Part 26 (1/2)

Hannah gave me a sheepish smile, which I acknowledged with a patient smile. She turned back into the room.

Maggie laughed and walked back to her room.

In a few minutes, Maggie called me. This better not be a borrowed pair of earrings.

Maggie held a man's jacket. I was exhilarated. Mac and Teri came up the stairs. Maggie was staring at us, amazed. Hannah came in behind us.

On the front of the double-breasted jacket were two rows of gold b.u.t.tons; the top b.u.t.ton, however, was missing. I was shocked. I hadn't expected to find anything.

”Where did you find this jacket?” I asked Maggie.

”It was thrown on the chair in the corner. I just picked it up,” she said, stupefied.

I took the jacket and checked the pockets, then checked the lining. There were initials embroidered on the lining of the inside breast pocket: NAW in script.

”Nathan Alexander,” Hannah supplied. ”Oh, dear.”

”Well, that answers that,” I said.

”Okay, let's get out of here,” Maggie said, s.h.i.+vering.

”We'll have to tell Steve. Leave the jacket; let's put it back the way you found it,” I said and handed the jacket back to Maggie. ”Exactly as you found it.”

”Can't we take the jacket?” Teri asked.

”No. If we take it, they'll know we were here. We need an advantage and if they think they still have the upper hand, that's our advantage.”

Chapter Twenty-Three.

Maggie and I drove into Cedar Lake later that afternoon to fill Steve in on what was happening. He sat there holding the gold b.u.t.ton.

”Nathan?” he asked, sounding incredulous.

I had to agree, this whole mess was incredulous. ”I haven't seen Nathan since the party. He was called away for some emergency,” I said.

”I know. I saw Sarah this morning,” he said. ”She told me he was still in Dubuque, but he'd be back tonight. I suppose I'll take a run over there and have a chat with him when he gets home.” He picked up the phone and called Sarah. After a brief discussion, he hung up. ”Sarah says he's still not home, but thought maybe he should be by now. I'll check later. I don't like this.”

”I don't like this either, Steve,” Maggie said and I heard the weary tone in her voice.

”You still have all the other evidence in the safe,” I said.

Steve motioned behind his desk, ”Yep, all secured.” He picked up Bedford's notebook. ”I read this little thing. Not much evidence, but it does tell us about the family. Your grandfather and Sarah? s.h.i.+t. And what's this about taking your car, Maggie?'

”I have no idea why Bedford would write that. He was right, though. I was angry with Aunt Sarah for taking my car and not saying anything. I don't remember why she took it.”

I picked up the book and found the page. ”Cinco de Mayo. That would have made it what? The fifth of May, right? If my Spanish serves me correctly, which it usually doesn't. That reminds me of a great Mexican restaurant in Chicago...” I looked at Maggie who grabbed the notebook and stared at the page. Her complexion had turned ashen. ”Maggie, what's wrong?”

She said nothing and looked from Steve to me. ”Dad died on the fifth of May, six months ago.”

Steve sat forward and took the notebook. I sat there, stunned. ”Sarah borrowed your car on the same day your father died in a hit-and-run in Chicago. And the driver was never found.”

Steve whirled around to the file cabinet and plucked out a manila folder. ”Jonathon Winfield. DOA at Northwestern University Hospital in Chicago, on May 5, 2006. Hit-and-run. Blah, blah, no driver found, no witnesses. Time of death, approximately 2 a.m....” Steve skimmed through the other pages. He looked up. ”Well, I suppose I'll have to talk to not only Nathan, but Sarah. This doesn't prove anything. I'm sure she has an alibi. She could have been anywhere with your car. Okay, so why don't you two go home, and I'll call you later? Don't talk to anyone about this. Of course, tell Hannah but stay put until you hear from me. I can't believe we found this out. It's amazing.”

The king of all understatements.

We all sat in the kitchen, once again trying to cram five people around the table. No one had much of an appet.i.te as we picked at our food.

I told all about our meeting with Steve. Hannah was visibly shaken. Maggie sat next to her and put he arm around her. Mac and Teri were equally stunned.

”This doesn't look good for Sarah, but Steve is right,” I said. ”She could have been anywhere and I hope she has an alibi. And I'm worried about Nathan, that b.u.t.ton from his coat found at Bedford's doesn't help him at all either. Let's think of Sarah and all that we have seen so far. She broke into the house-I know it was her. She argued with Bedford. She ran around in the woods like a crazy person. According to Bedford's notes, she had something going on with Alexander and had a screaming match with Jonathon. You know, come to think of it, Bedford's handwriting-I said it looked shaky in the pa.s.sages about Jonathon and the Maggie's car.”

”What do you mean?” Teri asked.

”Shaky like an elderly man was writing it, which could mean that the argument would have precipitated Sarah taking the car on May 5th. Maybe the two are connected, maybe not. I hope Steve finds out. It's in his ballpark now. It's a police matter.”

”Well, I for one can't believe the turn of events in the past few days. My G.o.d, what will happen now?” Hannah asked sadly.

None of us could answer that. I only hoped I was right and Steve could take it from there. It was late, and the mood was somber. We all decided to try and get some rest. We had no idea what tomorrow would bring.

A nice hot bath, I thought and when I eased myself into the hot water, I felt instantly relaxed. I laid my head back and closed my eyes as my mind wandered, and I thought about the week's events. Now I really had a headache.

There was a knock on the door. ”Kate?” Teri whispered.

”Hmm, c'mon in,” I sighed dreamily.

She poked her head in. ”You've been in here a long time. Maggie wanted me to check on you.”

”I'm fine Teri, I'm fine. I...” I laid my head back and put the hot cloth on my face.

”I know. You're not used to the attention. Well, I think it's...” she started again and I interrupted her.

”Oh, can I please take a bath by myself?”

I lie there for a while longer and almost fell asleep right in the tub. I was extremely stiff when I lay down on the bed and Chance jumped up. ”Hey, you mutt, where've you been?”

Again, there was a knock at my door. ”C'mon in, Teri, the door's open,” I said with my eyes closed. ”You can tell Dr. Winfield I'm fine and I didn't drown.”

”Well, she'll be relieved. She was told you were accident p.r.o.ne,” Maggie said and I opened my eyes.

”I thought it was Teri,” I said and started to sit up.

She waved me back. ”Don't get up. How do you feel?”

”I'm fine,” I said. I noticed she had her doctor bag.

She followed my gaze and smiled. ”It occurred to me I haven't checked your shoulder,” she said as she came over and sat on the edge of the bed.