“I can’t believe no one saw anything,” a woman said. “How could you have lost track of her? We’re hardly in the middle of nowhere.”
“It was as dark out there that night as though we were in the middle of nowhere,” Lucinda replied. “And I resent your implication.”
“Not implying anything. Just making a comment.”
“As for this letter opener,” Watson said. “Did anyone see it not on the display table in the alcove?”
Women glanced at each other. Heads shook again.
“Hard to prove a negative, Detective,” Margaret said.
He rephrased the question. “Did anyone who’d seen it earlier, happen to notice when it was no longer on the display table?”
More shaking of heads.
A small, gray-haired woman slowly raised her hand.
“Yes, ma’am,” Watson said. “Do you have something to add?”
“I have to be leaving for the airport soon. I don’t want to miss my flight.”
“It’s a long drive to Raleigh,” said another. “I don’t like to be on the roads after dark.”
“I think we’re finished here.” Watson gathered up the papers and put them back in the folder. “Thank you for your time. If anyone remembers anything, anything at all, about events of Friday night or Helena Sanchez, please get in touch with me. I have your contact details if I need further information. Those of you who need to be on your way are free to leave now. If you’ve been asked to remain in Nags Head pending further developments, I trust you’ll do so.”
Some women bounded out of their chairs and bolted for the door. Some lingered, unsure. A few hugged and exchanged kisses and promises to keep in touch.
“I want it on record that I object to being treated like a common criminal,” Lucinda Lorca said. “Television is a highly competitive business. If I have to stay here much longer, I might not have a job to go back to.”
“Duly noted,” Watson said.
“Mary-Sue, do you have room for me at your house?” Lucinda asked.
“What?” Mary-Sue said.
“I don’t want to stay in this hotel a moment longer. It’ll be much nicer to move into a friend’s home. I’m sure it’ll only be for a day or two.”
“I don’t—”
“Great! That’s arranged then. I’ll get my stuff packed and meet you in the lobby in a jiffy.” Lucinda ran past Holly Rankin and out the door.
Mary-Sue looked at Bertie.
“You can say no,” Bertie said.
“Too late now,” Mary-Sue said.
“I don’t suppose you have room for me too, do you?” Sheila asked. “This is an expensive hotel.”
“No. Sorry. Our house isn’t very big and my son …” Mary-Sue’s voice trailed off.
“Why don’t you and I get a room together, Sheila?” Ruth said. “If we share, it’ll help with the cost a bit.”
“I’d like that,” Sheila replied. “Thanks.”
“Mrs. Hurley,” Watson said. “I have one question about this Jeff Applewhite and the stolen jewels. What was the name of the owner?”
“Rachel Blackstone,” Margaret said.
Bertie’s jaw dropped.
“Rachel Blackstone,” I said. “You don’t mean—”
“She does,” Mary-Sue said. “The same Rachel Blackstone who still lives in Nags Head and chairs all those fundraising committees for the hospital and other charities.”
“Do you know this woman?” Watson asked Bertie and me.
“We do. Very well,” Bertie said.
“She’s a regular at the library,” I said. “She’s a close friend to my aunt Ellen.”
“Did either of you know about this theft?”
“No,” I said.
“Me neither,” Bertie said. “It happened before my time here. I find it interesting that no one talks about it anymore.”
“Out of respect for Rachel most likely,” Margaret said. “It was a long time ago.”
“I’m going back to the station, and I’m going to read up on the records of the case. The fact that the name of a man who disappeared after allegedly stealing a valuable piece of jewelry is on the withdrawal slip that appears to have some nebulous connection to a current case is probably meaningless. Plenty of other people took out that book and wrote their names on the slip. But stranger things have happened. Officer Rankin, let’s go.”
Rankin moved herself away from the wall.
I picked one of the photocopies off the table. “May I keep this, Detective?”
“Sure,” he said.
Mary-Sue followed Watson to the door. “How long are you going to keep them here? I don’t want that woman in my house any longer than necessary.”
“I can’t say, Mrs. Delamont. But I’ll remind you that you also are not to leave town without my permission.”
“I haven’t done anything!” she protested.
“Glad to hear it.” Watson paused in the doorway and then turned around. “Sorry, Lucy. I forgot. You came with me. Do you need Officer Rankin to drive you back to the lighthouse?”
“I’ll take her,” Bertie said.
He gave us a nod and left. Rankin followed him out.
“We’d better get that room arranged, Ruth,” Sheila said. “I hope the hotel’s not fully booked. Otherwise, we’ll be at your place, Mary-Sue, son or not.”
Mary-Sue tried not to groan.
“It would be just like our college days,” Ruth said. “We can watch scary movies and stuff ourselves with potato chips and pizza, and throw sleeping bags on the floor.”
“I doubt my sixty-year-old bones would care for that,” Sheila said as they left the meeting room.
“I haven’t thought about that business of Rachel’s necklace for a long time,” Margaret said. “Imagine it popping up now. I wonder if it did have something to do with Helena. I don’t suppose we’ll ever know. It was nice seeing you, Bertie. It’s been too long. I’d like to keep in touch.”
“As would I,” Bertie said with a smile.
Soon only Bertie and I remained in the meeting room. A housekeeper slipped in and began clearing away the untouched drinks.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Bertie said to me.
“Oh yeah.” I dropped into the chair next to her and took out my phone. “It might well be a coincidence that this Jeff Applewhite took out that book from what’s now our library around the time he disappeared with a purloined necklace. But I saw the look on Helena’s face when she saw that withdrawal slip. She read something there
