“That depends on how well they disguised themselves; that is, if there was more than one. A good disguise could cover up the gender factor,” Brenda said. “Let’s review every guest here and what we have so far. We’re both wide awake anyway.”

  Mac agreed. “What do you make of Dr. Edward Grantham for starters?”

  “He comes across as the proverbial absent-minded professor, to be honest. He’s very serious and very knowledgeable in his field. He is also someone who has to guard his standing at the university.” Brenda opened her laptop and searched for information regarding Professor Grantham. After a few moments, she spoke. “He’s received many honors for academic research in archaeology and related subjects. As for his personal life, Lisa is mentioned…plus two adult children who are successful in their own work. Neither is in academia.” Finally, after finding all she could she told Mac there was nothing to prove he was not an upright person.

  “What about your big flirt?”

  “If you mean the notorious Andrew Masterson, it seems he has gone through two marriages. I learned that much from his assistant Jane Higgerson the other evening over drinks in the sitting room. Through it all, Jane has stood by his side in his collecting and interests in artifacts. She keeps him steady. She was very discreet about it, but she implied that they have enjoyed one another’s friendship throughout his two marriages. They appear to go back to their college days…not that either of them finished college. Andrew inherited a lucrative grocery chain from his father and it pays the bills very well. He has the money to bid as high as it takes tonight to get that signed treaty he wants so badly.”

  “It sounds like his hobby is more important than his grocery stores.”

  Brenda nodded her head. “He is the business owner, not the person who runs it. There is a CEO under him that takes care of the real business. This frees him to go after whatever he wants when it comes to artifacts.”

  “So he has the ability to run after the girl of his choice and to pursue his hobby as much as he wants at the same time.”

  “You’re right about that. When I first saw him I thought he was handsome enough but he really doesn’t have the typical look that usually draws women. I admit he has a terribly charming personality, though.” Brenda stood up quickly, pacing the room. “Wait a minute. When I talked to him the first day he was here, he mentioned he was an Algonquian descendent. That explains his coal black hair and dark eyes. It explains his hobby, too. No wonder he has shown so much interest in Randolph’s wampum bead. And when we watched him on camera he did seem to spend an inordinate amount of time around the cases with old documents and the ones with arrowheads.”

  “It may mean he was more than a buyer,” Mac said. “But what’s his motive? Do you think he would risk it all to steal something he can easily purchase?”

  “It may depend on how badly he wants it.”

  “Look up all you can about Jane Higgerson. She comes across as someone who would do anything for Andrew Masterson. Maybe not everything she does for him is on the right side of the law.”

  Brenda brought up Jane’s name. “It seems Jane Higgerson was an aspiring actress…she has a few credits listed to her name here. But later her interests shifted into another career. She was an Assistant Curator at a museum in Helena, Montana for three years.”

  “That’s interesting,” the detective said. “Was it an art museum?”

  Brenda clicked through to the museum website. “Yes. Mainly western art. Charles Russell and other artists are mentioned.” Brenda leaned back and smiled in satisfaction. “It also housed a collection of valuable artifacts once used by the Flathead Tribe and other tribes in that region. Jane Higgerson is into that type of art after all. Or at least she’s somewhat of an expert in the value it holds. Do you know how many times she has scoffed at Andrew’s appetite for Native American relics?”

  Mac grimaced. “I think it’s time for serious interrogations of our guests. Let’s get the word around right away in the morning that no one leaves until everyone returns to the station for detailed questioning. I’m thinking I should let Bryce know we need to start the process of obtaining warrants to search the guests’ rooms here. He’ll have to draw up the paperwork for the judge. Let’s hope he can find someone not out sailing the harbor or on the golf course. The weather is beginning to lure everyone out of courtrooms and offices, especially on weekends.”

  Brenda closed her laptop and they both headed for bed. It took longer for Brenda to sink into sleep than Mac. Her head swirled with possible suspects.

  The next morning, Mac went downstairs earlier than usual and had his first cup of coffee. Lisa and Edward Grantham were the only guests up early for breakfast.

  “It seems we’ve had a disturbance in the attic.” Mac said casually as he took another drink, watching for reactions.

  “What kind of disturbance?” Edward asked.

  “Someone took it upon themselves to ransack it. We’re not sure what they were looking for at this point but there’s no doubt someone was up there.”

  Lisa spooned a scant teaspoon of sugar into her steaming cup of tea. “There’s been enough talk about the whereabouts of Randolph Sheffield’s coin. Maybe someone was up there trying to find it.”

  Edward shook his head. “Not a coin, dear. A wampum bead. Anyway, it’s hard to think that anyone would do that. There are plenty of choices down at the events center.”

  Lisa patted his hand. “Those are for sale, my dear. If anyone looked for it here, they clearly had no intention of paying good money for it.”

  Mac took advantage of his opportunity to gently interrogate the guests over coffee without ever making them aware that he was doing it. By the time he finished, he was sure Edward Grantham was innocent. Lisa was smooth. She had the opportunity. She tried too hard, perhaps, to separate herself from all the others intrigued by artifacts. Mac made a quick decision.

  “For now, we are keeping this under our hats,” he told them in an undertone. If he brought these two into his confidence, it gave him an advantage. Something told him not to spread the word too far, after all. They agreed.

  “If we hear anything that may raise suspicion, we’ll let you know,” Edward said. His wife agreed right away when Edward nudged her.

  Mac thanked them and left to find Brenda. He told her of his change of plans. “I don’t think we’re quite ready to alert everyone around here. Let’s keep our eyes and ears open for another few hours. Is everyone checking out today?”

  “They will at some point later in the afternoon. All of them signed up for a late lunch here after the show closes at noon. I think they want to share their finds with one another, or brag a little at any rate.”

  Mac laughed. “They are into it for the bragging rights, that’s for sure. I’ll come back home for lunch, then. By that time, we’ll be ready to announce the crime to the rest of them at the same time.”

  Detective Bryce Jones obtained search warrants but held them in readiness until the time was right. Following Mac’s orders, he picked up Jenny from Jenny’s Blossoms and together they walked to the events center. Halfway down the block, Jenny exclaimed and turned around.

  “I forgot to tell Tracy about the order to be picked up in a couple of hours.”

  Bryce knew his wife well enough by now to know that they could never simply leave behind a loose end at Jenny’s business. He waited on the sidewalk for her. When she joined him again, they stopped to speak to friends and acquaintances along the way. Both voiced surprise when the crowds grew larger the closer they were to the events center.

  “I know we’re not coming here because you want to buy ancient relics for me,” Jenny teased.

  “We’re here because we’re trying to catch a thief.” Bryce told his wife with a sly grin, and related the story of the thefts before they walked through the door. “This crowd is as big as opening day,” Bryce said. “Let’s split up and you can help me out.”

  “I knew you had an ulterior motive for bringing me along. What do you want me to do?”

  “By now, you recognize the guests at Sheffield Bed and Breakfast. Look for them and start conversations. Not only have there been thefts here, but did you know that Randolph’s wampum bead is missing from Brenda’s attic?”

  “I didn’t know that. Tell me the story so I’ll know what to listen for.”

  Bryce pulled Jenny from the line of people streaming into the show and told her what had happened. They parted ways, prepared to investigate. Jenny quickly spotted Andrew Masterson and Jane Higgerson. She stood behind them at the arrowhead counter and listened to their conversation.

  “I see there are a few white Native American wampum beads in there,” Jane said.

  “True, but nothing like the prized purple one,” Andrew said. Jenny remained a reasonable distance hoping neither would turn and see her eavesdropping.

  “That was quite a find, wasn’t it? I’m surprised Brenda hasn’t searched more in that attic. Do you think she knows its value?”

  Andrew chuckled. “She doesn’t appear to be all that interested in it. I doubt she has gone back up there since telling us about it. Some people don’t appreciate what they have until it’s too late.”

  Jenny decided to make her presence known. “I overheard you talking about Brenda’s wampum bead that belonged to her uncle. I’ve never seen it. In fact, I didn’t even hear about it until very recently. Can you tell me what it looks like and its meaning?”

  Andrew seemed surprised to hear her cut into their conversation, but quickly recovered, seeming to realize she could not have overheard much. Besides, her question was Andrew’s forte. He leaned in to answer her, warming to the task with his usual charm. “It is a dark purple wampum bead. There are many purple ones with a little bit of white running through them, but true dark purple is rare and very valuable today. Wampum is from shell shaped into a bead-like form, and comes from a quahog clam. Purple always signified grief or death to the Algonquians. When the white man started taking things from the tribe, wampum unwillingly became a means of currency. That’s why it is sometimes referred to as a coin.” He cocked his head as if assessing Jenny’s beauty before he continued. “I’m a descendent of that same tribe, though my line mixed in with other nationalities over the years. I acquired a signed treaty from my own ancestors, last night at the auction. There have been very few true purple wampum beads for sale around here but I managed to get one of them.”

  Jenny congratulated him. “How does it compare to Brenda’s coin? Have you seen her uncle’s yet?”

  Andrew and Jane exchanged quick glances. “I haven’t seen it yet, but she promises to find it and show it to anyone interested.”

  “I doubt that will happen,” Jane said. “We all check out later today and so far I don’t believe she has spent much time searching for it. Of course, we’ve all kept her busy this weekend.”

  “Running such a large establishment takes a lot of energy and time,” Jenny said, “but she is living a dream of hers. I haven’t heard her complain about the work it takes to keep her guests served.” Jenny produced one of her most beautiful smiles before excusing herself.

  Jenny crossed the floor and made her way to where another guest hovered at a vendor booth. The older man hunched over a glass case. The vendor had begun to pack up his excess items while Edward Grantham studied the relics still on display.

  “I have a few authentic documents left,” the vendor said. He reached into a box behind the counter. Edward’s eyes lit up.

  “I am surprised anyone has any documents left at all. The ones auctioned last night sold so quickly and at high prices.”

  Jenny came up next to Edward and greeted him. He told her he found it hard to leave such artifacts behind. “I suppose it’s as Lisa tells me, one can’t purchase everything. I am running out of space at home, too.”

  “You probably share that sentiments with many here.” Jenny looked at several white wampum beads displayed on dark velvet within the glass case. “It looks like no purple wampums are left here.”

  “I owned one,” the vendor said, “but it was one of the items stolen the other night. I have insurance but money can’t replace a rare item like that...I do hope Detective Rivers can find the culprit and bring them to justice.”

  Jenny expressed her sympathy and introduced herself as the detective’s daughter. “He will stick with it until it is solved,” she promised him.

  Edward decided to purchase a lesser-valued document and then he and Jenny turned from the booth. “It is very sad to think anyone would stoop so low as to steal like that,” Edward said. “I hope your father can get to the bottom of it all. I saw it in that case the first day, but I rarely buy anything right off the bat. I like to walk around and observe everything first. Now I wish I had been impulsive.” He stopped and looked at the nearby door. “With all of these exits, it seems no wonder…it wouldn’t have been hard for the thief to escape.”

  A plainclothes cop Jenny knew overheard the comment and exchanged a wordless glance with the detective’s daughter. The plainclothes officer stepped forward as if simply overhearing their casual conversation.

  “I overheard that every door is alarmed and opened for emergencies by switches up there in the main office.” The officer pointed upward. “In the middle of the night, no one would have been here other than the night guards and no emergency alarms sounded.”

  Edward shook his head. His forehead wrinkled into tiny horizontal lines. “It must have been one of the security guards.”

  The cop stated all had been checked out. He did not tell the professor that two guards were suspected, but he was clearly intrigued by the fact that the older gentleman had assumed it was a security guard. Jenny told Edward she was glad he enjoyed the show and then walked away with the cop.

  “Do you think the thieves were really impersonators?”

  “They had to have been,” he said. “We found out after talking to the real security guys that everyone thought it odd there were these two unknowns, but no one discussed it. They all said they assumed the event sponsor had hired some new people.”

  Jenny excused herself and looked around the room to find Bryce. He waved to signal his location and she joined him. The young detective listened carefully, especially when she related the conversation between Andrew Masterson and Jane Higgerson.

  “Do you mind if I go on back to my shop? Tracy will be overwhelmed as the day goes on. Every tourist in town will want to take a gift home with them that has nothing to do with relics.”

  Bryce told her he would give her a ride but she preferred walking. “And don’t buy too much more, Bryce. If you become an avid collector like most of the people here, we’ll have to build an addition onto the house. Besides, aren’t you working right now?” She kissed him lightly on the cheek and laughed at him. The look in his eyes told her he would not leave the premises, even though on duty, until he bought something.

  Jenny waved to Phyllis when she returned to her flower shop. The housekeeper stood on the sidewalk admiring the beautiful window display of flowers and greenery that Jenny had arranged.

  “You are very artistic, Jenny. I love coming down here to see what you’ve done next in the window.”

  “You should come see the display I have inside, I just redid it!”

  Carolyn Pyles exited the shop just then. Jenny spoke to her but she was preoccupied enough not to answer or notice the two women. She simply marched off down the sidewalk.

  “I hope she isn’t unhappy with something in the shop,” Jenny said.

  Phyllis’ mind raced. “I need to get back to the bed and breakfast, Jenny. I’ll be back another time to see the inside display.”

  The first thing Phyllis did when she walked through the door into Sheffield Bed and Breakfast was ask Allie where Brenda was. She pointed toward the kitchen. “She’s making sure everything is ready for the late lunch.”

  Phyllis thanked her and hurried down the hallway.

  Chapter 7

  In the Attic

  Brenda finished checking the food to be served and went into the dining room. Phyllis rushed through the door from the hall to find Brenda.

  “I know this will sound farfetched, Brenda, but have you spent much time with Carolyn and Jason Pyles?”

  “I’ve rarely seen them around. I think they’ve spent their time downtown and at the Market Show. Why do you ask?”

  “Molly told me this morning that the day Carolyn arrived ahead of her husband she came into her shop around four o’clock. She was very chummy with my daughter and asked a lot of questions about the town.”

  “That’s impossible. Carolyn arrived much later. Allie was here and offered to wait for her arrival while she studied for exams. Did she spend all that time in the coffee shop?”

  Phyllis shrugged her shoulders. “She must have. Molly told me she knows it was four when she came in because her evening server was late and she looked at the clock.” Phyllis told Brenda of the aloof encounter with Carolyn a few minutes earlier. “It was as if we weren’t even there. She totally ignored Jenny’s hello to her.”

  Brenda contemplated this information. “Are you joining us for the late lunch?” Phyllis confirmed she was. “Let’s observe everyone very closely and listen to their conversations. I’m sure they will discuss the show and what everyone acquired.” The women decided to divide their time between the guests. “Mac will be here, too, and I’ll let him know what we’re doing. I’ll take Carolyn and Jason Pyles.”

  They were interrupted by Lisa and Edward Grantham, who walked past them in the hallway carrying on a mild argument.

  “I suppose I’ll have to put up with another boring conversation during this meal,” Lisa grumbled. “I wonder if everyone knows about the missing wampum bead by now.”

  “I don’t know. We should wait for a cue from Brenda or Mac.”