The Yellow Packard (42 page)

“I may be dumb,” Atkins cut in, “but I can memorize almost anything. That’s not the number you read a while ago.”

“You’re right,” she agreed. “The number I just called out is the number on Burgess’s piece of paper reversed. To protect the identity of his partner in this crime the number was written backwards. It was a pretty clever code, too. Everything would have worked if we hadn’t found Rose and if we hadn’t discovered that piece of a one-hundred-dollar bill in the seat springs in the Packard.”

She moved to the counter and pointed to a phone connected to a large speaker. “We installed this special line tonight. You’ll be able to hear the call, but the party on the other end will only be able to hear the caller. Nevertheless, I would like to ask each of you to remain quiet. It is vital that this seem like a private call.”

As she picked up the receiver and dialed, Reese moved out of the showroom and into the office.

“Operator.” Her voice came through the speaker and filled the room.

“This is Helen Meeker. I’m working with the FBI. About an hour ago I asked you to be ready to make a call for us.”

“Yes ma’am. I believe you wanted Jupiter 3-7627.”

“That is correct. And I gave you the city.”

“Yes, ma’am. Connecting now. Speak when your party answers.”

Meeker waved at Janet. The small woman moved quickly across to the counter and took the phone.

“Hello.” A man’s voice on the other end of the line now had everyone’s attention.

“It’s Janet. I called to warn you. You’re in trouble. The FBI caught Burgess. He talked, and they know you were a part of the kidnapping and taking Abbi’s money.”

Everyone in the room watched the speaker box, waiting for his answer. It took the man on the other end almost thirty seconds to come up with a response.

“Why are you warning me?”

“I want the money you’ve got left. How much is it?” she demanded.

“What good would giving cash to you do me?”

Janet looked to Meeker. After the agent nodded, she continued with the script Meeker had prepared. “I can provide you with an alibi for the kidnapping. I can say you were with me that day.”

“I’ve only got ten grand left. Is that worth you lying for me?”

“I need the money,” she quickly replied. “There’s a house I want to buy. But you’ve got to tell me one more thing.”

“What?”

“How did you kill Aunt Abbi?” Meeker figured he would balk at answering the question, so she was not surprised when the line went silent.

“Tell me,” Janet demanded. “I can’t begin to trust you if you don’t level with me.”

Those in the room could hear the man taking several deep breaths before his voice came back on the line whispering his response, “I’m kind of proud of that. I think it was a stroke of genius on my part. After all, I fooled everyone. I have a friend who is a pharmacist. One night he was telling a group of us about drugs that mimic heart attacks. I took notes.”

As the morbid explanation hung in the air, Reese stepped back into the room and waved at Meeker.

“So you gave it to Burgess, and he gave it to her?” Janet asked. Helen could see from the expression on her face that she was mortified at the news he was delivering.

“Heavens, no,” he replied. “I couldn’t trust him to mix the right dosage. I drove into town and surprised her. I gave it to her at dinner. After she took it, Burgess and I searched the house. We didn’t find the money. He figured it out it was in the car years later. That’s why we had to kidnap the girl. I figured it would be the easiest way to get the cash without directing suspicion my way. Besides, the guy who owned the car never left it anyplace where we could get to it without someone noticing.”

“I can’t believe you did it,” Janet said, shock ringing in her voice.

“I should have cut you in from the beginning, but I didn’t think you’d go for it. The only person who figured it all out was Johns. He put it together a few months ago. I had to give him ten grand to keep quiet.”

All eyes went to the attorney. Before he could speak, the voice came back on the line, “I need you to hang on, someone’s at the door.”

“I’ll go ahead and hang up,” Janet replied. “The folks at your door might take up too much time for me to wait.”

Janet handed the phone to Meeker who put it back in its cradle. As she did, Reese strolled into the shop’s back office. Thirty seconds later, he popped out into the main room and announced, “We have him in custody.”

“I’m sure,” Carole volunteered from behind the counter, “that the man on the line was the guy who called giving us the information on the ransom money and where the drop point was. I’m just sure of it. It was the same voice.”

“So am I,” George added. “What’s his name? I’m guessing several in this room know.”

Meeker looked from the Halls to Carson and then to Johns. It was the lawyer who spoke first, “Jim Watling; Abbi’s nephew.”

“You mean,” Atkins cut in, “his greed was so great he’d kill and kidnap just to get his hands on the hundred grand?”

Janet Carson nodded. As she did, the sheriff pointed his finger at the attorney and leveled a verbal barrage that hit the bull’s-eye, “Samuel Johns, you’re a snake! You mean to tell me that you found out and then were bought off for a few thousand dollars? Even though this family was missing their child?”

Meeker looked over to Johns. He shrugged. There was no covering his guilt now. “I had nothing to do with Abbi being killed or the kidnapping. You need to know that.”

“But you didn’t let us know Rose was alive either,” Meeker said.

The attorney took a deep breath before continuing to try to justify what he’d done. “Like I said, I didn’t have anything to do with taking Rose or murdering Abbi. I never figured out where the money was. I only put everything together after the visit with Meeker and Reese.” He glanced toward Meeker. “I was talking to him when you burst back into my office on that day. After you left and I was sure you were out of town, I drove down and confronted Jim. He offered me the ten grand as a bribe. I couldn’t do anything to bring Abbi back, and he assured me the girl was dead, so I took it. It was wrong and so was I.”

George Hall rushed across the room. Before anyone could reach him, he delivered three sharp blows to the lawyer’s gut. Reese and Atkins pulled George back, but the man spat, “You could have gotten our daughter back to us!”

After slowly pulling himself upright, Johns sadly shook his head. “I swear, Jim Watling told me she had been killed. He swore that Burgess had taken care of her. If I had known she was alive, I’d have turned him in. I swear.”

“I hope,” Meeker said, “for your sake, you did think Rose was dead.”

“Why the circus?” Atkins asked, turning to Meeker. “Why not just arrest Jim Watling and Johns and not bring us all into this? Is that information from the phone call admissible in a court?”

“It was a legal wiretap,” Reese assured the sheriff. “We had Carole’s and Janet’s permission, as well as a court order, to listen to all of Watling’s calls.”

“And you are not so dumb, Sheriff Atkins,” Meeker added. “We could have locked Jim Watling up for a long time without the call. We already had enough evidence with the phone number and Rose’s identifying him in the picture to prove he was at least involved in the kidnapping. But we needed to get him to admit he killed his aunt. We had no proof of that. The bonus was getting him to talk about Samuel Johns’s role in this. Thus the need for the circus. And, might I add, the show has closed for the night.”

Reese waved his hand. “Unless Helen objects, everyone except Mr. Johns is free to go home now.”

“Except for Mom and me,” Angel announced. “We’re staying with the Halls tonight.”

“That’s right.” Rose laughed. “I can’t wait for you to see my room. It’s just like it was when I left.”

“Sam,” the sheriff announced as he put his hand on the attorney’s left wrist. “As soon as I get these cuffs on you, you’ll be going with me. They’ve got a nice warm cell for you down at the county jail.”

Johns said nothing as the group looked on, and his old friend slapped what some called
bracelets
on his wrists. Once they were locked in place, Atkins gently pushed the man toward the door. Just before he walked outside, the attorney took a last look at those who were witnessing his fall from grace. It appeared as though he were trying to come up with something to say, but this time words failed him. So when the sheriff placed a hand in the middle of his back, Johns moved silently out into the darkness.

As he disappeared, Meeker put her arm around Janet Carson’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not surprised about Jim,” Janet answered. “But I can’t believe Mr. Johns was in on it.”

“He just let his greed overrule his common sense,” Meeker explained. “That happens all the time. If you don’t believe it, come visit me in Washington.”

Carson nodded.

“And you’ll get back some of the money,” Meeker assured her. “Sorry we couldn’t get it all.”

Janet smiled. “I’ll be giving it to a children’s home that Aunt Abbi loved. So whatever is left will go for something pretty special.”

Carson picked up her coat, slipped it on, and headed toward the door. As she did, the Halls and Coffmans moved from the main room into the office. Reese walked back in.

“So I hear you bought the Packard?” Reese quipped, as he strolled over to Meeker’s side.

“Sure did,” she answered. “I felt I owed that car.”

“You probably paid too much for it.”

“Probably,” she agreed. “But I’m not worried about resale value. I’m keeping it forever.”

“Where you staying tonight?” he asked.

“I’ve got a room at the Regis in Danville.”

He smiled. “Get a good night’s sleep. And I hope we can work together down the road.”

He then surprised the woman by leaning forward, looking deeply into her eyes, and bringing his lips to hers. He let them linger there for a moment then pulled back just enough to whisper, “I still need to show you how to have fun.”

“I’m ready,” she whispered back. “You name the time and place.”

“It will be soon.” After leaning forward for a final soft kiss, he turned and strolled to the door.

Chapter 86

I
’m checking out,” Meeker announced, setting her bag down in front of the main desk in the Regis Hotel’s lobby. She was studying the counter’s green leather padded top when the older gentleman dressed in black slacks, a white shirt, and red vest moved forward from his station behind that desk.

“Hope you enjoyed your stay.”

“I had a good night’s sleep,” she assured him. “In fact, it might well have been the best I’ve had in years.”

“What was your room number?” he asked.

“Four-thirteen,” she announced as she handed him her key.

“If you’re Miss Helen Meeker,” he replied, reaching for what looked like a shoe box, “then someone left something here for you.” He set the small package on the counter. “Wonder what it could be.”

“I have no idea,” she answered. She met his eyes. “And as I have more enemies than friends, do you have the name of the person who left it?”

He glanced at his notes. “No, but I do remember he was young, good-looking, and the maid said he was very charming.”

“That narrows it down.” Meeker smiled.

“Well, miss, you paid in advance, so do you need help with your bags?”

“I only have two,” she replied. “I can handle it.”

“Thank you. Please stay with us the next time when you’re in town. And I hope what is in the package will bring you a great deal of happiness.”

Meeker placed the shoe box under her arm, put her purse over her shoulder, and picked up her bags. She waltzed through the small lobby and pushed out the door where she was rudely greeted by a relentless, cold north wind. Turning to her left, she quickly marched the half block to the hotel’s parking lot. Among all the gray, blue, black, and cream colored cars, her bright yellow Packard was easy to spot. Unlocking the door, she reached around, popped the handle on the back door and scooted her bags onto the backseat. Closing the back door, she tossed her purse into the front seat and slid in. Taking her place behind the wheel, she closed that door, slipped the key into the ignition, pulled out the choke, pumped the gas pedal twice, and hit the starter. After the motor roared to life, she slipped it into neutral, lifted her foot from the clutch, and adjusted the choke. It was time to examine the surprise.

There was a single red ribbon holding the lid onto the box. She untied it and set the top to one side. Inside was a white business envelope with her name written in pen. She recognized the handwriting. Taking the envelope, she carefully opened the flap to discover a single piece of typewriter paper. She unfolded it and read the short message.

Dear Partner,

When you told me you had nothing of your sister’s, not even a photo, I did some quick digging. Your father didn’t destroy everything, simply because he didn’t have everything. I had these things pulled from the case box on Emily’s kidnapping. I don’t know if it will bring you any peace, but at least you have something.

Henry

She was filled with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. Taking a deep breath, she placed the letter on the seat and looked into the box. On the top was a rag doll large enough to fill the small cardboard container. As soon as she saw it, she could picture Emily dancing across the floor with it. Grabbing and clutching the doll to her chest, Meeker closed her eyes and, as if by magic, a wealth of lost memories flooded her mind. The instant they reached her heart, the tears began to flow. Both the memories and the tears continued relentlessly for five minutes.

As she sat alone in the Packard, she remembered a dollhouse, a trip to the zoo, presents under a spruce, a Christmas tree, and hot dogs at Coney Island. There were birthday cakes and matching Easter dresses and eating apples after climbing a tree. She could remember scores of forgotten elements of her life with Emily, including the way she laughed and talked, but no matter how hard she squeezed the doll she simply couldn’t see her sister’s face. Finally regaining enough composure to set the doll aside on the car’s seat, she pulled a handkerchief from her coat pocket. After drying her eyes, she looked back into the box.