Home for the Holidays (11 page)

Gloria took his hand.  His grip was warm and friendly.  She immediately got a good feel from him.  “Gloria Rutherford.”

He shook Andrea’s hand next, a little too long in Gloria’s opinion.  “Andrea Malone.”

He reluctantly released Andrea’s hand.  “Is there something I can help you with?”

“I know Mrs. Verona is a generous donor to a variety of projects near and dear to her heart,” Gloria said.  “We know of one not far from here.  It’s a small start-up.  We would be thrilled if she could spare a few minutes to offer advice…or if she might be willing to help.”

Chad nodded.  “Yeah.  She has a heart of gold and a soft spot for her furry friends.” He waved them along as he made his way to the side door of the large horse barn.  “What kind of project?” he asked.

“It’s a new training center for service dogs over in Green Springs.  ‘At Your Service’ is the name.  Like Gloria said, they’re starting up and could use some backing,” Andrea explained.

Chad opened the service door and stepped to the side to let Andrea and Gloria in.  “She has her hands full right now with the large fundraiser this weekend but I’m sure she’ll have a minute to chat.”

The trio wandered down the side of the stalls and Gloria peeked at some of the majestic horses inside.  On the outside of each of the stalls was a plaque with the horses’ names. “Buck, Daisy, Gypsy…”

They passed by the stalls and exited through the open doors on the other end of the barn. 

Mrs. Verona and Sassy had returned from their run and were now trotting around the fenced area on the backside of the barn.  She waved when she caught a glimpse of Chad, Andrea and Gloria. 

Mrs. Verona tugged on the reins, and horse and rider trotted over.

Mitzi Verona shielded her eyes and stared down at the trio.  “Sassy is going to be the death of me yet,” she groaned as she eased her boot from the stirrup and swung her leg over the side of the horse.  She jumped to the ground and handed the reins to Chad.

Chad opened the gate and led Sassy and the women back toward the horse barn. 

Mitzi’s bright blue eyes honed in on Gloria.  Not one for small talk, Mitzi Verona spoke her mind.  She pointed at Gloria.  “Say, you look familiar.” She pinched the tip of her riding glove and tugged on the end. 

Gloria frowned.  She had never laid eyes on Mitzi Verona in her life before today.  Gloria was certain she had never attended one of Mitzi’s highfalutin shindigs. 

Mitzi pulled the other glove off and whacked the soft leather against the palm of her hand.  “I know!  You’re the lady who goes around solving mysteries.”  She tapped the side of her chin with her finger.  “Wasn’t there some bank robber whose body was found in an old, abandoned house not far from here?”

Gloria glanced at Andrea out of the corner of her eye.  Mitzi was talking about the time they found Arthur Goldstone’s body in Andrea’s shed. 

Mitzi answered her own question.  “Yeah.  That was it.”

Her bright blue eyes widened.  “Then there was something about some crazy lady who chained herself to the front of a restaurant.” She must have been talking about Frances, her sister Liz’s friend, who went a little cuckoo when her beloved Milt disappeared.

They stepped inside the stable and watched as Chad brushed Sassy with a tan dandy brush.  Sassy loved the attention and nuzzled Chad’s arm.

Mitzi stepped over to a wooden box anchored to the side of a tall, wooden post.  She reached inside the box and pulled out a sugar cube.  She extended her hand toward Sassy who leaned over and gobbled the sweet treat while Mitzi patted her nose.

She slid a sideways glance.  “Someone is trying to blackmail me and my family.”

Gloria shuffled her feet and nodded.  “That is one of the reasons we’re here.”

Mitzi abruptly turned on her heel and motioned them to follow.  “Let’s go inside the house.”

The women crossed the drive and passed the massive garage.  They picked up the pace as they strolled across the tiered wooden deck toward a slider door on the side of the house.

Mitzi slid the slider door open and led them into a large mudroom.  The mudroom was larger than Gloria’s entire kitchen. Lined up against one whole wall were cubbies.  Under each cubby were hooks. 

Mitzi plopped down on a bench and tugged on the heel of her riding boot.  She set both boots next to the bench, shrugged out of her riding jacket and hung it on a hook nearby.

“You said someone blackmailing me and my family was one of the reasons you were here,” She unclipped the strap that fastened her riding helmet, slipped it off her head and slid it inside the cubby directly above her jacket.  Her pure white cropped hair stood straight up on her head.

Gloria grinned.

Mitzi returned the smile and lifted her hand.  “What?  It’s standing straight up, isn’t it?”

Mitzi ran her hands through her hair.  “So what’s the other reason?  Money? Charity?”

Andrea stepped closer.  “We know you have pet projects and are a huge supporter of animal charities.”

“And?” Mitzi prompted.

“We know of a small kennel in Green Springs.  Most recently, it was a puppy mill but the owners are trying to turn it around…turn it into a training center for service dogs.”

“Along with a boarding kennel,” Gloria added.

Mitzi nodded.  “Hmmm…sounds intriguing.  I’ve looked into supporting service dogs training but never gotten personally involved in one of their projects.”

She crossed the mudroom and headed for a set of French doors at the other end. 

Andrea and Gloria followed her lead.

Mitzi swung the doors open and Gloria and Andrea stepped into the kitchen. 

Gloria sucked in a breath.  It looked like it belonged in a French chateau.  Large hand-hewn beams crisscrossed the ceiling.  Twinkling vintage glass pendant lights hung over the expansive quartz island. Nestled inside the quartz counters was a copper farmhouse sink.  The sink overlooked a fenced courtyard.

Custom antique white cabinets filled an entire wall.  Tucked in the corners were small nooks and crannies, perfect for stuffing odds and ends inside. 

“Have a seat,” Mitzi nodded to the wooden barstools tucked under the massive center island.  “Would you care for tea or hot cocoa perhaps?”

Gloria shook her head.  “No thanks.”

“I will take a cup of tea,” Andrea said, figuring that if she drank it slowly, it would buy them more time. 

Gloria changed her mind.  “I guess I’ll have a cup, if you don’t mind.”

Mitzi glanced over her shoulder.  “Of course not.” 

She lifted a silver teakettle from the stove, filled it with water, turned the gas burner on high and set the pot on top.

She reached inside the cupboard and pulled out three fluted bone teacups trimmed in gold.  They looked fragile…and very expensive. 

Gloria knew a little about fine bone china.  “Those look like Aynsley.” Aynsley was a British manufacturer.  The company created delicate works of collectible china. 

Mitzi smiled.  “Good eye.  Yes.  These are Aynsley.  I have several collections.”  She set the saucer and teacup in front of Gloria.  She set another saucer and cup in front of Andrea.

She placed clear tea bags in each of the cups.  “I hope you like vanilla.”

Gloria loved vanilla. “It sounds perfect.” The tea bags were almost as lavish as the cups.

The kettle whistled and Mitzi carefully poured piping hot water into each of the cups.  The rich aroma of vanilla filled the air. 

She placed the kettle back on the stove and settled into a barstool on the end.  Mitzi lifted her cup and sipped her tea.  “I am interested in helping the service dogs.  Perhaps one day soon, after my party, I can visit this ‘At Your Service’ dog training facility to see what can be done.”

It was wonderful news…an unexpected bonus.

“Now let’s discuss the other.” She gazed at them shrewdly.  “The real reason you are here.”

Chapter 12

Gloria poured out her story of how she believed someone had set Paul up.  She explained that she had compiled a list of suspects who had it in for Paul and even told Mitzi how she had noticed a government plate on a car parked behind the police station the previous evening.

“What were you doing at the police station?” Mitzi asked.

Gloria dropped her eyes to her cup and fiddled with the handle.  “Working undercover.”

Andrea grinned.  “As a cleaning lady.”

“Sounds intriguing.” Mitzi laughed.  “You’re my kinda gal.”  She listened intently as Gloria continued her story.  

When Gloria got to the part where Paul was MIA and the wedding tentatively postponed, the woman reached out and touched Gloria’s hand.  “My dear.  I am so sorry to hear that.  Why, my own Percival and I were married forty years before he passed away last year.” Her eyes clouded over. 

“I’m sorry,” Gloria said.  At least Paul was still alive…she hoped.

Mitzi swallowed the last of tea in her cup and lifted it.  “More?”  She refilled the empty cups and dunked her teabag in her cup.  “There is more to the story the public doesn’t know about.”

Gloria’s heart skipped a beat.  This was it…this was what she had been waiting for.

“Two days ago, I received another demand for money.  This time, it was much more than the piddly fifty grand.” Mitzi sucked in a breath.  “The note demanded two hundred-fifty thousand dollars.”

Andrea’s mouth dropped open.  “Holy smokes!”

Mitzi nodded.  “Holy smokes is right.  I can pay the amount but where will it end?”

Mitzi had a point.  Whoever was extorting her had no intention of stopping.  In fact, Gloria had a sneaky suspicion this was just the beginning. 

“What could they possibly have on you?” The online illegal gambling story had made headlines.  There was nothing left to reveal.

Mitzi lowered her head, her lips drawn in a thin line.  She was about to drop a bombshell.  Gloria could feel it.  Something so big, Mitzi was willing to pay a whole lot of money for someone to keep quiet.

She looked up, her blue eyes staring straight into Gloria’s.  “I. My.” She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes.  “I gave my firstborn, my oldest son, up for adoption.”

She went on.  “Whoever sent me the note knows all about my son.  He was born before I met Percival.  My parents, we didn’t have much money. In fact, we had no money.  The baby needed so much I couldn’t give but someone else…a loving family…could.”

Mitzi spun the delicate cup in a circle on the saucer.  “I…Percival knew about my son, but our other children, they don’t…and I need to keep it that way.”

“Does your son, the one you gave up…does he know who you are?” Andrea asked.

Mitzi shook her head.  “No.  Back then, they didn’t have open adoptions like they do now.  His adoptive parents were so concerned I would try to take him back, they moved.  I had no idea where he was or if he was even still alive.”

Mitzi’s hand shook as she lifted the teacup to her lips.  “Whoever is behind this extortion tracked my son down.”

Gloria tapped her index finger on the counter.  “Why not tell your children about their stepbrother?”

Mitzi’s eyes widened.  “They must never know.  It would be as if they never knew their mother at all, like my whole life had been one big lie.”

Gloria wasn’t convinced.  Maybe Mitzi had it all wrong and her grown children would welcome him with open arms.  It was apparent Mitzi did not see it that way. 

Mitzi stepped over to the antique wooden bench seat near the door, lifted a gray designer handbag from the bench seat and carried it back to the bar.  She opened the handbag, reached inside and pulled out a manila envelope.

She slid the envelope across the counter.  “This is what was sent to me.”

Gloria picked the envelope up and flipped it over.  She unfolded the flap, reached inside and pulled out the contents.  Inside the envelope was a picture of a man, his features chiseled, his dark hair slicked back.  A smile lifted the corner of his mouth, as if he were highly amused by something. 

Gloria reached into her purse and slipped her reading glasses on.  The man’s eyes were his most striking feature. They were identical to Mitzi Verona’s own eyes.  Gloria peered at Mitzi over the rim of her glasses.  “This is your son?”

Mitzi nodded.  “Kenneth Templeton.  He lives in Indianapolis.”  She pointed to the folded sheet of paper Gloria held in her hand.  “Read the note.”

Gloria unfolded the note.  Andrea leaned over her shoulder:

Kenneth C. Templeton, 1512 Bellweather Drive, Indianapolis, IN.  Born July 26
^th
, 1962.

Below that was one sentence.

“Leave $255k in unmarked bills in your mailbox at Sunshine Estates on Friday, December 22
^nd
before ten o’clock p.m.”

That was the end of the note.  There was no “PK” signature at the bottom. 

Gloria folded the note, looked at the photo one more time and slid both back inside the envelope.  “This should be easy.  Stakeout the end of your drive and see who shows up.”

Mitzi shook her head.  “December 22
^nd
is the night of my ‘Black Tie & Tails’ gala party.  It’s my biggest fundraiser event of the year.  The event raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for a local animal shelter and I am the host.”

Whoever had written the note knew Mitzi would have her hands full, people would be passing by the mailbox all evening long and it would be easy for someone to stop by the mailbox, reach inside and take an envelope full of money…

Andrea lifted the envelope and tapped the tip on the quartz counter.  “Do you think whoever it is will attend the party?”

Mitzi frowned.  “It’s possible.  The thought had crossed my mind.  There will be many people here. The guest list includes local mayors, government officials and other philanthropists.”

“What about security?” Gloria asked.

Mitzi nodded.  “Yes, of course.  I always hire off-duty police to work.  I have oodles of irreplaceable artwork and other valuables.”

That meant more than likely Montbay Sheriff’s finest would be on hand!  This was like the perfect scheme.  The culprit planned to steal from the poor woman right from under her nose.