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Emma didn't wait for Travis to finish his phone call before she sent a text to Sean.
What's going on? Why has Nancy been arrested? E.
It only took seconds before Sean answered, and Emma didn't like what she saw on her phone.
What? I've made no arrest. S.
The sheriff just arrested Nancy. Does he know something we don't? E.
No idea what's going on. I'm heading to the Andersons' now. S.
It's too late. Check out the police station first. I'm with Travis. We'll head back to his house. Meet you there later. E.
Emma could tell from the curt texts, unlike Sean's usual messages, that the sheriff's action had taken Sean by surprise as well. She looked up from her phone to find Travis and Oswald looking at her.
"It sounds like the sheriff has gone behind Sean's back to make the arrest. Sean doesn't have a clue what's going on. This is the first time he's heard about it."
"I knew he was snooping around the house asking questions. Somebody said something to get him to take that kind of action. Sean obviously hadn't thought there was enough evidence to arrest Nancy."
"Then the best thing we should do is head back to your house and find out what's going on. Maybe somebody can tell us what the sheriff said. It will be interesting to find out who he talked to and what they told him," Emma answered.
Oswald was nodding his head as Emma spoke. He seemed to agree with her idea, and she half expected him to tag along, but the man surprised her once again.
"I think at this point it would be best if your mother did not know I was in town, Travis," he said, stroking his beard.
"Why?" Travis asked, not wanting to keep things from his mother. But the tone of Oswald's voice indicated the man thought it was important.
"I think it's better if we don't bring attention to my presence in your household. I can work behind the scenes, so to speak, and dig around. If somebody is trying to pawn or arrange for a private auction of those ornaments, I'll find out about it. But I need to be discreet. Your mother loves to entertain, so discretion will be lost. If I know Midge, she'll plan a dinner party the minute she hears I'm here."
Travis smiled, knowing Oswald was correct. His mother was always the impeccable hostess. She would go out of her way to make him feel welcome.
"Do you think somebody's going to try and get rid of the ornaments so quickly?" Emma asked.
"Absolutely. And I would hazard a guess they had buyers interested before they even stole the ornaments. A collection such as this is one the collectors would covet. I know for a fact when your father passed, Travis, there was a great deal of interest from private collectors trying to buy his collection."
"I bet that went over well with my mother. That collection was a gift from my father when they first got married. The very first piece she still loves the most because he scrimped and saved to buy it. He added to it as the years went by; Dad was always looking for new pieces to add."
"Yes, I'm not sure what he liked more; the hunt for the ornament or the surprise of giving it to your mother. He had me and Kevin constantly on the lookout for new pieces over the years. It almost feels like we were part of the collection."
Oswald cleared his throat and then motioned for Susie, who was standing in the background with Emma's dinner. Susie stepped forward and put the bag on the counter in front of Emma with a smile.
"Now let's see if you can get out of my diner in one piece, Emma," she teased.
Oswald apologized once more for destroying Emma's first dinner, insisted on paying for the replacement meal, and then said his goodbyes, promising to meet up with the others later that evening.
"There's a big Christmas celebration at the beach pavilion tonight. That would be a perfect place to meet. With so many people there, nobody will notice one extra. You can slip in and out, and nobody from the Anderson household will notice," Emma said to Oswald as she stood.
"Excellent suggestion. Hopefully, by then we'll have some answers and Kevin will have returned to answer some questions. How about if I meet you there around seven?"
"Perfect. I have two friends who are helping as well. Let's all meet behind the pavilion so we can talk without being noticed."
"I'll be there too. But in the meantime, I need to go home and find out on what grounds the sheriff has arrested Nancy and see what we can do to get her free. Emma, want to stop by the house around five to pick me up? If we wander the area before we meet Oswald, it won't be so obvious," Travis added.
Emma agreed with the suggestion and picked up her dinner to go. She had a feeling it wasn't going to make it much farther than the refrigerator. She wanted to get hold of Kim and Jake and let them know about the recent developments. She could always grab something at the festival that night; there were sure to be a few food trucks to keep the holidaymakers happy.
Travis and Oswald watched Emma leave, and then they stood to leave as well.
"Your father would've liked her, Travis," Oswald said before he left. Travis smiled at the man's retreating back, acknowledging he was right. His dad would've gotten a kick out of Emma.