Lisa smiled at Phyllis and Brenda. “I apologize. We don’t agree when it comes to old things like I’ve been bothered with the entire weekend.”

  “There is no reason for an apology or explanation. I hope you liked the book you found.”

  Lisa told her she read all except the last two chapters and Brenda told to feel free to take it with her. “What time do you want us to check out?” Lisa asked.

  “There is no set time. Stay into the evening if you like, though there won’t be the usual dinner served tonight,” Brenda said. “There are drinks on the sideboard. Please help yourselves. Lunch will be served in about twenty minutes.”

  Brenda returned to the kitchen and met Mac at the back door. Together, they went to their apartment to freshen up for lunch. Mac asked his wife if she had any takers in regard to the paintings. Brenda told him none that she knew of, but they still had a few minutes before lunch.

  “Do you want to go up and check out the attic?”

  Mac glanced at this watch. They decided there was not time. “I’ll go up there after lunch if you can keep everyone here…in case I need those search warrants. Bryce gave them to me so I’m ready.”

  Brenda and Mac heard light footsteps along the hall. Just outside their door they heard voices.

  “I checked. Everyone is in the dining room. I heard Phyllis tell someone that Brenda is in the kitchen. I doubt the detective will be here in the middle of the day like this.” Soft laughter followed. “He’s out trying to catch petty thieves.” The woman’s voice was muffled and hard to recognize.

  “We could leave here with wampum and the paintings at the same time,” the man’s voice sounded muffled as if speaking from behind his hand. “This has been an easy and lucrative trip for us.”

  They continued down the hallway. Brenda and Mac waited until the attic door squeaked and then closed. They crept to the landing and waited for the thieves to come back downstairs. Brenda’s heart beat in anticipation. Rummaging sounds increased as they opened boxes and trunks. A loud thud shook Brenda and she imagined the condition of her attic. Mac moved a few yards back from the attic door and called for back-up.

  “Come in through the back of the building and use the service stairs to the second floor.”

  Detective Bryce Jones took command and in a few minutes three patrol cars silently parked in the back lot. He told three officers to remain outside by the exit doors and ordered the remaining officers to follow him.

  Mac motioned for them to wait at the bottom of the stairs on first floor. The time the perpetrators took to search the attic felt like a year to Brenda.

  “How much longer do you think before they’ll give up?” she whispered to Mac. “The lunch is soon.”

  “We have time. It’s a waiting game now…we’ll get our rewards soon. You should move back, Brenda, just in case.” She nodded at Mac and moved back a little bit, allowing the detective and the officers to take charge.

  Another thud came closer to the attic door. It caused the door to open a couple of inches and the voices became audible. Brenda was startled to recognize the Pyles’ voices loud and clear.

  “We’ll have to hurry,” Jason Pyles said. “They won’t be down there much longer to eat a light lunch.”

  “It’s a full lunch menu,” Carolyn said. “I really want to find at least one of those paintings. It’s the only thing that intrigues me when it comes to this old stuff.”

  “What are we going to do with all of this stuff back in Cincinnati? We’re running out of room.”

  “You’ll have to start lining up new buyers, Jason. Some of the items have been gone long enough to fall off the radar on the lists of stolen artifacts. We could almost retire from the proceeds alone.” Carolyn’s voice grew softer indicating they moved away from the door once again.

  Brenda glanced at her watch. They had been searching for something that did not exist for a full ten minutes. “It’s a good thing you are a patient man, Mac. If it was up to me I’d go up there and confront them.”

  Mac whispered back. “Patience. They may even find something of value that you don’t know about.”

  Voices moved closer to the door again.

  “Let’s forget the paintings, Carolyn. We’ve been looking long enough. We have enough, plus at any moment everyone will be coming back upstairs to pack.”

  Brenda’s heart raced. This was the part she enjoyed most; the surprise and shock on faces of criminals when caught unaware. She barely breathed. The door opened wider and a slim ray of sunlight from the high attic window shone on Carolyn’s coal black hair. Jason followed her and dipped his head to avoid the top of the low door frame. Brenda and Mac stepped from their hiding place and Mac motioned for Bryce and his officers to come up the stairs. Just as expected, Carolyn and Jason stopped in their tracks and stared at the welcome below them.

  “Did you find what you were looking for?” Brenda asked.

  An angry shade of faint pink crept up Carolyn’s face.

  “We weren’t looking for anything in particular,” she said. “We’re both curious about old buildings and wanted to explore.”

  “We’re not holding lunch for snoopers,” Brenda said. “It sounded as if you were ripping boxes open and throwing things around. Did you find the paintings? Or perhaps you found the wampum and decided that was enough.”

  Jason took full control. “Okay, okay, I admit we were curious about the paintings. You told us you would show them to us but we couldn’t wait that long. We have to finish packing and get to the airport soon.”

  Mac stepped forward. “You probably won’t get there on time.” He handed them the search warrant for their room and the rental car. Bryce and Mac went to the Pyles’ room and sent the two officers to the car with a description of it.

  “The two of you stand over there in that corner,” Mac said. He motioned for Carolyn and Jason to remain near the cold fireplace in their room while the search was conducted.

  Brenda stood in the doorway. She admired the meticulous search methods Mac and Bryce used. Nothing was left unturned. Mac turned every pocket of every garment inside out until something clinked on the hardwood floor. Mac glanced at the object when a second one fell to the floor. He bent and picked up two small, vibrant purple wampum beads.

  “It looks like you won’t have to do another search in the attic, Brenda. One of these belongs to you, I’m sure. The other one will prove to belong to the vendor from the Native American Market Show. Unless of course you can produce a receipt for purchase?” He looked inquiringly at the couple, but neither met his eyes, wordlessly staring out the window.

  Bryce turned the mattress over and shifted it to the floor while going through the bedcovers. He reached for a thick folder between the mattress and box springs. Sifting through several documents, he barely looked at the thieves. He handed Brenda a pair of gloves which she put on.

  “If you don’t mind, Brenda, will you hold this folder for me while I get a little more thorough?” Another three clinks on the planked floor sounded. Bryce reached down and picked up three flints.

  Brenda smiled and took the bound folder. She looked at the criminals when Carolyn sniffled.

  “I didn’t steal any of that stuff,” she said. “I was in the attic hoping to see the paintings Brenda told us about.” She whimpered audibly. “I didn’t want to steal anything. I don’t know what this other stuff is.”

  Jason glared at his wife and attempted to signal her to stop talking.

  “You forget we overheard your conversation in the attic. You were up there hoping to take anything of value, Carolyn. Why else would either of you go up there when everyone was downstairs eating?” Brenda asked. “Did you see any of the famous paintings?”

  Carolyn shook her head no.

  Brenda decided to let the woman suffer a little longer. When the two were transported to the police station she would take advantage and give them the final blow – the paintings were bogus and they had fallen for a cheap trap.

  Mac continued to upend the contents of the dresser drawers. He pulled out an intricately patterned blanket. The child’s wrap appeared exactly as the seller described to him. “This belongs to the seller who told us this blanket is a rare one.”

  Carolyn trembled. Tears trickled down her face as she looked from the detective’s face to her husband.

  Mac and Bryce left nothing unturned. Mac finally gave the nod to Bryce, who summoned an officer. Handcuffs were snapped onto both criminals as they were read their rights, and they were taken to the patrol cars parked in the back.

  When the detectives finished their work, Mac placed yellow tape across the doorway inside the room and then closed the door. Brenda locked it securely and breathed a sigh of relief.

  “I’ll go to the events center and hopefully catch the vendors before they leave. I’ll have to get them to verify identification of the artifacts so we can check them against the police reports they already filed,” Bryce said. They had received descriptions and detailed value information at the initial crime report, so all that remained was to link everything together.

  “I’ll tell Phyllis what has transpired up here,” Brenda said. “Then I want to be in on the interrogations downtown. What time do you think you’ll do that?”

  “Meet me down there in a couple of hours.” Mac spoke to Bryce next. “We’re not sure yet that Carolyn and Jason Pyles acted on their own. Go downstairs and assemble the remaining guests. Brenda, don’t let anyone check out. I’ll be down soon.”

  Phyllis and Allie met Brenda at the bottom of the stairs with questioning looks. Brenda explained what had gone on while everyone lunched. She instructed Allie to not check anyone out until further notice. She and Phyllis went to meet with their guests. Several were ready to leave and finish packing up for home until Brenda stopped them.

  “If everyone will please come into the sitting room, I have an announcement to make.”

  Lisa and Edward had already surmised something was going on when Brenda did not join her guests for their last meal at Sheffield Bed and Breakfast. Everyone had noticed the absence of Carolyn and Jason and presumed they checked out early.

  Brenda remained standing until her guests took their seats around her.

  “I know you have all heard the news about the thefts during the Native American Market Show downtown. Some high valued artifacts were stolen.” She took a deep breath. “My uncle’s wampum bead was also stolen from the attic here. Phyllis and I found the attic ransacked the other day and soon realized a thief had found it and taken it. A few minutes ago Detective Rivers and I caught two individuals red-handed, ransacking the space up there again. This time they searched for the Native American paintings I mentioned the other night.”

  She produced a crooked smile. “I confess it was a lie. I wanted to catch whoever stole the wampum bead and I thought if I put it out there that I also owned valuable paintings, the thief would return to the attic. I was right. I can’t give their names due to privacy reasons, but of course you will all no doubt understand who it is, by process of elimination, so I’ll just go ahead and say it. Carolyn and Jason Pyles have been arrested for stealing the wampum bead, and the missing items from the show were also found in their possessions in their room.” She cleared her throat to stop the murmurs of surprise from overtaking the room. “We think they likely acted alone, but since this is a police matter, Mac says we have to be very thorough. We ask that no one checks out until the rooms and belongings are searched. Search warrants have been obtained and vehicles will also be examined.”

  Andrew Masterson stood up. His eyes flared as if consumed with outrage. “You can’t accuse any of us for having a part in all of this. I refuse to allow a search of my belongings.”

  “You have no choice, Mr. Masterson,” Mac said from the doorway. He waved the search warrants and began to distribute them to the rightful recipients. “I’m sure Phyllis and the staff will be happy to serve you drinks and sweet treats of your choice while you wait for additional questioning following the searches.”

  Phyllis left for the kitchen and returned with a cart stocked with snacks and sweet pastries that Mac mentioned.

  “To expedite the procedure, Brenda will interrogate some of you and I will take the others.”

  “What gives her the right to do police work?” Jane asked indignantly.

  “She works for the local police department and is sworn in. It’s all quite legal. Now, Miss Higgerson, if you will come with me please,” Mac said. He stood aside to allow her to precede him to a small room down the hallway. An officer stood by the front door and one at the back door.

  “Andrew, follow me, please,” Brenda said.

  She had decided to prove to him she knew her job. She led him to her office where he slumped casually in the chair across from her.

  “You were heard discussing possession of a purple wampum at the show. Do you own one?”

  Andrew did not turn on his usual charm, but was relaxed and did not hesitate to answer. He nodded. “I bought it legally at the show. I have the papers to prove its value and to prove it belongs to me. I also outbid everyone for a famous treaty document which is catalogued legally as well.”

  “I feel sure once your room and car are searched there will be nothing to implicate you in any of this. I hope you understand why we are putting everyone through this.”

  “I do understand it. You have to do your job and the crime is a serious one.” He leaned back as if there for a social call. “Who would have guessed that Jason Pyles had it in him? He’s only in his early thirties or so. His best years will be spent in prison. I doubt he, or his wife, have ever known what prison is like.”

  “Have you had experience there?”

  Andrew laughed. “Not yet. Though my father and I once had it out with one another. That was when I wasted his money trying college. He almost took my name off his will. If things had escalated completely out of hand who knows where I’d be today?”

  Brenda was ready to end the interview and get on with the others. She stood up and dismissed him. “If your room and possessions are cleared upstairs, you are free to leave. Mac will want a contact number from you first, though. Thank you for coming to the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast for your stay this weekend. I regret that it ended like this and I hope you’ll return.”

  “Don’t worry. The next time I’m in town I’ll definitely be back here. I’m sure Jane will agree.”

  After all interviews completed, Mac joined his wife. “I’m on my way to the police station. Do you want to ride with me?”

  “I’ll take my car. I think you’ll have a long night. Do you want me to bring something hot for you and Bryce later this evening?” Mac nodded gratefully and Brenda agreed with would pack up two dinner boxes for the detectives.

  They agreed Brenda would call to find out his progress and go from there. When the last guest departed, Phyllis, Allie and Brenda collapsed in the sitting room. Phyllis got ready to pour hot tea.

  “Make mine a half glass of wine, Phyllis,” Brenda said. “I’m going to meet Mac downtown and sit in on the interrogations of Carolyn and Jason Pyles.”

  They discussed the events of the weekend. Phyllis asked how two people could have managed to steal everything, especially at the show. Brenda told her that she would give them the story once interrogations were completed. She wondered the same thing.

  When Brenda arrived at the police station, Mac met her in the corridor outside his office.

  “We separated them into different interrogation rooms, but both managed to summon lawyers quickly. I’ll be surprised if we get much out of either of them. I’m starting with Jason. If we let Carolyn stew a while she may be more inclined to spill more, in spite of what her lawyer tells her.”

  “If they got lawyers here that fast, I would say this isn’t the first time they’ve had to call them.”

  “That’s true. They’ve never done time for any theft so the lawyers are good ones. With all the proof we have it will be hard for them to get out of anything on this matter.”

  They passed Bryce who sat in his office with the three vendors who had items stolen from them. He verified the authenticity of the items and asked each to sign the papers listing the items that belonged to them. He then secured them in an evidence box and took the box to a locked safe. He assured the sellers they would get their valuables back when the matter ended, but for now, these antique relics were important evidence in a very serious crime.

  Mac and Brenda headed for the room occupied by Jason Pyles and his lawyer.

  Chapter 8

  Nowhere to Run

  Jason Pyles gave his age as twenty-eight. He did not answer directly, but Mac prodded him as to whether he had learned the business of filching valuables at antique shows from his father, who was presently an inmate at a prison in Massachusetts. Jason would be forty-two when his father got out, so evidently it had been a serious theft.

  Detective Rivers introduced Brenda to the lawyer. Attorney Jake Stewart stood almost six feet and his hand enclosed Brenda’s like a vise. He appeared to be in his late fifties or early sixties and he wore an expensive Brooks Brothers tailored suit.

  Jason’s smug expression reinforced Brenda’s first assumption that he was used to getting out of jams such as this one. Every question Mac asked went unanswered by the suspect. On occasion his lawyer provided short answers but refused to give them much at all. Mac and Brenda finally left the two alone.

  “He should be worrying more than he is letting on,” Mac said. “We have plenty of evidence against him.”

  “Well,” Bryce said as he walked up to them, “there’s more against him than stolen artifacts. The FBI is involved in a case against these thieves, too. They’ve been watching a posh apartment owned by the Pyles in Cincinnati. These two have been stealing and stashing valuable Native American items from shows like the one this weekend, and from museums. They are adept, I’ll give them that much.”

  “I told you, Brenda, this is one time they won’t get away with it all.” Mac’s self-satisfied expression caused a smile to cross Brenda’s face. “Let’s go see what Mrs. Pyles has to say.”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9