Page 82 of Gem Warfare

“Which one did you marry again?” she asked Lily.

“Jord.”

“Good choice,” said Bea, and Lily grinned again.

“You must have known the young man who brought the flowers,” said May. “He was Bea’s neighbor’s son.”

“I doubt it,” said Bea, “but the flighty one might have known him.” She gave us all a knowing look then made the sign of the cross over her chest. “Although maybe not. I don’t ever remember him visiting, but Joe did mention him a couple of times. Very proud of him. Lived with his mother out of state, I think. Or was it at school? Such a nice boy. I suppose I must have been extra nice to him for him to remember me so well.”

“He said you were always so lovely to him,” said May.

“He did,” agreed Bea.

“I vaguely remember,” I said feigning attempts to recall. “What was his name? Something biblical, I think. Gideon? Ben? Joe?”

“That’s a good memory you have there. Joseph. Goes by Joe like his dad. I’m surprised you remember him at all. What happened to your brothers? Aren’t they all detectives now?”

“They are,” I said. “And one has joined the FBI.”

“And the flighty one? You’re the investigator so I seem to think your mother said she was…. what was it now? Was it an accountant or lawyer or something like that?”

“We’re so proud of her,” I said. “She really turned things around. So, it was nice of Joe Junior to visit you after so long.”

“Such a charming young man,” said May. “I was here when he came to visit.”

“Such a sweetheart,” agreed Bea. “He said I was always the nicest neighbor and he’d always had a soft spot for me. He couldn’t believe it when he heard I’d moved here. He said he could have sworn I was twenty years younger!” A pink blushappeared on her cheeks.

“You must have heard what happened from your parents,” continued May. “They found his father in a shallow grave. Buried right there in the yard!”

“My parents told me,” I said. “It’s shocking. Joe Junior must have been terribly upset?”

“He said it was a relief to know what happened to his father. He said he was never really sure and since his father traveled a lot, he couldn’t be sure if something had happened to him abroad. He reported him missing, of course, but he said nothing came of it until now. He was so grateful to the police.”

“Do you remember Joe Smithson well from that time?”

“Some. He was always friendly and helpful but we weren’t friends and I recall he was away a lot. Truthfully, I don’t really remember the boy at all but my memory isn’t so good. I do remember that the house was near the end of its lease because I’d had words with the landlady about fixing the fence and she said she was waiting to find out if the lease would be renewed to decide how much to spend on it. She fixed it a month or so later and the Langs moved in so I didn’t really think much of it. Oh! You know, I do remember the landlady had to clear out a lot of Joe’s things. Not that there was much left behind but they had to cart it all away.”

“The young man asked where to and it was all thrown out, wasn’t it, Bea?” asked May.

“I think the clothes went to charity and a few other things too but I’m not sure about the rest. I don’t think there was much. The house was leased furnished so all of that stayed of course, but it will all be gone now. Joe’s son didn’t seem too surprised. He said he never really understood his father’s life here. He had all kinds of questions about whom he made friends with and what kind of people came to the house. Things like that. I so wish I could have told him more but it was an awful long time ago.”

“I’m sure he was glad to hear whatever you could tell him,” I said.

“That’s nice of you, dear. Yes, he was a nice young man, wanted to know all about the neighborhood and where everyone was now. I told him your parents had a PI for a daughter and he was just agog with interest. Asked all about you! If only you’d been here a little earlier, I could have introduced you. It sounds like he needed some professional help, although I suppose a lawyer could serve him just as well. Or maybe the police.”

“Oh? What for?”

“He said he was going to claim his inheritance and wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way.”

Chapter Eighteen

“Garrett, we need to talk!”

“We can do that soon. I found Kelvin Huff.”

“That’s great news. I think. When are we going to see him?”

“Now.”

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