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ALEX AND I SLOUCHED low in our seats with our eyes up over the dashboard from inside the Jeep. We watched the front entrance of the Jacksonville Gem and Mineral Society. The Lincoln was parked in front of the building. But nobody got out.
The front door of the building opened and Julie Sanders—the Society’s director—walked down the steps toward the car. She looked back and forth then opened the back passenger door and ducked inside.
A figure stood in the doorway and looked out toward the car.
“Isn’t that the old lady?” Alex said.
“Annie?” I nodded. “I think it is.”
A moment later Julie stepped out from the car along with the driver. I recognized him right away. “Look who it is,” I said to Alex, trying to keep my voice low. “It’s Dominic.”
“Charles’s bodyguard?”
Dominic stepped from the driver’s side as the trunk popped open. He walked to the rear of the car, reached inside and removed the wooden crate without anyone else’s help. He seemed to struggle somewhat at first. But once he got his footing he carried it up the stairs and into the building. Julie followed him, but Carla didn’t get out of the car.
Annie stepped away as Dominic and Julie walked inside. She stuck her head out the door, looked back and forth, and closed the door behind her.
“We could go down, walk right inside and ask what it is,” I said.
A moment later, Dominic walked out of the building. He stepped back in the driver’s side of the Lincoln and drove away.
“They’re coming right this way,” I said.
Alex pulled away just as they turned from the driveway. She turned down another side road and waited until they passed.
“Let’s go back,” I said. “I want to see what’s in that crate.”
“Right now?”
“We wait and who knows if it’ll still be there.”
Alex put the Jeep in drive and pulled back out onto the road. “You think Charles has something to do with this?”
“I can’t imagine so. Unless they lied about their alleged frigid relationship.”
“You mean Charles and Carla?” Alex said.
“No, I’m talking about Julie and Charles. They have no love for each other...it just wouldn’t make sense they’d do anything together, even if Carla’s playing the middleman.”
“Maybe Dominic’s two-timing,” Alex said. “Goes behind Charles’s back with the ex-wife?”
Alex parked the Jeep up on the hill, facing the building.
“We see what’s in the crate, we’ll know what we’re dealing with. If there’s no pelican inside, then we assume whatever business they have together has nothing to do with Philip.”
I stepped out of the Jeep. “Wait here,” I said. “In case someone else shows up.”
Alex unstrapped her seat belt. “I should come with you.” She reached under her seat and pulled out her Glock. She tucked it into her waist and followed behind me.
We were careful as we walked down the hill toward the building. We again moved from tree-to-tree and ducked behind bushes as we moved closer.
Once we were outside the building I leaned against the exterior wall, and peaked inside the window. Julie had a pry bar in her hand as she tried to crack open the top of the crate. She looked inside.
Annie, the old lady, turned toward the window as if she noticed me looking in at them. I ducked out of the way and the light from inside disappeared. She’d closed the blinds.
I walked up the steps of the front door.
In a hushed voice Alex said, “What the hell are you doing?”
I looked at her but didn’t answer as I pushed the doorbell.
A moment later the locks clicked and the door opened. It was the old woman, Annie. She stood just inside the doorway and smiled.
“May I help you?” she said.
“Annie, right? Do you remember me? It’s Henry. I was here the other day.” I tried to look past her. “Is Julie here?”
She smiled as she looked back at me but didn’t say a word.
“May I come in?” I said.
Alex stepped up behind me and waved her hand with a smile. “Hi, Annie.”
Julie walked up behind the old woman and nudged her aside. She stood in the door but kept it nearly closed behind her. “Sorry, you’ve come at the wrong time once again. We’re not open.” She pointed out the door toward a small wooden sign, nailed to the right of the door. “See? Our hours are right there on the sign. You can get them on our website, too.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’m sorry, it’s Mr. Walsh, correct?”
I nodded. “Henry. We were just driving by so I thought I’d come say hello.”
She stared back at me for a moment, her eyes narrowed. “Sorry, but we’re in the middle of something. The office is closed, although I really wish I could let you in. But, for security reasons...”
“Well, I saw that black Lincoln out front, thought maybe now would be a perfect time to come in.”
“I’m actually late for an appointment,” Julie said. “We’re going to lock up. Maybe you can stop by another time...just take a look at our hours. Again, right there on the sign.” She started to close the door but I put my foot up onto the threshold and kept it from closing.
Julie was tall, maybe just an inch or two short of my six-two frame. Being down a step from her meant I had to stretch myself, on my toes, to try and see past her. I caught a glimpse of the crate. “Hey, what’s in that crate? I saw you just had it delivered?”
Julie stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind her, but she kept her hand on the knob behind her back. “That’s none of your business, Mr. Walsh.”
“Please.” With a smile, I said, “Call me Henry.”
Julie opened the door just enough so she could squeeze back through the doorway. She did what she could to make sure I couldn’t see much else. “Have a good night,” she said. She closed the door and popped the deadbolt.
Alex and I stood quiet on the steps.
I said, “Could she make it any more obvious she’s hiding something?”
The door opened again. Julie stood in the doorway with a phone in her hand. “I’m calling the Sheriff’s Office right now if you don’t get off this property.”
“You sure you’d be comfortable having someone from the Sheriff’s Office inside? Because, I can’t help but think you wouldn’t want a law enforcement official seeing what you have in that crate.”
“You have quite the imagination, Mr. Walsh.” She looked back and forth from me to Alex. “Next time I look outside, I hope—for your sake—you’re gone.”