The Case of the Scarlet Brooch
Chapter 1"Jeff. Jeff, wake up." Stu was shaking his partner's shoulders. Spencer's head was resting on an arm flung across the top of his desk. It was morning, and Jeff had evidently been asleep for some time; Stu had been trying to wake him for quite a while. Jeff only slept that soundly when he was exhausted.
Stu wasn't surprised that Jeff was tired, nor was he surprised to find the younger man sleeping at his desk. It was late when Stu left the office last night, having spent the whole day trying to catch up on his paperwork, and Jeff was still at his desk muttering. It wasn't the first night recently that Jefferson Spencer was still at his desk when Stu left for home. The case of the scarlet brooch was driving him crazy.
It hadn't started out as anything unusual. One morning Mrs. Iris Huntington had come in for an appointment with Jeff, and her problem seemed like a fairly simple matter. She thought she'd misplaced a scarlet brooch her husband had given her before they were married. It was priceless in two different ways, both monetarily and sentimentally. Mrs. Huntington was sure it was somewhere in one of the several homes she owned, but she couldn't find it and it was time to call in a professional. At least that's what she told Jeff. She didn't mention where the homes were located or how large they were.
Under normal circumstances Jeff would have been inclined to refuse the case, but circumstances weren't normal at this exact moment. It was right after the holidays and the general populace was too busy with presents and parties to have done anything needing a private investigator. If Stuart didn't have so much paperwork to catch up on he'd have been as crazy with boredom as Jeff was. So, against his better judgment, Jeff told Mrs. Huntington he would look into it for her.
And that's when the complications began. Complications that caused Stu to find Jeff asleep at his desk. "Come on, Jefferson, it's morning. Time to start another day and another house. Or another relative. Or both."
Slowly the head came up from the desk, and a small moan accompanied it. "What time is it?" a groggy voice asked.
"Almost eight o'clock," Stu informed his partner. "You know, there are things made for that. They're called beds. You should try one sometime. I bet you even have one in your apartment."
"Don't. Please don't. My head hurts bad enough as it is without listening to your bad jokes."
"Then try sleeping in your bed at home. Even my couch would be better than your desk," Stu insisted.
"I intended to last night. I don't know what happened," Jeff moaned.
"I do. You just needed to rest your eyes for a few minutes. The next thing you know, I'm shaking your shoulder, trying to wake you up. Sound familiar?"
Jeff sat up, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. "Yeah, I guess."
Stu leaned over and sniffed, then made a face. "Time to go home and shower, then change clothes. And don't come back to the office until you've accomplished that. Please. The search for the brooch will wait."
"Alright, Stu. I know you're right. It's just that . . . "
"I know. This is driving you crazy. It's driving me crazy, too. How can I help?"
The question startled Jeff. "Are you all caught up?"
Stu nodded. "When you get back we'll talk."
"I appreciate it. I'm gonna have Kookie drive me."
Stu leaned over the desk and took the keys out of Jeff's hand. "I'll drive you."
"Thanks, Stu."
They went out the side door and Stu stopped Jeff. "Let's take my car."
Both men got into Stu's convertible and even with the morning traffic were at Jeff's apartment in less than ten minutes. When they got to the door Stu unlocked it and told Jeff, "See if you recognize the place."
"See if you can acquaint yourself with the coffee pot." Jeff headed for the bedroom and Stu headed for the kitchen.
By the time the coffee was ready, Jeff was out of the shower. Stu poured two cups, leaving one on the living room table and taking the other to Spencer, who was already half-dressed. "Thanks," Jeff said after taking a sip, "I needed that. You're going to make somebody a nice little wife."
"Don't swear at me like that."
Stu went back to the living room and situated himself on the couch. In just a few minutes Spencer joined him, and the men sat in companionable silence while they finished their coffee.
"Now what was so confusing that it kept you at the office last night?"
"Harold was sure he'd seen the brooch on Janie Lee on New Year's Eve."
"Harold is the butler at which house?
"Santa Barbara," Jeff explained. "There was a New Year's party for forty or fifty people, and Harold was certain Janie Lee had it on."
"And who is Janie Lee?"
"That's Mrs. Huntington's niece. Her brother's child. Although she's not a child anymore."
"So what's the problem? Go talk to Janie Lee and see if she has it."
Jeff grinned half-heartedly. "That's not all."
"What else?"
"Mason is certain that Sara Beth was wearing it on the shoulder of her gown that same night."
"And Mason is whom?"
"He's the butler in Monterey. Sara Beth is Mrs. Huntington's granddaughter."
Stuart moaned slightly. "Let's get back to the office." On the way out Stu locked the door. "Honestly, Jefferson, how do these things find you?"
"Just lucky, I guess."
Stu got behind the wheel and started the engine. "There's more, isn't there?"
"Oh, lots."
By the time the two men got back to the office, Jeff wasn't the only one with a headache.