She Waits (22 page)

"I agree, completely, I'm afraid," I said, noticing the sad look in her eyes. "I'm afraid there's a great many secrets, Maggie, as Bedford said before he died."

"I only wish I knew what he was talking about," Maggie said, lightly kicking the ground. "It appears there is more buried than my mother's jewelry."

"Bedford is a puzzlement to me," I said and leaned against the tree. "I keep going back to what I overheard at the stable. He mentioned your grandfather, Alexander Winfield and Sarah sounded angry. If Bedford kept family secrets..." I stopped as I tried to keep up with my mind--not an easy thing for me to do.

"What Kate?" Maggie asked and watched me intently.

"Let's say during his time with your family, Bedford, overheard, oversaw, and watched as he did his job. I'm sure he'd seen plenty. He obviously saw too much. Now, if he had all this knowledge, what did he do with it?" I asked and Maggie's eyes widened.

"You think Bedford may have been blackmailing a member of my family?"

"I don't think so. If I was gonna blackmail someone and they're stinking, filthy rich--"

"Thank you."

"Sorry. If I'm blackmailing, I'm certainly not going to live on top of a garage for thirty years shoveling horse dung, washing cars and mowing the lawn," I said. "Nope. I think Bedford knew the family secrets but for some reason, kept them to himself."

"Why? Why would he do that?"

"Why not? He was alone, bored and your family, I'm sorry to say, seems to have a lot of material for Bedford to play with. The fact that, as he was dying, he told you there were so many secrets, told us right there, Maggie. Bedford knew something about someone and my gut says it was Sarah and Nathan."

"It's hard to believe that Bedford knew all this while he lived in a small garage apartment," Maggie said and shook her head.

The idea struck me. Why didn't I think of this sooner? "God, I'm an idiot. Maggie, do you have keys to Bedford's apartment?"

Maggie blinked in astonishment, but nodded slowly.

I looked around for Chance. She was on the other side of the lake running around like the insane dog she was. "Well, she's got the right idea, let's get back."

As we started back, we heard a noise in the woods and turned around to see a beautiful fawn coming out of the woods, toward the water. Ever so slowly, I reached into my bag and took out my camera. We were still behind the huge tree, hidden by the thick brush. I knelt on one knee to get a good angle and snapped off four or five shots. The little creature looked up right at us and stood perfectly still, its little brown-speckled body trembling. Her ear twitched and I snapped a few more. Then she scooted back into the woods.

"These woods are beautiful. How many people do you think come to this side of the lake?

"Since the murder, my guess is probably no one. These woods are pretty primitive. I can't remember every seeing anyone on this side."

"I think that's why he buried Miranda's jewelry here."

I heard the woods moving again. I whispered to Maggie in excitement, "It's probably another deer."

We slowly backed up into the brush and hid behind a huge boulder. I winked at her and put my fingers to my lips. She smiled and knelt. I knelt on one knee and steadied the camera. The brush was moving and rustling.

"It might be more than one," she whispered right in my ear and I shivered.

If I were a deer, my ear would be twitching. My heart raced and I could feel my face flush as I felt the lingering, soft breath. I glanced at Maggie who gave me an innocent look.

"Sorry," she whispered, with a smug grin as I narrowed my eyes.

"I don't think so," I challenged in a low whisper.

For some absurd reason, I was staring at her lips. I raised my gaze to those blue eyes that held a questioning, nervous gleam. Now I offered the smug grin.

Maggie now shivered. "Y-you'll miss your chance."

"I don't think so," I said, still holding her gaze. I gave my attention to my camera. "This could be a great shot," I whispered and looked through the lens.

I went cold and Maggie caught her breath.

It was Sarah coming out of the woods. She was alone and looked like hell. The early-morning fog lingered around her feet and her hair, usually pulled back and neat as a pin, was completely disheveled. I crept further behind the boulder, pulling Maggie with me.

Sarah was frantically looking at the ground, searching for something. I was petrified. I stupidly remembered two years ago when I was nearly in the same predicament in Wyoming , but back then there had been a wolf standing in Sarah's place. While I got a great shot, the wolf almost got me. This could be the same thing.

She was about thirty feet from us.
God, please don't let her come this way.

She stood running both hands through her hair as if she was trying to pull it out. She looked like she was retracing her steps. She moved to the edge of the woods, walking closer to us.

Although it was cold, I was sweating profusely. I heard her mumbling; that scared me. People who mumble to themselves always bothered me. I know I talk to my dog, but I don't mumble. What in the hell was she doing?

As she came closer, Maggie had her hand on my shoulder, her nails digging into my flesh.

We heard Sarah say in a furiously low raspy voice, "Goddamned little bastard. Where is it?"

There was a rustling in the woods; it had to be a squirrel or chipmunk.

"Who's there?" she hissed in a low guttural voice.

I couldn't move even if I wanted to, I was so petrified. Sarah started walking our way until she was almost directly in front of us. The sweat was pouring down my back and I prayed to every saint that came to mind. Maggie held my arm in a vice grip.

Sarah looked around. "You don't scare me. You never did," she said defiantly, as though she was talking to the woods themselves.

Maggie and I looked at each other. Who in the hell was she talking to? A shiver ran down my spine as I realized who it was. We heard the rustling of the leaves and I slowly peeked out from behind the boulder.

Sarah took off like a bat out of hell and ran down the rugged path that led to her house. Oddly, the commercial
Coo-Coo for Cocoa Puffs
ran through my mind. I watched Sarah in stunned amazement, as she ran down the path and out of sight.

"You want to tell me what the hell that was?" Maggie asked.

I stared at the path. "I have no idea, but let's get the hell out of here."

As we started walking around the lake, I looked back every now and then. Maggie stumbled on the path and I grabbed her elbow. We continued, not talking but walking faster and faster. We got to the clearing and saw Maggie's house.

"Sanctuary," I said and we broke into a dead run, petrified to look back as we ran up to the porch, completely out of breath.

Mac and Teri were in the kitchen; both jumped when we made our entrance. I couldn't talk I was breathing so hard.

"What in the hell!" Teri ran over to me. "What happened to you two?"

I opened my mouth but nothing but a deep wheeze came out. I sounded like I had swallowed a harmonica.

"Come into the kitchen," Teri said frantically.

My legs were burning from running as I sat down. Teri took my camera case. Maggie sat across from me. She was in far better shape than I. She could talk. She took a deep breath and explained. Mac sat there amazed, looking from me to Maggie.

"You two are freezing," Teri said and put two cups of coffee down.

"Sarah?" Mac questioned. I nodded.

Hannah came into the kitchen. "Well, good morn--" she stopped abruptly as she looked from me to Maggie. "What in the world happened now?" she exclaimed.

I repeated the whole story. Hannah looked shocked but not as much as I thought she should, given the fact her sister-in-law had been running around as mad as a March hare. I looked at Teri. I could tell she agreed. I glanced at Maggie, who was had a curious look on her face as well.

"Christ, Kate, what the hell does this mean?" Teri asked.

It means Aunt Sarah's done a loop the loop. She's flying without a net and gone 'round the bend. In short, she's nuts! That's what it means.
However, I graciously kept this to myself.

Maggie started again. "Well, it appeared she was looking for something."

"Okay, let's look at this logically," I said.

"After what we saw? Logic? Please," Maggie said sarcastically.

"I would have to say your aunt was looking for something that was not found by Chance. I think she knew what was buried out there." I finished and got up to get another cup of coffee.

Hannah and Maggie watched me. I looked at Teri, who gave me a sad kind of acknowledgment.

I hated what I was about to say, but I took a deep breath and continued slowly, "I think your Aunt Sarah knows something and is somehow, however obscurely, involved in this mess." I couldn't look at either Hannah or Maggie.

Hannah shifted uncomfortably in her chair. I didn't say anything about it, but Teri apparently noticed it, too.

"Given what I believe happened between Uncle Nathan and my mother I can see where her involvement would be logical," Maggie said.

"Well, she totally interrupted what Maggie and I started to do," I said and explained our conversation about Bedford and looking at his apartment.

Hannah shook her head. "What is happening to our family?" she asked sadly, as Maggie put her arm around her.

The Winfield family was unraveling before our eyes.

Chapter Twenty

We took the steps up to the back entrance of the garage apartment, which was anything but small. It ran the length of the four-car garage. It was huge.

As Maggie put the key in, I was stunned to see the door was not locked.

"That's odd," Hannah said. "Bedford was very private and particular about his belongings. He had a thing about being neat. A place for everything and everything in its place. He would never have left this door unlocked."

I cautiously pushed the door opened and walked in.

"What are we looking for?" Hannah asked.

I glanced around and walked to the bedroom. "I'm not sure. I'm hoping Bedford wrote down whatever he knew, or left something else to give us a clue as to what he knew," I said and looked into his bedroom. "Bedford wasn't as neat as you thought, Hannah. Come and look at this."

Hannah and Maggie followed me into the room. The dresser drawers were slightly open with a few articles of clothing strewn about. I glanced at the small desk in the corner and again, the drawers were open.

"Either Bedford got dressed in a hurry, or somebody was looking for something, just as we are," I said.

"Kate, look at this," Maggie said. She was standing by the small desk looking at the floor.

There was a gold button lying on the floor. I picked up it and examined it. Maggie took it from me so she and Hannah could more closely examine it.

"It looks like a man's jacket button," Hannah said.

I opened the closet and saw no sports jackets or dinner jackets there, but he did have a nice selection of flannels. "Well, it's not from anything Bedford owns." I closed the closet door and took the button from Maggie.

"It has to be from someone," Maggie said and I agreed.

"Well, let's keep looking. I have a feeling there's something here," I said and held up the gold button. "And I have a feeling someone was already looking."

After going through every drawer, under the bed, through the closets and in every cabinet, we came up empty. "Crap," I said and flopped into the corner of the couch and sat back. I glanced to my right and saw a small bookcase holding about fifteen books. "Bedford read poetry?" I asked and reached for one of the books on the shelf.

As I took the book out, something fell into my lap. I looked down. It was a small composition book that looked very old. Like those we used to buy for English class. My heart raced as I cautiously opened the notebook.

"Uh, ladies, can you come over here please?" I asked.

Both were quickly at my side. "What is it?" Maggie asked.

"Some sort of notebook."

"Where did you find it?" Hannah asked.

"It, um, sort of fell in my lap," I said with a shrug. I nervously glanced around the room. Maggie and Hannah did the same. "You don't smell hyacinth, do you?" I asked. Both women shook their heads.

"Well, what's in it?" Maggie asked eagerly.

I opened the cover and leafed through the lined pages. "Well, let's start from the beginning. It says here:
New job seems good. Old man Alexander is an asshole. Not much money, but I get this place for nothing.
When did Bedford start working for you, Hannah?" I asked.

"Good heavens, I was a young woman, so it was nearly thirty years, as I said."

There was more scribbling, which looked like he was adding figures, probably his paychecks. I leafed through and stopped when I saw the name Sarah.

Settling into my job and getting to know the family. Old man Alexander still an asshole. Jonathon is asshole junior. I like Hannah, though. The youngest, Nathan, is a quiet guy married to the snake, Sarah.

"I don't think Bedford liked Alexander or Jonathon. Or Sarah for that matter," I said and read more pages of nonsense that contained nothing pertaining to family.

When I'd about given it up as being all about grocery lists and paychecks, I came upon an interesting passage that I read aloud.

Jonathon brought home a wife. What a beauty! Miranda is nice. What she's doing in this family?

I looked up at Hannah who sported an indignant look.

"But he liked you," I reassured her and Maggie laughed.

"Bedford liked horseracing," I said, leafing through the pages. "He scribbled about his bets. He mentioned Maggie being born--called you a cute kid. Called Charlie a bully."

"It's not like a journal. It's more like he's just writing down what he finds interesting," Maggie said. I had to agree.

"Hmm... listen to this.
Here's a corker--cleaning the limo, I found a pair of diamond earrings in the back seat. The old asshole took 'em and guess what? Snaky bitch Sarah had them on that night at a party at the house. Ohhh, Alexander...
Well, that might coincide with what I heard at the stable," I said. "I can't imagine Bedford talking about all this and not mentioning Miranda, though. It's got to be here."