Cluttered Attic Secrets (5 page)

As they climbed the stairs, the faint sound of sirens caught their attention. Leslie, in the lead, stopped on the landing to listen. The wail increased, and they rushed to the window at the end of the second-floor hallway. Leslie pulled the drapes aside and looked out.

“They’re stopping next door. Fire truck, ambulance.”

Tina, beside her, frowned. “I know. Wonder what’s going on. Have you met your neighbors yet?”

“Yes, a couple, about our age. No children, but trying. There’s the police. What on earth could have happened? I don’t see any smoke.”

“May not be a fire. The fire fighters are trained as EMTs, aren’t they?”

“I think so. Let’s go see if we can find out.” They both turned away from the window, rushed downstairs, and out the front door.

Tina shivered when the cold air hit her. She saw the ambulance driver climbing back inside the vehicle, his partner with him. They roared away. “No one hurt. No fire, what could have happened?” she asked Leslie.

They walked over to the fire truck where a couple of men stood, talking to each other in hushed voices.

“What’s going on?” Tina asked the one who seemed the oldest. He broke into a grin when he saw them, but quickly sobered. He had one of those craggy faces like some movie stars, and looked fit under his uniform. The younger one was a blond Adonis with blue Paul Newman eyes and a devilish smile.

The two men looked at each other, than back at Tina and Leslie. When neither Zeus nor Adonis answered her, she said, “Well?”

“Sorry ma’am. You neighbors found a dead body in the side yard.”

Leslie gasped. Tina took her arm to steady her. They were both shivering. Zeus grabbed two blankets from the truck. “Here, you’d better keep warm. Sorry for the shock.”

“Do the Colliers know who it is?” Leslie wrapped herself in the blanket and said a soft thank you. Tina did the same.

“We don’t have any details, ma’am. The Colliers live here?”

Tina wished he’d stop calling them ma’am.

“Yes,” Leslie said. “It wasn’t one of them, was it?”

“Again, I’m sorry. We don’t know. I don’t think so because there was a man and a woman in the house when we got here. Probably the Colliers.”

Tina could tell they weren’t going to find out any more information from the fire fighters, and the police were busy. She knew they wouldn’t talk to Leslie and her anyway. Reluctantly, she handed her blanket back to the fireman. “Come on, Leslie, let’s go back inside and get warm. That you, guys, for telling us what you know.”

Leslie didn’t seem to want to leave, but she unwrapped herself and gave her blanket back.

“What’s your name?” Adonis folded the blanket and stood waiting for her answer.

“Leslie Young.”

“You live there?” He pointed to her house.

“Yes.”

“You live together?” He looked at Tina.

“No, I’m just visiting.” Tina wondered what his reaction would be if she told him why. She watched one of the police officers stringing crime tape in the side yard. She shivered again. Had a bad feeling. Strange sounds in Leslie’s house, and now a dead body right outside.

“Come on,” she said to her friend.

“My name’s Roger Burns,” the fireman said quickly to Leslie. “I know. Don’t laugh. Burns the firefighter. It was destiny. Can I call you sometime?”

Leslie smiled. “Sure.” She took Tina’s arm, and they walked back to the house. Leslie looked over her shoulder once, and when she turned back around, Tina could see she was still smiling. She was happy for her. Leslie hadn’t had a boyfriend in almost a year. It was time. She hoped Roger Adonis Burns would call.

When they got inside, Leslie headed for the kitchen. “Hot cocoa, I think, right?”

“Absolutely.” Tina took mugs from the cabinet while Leslie got out milk and cocoa powder. “I’m going to call Hank.”

Leslie stopped spooning the chocolate into one of the mugs. “You okay with that?”

“Definitely. We need to know what’s going on outside.”

Leslie set the spoon down. “You think it could be related to the noises I’ve been hearing.”

“We’ve been hearing. Remember, I heard them, too.”

“Thank goodness.” Leslie collapsed into a chair. “This is a bit much, Tina.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out. If you’re going to slack off, I guess I’ll have to finish making the cocoa.”

“Sorry. My bones feel as if they turned to mush.”

“It’s all right. What are friends for?” Tina stood up and made the cocoa for both of them, then sat down again. “Okay, here goes. I’m calling Hank.”

He answered on the second right. “Tina?”

Her heart sank. She heard the hope, and fear, in his voice. He thought she was calling to talk about their relationship. “Hello, Hank. I’m sorry to bother you.”
That sounded cold
. “I’m at Leslie’s. The police are next door. They found a body. And they won’t tell us anything except that. I was wondering if you could find out what’s what. Leslie’s a little concerned because of what’s been going on in her house--you know, the noises, and now this.”

“I’ll find out what I can. And I’ll come to you as soon as I know anything.” His voice was all business now. Tina closed her eyes. The stuffing seemed to go out of her. She ached for him.

“We’ll be watching for you,” she said, and ended the call.

“You all right?” Leslie asked.

“Fine. I’ll be all right.”

“You love him. And he’s a good man. Hang on to that, and ignore the rest.”

Tina nodded. “If only it were that simple. But I’ll try.”

They’d finished their cocoa, and Leslie was telling Tina about the new display she’d planned for her decorator’s shop’s front window when the doorbell rang.

“That’s probably Hank,” Tina said as she followed Leslie down the hall.

But it wasn’t. Two police officers stood on the porch, backs straight, faces serious. Both appeared to be in their early thirties. Tina noticed a wedding ring on the one with red hair, which was almost the same shade as hers. He had freckles and looked like a young Ron Howard. The other one, shorter, no ring, had dark eyes and hair, and even features. He smiled when he saw them, his nice white teeth flashing. It was their night for good-looking public servants.

“Sorry to bother you,” the red-headed one said. “I’m Officer Perkins, and this is my partner, Officer Rodrigues. You may have noticed the commotion next door.”

“Yes, we did,” Leslie said. “I’m Leslie Young, and this is my friend, Tina Shaw. Won’t you come in? We spoke to two of the firemen, and they told us...”

The men stepped inside, and Office Rodrigues closed the door. Leslie led the way to the living room without finishing her sentence. She waved at the chairs, and everyone sat down.

“I’m sorry to inform you,” Officer Perkins said, “that your neighbor’s dog found a body in the side yard. It’s a male, between fifty and sixty, we think, with no ID.”

“Homeless?” Tina asked.

“Maybe. It’s hard to tell nowadays with everyone wearing casual clothes, often none too clean. No sign of any belongings, but they could have been stolen. What we need to know from you is whether you saw or heard anything unusual this evening.”

Tina and Leslie exchanged glances.

“I only got here a while ago,” Tina said. “I didn’t notice anything when I drove up, or hear anything suspicious, either.”

“Kind of late for a visit, isn’t it?” Officer Perkins asked. “Or do you live here, too?”

“No, I just came to spend the night.”

Both men stared at her for a few moments, then Officer Perkins asked, “You do that often?”

Tina’s mind spun. When she thought about it, she realized it was odd for women of her and Leslie’s age to have a sleepover. At least they weren’t in pajamas with popcorn and erotic novels strewn around the living room. Then the lightbulb went off. These guys were wondering if she and Leslie were gay. She looked at Leslie.

              Leslie straightened up on the couch. “I’ve been hearing noises in the house. I’ve only owned it a few months. Tina volunteered to come over to keep me company.”

“What kind of noises?”

“Knocking… ”

The doorbell rang. Leslie jumped up and left the men staring at Tina. When Leslie came back with Hank, both officers stood up, and Tina realized they knew who he was. His eyes caught hers, and she melted. She turned away from his gaze, and caught Officer Perkins giving her a puzzled look.

Tina guessed Hank had stopped next door to talk to the officer in charge. The men greeted each other by name and sat down. “What’re you doing here?” Officer Perkins asked Hank.

“Tina called me.”

“Okay. We were just asking the ladies if they heard or saw anything. Both said no, but Ms. Shaw said she came over to check on noises. Inside the house?” He turned to Leslie.

“Yes.”

Perkins nodded. “Old house. They make noises.”

Tina frowned. “We both grew up in old houses. These were knocks, not the sounds of wood expanding and contracting, or the creaking on a stair tread. We locked the attic door with a key, which later was found in the hallway, with the door unlocked.”

Both officers looked skeptical.

Tina was ticked. “I suppose the dead body is just your imagination.”

“We can see it, touch it.” This time Rodrigues spoke.

“So, we’re both hearing things that aren’t there.”

“We didn’t say that.” Perkins tone was patient, but his look wasn’t.

“There’s no sense arguing about it,” Hank cut in. “The women head something in the house. There’s a dead body right outside the house, obviously murdered since his head was bashed in.”

Leslie gasped.

“Sorry. There’s no easy way to tell you that.” Hank studied Leslie. “You okay?”

“I don’t know. Tina and I were talking about the noises before we heard the sirens. We decided to ask you and Brandon to spend the night in the attic to see if they happened while you were there.”

“Who’s Brandon?” Perkins asked.

“My brother. Brandon Young. He’s a lawyer.”

“We know him.” Rodrigues and Perkins exchanged a glance. “You live here by yourself?”

“Yes.”

“For how long?”

“Almost three months. I didn’t do anything in the attic until a couple of days ago. That’s when I first started hearing noises.”

Hank stood up with his cell phone in hand. “I’ll go call Brandon, see if he can come tonight.”

Tina and Leslie looked at each with relief.

Rodrigues continued questioning Leslie. “You heard noises tonight? How long before the sirens?”

“I don’t know. Maybe an hour?”

“Please describe the noises.”

“I was in my bedroom. I heard distinct raps over my head, coming from the attic.”

“But you heard nothing from outside?”

“No.”

“Did you hear the dog bark?”

“I don’t remember hearing any barking. If he did it when Tina got here, we were in the kitchen eating area on the other side of the house.”

“All right. Can you think of anything else, anything out of the ordinary that might help us with our investigation?”

Leslie shook her head. “Nothing. How soon do you think you’ll be able to identify the man?”

The officers stood up. “That depends on a lot of factors,” Perkins said. “But we’ll be back in touch when we do find out. It’s possible you know him since it happened so near your house.”

Leslie visibly shuddered.

They walked toward the door. “I guess this isn’t a good time to ask you out,” Rodrigues said to Leslie.

She cocked her head at him. “Seriously? I don’t know. Ask me later.” After she closed the door behind the two men, she turned to Tina. “I should have thought of this tactic before. Plant a dead body in the yard, and cute firemen and police officers show up and ask me out.”

Hank rounded the corner from the dining room. “Rodrigues ask you for a date? He hits on all the beautiful women.”

Leslie grinned and hugged him. “Smooth Hank. You’re so precious.”

“You only think that because you remember me in kindergarten. And what is that dress dummy doing in your dining room? In the gloom at first I thought it was a real person. Almost punched her out.”

They all laughed. “It was up in the attic. Tina suggested I use it in the shop window with some of the great clothes we found out up. So blame Tina.”

Hank looked at Tina. His lips were smiling, but his eyes looked somber and sad.

They sat in the living room, waiting for Brandon. Hank asked Leslie to tell him about everything she’d seen and heard.

When she finished, he asked, “You didn’t tell the police about seeing the ghostly figure in the corner?”

“No.” Leslie set her lips in a straight line. “They would have scoffed. And Tina didn’t see it.”

Hank nodded. “Police are trained to be skeptical, if they aren’t already when they join the force. It’s nothing personal.”

“I guess. Do you think it’s old house noises?”

“I won’t know until I hear them. And try to locate the source.”

“Then you believe me that I’ve heard them.”

Hank looked surprised. “Of course. Why would you make it up?”

“Maybe not making it up. Hearing things that aren’t there.”

“If you were at all scared about being in the attic, you never would have gone up there at night, in the dark. And Tina heard sounds, too. She was a witness, as well, to the incident with the key. You’re not thinking of turning the house into a bread and breakfast, are you, or a hotel?”

Leslie quirked an eyebrow. “No. Why?”

“That would be a motive for making it up, to draw customers. But if you plan to live here yourself, I see no motive.” He turned to Tina. “Do you? You’re awfully quiet. What do you think?”

Tina shifted in her chair. “I know the noises are real. But they could be because the house is old, I suppose. We haven’t ever heard knocking before in our own places, but that doesn’t mean old houses can’t make those sounds, or something outside the house. The bigger puzzle is the attic door and the key.”

“And the key could have fallen out of the keyhole on its own, and you didn’t check the door to be sure it was locked before you went back downstairs, right?”

Tina nodded. But that explanation didn’t suit her. Since the body had been found, she was beginning to wonder if there was a real person inside the house. But how would he get in without Leslie knowing? Where did he hide? And most important of all, who was he? If the noises stopped, could they assume the murdered man had been making them?

She tried to shake off the feeling that someone, somewhere, was listening to them, maybe gloating about scaring them. She realized the possibility that it was a real person was much scarier than a ghost. Glancing around the room, her gaze met Hank’s. From his expression, she thought he might be thinking the same thing. By mutual, silent agreement, neither of them said anything out loud. Leslie was already spooked enough.

In the silence, they heard the key turn in the front door, and Brandon came into the room, bringing the cold, fresh air with him. He looked so substantial. Big, solid, steady. Tina was glad to see him. He pulled off his gloves, looking at everyone in turn. Then he bent down to hug Leslie. “You okay?”

“I will be. As soon as you and Hank find out what’s making those noises.”

Brandon took off his coat, laid it and his gloves carefully on a chair and sat down in another one. “I’m sure there’s a logical explanation.”

Of course you are
. Tina couldn’t help smiling and shaking her head.

Brandon noticed. He looked hurt. She knew he could read her mind. Sometimes. His total self-assuredness had at first been comforting when they became intimate, but finally, it slipped over into being too controlling, and she realized he often scoffed at her thoughts and feelings. He wasn’t mean. Just unaware of how he came across. At the same time she had realized this, she also acknowledged her feelings for Hank. She looked at Hank now. He, too, seemed to read her thoughts. She needed to learn to hide her feelings better. Put on her old professional psychologist face.  When she did so, she saw that Hank also picked up on what she was doing when he smiled.

She didn’t know whether to be annoyed or amused.

“Tell me all about what you’ve seen and heard,” Brandon said to Leslie. “Why didn’t you tell me this morning at breakfast?”

“A lot has happened since this morning,” Leslie said. “But the latest noises, knocking again, happened when I was in my bedroom, reading.”

“Oh, great.” Brandon ran his hand through his abundant brown hair. “I suppose you both now believe there’s the ghost in the house.”

Tina looked at Leslie; Leslie returned her glance. Then Tina faced Brandon. “Let’s say we have open minds.” She didn’t add, “Unlike you.”

She saw Hank raise one eyebrow. Of course, he was skeptical, too. But he was much better than Brandon at hiding his feelings.

He turned to Leslie. “Could the sounds you heard have come from outside?”

“I suppose. But I don’t think so. They sounded like knocks you’d hear inside a house. Not bangings. Tina, what do you think?”

“I think you shouldn’t stay in this house by yourself until we have some answers.”

Leslie gasped. “You think it’s dangerous?”

“I do now. After what happened outside. Let these guys go up and stay wide awake in the attic. You and I can camp down here and watch TV. I doubt any of us will be able to sleep, at least for a while.”

“Good idea.” Hank said.

But nobody moved or said anything. Finally, Tina turned to Brandon. “Your Aunt Margaret ever mention anything strange about the house to you?”

“Not that I remember. We didn’t talk much.”

“You didn’t like her?”

“I liked her okay. We just didn’t have much in common.”

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t have. She was rather flamboyant, wasn’t she?”

Brandon smiled. “Yes. She did have a great sense of humor. You know, now I think about it, she hardly ever discussed anything personal. Everything was superficial—kidding around, the way she dressed. If I’d gotten to know her better as an adult, I probably would have appreciated her more.”

Tina remembered what a serious little boy he’d been. He had loosened up after he finished law school and had been practicing a couple of years, but not a whole lot. “She probably wasn’t the type who believed in ghosts, so if she heard anything, she would have dismissed it, as most everyone is, as old house noises.”

“I think you’re right.”

“There’s only one thing wrong with that theory.”

“What’s wrong with it?” Hank asked.

“The state of the attic. It’s a jumble. Everything else in this house, Leslie told me, was always in perfect order.”

“True,” Leslie said. “Including the cellar.”

“That is odd,” Hank said. “But we’ll probably never know what Aunt Margaret heard, believed or didn’t believe. Can I see the rest of the house, Leslie, before Brandon and I camp out in the attic? I’ve only seen part of the downstairs so far. No need to show me the dining room.”

Leslie and Tina laughed. Brandon looked puzzled. “Sure.” Leslie led the way to the library.

When Hank stepped inside, he stopped short. “This is an extraordinary room.” He looked around appreciatively.

Leslie nodded. “One of the main reasons, if not the main one, I decided to keep the house.”

“Does this run the whole length of this side?”

“To the kitchen, which takes up the width of the back.”

“You ever count the number of books?”

Leslie laughed. “Never thought to.”

Hank asked, “Do you think your aunt bought all these books? Maybe some were here when she inherited the house.”

“Some are really old, leather-bound. I imagine those were here when she got the house but I think she added a lot. Lots of more modern mystery, history, biographies. Several books about real estate and finance.”

“Did you find a catalog? Or any record of them?”

“No. Nothing.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Maybe,” Tina said, “there’s a record in the attic. Although I’d think it would be kept here in the library.” She began browsing among the shelves. “Here’s a whole section of books about Newport. Oh, look.” She held one up. “
Ghosts of Newport: Spirits, Scoundrels, Legends and Lore
by John T. Brennan. Sounds like some great before-bed reading, don’t you think?”

Hank and Brandon smiled. Leslie frowned.