Chapter 46

“...Let us do what we can to curtail this visit, which can hardly be agreeable to you, and is inexpressibly irksome to me.”

-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World

We listened at the door. I hoped it was Morgan, but until I knew for certain, the junk pile stayed where it was.

Somebody tried to push open the door, but the pile held.

“This is Lt. Fernandez of the Chicago Police Department,” Morgan called out, banging on the door. “Are you in there DD McGil?”

“We’re here,” I said gratefully.

“Let us in.”

“Okay,” I hollered. “Give us a second.”

We started to clear away the pile - well Philip Green and I did. Tom sat down again, spent.

“What are they doing in there?” I could hear Grace Dunbar ask.

“I have no idea,” Morgan replied. Cops, I knew, could lie like the rest of us - maybe better since they hear so many.

We pulled the last of the furniture away. Philip Green was holding his injured arm. He didn’t look happy. I jerked the door inward.

Grace Dunbar stood beside Morgan. She was carrying the kerosene lamp in one hand and the other was on her hip. Her face in the lamplight sported a big frown.

Morgan motioned us to follow him out of the storage room, and we gladly did so. Grace Dunbar led the way back to the main area of the lodge where we’d broken in. She set the kerosene lamp on a table, and we all clustered around it.

“Miss Dunbar here,” Morgan bowed to her, “has graciously agreed to allow me to take you back to Cook County. I’ve explained that you unlawfully fled the jurisdiction.”

Grace Dunbar had relaxed a little. She stood with her hands in her pockets and smiled thinly as she said, “Even though the Chicago police have no authority in Wisconsin, I’m agreeing to let you go back. I think I’m being extremely generous considering you broke in here tonight. I hope I’m doing the right thing letting you all leave with him, but only time will tell. It seems you’ve been on a spree, breaking the law.”

Morgan took hold of my elbow. I was really glad to see him.

“I called in a ton of favors to get a buddy of mine to fly me down here in his private plane,” he whispered in my ear. “I’m in a heap of trouble. And if anyone ever finds out, I’m dead meat.” Aloud he said, “We’re gonna have to drive back.”

I exchanged glances with Tom. “Tom’s van is here. We’ll all fit.”

“Ask him if we could take a look around here for the lost manuscript before we leave,” Tom insisted.

Morgan’s eyes popped. He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off and said to Grace Dunbar, “We believe that a missing manuscript is hidden here at the Haven somewhere.” I smiled at her. “You’d be doing the Grange family a service if you helped us find it.”

“But..., “ Morgan said.

Again I interrupted him as he kicked my ankle. “Both these gentlemen legitimately work for the estate executors. I’m sure that the estate would be happy to see something so valuable found and returned.”

Grace Dunbar’s smile disappeared. She removed her glasses and shook her head, confronting Morgan. “I have no information on that, and I certainly have no authority to allow it. I suggest, Lieutenant, that you take them and leave right now before I change my mind or the Rangers arrive. Then I will bring charges against them for breaking and entering.”

Philip Green approached Morgan. “Are you going to take all of us back or only her? Because I don’t want to go.”

“See, DD. I told you not to tell him everything. This is a mess,” Tom howled.

“Mr. Green, you forfeited any privilege you might have had to stay here when you broke in,” Grace Dunbar said as she stepped assertively in front of him. “And if you try to stay, I’ll have the local Rangers arrest you immediately.”

“You’d be wrong if you did that,” Philip Green argued.

The Foundation Director slipped on her glasses, put her hands in her pockets, and stuck out her chin. “We’ll see. Time will tell whether I’m right or wrong. In the meanwhile, you won’t enjoy what happens to you.”

Morgan’s body jerked. A quizzical look came over his face. He was staring at Grace Dunbar.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Morgan?”

Morgan suddenly drew his weapon and pointed it at Grace Dunbar.

“Nurse Mary Holder, you’re under arrest for the murder of Mrs. Beatrice Grange!”