Midnight Visitors 17
Heyes didn't sleep well that night. He tossed and turned, ending up staring at the ceiling until first light. With no point staying in bed, he dressed and went out. He was the first customer in the livery and it was with a certain amount of relief when he was on his horse, riding out of town.
At first, he rode aimlessly but the fresh morning air quickly wiped the cobwebs from his mind. Before long, he had an idea. Spurring his horse on, he was soon loping gracefully along the trail in the direction of Thompkins Decorative Ironmongery.
"Mr Rembacker," Preston greeted with a grin as Heyes rode into the yard. "You're up early."
"'Morning," Heyes said, returning the grin. "I have some good news." He winced. "Well I think I do."
He dismounted and led his horse over to a hitching rail.
"Must be for you to ride out here this early. Come on in and have some coffee."
Heyes took a seat in the now familiar office while they waited for the coffee to boil.
"Good news for me?" Preston asked.
"I've gotta lead on one of your padlocks," Heyes said, triumphantly.
Preston chuckled. "You rode all the way outta here to tell me that?"
Heyes squeezed his bottom lip between thumb and forefinger. "I was really hoping you had a key for it."
Preston frowned. "Which one are you talking about? Not the big one with the secret chamber?"
Heyes shook his head. It was too early to reveal the part that one had played in events. Heyes described the padlock he'd found at Tubby's.
"Yes I know the one you mean."
Preston got up and went to the filing cabinet. From the top drawer, he took a loose-leaf folder, filled with beautifully executed ink drawings of locks. On the table, he flicked through until he found the page he wanted. "Is that it?"
Heyes leaned forward to look and then got up to take a better view.
"Yes that's it."
Preston turned away to tend to the coffee.
Heyes flicked through some more pages. "These drawings are exquisite, Preston. Did you do them?"
"Yes, I trained as a draughtsman before I took up ironmongery. I like to keep my hand in every now and then so I do drawings of all my locks when I get 'em. Here ya go."
He set down two mugs of coffee. Heyes picked his up immediately and looked at the folder again, flicking through with his left hand.
"You draw the keys as well," he noted.
"Yes. A lock is not complete without the key."
Heyes grinned in reply as put the cup to his lips. All depends, he thought.
"Are these to scale?"
"Yes."
"So … ." Heyes looked thoughtful and tapped his finger on the relevant page. "Can you replicate a key from one of these drawings?"
"Hmmm. Well I've never tried but I don't really need to." When Heyes looked the question at him, he continued a little embarrassed. "I have this."
Preston reached behind a chair and brought out a wooden box. When he opened the lid, Heyes saw the box filled with keys of all description and he looked up, wide-eyed.
Preston smiled at his reaction. "Every time I acquire a lock, I make a copy of the key and throw it in here. The original I usually display with the lock as you saw in the house the first time you were here. And of course, if I sell the lock, I always have a spare, just in case." He sighed. "The copy for the key to that padlock is in here somewhere."
"You and Simon Long both seem to have a thing for keys. He has a whole cupboard full."
Preston chuckled. "It was he, who gave me the idea although I'm not as orderly as he is."
Heyes laughed. "So I can see. So you think a key for the padlock is in here?"
"Probably."
"Can I look?"
"Sure if ya've got the time."
With that, Preston swept the open folder aside and up ended the box. Together they started to sort through, matching likely keys to the drawing. After a while, Preston left Heyes happily working his way through.
It was some time before Heyes declared he thought he had it.
"Let's see." Preston inspected the one Heyes held out. "The design is right for the age of lock. Yeah, I'd say it was the one."
"Can I take it to try? If it fits, I'm sure Sheriff Abbott will agree it's yours and you'll get it back."
"Sure why not."
Heyes smiled as he tucked the key away in the pocket of his blue/grey coat. A few minutes later, coated, hatted and gloved, he was ready to go.
"Before I head off, about the padlock with the secret compartment, who was the last person you showed it to before the burglary?"
Preston considered. "It was a while ago now but I think it was Simon." He nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was Simon."
"Thank you, Preston. As usual you've been a great help." Heyes stuck out his hand.
"Anytime."
ASJASJASJASJ
Back in the sheriff's office, Heyes was again studying the drawings of the padlocks Preston had supplied when reporting their loss. Now Heyes had seen the beautiful to-scale drawings Preston had for his own purposes, he saw how those contrasted with these quick pencil approximations. Nevertheless, one of the drawings matched the padlock found at Tubby's house.
"Sheriff," he said, getting the other man's attention. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but recovery of stolen property is a lawful enterprise isn't it?"
"Well yeah, I'd say so. Why?"
Heyes pressed his lips together, tightly. He declined to answer, causing Abbott to growl in frustration and shake his head.
"Tubby said he'd only allow me to open the lock on Fletcher's door, if we had a piece of paper signed by a judge."
"Ya've already asked me. Judge is outta town right now."
"I know. Yet I think the answers to some of the missing pieces in our puzzle are behind that locked door."
"Look Rembacker, I know it's frustrating… ." Abbott paused and tapped his fingers on the desk, as he thought. "There is another way y'know? We can ask Fletcher to open the thing."
"No, I'd rather not do that," Heyes said, quickly and then saw Abbott needed more. "We know Fletcher is involved but I don't want him tipped off until it's time to go get him. We'll have to go in force when we do. I'm trusting Tubby not to let on to him as it is."
"Ya shouldn'ta told him. They're pretty tight."
"I know," Heyes admitted. "I was hoping to draw Tubby out on the tarp business. If he could see how important the timing is … ." Heyes rolled his eyes. "Didn't work. At least not then." He leant a hand on his fist and puffed.
"What are ya trying to say to me?" Abbott asked, a little while later.
Heyes looked across in surprise. "What makes you think I'm trying to say anything?"
"'Cos sadly, I'm getting to know ya!"
Heyes smiled and scratched his ear.
"The law is quite a flexible beast isn't it?" he mused, a moment later.
Abbott growled.
"I mean … ." Heyes sat back in his chair and laced his fingers over his stomach. "The letter of the law isn't always written in stone is it? There's sometimes a … ." He pursed his lips. "Y'know a grey area … ."
"What are ya getting at?"
Heyes leaned forwarded, propped his elbow on the desk and cupped his chin. "Flexibility, Mark, is what I'm getting at." He decided he'd ask straight out before he annoyed Abbott beyond endurance. "How far are you willing to stretch the law?"
Abbott looked at him hard. "Depends," he said, finally. "What have ya got in mind?"
"Recovery of stolen property." Heyes tapped the drawing. "This belongs to Preston Thompkins and I'd like to give it back to him."
Abbott got up and looked at the drawing. "How sure are you it's Preston's?"
"See this moulding around the top of the body and key hole. That's pretty unique. Probably isn't another like it in this part of the country." Abbott twitched his nose as he considered. Heyes smiled and held up his closed hand, concealing something. "Besides … . I have this." He opened his hand to reveal the key. "I rode out to see Preston first thing. He gave me this. If it fits, doesn't it prove the padlock belongs to Preston?"
"Suppose so," Abbott conceded, cautiously.
"So if I take the padlock off, I can give it back to it's lawful owner … but if the door should suddenly swing open, … ."
Abbott drew himself up with a sigh. "Alright. But … Tubby is present."
Heyes nodded in acknowledgement. "Understood."
Abbott walked to the door. "I'll go and round him up."
ASJASJASJASJ
"SNAP!"
Giggling and chortling greeted their arrival at Tubby's house.
"I think you're letting me win, J," said Mrs Wilson, knowingly.
"No ma'am. Ya're jus' better'n me at this game. Your turn, Lovina."
Heyes' eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as he glanced into the main room. Preacher and Mrs Wilson were cosy playing cards on a tray over her lap. Heyes had wondered where Preacher was when he hadn't joined him for breakfast. Now he knew. Preacher looked like he'd been there sometime. Heyes looked the question at Tubby.
"He er turned up as I was leaving for work this morning," Tubby replied. "Ma told me how much she enjoyed his company yesterday." He shrugged. "Nice to see her happy."
Heyes nodded.
"Is this the padlock?" Abbott asked, giving it a tap.
"Yes," Heyes replied. "Satisfied?"
Abbott made a great show of unfolding the drawing and comparing. Heyes stood patiently waiting. Tubby looked confused and annoyed in equal measures.
"Yeah, looks right to me," Abbott said, finally, folding up the drawing and stepping aside.
Heyes took his place and drew out the key.
"I can't say I'm happy about this Sheriff. Fletcher can be litigious," Tubby warned, perhaps thinking of Abbott, perhaps himself.
"If Rembacker's key fits, you let me worry about that. Ah!"
Heyes had turned the key and the padlock opened. He took it off the door and looked at it in his open palm.
"Guess that proves it," he said, looking up at Abbott.
"Guess it does," Abbott agreed.
With his fingertips, Heyes gave the door a push.
"Oops."
Now free to move, the door swung open.
Heyes looked first at Abbott and then at Tubby, seeking permission to enter. Abbott looked at Tubby, who sighed in resignation. Abbott gave Heyes a nod.
Heyes pushed the door open wider. Inside was a small room, containing a single bed, a nightstand, a chair, writing desk and chest of drawers. It was the writing desk, Heyes moved to first. On the top lay two padlocks, with their keys.
"Guess these are the other two of Preston's missing padlocks," he mused.
"Yeah, they look familiar," said Abbott, at his side. "We're not removing anything Rembacker. D'ya understand?"
Heyes nodded. "Be careful how you touch things as well. Wouldn't do for Fletcher to suspect we've been in here before we're ready." Abbott pointed to the door. "I'll put the padlock back," Heyes grinned. "I didn't say when I'd give the padlock back to Preston did I?"
"No I guess ya didn't," Abbott sighed.
"Wanna look through the chest of drawers? I'll take this," Heyes said, indicating the writing desk.
As Abbott turned towards the chest of drawers, Heyes saw Tubby hovering in the doorway.
"You don't have to be part of this, Tubby," Heyes said, reassuringly. "D'you know when you're next expecting Fletcher? Is he a creature of habit?" He carried on searching while he spoke.
"He comes into town most Fridays and stays the night. Sometimes more often. It depends."
"Alright, so he could be in town tomorrow."
"Yeah, I reckon so."
Finding nothing of interest in the cubbyholes on top of the writing desk, Heyes had progressed to the drawers.
"Ah! This'll do it, Mark." He held up a small bottle, identical to the one Martha used for Mrs Wilson liniment.
"That's Ma's missing liniment," Tubby said, in surprise, coming into the room.
"A bottle of your Ma's liniment went missing?" Heyes queried, his eyebrows hiding in his bangs.
"Yes. About a month ago."
"Did you report it?"
"No, well y'see we couldn't be sure if we'd mislaid it. Or if Martha had taken it back … ." He tailed off as Heyes and Abbott swopped looks. "Should we have done?"
"In the wrong hands, Tubby, this is poison," Heyes said, slowly.
"Ya shoulda reported it," Abbott growled.
Tubby dropped his head in shame. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah well at the time, I'da probably laughed at yet. Don't give it no more mind," Abbott said, gently.
"Yeah, Tubby you weren't to know," Heyes smiled, in sympathy. "I'll put it back."
Tubby went to sit on the bed. He wrung his hands in anxiety, watching as Heyes and Abbott continued with their search. Heyes wasn't finding anything, slamming the drawers in increasing frustration.
Meanwhile, Abbott was contending with underwear and shirts.
"How many pairs of socks can a man possibly need?" he muttered. "The last time I looked he only had two feet. Same as me."
Heyes smiled as he pulled out the drawer of the nightstand. He froze when he looked inside.
"Sheriff."
When Abbott looked round, Heyes beckoned him over. He gave a sharp intake of breath when he saw what Heyes pointed at inside the drawer.
"Is that it?"
"Yeah I reckon so. There's the little key for the secret compartment, on a chain exactly like Preston said," Heyes said, sadly.
"So … Fletcher Callaghan … Simon─"
"Fletcher's my friend. He wouldn't … kill someone. I'm sure there's a rational explanation!" Tubby burst out.
Heyes sat down on the bed next to Tubby.
"I'm sorry Tubby. The way things are looking … ." Heyes paused, an idea forming in his mind. "D'you wanna help your friend?"
"How?" Tubby asked, eagerly.
"There's a few ways but you can start by answering a question─"
"Alright, I lied to you about the tarp," Tubby said, quickly. "We did bring the chest in with the tarp covering it. We were folding it up together, when Mr Mercer came back and saw Simon. It left me to continue folding it on my own. I-I gave the folded tarp back to Simon as he left."
Heyes smiled. "Thank you for telling me, Tubby but that wasn't what I was going to ask," he said, gently. "I was going to ask … who gave you the padlock to put on the chest?"
Tubby sucked in a shuddering breath. "I … Mr Rembacker, I … . I swear I didn't know there was poison in it. I only found out yesterday when you told me. I swear."
"Alright, Tubby, yes I know. Your reaction told me you had no knowledge of what the padlock contained." Heyes laid a hand on Tubby's shoulder. "I know you're not to blame but I do need to know who asked you to put the padlock on the chest. It's really important Tubby."
"He's my friend, Mr Rembacker. My best friend." Tubby's voice broke.
"I know, Tubby and I'm so sorry … ."
Tubby gulped. "It was … Fletcher," he said, quietly. "He gave it to me and said when Simon brought the chest; I was to slip it on. That's all he asked me to do. A simple little thing … ." He looked up at Abbott. "Am I in trouble? Ma … ."
"No Tubby you're not in trouble." Abbott reassured him with a smile.
Tubby took a deep breath in relief.
"There's one more thing you can do, Tubby." Heyes glanced at Abbott for permission to put into words a plan they hadn't really discussed. Abbott waved a hand. "We need to bring Fletcher in Tubby but Sheriff Abbott and me have a problem. We can't go out to his ranch to arrest him. Not with all his ranch hands there. Y'see they're a loyal bunch and we could be riding into a massacre. Fletcher would be in a lot more trouble than he's already in if they decide to pile in on Fletcher's side. Will you help us?"
"How?"
"I want you to do something brave for me. D'you think you can do that?"
"What?"
Heyes glanced at Abbott. "D'you think we would entice Fletcher into town if he thinks Sheriff Abbott has arrested you for killing Stephen?"
Tubby looked at him wide-eyed. "Me!"
"Yes. If you asked Fletcher for his help. Would he? Knowing you had nothing to do with it. Is he the type of man to let you take the fall Tubby?"
Tubby gulped. "What about Ma?"
"We can take her into our confidence, Tubby."
"What will folks in town think?"
Heyes smiled. "I think when the dust settles and the story all comes out, you'll be quite the hero."
"Really?" Tubby looked eager.
"Yes Tubby I do. In fact, I would say Theodore Wilson, Attorney at Law, has a very professional and trustworthy ring about it. Don't you think? Shows clearly here is a man, who's prepared to go the extra mile to see justice upheld."
"Oh I don't know about that Mr Rembacker," flushed Tubby.
Heyes sat and watched Tubby's thinking, visible on his face.
"You're not really arresting me for Mr Mercer's murder are you, Sheriff?" Tubby asked. "We're making it look like it to bring Fletcher in for questioning. That's all?"
"No Tubby I'm not arresting you. We want Fletcher to come in peaceable so Rembacker and me can question him. You have my word." Abbott held out his hand.
Tubby looked at the hand first and at Heyes.
"You have mine too."
