Spruced Up (4 page)

I’d start by looking at who worked somewhere else and maybe look at who had money problems.

My phone ra
ng.  I picked it up but didn’t recognize the number.  It was an LA area code though.

“Hello?” I said.

“Quincy Mac?” came a female voice I didn’t recognize.

“Yes?”

“It’s Nancy at your insurance agency.”

“Hi, Nancy.  Is something wrong?”  The last time I’d contacted my insurance company it had been because Theresa dusted, dropped, and tore a client’s painting.  In the end it had been a forgery, along with a bunch of other clients’ paintings.  “Don’t tell me Theresa had another accident.”

Tiny and I kept saying we were going to have to fire her.  Seriously, she was the worst maid we’d ever hired.  If she had one more accident.…

“No,” Nancy said
quickly.  “I’m calling to deliver some very good news.  There was a reward for finding the stolen paintings.  The agency just confirmed you’ll be getting the check.”

“A reward?”

“You found out who stole a lot of art and filed fake insurance claims to boot.”  She named a figure that made my toes curl.

“Could you repeat that?” I asked weakly.

Yep.  She said the same figure.

Wow.

Chapter Five

Friday night, I decided that rather than trying to squeeze in some time with Lottie over the weekend, I’d surprise her.  I’d head over to her clinic and invite her out to a late dinner if her ex had the kids or invite myself to her house if he didn’t. 

I had wine and snacks in my car in case.

The clinic she volunteered at was on Parade Street, the old main street of Erie.  I
’d always loved this street.  Below Sixth Street it was mainly residential.  I noticed the city had done some new bump outs and lighting.  There was a sign that said,
Welcome to Erie’s Historic East Bayfront
.

Above the residential area there was Erie’s old business district. Kraus’s Department Store had been there since I was a kid…and it had been there long before that.  It had become an anchor to the street and really hadn’t changed for as long as I could remember.  It still had the wonderful array of…well, everything from cast iron
pans, to lampshades, to housedresses.

The clinic was a few doors up from Kraus’s.  I parked
on the street and walked into the bright waiting room that held about a dozen people.

I went up to the reception desk.  “Hi, could you tell Lottie Webber that Quincy Mac will be in the waiting room waiting to take her to dinner?”

The woman jumped up, disappeared from view for a few moments, then the door into the back opened.  “You’re one of the Macs?”

I nodded.

She grabbed my hand and pumped it up and down.  “I’m Molly and I’m so, so happy to meet you.  Everyone will be.  You come with me.”

She led me down a hall to the last door on the left.  “Come in. You can wait for Lottie here.”

It was obviously the staff’s break room.  There were a couple tables, a comfortable looking couch, and a small kitchenette.  There was also a tiny tree in the corner decorated with paper ornaments.

She saw me looking at it.  “We ask our younger patients to decorate this tree and the one in the lobby. 

“And look.”  She pointed to a bulletin board.  There was a sheet of plaid paper.  McLean plaid.  I knew this because it was the plaid we used on Mac’Cleaner’s logo.

There was white, bold lettering over the plaid. 
A true physician treats the body, the mind, and the heart—they truly care for their community.  They do not need proclaim their good works
.

Molly ran her finger over the paper.  “I know your practice wants to keep everything quiet, but we put this up in honor of all the Macs have done for us.  Whenever things look dire here, you all pull through and help.  So, while none of us will ever mention all your donations, please know that we appreciate them.  We’d have had to close our doors a dozen times over without your generous help.”

“Molly, I’m not one of the Doctor Macs.  I’m the other one.  The maid.”

“You’re Lottie’s friend from California.”  She paused a moment.  “And so I broke your family’s request that no one know about their generosity.”  She sighed.  “My mother always said my mouth moves faster than a ducks
…butt.  She was right.”

I smiled.  “Listen, I won’t say anything if you don’t.”

She hugged me.  “You might not be one of the doctors, but you’ve got that same kind of generous spirit.

“That’s lovely of you to say,” I told her.  I patted her back and took a step back. “But my family…they save lives and obviously support others who do the same.  I just clean houses.”

“Oh, no you don’t.  Lottie told us how humble you are.  You also solve mysteries.  You’ve raised three amazing boys, and…well, Lottie loves you, so that means you are a person of quality.  Lottie has discerning tastes.”

She glanced at the clock.  “Make yourself at home.  I’ll go check on the desk and Lottie.”

I sat on the couch next to the tree.  I noticed that all the construction paper ornaments had messages. 

“
Thank you for fixing my throats
.”  I wondered about the child who obviously had more than one throat.

Another read, “
I hate shots, but Miss Lottie does it quick
.”

“
Thanks for stopping Granpas coff
.”

I thought about pulling my laptop out of its bag, but I waited for Molly to come back with Lottie.

I didn’t wait long.  She burst through the door again.  “Lottie’s not scheduled today.”

That’s funny.  I was sure she’d said she was.  “Well, darn,” I said rising.  “I’ll have to surprise her another day.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t mention you came and I gave up your family’s secret.  Lottie said they were very insistent.”

“I won’t.”

Molly threw herself at me and hugged me. She had a kind of open heart that reminded me of Peri, and I felt a pang of homesickness.

“I’ll try to come back with Lottie for the official tour.  If not this visit, then the next.”

“Just know that you come from an amazing family, Quincy,” Molly said with a great deal of sincerity.

“I already knew that, but it’s nice to hear.”

I called Lottie as I walked back to my parent’s office.  “How about dinner?” I said by way of greeting.

“Sorry.  I’m working at the clinic.”

I stopped in my tracks.  “You are?”

“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy Quincy.  I’d love to get together, but I can’t.  Between work, volunteering
, and the holidays.…”  She let the sentence fade.

I felt hurt, but I tried not to let it show in my voice. “Okay then.  I’ll see you at the office.”

My oldest friend was avoiding me.  She’d seemed so happy when she picked me up at the airport. 

I went back to the Mac-Prac.  It was only a few blocks.  The receptionist was still there.  I told her to lock up, and I’d let myself out when I was done.

I went back to Mom’s office and let myself into the little cubby.  I stared at the white-board.  There were names of everyone who worked at the practice.  Everyone but my family.

The newest people were in the center.  After meeting them, I didn’t really think any of them had done it.  I knew I’d have to start looking at the older (older in terms of employment history not necessarily in terms of age) and that sort of broke my heart because I knew if one of them did it, my parents would be hurt.

For the next hour, I jotted notes for myself next to employee names.  Then door to my mom’s office opened, startling me. 

“Mom?” I called.

“No, it’s me.”

I recognized the
it’s-me
voice straight off and walked into the office itself.  “Lottie.  Hey, can you do dinner after all?”

“I know you know.  You don’t need to take me out to dinner in order to interrogate me.”

Here’s the thing, Dick keeps stressing I have to be careful when I write my script,
Steamed
, not to sound too
ditzy
.  Yes, that’s the word he used.  Ditzy.  And I don’t think I am ditzy.  I’ve managed to build a successful business with Tiny, and I’ve raised three great kids.

But here’s the thing, when I’m writing about investigating Mr. Banning’s murder, I’m trying to be honest.  I was confused more than confident.  And I was innocent and Cal assured me I wouldn’t go to jail, I knew from experience that innocent people did go to jail.  And years later, when they’re exonerated, they still have to carry a tattoo and a memory of the experience with them, just like my Uncle Bill had.

So, despite what I knew, I had been truly afraid.

I
don’t think that made me ditzy…it made me shrewd.

But I didn’t feel the least bit shrewd as I looked at Lottie and tried to decide what she knew I knew.  Other than I wanted a chance to hang out with her
and she was avoiding me, I didn’t have a clue.

So I said, “Pardon?” which sounded more intelligent than
huh
?

Tears pooled in her eyes as she said, “Molly’s never met a secret she can keep.  She called me right after you left and told me that you’d been there and that she’d spilled the beans.  I’ve seen the infamous white-board in here and I knew you were investigating for the practice.  That’s probably why you came home for Christmas.”

“I came home to spend time with my fam—” I started. 

Lottie interrupted.  “I’d already planned on confessing.  I just wanted time to find the money to pay them back.  Here.”  She thrust a check at me.  “I sold my car.  That’s where I was tonight.  Well, I tentatively sold it.  So don’t cash that check until next week.  The guy’s supposed to bring me his check tomorrow.”

I looked at the figure on the check and let out a long whistle.

“And here’s my letter of resignation.”  She handed me an envelope.  “I’m so sorry.  I didn’t set out to have something like this happen.  The first time, I took a case of gauze.  The clinic was out.  I simply ordered a new case and paid for it to replace it.  Soon I was taking more than I could pay for.  I always made the donations in the practice’s names.  I told everyone that your family did their charitable giving in secret, and the people at the clinic accepted that.  I felt so guilty.  They always needed something, and I couldn’t stop giving the supplies, so I took out a home equity loan to pay them back, but then my furnace blew and by the time I replaced it.…” 

She stopped.  “Quincy, I don’t have any excuse other than, I didn’t mean for it to happen and I’m sorry.  If your parents decide to press charges, I understand.”

I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know what to say.  I held Lottie’s check and letter of resignation in my hand and let the implications of what she was telling me sink in.

Of all the people in the office, she was right there with my family on the
not-in-a-million-years
list.

“Quince, say something,” she said as she cried.  Not big showy wails but small hiccups of emotion that she couldn’t contain.  “Once I knew you were investigating, I knew you’d figure it out.  I meant what I said, you’re amazing.”

“Lottie, I hadn’t figured out anything.  I’d have never suspected you.”

“But—”

“Let me get this straight.  You over-ordered and took supplies to the clinic on a regular basis.”

“Not just regular, frequent.  The fact that your family merged their practices means everything has been a bit disorderly.  I do most of the ordering for everyone despite the fact it’s more than one big practice, it’s more like six small practices that coexist.  I knew someone would figure it out eventually, and frankly, I think part of me wanted them to.  I’m not cut out for a life of larceny.  Why don’t we go to your parents’ now and I’ll tell them everything.”

“Stop.”  I handed her the check and the letter of resignation, my mind was whirling with possible ways of handling this.

“Here’s what we’re going to do.  I’m going to write the check to pay my parents back and you’re going to go talk to them tomorrow morning and explain what happened.  And then you will hand them your letter of resignation.”  I didn’t think they’d accept it, but she was right, she had to offer.  As a business owner, I knew how betrayed the missing supplies made my parents feel.  But after listening to Lottie’s story, and having talked to Molly at the clinic, I knew if it were me, I’d forgive her.  I suspected my parents would as well.

I realized how much of a godsend that call from the insurance agency had been.  It would easily cover what Lottie had taken and have a lot left over.  I thought about all the things I could do with that money.  Apply it to my kids’ education.  Buy some shoes.  Maybe a cruise.

But I wouldn’t do any of that.  “As for the clinic, and how it’s going to survive without the donations, I have a solution for that, too.”

Hey, who needs new shoes or a cruise?  I was back in Erie, spending a holiday with my family, and I’d be heading back to California for a second holiday with more of my family.