Deadly Traditions, page 17
Someday I’d scan all my books into an app so I could have my own library catalog. But who had time to do all that when they could read instead?
Or browse online about cold cases. Now that was a time suck.
Chapter 9
By the time I got to Santa’s Cabin, Portia was finishing up with the last family session. Mom and Micah were nowhere in sight. Bernard had a beaming smile. Unless you were a long time Happy Valley resident, you wouldn’t have known he was the backup Santa.
Molly’s smile, on the other hand, didn’t reach her eyes. There was a noticeable gap between her and Bernard.
I approached him first when they wrapped up. My guess was that Molly would stick around so she could find out more about Mr. Brown. Bernard was whistling “Jingle Bells.”
“Bernard, could I ask you something?”
“Sure! What about?”
“I’m sure you know Mr. Brown is missing and I’m helping Mom find him.”
“Playing cops now, are we? Are you sick of being the mayor’s puppet?”
I bit my tongue. “I think it’s to your benefit that your name be cleared.”
“Is it now?” He snickered.
“You’ve wanted to be Santa for a long time. So, who gains the most when Mr. Brown is gone?”
“Listen, young lady… ” His nostrils flared. “I may want to be Santa, but it doesn’t mean I want him dead. I just want the decision as to who gets to be Santa to be fair. Not because ‘it’s always been this way, Bernard’,” he said in a mocking voice, mimicking Mrs. Nancy.
“So, where have you been since 6:00 last night?” I took out my pen and notebook.
“I was home. As always. Supper’s at 6:00 on the dot with my lovely wife. What man doesn’t want a hot meal at the end of a hard day?”
“And after that?”
“We watched a movie. Then we went to bed. I volunteered at the Humane Society all day today until our beloved mayor dropped by to talk to me.” He rolled his eyes.
“What movie did you watch?”
“The Godfather.”
“So, your wife is your only witness?”
“Isn’t she enough?”
I almost said no. Bernard often praised his wife’s obedience. I ignored his remark.
“Why were you and Mr. Brown arguing at the grocery store on Monday?”
“Monday … Who told you that?” He glared.
“I saw you.”
“Did you now?” He cracked his knuckles. “You know what? I don’t have to answer any of your questions. We. Are. Done.” He stormed off.
I wished I had the authority to make him answer me. I stopped writing mid-sentence, fetched my phone, and texted Mom. Ask Bernard’s wife what movie she watched last night. NOW!
I’d have to interview her later (if he didn’t ban me from going near his house), but I wanted to, at least, get her to answer before Bernard instructed her what to say. I hoped I wasn’t too late.
Chapter 10
Molly was crying in Portia’s arms when I turned around.
“Where is he? He must be so scared!” Molly said between sobs.
“Did you notice anything unusual in the last few weeks?” I asked Molly.
She shook her head.
“Do you know where he went after Photos with Santa yesterday?”
“Probably home.” Molly paused. “No, wait! He said he had to go see Leroy!”
“He just told you out of the blue?” Portia asked. “I don’t remember hearing him say that.”
“You went to the bathroom. I asked him if I could drop off my homemade apple pie, but he said he wouldn’t be home for a while because he had to see Leroy.”
“Did he say why?” I added Leroy to the suspect list.
Molly shook her head. “I didn’t even think they were friendly. In fact, every time Leroy’s name was mentioned, he’d clench his jaw and have this intense look in his eyes.”
Trust Molly to observe all of Mr. Brown’s behaviors. But could she be obsessed enough to kidnap him?
“Sorry I have to ask you this, Molly, but could you tell me where you were from 6:00 last night until Photos with Santa today?”
“I was home alone, eating my apple pie,” Molly whispered.
“Did anyone call you or drop by? Mail delivery? A neighbor?” I asked.
Molly’s shoulders slumped. “I was all alone.”
“Oh, Molly!” Portia rubbed the woman’s arm.
“Molly, do you know if Mr. Brown has a cabin, a rental house, or a storage unit somewhere?” Since Molly was a Mr. Brown-know-it-all, she might have some intel.
“Not that I know of. He’s home most of the time. Why do you ask?”
I told her about the third key on his key ring.
“Oh, let me see. That might be my house key,” Molly said.
“Your house key?” I was puzzled. I took out the key ring. Molly got out her own set of keys. Sure enough, it was a perfect match.
“I asked Nicholas if he could keep a spare key for me in case I locked myself out. I didn’t want to use one of those fake rocks since everyone under the sun has one.”
Mystery solved.
“Is there anything else you can think of that may help us find him?” Portia asked.
“I don’t think so, but I’ll let you know if I think of anything. Anything at all.” Molly’s lips quivered and tears rolled down her face. “I just want him home safe and sound … Even if he doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
“One more thing… ” I watched Molly for her reaction. “We found the coffee mug you gave Mr. Brown?”
“The one with Mr. and Mrs. Santa on it?” Molly gave a slight smile.
“That’s the one.”
“He kept it?” Molly asked, eyes wide. She covered her mouth.
I nodded.
“Oh wow! I thought he’d have thrown it away for sure.” Her eyes twinkled.
“Can you tell us more about it? Like when you gave it to him?” Perhaps the coffee mug was the clue after all.
“It was his birthday. May 4, this year. I used a picture of us from last Christmas since it was the only time we had pictures taken together. I made a cake. Black Forest, his favorite. He mentioned one time that his granny made the best Black Forest cake for his tenth birthday. She died in a car accident the next day. That poor soul. So, I experimented with all these different recipes until I perfected it.” She clasped her hands to her chest. “Anyway, I went to his house, and he was surprised to see me. He was stunned when I wished him a happy birthday because he didn’t think anyone knew! He’d mentioned it one time and I took note. You should’ve seen his face!” She chuckled. “I pushed past him and took the cake and present into the kitchen before he could stop me. I grabbed two plates and sliced up the cake for us. A chocolate cake on brown plates in a brown house!”
She basked in the memory. I waited for her to continue.
“I gave him the mug, and he just stared at it, speechless. I went to get a cup of water, but he stopped me. He told me to drink from the Santa mug instead if I was thirsty. Said he didn’t want my lips touching his dishes.” Her chin trembled.
“Oh, Molly.” Portia gave her a tissue.
“I ran out of his house. I don’t even know how I made it home.” Molly dabbed her eyes and blew her nose. “So, I was shocked when you said you saw the mug. I haven’t been back to his house since that day, and I was certain he’d have tossed it in the garbage.”
“So, was it awkward having to play Mrs. Santa these past few days?”
“Of course, but I just pretended nothing had happened. I’m an actor after all.” She sighed. Molly was active in our local community theater. “I couldn’t stand the tension anymore. So, I thought I’d extend an olive branch and offer him the apple pie. If only … If only I’d gone over to his house … Maybe he’d still be here. What have I done?” Molly wailed.
“Molly, you don’t know that. It’s not your fault. Okay?” Portia said. “You’re in no condition to drive. Why don’t I drive you home? I can pick you up tomorrow before the photo session?”
Molly nodded.
I opened my mouth for one more question, but Portia shot me a look.
As they left, my phone beeped. It was a text from Mom.
Chapter 11
The Godfather, she wrote. Marlon Brando was so dreamy!
I groaned. Mom had a thing for Old Hollywood. Hence our names. My sister was named after Ingrid Bergman, and I was named after Audrey Hepburn, her two favorite actresses.
The movie checked out. But who knew if Bernard’s wife talked to Mom before or after Bernard got home? As much as I hated talking on the phone, I called Mom to ask. Too complicated to text.
“Did you find more clues?” Mom asked. “And what was all that about Lorraine?”
Lorraine. I’d forgotten her name, I remembered her as Of Bernard, similar to how the female characters were named in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
“I’m still investigating. I’ve talked to a few people and have some leads. Tell me, Mom, when did you talk to Lorraine and was she suspicious?”
“I called her right after I got your text. I slipped that question in. I was sure it was related to the kidnapping. So, I didn’t want to alert her.” She sniffed. “I may not read as many books as you do, but I’m not dumb.”
I gripped the hem of my top. “I never said you were dumb.”
She snorted. “Anyway, Lorraine and I kept chatting since we haven’t socialized for a while. She hung up when Bernard got home, and I texted you right away.”
Hopefully Bernard didn’t text her beforehand. “So, she didn’t seem to think that question was weird?”
“Didn’t seem like it. You want to tell me what this is all about?”
I gave her a quick update. “I’m going to talk to Leroy next.”
“Be careful of that nasty man! Maybe I should go with you.”
“I can take care of myself, Mom. Besides, you have Micah. How is she?”
“She’s fine. She has her nose in this big thick book. Just like someone else I know.”
I tapped my foot. I definitely did not get my reading habit from Mom, who preferred movies and soap operas.
“Does she still believe in Santa?” I remembered Ingrid’s order.
“Of course! Micah believes everything her Popo says!”
“Alright, I’d better go talk to Leroy before it’s too late.”
“Text me right after. I want to make sure you’re home safe.”
“I’m not a kid anymore, Mom.”
“You’ll always be a child in my eyes.”
My Mini Cooper was the only car left in the parking lot beside Molly’s and Mr. Brown’s. Since mine was right next to the street lamp, even from far away, I could see that something was wrong.
My tires. Flat. Both the left front and rear tires. I looked around, making sure there was no one nearby, and ran to check the other side. Both flat. I checked the other two cars and their tires were fine. This was no accident. I looked back and scanned Santa’s Cabin. No camera. I didn’t want to alarm Mom, especially since she had Micah with her. So, I texted Portia.
She came within minutes. “We should call the police!”
“It could be a prank, and Drew is busy.” If I’d called Drew, he’d want me to stop the investigation.
“You really should file a report.”
“I will. Tomorrow. Just take me home.” I yawned. “Wait, I need to talk to Leroy first.”
“Can’t that wait? You must be in shock.”
“The first 48 hours within a person's disappearance are the most crucial! It’s been more than twenty-four hours since Molly last saw Mr. Brown. We don’t know exactly when he disappeared. Besides, we need more leads. We’re hitting a dead end with our three suspects.”
Portia shook her head. “I don’t know why you don’t become a cop or an FBI agent or something.”
“You know I wouldn’t pass the physical.”
“You can train for it.”
“I’m clumsy.”
“Not that clumsy.”
“Let’s not talk about that right now. We need to talk to Leroy.”
“You always avoid this question when I ask. What are you afraid of?”
“Nothing.”
“I know you, Audrey. There’s something you’re not telling me. One day, hopefully you’ll trust me enough to tell me.”
“I do trust you.”
Portia sighed. “Let’s go talk to Leroy.”
Chapter 12
Leroy slammed the door in our faces.
I kept ringing the doorbell, and he finally opened the door again but kept the chain on. He yelled through the gap, “If you don’t stop, I’m going to tell everyone that the mayor’s office is harassing me. Let’s see what that’ll do to her election campaign!”
“And let’s see what the cops calling you a person of interest would do to your campaign,” I said. “We know Mr. Brown was coming to see you last night.”
“That’s a lie! He was never here!”
I eyed his camera. “We’ll see.”
He slammed his door a second time.
Knowing Leroy, he probably didn’t know how the camera worked. He wasn’t someone you’d call tech savvy. His grandkids probably set it up for him. His wife got several packages every day from the gossip I heard from Mom. And the theft of packages had gone up in recent months.
Portia had stayed quiet the whole time. “I think we should go see Drew,” she said as she started the car.
I stared down at my hands. She was right. Mr. Brown’s safety was more important than my ego. Only the police could help now.
But I was so close! I sank into the passenger seat. Deflated like a balloon.
We decided to try Drew’s house since he lived nearby. The lights were on. My heart dropped.
“What’s up?” He let us in after we rang the bell.
I took out my notebook, and gave him a summary of the events.
“And you didn’t call the cops when this happened?”
“I thought Mrs. Nancy did?”
“I didn’t hear anything about this when I went to the station earlier. Wait!” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Mother did call me earlier, but she only asked if Chuck and I were busy. I told her Chuck was sick as a dog and I had to go to the next town. She didn’t mention anything about Mr. Brown being missing.”
Portia and I exchanged a look.
“Can you still go over there to have a word with Leroy?” I asked.
“Let me take a look at your notebook.” He tilted his chin up.
I clutched it a little tighter before handing it over. Drew read in silence. Nodding often.
“This is really good work for someone without any police training.” He handed the notebook back to me.
“You should check who punctured Audrey’s tires too,” Portia said.
“Alright. Let me take over from here.” Drew yawned. “You go home and rest.”
“Call me if you find anything out from Leroy?” I asked.
“We’ll see. You know I can’t reveal anything if it could impact the investigation,” Drew said.
I nodded.
Portia drove me home.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to spend the night? I can go home and grab some stuff,” Portia offered when we arrived at my cottage.
“I’m sure. I promise I’ll call if I need anything.”
“You better. I’m here for you.”
“Thank you.” And I meant it.
Chapter 13
Even though Drew was taking over the case, I still wanted to complete my notes on Bernard, Molly, and Leroy.
Suspect #2: Bernard Barney – backup Santa
Motive: He’s wanted to be Santa forever. Said it wasn’t fair how Santa was chosen for the town festivities. Argued with Mr. Brown on Monday evening at the grocery store but won’t say what it was about. Mr. Brown called Bernard and Leroy “peas in a pod” after the argument.
Means: Longtime Happy Valley resident with connections in town. Leroy’s best friend.
Alibi: He was home since 6:00 the night Mr. Brown disappeared; his wife Lorraine was his sole witness. Said they had dinner and then watched a movie (The Godfather) together. Lorraine confirmed the movie. (NEED TO CHECK: Did Bernard coach her? Didn’t sound like it, but don’t make assumptions.) Home for the rest of the night. (NEED TO CHECK: Did he sneak out?) Volunteered at the Humane Society the next day until Mrs. Nancy dropped by to ask him to be Santa for the day.
Opportunity: He could have told Lorraine to lie for him. He dominates her. Even if they had dinner and watched a movie together, he had the rest of the night. Maybe he drugged Lorraine so she’d be deep asleep. Maybe Lorraine would lie for her husband.
I read through my scribbles on Molly. My gut said Molly didn’t do it since she seemed genuinely upset, but she did say she was an actor. Hello, Misery!
Suspect #3: Molly Peach – Mrs. Santa Claus
Motive: In love (obsessed?) with Mr. Brown
Means: Lured him into her house or drugged him with homemade baked goods? She is petite and would not be able to move him by herself.
Alibi: Home alone. No witnesses.
Opportunity: Told us Mr. Brown was going to see Leroy, but Leroy said it was a lie. Molly could be framing Leroy. Self-proclaimed good actor. Can she really be trusted?
Suspect #4: Leroy Jones – Mayor Wannabe
Motive: He could be teaming up with Bernard. If the Happy Wonderland Festival was a disaster, then Mrs. Nancy might lose the election and he’d have a chance.
Means: Powerful figure in town. Bernard’s best friend. They could team up and cover for each other.
Alibi: Won’t talk. (NEEK TO CHECK: Did Drew find out anything from the camera?)
Opportunity: Molly said Mr. Brown had a meeting with Leroy. If Molly was telling the truth, then Leroy’s lying. He accused Molly of lying. (NEED TO CHECK: Drew to follow up?)
