Jack cleared his throat. "You are looking for something that is actually very close to all of you."
He paused and looked at the three people sitting in the big club chairs next to the pool. He was standing with the pool at his back. The mist rose-up and circled around him. From time to time it circled around the chairs covering the feet and knees of the others.
They shifted in their chairs and looked from the pool, to their feet, to each other and then back to Jack.
"After his wife died, Mr. Evans gave quite a bit of his household possessions to friends, homeless shelters, other people in the apartment building and, of course, all the sterling silver to the museum." Jack paused and wondered why these three, after working together for over a year, were acting uncomfortable with each other.
He continued. "The knife you found is very, very old and of some value. But the most important item that Mr. Evans gave to the museum is the deck of silver playing cards." He paused again. Now it seemed he had their attention. "Supposedly there are only 5 sets known to be in existence. But there is a 6th set. Complete with 52 cards."
Bret spoke first. "I did hear from a former manager something about that." His voice trailed off.
"Is the set still in the museum?" Evelyn asks.
"Mr. Evan died because someone or some people wanted the only other full set of silver cards."
"How much is it worth?" Frankie asked.
"Somewhere around $4 million dollars. They are still in the museum. Find the deck and you will find the killer."
"Wait...if it is still in the museum, then isn't Evans' killer still looking as well?" Bret asked.
"Yes." Jack paused. "By finding it, the killer will try to steal it."
"Wait." Evelyn said. "Are you saying we should find it, advertise that we have it and wait for the killer to come after us?"
"Of course not." Jack said. "Claude Evans deserves justice. By finding it, you can put it on display and make money to keep the museum afloat. The killer will try to steal the cards. Whoever is the killer will be caught. Trust me. But you need to need to find the deck first."
"And the deck is in the museum?" Rose said as she walked around the pool. Her arrival startled the three sitting in the chairs.
"Yes," Jack said. "And whoever finds it will get a reward from the insurance company and help to catch a killer."
I made my way to the roof of the Foxberry. As I reached the top, I took a deep breath and opened the door to the patio. Jack was there, sitting on a lawn chair, at the edge of the building, overlooking the entire city. He turned and noticed me. "Howdy there, Bret" said Jack. "Jack, I need to talk to you about something." I responded. "What can I help you with?" He asked. I took the cards out of my pocket and looked up at him.
ReplyDelete"Come sit with me." I sat in the lawn chair next to him, giving me the view of the whole city. I looked out and I saw it all. I saw the Museum of Cutlery and Love You A Latté, at opposite ends of the town. The sun was setting. "You certainly have an important choice to make, don't you Bret." Jack said. "Yeah, I guess so."
"What would you do if you were me?" I asked. "But I'm not you. Only you are you. Not me, not they, not he, not she. Only you."
"You're right."
I stood up from my chair and walked to the edge of the building. I stepped up onto the edge. I could feel the wind breezing against me as I looked onto the rest of the world. I held the silver deck of cards in my right hand, fiddling with it. "What do you think Mr. Evans is thinking right now?" I asked. "I think he would be thankful. Thankful for the life he gave and for the life he received. He loved, and that's what mattered." Then, Jack started singing some sort of chant. "Go booba yalle, go booka tambee, go konka yalle, go..." I knew what I had to do.
I threw the cards off the building, as far as I could see.
"Thanks, Jack."
"You're welcome Bret."