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“Gran didn’t even live on Harrington Street at the time. Mom and Dad only moved there twenty-five years ago, right before I was born, and Gran didn’t even move in with them until years later. Gran and Grandpa lived in the house on Hay Mill, and when Gran kicked him out he moved to Munster Street, which is where he died. From a heart attack. People know this, Dan, so why are they telling these crazy stories?”

“Because they can? Because it makes them feel important? Oh, I’m sure this will all blow over. As soon as the police confirm it’s Boyd Baker the rumors will go away.”

“I hope so. Gran doesn’t deserve to be subjected to this kind of nonsense.”

“Then you better go and talk to Rita Baker and ask her about her father.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “And tell her Dan Goory said hi, will you?”

She laughed.“Oh, Dan.”

“What? A boyhood crush never fades, Odelia. It only becomes sweeter with time.”

Chapter 12

Chase was in his office when his boss popped his head in the door.“Abe just called, buddy. He thinks he’s got something,” said the Chief, sounding and looking excited.

Immediately Chase shot up from behind his desk and followed his superior officer into his office. The phone was on speaker.“Go for Chase and Alec, Abe,” said the Chief.

“Chase and Alec. Sounds like a comedy double act,” Abe quipped, then turned serious. “I’ve checked dental records, which at this point is all I have to go on, and I just got a hit. It would appear that our John Doe is a Mr. Boyd Baker, who used to reside at the address where his remains were found. Also, and this is preliminary, so don’t quote me on it, I think I’ve nailed down the cause of death. Our late Mr. Baker has a very large hole where part of his skull used to be. It’s entirely consistent with a blow to the head with a blunt object. He must have been knocked out with such force he either died on the spot, or died as a consequence of the blow. Mind you, this is all basically conjecture on my part. There’s really no way for me to know with absolute certainty what the man died of.”

“Anything else?” asked Chief Alec, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

“The brooch. I’ve examined it more closely and those are real diamonds. So it’s worth a pretty penny. My advice would be to show it to a jeweler. Every jeweler has their personal style, so maybe they’ll be able to deduce something from the way the stones were set. There’s also a small engraving that had become invisible because of dirt.”

“And? What does it say?” asked Chase, hanging on the coroner’s every word.

“Some code, so not very helpful. I will send you my preliminary report, and detailed photographs of the brooch. Good luck, gentlemen. And if you have another case like this, please don’t hesitate to call me. It’s always fun to dig around in the past, instead of the endless number of traffic accident victims I usually deal with.”

Chief Alec checked his emails, and sure enough Abe’s email had already arrived in his inbox. He clicked on the pictures of the brooch, and both men studied them. The inscription on the back was clearly visible. It read AC/34.

“Doesn’t say much,” said Chase, disappointed.

“It might mean something to a jeweler,” Alec pointed out.

“Did you know this Boyd Baker?” asked Chase.

“I did. Well, not personally. The guy disappeared years ago. But him and his wife lived in that house, all right. In fact Marge and Tex bought the place from Phyllis Baker twenty-five years ago, and even back then the disappearance of her husband was common knowledge. Rumor had it he left town with a girlfriend, leaving his family in the lurch.”

“Is Mrs. Baker still with us?”

“No, I don’t think so. She was an old lady twenty-five years ago. But her daughter is still alive. She lived next to her mother, and sold the house to Odelia only five years ago or something. I think she moved to Grover Street, to one of those new apartments.”

“So she’s our first port of call?”

“That’s right, buddy. Oh, and Chase?”

“Mh?”

“Let’s keep Odelia out of this one, and my mother.”

“No civilian consultants?”

“No civilian consultants. People are already speculating that it’s my dad whose skeleton we found, and that my mother murdered him and buried him there. So if we let her and Odelia investigate, the gossip mill will go full tilt. They’ll say we’re trying to cover up a murder and yadda yadda yadda. Heck, they’ll probably say I’m trying to cover up the murder of my dad, but at least I’ve got the badge to make them shut up.”

Chase nodded as he studied the other pictures of the brooch, then focused on the ones Abe had taken of the skeleton as it lay spread out on his autopsy table.

“Amazing,” he said softly as he studied the pictures.

“What is?”

“So this guy has been in the ground for decades? Talk about a cold case.”

“The coldest one possible,” said Alec. “And we’re going to solve it, buddy. You and me.”

“Are you sure it’s a good idea not to involve Odelia? Her cats might be able to—”