Searching for a Motive

Chapter Fifty-four

An hour later Ben still sat in his dad’s office chair. His stomach rumbled.

         Okay, that did it! Janelle’s time was up.

         Taking a few steps to the wall, he crouched down by the panel and stuck his head in the passageway.

About midway down, Janelle leaned over a box.

He squinted against the bare light bulbs hanging along the ceiling. “Find anything?”

         “No, just old merchandise.” She sat back on her heels. “There has to be something here, Ben. Something the killer wanted.”

         “Why do you think that?”

         “Because some of these boxes have been moved recently, and because Helga says there are ghosts in the wall.”

         “Ghosts?” Ben raised his eyebrows. “Really, Janelle. Do you believe—”

         “Someone comes in here at night, so they’re still looking for it. Whatever it is.”

         He shook his head. “I think you’ve searched enough today. Let’s go out to eat.”

         “Okay.” She shoved the box against the wall with the others.

         Back in the office, Ben’s cell phone rang where he had set it on the desk. He grabbed it, then dropped into his dad’s chair. “Hello?”

         “Hello, is this Ben Thorne?”

         “Yes.”

         “Dr. Prescott from St. Louis. I’m calling about your aunt, Ida Thorne. She had some testing done in our office this morning.”

         Ben sat forward. “What did you find out?”

         “Ida doesn’t have Alzheimer’s or any form of dementia. In fact, her mind is very sharp.”

         “It is? But she forgets things all the time, and she repeats herself constantly.”

         “I’m afraid she’s just pretending.” The doctor cleared his throat. “Sometimes older people try to get attention that way, to make others feel sorry for them and spend time with them.”

“She does seem lonely. I told her I was moving out as soon as my dad’s house sells.”

“Hmm… that would leave Ida living by herself. Maybe that’s why she’s pretending to be senile.”

         Another liar in the Thorne family.

         Ben sighed. “So what can we do, Doctor?”

* * *

         Tomorrow we’ll see what Janelle discovers. Until then, God bless!