Jane’s heart beat quickened as she turned her gaze to the kitchen door; there it stood flung open on its hinges, creaking as the invisible fingers of the wind pulled at it gently. She was quiet on her feet, and walked slowly along the edge of the counters.
Drawing nearer to the exit, she looked out beyond the threshold before she advanced closer. With no one in sight, and the dim overcast sun shining in; she completed her investigation and realized it was merely the weather playing tricks on her.
“I’m getting too jumpy!” She smiled at Trooper, who had awoken and followed her to the door. “If I had any sense, I would have been as calm as you!”
Jane thought back to the photographs; the location of the pictures was evident, it was without-a-doubt the museum, and it wasn’t shaping up well for Zack. In a way, the thought bothered Jane as it clung at the back of her thoughts, the concept that Zack – such a reliable young fellow in their youth – should turn to crime later in life. Jane shook her head.
“He won’t skip town if he’s guilty.” She said to herself, as she turned to the bedroom to change- “But before we’re through, he’ll have some explaining to do.”
Jane packed for the trip to Portland; she polished her magnifying glass and placed it in her purse, which was soon followed by a pair of binoculars and her spare camera. It wasn’t long before Margaret had returned with her supplies from town, and they were waiting in the afternoon overcast sun for Josh to arrive with Ted at the cabin.
“It should be any minute now,” Jane said glancing at her watch, and looked up just as the dirt in the road had been stirred up in the distance.
Approaching out of the clouded road was Josh’s car, and in the passenger seat they could see Ted beneath a large cardboard box.
“Speak of the devil!”
The car rolled up within a yard of them, and they approached with their own bundles.
“Ready for the long haul.” Josh said as he sprung from the car and opened the trunk.
Margaret and Jane untangled themselves from their supplies in the trunk, kept hold of a few bags, and piled into the backseat with Trooper.
The time was spent pleasantly on the road; with several rounds of sea shanties and stories swapped among the travelers. Even Ted Hayden seemed to liven up, and his mood became less gloomy as they neared the town of Portland.
“This is exciting!” Margaret remarked as she read the passing road sign. “We haven’t been on a trip together in forever. It reminds me of those old field trips we used to go on.”
“This is where I grew up-” said Ted, reaching around the box on his lap to point to the paper map on the dashboard. “Over by Gorham. I had a lot of different jobs before I finally worked at Swan’s Jewelers.”
“Is Sadie from there too?” Margaret asked.
“No, she’s from Canada.”
“Speaking of Sadie,” cut in Jane, “Is she really off visiting her sick mother?”
Ted Hayden laughed, and ran a nervous hand through his dappled hair.
“No, she’s not sick. Things were getting too dangerous for her, and she went back home to her folks. I told her I’d wire her when I got this dirty business done away with.”
“We believe you’re innocent Ted. Don’t worry, we’ll get you out of this one way or another.” Margaret added reassuringly; and Josh snorted a halfhearted disagreement.
Less than two hours from their departure, they arrived at the Portland docks; and with a thorough plan in mind. Margaret booked two rooms overlooking the docks in a seaside hotel, and they brought their equipment inside the one nearest the port.
Jane pulled the curtain away, and opened the window to let in the humid salty air pouring in from the docks.
“When Trooper and I were freeing Ted here from that shack in the woods, we heard the headman say to the others; that they would leave and scope out the premises here in Portland. If I’m not mistaken, we should see them here today, at the latest tomorrow, as they gather and orchestrate their heist.” Jane said, looking thoughtfully out at the ships. “And hopefully, I’ll receive some more information before the night is out.”
Ted placed the last of the equipment on the floor in the direction Josh gestured, and went to look out the window alongside Jane.
The sun had come out from behind its cloud, and shone brightly over the docks and land, brilliantly illuminating the landscape; when Ted’s eyes flung open wide and he gave a sudden start.
“Look over there!” He cried, pointing through the window at a man in the distance, “that’s one of the crooks. I know him like I know my own brother, he’s the man I confronted at the museum!”
The man kept his hands in his pockets, his face was concealed by the brim of his hat, and he walked dubiously up the dock. At the other end, he was joined by a taller man, who stepped out from behind a large pile of roped crates.
“Whatever they’re up to, it can’t be any good.” Jane knitted her brows, and whipped out her binoculars.
She refined the scope of her binoculars, and let out a gasp:
“Good gracious, he’s got a-“
…To be continued, next week on Tuesday, October 27th! Jane Darcy needs your help to solve the hair-raising mystery surrounding Pinecrest; keep your magnifying glass handy, and don’t miss the next exciting chapter!