The Missing Groom: A Jane Carter Historical Cozy (Book Three) (Jane Carter Historical Cozy Mysteries 3) by Alice Simpson

Author:Alice Simpson [Simpson, Alice]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2018-02-09T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Florence was washing the breakfast dishes when I walked boldly in at the back door of the Radcliff residence.

“Don’t you ever answer doorbells, Flo?” I demanded. “I stood around front for at least ten minutes, ringing and ringing.”

“Why, hello, Jane. I didn’t hear you at all,” Florence said. “The radio is on too loud. I see you reached home safely last night.”

I picked up a towel and began to dry the dripping plates resting on the drain-board.

“Oh, yes, and did I have a day!”

“What happened after you left Andover?”

“It’s a long story, so I’ll begin at the end. Last night, as I was coming home with Jack, we stopped at a cafe along the river. Guess who we saw!”

“Knowing your luck, I’d say Charlie Chaplin, or maybe the Queen of England.”

“This particular cafe wasn’t quite their speed, Flo. Jack and I saw that same boatman I told you about!”

“The fellow you saw cruising about the Furstenberg estate? What’s so remarkable about that?”

“It just happens that I’ve dug up other evidence to show he may know something about Thomas Atwood’s disappearance,” I said. “Jack and I overheard a conversation. It seems this man and a companion of his are mixed up with another fellow named Aaron Dietz.”

“Which doesn’t make sense to me,” Flo said, scrubbing hard at a sticky pan.

“Aaron Dietz was a former associate of James Furstenberg. Dad said he probably knew more about the Furstenberg financial affairs than any other person. Dad assigned Jack to try to pick up the trail today. He’s chartered a motor boat and will patrol the river.”

“If you don’t mind,” said Florence. “I’d like to hear the first part of the story, now. Then I might understand what this is all about.”

I told Flo most of what had happened since I’d had taken leave of her at the club house in Andover—omitting any mention of the alligator.

“Which brings me to the point of my visit,” I ended my tale. “How about going out there with me this morning?”

“To the Furstenberg estate?”

“Yes, we may not be able to get across the river, but I mean to try.”

“You know I’m wild to visit the place, Jane!”

“How soon can you start?”

“Just as soon as these stupid dishes are done. And I ought to change my dress.”

“Wear something dark which won’t attract attention in the bushes,” I advised. “Now get to working on yourself while I finish the dishes.”

Florence dropped the dishcloth and hurried upstairs. When she returned ten minutes later, I was swishing the last of the soapsuds down the sink drain. Another five minutes and we were aboard Bouncing Betsy, speeding toward Sunnydale.

The sun rode high in the sky by the time we came within view of the drawbridge. A press car from The Times was parked at the end of the road, so I drew up some distance away. I could see two reporters talking with the old watchman.

“Evidently, they’re having no luck in getting over to the estate,” I said to Flo.

“Then what about us?”

“Oh, we have our own private taxi service,” I said.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.