Part 20 (1/2)
”Handsome moon,” I offered.
”Yes it is,” she said with a quiet sigh. ”When will this be over?”
”Soon, Maggie, I promise.”
”I believe you. You have a way about you, Miss Ryan, that's very rea.s.suring,” she said and sniffed again.
She then cautiously reached out her hand. Instinctively, I took the small, cold hand in mine.
”You have warm hands,” she whispered.
I swallowed hard as I stared at our laced fingers but said nothing.
”Thank you, Kate. I'm not sure I could do this alone.”
I gave her hand a rea.s.suring pat. ”I'm glad to do it, Miss Winfield. Now, let's get you back.”
For a moment, I could hear my heart pounding as we sat there in the moonlight, in a somewhat tender moment. I tried to remember what that was like.
I stood and promptly tripped on a boulder and smacked my knee on the corner of the bench. I grunted in embarra.s.sment more than pain. Geez, I just wanna go home.
”Are you all right?”
”Yes, I'm fine,” I said, through clenched teeth. ”Go ahead, laugh. I can almost hear the peal of laughter.”
”Good grief, you are accident p.r.o.ne,” she said, as I limped back.
”Kate, Steve is getting ready to go. Where are the bags of evidence?” Tom asked.
I heard the worried tone in Tom's voice as I looked over at the desk. ”We were in the library, and we left the room. Don't tell me they're not there?” I ran to the library.
We searched the room. They were missing.
”Dammit!” I bellowed.
”Okay, hang on. Maybe Doc or Hannah took them,” Tom said, firmly.
No such luck; they were missing.
I ran my fingers through my hair. I was upset with myself to say the least. I had been so careful up until now. Dammit.
Steve put his hand on my shoulder. ”Don't beat yourself up over this, we'll find them. Let's split up and search the house room by room.”
We split up into twos. Maggie and I took the library and den. Mac and Teri helped Hannah with the rooms upstairs. Tom and Steve checked the yard and Sarah and Doc took the cellar. Charlie and his date took the kitchen and living room. This was one time I was grateful for so many people.
It took the better part of an hour and we found nothing. The evidence was gone. We all sat in the kitchen. Hannah put on a huge pot of coffee while we sat in disgusted silence.
”It's my fault,” Steve said. ”I had them in my hand and put them back on the desk. I went to see Mom. We talked for a while then, when I went back, they were gone.”
”It's no one's fault,” I said, then a thought occurred to me. ”But it does add a new wrinkle.”
I could tell by the look on Tom's face, he knew what I meant.
”What? What new wrinkle?” Hannah asked.
”Whoever took the evidence obviously didn't want any testing done on it,” Tom said looking around the room. There was an unbelievably heavy silence.
What I was about to say was unnerving, to say the least. ”Hannah, one of your guests this evening was a murderer.”
An eerie silence blanketed the room as we all looked at one another. Then, s.h.i.+rley, her eyes wide with terror, leaned into Charlie.
”Why would a sweet lady like your aunt invite a murderer to her party?” She was completely serious.
Once again, we all looked at one another.
Charlie stared at her, with his mouth wide open. He then shook his head. ”I don't know, darling. We're an eccentric family,” he offered affectionately and kissed her forehead.
”Oh.”
The only sound that could be heard was the snapping of her gum.
Chapter Eighteen.
It was nearly midnight when Tom and Lily offered to give Sarah a ride home. She kissed Maggie and Hannah then looked at me.
”It is unfortunate the way this turned out, but I'm sure the jewelry will turn up.”
”Don't worry, this will all work out,” Lily said.
”We're not through. This is just a setback. You're on the right track, don't you feel it?” Tom asked. I shrugged in defeat. ”Hey, don't give up now. You have your father's cop blood in you.”
Hannah was standing at the door saying good-bye to Doc. He bent down and kissed her. Hannah kissed him right back. Maggie and I stared at the ceiling.
”Now, that was a kiss,” he said looking down at Hannah.
”Oh, get out of here,” she said, blus.h.i.+ng. She gently pushed him out the door.
She turned around smiling and looked at us. ”What? Do you think two old people can't kiss? You think youngsters have cornered the market on romance. You two should take a lesson from us instead of playing the cat and mouse game with each other.” She sported a smug grin and walked away.
I stared after her. ”What's she talking about?”
Maggie rolled her eyes. I heard her mumbling under her breath as she walked away.
With everyone gone, the five of us sat at the kitchen table. I was exhausted and completely deflated.
Teri gave me a confident look. ”Kate, this doesn't mean anything. You can still figure this out without that jewelry and glove. You just need a good night's sleep to clear your mind. You know you do,” she said in motherly way.