“There was nothing like that,” I said. “The only thing I found related to money was the ten grand I found in the false bottom of his desk drawer.”
“But it wasn’t ten thousand exactly, was it?”
“No, I put the five hundred you found in with it, and that brought it up to the ten grand count.”
“That has to mean that he was getting ready to make another deposit,” Maddy said as she looked at the page we’d been studying again. “There’s no nine-thousand-five-hundred-dollar deposit listed here,” she said, deflated that her theory was off.
“That’s probably because he hadn’t made the deposit yet.”
“So, do you think we’re right?”
“Until we can come up with a better theory, for all the good it’s going to do us. I suspect that Chief Hurley has the checkbook in his possession, along with all of the deposit slips. He might have already taken the money out himself.”
“To keep?” Maddy asked, surprised by what she thought was an accusation.
“Of course not, but that doesn’t mean he would want it to be accessible to anyone else. We need to tell him our theory and ask him if we’re right.”
“Do me a favor. I want to be there when you corner him,” Maddy said. “His response will be worth recording on my cell phone.”
“You can actually take movies with that thing, too?”
“It’s amazing what my little device is capable of. Besides, we both know that we can’t go to him with this. It’s the same problem we’ve had before. We can’t ask for help unless we’re willing to admit what we were doing when we found it, and I wouldn’t put it past our chief of police to lock us both up out of pure frustration. And honestly, who could blame him? We probably even deserve it from time to time.”
“I don’t care what he does. I’m calling him,” I said. “There’s no way I’ll be able to get to sleep not knowing if Grant was hiding all of that money.”
“I think you’re crazy,” Maddy said.
“So, are you saying that you think that I shouldn’t call him?”
“Are you kidding? I think it’s great that you’re even trying. I’m just not sure you’re going to be happy with the results.”
I dialed the chief’s direct cell number, something I’d needed a few times in the past, and he picked up on the second ring.
“Eleanor, shouldn’t you be asleep by now?”
“Shouldn’t you?” I asked.
“I’m covering tonight for one of my deputies. His wife’s in labor, so I told him to go on and take her to the hospital. For the next few days, I’m working double shifts.”
“That’s awfully sweet of you,” I said.
“Sweet nothing. If I made him stay here and work, I couldn’t be sure he’d do a thorough job, not that I’d blame him.”
“You’re not as tough as all that, and we both know it.”
The police chief’s voice softened as he admitted, “It’s a big deal, having a kid. He should be there to enjoy it. Now that we both know why I’m awake, what’s on your mind?”
“Maddy and I have been thinking,” I said, and I looked up to see my sister stick her tongue out at me. I grinned and continued, “And we were wondering if Grant had any money when he died.”
“Why would you ask something like that?” the chief asked.
At least I was ready with an answer this time. “He still owed her money from when they were married, and she’s wondering if she’ll ever be able to collect any of it now.” It was a plausible enough of an excuse, and something that the police chief couldn’t easily verify.
At least I hoped that he couldn’t.
“Well, she can always file a lien against the estate. I’m sure Bob would be glad to handle it for her.”
“But is there any estate at all? Besides the house, I mean.”
“I really can’t say,” the chief said without a moment’s hesitation.
“Does that mean you don’t know?” I asked.
“No, it means exactly what I said. I can’t say.”
“That’s fine. We’ll have Bob check around for any bank accounts he might have in the area tomorrow.”
I was about to hang up when the chief said, “Forget it. There’s no use keeping it from you, since it’s going to be public knowledge soon enough. I found his checking account at his mother’s place, and Grant had less than ten bucks in it as of close of business on the day he died.”
“Ten bucks? Surely he put more than that away.”