Paper Treasure (9 page)

“I, um, I was looking for….”

The door to Room 210 opened and Reid stepped outside.

“What’s the problem?” he asked the housekeeper.

“I found this boy peeking in your window,” she explained.

“You did, did you?” Reid stared down at Joey squirming in the housekeeper’s grip.

Joey decided to tough it out. He didn’t know what else to do without Charlie. Who was going to kill him anyway when he found out.

“Hey,” he said brightly. “What’s up?”

“You know this boy?” asked the housekeeper, easing her hold on Joey’s shorts.

“I certainly do,” said Reid. “He’s my…brother’s son.”

Before Joey could protest, Reid had pried him from the woman’s grasp and straight-armed him into his room.

The motel door closed behind them with a resounding click. Reid roughly shoved his young captive onto the bed. “Well, now,” he said in an ice-cold voice. “What are we going to do with you?”

“Nothing,” declared Joey. “I came over to see if you were going to buy my Grampa’s house.”

“Right. Which was why you were peeking in my window.”

Joey started to get up. He had to get out of there. Reid was getting scary.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Home,” squeaked Joey. “My mother will be worried about me.”

“Sit down.” Reid eyed him shrewdly. “I’ll bet she doesn’t even know where you are, does she?”

Joey’s face gave him away.

“Which reminds me,” said Reid menacingly. “How did you know where I was staying?”

“Um, you said you were from out of town.”

“There are half a dozen places to stay in Colville.”

Joey edged his way back across the bed. When the telephone rang sharply on the table beside him, he almost jumped out of his skin.

“One word out of you, kid, and you’re dead meat,” said Reid as he lifted the receiver.

Essie hung up the phone and walked triumphantly into the living room. “He’ll be here in fifteen minutes.”

“All right!” exclaimed Charlie. “We’ve got him now.”

Weirdo rubbed his hands together with glee. “That’ll teach him to try and bilk us oldies out of our money. Do you have the certificates, Essie?”

“Right here.” She removed an envelope from beneath the cushion of the chair she was sitting on. “I didn’t want to let on, but I’d already got them out of the bank the other day, before you and Lisa came to see me,” she added to Charlie.

“It’s too bad all the others aren’t around to see Treasure Creek finally pay off,” said Weirdo, patting Essie on the hand. “It’s been more than fifty years in the making.”

“Can I see one of those certificates?” asked Lisa. “Mr. Weir has his so well hidden, nobody has ever seen them.”

Weirdo almost blushed. “Gold makes people do strange things,” said Essie as she handed Lisa the envelope. “My late husband always wanted to go prospecting with Archie, even though he didn’t know the first thing about it.”

“You know,” said Weirdo. “None of us ever did see Archie after the mine stopped producing.”

Lisa removed the certificates and held them so Charlie could read over her shoulder.

They looked rather like saving bonds. “Treasure Creek Gold Mine” was written in embossed gold letters. Each piece of paper represented a thousand shares in the mine.

The crucial ownership clause was printed on the back, Weirdo explained. Whoever owned the shares could transfer the title to anyone else provided they had a witness.

Charlie thought about what Mrs. Kowalski had told him.

If his grandfather had already signed his over, he’d made a dreadful mistake.

Charlie moved over to the window and glanced down the street. Nothing.

“You’d better not stand there, Charlie,” cautioned Weirdo. “He might see you and take off.”

“You’re right.” Charlie sat back down. He should relax; everything was going according to plan. Reid had no idea there were there. They outnumbered him four-to-one. He had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Then why was he in a nervous sweat? Lisa gave the certificates back to Essie and smiled at him reassuringly. It didn’t help. When the doorbell rang a minute later, Charlie felt a rush of adrenalin.

Essie Lovell jumped up and smoothed the front of her dress.

“Remember, Essie, lock the door behind him and remove the key,” whispered Weirdo. “We’ll be right here if you need us.”

Essie took a deep breath and went to answer the door.

The other three waited in the living room. They heard the outside door open and close, and then Essie gave a half-scream of surprise. She appeared in the doorway a moment later. Her face was ashen. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

“Essie! What’s the matter?”

Reid stepped into view behind her. He held Joey across the front of his body like a shield.

“Don’t anybody move,” he warned as Charlie reared out of his seat. “Or the kid gets hurt.”

“Leave him alone!” cried Charlie. “He’s got nothing to do with this.”

“Then why was he snooping around my motel room?”

Charlie and Lisa exchanged a look of surprise. The last they’d heard Joey had gone to the library with his mother.

“I’m sorry, Charlie,” cried Joey. “I was only trying to help.”

“It’s okay, Joey. Don’t worry about it.” Charlie’s voice shook. They should have levelled with Joey.

“Why don’t you sit down with the others, Mrs. Lovell,” said Reid in a sickly sweet voice. He waved her towards the sofa. “Joey and I will wait right here.”

“You’re a real nasty piece of work,” growled Weirdo. “First you pick on old people, and now you’re using a kid to get what you want.”

“It seems to be working quite nicely, doesn’t it,” drawled Reid. “I should have thought of it earlier, instead of wasting all my time trying to buy your stupid shares. But don’t worry, Mrs. Lovell. I’ll still pay you the hundred dollars.”

“But they’re worth $2,000,000,” blurted Charlie.

Reid eyed Charlie. “I see you’ve done your homework. Well, it doesn’t make any difference now, thanks to Joey here.

Joey tried to break loose.

“Let him go,” pleaded Lisa. “He’s just a little boy.”

Charlie stood up to challenge Reid, but Reid only increased the pressure on Joey’s arm. “I said sit down.”

Charlie clenched his fists, but he did as he was told. For the time being. There was no way Reid was walking out of that room with his brother.

“As soon as Mrs. Lovell gives me the certificates, and you there…” he glared at Weir, “…act as witness. I’m out of here,” declared Reid.

Essie Lovell covered Lisa’s hand with hers. They were sitting side by side on the sofa, the shares firmly planted beneath the cushions.

“Why about the young lad?” barked Weirdo.

“He comes with me.”

“You’ll never get away with this,” hissed Weirdo. “That’s kidnapping.”

“Relax, old man,” snorted Reid. “I don’t want to keep him. He drives me crazy. In fact, I think I’ll ditch him on my way out of town…. The certificates, Mrs. Lovell?”

Essie gave Lisa’s hand a quick squeeze. “I’m so upset,” she said to Reid. “I can’t remember where I put them.” Her voice quavered convincingly.

Lisa caught Charlie’s eye. Charlie gave Weirdo an imperceptible nod. Essie was playing for time.

“You’d better back off, Reid,” barked Weirdo. “You’re upsetting Mrs. Lovell.”

Essie let her shoulders slump and leaned back against Lisa. “She’s going to faint,” cried Lisa. She fanned Essie’s face with her hand.

Reid stood his ground.

“At least let me get her a drink of water,” said Charlie. He decided to risk standing up. “If she passes out, you’ll never get her shares.”

Reid seemed to be thinking it over. He couldn’t afford to stay in Colville much longer. “Okay, but no funny business.” He tightened his hold on Joey.

Charlie wracked his brain as he reached into the kitchen cupboard for a glass. He had to come up with a diversion, anything that would get Reid off-balance.

The answer was on four legs, staring at him through the kitchen window. Benjamin Bunny had come home.

Charlie ran the cold water tap to cover the noise and quietly raised the window sash. The cat scampered in over the sill and tried to jump to the floor.

“Oh no you don’t,” whispered Charlie. He tucked Benjamin under his arm like a football and silently sprinted to the small bathroom off the kitchen. “I’ve got a treat for you, Benjamin,” reaching for Essie Lovell’s toothpaste. “You favourite flavour.”

He quickly squeezed a gob of toothpaste on his finger and stuck it right in between Benjamin’s front teeth. “Sorry, buddy, but we’ve got to save my brother.”

He shut the bathroom door on Benjamin just as Reid hollered from the living room.

“I’m coming. I’m coming.” Charlie dashed to the sink and filled the glass. Then he turned off the tap, raced back to the bathroom and opened the door a crack. He was back in the living room handing Essie her water when Benjamin made a break for it.

Right on cue, the cat raced towards the living room.

“Benjamin!” screeched Essie.

“It’s a rabid cat!” yelled Weirdo.

Reid whipped around as Benjamin came flying into the room in a cloud of foam.

Reid jumped back, dragging Joey with him.

Joey stomped his heel on Reid’s foot, and elbowed him in the stomach. Reid howled with pain and let go of the boy’s arm. Benjamin was closing in on him. “Get that cat away from me!” Reid screamed as Benjamin tore around him in a frenzy.

Weirdo advanced on Reid in his wheelchair. “Why should we?”

Reid gave a yelp and tripped backwards over the metal footrest on Weirdo’s chair. He lost his balance and Charlie made a grab for him. He wrestled Reid to the ground, forcing his arm behind his back. “Not let’s see how you like it,” said Charlie, pinning him to the floor with his weight.

“All right, Charlie!” Joey scampered to the safety of Essie Lovell’s arms.

“Ah, what about the cat?” asked Weirdo nervously.

“Oh, there’s nothing to worry about,” Lisa reassured him. “It’s only toothpaste!”

“I thought I smelled peppermint,” said Weirdo with a chuckle.

A thin line of white drool dangled from Benjamin’s chin and plopped on the floor in front of Reid.

“Now do we call the police?” asked Joey.

Chapter Twelve

Paper Treasure

Much to Joey’s delight, Sergeant Punkari came equipped with handcuffs. Officer Newsome snapped them shut on Reid’s wrists with resounding finality.

“You’re making a big mistake,” blustered Reid. “All I did was offer these people a fair deal.”

“Fair!” spluttered Weirdo. “A few hundred dollars is not what I would call fair!”

“Enough already.” Sergeant Punkari shooed Officer Newsome and Reid out into the hallway.

He turned his attention back to the group of amateur detectives assembled in Essie Lovell’s living room. “Bad enough the kids didn’t let me know what was going on, but you two….” He eyed Weirdo and Essie sternly.

“You’re quite right, Sergeant,” said Essie. She rubbed Benjamin behind the ears. “We should have called you immediately.”

“Humph,” grumbled Weirdo.

“Excuse me?”

“We needed proof,” said Weirdo. “All we had was some cockamamie story about an old gold mine. Would you have taken us seriously?”

“Maybe not,” admitted the policeman, “but given the fact that the Rossitor house was broken into twice, we could have averted this morning’s adventure.” He rubbed his hand across his forehead in exasperation. “I wasn’t born yesterday, Mr. Weir. I think you were too busy having a good time to phone the police.”

Weirdo grinned at him sheepishly.

“We all were,” admitted Charlie. He’d just finished talking to his mother. She was relieved to hear that Joey was safe and sound, but Charlie would have some major explaining to do when he got home.

He sat down beside Lisa. She’d been holding Joey’s hand while he was gone.

Sergeant Punkari slapped his notebook shut and put it in the pocket of his plaid sports jacket.

“What about Reid’s contact in Toronto?” asked Lisa. “Are you going to arrest him, too?”

“We’ll call the Metro Police, and they’ll take it from there. In the meantime, don’t leave town,” he added with a wry grin. “We’ll need statements from all of you.”

“And my grandfather’s shares?” asked Charlie. “What about them?”

“I’ll let you know if they turn up.” Sergeant Punkari stood up to go.

Benjamin Bunny jumped down from Essie’s lap and followed him to the doorway, where Officer Newsome and Reid stood waiting. Reid scowled at the animal, but Benjamin rubbed against his legs anyway. Reid shoved at him with his foot.

“Well, I’ll be,” said Essie turning to Weirdo. “I know who he reminds me of!”

“Who?”

“Archie Spencer,” she declared. “He didn’t like cats either.”

Reid’s face froze. He tried to back away, but the cuffs held him fast and so did Officer Newsome.

“Who’s Archie Spencer?” asked Sergeant Punkari.

“He’s the guy who found the gold in the first place,” said Weirdo. He studied Reid, then turned to Essie with raised brows.

“Don’t you remember, Jack? Archie married Eleanor
Reid
! You and Hilda went to the wedding with us!”

“That’s right. I’d forgotten.” He looked at Reid. “If Archie’s wife was a Reid…”

“The odds are she would pass her family name onto a son,” continued Sergeant Punkari.

“Archie and Eleanor had a baby boy,” cried Essie. “I remember because it was the same year my Jamie was born.”

“You mean this guy Reid is Archie’s kid?” Charlie couldn’t believe it.

“So what if I am?” challenged the accused. “What difference does it make?”

“Plenty,” snapped Weirdo. “Your father was our friend. We supported him for years.”

“That’s not how I see it.” Reid’s face was dark with anger. “My father spent his life trying to keep that mine going. A fat lot you and your partners cared. You were only in it for the money.”

“Without our grubstake, he would have sold out years ago,” argued Weirdo hotly. “Some of us borrowed money to keep your father in business.”

“Calm yourself, Jack,” said Essie, “you’ll have a stroke.”