Chapter 3: Spencer's Exodus

Chapter 3

Spencer's Exodus

Spencer Varney had searched and searched the house for days, weeks, since the Whitneys had left. No sign at all of anything out of the ordinary. Well, almost nothing apart from that shoe. He had thought nothing of it before his conversation with Raven. Then came the boss's anger, but he knew it was an act. The anger was always just an elaborate act to hide his fear.

He looked around the main room, at the portrait of Raven, at the fireplace. Apart from dealing with the boss's rage here and there, the job had been a good one. It was certainly better in some ways than other jobs, less violent for sure. Apart from trying to hold Gavin Wylie at bay that one night and almost pulling on Damian Tyler, his gun hadn't needed to be fired. Spencer chuckled. Not by me anyway. The boss had grabbed it from him after slapping him and fired at Wylie himself. Oh, that slap! I almost quit that night. There's a limit to what I'll do for Schuyler Whitney. A phone call to Libby had helped to calm him down.

In four months, he had accomplished nothing except to see what a maniac this impostor was. Well, killing Gunther seemed logical, actually. He inspired that kind of rage. Then Carlo Crown robbed the house, then Wylie and Jody Travis hid in the house for a week. Then came Bobbie. Oh how much he'd been tempted to help her! But no, his cover was fragile enough as it was. He'd almost blown it when he revealed that he'd known Gunther. Bobbie knew the risks when she took the job, she came for that watch. Subtlety wasn't her strong suit.

And then there was Nora. She must have heard about him from Dr. Cavanaugh that night Mrs. Saxon fainted, and he regretted agreeing to meet her the few times they did. The insane asylum had done nothing for her.

There was Damian Tyler. He was a bit more subtle, but his interest in Raven was too obvious. Or was it? That guy had something on his mind besides Raven and the boss seemed to get that. He remembered the day he saw Raven at the hospital visiting Tyler, and the fight that erupted at home later. It didn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out the boss was involved in Tyler's stabbing somehow.

And then there was Raven. Did she know her husband was playing a role? It was hard to tell. She was a tough one. Warm at times, aloof at others, and always inquisitive. It might get her killed one day. Maybe it has already.

Spencer stood up and grabbed his two bags. It was time to go. He hated telling Sky the past few months were a complete waste, but the impostor was a genius. He wondered at times if the patient in Bern was the actual impostor, but no, the story was too real to not believe it, the man's pain too real.

As he walked toward the door, the phone rang. He knew he shouldn't answer it, but then nobody thought he was still here. “Hello?”

The female British voice replied, “It's Libby. We have a new problem.”

Spencer sighed. “Tell me.”

“I followed them like you suggested, I even overheard them in a restaurant saying what slope they'd be skiing. You were so right, he was there to kill her!”

“OK OK, calm down, Libby. What happened?”

“That animal threw her down a ravine after she fell while skiing.”

Spencer's mouth dropped. “She's dead?!” He listened to her story, then smiled. “I'm on my way, give me a day to get to Bern.” With that Spencer Varney locked up and headed to the door. That was when the lights went out.

It was a mild February night, so there was no winter storm to cut the power. On instinct he took to the stairs and then went into his room, where he had left the gun the boss gave to him. There hadn't been any point in taking it, especially since he was quitting. The sound of breaking glass confirmed it.He grabbed it and walked back to the edge of the top landing. He crouched to look. Yes, there he was, a man in black with what looked to be a gray ski mask.

Spencer smiled grimly. No style, just an ordinary burglar...with a Beretta. He thought for a moment. It wasn't just another break-in at the Whitney mansion. But they couldn't be there for him, the boss thought he went on vacation. Unless....the shoe! That had to be it! That stupid call Raven made, it also made me a target. Obviously I'd stick around and talk to the police. Well, I didn't! But he wants me quiet anyway. He looked at the intruder. It was a kid, most likely. He didn't look too sure of himself. It was too bad, really, but it always was. Hired goons had no brains, no ambition, and they had to know that death for them was a possibility. The kid was shaking.

Spencer stood and began walking down the steps. The kid heard him, turned, and fired a wild shot into the wall. Spencer quickly aimed and hit the kid in his gun arm. He dropped the weapon but was prepared to take a swing at Spencer with his other arm, but Spencer just pushed him away, grabbed the gun, checked the safety, and put it in his pocket. “Sit down, kid! My gun still has bullets.”

The kid sat on the divan. Spencer sat opposite him and called the police, the gun still on the kid. When he was done, he sat back and looked at the punk. “Take off your mask, please.”

He complied, wincing in pain as he did so. The kid was blond with a crew cut, no more than 23 or 24. There was a hardness to the eyes, though, maybe through experience or just hard knocks. Spencer remarked, “Why are you here?”

The kid shrugged. “I saw a fancy house and wanted its goods.”

Spencer shook his head. “If you had an ordinary six-shooter, I'd believe you. Your Beretta, however, is meant for serious business. I won't try to do the police's business, but just by curiosity, who hired you?”

The kid just sat staring, holding his arm. It was about another fifteen minutes before the police arrived, led by Calvin Stoner. The police went through their usual routine with the suspect while Calvin came to Spencer and asked what happened. After he gave his account, Calvin asked, “May I ask why you're here? I mean, I know you work for the Whitneys and live here, but I thought you were on vacation as well.”

A little lie wouldn't hurt him here. “Well, Detective, to tell the truth, I was not able to find a caretaker in good time. So today I just decided to go away for a week. I was all ready to leave when the boy came in.”

Calvin nodded. It was neither here nor there why Spencer was still in the mansion. “I'm glad I caught you anyway. We were going to have to find you eventually.”

“Why?”

“We got some information about a missing shoe that we believe belonged to Bobbie Gerard. Apparently Mrs. Whitney found it in Mr. Whitney's car.”

Spencer thought quickly. There was no point in defending the maniac anymore. “Yes. The remains are charred, but are sitting by the fireplace. Mr. Whitney had thrown it in the fireplace and instructed me to forget it. I pulled it out anyway.”

Calvin walked over to the shoe and made an examination. “Not much left of it, is there?”

“No sir.”

“Well, I think you have nothing to worry about, neither the shoe or the punk you shot. You have a license and you shot in self defense.”

“He's not dead, either.”

Calvin grinned. “True. Now for the big question. Why do you think this guy came here?”

Spencer replied, “Detective, you saw the gun, he wasn't here to rob the house.”

“Meaning he was after you?”

“Yes.”

Calvin folded his arms in thought. “Now why would he be after you?”

“Well, Mrs. Whitney called to tell me about it, the shoe I mean, she actually wondered if I had a girl in the car with me, which I never did. Mr. Whitney heard the whole conversation and knows that I know. He is my employer,  but I think he is also dangerous.”

Stoner nodded. “Evidence seems to be piling in that direction.”

“I have a bit more evidence that he killed Bobbie Gerard.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The last day that I saw Bobbie, Mr. Whitney asked me about his pocket watch and I told him that Bobbie probably took it to be fixed. He insisted on driving himself on an errand. I thought nothing of it at the time.”

Calvin nodded. “I think you tied it up for us.”

“Bobbie's murder?”

“Yeah, that and Gunther Wagner's.”

“How so?”

“Mr. Whitney wouldn't kill a servant over a watch unless it was evidence. Bobbie loved Gavin Wylie and would do anything for him. She was getting too close, obviously.”

Spencer nodded but knew all that anyway. “Detective, do I need to stay here longer?”

Calvin shook his head. “I think if you came to headquarters and made a statement, you could go.”

“Thank you.” Spencer started to turn, but then remarked, “Detective, I understand that an assassin was here last summer, trying to kill Mrs. Whitney.”

“Yes, but how did you know?”

“I read the papers, sir. Strange, so many intruders in this house since Mr. and Mrs. Whitney got married.”

Spencer turned to watch the punk getting patched up and arrested. Calvin gave him a bemused stare. He was an odd man. But he also made a good point. Calvin remembered the Romeo Slade case well. It had always been a puzzle, since the slimeball had no history of burglary. He understood Spencer's implication. But why would Whitney try to kill Raven? He shook his head and attended to police business.