At Wick's End - Tim Myers [11]
“Well, it wasn’t locked when I got here. In fact, I was kind of surprised to find the door wide open. Harrison, I should have asked you for your permission to do this first, shouldn’t I? I can’t help myself, I just get an impulse and go with it. That’s how I got my shop, you know.”
She continued working, stowing things from the floor in boxes as she talked, and I found myself joining her. At least I could keep an eye on her that way, and the work had to be done before I could move in. “I’d like to hear the story,” I said as I folded some of Belle’s sweaters and put them in a nearby box.
Heather said, “One day I was canoeing on the Gunpowder and saw River’s Edge for the first time. The building was so cool, and I’d been looking for something to do with my inheritance.” She paused, then said, “I’m not rich or anything, but my grandmother died and left me some money. Only thing was, there was a catch. I had to start a business and run it, or the money would go to my sister. She’s the sensible one, or so everybody thinks. Grams was always concerned that my life was without direction, so I took a deep breath and rented my space. I’ve always been fascinated with crystals and the power stones have to heal, so naturally that’s the kind of store I wanted. When you get the chance, I’d love to give you the grand tour.”
“I’d like that,” I said as the last of Belle’s clothes went into the boxes. Most likely this young woman was harmless and my suspicious mind was just working overtime.
Heather said, “Okay, you’ve got clothes in these four boxes, and miscellaneous stuff in these two. Would you like me to take the ones with Belle’s clothes to the Salvation Army? A lot of her things are too nice to just throw out.”
Something gnawed at the edge of my mind. Had Heather actually been trying to help, or had she come back for what she’d missed earlier? What better excuse to show up again than to say she was cleaning up the earlier mess made in her search? And what was really in those boxes? I just couldn’t take the chance, no matter how benign it all seemed.
‘Tell you what,” I said, “I’ll take them later myself.”
“I don’t mind,” she insisted. “The drop-off is right on my way home.”
I took the box that was in her hands and said firmly, “I appreciate the offer, I truly do, but there are a few things that have great sentimental value I may want to keep as a remembrance. Thanks again, though.”
Heather tried to hide her disappointment. “Okay. If that’s all then, I’d better get back downstairs and close up my shop.”
“You didn’t leave it open the entire time you were up here, did you?”
“Yes, but I’ve got a woman helping me who comes in three afternoons a week and works the occasional full day to give me a break. Mrs. Quimby is a godsend. Don’t forget, you’ve got one deluxe tour coming any time you want it.”
“I won’t forget,” I said as I tried to see if Heather was leaving with more than she had had when she arrived. It was impossible to tell under her baggy outfit, but I doubted she’d had the chance to take anything yet. After all, it was obvious she had expected to leave with those boxes long before I ever showed up at Belle’s apartment.
I don’t know what I was expecting to find in the boxes: jewelry, cash or something. All I could come up with was a quarter that must have slipped out of one of Belle’s pockets, and a broach that was obviously costume jewelry. It was looking more and more like Heather had been the Good Samaritan she claimed to be after all.
Unless she had indeed managed to walk off with something I hadn’t seen.
There was yet a third possibility. I might have interrupted her second search before she’d had the chance to find her bounty.
I wasn’t about to give her or anyone else another chance. I picked up the telephone book and called a locksmith.
There was no way