of T.L.C., but a beauty all the same. She'll be seaworthy by spring.”

As Knute left, Bill filled in Professor Kennedy. “He really does know a lot about sailing. It's his grand passion.”

“You certainly have a diverse administration.”

“One of the strengths of Custis Hall.” Bill checked his own watch, returning his gaze to the tiny lady. “Charlotte mentioned that your expertise is construction. We don't have much of that, I mean a few pegs and nails here and there.”

“That's where I started because that's what I could see, more material, if you will. But I have tried to expand my knowledge into the living arts, kitchenware, even clothing, although I would never pass myself off as an expert in attire. I can grasp the fundamentals and it's my good fortune to have many colleagues I can turn to for advice.”

“Interesting work?”

“I love it.”

“As you can see, we have a hodgepodge.”

“Yes, but there are items here of great cultural value.”

“And no one cares. No one cares who made that bit or how they lived.” Pamela's face flushed as she said this.

“People are beginning to care, Pamela. The past is always with us even when we aren't aware of it. Not knowing one's past is like being blind in one eye. You think you can see but you're hampered, deceived even,” Professor Kennedy replied.

At the word “deceived” Bill perked up. “Yes, yes, of course, I never thought of that.” He checked his watch again. “Well, I have so enjoyed chatting with you, Professor, and I'm always glad to see my four favorite students. Her Most High has summoned me and I must repair.” He bowed with a flourish, then disappeared down the administration hall.

Pamela's steely gaze followed him. She blurted out, “When I first came here I thought he was gay. He's not.”

“He's a fop.” Tootie giggled.

“Oh, let's just say he's theatrical,” Valentina said as she wondered how she'd look in the low-cut ballgown that had pride of place in the adjoining case.

“Ladies, there have been times in history when men enjoyed a greater latitude of expression in dress and behavior than they do now. Nothing at all to do with gender issues. Think of the drawings and paintings of courtiers during the time of Elizabeth I. Think of the drawings of African kings from the nineteenth century.” She paused. “But you see in those days the highest goal was glory, personal glory, hopefully in the service of one's king, queen, country. The goals have changed, and one doesn't hear the word ‘glory' anymore. We have become dull, efficient, dry—men more so than women.”

A moment passed while the four young ladies absorbed this, then Tootie piped up, “Not in the hunt field.”

Bill Wheatley walked into Charlotte's office, Teresa opening the door. The sight of Ben Sidel, in uniform, surprised him.

“Bill, sit down.” Charlotte pointed to a leather chair. “I'll get right to the point. The sheriff has found a second Zorro costume. He's brought it for you to examine and perhaps identify.” She paused. “Tell us why you told Ben you'd only made one Zorro costume. You told me two.”

Bill stuttered, “An oversight. Of course, I had two made.” He turned to Ben. “But you questioned me the very next day, the next day after that hideous sight. I don't remember one thing I said. Please forgive me.”

Ben, not a trace of his inner thoughts showing, said, “Were there two costumes when Al Perez went in to try one on? Did you personally see both costumes?”

“I think so.”

“When is the last time you saw both costumes?”

“The day Al tried on his costume. Before he came in, I'd gone back into the storage room for a bolt of gingham. I distinctly recall passing that rack, the outer rack. I'm sure I saw them.”

It escaped neither Charlotte nor Ben that Bill was sweating.

“Will you look at what we've found?”

“Of course.”

Ben stood up, picked a cardboard box off the long side table, and placed it before Bill. Charlotte handed over a pair of thin plastic gloves.

“Put those on, Bill,” she directed him.

As he slipped on the surgical gloves he said, “Just like what Professor Kennedy and the girls are using. Tight, aren't they?”

Ben indicated that he should pick articles out of the box. He held them as though they were soiled baby diapers.

“Do you recognize this?” Ben asked.

“Oh, yes, yes, my, yes. This is the costume.” He pointed to the chain, touching it with his right forefinger. “Charlotte, there's the chain in the lining.”

“Yes, so it is.”

“Sheriff, where did you find this?”

Ben hesitated a moment. “Near the hanging tree.”

“I thought you and your men combed that area.”

“We did but the animals combed it more thoroughly than we did.” Ben left it at that.

“I guess you're lucky the costume is in as good a shape as it is.” Bill peeled off the gloves, folding them in half. “I know Al's car was in the parking lot here the next day. We all noticed it. I guess you all went over it with a fine-tooth comb.”

“We did.”

Bill didn't ask if the sheriff had found anything important to the case. He added, “Al willingly got in someone else's car, don't you think?”

“Yes, I do,” Ben answered.

“Someone he knew.” Bill sounded sad, fatigued.

“It does seem like that. There were no signs of struggle on Al's body. No bump on the head.” Ben inclined his head to the side. “Is there anything you'd like to tell me? Anything else that has occurred to you?”

“No. I just thought about his car.” Bill paused. “Sheriff, why would there be two Zorro costumes? Who else is involved?”

Ben said, “I don't know, but I will find out.”

After both men had left, Charlotte sat at her desk, staring blankly at the silver tea service on the sideboard. A gift from the class of 1952, she loved the curving lines of the teapot, the burnish of the silver.

Teresa opened the door, peeking in. She started to close it.

Charlotte called her in, “Come on, T.”

Teresa closed the door behind her. “Charlotte, you're worried.”

Charlotte looked up at her. “I am. I am more worried now than I think I ever have been in my entire life. More worried than when I saw Al hanging from the tree. That was a shock. This is worry.”