Spooky Hijinks (21 page)

The mantle was also covered with lighted garland, and a manger set was displayed on the coffee table. It reminded me of the one I had when I was growing up.
How I loved to play with the figurines
, I thought as I picked up the Mary, admiring how carefully it was painted.

I set it down and followed Eleanor into the dining room, and as we sat down, Millicent hopped up, pouring coffee into cups for us, remembering to add vanilla creamer to mine.

“I’m starving,” I admitted.

“Does French toast and bacon sound okay?”

“It sounds heavenly.”

Millicent smiled as she left the room and returned with two plates loaded with cinnamon-smelling French toast, sprinkled with powdered sugar and four pieces of bacon piled on the plate. We were then handed a small pitcher with maple syrup, and I drizzled it on my French toast. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I preferred the cheap, artificial kind of syrup. It would be okay this time, though.

“The mansion looks great,” I said between bites.

“Yes, doesn’t it, though? The guests did most of the work, closely supervised by Sara. She has a real eye for decorations. She’s really nice for an actress.” She then blushed. “I know I have never met one before, but I guess I never knew what to expect.”

“Me, either. Did the ghost hunters ever call about their equipment?”

“They did a few hours ago, threatening a lawsuit. It seems like they think it was my fault this place is haunted by demons, as they described the events of last night.”

I couldn’t help but laugh now. “You’d think for two people in their kind of business that they’d have a little backbone.”

“And to think I thought they were a little cute,” Millicent said. “But then again, I kind of attract crazy.”

“They’d need a good shave to be considered attractive in my book.”

Eleanor and I ate in silence now as Sarah entered the room.

“I wish you would get married right here in the mansion,” Sara said as she stood behind us, pouring coffee. “I think the ghosts would approve.”

“I know, but I have my heart set on the lighthouse.”

“Well, the offer does stand if you change your mind, or if the weather is too bad out there,” Sara said. “It seems to me that it would be freezing that far out.”

“Oh, it is,” I agreed. “But us Michiganders are used to it. Kind of.”

We then excused ourselves, using the excuse that we needed to make more wedding plans.

I went outside to start the car so it could warm up, then came back inside, enjoying the feel of the warm fire until Eleanor gave me my ski jacket to put on. I loved how it felt so warm and toasty in here, and I knew it certainly wouldn’t once we went out the door.

I led the way outside, and Eleanor was hugged to my side as we tried to fend off the northeast wind. Luckily, it wasn’t snowing today at least, but the three to four inches we had gotten the day before was still on the ground.

“Did you remember the key to the Hills’ place?” Eleanor asked, as we took off.

“Right here in my pocket.”

“I’m a little worried about what we’ll find there. How about you?”

“Yes, I just hope that I don’t find anything there that will convince me that the Hill boys are dead, and that their bodies have been hauled off somewhere.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough, unless you miss the turn into their driveway.”

I braked a little harder than I had planned, and as I made my turn, I took off their mailbox. But I did manage to miss the huge ditch.

“Oops,” I said.

“And you talk about my driving,” Eleanor said with a smirk.

When I drove into the driveway, there was police tape up, and I pulled off to the side, like I had the other time we were here. Eleanor and I cautiously made it to the door, and I unlocked it, quickly slipping inside.

Once we were inside, we could see that the place was a wreck. Even the shelves that once held militia mementos had been knocked to the floor. Their laptop was missing, and all of their drawers were yanked open, the contents spilled on the floor.

“I wonder if whoever came after the Hill boys did this, or if it was the feds?” I asked.

“I’m not sure, but I can see the blood on the couch that lines up with Curt’s injuries, and there is a blood trail that leads from there out the door,” Eleanor pointed out.

I picked up a broken picture frame that showed Curtis and Curt posed with their guns, along with a skinny man with deep-set eyes that I didn’t recognize and set it aside as I said, “I see. I’m really worried for them, but I really believe that they had to have gotten away. I just can’t let my mind think otherwise.”

“Let’s check outside,” Eleanor suggested.

I followed Eleanor out the door. Any footprints that there might have been were long gone now. I made my way to their shed, and the doors had been wrenched open and all the contents were missing, save for some tools and nails.

“Looks like the work of the feds to me. They took whatever wasn’t nailed down. I’d sure like to know what the smoking gun was against them.”

“Not sure how we’ll ever find that out.”

“I guess asking Stuart is out of the question now.”

“I suppose you’re right about that,” Stuart said from behind me.

When I whirled to face my son, his weapon was drawn. “Do you plan to shoot us or arrest us, son?”

“You should know we’ve been watching this place to see if Curt and Curtis came back,” he said, putting his gun away.

“Oh, so you don’t think that they’re dead now?”

“Not enough evidence to support that, but someone sure wanted them dead. How did you get in?”

“Sorry, not supplying you with any more information,” I said. “Are we being arrested?”

“Not if you clear out now, before the ATF shows up.”

“I’d like to know what evidence you found here that connects any of the robberies to the Hill boys.”

“Sorry, I’m not about to put my job on the line for you. I’ve given you enough slack as is. Now hurry before the ATF shows up, like I said.”

Eleanor and I left in a hurry, since neither of us much liked being in a jail cell. We pulled out from the one drive just as a few cars with government plates on them pulled in the other. I slammed my foot on the pedal, heading toward Harvey Smith’s house.

Harvey Smith didn’t live all that far from the Hill place, and we were able to drive right up to the rundown house without encountering any resistance. Had the robbers also found this place to be an easy target? I wasn’t sure what I expected, perhaps an armed guard.

I caught movement inside as Eleanor and I approached the door and knocked.

Harvey slowly opened the door, glancing around before he pulled it back enough for us to enter, and when we did stroll inside, we could see that he held a pistol in his hand.

I began, “Are you planning to shoot us, or—”

“Don’t be silly.” He walked over and put the gun on a table, lowering himself into a chair.

I stared over at a thin man standing a few feet away. He had sunken eyes, just like the man from the picture I’d seen back at the Hill boys’ place. “I don’t think I know you,” I said as I took a step toward him.

“Nope,” is all he said, as he told Harvey, “I’ll see you later.”

I watched the man leave, and asked Harvey, “Who was that?”

“He’s with the militia is all I can say, and a good friend of the Hill boys. He’s been worried since they’ve gone missing, but since you’re here, I suppose you think I had something to do with Curtis and Curt’s disappearance?”

“Why would I think that? Is that all they are, missing?”

“I don’t follow you.”

“Well, you’re supposed to be just recently released from prison, and then I hear you’re working with the feds to figure out who is stealing guns here. The Hills trusted you enough to have you keep their guns for safekeeping after we found them, and before long, their guns were stolen again, but this time, you covered your tracks and got rid of the Hill boys.”

“It doesn’t take a genius to know that someone with inside information leaked it, leading to the death of Curtis and Curt Hill, unless you’re holding them here somewhere,” Eleanor added.

“I expect that someone might have leaked something, but it wasn’t me, I assure you. I wasn’t even here when the Hills were attacked. I was in Oscoda on business. I was at a bank, applying for a loan at the time. My alibi has already been checked out.”

“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?”

“Awfully convenient that you have an ironclad alibi for the same time someone went out to the Hills’ house,” Eleanor said.

“I have no reason to harm them. They were my friends. To do that, I’d be bringing the entire militia down on my head, and that would be counterproductive to my undercover assignment. I’m sure your son Stuart told you all about me in that regards.”

My brow wrinkled in thought. “How is it that you know Stuart is my son, anyway?”

“He mentioned that his mother and her friend might stop by at some point, asking questions about the robberies.”

“And why would he say that?”

“How should I know? But it’s widely known in town that you two have a knack for investigating crimes. Of course, it’s not good for the investigation for you to come out here. I’d hate for anyone to think that I was helping you.”

“I guess that would be your problem, because I’m not leaving until you tell me where the Hill boys are.”

“I told you, I don’t know.”

“No, you told me that you had an alibi. Only a guilty man would be talking about how he wasn’t able to commit a crime because he was out of town.”

“Agnes is right. Where did you keep their guns here, anyway? Seems like you’d tuck them away somewhere private.”

Harvey sighed, and my heart about leaped out of my chest when he picked up his gun and stood, but instead of pointing the revolver at us, he said, “I did. In my barn, but it was quite locked.”

“I’d love to see the barn,” I said. “To make sure you don’t have any guns on the premises. It’s the only way that I’ll believe anything you have to say.”

“Follow me, then.”

Eleanor and I followed Harvey out the door, and we hadn’t gone very far when I spotted a barn in the back. As we drew closer, I could see that it did have a lock on the door. When he pulled the door open, it wasn’t loaded with weapons at all.

Harvey turned toward us, with his eyes round as saucers. “What did I tell you?”

He sure didn’t look like a man who could so easily disguise his facial expressions. “What did you think was out here that has you acting like you were surprised that there was nothing in your barn?”

“I’m not acting like anything. My eyes are burning at the moment. I didn’t sleep that well last night.”

“Guilty conscience?” Eleanor asked. “For your part in the Hills’ disappearance?”

I wasn’t buying it, either. “Okay, fine, but if you know where the Hill boys are, you best come clean, and soon. If anything happens to either of them, I’ll hold you personally responsible.”

“I already told you, I don’t know where—”

Eleanor and I left before Harvey could finish what he was going to say. I didn’t want to hear any more of his denials concerning the Hills, but as we climbed into the car and left, Harvey stared us down.

As we rolled back up the road, Eleanor made an observation. “It bothered me that he spoke about the Hill boys in the past tense. They
were
his friends.”

“I agree. He sure looked shocked when his barn was empty, too. I almost wonder if he had Curt and Curtis locked up out here.”

“And they got away,” Eleanor added. “I never thought about that, but it seems feasible.” Eleanor answered her phone as it rang, and she nodded before she ended the call. “Looks like we’ll have to delay any more investigating today. We’re expected at the lighthouse for a rehearsal, like in half an hour.”

I grumbled. “But we need more time to come up with a plan of action. We need to find Robert. I had hoped to stop at that place the kids have been going that advertises for teen dances up US 23.”

“I remember the place you mean, but we’re supposed to—”

“Quit worrying so much, Eleanor. We’ll just drop by and speak to the owner. It shouldn’t take too long.”

“Fine, but I’m putting it all on you if we’re late, got it?”

I nodded as I headed toward the building I had told Eleanor about. When we arrived, I was lucky enough that there was someone outside cleaning the windows, even though there weren’t all that many. It looked like a place kids could have fun without being spied on by overprotective parents.

I skidded to a stop, and Eleanor and I hurried over to the woman before she went back inside.

“Hello,” I greeted her. “I need to ask you a few questions.”

“I haven’t seen him,” the woman blurted out.

“Him? I don’t remember asking you about a her or him just yet.”

“You don’t need to. The cops have already been out here, and so have those federal agents. Even the man with the dragon tattoo has been here looking for Robert Miller.”

“Man with the dragon tattoo?” I asked, remembering all too well what Megan had said to us about Robert’s friends.

“Yes, you know, on his face. Hard to miss something like that in a small town like Tawas City.”

“I bet. Do you know who he is?”

“Oh, Robert was always one to hang around the wrong people. One of you his grandmother or something?”

“Yes,” Eleanor and I both said.

“Agnes is his grandmother. I’m way too young to have any grandchildren,” Eleanor said with a mock innocent look, like this woman had no idea just how old she was.

“Oh, is that right? I have a grandmother just like you. Come inside, and we can talk there. It’s freezing out here.”

We followed the brawny woman, who looked to be in her fifties. Her blonde hair was a shade of yellow that you could only get when you dyed it way too much. From the look of her arms, she had bigger biceps than most men I knew. No wonder she said it was so freezing outside, when she wasn’t even wearing a jacket.

She walked behind a bar and asked. “Would you like a pop?”

I was so parched that I agreed. She filled up two glasses with cola and set them on the counter for us to take. We grabbed them and took a few sips, following the woman to a table and sitting down.