“Smells great,” Silas said, “but there must be a reason.”
“Needs info…” Joe.
“Can’t I simply invite my friends for a barbecue?”
Bertie laughed and looked at Harry. “You can’t fool these two.”
Harry grinned, shaking his head. “No, but I know they don’t refuse free meals. What do you guys know about Jeremiah Isaacs?”
“Old Scrooge… our age,” Joe said.
“Cheap enough to squeak,” Silas said.
“That much we know,” Harry said.
“Disappeared…” Joe said.
Silas nodded. “During the last big Garden Party. I heard a few years later, someone was looking for him… claimed Isaacs owed big money.”
“Did either of you know him personally?” Bertie asked.
Silas shook his head.
“Seen him once,” Joe said. “On the docks… yelling about missing freight.”
“Do you recall where the freight was coming from? Or what it was?” Harry asked.
Joe shrugged. ‘Artifacts… expensive…”
“Where did he live?” Bertie asked.
“Big old place just outside the town limits,” Silas said.
“Used to be… ” Joe added.
Silas nodded. “Right, before town limits were extended to take in new homes being built farther out.”
“That large mansion with the stained glass windows in the tower? And all the white birch trees?” Harry asked.
“Still his… ” Joe said. “Never sold.”
“I don’t know if it was ever up for sale,” Silas said.
“So he just abandoned it,” Bertie said.
“Caretaker and gardeners were there when he disappeared. For all I know, they might still be there,” Silas said.
Joe shook his head. “Gone….”
“Well, the estate is a place to start.” Harry got to his feet. “Time to eat.”
Bertie got the rest of the food and everyone went quiet.
Joe was in the car, but Silas stopped at the edge of the driveway, looking back at Harry. “Hey, Hogan! Bingo might know something about Isaacs or the estate.”
“Thanks, Silas. I’ll check with him.”
********************
By Monday morning, Harry was eager to talk to Bingo. When Bertie came in, he reminded her that the boys would be dropping off their notes on Isaacs. “Spence might want to read his, so you’ll have to take notes.”
“That’s no problem. Where will you be?”
“Finding out what Bingo knows.” He shrugged into his jacket. “And tell the boys to be here for ten tomorrow morning.”
Bingo was delighted to see him. “Me and Jeremiah used to be pals when we were boys,” he said. “I’d never have passed a math test without his tutoring. He was a natural.”
“Used to be?” Harry repeated.
Bingo nodded. “Shortly after getting his inheritance, he changed, and dropped me like a hot potato.”
“Found friends in higher places, maybe?”
Bingo snorted. “Higher? Oh, they had money, but they were never seen around here.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think he got in over his head, something illegal. That was the general opinion around town.”
Harry nodded. “Did you ever meet his aunt?”
