Part 35 (1/2)
He sighed. ”Yeah, they were about equal in dollar value. But all Bill had to do was find a coin dealer to unload the collection. Know what he walked away with? A quarter of a million dollars.” Jack snapped his fingers. ”Just like that.”
”And you had to sell the house. Not so easy.”
”d.a.m.n right. Had to sell off all the furniture as well. I wound up with the same amount of cash, but I had to keep flying back and forth to Minnesota and it took me until just last week to get it. That's almost six d.a.m.n months!”
Madame Pomerol gave a Gallic shrug. ”But still you have much money now, yes? You should be happy. But none of this tells me why your uncle is so upset.”
”Well...” Jack looked away again. ”I guess it has to do with this little case.”
”Yes?”
He took a deep breath and sighed again. ”Last week, as I was cleaning out the last of Uncle Mart's stuff before the closing, I came upon the case. It was locked and I couldn't find the key, so I brought it back with me. I was planning on finding a locksmith to open it for me, but...”
”But what, Monsieur Butler?”
”I don't think Uncle Matt wants me to have this.”
”Why do you say that?”
”You won't believe this.” He gave a nervous laugh. ”But then again, maybe you will, seeing as how you're a medium and all.” Another deep breath, a show of hesitation, then, ”It's the case.” He tapped its s.h.i.+ny surface. ”Someone or something keeps moving it on me.”
”Moving it?”
Jack nodded. ”I keep finding it in places where I never put it. I mean that: never never put it.” put it.”
”Perhaps your wife or-”
”I live alone. Don't even have a cleaning lady. But I'm looking for one. You know of anybody? Because I-”
”Please go on.”
”Oh, yeah. Well, it kept moving and I kept making excuses, blaming my memory. But Sat.u.r.day... Sat.u.r.day really got to me. You see, I'd planned to take it down to a locksmith that day, but when I was ready to leave, I couldn't find the case. I looked everywhere in that apartment. And finally, when the locksmith was closed and it was too late to do anything, I found the d.a.m.n thing under my bed. Under my bed! Just as if someone had hidden it from me. In fact I know it was hidden from me, and I have a pretty good idea who did it.”
”It was your Uncle Matt.”
”I think so too.”
”No. It was was your uncle. He told me.” your uncle. He told me.”
”You mean to tell me you knew about this all along? Why'd you let me go on so?”
”I needed to know if you were telling me the truth. Now I do. What you say agrees with what your uncle told me.”
Yeah, right.
Foster said, ”There were a bunch of scratches on the case lock. Looked like this jerk tried to pick it himself. Hit him with that.”
Madame Pomerol cleared her throat. ”But you left out a few things.”
Jack wished he knew how to blush on cue. Probably wouldn't be noticed in this light anyway.
”Such as?”
”How you tried to open the case yourself and failed.”
He covered his eyes. ”Oh, man. Well, yeah. Tell Uncle Matt I'm sorry about that.”
”Also, you believe the case holds valuable coins, and if so, they belong to your brother, yes?”
”Now wait just a minute, there. Uncle Matt left the coin collection to Bill and the house and its contents to me. This here case was part of the contents. So it's rightfully mine.”
”Your uncle disagrees. He tells me they are silver coins of little monetary worth.”
Jack could feel her eyes on him, looking for some sign that he already knew what the case held. He avoided a quick, negative reaction, but he didn't want to appear too accepting.
”Yeah?” he said, frowning as he hefted the case. ”Seems kinda heavy for just silver.”
The lady brushed past his doubt. ”I know nothing of such things. All I know is that your uncle told me they were of great sentimental value to him. They are the very first coins he collected as a boy.”
”No kidding?” Jack was getting an idea of where she might be heading with this.
”Yes, your uncle was hoping to take them along with him when he crossed over, but he could not manage it. That was why they remained in the house.”
”Take them into the afterlife? Is that possible?”
She shook her head. ”Sadly, no. No money in the afterlife. At least not permanently.”
”Can't take it with you, eh? Well, I guess that settles it. I'll just have to give this to Bill.”
”Don't let him get away!” Foster cried. ”I'm telling you there's a small fortune in that case!”
Jack slapped his hands on the table, picked up the case, and made as if to stand. Wasn't she going to say anything? Was she going to let him walk out with all those rare gold coins? A mook like her? He couldn't believe it.
”One moment, Monsieur Butler. Your uncle wishes me to apport the case to the other side so that he can see them one last time.”
”I thought you said that was impossible.”
”I can do it, but only for a very short while, then they return.” can do it, but only for a very short while, then they return.”
”All right. Let's get to it.”
”I am afraid that is impossible right now. It is a grueling procedure that takes many hours, and for which I must be alone.”
”You mean I just give you this case and walk away? I don't think so. Not in this lifetime.”
”You do not trust me?”
”Lady, I just met you two days ago.”
”I have promised your uncle this favor. I cannot break a promise to the dead.”