CHAPTER THIRTY

GRACIE

Saturday arrived, and Gracie’s excitement about the family research put her on a high. She had called Ms. Quinn’s office at Temple University and scheduled an appointment for Monday. She had hoped they could go sooner. But today she would hopefully resolve the Cojo bag mystery. She would find out if one of the girls she had grown quite connected to was a thief. Whatever happened, it would clear Mia, she was sure. Clearing the innocent was important.

She set up the classroom space, fully expecting that at some point in the class, the Cojo bag would magically return.

Mia and Dani arrived first. Gracie welcomed them warmly but watched as they both stared at the place where the bag was supposed to be, and their shoulders slumped. Trinity, Bella, and Rylee arrived next. Or rather, Trinity and Rylee. Bella wasn’t with them when Gracie opened the door. “Where’s Bella?” she asked once the girls came inside.

“She went back to the car. She left her phone,” Bella’s mom told her. “I just parked down the street, so she should be right back.”

Gracie smiled. “Tell her the door is open when she gets here.”

After Bella’s mom left, Gracie closed the door but didn’t lock it. As she passed the stairs, she looked up. Ada was sitting at the top of the steps, slightly in the shadows. If the plan went the way Gracie suspected it would, the thief wouldn’t see her there.

Gracie went to the table and began asking the girls how their week went.

“Horrible,” Trinity grumbled. “Are you still going to cancel the class?”

“If the bag doesn’t come back, yes.”

Trinity let out a sigh. “But I didn’t take it.”

A few minutes later, Bella came rushing into the classroom space. “I’m here, and I locked the door.”

Gracie nodded and began the class instruction. The girls paid attention to everything she said, hanging on her every word, knowing this may be their last class. After the girls returned to their seats, Ada came down and asked Gracie to step into the next room.

When they were out of earshot, Ada whispered, “She brought it back.”

Gracie lifted her phone. The smart home software allowed her to check the footage from the security camera in the system’s app. She watched, let out a sigh, and returned to the table. She fought to act normally for the rest of class, but it wasn’t easy. Now that the thief was caught, there would have to be consequences. It was hard, but she thought about what she had told Stanley about her overcoming her childhood troubles. If she could, so could anyone else.

Class ended, and the girls rose with long faces and packed up their things. Bella was ready before everyone else so she was leading the group as they walked toward the door. When she passed the place where the Cojo bag had been, she looked surprised and pointed. “The bag. It’s back.”

The other girls wore expressions of shock.

“Oh, Bella,” Gracie said. She turned to the other girls. “Could you all please wait in the classroom? Except you, Bella.”

Their shock turned to confusion, but Ada came out and ushered them around the end of the staircase like a flock of ducks.

“The bag is back, Ms. Gracie.”

“Please sit out here until your mother arrives.”

They didn’t have to wait long. Bella’s mom arrived with Stanley. Gracie directed Stanley to the classroom where the other girls were waiting but pulled Bella’s mom aside. “Mrs. Bland, can I speak to you for a minute?”

“Of course.”

Gracie called Bella over to them. “Mrs. Bland, I’m afraid that your daughter stole a bag from my shop. When I threatened to cancel the class, she brought it back.”

Mrs. Bland looked from her to Bella and back again. “Bella wouldn’t do that.”

“I had my assistant watching from upstairs when she came today, and we have security cameras installed. I can show you the footage of Bella putting the bag back. What’s worse is Bella accused another girl of stealing it.”

“I didn’t take it,” Bella cried.

“Then explain how you got it and how you knew what was inside it.”

“I—I guessed.”

Mrs. Bland scowled at the girl. “Bella, did you take the bag?”

Gracie kept her face neutral. She didn’t want Bella to think she was angry with her.

Bella’s face became redder and redder. “It wasn’t fair.”

“What wasn’t?” Gracie asked.

“You gave Mia a bag but wouldn’t give me one,” she said, anger flashing in her eyes. “I asked just like she did.”

Mrs. Bland gaped. “You took the bag because Ms. Gracie gave Mia a bag but didn’t give you one? Didn’t I buy you a bag?”

“She should have given me a bag too.” Bella folded her arms.

Compassion washed over Gracie. Bella could be facing some hard years if she didn’t change.

“I am so sorry,” Mrs. Bland said. She still looked a little shocked. “I will reimburse you for the bag.”

“No need if it’s not damaged.” Gracie stooped to look Bella in the eye. “That was a very unkind thing you did by accusing Mia. But I believe you know that now and you’ll apologize to her.”

For a moment, Gracie thought the girl was going to remain defiant, but tears began to flow down her cheeks. She didn’t speak, only nodded.

Gracie called for Mia, who came out of the classroom with her father. Gracie stepped back and left the rest to Mrs. Bland. “Bella, do you have something to say to Mia?” Mrs. Bland said.

“I’m sorry for saying you stole the bag.” Bella spoke so quietly Gracie barely heard her.

“So you took the bag?” Mia said.

Bella nodded.

Pride filled Gracie’s heart when Mia said, “I accept your apology.”

“Now let’s go home. We need to have a talk,” Mrs. Bland said to Bella. She collected the rest of the girls.

“Does this mean we can come back next week?” Dani was bouncing on her toes.

“Yes, we’ll have class next week.”

The three girls, two of them all smiles, and Dani left, but Stanley and Mia lingered. When they had gone, Stanley said, “Thank you. You believed Mia even when I didn’t.”

“You’re welcome. And remember, I was a lot like Mia when I was her age.” Gracie smiled. “I just treated her and Bella the way I wish someone had treated me when I was their age.”

Mia gave her a tight hug. “You’re the best. Can you marry my dad?”

Stanley turned pink then red in quick succession. “Mia—”

Gracie guffawed. “Sorry, I have a boyfriend.”

“Do you like him?”

“A lot.”

Mia let her go. “At least I tried.”

Stanley ushered Mia toward the door. “Let’s go before you embarrass me further.”

Mia shot Gracie a grin. “See ya next week!”

When Ms. Shaw called with an update on First Trust Loans and Investments, Gracie appreciated her even more. The woman was driven and determined. She told Gracie that she had turned the information over to the state Department of Revenue.

“That’s the first step. The second is to open an investigation. Which they did today.”

Gracie let out a breath and sat down in her office chair. “Okay, then what?”

“Once they investigate, they’ll see if they should file charges,” Ms. Shaw said. “But I’m sure they will. These guys have been defrauding people for a while. They will want to catch them as soon as possible. But as a backup, I called a friend in the state’s Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation.”

“So we wait?”

“Yes, and you should prepare to testify if needed.”

“I can do that,” Gracie said. “And again, thank you. If there is anything I can do for you—”

“Teach me to knit. I’ll even pay for a class.”

Gracie laughed. “Sure.”

“I’ve been trying to find a way to ask you since you were knitting in my office. My mother used to knit, and I would love to surprise her when I visit again.”

“You got it, and no paying for the classes. I can’t repay you for what you’ve done.”

“Deal.”

After the call, Gracie dressed warmly in knitted hat, cowl, and mittens. She considered standing outside again to wait for Clarence to pick her up. But the December air changed her mind. It had shifted the weather from cold to freezing. She would have to start planning Christmas. A pang pricked her heart. First Christmas without Gran. It would hurt, but she would do her best to find joy in it.

Ada saw her standing by the door and laughed. “You got a boyfriend and a car service. He does know you can drive?”

“I think he likes driving me around.”

“I think he likes you a lot.”

Gracie looked down at her shoes and fiddled with her mittens. “He told me he loves me.”

For a second, Ada was quiet. Gracie looked up at her. She had her hand pressed to her mouth. Then she let out a squeal. “That’s so cute.” Ada rushed across the room and gave Gracie a huge hug. “I knew he did.”

Gracie laughed. “I didn’t until he said it.”

“That’s because you didn’t want to believe what you saw.” She released Gracie and grasped her shoulders. “Do you love him?”

Gracie grinned. “I do.”

Ada let out another squeal, and Gracie hugged her back. But this time when she pulled out of the embrace, Ada had tears in her eyes. “I wish Gran was here. She wanted you to be happy. I wish she could have seen it.”

Tears blurred Gracie’s vision. “She sorta already approved Clarence. They used to talk about history before I came.”

“Well, I have to be a stand-in for Gran and tell you how happy I am for you.”

Gracie sniffled. “Are you trying to make me cry harder?”

They hugged until they heard Clarence toot his horn. Gracie wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’ll see you later.”

She tried to look like she hadn’t just been crying when she got in the car, but it didn’t work.

Clarence leaned over to kiss her on the cheek but paused. “Have you been crying?”

“How do you do that?” She sniffled.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes. Ada and I were talking about how much Gran would have liked you.”

He smiled sadly and pulled away from the house. “She did like me. My grandmother introduced me to her as soon as I got to Philly.”

Gracie stared at him. “Really? I didn’t know that.”

“Our grandmothers were too good of friends for her not to.” He gave her a quick glance. “I loved Ms. Marian. She was thoughtful and smart like you. I was so sad when she passed.”

Gracie gripped her hands in her lap. “I didn’t realize you were that close.”

“I think they were planning to set us up with each other.” He smiled. “Guess they got their wish.”

The drive took a little longer than their other trips as they made their way to Temple University. Clarence told her how the Still family had donated many of their records to the college. “It’s a massive collection with lots of documents, but they are doing their best to arrange them in some sort of order.”

“I would think it would have been dangerous to keep such records.”

“It was,” Clarence said. “But William Still did it anyway. He actually hid his documents in a cemetery to keep them safe.”

“That’s pretty smart.”

Clarence nodded. “Thanks to his ingenuity, we have detailed records of the workings of the Underground Railroad.”

They found a parking space in the college’s visitor parking and walked across the campus to the building that housed the records. A receptionist was sitting at a desk in the front hall.

Gracie gave her a smile. “Hi, my name is Gracie McNeil, and I have an appointment with Ms. Quinn.”

The woman returned her smile. “Yes. Go right down this hall, turn right, and go all the way to the office at the end. I’ll let her know you’re here.”

Their footsteps echoed loudly in the hall, and Gracie’s excitement built with each step. When they turned right, the door at the end of the hall opened, and a tall woman stood in the doorway. “Ms. McNeil. Mr. Evans.” When they reached her, she shook their hands. “Nice to meet you.”

Ms. Quinn’s office was neat, but it was more library than office. The walls were lined with bookcases, and every shelf was full. Two chairs sat in front of a large desk. Behind the desk was a window with a view to the college campus. “Let me start by saying how impressed I am with your work, Mr. Evans. Finding Mr. Still’s house was incredible.”

Clarence’s ears turned pink. “It wasn’t just me. A lot of people worked on it.”

“But you kept the search going. Good job.” She turned her attention to Gracie. “How can I help you?”

“I am doing some research on my grandmother’s house and thought there might be some information that would help here in your collection.” She told Ms. Quinn about the document Mr. Moore found connecting Caroline Still to her great-great-great grandmother. She didn’t tell her about the secret room, but if she was as smart as Mr. Moore, she would figure it out. “I recently inherited the house when my gran died.”

Ms. Quinn gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.” Gracie swallowed. “I discovered something about the house that suggests it was a part of the Underground Railroad. That, and it’s about a half block from William Still’s house.”

Ms. Quinn’s eyes sparkled. “The more we look into the Still records, the more we are amazed at how far the network went. It included all types of people. All ages. All demographics. The neighborhood in Bella Vista had a considerable number of free Blacks involved in the work they did.”

“Gracie has another connection to the Stills. Her great-great-great-grandmother served with Caroline Still on the board of The Society for the Betterment of Orphans,” Clarence added.

“So all roads lead you to the Stills.” Mrs. Quinn stood. “Then I would love to show you some of the records.”

As they walked to the records room, Clarence practically hummed with excitement. Ms. Quinn led them into a room that had neat, orderly rows of bookcases. “I think you should probably start with the letters written to and from the Stills, since your great-great-great-grandmother is the connection you know about.”

She led Gracie to a microfiche machine. “I’m going to be an expert on using these after this,” Gracie said with a laugh.

“Yes, microfiche is a researcher’s best friend.” Ms. Quinn went back to the door. “Since you have Mr. Evans here, I won’t need to tell you how to handle some of the older items. He already knows. Please let me know if you need anything else.”

She left and Gracie sat.

Clarence pulled a chair over to sit beside her, excitement in his eyes. “This never gets old.”

They focused on searching Caroline Still’s letters. After an hour, Gracie was ready to give up.

“Remember,” Clarence said, switching places with her to give her eyes a rest, “we only need one clue.”

“I don’t know how you can do this for so long.”

Clarence gave her a sideways glance. “It’s interesting and exciting.”

Clarence searched for another half an hour. Gracie laid her head on his shoulder. “Anything?”

“Not yet but—” Clarence began and then stopped.

Gracie sat up. “What?”

The screen displayed a letter from Caroline to another committee member. It was a letter detailing the funeral arrangements for Elizabeth’s grandmother, Olivia Kingston. It also mentioned how heartbroken Elizabeth was at Olivia’s passing.

Gracie leaned closer to the screen. “Wow,” she said to Clarence.

“Interesting, no record of her mother, but she mentions her grandmother. The power of grandmothers.” He paused. “Wait.”

He pulled up the deed list on his phone. “I’ll be right back.”

Gracie reread the letter on the screen. She had wondered what her ancestors’ lives were like. Elizabeth had lost her beloved grandmother, Olivia. Just like her losing Gran.

Clarence returned. “I just called Mr. Moore. I had him look through the property deeds for an Olivia Kingston.”

Gracie held her breath, her nerves jittering. “Did he find something?”

Clarence held up his phone. A slightly blurry picture of a microfiche screen. He enlarged it. “Olivia Kingston.”

Gracie exhaled hard and looked at the listing. It was a scant entry, but it showed that the original owners of her house were Olivia and Douglas Kingston.

“We found them,” she whispered.

Clarence gave her a broad grin. “You did most of it. But think of it. If the room was built when the house was constructed, Olivia and Douglas would have been the ones to do it.”

Gracie rushed back to the microfiche boxes on the shelves. “Then let’s see if Olivia and Douglas are in the letters.”

Excitement charged through her as Clarence searched the files for microfiche dated ten years earlier. He found the box and placed it on the table. “This roll is marked ‘Underground Railroad records.’ I think this might be the best place to check.”

They searched several films but found nothing. Gracie sighed. “Maybe there isn’t anything,” she said.

“Have hope,” Clarence said, eyes on the screen.

“It’s okay. We found the most important thing. We can now trace my house’s ownership back to Olivia and Douglas.”

“And that’s a pretty good accomplishment. Most people can’t do that.” Clarence looked at her. “Do you want to stop?”

She looked at the screen. Her shoulders ached and her eyes felt like they had sand in them. “Let’s look at one more film. It’s not like I can’t come back later.”

When she went back to the shelves of films, she studied each of the listings on the spines. One caught her attention. It was marked CHILDREN AND ORPHANS. She considered for a moment before taking it down from the shelf. She brought it to the table where Clarence was. “Maybe we can look at this one. Elizabeth was involved in the care of orphans. Maybe there’s a reason she did that. That’s a pretty specific concern to get involved in.” She thought of the children’s knitting class and Mia. She’d started that class because learning to knit as a child had changed her life.

“Sounds good.” Clarence returned to his seat, and Gracie carefully loaded the film into the machine.

Neither of them spoke as they skimmed the material. But when Gracie flipped to the next frame, she gasped.

It was a letter from Olivia Kingston to William Still.

They sat in silence for a moment, shock stealing Gracie’s words. They had done it. They had found a direct connection between Olivia, her foremother, and William Still and the Underground Railroad. Undeniable proof.

They read the letter together. Then Gracie leaned against Clarence’s shoulder and cried.