Page 9

Chapter Nine

During supper, Alan told me about his successful trip to the county court house. Their real estate records indicated that Elizabeth and Edward Sterling purchased their home at 147 Church Street twenty-eight years prior for $143,000. There were no liens on the home. “So, Clare’s staying at the right house,” he noted.

“She already told us that the mail in the curbside box was addressed to the Sterlings.”

“Right,” he agreed, taking a folded sheet of paper from his pocket. “I made a copy of Edward’s obituary. Do you want me to read it to you?”

“Yes, please.”

Alan took a sip of his ice water, then unfolded the paper. “I’ll just highlight the important parts.”

“Edward Sterling, 53, is predeceased by his parents, John and Ann Sterling of Aspen Notch, and a son, Michael B. Sterling. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Elizabeth.

Edward graduated from Ohio State University with a B.S. in accounting, obtained his CPA license, and opened the Sterling Accounting Firm. He managed numerous business accounts and was known for his fair and honest practices.

He and his wife hosted many fundraising benefits at the River Mill Golf Club.”

“That’s it?” I questioned.

“Other than the date and time of his funeral service which, by the way, was at the Presbyterian Church across the street, that’s it.”

I frowned. “There’s no mention of Clare—or any family members, except for the son who died. I wonder how old he was.”

“I didn’t have time to search for the son’s obituary because I had to get the steaks on the grill.”

“Okay, we can ask Clare tonight.” I cut the fat off my steak, thinking aloud. “I would have thought they’d have the funeral at the Catholic Church, given that Liz’s sister is a nun.”

“I didn’t even consider that,” Alan admitted, “although I don’t think it’s any big deal. People change religions, and Clare couldn’t have gone to the funeral anyway if she was in Africa.”

For some reason, memories of my own sister crept into my thoughts, and I wondered if Laura would come to Alan’s funeral. I had no memory of her attendance when we buried my first husband. Had I even notified her of his death? I couldn’t recall.

Alan interrupted my reverie. “Did Lydia like her gift from Japan?”

“I’d say so, since she immediately identified her gift as juzu beads and knew their symbolism. I also brought Kareen’s gift to the shop in case she came to help, which she did, and she loved her fan.”

“That’s good. With all of the confusion last night, we forgot to distribute the souvenirs we bought for Jessica, Ryan, and Sean.”

“I know.” I gave him a quirky smile saying, “I haven’t even unpacked them yet.”

“We’ll plan a get-together some evening this week,” Alan said. “I want to see Sean’s expression when he has to put on the kimono.”

We both laughed just thinking about the probable scene.

“You should also invite Judy for dinner this week,” I said. Judy, Alan’s daughter, rented an apartment above the gift shop in town called Trinkets and Treasures . She also worked there as a sales clerk. “Tell her to bring her new boyfriend, Tom, since we bought mementos for both of them.”

“Good idea,” Alan agreed as he took our plates to the sink. “We have ice cream for dessert, but let’s save it until after our meeting with Clare Dolan.”

That sounded good to me.

^^^

While Alan and I waited on the front porch for Clare to answer the doorbell, I glanced up and down the street to see that many of our neighbors had shut their front blinds—or just kept them closed. It made me wonder if they thought people in passing cars on our busy thoroughfare would try to catch a glimpse inside.

I didn’t have time to mention my reflection to Alan because Clare promptly opened the door with a pleasant smile and invited us to come in. She still wore the slacks and knit top she had on that morning and the day before, but I knew she’d brought only a small suitcase and carry-on bag.

She led us to the dining room table saying, “I figured you’d bring a contract and I can sign it here.”

From my position, I could see that the kitchen looked to be a mess. “Are you in the process of housecleaning?”

“Not exactly,” she replied anxiously. “As the time passes without Liz’s return, I’m becoming more frantic. I hope you can locate her before anyone hurts her.”

“I assure you that we’ll do our best,” Alan said. “If you’re not satisfied with our work, you may cancel our services at any time. If Sue and I feel there’s no resolution to the case, we’ll let you know without you having to incur additional fees.”

“Thank you, but I’m not stopping until we find Liz.”

“We understand,” Alan replied, spreading his papers on the table. He calmly explained our retainer fee, our hourly rate, and the expense of any necessary travel.

She didn’t look surprised at the cost.

When she picked up the pen Alan had placed on the table, he asked, “Do you have any questions before you sign?”

“No, because I don’t have many choices. I spoke with the police chief again this afternoon and he recommended that I work with the two of you.” She quickly wrote her name on the contract.

With that finished, she reached into her pocket, pulled out a wad of large bills, and placed them on the table. “There’s $2000 there, and that should get us started.”

“That’s more than enough to begin,” Alan noted in a gentle tone. I think he recognized Clare’s anxiety. “Why are you so sure your sister is in trouble? ”

“It’s only a feeling, but it’s strong. And Liz left clues for me since she knew I had planned to visit her.”

“What kind of clues?” Alan asked.

“She left notes… and money. Lot’s of it.” Clare stood and asked us to follow her to the kitchen.

She had emptied all of the wall cabinets, leaving the doors open, and spread their contents on the counters. “I know it looks like I’ve made a mess, but I wanted you to see what I’ve found.”

“Wait a minute,” Alan said when she held up a sticky note. “Your fingerprints are now on a piece of evidence. We shouldn’t touch anything unless we’re wearing gloves.”

She placed it on the counter and wiped her hands on the back of her slacks. I peered down to see a hastily-scribbled note which read: For You .

“How do you know your sister wrote this?” I asked.

“I have a feeling.”

“It wasn’t in plain sight this morning,” Alan reminded her. “Where did you find it?”

“In the coffee canister. Liz knows I always have coffee first thing in the morning, so she left it where I’d discover it. Then, I found a sandwich bag with $500 inside a mug on the second shelf of the cabinet closest to the sink.”

Alan raised his right eyebrow. “Interesting.”

“Right,” Clare agreed. “Our mother always kept extra cash in a sugar bowl, so I searched for one in the cabinet. Sure enough, I found $1000 wadded inside the covered porcelain bowl.”

“You had to really search for those things,” Alan noted.

“Yes, that’s what I’ve done all day except for walking to the police station, then to the pizza shop for a sandwich I took back to Liz’s house.”

“What other notes did you find?” Alan asked .

“I spread them out on the counter for you.”

We looked at each of the yellow sticky notes. Besides For You, I saw the following: Use My Money ; River Mill ; J.W .; and Be Careful . I couldn’t help but admire Clare’s imagination.

“There could be more notes,” she said. “I still need to tackle Liz’s bedroom.”

Alan nodded. “That’s a good idea,” he said in a soothing tone. “Just make sure you wear gloves before touching anything. I’ll dust for fingerprints in the morning.”

“Got it,” she said. “I wonder if Lizzie went into hiding because she discovered that her husband was murdered at River Mill. She knew I’d get to the bottom of it.”

“That makes sense,” Alan agreed, placating her. “Where do you suggest we begin our investigation?”

“You’ll need to find J.W., but please be careful. He could be dangerous.”

Alan assured her that he and I would use caution, and we had enough information to begin our investigation. “We won’t take any more of your time,” he added, “as you’ve had a very long and frustrating day.”

“I am feeling stressed,” she admitted. “What time will you come in the morning?”

“How’s ten o’clock?” he asked.

Clare nodded. “That’s fine because I plan to go to the 8:30 Mass at St. Stephen’s.”

“Perfect.” Alan returned to the dining room and I followed. “I’ll take the contract with your signature and bring you a copy tomorrow. Will you be all right tonight?”

She nodded her agreement, although I still saw emotion in her eyes. Was it fear?

I had no idea.