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Authors: Samantha Price
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caught Ettie’s attention.
Ettie stepped back and whispered to Ava, “It’s time to do our own investigations.”
Ava raised her eyebrows. “How?”
“That name the detective gave us the other day – Terence something.”
“Terence Wheeler?”
“Jah, that was it. Why don’t we start by looking up that name on the library computer? You can look up the Internet, can’t you?”
“Jah, of course I can, but what about the key?”
“The key isn’t going anywhere for the moment.” Ettie stuck the envelope containing the key up her sleeve.
Ava nodded. “Let’s go then. The library’s only down the road.”
“I’ve used the computer at the library before, but I’m sure you’ll be faster and more capable.”
Ava giggled. “Ettie, you’re full of surprises.”
* * *
Ava punched some things into one of the library computers and read what was on the screen. “Terence Wheeler was incarcerated numerous times for robberies. He specialized in jewelry and diamond theft.”
“It pays to specialize, they say.” Ettie peered over Ava’s shoulder.
“He’s dead,” Ava announced suddenly.
“Really? What else does it say about him? When did he die?” Ettie sat down in the chair next to her.
“In 1975 he was arrested for the Tonkins jewelry heist, but charges were dropped. He was identified as being at the scene of the crime, but the jewelry was never recovered.”
“That was around the same time Horace disappeared. Look up the Tonkins jewelry heist, see what you can find out,” Ettie ordered.
“Okay, let’s see now.” Ava pressed the keys on the computer while Ettie leaned back in her chair. “The Tonkins were a wealthy couple visiting from England. They had jewelry and diamonds they’d just purchased in an auction. Until they left town they were kept in a safe at the hotel where they were staying. Just before they booked out, two of the hotel staff were taking the jewelry back to their suite when two men wearing black masks held them up at gunpoint. Some of the hotel staff recognized Wheeler as being in the hotel that morning.”
“Hardly grounds for arrest, I would think,” Ettie said.
“A huge coincidence, though. Why would he have been at the hotel when he had a home in the area?”
“He could’ve been visiting someone, or having a meal. Does it say anything else?”
Ava scrolled down the screen. “That’s all it says. The jewelry was never recovered and they had to drop the charges against the man.”
“I wonder if Crowley was around back then…”
“Your old detective friend?”
“That’s the one. I think it’s time to pay him a visit.” Ettie wrote down a number for Ava. “Here, phone this number and tell Crowley that I’d like him to come to my place this afternoon. Give him my new address.”
“Okay.” Ava took the number from Ettie and headed to the public telephone in the foyer of the library.
Minutes later, Ava returned. “He’ll be there at two.”
“We best get back to the house.”
* * *
Ava left Ettie to talk to Crowley alone. He’d been retired a while and she looked forward to seeing him again. She sat in the living room until she heard a car, then she opened the front door for him.
“New house, Ettie?” Crowley asked as he walked toward her.
“A good friend left me this house. It’s a long story.”
“Elsa-May’s well, I hope?”
“She is.” Ettie patted Crowley on his arm. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Likewise.”
“Well, come in.” Ettie walked inside and when Crowley followed she closed the door after him. “Come through to the living room.”
When Crowley sat, he said, “It seems bigger than your old house, but it looks as though there are lots of repairs needed.” He frowned as he looked around the room.
He was right; both the inside and the outside sorely needed painting, the gutters needed fixing and judging by the uneven floor, the footings – or at least some of them – needed
Ettie stepped back and whispered to Ava, “It’s time to do our own investigations.”
Ava raised her eyebrows. “How?”
“That name the detective gave us the other day – Terence something.”
“Terence Wheeler?”
“Jah, that was it. Why don’t we start by looking up that name on the library computer? You can look up the Internet, can’t you?”
“Jah, of course I can, but what about the key?”
“The key isn’t going anywhere for the moment.” Ettie stuck the envelope containing the key up her sleeve.
Ava nodded. “Let’s go then. The library’s only down the road.”
“I’ve used the computer at the library before, but I’m sure you’ll be faster and more capable.”
Ava giggled. “Ettie, you’re full of surprises.”
* * *
Ava punched some things into one of the library computers and read what was on the screen. “Terence Wheeler was incarcerated numerous times for robberies. He specialized in jewelry and diamond theft.”
“It pays to specialize, they say.” Ettie peered over Ava’s shoulder.
“He’s dead,” Ava announced suddenly.
“Really? What else does it say about him? When did he die?” Ettie sat down in the chair next to her.
“In 1975 he was arrested for the Tonkins jewelry heist, but charges were dropped. He was identified as being at the scene of the crime, but the jewelry was never recovered.”
“That was around the same time Horace disappeared. Look up the Tonkins jewelry heist, see what you can find out,” Ettie ordered.
“Okay, let’s see now.” Ava pressed the keys on the computer while Ettie leaned back in her chair. “The Tonkins were a wealthy couple visiting from England. They had jewelry and diamonds they’d just purchased in an auction. Until they left town they were kept in a safe at the hotel where they were staying. Just before they booked out, two of the hotel staff were taking the jewelry back to their suite when two men wearing black masks held them up at gunpoint. Some of the hotel staff recognized Wheeler as being in the hotel that morning.”
“Hardly grounds for arrest, I would think,” Ettie said.
“A huge coincidence, though. Why would he have been at the hotel when he had a home in the area?”
“He could’ve been visiting someone, or having a meal. Does it say anything else?”
Ava scrolled down the screen. “That’s all it says. The jewelry was never recovered and they had to drop the charges against the man.”
“I wonder if Crowley was around back then…”
“Your old detective friend?”
“That’s the one. I think it’s time to pay him a visit.” Ettie wrote down a number for Ava. “Here, phone this number and tell Crowley that I’d like him to come to my place this afternoon. Give him my new address.”
“Okay.” Ava took the number from Ettie and headed to the public telephone in the foyer of the library.
Minutes later, Ava returned. “He’ll be there at two.”
“We best get back to the house.”
* * *
Ava left Ettie to talk to Crowley alone. He’d been retired a while and she looked forward to seeing him again. She sat in the living room until she heard a car, then she opened the front door for him.
“New house, Ettie?” Crowley asked as he walked toward her.
“A good friend left me this house. It’s a long story.”
“Elsa-May’s well, I hope?”
“She is.” Ettie patted Crowley on his arm. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Likewise.”
“Well, come in.” Ettie walked inside and when Crowley followed she closed the door after him. “Come through to the living room.”
When Crowley sat, he said, “It seems bigger than your old house, but it looks as though there are lots of repairs needed.” He frowned as he looked around the room.
He was right; both the inside and the outside sorely needed painting, the gutters needed fixing and judging by the uneven floor, the footings – or at least some of them – needed
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