The Case of the Scarlet Brooch
Chapter 3Jeff was in the office writing up notes on the visit to Huntington Manor when Stu finally got back to the office. "You look better than you did this morning," Stu told him.
"And you look worse," was Jeff's reply.
"Spending a day trying to pull information out of Mason and Sara Beth Huntington would make anyone look old," was Stu Bailey's answer.
Spencer gave a quizzical little smile. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Yes, but over a scotch sounds better ."
"Dino's?" was the next question.
"Dino's," the follow-up answer.
"Did they really give you a bad time?" Jeff asked as the two men walked over to their regular hang-out.
Stu took out his cigarette case, offered one to Jeff and got them both lit before they walked into the restaurant. "Let's put it this way," he explained as he took a drag off his cigarette. "If Iris Huntington put out a memo telling all of her butler's and relatives to cooperate in the search, Mason and Sara Beth didn't' get their copies." Their regular booth occupied, they followed Larry back to a table on the other side of the restaurant. Once they were seated, Stu told the maître d', "Tell Mike to make mine a double." Larry nodded and stopped briefly at the bar.
"You must have had a rough day."
"I did." Neither said anything until Mike brought their drinks over and left with their dinner order. "They acted like we were at war and I was the enemy. How was your day?"
Jeff felt guilty that Stu's day had gone so badly, while his was just the opposite. Not only had Harold and Janie Lee fully cooperated, but Janie had also taken him on a delightful tour of the mansion and had a gourmet lunch prepared for both of them. "Um, fine," he answered.
"Did you talk to Janie Lee?" Stu asked while he nursed his scotch.
"I did, and she was most cooperative."
"I don't suppose she had the brooch?"
Jeff shook his head. "No, but I saw where it was usually kept. In a secret spot in a locked jewelry box. Which is where Janie swears she put it back after she wore it. Of course, a burglar alarm was set off with no burglar, but I don't think she took it."
"What about Harold?"
"I don't think so. He seems very protective of Iris Huntington's brooch. What about Mason and Sara Beth?"
Stu raised his glass and signaled Mike for another. He turned to Jeff. "You?"
"No, thanks."
"Mason was alright; he just didn't want to give me any more information than he had to. And he was reticent to discuss Sara Beth's wearing the brooch New Year's Eve. Sara Beth was downright hostile. First, she denied wearing it at all, and when I told her she'd been seen with it on her gown she told me her grandmother had given her permission to wear it. I asked if she'd put it back where she got it when the party was over and she insisted she had. They had the same kind of setup in Monterey as they did in Santa Barbara, with a large jewelry box locked and with a secret compartment. And the same result – empty. But she did seem genuinely surprised to find it that way."
Their dinners arrived and there was no more discussion for a few minutes. "What about the burglar alarm going off? Or a disturbance of some kind?" Jeff asked as he pushed his empty plate away.
"Yes, but not right away. The burglar alarm went off about three in the morning and there was no sign of anyone on the property."
"That still doesn't solve the original problem – the scarlet brooch was seen two hundred miles apart on the same night, at the same time. And now both of them have disappeared. And Iris Huntington has more than two houses. What did the Monterey house look like?" Jeff questioned. He wondered if Mrs. Huntington had a second house built like Huntington Manor?
"Built on land overlooking the ocean. Fantastic views, ten bedrooms, an enormous kitchen. Rustic but charming."
"I assume they had a name for it?"
Stu chuckled. After two double scotches he was feeling a whole lot better. "Ocean View, they call it."
"So we've got two very different homes with a relative wearing the brooch in each home on the same night, and now both pieces of jewelry have disappeared. This is just the beginning, Stu. She owns more houses."
"With relatives living in them?"
"Of course."
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Iris Huntington called Jeff the next morning to see how the search was coming along. "To tell you the truth, Mrs. Huntington, I'm still gathering evidence. You do own a lot of property."
"Oh, dear boy, don't I know it. And I have a lot of relatives sponging off me, too."
Jeff had to suppress a laugh. "Why do you allow that to go on? Why don't you put them out?"
"Why, Mr. Spencer, where would they go? Besides, I have more money than God. I couldn't begin to spend it if I lived to be a thousand years old. At least this way I keep some of the moochers off the streets. Well, I shall let you get back to the hunt. Remember, that scarlet brooch is priceless to me."
"Yes, ma'am. Trust me, I won't forget it. I promise to stay in touch."
"Good. Thank you." And Jeff heard the sound of a phone being hung up.
Five minutes later Stu came in through the side door, carrying two cups of coffee. "How's Mrs. Huntington this morning?"
"How did you know I was talking to her?"
Stu gave Jeff a bright smile. "Well, I could tell you it was intuition, but I was standing by Suzanne's desk when the call came in. So I went over and got coffee. How many more houses do we have?"
Jeff shook his head and rubbed his temples. His headache was back. "Too many to count. She has two in San Francisco. Well, actually, one house and one townhouse. Suzanne has us booked on the ten o'clock flight. I thought we could each take one."
Stu sat down and handed Jeff his coffee. "Fine by me. What kind of relatives do we have? And butlers?"
"The townhouse doesn't have a butler. The house, which is located on Nob Hill, has Frederick. Her son Arden and his wife Tabitha live in the Nob Hill house. The townhouse, which is across the street from the Palace of Fine Arts, is occupied by two granddaughters, Jillian and Claire. They belong to her oldest daughter, Prudence. After what you went through yesterday, I'll give you first choice."
"Alright, I'll take the townhouse. Less space to cover. You ready to go?"
Jeff nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."
"Who's here, Kookie or Roscoe?"
"Kookie's taking us," Jeff answered.
Stu smiled. "And to think I volunteered to help you."
"You won't do that again, will you?"