A Ghost to Die For (19 page)

“What with this being the full count of two hundred thousand dollars, what money did Collins and Dare use to fund their escape to Europe?” I asked.

“Oh, they had been skimming for years. Both men probably had bank accounts all over Europe filled to the brim with bank money, this last two hundred thousand dollars was just the icing on the cake. And it was probably the share given to the lady who was their accomplice, the infamous Jill C. Snow.”

“But that name is an anagram.” I reached over Alex to begin putting the money back in the box, and I noticed some additional papers in the bottom of the box, stuffed way in the back corner. “Hey, Alex, hold the box steady while I dig into it.” I pulled out wisps of torn and dusty papers and then put my hand back in, I felt a wad of cloth, grabbed it and pulled it out. “It’s old flour sack fabric folded up nice and neat.” I gently unrolled the fabric packet. “Look, it’s some paperwork, a little booklet.” I held the small pamphlet in my hands and opened it. “Alex, this is a passport and look at the name and description of the owner.”

Alex took the passport from me and read, “Rachel Ruby Collins, nee Redmond. Spouse, Jack Wesley Collins. Native of United States, born at Denver, Colorado on the 17th day of April, 1869. And, get this, it goes onto the say that her permanent residence is in San Diego and her occupation is that of a music instructor. Ha! What a ruse that is. Ruby, a music teacher? And her reason for needing a passport, well, it says she is to go abroad temporarily for the purpose of joining her husband on a European vacation and that she intends to return to the United States for the purpose of residing and performing the duties of citizenship therein. The passport is dated the second day of October in 1891.”

“How very interesting,” I said. “Jill C. Snow is Ruby Red, as in Rachel Ruby Redmond, the legal wife of J. W. Collins, otherwise known as Jack Wesley Collins. How odd that their moniker was
Jack and Jill
, I cannot help but to believe that was a joke between them. This information explains a lot. Do you suppose Ruby tried to hide the safe deposit key in the frame of Andalyn’s painting, just to avoid any suspicion cast her way in the aftermath of the bank heist and that way, if the police had searched her home, she would appear to be innocent? After all, she did plan on getting that painting back, regardless of whether it was before or after Andalyn died.”

“Sure, but Ruby never suspected that Andalyn was wise to her. And then, Andalyn, along with her true friend John Glapion, took steps to prevent Ruby from getting the original painting and the key to this safe deposit box,” Alex replied. “I’m curious as to what tipped off Andalyn, what caused her to suspect Ruby?”

“We’ll never know why Andalyn suspected Ruby. But, I will always wonder. There must have been some little clue, a quirky behavior, a tell, as they say in poker, that gave Ruby away,” I said.

Then Alex suggested, “Maybe it was John Glapion who suspected Ruby? It did say in the newspaper that he came to San Diego to deliver correspondence to Andalyn from her family. A simple scenario would be that Andalyn had written home about Ruby, her family was wary of Ruby and John was sent to investigate. Shannon, we could go on and on with likely scenarios. The crux of the matter is that you were right, not only did Ruby frame Andalyn’s painting, the original one, but Andalyn was framed as well. And I bet you are correct in believing that she was not scared to death. How will we ever know?”

“That question has been racking my brain. Alex, I think Andalyn’s death has to do with her party, the food and beverage that was served, or another method of poisoning. Based on the note Geraldine found in the frame, with the key, I think Ruby offered to buy Andalyn’s painting. It was Ruby who offered to have it framed, and that was when she hid the key in it. In knowing that the painting was at Andalyn’s, Ruby could safely assume it would hang in a prominent place at Andalyn’s cottage. Maybe, after the bank heist, but before Andalyn’s birthday party, Ruby had visited her and feigning an admiration for the painting, she offered to buy it in order to retrieve the key. But Andalyn did not sell her the painting. So Ruby bought the painting in the wake of Andalyn’s death and after discovering it was not the real painting, that it was a bogus copy, Ruby left the painting behind when she moved to Colorado.”

“Because by that time, enough time had passed and the police had already questioned Ruby and dismissed her. Thereby clearing her of involvement in the heist. Then, Ruby was ready to escape to Europe, to join her husband, but she needed her passport and the money that she had stashed in this deposit box, and most importantly, Ruby needed the safe deposit box key she had hidden in the frame of the painting.” Alex said.

“Also, apparently no one knew Ruby was married to Collins. It was never indicated in newspaper reports of the bank heist. That being the case, Ruby was taking precautions, just in case the police found out and questioned her. Ruby used Andalyn’s cottage as the hiding place. Imagine, Ruby hid the key to her money and passport in plain sight!” I said.

“And at some time after the heist and just before her death, Andalyn discovered the key hidden in the frame. She then asked John Glapion to forge his own work, how very clever. Then, Glapion left and went back home, with the original painting and the forged painting remained on Andalyn’s wall. Ruby was none the wiser, and so she killed, or had Andalyn murdered, in order to get the painting, the one she bought at auction. The same painting found years later down in the basement at Otis and Harriet’s house. Ruby left it after she discovered it was fake and her key was not hidden in it,” Alex said and then added, “Aren’t you the least bit curious about what happened to Ruby?”

“No, not at all. Newspaper reports say she left for Colorado that November to enjoy the holidays with her family in Colorado. I care not what happened to her. Truth be told, I hope
karma
stepped in and Ruby had a suitable early death. It would be poetic justice if she got ran over by horse and carriage while crossing the street to attend an opera.”

“I had no idea you had such adamant sense of justice. And it is just as well that you, I or we, do not follow up on the whereabouts of Ruby Red. I bet that once this hits the newspapers, some rogue reporter will go snooping about to discover the fate of Ruby. For now, let’s go have dinner and figure out what to do with this money. I’ll put the money and the passport in the house safe, then I’ll go freshen up and then I’ll call in reservations.”

“We have a house safe here at Blackthorne House?” I asked.

“Of course we do. I had it installed when we renovated the place into a B&B. It’s located in Rosario’s room, in the wall, behind the large framed performance poster of Eric’s. You know, that eerie, spooky Halloween performance he gave in San Francisco?”

“I never knew,” I said. “Imagine that, I love that poster. I even suggested to Rosario we hang it in the hall.” I laughed. “Now I know why she vetoed my suggestion. I’m going to take a quick shower. How about, let’s eat at the little cafe in Seaport Village. It seems only fitting because that is where we went for coffee on Halloween night, when I first learned of Andalyn Dixon’s plight. ”

“Exactly seven days ago. I like that, we can toast Andalyn. And say a prayer for her.”

“And contemplate what to do next. This mystery is not solved. I am determined to do my best to prove Andalyn was not scared to death,” I said.

Chapter 34

The view from or cozy table was nearly identical to what it was on Halloween night. A bank of glistening fog had rolled in and it lazily crept up onto the pier and boardwalk. Within the hour, all of the coastal area of Old San Diego would be shrouded in the fog. I imagined that the Gaslamp Quarter, where the Museum of Mystery is, would look very Victorian within the hour, what with the fog crawling about and the yellow gas-lit streetlights all aglow. I was spellbound by the eerie quietness of the fog, until Alex broke the spell.

“Are you going to look at the menu, or will you order from rote memory,” he teased.

I picked up the menu and focused on the cafe’s extensive listings of soups, chowders and stews. Tonight was the ideal night for a bone-warming chowder. Our waiter approached, I set down the menu, I was ready.

“Miss?” he asked with his eyebrows raised.

“I’ll have a bowl of the potato cheese chowder, a croissant with butter, and hot green tea.”

The waiter turned to Alex and asked, “Sir?”

“Make my bowl clam chowder, same croissant and black coffee.”

T
he waiter left and I said to Alex, “What changed your mind? I thought you were sold on a cheeseburger and
fries?”

“I was until you ordered. This weather is ideal for chowder.”

“I have to admit, I am enjoying the fog. Having lived in Chicago, where fog off the lake is expected in autumn, I thought I would miss it. It never occurred to me that Southern California would have this much foggy weather.”

“Well, most of it doesn’t, only by the coast will you experience this much fog on a routine basis. Uh, to change the topic, I was thinking of what to do with the money. Shannon it could be a windfall for you, but it could also be a major headache.”

“What’s your advice?” I asked.

The waiter returned with our meals. The interruption was short, Alex continued. “First, do not put the money away for safekeeping in an institution, be it a bank or savings. Doing so creates a paper trail and that means dealing with the Internal Revenue Service. Second, consider allowing a company, such as the Museum of Mystery or a historical society, to purchase the safe deposit box, with the money inside and the passport, doing so allows them to pay you for the value of an historical artifact, and not the cash value of the money.”

“Would they pay the same amount as the cash value?”

“Good question. I can only speak as an administrator of the Museum of Mystery and tell you I doubt they could afford that much. The pay would be more like ten percent, typically what is called a finder’s fee. I realize it is a huge difference in cash value, but it will save you from a ton of government red tape and complicated tax reports. Okay, here goes, bear with me Shannon, I do have your best interest at heart. I believe you could offer to sell to the museum your painting along with the safe deposit box and its contents, all of these items together makes for a stunningly complete exhibit. Now, working it this way, you would never benefit from the money inside the safe deposit box, thus you never claim it as income. The museum takes immediate possession of it, and as an government-sanctioned tax-deductible organization, the museum processes all the paperwork.”

“Wow, nice going Alex, you not only cover my liability, you score a huge find for the Museum of Mystery. Kudos.”

Alex frowned. “Do I detect sarcasm in your comment?”

“Oh, no, not at all. Alex, I’m not insulting you. I like your suggestion, and the accolades for this score should be credited to you. I’m sincere. Really. However, I am wondering if there is a chance that Harriet and Otis might benefit. Would the museum be interested in offering them something for their painting? All things considered, the Van Wyck’s painting is the impostor and it would enhance the story.”

“Excellent idea. I’m sure I can present your idea in a favorable light and suggest that you would be more likely to agree if the museum would consider an offer to Harriet and Otis. Of course, do realize that Harriet and Otis may want to keep their impostor painting. Harriet seems mighty fond of it as a conversation piece.” Alex smiled wide and I knew that his grin was his seal of approval, and I knew he would do his best to convince the museum of my idea.

“Oh, that is fine with me. I just want them to be given the opportunity to make a tidy sum on it. And their decision will not have a negative influence on mine. Alex, I love your idea. How soon can you arrange it?”

“I have a museum board meeting and dinner tomorrow afternoon, right after I finish the class I teach. I’ll present your proposal then.”

“Oh, but I wanted to examine that costume first.” I looked at my watch; it was a little after eight. Any chance we can leave here and go over to the museum? We could be there before nine?”

“I do have the key and the security-alarm company is on notice. Sure, when we leave here I’ll call the security-alarm company to let them know we will be there.”

Suddenly, I had had my fill. I watched as Alex finished his chowder. He paid the bill, left the tip and we were on our way.

We parked at the same place we had before and walked hand in hand to the museum. Alex entered the key code into the alarm box and then used an old-fashioned skeleton key to unlock and open the door to the museum. We were inside and in the back at the curator’s office in a few minutes. Greg had left the large box that held the costume, setting on a library table. And index card describing the costume and two pairs of white cotton gloves were on top of the box, along with a handwritten note from Greg, reminding us to wear the gloves. We put the gloves on and Alex opened the box. Together we gently lifted the costume out and laid it on the table. I looked inside the box, hoping the mask was there, too. It wasn’t.

Alex read the index card, “Marie Antoinette costume from the fortune teller automaton that belonged to Ruby Red. Costume is exactly as it was when taken off the fortune teller. It is believed the blue over dress is silk brocade. The eight petticoats are lace and the under dress, a chemise-type slip is of a tea-stained cotton.”