Jill Churchill - A Groom With a View

“The box of doorknobs in the attic…" Jane muttered. "Uncle Joe kept them, so he could put them back someday and take these away with him.”

Cars were being loaded up in the front drive. A uniformed officer was preparing to drive off Mrs. Crossthwait's Jeep to parts unknown. Jack Thatcher, surprisingly subdued, was loading the trunk of his car, which was blocking Jane's. "No, Daddy. That goes in the backseat," Livvy saidfirmly. He put the dress box in the backseat without a word. Iva and Marguerite were sitting in their vehicle, waiting while Uncle Joe unceremoniously flung their suitcases in their trunk.

“Just one thing puzzles me still," Shelley said. "The door to the attic was unlocked when we first looked in there and locked later. Who did that?"

“Uncle Joe," Jane said.

“How do you know?"

“Because I accidently told him we'd been in the attic when I mentioned that he could use the dolly in the attic to carry Mrs. Crossthwait's sewing machine up the stairs."

“Oh, of course!" Shelley said. Glancing around, she asked, "Where's Mel?"

“He left about an hour ago to have a chat with Gus Ambler on his way back home.”

Jack Thatcher finally pulled away, freeing Jane's car.

“Ready to go?" Shelley asked.

“Almost," Jane said.

She got out of the station wagon and walked over to Uncle Joe, who was still abusing luggage, and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Yeah?" he said.

She reached in her purse and pulled out the doorknob.

“This fell off my bedroom door. I'm sure you don't want to lose it.”

He put out his hand and a slow smile spread over his face. "I sure don't," he said. "I hear the doorknob standard is pretty high these days." He closed the trunk, went to the window of his stepsister's car, leaned down to speak to Iva and Marguerite. "Drive safely," he said, with such good cheer that they looked alarmed.

Then he turned and winked at Jane.