“That’s hardly proof, you know. When did I supposedly perpetrate this crime?”
“This morning. About ten thirty.”
He went behind the counter, brought out a metal wastepaper basket and dug through it briefly. Then he handed her a boarding pass. “As you can see, I was in New York City from this past Monday until takeoff at 10:48 this morning. It took me some time to deplane and get my luggage and get the shuttle back to where I had parked my car. I only got back to the shop a little while ago.”
Annie studied the boarding pass. It certainly seemed legitimate. If the clock had been taken at 10:30, there was no way he could have been on that flight in New York at 10:48.
She glanced at Jennifer who gave her a subtle shake of the head. Obviously, Sanders wasn’t the man she had seen at the repair shop.
Annie thrust the boarding pass back into his hand. “That doesn’t mean you didn’t have someone take it for you.”
Again he laughed ruefully. “I suppose that’s a possibility, but is it really all that practical? I’ll admit I was smitten with that clock. It was absolutely unique, and I’ve been in this business a long time now. But even at the inflated price I offered your friend, it’s not worth me going to jail for, now is it?”
Annie looked at him, trying hard not to glare. He had a point. But there were just too many coincidences at work here for her to believe he wasn’t involved.
He finally smiled at her. “I can understand your suspicions. Really, I can. But, as you see, I just couldn’t have done it. And I would have been very stupid if I had.”
“I guess that’s one point we can agree on.” Annie tugged Jennifer’s arm. “We’d better go.”
“I’d still be happy to help you find something for your mother, young lady,” Sanders offered.
Jennifer only shrugged. “I haven’t really decided what I want to get yet. Maybe I’ll come back sometime.”
“You’re always welcome. And Mrs. Dawson, no hard feelings, eh?”
Annie merely glanced at the hand he offered. “I’m not sure about that yet.”
She hurried Jennifer out to the car and sped out of the parking lot.
“You’re sure he wasn’t at the repair shop this morning?”
“No. He’s definitely not the man I saw.”
“Have you ever seen him?”
“No. I mean, I guess I could have passed him on the street or something, but I don’t remember ever seeing him.”
Annie drove for a few minutes in silence, heading back to Mr. Malcolm’s repair shop to drop Jennifer off. Then she made an abrupt U-turn.
“Where are we going?” the girl asked.
“There’s been a theft. We are sure of that much. If you don’t mind, we’re going to go report it to the police.”
11
It was getting late when Annie finally returned to Stony Point. She had told Mary Beth she was picking up the clock, and Mary Beth had told her to just come drop it off on her way back. Now, Annie hated showing up empty-handed.
No, it wasn’t just that. It was that Mary Beth had already had enough happening to her right now. She didn’t need something else piled on top of it.
Once she had brought Jennifer back to Mr. Malcolm’s shop from the police station, Annie had considered calling Mary Beth from the clock shop to break the bad news to her, but somehow that felt cowardly. Besides, taking the clock to Mr. Malcolm had been Annie’s idea. Instead, she called up to ask if she could drop by Mary Beth’s house. It was only right that she should have to tell Mary Beth about the loss of the clock herself in person.
“It’s open,” Mary Beth called when Annie knocked. “Come on in.”
Annie did.
“You know, you’re pretty trusting for someone who just got burgled.”
Mary Beth laughed. “I just unlocked it a minute ago. I figured you’d be here about now. What’s the big news you couldn’t tell me over the phone?”
“Can we sit down for a minute?”
“Sure.” Mary Beth gestured to the sofa. “I know you like mysteries, but I’ll take my news straight up, if you don’t mind.”
“OK.” Annie steeled herself and then plowed ahead. “You know I took your clock to get an estimate for the repairs, and they called me to let me know how much it would be.”
Mary Beth lifted one eyebrow. “Yes? Was it that bad?”
“No, actually. It wasn’t as much as I had expected, and I told them to go ahead and fix it. I wanted to surprise you.”
Mary Beth’s face lit. “Really? Oh Annie, you shouldn’t have done it. It’s much too generous of you.”