03 Murder by Mishap (21 page)

 “So what happened,” she asked when nobody spoke up. She rested a hip on the desk as Edna sat back in her swivel chair. Mary, sitting in the straight-back chair beside the desk, held up the memory chip for Starling to see.

“Got something to read this with?”

Starling frowned in puzzlement, but answered, “Sure. What is it?”

“Memory chip from a camera,” Mary said.

Starling rolled her eyes skyward. “I know that,” she said lowering her eyes to meet Mary’s twinkling ones. “I meant what’s on it?”

“Don’t know. We need to look.”

When Starling turned a questioning gaze on her mother, Edna explained about the envelope that Jaycee had left in her care. “That man must have seen what was written on the front when I opened the door to him earlier this evening. That’s why he came back.” She shook her head in disgust. “I should have left it in the desk.”

“Don’t kick yourself, Mom. How were you to know?” Starling pushed away from the desk. “I’ll run upstairs and get my laptop.”

Edna was about to protest that Charlie wanted them to stay in the office, but she too was curious to see what the chip held. Until her daughter reappeared in the doorway, computer in hand, she didn’t realize she’d hardly taken a breath, hoping the man with the gun hadn’t somehow reentered the house and hidden upstairs. She wouldn’t feel easy until she knew he’d been caught.

She gave her seat to her daughter and Starling set her laptop on the desk, pushing Edna’s monitor aside to make room. While the computer booted up, she slid a camera bag from her shoulder and rummaged for an adapter which she plugged into one of the USB ports. Mary handed over the chip, having moved her chair around to sit as close as she could get to watch the screen. Edna stood behind her daughter, as mesmerized as Mary, waiting for a display of the contents of the little black wafer.

Starling slipped the memory chip into the adapter and began to swipe a finger across the touch pad to position the cursor and then press buttons to start programs and open windows. Suddenly, a photo appeared showing a large three-story house with flames shooting around the lower windows and above the front door. Black soot crawled up the white clapboard walls as the fire reached for upper floors. The three women watched in horror as a grisly slideshow scrolled across the screen showing how the fire had engulfed the house.

“These must be the pictures Carol James took of the fire in Chicago, the ones the magazine article described,” Starling said, her eyes not moving from the screen.

At the end of the fire series were several images that had obviously been cropped from sections of other pictures. Starling ran her fingers over the keyboard and touch pad to change the display to thumbnail images of the contents of the camera chip. Pointing and clicking on one, she enlarged the photo of a man looking over his shoulder.

“That’s one of the pictures that sent the arsonist to prison. It was in the magazine article after the trial.”

The man had a scowl on his face, as if he’d heard something and was looking back to see who was behind him. Carol James, a.k.a. Jaycee Watkins, had shot the photos with a long lens from a copse of trees across the residential street from the house, Starling explained to the others.

“Bring up those small pictures again,” Edna said, leaning over Starling’s shoulder. “I think I saw something.”

When the images appeared, she put her finger on one. “Can you make this one larger?”

As Starling obliged, a shadow could be seen. The image was a blowup of the corner of one of the early shots when the flames hadn’t thrown as much light over the front yard. Light from a street lamp must have created the blurred silhouette. The arsonist who had been tried and convicted had been in a different spot in the same photo, so the shadow was not his. Starling brought up another enlargement that displayed a grainy image of the same section of wall. Barely discernible, it was either an optical illusion or a second man had been on the scene.

“Do you suppose it could be our visitor,” Mary asked, twisting her head to look up at Edna.

 
“Maybe.
It would explain why he was looking for Jaycee and why he was so interested in the envelope.”

Starling said with excitement in her voice, “It looks like these pictures prove there were two arsonists at the fire, but only one man was brought to trial.” She tapped keys and swiped at the touch pad. “I want to take these back to my studio and see if I can find anything else. I know Carol ...” she hesitated, “... or Jaycee or whatever her name is--probably went over these with a fine tooth comb, but maybe fresh eyes will see something else.”

“You can’t take that. Charlie will want the chip,” Edna reminded her.

“He can have the chip. I’m just copying the contents to my hard drive,” Starling said, busy at her task.

“Who can have what chip?” Charlie had entered the room in time to hear Starling’s last remarks. Without waiting for an answer, he spoke to the question on three faces turned his way.
“Didn’t find him.
He’s gone. There’s nobody around who shouldn’t be and no strange vehicles, according to the patrol.”

“Edna thinks he’ll be back,” Mary said, sounding as if she knew better and Edna’s concern was silly.

“Of course he will,” Edna snapped, worry making her testy. “Whoever sees the pictures in the envelope--and I’m assuming that’s what it contained--must certainly want the originals or negatives or whatever you call what’s on a camera chip.”

“Would someone fill me in? What envelope? What chip?  Why did a man with a gun break in and threaten you two?” Charlie looked from Mary to Edna, a stern, no-nonsense expression on his face.

Edna repeated the same story she’d told Starling, about Jaycee leaving the envelope with her and how the man at the door must have seen it. When she’d finished, Charlie thought for a minute while he absently watched Mary scratch Hank’s ears. Benjamin had crawled into Starling’s lap and was allowing her to stroke his back.

They all watched him and waited until he broke the silence. “Edna’s probably right about this guy coming back, and even if she isn’t, ‘better safe than sorry’ as the saying goes.”

“I want to get back to Boston to the studio and see if I can get anything else out of these pictures,” Starling spoke up, taking the chip from the adapter and holding it up to Charlie. “I’ve copied everything on it to my laptop.”

Instead of taking it from her, he took a small notebook from his inside coat pocket and ripped out a blank page. Starling laid the wafer on the paper and Charlie wrapped it carefully before putting it and the notebook back in his pocket.

“There’s probably nothing on this, but just in case,” he said. “I don’t want the lab boys on my back because they found one of
my
fingerprints on it.” He turned to Edna. “Can you go to Boston with Starling and stay for a few days?”

“I could follow her up in my car, but let me first check with Peg. If she can use my help, I’ll stay with her.”

Charlie put a hand on her arm before she could leave the room. “I’d like to keep your car here in the driveway, if you don’t mind.”

It took only a few seconds for Edna to reason out why. “You think he’ll be back, too.” It was a rhetorical question.

“It’s a possibility. If your car is here, he might try to get into the house to get to you. If he tries to break in again, he’ll be cautious to avoid alerting you and that might delay him long enough for the patrol to spot him.”

“I can watch for him, too” Mary chimed in. “I’ve got new night-vision goggles.”

Starling giggled and punched Mary lightly on the arm. “You’re so prepared,” she said with a smile as Mary grinned back at her.

“I know it’s useless to ask you to stay away.” Charlie looked sternly at Mary, but Edna noticed a twitch at the corner of his mouth as he hid a smile. 

She thought for a moment. “I guess I can leave my car here. If Peg needs me, Starling can drop me off on her way home. Peg won’t mind driving me back once you tell me it’s safe.”

“
Benjy
can come home with Hank and me,” Mary volunteered.

“Benjamin,” Edna corrected automatically, still looking at Charlie.

“Can I borrow a house key,” he asked, ignoring the interchange. “I’ll make a periodic check inside.”

She nodded, feeling a cold shiver run down her spine at the thought of the stranger waiting somewhere in the house for her to return. Moving to the kitchen to get a spare key, she called Peg who, as it turned out, was not only delighted to have the company but desperate for some assistance.

“Virginia’s sister is driving down from New Hampshire on Sunday. I know Virginia’s friends will want to meet Janette and her husband, so I’m arranging a small memorial service at the house. I contacted Virginia’s priest. He said he’ll ask the church women to spread the word, and he’s certain they’ll bring enough food for a small army, so I won’t have to worry about that. But I need to clean the house and order flowers and decide what sort of drinks to provide--and since tomorrow’s Friday, I’ve got only two days to get things done.” Beginning to sound beleaguered, Peg added, “Oh and there’s more packing to do. You may be sorry you asked, but yes, I would love for you to visit for a few days.”

When Edna returned to the office with Peg’s answer, Starling went to get the rest of her equipment and her clothes. Mary called to Hank and Benjamin, going out through the mudroom so she could grab some cat food from the pantry on the way. Edna stopped for a minute to speak with Charlie before going upstairs to pack a small bag for what she hoped wouldn’t be more than a two- or three-day stay in Providence.

“What else have you found out?”

He was leaning against the desk, examining the cell phone in his hands and studiously avoiding her eyes.

When he didn’t answer immediately, she persisted. “Have you heard from your friend Dietz? What’s the story with Jaycee? It’s become obvious that dangerous people are looking for her. Is that why Dietz wanted you to keep an eye on her, to see that she’s safe?”

His gaze flicked to her face and quickly dropped again. “I haven’t talked to Dietz. He’s still not answering his phone.” Charlie pushed away from the desk, slipping the phone into his pocket and, taking hold of Edna’s shoulders, looked her in the eyes. “I’m sorry we put you in danger. I had no idea someone would come to your house, let alone threaten you at gunpoint.”

She looked at the concern in his hazel eyes for a long moment before she said, “I don’t blame you. I know you couldn’t have anticipated what happened tonight.” Changing the subject slightly, she said, “Have you found out anything more about
Goran
Pittlani
? Could he be in cahoots with our gunman?”

Without hesitation, Charlie shook his head, then dropped his hands and turned sideways to stare out to the hallway, effectively avoiding her eyes once more. “Your visitor wouldn’t have come here looking for Jaycee if he knew
Pittlani
had taken her off somewhere.”

“So you know for certain they’re together, Jaycee and
Goran
?”

He looked back at her. “It seems pretty obvious. Her car is gone and his bike is in her garage. I thought we’d already agreed that they’ve gone off together.”

Something in his reply made Edna suspect Charlie knew more than he was letting on, but before she could question him further, Starling appeared in the door with a camera bag in one hand and a small suitcase in the other. “I’m ready whenever you are, Mom.”

Chapter Twenty

In less than half an hour, Edna and Starling were on their way to Providence. By the time they reached Peg’s house it was nearly eleven o’clock. Starling double-parked on the street while Edna rolled her suitcase up to the front door where Peg was waiting. Starling then waved goodbye to her mother and her honorary aunt and drove off.

“I hope my staying with you for a few days won’t disturb Stephen,” Edna said, pulling her wheeled bag across the foyer’s wood floor toward the wide staircase.

“He’s out,” Peg said. She turned away abruptly, but not before Edna saw tears in her best friend’s eyes.

Edna chose not to question Peg in the foyer, but instead followed her up the stairs. They turned left at the landing and entered the bedroom where Peg sat in a cushioned rocker near the window while Edna unpacked and put her toiletries in the bathroom. When she’d finished, Edna sat on the edge of the bed to face Peg. Earlier, when they’d spoken on the phone, she’d explained only that there had been a break-in and would Peg mind putting her up for a night or two. Now, briefly and with as little emotion as possible so as not to alarm her friend too much, she told of the night’s adventure.

“Oh, my heavens,” Peg exclaimed, rapidly patting her chest with one hand when Edna reached the part where the man had crept into the house and surprised them. She decided not to mention the gun unless Peg asked why they hadn’t defended themselves. “How creepy,” she murmured with a shudder when Edna explained that Charlie would search the house periodically in case the stranger managed to slip inside again.

As Edna finished her narrative, describing what they’d found on the memory chip, Peg frowned. “Who is this neighbor of yours and how does she know my gardener?”