The Heirloom Murders - Kathleen Ernst [5]
“I definitely want to save whatever might be of value to Eagle.” Dellyn leaned against a dresser, smudging a fur of dust. “But …”
“But?”
“I’m pretty tight on cash right now.” Dellyn began swiping dust from furniture. “I’m an artist, for God’s sake. It took everything I had just to move back here from Seattle.”
“Ah.”
“My parents left me the house and its contents, but they didn’t have any real savings. My sister and her husband paid for the funeral. If there are even a few things I could sell with a clear conscience—things that have no meaning for Eagle’s history, I mean—it would help. A lot.”
Chloe could relate. Her own job at Old World Wisconsin was a permanent one, with benefits and a reasonable salary. But although Dellyn was head gardener at the historic site, she was an LTE—a Limited Term Employee with the state. Low salary, no benefits, no security.
“You never know,” Chloe said, striving for a cheery tone. “People find treasures in their attics all the time.”
“Maybe I’ll find the Eagle Diamond.”
“… Beg pardon?”
Dellyn waved a hand. “I forget you’re not local. About a century ago, some guy digging a well in town found this huge diamond.”
“No way. Don’t diamonds come from Africa?”
“Not this one,” Dellyn insisted. “It’s a true story. My dad was collecting information for a book, and this woman I know just published an article about it.”
“So, where is this diamond?”
“It disappeared. It was stolen, but nobody really knows where it ended up.” Dellyn smiled ruefully. “You figure my dad might have gotten his hands on it, and socked it away?”
“Probably not. Let’s just settle for something antique collectors are hungry for. An ambrotype of Abe Lincoln. A signed first edition of The Jungle Book. Betsy Ross’s girlhood sampler. Something to give you a little pocket change.” Chloe scanned the attic again. “Did your parents keep records? Knowing provenance—where an item came from, how it was used—will make a big difference in deciding what to keep.”
“I think so. It’s probably all down in the study.”
Chloe slapped her palms against her thighs. “Well, let’s see if we can find the records. Once we do, we’ll just start sorting.”
“Thank you.” Dellyn’s shoulders slumped with relief. “I didn’t even know where to begin. I want to show you the barn later, too. There’s a lot of agricultural stuff out there. Some of it might work nicely for the Garden Fair at Old World.”
Chloe regarded her. “Don’t take this wrong, but what on earth compelled you to propose a new special event? You’ve only been on staff for what, a month more than me? I’m still learning people’s names.”
“I just thought it would be a nice idea to showcase the historic site’s heirloom vegetables and flowers.” Dellyn’s tone was both defensive and apologetic. “I want to help visitors understand how much diversity we’ve lost. And how important fairs were to nineteenth-century families.”
“Oh, it’s a great idea,” Chloe assured her. “It’s just ambitious for someone who already has more work than she can handle.”
“I’ve got some great volunteers to help. One in particular—Harriet Van Dyne—have you met her? And the interpreters are excited …” Dellyn cocked her head. “I think a car just pulled into the driveway.”
Chloe followed Dellyn down the stairs gratefully. By the time they’d descended to the ground floor, the temperature had dropped by at least twenty degrees. Chloe lifted her long blonde hair and held it massed on top of her head, wishing she’d been smart enough to pin it up that morning. Maybe Dellyn had some iced tea or lemonade in the fridge—
“Oh God.” Dellyn froze in front of the screen door.
“What?” Something prickled nervously over Chloe’s skin. “Dellyn, what’s wrong?”
Dellyn didn’t answer. Chloe peered over her friend’s shoulder and saw a police car in the driveway. Officer Roelke McKenna was walking up the sidewalk, followed by a second man she didn’t recognize. A man wearing a clerical collar.
“Oh God,” Dellyn whispered again.
Roelke’s eyes widened when he saw Chloe, but he masked his surprise quickly and focused on Dellyn. “Miss Dellyn Burke?