Unexpected Riches (Bellingwood Book 13) (26 page)

"So your pleasurable day is dependent on my attendance?" Polly asked.

"Are you going to hold me hostage or will you be good to your poor friend?"

Polly chuckled. "No. I just need to change my clothes. I planned to work at Bell House again."

"You can do that any day. How often do you get an invitation to go somewhere beautiful with me?"

"You're absolutely right. Where are you taking us for lunch?"

Beryl snickered. "Hickory Park?"

"That would be foolish. You'd have to leave early because a crisis would call me home."

"That's what I hear. We'll find something. Lydia's driving. She always pulls into places that serve food on plates."

"As opposed to...?"

Beryl paused. "I've got nothing. How about we pick you up at ten forty-five, have an early lunch and then we can spend the afternoon at the gardens. We'll have you home by five o'clock."

That was a long time to spend looking at plants and flowers, but Polly knew that if necessary, she and Lydia could leave and do something else. However, she needed to wear her comfortable shoes.

"Great. I'll see you in a while." Polly walked out to Stephanie's desk. "Where's Jeff?"

"He's over at Sycamore Inn with Grey. They're interviewing somebody to help out at the front desk since Denis can't be there."

Polly had completely forgotten about that. She hadn't been much help to Grey this last week and felt guilty. She hated having her life explode to the point where she lost track of her friends and what they needed. "Is Grey okay?"

Stephanie nodded. "He's fine. You shouldn't worry."

"I promised to help him."

"Polly," Stephanie said patiently. "Everybody knows what you've been through. You hired us to do a job. We'll figure it out. You don't have to take care of things all the time."

"Yes I do," Polly grumped.

"Uh huh. You're really good at putting the right people in place to do their jobs. Would you heft hay bales if something happened to Eliseo?"

"Of course I would."

"Oh," Stephanie said. "Bad example."

"But I get it. Grey is doing his job and so is Jeff."

"Exactly."

"Since everyone is doing their jobs, I guess I'll go to Ames and wander around the gardens with Beryl and Lydia."

"That sounds like fun."

Polly nodded. She wasn't going to take the time to explain that it would be fun for an hour, maybe two, but four hours of gardens might just kill her. "I need to change. I'll talk to you later. And thank you."

Her phone buzzed with a text from Heath. "I'm fine."

She ran up the steps and walked in the front door. "It's just me. I'm changing my clothes to go to Ames with Lydia and Beryl," she called out. "I'm not checking up on you."

It took a few minutes to decide what to wear. The indoor exhibits would be warm, but there was still a chill in the air. She settled on a lightweight blue sweater over her jeans and she'd take her jacket.

Heath had managed to get his breakfast plate to the peninsula and had the television on and books spread out on the table in front of him. "Did you get my text?"

"It was perfect. Thank you. I'll be out of town today and that makes me nervous for you," she said. "So you have to promise me again that you'll keep texting. And if you need anything, call down to the office. Stephanie will be glad to help."

"I'll be fine. I'm not broken."

"You very nearly were," Polly said, patting his head. "And my heart can't take much more of that. The kids will be here before I get home. I'll take Obiwan outside one more time and he should be good until they show up. Then, you can run those three around. Make them take care of you." She pointed at his cheek. "And make Rebecca check that."

He nodded.

"That makes me a terrible mom, doesn't it," Polly said.

"It's okay. You do other stuff."

"You keep thinking that. Obiwan and I will be right back."

Polly stood in the doorway of the garage, shivering while Obiwan ran down to the tree line. He was going to miss this place if they decided to move into Bell House. The back yard there was huge and she'd feel much more comfortable letting him and Han out to run on their own with the fence that encircled its entirety, but he’d miss the horses and donkeys. The fence there needed to be replaced and Polly wondered what it would look like without it closing the land off from the rest of the world. Surely it hadn't been part of the original plans. She wondered when the cemetery had opened. What a draw for the fancy hotel. "
The upstairs rooms look out on our lovely, well-kept cemetery
."

Lydia's Jeep pulled into the driveway, startling Polly out of her reverie.

"Are you waiting for us?" Beryl asked after rolling down the window.

"No, you must be early," Polly said. "I was just waiting for Obiwan."

"Hurry that boy up," Beryl said. "We have places to be today. Aren't you as excited as I am?"

Polly looked at Lydia, who just shook her head. "Of course I am," Polly said. "Let me take the dog back up to Heath and I'll be ready to go."

Obiwan had wandered over to see who was visiting and Polly reached down to touch his head. "Come on in, boy. It's time for me to be going." She took him inside, opened the door to the apartment and ran up the steps. "They're here to get me, Heath," she said, walking into the media room. "Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?"

"I'm sure," he replied. "And I promise to text you."

"Thanks. I'll see you later." He might be sure, but Polly was still nervous. Then she told herself to stop it and headed out.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

After all the focus on Beryl’s English half-brother, Lydia told them about a British Pub in Ames. Beryl thought it would be the perfect place to eat. The first time she said that she was eating bangers and mash, Polly must have giggled, because Beryl kept repeating it, changing the emphasis on the words until everyone was laughing.

They talked about many different things on the ride, but then Beryl would simply say "bangers and mash" and the laughter started again.

When Lydia pulled into the parking lot, she stopped the Jeep and turned in her seat. "You girls will be good. Do you understand me?"

"What, Mom?" Polly asked.

"I'm not kidding. The first person who giggles over bangers and mash is going to get a talking-to."

Polly had found the menu online and smiled sweetly. "Haggis and mash?"

Beryl snorted with laughter and Tallie put her hand over her mouth.

"I’m taking you to McDonald's," Lydia said.

"We'll be good. I promise." Beryl reached over and covered Lydia's eyes, then turned to the back seat and mouthed, "Haggis and mash."

Lydia slapped the hand away. "I heard that."

"Don't worry," Polly said. "We'll try not to embarrass you." She looked at the front door and grinned. "Whoops. Famous last words. Who will take a picture of me entering the Tardis?" A dark blue police call box had been painted on the door, letting everyone know that they took their British food seriously.

"I'll do it," Lydia replied. "Just play it cool for me, okay?"

Pictures took only a few minutes and Beryl opened the door. Then she pushed it closed and swore. "Damn it. That little..." She pursed her lips. "I won't call him what I want to call him."

"What?" Lydia asked.

"Is he an idiot?"

"Is who?" Lydia's eyes grew big. "Oh. He's in there now?"

Beryl nodded. "What are we going to do?"

"I should call Aaron."

"We're not in Boone County. There's nothing he can do here."

"He knows people," Lydia said. "Do you think he saw you?"

"No. He was facing away from the door."

"Well, we look like idiots out here," Lydia said. "What do you want to do?"

Beryl looked at Polly. "You're the criminologist. What are your thoughts?"

"Me? I'm just along to keep Lydia occupied while you and Tallie paint flowers," Polly protested. "Is he alone?"

"Yes. All by his lonesome."

"If we were adventurous, we'd sit in the Jeep and wait until he came out, then follow him. Do you know which car is his?"

Beryl looked around the lot and pointed to a white Camry. "I think that's it."

"Well?" Polly asked. "Are you up for an adventure?"

"No," Lydia replied. "Aaron would not approve. I will call him and he will call someone over here."

"Let's get back in the Jeep, though," Beryl said. "What if he comes out?"

Tallie laughed as they hopped back into the Jeep. Lydia pulled out of the parking space and parked a few spots away from the door and Darien Blackstone’s car.

"You ladies are crazy," she said. "This was just supposed to be lunch."

Polly turned to watch the Camry. "We were asking for it. A British pub and all."

"That's only because you're with us," Beryl said. "If you hadn't come, we never would have run into this."

"It's not my fault. Nobody ever listens to me."

Beryl turned to watch as well. "We have to follow him. I don't want to lose him because we're waiting for you to make a call and Aaron to make a call and then for the police to get here." She opened her door. "I'll be right back."

"What in the world is she doing?" Lydia asked.

They watched Beryl creep along behind the cars until she got to the Camry. She tested each of the car doors and looked up at them when she discovered the driver's door was unlocked.

"She wouldn't," Polly said.

Sure enough, Beryl unlocked the doors and climbed into the back seat of the Camry.

Polly's phone buzzed.

"What are you doing?" Polly asked.

"Don't tell Lydia, but I'm tired of this. He's going to answer to me once and for all."

"What if he's dangerous?" Polly asked.

"He's not dangerous, just a gold-digging idiot who thinks he can figure out where Jedidiah's treasure is. The only thing he's done is break into Sycamore House and take some papers. Marybelle Dykstra…" She stopped. "Shhh, here he comes."

They watched in shocked silence as Beryl disappeared from view.

Darien Blackstone triggered the locks and climbed into the driver’s seat.

Polly giggled when his hands went up in the air. "Oh no," she said. "Beryl's holding him up. We have to help her."

"You stay right here," Lydia said.

Tallie looked at Polly. "We should all go. That will scare him."

Lydia shook her head. "My husband is going to have my head for this."

Polly jumped out of the Jeep and waited for the other two to join her. Then she approached the Camry and tapped on the driver's window. Darien Blackstone looked at her in a panic and she motioned for him to roll down the window. He shook his head, fear filling his eyes. She chuckled and pulled the car door open.

"Do you recognize me?" she asked.

"No. Why would I recognize you?" Then it hit him. "You're the lady from the hotel."

"He thinks I'm a lady," Polly said to Lydia. "Isn't that sweet."

"What is this?" he asked. "Are you holding me up? I don't have very much money on me."

Beryl sat up and using the same low growly voice she must have been using before said, "You held us up. And now you're going to pay."

He looked in the rear view mirror and dropped his hands.

"Put 'em back up," she said, jamming her fist in the back of his seat. "I'm not done with you and I'm pissed."

"What are you going to do with him?" Lydia asked.

"I haven't made up my mind," Beryl replied. "Killing him right here would be wrong."

"I didn't do anything," Darien whined. "I'm innocent."

"My sweet American ass, you're innocent," Beryl snapped. "You are a lying, thieving jerk who deserves to waste away in a dark and dingy dungeon, far, far from your poor sweet family. You know that's what our prisons are like, don’t you? We took our cues from old English castles. It's almost as good a deterrent as killing people on the spot."

He started to turn to look at her, but she slapped the back of his head. "Don't you turn around and look at me, you punk."

"Seriously, Beryl. What are you planning to do with him?" Polly glanced around, looking for something ... anything. "Tallie run back to the Jeep and get Lydia's scarf and anything else we can use to tie him up."

"My scarf?" Lydia asked. "Oh no you don’t. I have rope in the Jeep. We aren't messing with my scarf." She followed Tallie.

"Here's what we're going to do," Polly said. "We'll tie you up. I'll drive your car and Beryl will stay in the back seat with her gun trained on you so you don't get stupid. Lydia and Tallie will follow us and if you do try to get stupid and jump out, I'll just have Lydia run over you."

"You people are crazy," he screamed. "Help! Help! I'm being kidnapped."

Beryl slapped the back of his head again. "Stop that or I will drop you where you sit. Imagine the headache that will bring when you wake up on the dirt floor of a cold, damp cell."

Polly was having the hardest time keeping a straight face, especially as she kept watching the front door of the restaurant, hoping no one else would come out until they were gone.

Lydia and Tallie came back with two lengths of rope.

"What in the world do you carry this for?" Polly asked.

"I don't know. Aaron made me put it in there. I have all sorts of things that I don't understand." Lydia held up a container of Mace. "But I thought you could use this, too."

Polly laughed. "I suppose I can. Here, you hold the Mace while I tie him up. Lean forward and put your hands behind your back," she ordered.

When he could go no further because of the steering wheel, she pushed his torso to the passenger side. "Give me your hands."

He obeyed and she tied his hands together. "Now scoot over to the passenger seat. We'll wait." She turned to Lydia. "I'm going to drive to Aaron's office in Boone. Will you call him?"

"He won't believe this," Lydia said.

"If you tell him that it's me and Beryl, he will." Polly waited while Darien negotiated the gear shift. He finally landed in the passenger seat. "Keep an eye on him."

She walked around, opened the passenger door and with the second length of rope, tied his feet together and then wrapped the rope around the seat release bar. "There, that should do it. Are you comfortable enough?"

"I can't sit back. This hurts," he complained.

"Too bad. It's a short drive to Boone. You can suffer."

"This is brutality."

"We ain't the coppers," Beryl snapped. "Quit 'cher complainin'."

"I want to get out of here before anyone else sees us," Polly said. She walked back to the driver's side, got in and adjusted the seat, then looked for the keys. "Where are they?" she asked.

His eyes darted to the console before he said, "In my pocket. Wanna try to get them?"

Beryl leaned forward and picked up the key fob. "Liar. You aren't helping your case any. Just push the button, Polly."

Polly started the car and pulled out onto Duff to head for Highway 30, checking the mirror to make sure that Lydia and Tallie were following.

"You really are an idiot, you know," Beryl said. "A silly woman and her friends just got the drop on you."

"I wasn't doing anything," he said. Polly was now quite tired of his whiny British accent.

"Why did you leave my kitties alone Saturday night?" Beryl asked. Before he could speak, she continued. "Why did you break into Polly's office? Why did you go out to Marybelle Dykstra's house? Why did you ever contact me in the first place? Why did you have to hurt me like this?"

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he said.

"How did you even know those papers were in my office?" Polly asked. "Henry put them there Sunday afternoon."

He nodded toward the back seat. Beryl picked up a pair of binoculars. "You've been watching everything, haven't you?"

"You went on and on about how you had all of that information. I didn't get enough time to look at it before you drove off Saturday night and I knew you wouldn't bring it back. You weren't any use after that."

"Any use? But we're family. I'm your family!"

"No," he spat. "You're part of the chosen family. Our father..." he growled out the title. "Our father was a piece of work. He thought he could buy my mum's silence with pretty gifties and money. Then one day he just didn't show up. But he had told me stories when I was a little boy. About three brothers who had come to Iowa. Two of them stayed and the other went west to get his fortune. Oh, he loved those stories. He knew about the gold, you know."

Beryl looked up in shock. "He what?"

"He said it was a legend and tried to make me believe that it wasn't true. But he knew that his ancestor had robbed his own brother's bank. That's the kind of stock that we come from. Bank robber, horse thief and gambler. Don't you feel special?"

"You're a horrible man," Beryl said. "But how did you get hold of Ethan Carter?"

Darien laughed. "He found me."

"How could he find you without finding me?"

"Ask your brothers. He found them first."

"They didn't tell me that."

"They've known that I existed for a long time," he said.

Beryl crumpled. "Why wouldn't they tell me?"

"Young Ethan wanted to find out where his family had come from, so your brother, Melvin, put him in touch with me, hoping that I could help him with genealogy in England. That was the beginning of a very interesting relationship."