The Case of the Scarlet Brooch
Chapter 2"I'll take Mason in Monterey and you take Harold in Santa Barbara. That way you won't have to drive so far. I don't want you falling asleep on me. They can probably tell us how to get hold of Janie Lee and Sara Beth. If not, you can go back to Mrs. Huntington."
"That's the last resort," Jeff explained. "Mrs. Huntington didn't want any of her relatives bothered unless they absolutely had to be."
"Since the brooch was seen on one or the other, I'd say getting in touch with them would be a necessity."
"Well, good luck. And thanks for the help, Stu."
Jeff waved and pulled out of the parking lot. Stu was not far behind him. It was a beautiful drive to Santa Barbara, and Jeff enjoyed the fresh air. He always liked to drive, even when it was something like this morning; a case that had him flummoxed and frustrated. Every time he thought he had a lead it evaporated into thin air. Maybe today would be lucky . . . he'd even be happy if it was Stu that was lucky. At least then this nightmare would be over. When he got to the house in Santa Barbara it was breathtaking; one of the largest and most elegant places he'd ever seen. No wonder it could easily accommodate forty or fifty people at a New Year's party.
Jeff parked and went to the front door. Before he could knock the door opened, and a man that could only be Harold the butler answered the door. He examined Jeff with an icy stare. "Yes?"
"I'm Jeff Spencer. I'd like to ask you a few questions, if I may."
"Oh, yes, the private investigator. Please come in, Mr. Spencer."
The inside was just as elegant as the outside. A gleaming staircase, marble floors, and a glint of gold everywhere. Jeff felt like he'd walked into a palace, looking for Cinderella. Harold's tone and manner were quite a bit warmer. "This way into the parlor, Mr. Spencer. Would you like some coffee?"
"That would be most welcomed, Harold. Thank you." Jeff followed Harold into the room he referred to as the parlor, and it was larger than most people's entire houses. Brocade, silk, and expensive-looking antiques filled the room. They sat down, Jeff on a sofa and Harold in a chair, and before Spencer could get started with his questions a maid appeared carrying a tray. She was a pretty little thing, with dark gray eyes and a sweet smile. As soon as she had poured coffee for both men, she disappeared from whence she came.
"Now, Mr. Spencer, you have questions for me?" Harold asked.
Jeff took a sip of coffee before answering. It was just what he needed to bring him back to life, and it didn't hurt that the coffee was excellent.
"I understand there was a New Year's Eve party here at the . . . house." Jeff's natural inclination was to say 'mansion,' but he thought better of it.
"Yes, sir, every year Mrs. Huntington holds a party for her friends that live in the area."
"Does she usually attend those parties?"
"Sometimes. But most years she attends a party at one of her other homes."
Jeff wondered, and not for the first time, how Iris Huntington decided where she would spend New Year's Eve. "But her niece, Janie Lee, was here."
"Yes, sir."
"What can you tell me about Janie Lee?"
"Well, sir, I really shouldn't . . . "
"Harold, I was hired by Mrs. Huntington to find her brooch. I have her permission to ask whatever I need to. Now, about Janie Lee."
"Miss Janie is the daughter of Mr. Miller Arnet, Mrs. Huntington's older brother. Mr. Arnet died in a boating accident some years ago, and Janie Lee has lived here ever since. Miss Janie is a delightful young woman. She befriends everyone she meets, including all the staff here at Huntington Manor.
"She's met a young man, Johnny Chapman, and it has us all concerned. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Chapman seems a nice enough fellow. But he's, well he's . . . "
"From the wrong side of the tracks?" Jeff suggested.
"That's it," Harold responded quickly. "There's suspicion that Mr. Chapman may be after more than just Miss Janie's affections."
"Has he given you any reason to believe that? Or is it just a suspicion?"
"No, no, so far it's just a suspicion. But he did seem to be paying an extreme amount of attention to Janie Lee on New Year's Eve, particularly Mrs. Huntington's brooch. That's why I saw that Miss Janie was wearing it."
Jeff had questions waiting for Harold. "Did Janie Lee often wear items that belonged to Mrs. Huntington? And did she have permission to do so?"
Harold nodded. "Well, anything but that brooch. Mr. Huntington gave that brooch to Mrs. Huntington as an engagement gift, and it was the only piece of jewelry that was off-limits to everyone. I didn't even realize the brooch was here. It's usually at whichever house Mrs. Huntington is at. But Janie Lee definitely had it on New Year's Eve."
"Have you seen it since then, Harold?"
Harold shook his head. "No, sir. Mrs. Huntington called and asked me to look for it, but it wasn't here. I asked Janie Lee and she insisted that after the party she'd returned it to its rightful place."
"Which is where, Harold?"
"In Mrs. Huntington's jewelry box. There's a secret compartment where the brooch resides."
Jeff continued the questioning. "And it's not there now?"
"No, sir."
"I need to see the jewelry box."
Harold stood up. "Follow me, sir."
Jeff stood and followed the butler. Up the marble staircase, down a long hallway, and finally into the owner's bedroom. A massive jewelry box made of mahogany with gold drawer pulls and a lock stood on the far wall of the room. Harold pulled out a small key and unlocked it, opened the fourth drawer, flipped a small switch on the bottom of the drawer, and a secret compartment opened. It was lined in white velvet, and it was empty. "This is where the brooch is kept."
"Do you have the only key?"
"Outside of Mrs. Huntington and Janie Lee, yes. I do not give it to anyone."
"Thank you, Harold. You've been a big help. Is Miss Janie at home?"
"I believe so, sir. If you would return to the parlor I will send her down."
Jeff left the bedroom, back down the hall, and down the steps. He sat down in the parlor and poured himself another cup of coffee. He'd almost finished it when a vision in blue walked into the room. Medium height with brown hair piled up on her head, she had smiling brown eyes and a grin on her face. "Well, Harold didn't tell me Aunt Iris had hired a movie star to find her brooch."
Jeff blushed and smiled. "I appreciate the compliment, but I hardly qualify as a movie star. I'm Jeff Spencer, Miss Arnet. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Now it was Janie Lee's turn to blush, and she did so prettily. "How do you do, Mr. Spencer?"
"Jeff, please. Have a seat, won't you? I have some questions I'd like to ask about your aunt's missing brooch."
"Is there any coffee left, Jeff? And you can call me Janie, everybody does." She turned a cup over and Jeff picked up the pot and poured for her. "And a gentleman to boot. Well, this might be more enjoyable than I expected. Fire away, Jeff Spencer."
"Harold told me no one is supposed to wear your aunt's brooch. Why did you wear it New Year's Eve?"
Janie Lee shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't see what harm it could do. I wore it, then put it back where I found it when Johnny went home. That was that."
"Did you lock the jewelry box?"
"I think so." Janie looked slightly embarrassed.
"You think so? Why aren't you sure?" Jeff was waiting to hear this explanation. It better be good, or Janie Lee Arnet could be looking for a new home.
"I was just getting ready to lock it when the burglar alarm went off. I ran out of the room to see what was going on, and I think I locked it before I left. But I'm not a hundred percent positive."
"Was there a burglar?"
She shook her head and a strand of hair fell in her face. "That's the funny part. No burglar, no one found, nothing missing. The police came but they couldn't find any trace of an intruder."
"And you haven't been in the jewelry box since?"
"No, I haven't." Janie took a swallow or two of coffee. "Look, I know I shouldn't have done it. I guess I was showing off for Johnny. There were a lot of beautiful girls at the party, and I wanted something that would make me stand out. Something that would make me feel beautiful, too."
"You didn't need any help to be beautiful." Jeff couldn't help it; he liked this girl.
She blushed again and stared down into her coffee cup. "I . . . I know that's not true, but thank you for saying it."
"I'm not in the business of telling lies, Miss Arnet."
"Aren't you sweet. Would you like to see the house while you're here, Mr. Spencer?"
"Jeff, remember? Yes, I would like to see the house. But only if you'll be my tour guide." He gave her another smile and stood up. She quickly followed suit.
"Alright, let's go then. This way." And she headed back out the way she'd entered the room. Jeff eagerly followed. Maybe looking for the scarlet brooch wasn't so bad after all.