Jubilee's Journey (Wyattsville #2)(43)
Olivia’s right eye was still twitching and the look of wariness remained on her face, but at least she was now listening.
Mahoney went on to detail any number of kind deeds Sam Griffin had done, and by the time the doorbell bonged a second time Olivia had settled into a low level of tolerance—not acceptance, merely tolerance.
Expecting the large red-haired man Mahoney had described, Olivia opened the door without her customary check through the peephole. Sharp-nosed Jim Turner stood there with a bound copy of the building bylaws tucked under his arm.
“I’ve had numerous complaints!” he said and angrily tromped into the apartment. “Rumor has it you’re harboring any number of children here.” As Turner spoke his head swiveled back and forth looking for a clue, some indication that what he suspected was true.
“I am not harboring any number of children!” Olivia snapped. Since “any number” did not mean one small girl, she was certain it could not be considered a lie.
The exchange went on for a minute or two and then Detective Mahoney, who’d been listening, stood and walked toward Turner. “Is there a problem here?”
“There most certainly is,” Turner answered. “We have rules in this building, and I’ve had numerous complaints about—”
“Numerous complaint, huh?”
“So many I’ve lost count!”
“If they’re legitimate complaints, we can do something about it.” Mahoney fingered his chin pensively. “Of course, it means that you and all the complainants will have to appear in court. You’ll need to have a lawyer, witnesses to swear to the legitimacy of complaint, and evidence—”
“What the…what are you, some kind of shyster lawyer?”
Mahoney pulled out his badge. “No, I’m an officer of the law.”
“This isn’t a police matter!”
“Oh, but it is,” Mahoney replied. “Missus Doyle called to report a case of harassment.” He turned to Olivia. “Is this the fellow you were talking about?”
Olivia smiled and gave a half-nod, not a yes or no, merely a maybe.
“That’s preposterous,” Turner sputtered. “I’m not harassing anybody!”
“It looks like you are,” Mahoney said. “You came here uninvited, stuck your nose in Missus Doyle’s face, and tried to intimidate her. That’s considered harassment.”
“This has gone entirely too far,” Turner said. He began edging his way back to the door.
“I agree.” Mahoney turned to Olivia. “Missus Doyle, if this fellow agrees to stay clear of you, would you be willing to drop the complaint?”
Olivia nodded.
“Okay then.” Mahoney looked at Turner. “And, sir, if Missus Doyle is willing to drop the complaint, will you stop pestering her?”
Turner nodded. Before anything else could be said, he pulled open the door and scooted out with such speed that he ran smack into Griffin who was reaching for the doorbell. Turner looked up at the bearded face towering over him. “Sorry,” he said and kept going.
Seeing Jim Turner dash off as he did, Olivia felt a weight had been lifted from her chest. Moving past the fact that Griffin was another policeman named Sam, she invited him in with a smile.
Mahoney took the lead in the conversation. “I understand your predicament, and we’re going to do everything we can to find the child’s missing aunt.”
Griffin nodded.
“But there’s a lot of open-ended questions,” he said. “So, if you don’t mind, can we go back over the girl’s connection to the Klaussner robbery?”
The thought of linking Jubilee to such an event rumbled through Olivia’s head and sat uncomfortably against her brain. Suddenly she felt telling all might not be the best thing. She hadn’t counted on a partner, nor had she counted on a full-scale investigation. The thought of detectives scouring through the child’s history and turning over rocks best left undisturbed made her nerves twinge and tighten.
“Jubilee has no actual connection to the robbery,” Olivia answered. “Our only problem is locating her aunt.”
Mahoney gave her a questioning look. “But when we spoke on the phone, didn’t you say she might be related to the boy who was shot?”
“Perhaps I did, but I was only echoing the supposition Ethan Allen made.” Olivia was now certain she had said too much and added, “You know how imaginative children can be.”
“That’s true,” Mahoney said.
“It sure is,” Griffin added. “I’ve got three of my own and they’re always—”
“Three?” Olivia eyed him suspiciously. “I thought you had five.”
Mahoney winced, and Griffin caught on immediately. “I do, but the two older ones are from my wife’s first marriage, so I can’t really take credit for them.”
Olivia looked a bit doubtful but continued. She explained that Jubilee’s parents were deceased and the girl had come to Wyattsville looking for her aunt. After disappearing into the bedroom and returning, she handed Detective Mahoney one of the letters postmarked Wyattsville. In telling the story Olivia simply eliminated the missing brother who might or might not have been involved in the Klaussner shooting.