Unexpected Riches (Bellingwood Book 13) (22 page)

"You folks have a lot of excitement in your lives," Bert Bradford said when he came in. "We've talked about adding new staff just to handle the Polly Giller wing."

"Stop it," Polly said.

Bert walked around outside and looked in the window. "He couldn’t have made any more of a mess of this. Did anyone see who it was?"

"Hayden saw him leave, but he was in the upstairs window and didn't get any details. The guy parked on the other side of the barn."

"Smart," Bert said. "Do you know what he was looking for?"

"It has to have something to do with the death of Ethan Carter," Polly replied.

"The boy you found down on the Des Moines river?"

"Yeah. And I'm worried that this person will go over to Beryl's house next if he didn't find what he was looking for."

"What's he looking for?"

"Evidence of buried gold from a hundred and fifty years ago."

Bert got a bemused look on his face. "Gold, eh. In Bellingwood. Well, I never."

"Is there anyone that can drive past Beryl's house and make sure that she's safe?"

He looked at his watch. "Misty's out on patrol. Let me contact her. She'll do a couple of drive-bys if you think it's a concern."

"That would make me feel better."

"I'll be right back." Bert went outside and Polly could hear him talking to someone. It made her feel better knowing that even in Bellingwood, people were awake at all hours to make sure they were safe.

He came back inside and pointed at the office. "Do you want to see if anything's missing?"

"I haven't been in there yet," Polly said.

Bert looked at Henry. "How'd you keep her out?"

"Stop it. Both of you," Polly said. "We only just got down here before you arrived." She opened the main office door and flipped the lights on, then went on into her office and let her head fall forward in disappointment. She looked up and turned to Bert. "If you weren't here, foul curses would come out of my mouth. Would you look at this mess?"

"At least it's not raining?" he said, trying to be helpful.

"At least. Why would he have felt the need to push all of the things off my shelves? He didn't hardly have time, especially if he was going to dig through boxes."

Bert stepped over glass and looked at the floor. "He brushed past them as he tried to get out, probably bumped the shelves pretty hard." He pointed at the boxes which had been opened, upended and spread across the floor. Several folders of things were spread out on Polly's desk. "I don't suppose you know what's missing."

"There's no way," she said. "Beryl picked these up from her brother this week and we were planning to sort through and catalog them, but we'd only begun. This is all just her family's history stuff."

"And it's important because of gold, right?" Bert asked.

"Beryl's ancestor, Jedidiah, was one of the Bellingwood's founders. But he was also a gambler and apparently he robbed his brother's bank. There are letters from Cyrus Carter saying that Jedidiah died before he could spend the gold. Cyrus told his other brother, Lester, in those letters, that he thought Jedidiah had probably buried it somewhere. Ethan Carter found the letters and came up here to look for that gold."

"And Ethan Carter is..." Bert waited for Polly.

"A descendant of Lester, the brother who moved out west. Cyrus was the owner of the bank."

"So Miz Watson's ancestor robbed his brother's bank."

She giggled. "Uh huh."

"She comes from some prime stock," Bert said with a laugh. "You have descendants of Jedidiah and Lester in Bellingwood right now. What about some of Cyrus's? Surely they still live around here."

Polly shrugged. "I'd guess so, but Beryl doesn't know who they are. She and Ethan's sister, Tallie, were going to dig through genealogy information she'd picked up from an aunt of hers to see if they could find names."

"And the sheriff is dealing with this case?"

"Aren't you glad you don't have to?" Henry asked.

Bert's cell phone rang. "It's Misty. Just a minute. Yeah, Misty?" He nodded and grunted a few times and then hung up. "She says she saw taillights turn a corner when she pulled up in front of Miz Watson's house, but thought it might be smarter to check things out at the house instead of chasing down some poor soul who was getting up early to go to work. She drove around a few times and didn't see the car anywhere else. We'll run by there a few more times tonight, just to make sure."

"Thank you," Polly said.

"Do you need help boarding up this window tonight?" Bert asked Henry.

"I'll take care of it. I need to run over to Dad's and get some plywood."

"Your thief won't be back again tonight, I'm sure," Bert said. "We'll get the alarm re-set, though. Could I speak with the young man who saw this person?"

Henry headed for the door. "I'll send him down to you. If I'm leaving, I'd rather he was here with Polly." He stopped himself before he got too much further.

Polly grinned. "Because I'm a feak and weeble woman," she said.

"I didn't say that," Henry protested. "I didn't even think that. I swear. Tell her, Bert."

Bert put up his hands. "I don't even know what it was she said. I'm not involved in this conversation."

"Hayden will be right down." Henry left and Bert turned to Polly.

"Do you have a broom? I'll help you sweep up the glass."

"You don't need to check for fingerprints or anything?"

"Not on the glass, but we should get it swept up so nobody tracks it out of here. If you aren't in a real hurry, I'll send someone over in the morning to process the rest of the office."

"No footprints?" she asked.

Bert looked down at the floor and shook his head. "No, I'm not too worried about footprints. The ground outside is too hard and they wouldn't tell us enough anyway."

"I'll get a broom then," she said with a smile. "And I was messing with ya. I figure you know what you're doing."

"Most of the time, ma'am. But you do tend to bring crime to an entirely different level in this town."

Polly walked out of the office. "I don't even know what to say to that."

Hayden was coming down the steps as she turned to the basement door. "Hey Polly. Henry said I should come down."

"Do you know Officer Bradford?" she asked.

He swallowed. "Yeah. I do."

"Is something wrong?"

"No. I haven't seen him since he ..."

"Since what?"

"He's the one who came over to find me in Ames to tell me that Mom and Dad had been killed. He's a good guy, but ..."

"Wait here a minute. Let me get a broom. I'll go in with you."

Eliseo kept an extra broom and dustpan just inside the basement door and Polly was able to put her hands on them without turning on the light. She came back out, hooked her arm through Hayden's and walked with him to the office.

Bert looked up when they came in and walked forward, his hand extended. "Hayden Harvey. It's good to see you. I've been paying attention to your game this year. You're doing a good job with those Cyclones."

"Thank you, sir."

"I'm glad you and Heath found a home with Polly and Henry. They're good people." Bert placed his hand on Hayden's back and Polly realized how young Hayden still was. He'd stepped back in time a few years at the sight of Bert.

"I just want to ask you a few questions about what you saw earlier, Hayden. Would you have a seat?" Bert gestured to the chairs in the front office and Hayden sat down, then leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

"I didn't see much, sir. The man wore a dark hoodie and jeans and he never looked up."

Polly let them talk and went into the office with the broom. She picked up large pieces of glass and dropped them into her trashcan, then worked to sweep up as much broken glass as she could. What a mess he'd made.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

"You'd think people would rather sleep than traipse around terrorizing friendly folk like us in the middle of the night," Henry complained as they trudged back upstairs.

"This happens a lot?" Hayden asked.

"It's always something." Henry opened the front door to the apartment. "It looks like we have an audience waiting for us."

"Heath, what are you doing out of bed?" Polly asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It aches a little. Rebecca wouldn't let me go downstairs."

"Good for her. At least someone up here has a little sense." Polly pointed at him. "Put him back in bed right now," she said to Henry and Hayden. "And you, little girl, to bed with you. Tomorrow morning will be here in a couple of hours."

"But we want to know what happened," Rebecca protested.

"You know what happened," Henry said, putting his arm out to help Heath up. "Somebody broke in, they got away. The police came, I boarded up the window and now I want to get some sleep before this week starts."

Polly shooed Rebecca toward her bedroom.

"Was your office a real mess? What did they steal? Who was the police officer? Did Hayden tell them anything more?" Rebecca stopped in her doorway, placing her hands on the frame. "I have questions that need to be answered or I won't be able to go to sleep.

"Let's see," Polly said. "Yes. I don't know. Officer Bradford. I don't know. There. I've answered your questions. Now go to bed and we'll talk more at breakfast."

"But what if he comes back?"

"Then the alarm will sound and we'll play this game all over again, but I don't think he'll be stupid enough to do that. The police will patrol the area tonight. We're perfectly safe."

"I know we're safe," Rebecca said. "That's why you and Henry are here, but a girl shouldn't be left without answers. She makes things up in her head and has bad dreams."

Polly laughed and gave Rebecca a small push into the room. "No she doesn't. I love you, crazy girl. Climb into bed. Go on." She stood in the doorway while Rebecca took her robe off and climbed up into her bed. "Do you want an animal in here tonight?"

"Just leave my door open a little so the cats can come in if they want," Rebecca said. "Can you tell me what this was about?"

"Whoever broke in was digging into the boxes that Beryl left here. I suspect they're looking for information about the gold that her ancestor, Jedidiah, stole."

"Oh!" Rebecca slowly nodded. "I can't wait to go to sleep now. I want to dream about that."

"Good." Polly flipped the overhead light off. "Then, sweet dreams." She pulled the door closed, leaving a small gap and looked around the living room. Hayden and Henry had gotten Heath back into his room and were still talking with him, so she wandered around the house, turning lights off. Rebecca had taken out cookies and milk for her and Heath. What a good little sister she was. Polly set the glasses into the sink and looked out the kitchen window to the street.

"Keeping an eye out?" Henry's voice made her jump.

"I guess. Really, I was wondering if I'd miss living on a main street when we move to the Bell House. It's going to be so quiet over there."

He chuckled. "The house backs up to a cemetery. Of all places in Bellingwood, you are going to be near a cemetery. Something tells me that nice, quiet, serene setting will be regularly disrupted after you arrive."

"Stop that, you rotten man," she said, putting her hand on his chest. "It's not my fault. This tonight? Not my fault at all."

"Except that those boxes of Carter family history are here at Sycamore House and not at Beryl's."

"Wouldn't you rather that person break in downstairs than at her place?" Polly simpered. "She doesn't have two strong men around to protect her."

"Now you're just being a brat. Will you be able to go back to sleep?"

Polly looked up at the time. It was nearly four o'clock. Tomorrow morning was going to be painful. She opened the freezer and pointed at the extra breakfast sandwiches. "This is why I make so many. We're totally set. Now I can sleep."

Henry took her hand and they walked through the house.

"Thank you for taking care of things," she said. "I know that I give you trouble, but I'm glad you're here."

"Just call me your hero and we'll be good." He shut the door to their room and turned the overhead light off. Enough light came in through the windows for them to see.

Polly stripped back down to her night shirt and slid under the blankets, patting the bed for Obiwan to jump up and snuggle in beside her. Han leaped up, circled the base of the bed three times and dropped before Henry could climb in.

"I need room for my feet, you mutt," he complained.

~~~

Polly sat at the dining room table after Rebecca and Henry left for the day and took a deep breath.

Hayden and Heath had gone back to their room so Hayden could help Heath get showered and ready for the day. Heath insisted that he was doing better, but Polly was glad his brother was still here to give some assistance and let the boy retain dignity. There was no way she was prepared to be that close to her teenaged son.

Her phone rang and she glanced down.

"Good morning, Beryl. You're up awfully early."

"I just got a call from Lydia. Did you really have a break-in last night?"

"Yes I did. And I sent the police over to your house to make sure whoever did this didn't try to break into your place."

"Well aren't you just the sweetest pot of strawberry jam in town," Beryl said. "I appreciate how you take care of me. What do you think he wanted?"

"I'm guessing something from those boxes of family history that are here. Several were opened up and papers scattered around. I don't know if the person found what he was looking for, though."

"Maybe the first thing I should have asked was if everyone was safe there," Beryl said.

"Absolutely. Henry and Jeff had all of the downstairs windows alarmed last year, so that's what woke us up." Polly paused. "I hope it was just the downstairs windows. Maybe I should ask."

"Hard to believe you missed that going on right under your nose."

"Tell me about it. Did you have fun with Tallie?"

"We talked until we couldn't keep our eyes open, Polly. She's a terrific young lady. I've invited her to come back to Bellingwood this summer. She said she would love to. Can you believe that?"

"Of course she did. You're pretty wonderful."

"I'm just me, but we have so many things in common. We're spending today in the studio. Just us and paint and kittens. She loves my kittens, too."

"I'm glad she went home with you yesterday. Did you find anything in the research you were doing?"

Beryl laughed. "We found so much. Nobody tells me anything, though. Cyrus Carter's family lost their surname right off the bat. He had one son who only had daughters."

"That makes sense. Do they live around here?"

"It looks like there is one family who lives just outside of Bellingwood, but the rest have spread out across Iowa. I could round them up in a day or two ... if I was desperate. I'm not that desperate."

"Who is it that lives in Bellingwood?" Polly asked.

"The Dykstra's. Do you know them?"

Polly thought and then it came to her. "I know Jeanie. She plays flute in the summer band with me. I think she's a piano teacher here in town."

"That's their youngest daughter."

"You don't suppose they know anything about the bank robbery."

"The family has had that farm for as long as I can remember," Beryl said. "It wouldn't hurt to ask."

Polly waited and when Beryl remained quiet, she coughed.

"What?"

"Are you planning to make the call?"

"Since you know Jeanie, maybe you could do it?"

"Beryl Watson," Polly scolded. "You're going to make me call her? She’s your family."

"She isn’t any more my family than the man in the moon," Beryl said. "And I'm taking care of Tallie today." Her voice turned mock-whiny. "Please? Please? You're the only other person who is involved in this little mystery and if you did this I would love you forever."

"You're serious, aren't you!"

"I'm pretty much maxed out on my stranger-quotient for the month. You know I'd much rather be in my quiet little studio where no one can find me."

"Fine," Polly said. "I'll call Jeanie. Maybe I can talk her into meeting me at Sweet Beans before she starts her afternoon lessons. But you owe me."

"I owe you so much already," Beryl replied. "You're a special, wonderful, gorgeous, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious friend. Do I need more adjectives? I thought the last one pretty much encompassed them all."

Polly heard the boys moving around in the living room. She wanted to put this conversation with Heath behind her. The moment she thought about it, her heart jumped.

"Did I lose you?" Beryl asked.

"No. Sorry. I need to go talk to my boy."

"Which one? Henry or Obiwan?"

"Heath." Polly lowered her voice. "I need to make him tell me who beat him up and I'm nervous about it."

"Oh. Well, good luck. Let me know if you get anything from Jeanie Dykstra. And I know, I know. I owe you big-time. You can bet that pretty little bippy of yours that I'll find a fun way to make this up to you."

"Just enjoy your time with Tallie. That's enough for now."

Polly put the phone back down on the dining room table and took another drink of coffee. It was time.

"Boys," she called, walking into the living room. "Would you come out here?"

Hayden came out and turned around. "Come on. She won't bite. You know that."

Heath followed him and the two sat down on the sofa. Heath braced himself as he sat, then leaned back gingerly.

"Do you feel better now that you've showered?" Polly asked.

"A lot." He dropped his hand to rub Obiwan's head. The dog stuck his nose between Heath's leg and the edge of the sofa.

"Heath," she said. "I don't want to have this conversation with you any more than you want me to have it, but we must talk about Friday night. I've put it off long enough."

"Okay."

She glanced at Hayden, who wouldn't take his eyes off his brother. "Buddy, you've got to tell her."

"He's right, you know," Polly said. "You have to tell me. Who did this to you?"

Heath shook his head and looked down. "I don't know."

"You do know." Polly sat forward. "Look at me."

He looked up.

"You haven't looked me in the eyes any time I've asked you this question. When you tell me that you don't know, you’re lying to me. Why is this such a big deal?"

"It's not a big deal. I don't know," he said, taking an interest in Obiwan's collar.

"You did it again, Heath," Hayden said. "Talk to her."

Heath rolled his lips between his teeth and refused to look up.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you," Polly said. She put her elbows on her knees and dropped her head into her hands. "You frustrate the heck out of me." Then she sat up. "But I will tell you this. I have all day. If that's what it takes to get you to talk, I will sit here on this couch until you're ready."

She sat back and tucked her legs up underneath her.

"That's it?" he asked.

She gave a startled bubble of laughter. "What?"

Heath looked at his brother.

Hayden picked Luke up off the back of the sofa and put him into his lap. The cat pulled away, jumped back where he'd been and perched himself. "What's your end game, Polly?" he asked.

"My end game? All I want is the truth. We need to know who did this."

"And if you don't get an answer?"

"Like I said. I'll sit here until I do."

"But what if you don't?"

"I will," she said.

"But what if you don't?"

Polly peered at him. "I don't understand what you're asking. I insist that we talk about this. We aren't going anywhere until there is a good response." She smiled. "Okay. If we're here too long, you're going back to school, but Heath and I can stay like this as long as it takes."