Black Cat Weekly #58

Chapter 6

byDetective Amy Clark heard a loud sneeze as she approached the auditorium at the rear of the Swanson Hotel. Suddenly the door flew open, and Sarah Swanson, the hotel’s owner, headed Amy’s way, rubbing he eyes and continuing to sneeze.

“Ms. Swanson,” the detective said between sneezes, “I got over here as fast as I could. Your call said there’s been a theft?”

Regaining her composure, the tall redhead said, “I knew I shouldn’t go in there, but I had to be sure it was gone.”

“What’s missing?”

“The Remaley Rose,” Sarah said, wiping her eyes with a tissue. “It was the centerpiece of the floral exhibit. The show starts this afternoon, and people are coming from across the country.”

“Is the rose the only thing missing?”

“Detective, you don’t understand. The Remaley belongs to the Fletcher Gardens in Capital City, and I had to beg them for months to lend it to us. My reputation will be ruined, not to mention the financial consequences.”

“Who discovered the theft?”

“Julie Frost,” Sarah said. “She’s been with me since she enrolled at the University. I put her in charge of the exhibit since my allergies won’t allow me near the flowers.”

“So she has a key to the auditorium,” said Amy.

“Yes,” said Sarah. “We locked up a little early last night because she had some big sorority dance. She was in charge of decorations.”

“Is Julie the only person other than you with a key?”

“My sister, Beth, has one for emergencies, but she wouldn’t come near the place since her allergies are as bad as mine. Dr. Gates says we could avoid a lot of misery this time of year with a few allergy pills, but I guess we’re both too stubborn.”

“Anyone else?”

Sarah hesitated. “Well, Hugh Grayson, our co-owner . . .”

“I thought you and Beth were sole owners?” said Amy.

“The Swanson has been in the family forever, but in the last few years, money has been tight. Hugh offered to help out for a percentage of ownership. Now he’s badgering us to sell the hotel to a company that wants to develop a mall on the property.”

“So any of the three with a key could have slipped in last night and taken the rose,” said Amy, the wheels turning in her head.

“I guess so,” said Sarah. “Before you got here, I talked with Elston, our night watchman, and he assured me that he didn’t hear a sound all night.”

“What about Elston?”

“Detective, he’s been with us since I was a little girl, and I trust him—”

“I get the picture,” said Amy. “I guess I’ll have to talk with the other three.”

Amy corralled Julie Frost in the hotel’s restaurant, where the co-ed was nursing a steaming cup of coffee. “Sarah tells me that you discovered the theft this morning.”

“Did she also tell you that she had to wake me to come in to work? I was up all night at the dance and crashed at my dorm about an hour before Ms. Swanson called.”

“You were in charge of decorations for the dance, and a famous rose sure would have been the piece de resistance.”

piece de resistanceJulie looked shocked by the accusation. “Detective Clark, we videotaped the event, and you can watch me dance the night away in living color.”

Amy smiled. “It does look like you could use a nap.”

A quick trip to Hugh Grayson’s office eliminated Sarah’s co-owner. His office manager confirmed that Grayson had been out of town for over a week and wouldn’t return till the weekend.

Amy’s next stop was Beth Swanson’s apartment, where she was greeted by a bright-eyed version of Sarah. After introducing herself and the reason for the visit, Amy said, “Your sister is quite upset by the theft. Can you think of anyone who might have taken the rose?”

“Sarah’s always upset lately. The hotel is driving her crazy. I agree with Mr. Grayson that we ought to sell the place, but Sarah just won’t hear of it.”

Just then, Amy spotted a small prescription bottle on the end table near the couch, and everything came into focus. “If we hurry,” she said, “we can get the rose back to the hotel in time for the opening of the exhibit.”

When Amy spotted the prescription bottle, she guessed it contained allergy pills that allowed Beth to sneak into the auditorium and grab the Remaley Rose without betraying her presence with a sneeze or cough. Beth hoped that the embarrassment would cause Sarah to agree to sell the hotel and relieve the pressure she was under. Realizing that Beth had acted out of love for her, Sarah promised to relax a bit more in the future.