Chapter 59

“It is quite a three pipe problem...”

-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Red-Headed League

It was very blustery, so I concentrated on driving and hoped Lucille and Glendy would call back and explain what was happening. When my cell rang again, I expected it to be them, but instead it was Auntie Dragon.

“Hello Auntie,” I said.

“Come at once DD. ‘Tis a long rigmarole we’re havin’ with these bumptious police.”

“Police? What happened? Where are you?”

“At the 20th District Police Station. An’ such keenin from a grown man you never did hear.”

“What’s going on? Are you under arrest?”

“Well, yes and no. They must think we’re country bumpkins. I told them we were helping out my niece, the insurance investigator.”

“Oh Lordy.”

“What ever else would we be doin’ out there at crack o’ dawn if ‘twasn’t urgent business?”

“Are they charging you? What for? Do you know?”

“Aye. Interferin’ with private property, obstruction of justice and resistin’ arrest. That’s the whole kit and kaboodle.”

“I’ll call Karl Patrick. He’s a lawyer. And for heaven’s sake, don’t aggravate the cops any further. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Tom turned to me. “Telling your Auntie that was like talking to a brick wall. Of course she’s going to irritate the police.”

I knew he was right.

“So I take it they’re in the slammer?” Tom sounded weary but concerned. I was thankful he seemed stronger.

“At the 20th precinct, Auntie said. I wonder exactly what’s going on. It sounds loony tunes.”

“Anything can happen with that bunch. Karl Patrick can certainly help, but you need to get there.”

I sped up, keeping in mind that I couldn’t afford to be pulled over under any circumstances, even though we had passed the milestone and were again in Cook County.

“Do you want me to punch in the number for you or do you have automatic dial for Karl?” Tom asked.

“Yeah, he’s on the list. We can call him now because we’re back in the friendly confines of Cook County. He’s bound to ask me where I am right now, so I’m legal again. I don’t want to have to lie to him or have him be a party to my fugative-ity, if that’s a word. Better he doesn’t know where I was.”

“Geez, DD. Your life is sure complicated. Everything is parsed into teeny boxes. It’s okay to do the deed, but not okay to tell your lawyer because you don’t want to get him involved. Your morality-meter is more complex than a Jesuit’s training.”

I knew he was right, but it wasn’t like him to say so. The concussion from the fall must still be affecting him.

“I’m just sorry I got you into this,” he said as he got Karl on the line.

The wind was dying down a bit, and I felt more comfortable taking a hand off the wheel to talk to Karl. His voice sounded thick. He mustn’t have had enough coffee yet.

“I hope you weren’t arrested again, DD,” Karl barked, obviously peeved.

“No, it’s not that. My Auntie, George and the twins are at the 20th Precinct. I’m not sure exactly what’s going on over there - you know how they are - but Auntie says they’ve arrested the guy that’s been stalking me.”

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know. The call got interrupted.”

“I’ll get there as soon as I can. Where are you calling from?” he asked the inevitable.

“I’m in my car on the way there.”

“SPECIFICALLY where are you?”

I’d been right, Karl knew me much too well.”Right now I’m on I-90 just inside the city limits. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

“Hurry up. I want you there with me. It’s hard to deal with your Auntie alone.”

“I know. You don’t have to tell me. The cops don’t like dealing with her either. When she lapses into her pidgin Scots, they call her a foreigner. And of course that’s what she does under stress.”

“Or if she’s had too much to drink,” Karl added. “She isn’t drunk now, is she?” he asked suspiciously.

“Karl, it’s 9:30 in the morning!”

“Then what else is going on? Your voice sounds funny,” he said warily.

“I’m just tired.” Karl would have to know everything that had just happened. I’d fill him in face to face when I got to the station. I knew he was going to be pissed because I didn’t follow his orders. I was ready for that. But right now I didn’t want to involve Tom. He’d taken about all he could. He was physically and emotionally fragile. I suspected that concussion he’d sustained when he fell down the stairs was having some lingering effects, and I needed to get him out of this.

I hung up and called Debra.

“I’ve been waiting all night for your call,” she said. “I tried a couple of times, but my calls didn’t go through. I hoped it was only because you were out in the boonies. How did things go?”

“Sorry we weren’t able to call earlier. You were right about the reception. Debra, listen. I have two big favors to ask.”

“Only two?” she quipped.

“First of all, we promise to tell you everything that happened, but can it wait until we see you?”

“It won’t be easy, but okay. No problem,” Debra agreed. “What else?”

“I’d like to drop Tom and Wolfie at your place for awhile. They both need some TLC.”

“Is Tom badly hurt? Is Wolfie all right?”

“Tom’s been through a lot, and he’s not strong. Wolfie’s doing fine.”

“How long do you want me to keep them here?”

“I can’t tell you that because I don’t know.”

“Where are you now?” Debra inquired.

“About 10 minutes away from your place.”

“Good. See you then.” She hung up. I said to Tom, “You heard?”

“Yeah. I hope she won’t faint when she sees us. Both of us smell bad and look worse. Me especially.”

“Wolfie too,” I nodded to the rear area.

“I meant Wolfie, not you. Wolfie saved our lives.”

“I’m glad you insisted that we bring him along.”

“Frankly, DD, I appreciate your asking Debra to let us stay there for awhile, but I’d rather go home. Wolfie and I will be fine.”

“Fine? Look at where we are now.”

“I know. I feel awful about Morgan. I know he was your good friend. And Philip Green. I know now you were right about him. But on the other hand, some good came of what we did. We solved the murder of the Dowager.”

“Morgan solved it. I was stupider than a stone.”

“But you and I never knew Nurse Holder, DD. How could we be expected to know she was masquerading as Grace Dunbar?”

“I should have guessed that Dodd was involved. He was the only one except Ivy Douglas herself who could come and go in the mansion any time of day or night. He had his finger on the pulse of the estate. It was easy for him to attack you, steal Grange’s diary, and kill Mrs. Toller. He’s a complete snake. I didn’t read him right, and I’ll never forgive myself for that.” I found that I was shouting.

Tom gently touched my shoulder. “He’ll pay for it, DD.”

“I hope so. But we’ve got no guarantee that they’re gonna pick him up. And if they don’t, he’s going to come after us when he finds out we’re still alive. You can’t be alone until he’s off the streets. He doesn’t know Debra. And her building has security and a full time guard on duty. I for one will feel better knowing you’re there for awhile.”

“But what if they never get him? As you said, he’s crafty.”

“Let’s just see what happens. The police will probably get him.” I didn’t want Tom excited, but he wasn’t about to be diverted.

“He’s got a lot of resources to get lost if he wants to,” he pointed out.

“I’m sure one of the first things the cops did was put a hold on all his bank accounts and assets,” I said soothingly, willing myself to believe that’s what they did do.

“Trouble is, a guy like that probably has hidden money and stuff in case of an emergency. That’s how it is in all the books I sell,” he said in an uncertain note.

“Maybe so,” I said. But Dodd is so sure of himself, maybe he didn’t make any contingency plans, thinking he’d never need them.”

As we pulled up in front of Debra’s fashionable condo just south of Andersonville, Tom nodded. “Okay, I agree. You’re probably right. I’ll go quietly.”

Debra and a friendly security guard on duty were both waiting at the door and came out to help us. Debra’s smile faded and she put her hand to her mouth. “Oh! Are you sure you’re both all right?”

“We were in a fire,” I explained. “Here, take Tom’s good arm and ease him out.”

When I handed the cooler to the guard, he took it without any expression or any questions, bless his heart. He didn’t say a word when Wolfie, smelling like the aftermath of a forest fire, emerged from the van and stretched and yawned. Debra must have prepped him to expect the trio from hell. I wondered if Wolfie felt as good about being back in Chicago as I did.

In the foyer, I briefly told Debra what had happened. Tom, it was obvious, was fading fast. He’d probably sleep for the next 24 hours.

“You two must have been through hell,” Debra said as Tom leaned on her.

“Wolfie, too,” Tom added.

“At least we know who the enemy is,” she said as they got into the elevator. “Tom can stay as long as necessary. If Dodd tries to get in, he’ll have trouble with our security, not to mention Wolfie. We’ve got cameras and, as you witnessed, nobody gets in here day or night without permission.”

“Thanks Debra. And Tom, don’t use any credit cards. I’ll get the van back as soon as possible,” I promised and rushed out of the high rise.

I was charging through the streets, pretending Tom’s van was my Miata when my cell rang again. It was Karl.

“So far I’ve sorted out that somebody filed a stalking complaint against your Auntie, the twins and George,” he reported. “Just keeping you in the loop. I’m almost there. Hurry up, but don’t get stopped by any cops.”

Oh hell. Worst case scenario was that Claudine Romani saw them watching the house and filed the stalking complaint. If so, she’ll find out that they know me and that I work for United Insurance. That’ll blow our cover and the case. In addition to getting fired, now Goodson will probably sue me.

As I hung up, I had another thought. Could Woodley have phoned in the stalking charge? I sure wouldn’t put it past the snake. What if he found out George was subbing for me? He’d love to see me in more trouble than I’m in already. I’d have to ask the cops who called. But why did Auntie go on the surveillance? I realized I’d forgotten to tell them I’d been fired.