Schuyler Square Page 22 Tom Hartman Visits with Veronica

No doubt about it, something was going on at the Van Husen's house.

Tom Hartman had never considered himself to be an especially nosy person, but even he couldn't help but notice how often Peter Van Husen was going in and out. Peter had always kept odd hours but lately his comings and goings had been especially erratic.

Sitting on his deck with a cold beer, Tom watched as Peter came out, got in his squad car and drove off. It wouldn't have been too odd except for the fact that Peter was wearing a suit and tied instead of his uniform. A few seconds later, Chelsea Van Husen appeared. Tom's eyes widened when Veronica Channing followed Chelsea onto the Van Husen's deck. Tom hadn't known Veronica was visiting next store. If he had, he would have come up with a lame excuse to drop by himself.

"Hey, Chelsea!" Tom called.

"Hey, yourself," Chelsea shouted back. "Come on over. We never see you anymore!"

Tom scrambled to his feet and crossed the ten yards of grass between his house and the Van Husen's. "How've you been, neighbor? Do you know Veronica Channing?"

Tom felt his face start to burn like some kind of teenager's. Veronica looked especially pretty in jeans and a soft blue knit top. "Yes, we know each other. How are you, Veronica?"

"She's great," Chelsea answered. "Have a seat."

Tom obligingly sat down. Veronica sat next to him and Chelsea went into the house, returning seconds later with three bottles of beer and a bowl of chips. "Not too fancy but we aren't the Schuyler's so this is just fine, right?"

"Thank God for that," Veronica said murmured.

"You got that right," Chelsea said heartily. Chelsea Van Husen was a good sized woman with a personality to match. "Tom, you'll never guess where Veronica's living."

"Where?" Tom asked.

"The marble wall cottage."

Tom's hand stopped mid-air, a chip half way to his mouth. Turning his head, he looked at Veronica with alarm. "You're kidding."

Chelsea shook her head. "Can you believe it?"

"What are you two talking about?" Veronica demanded. "Why are you calling the house I'm renting the 'marble wall cottage'?"

"Because of the wall on the back side of the garage," Chelsea explained. "Haven't you seen it yet?"

"No. I haven't had a reason to look at the back of the garage," Veronica replied. "What is it?"

"A long time ago, an artist lived in that house. Mary Austin. She made a mural on the back of the garage out of all kinds of broken glass but mainly out of marbles. All the kids in town used to go and look at it. It tells some kind of story but I've never been able to figure it out."

"I don't remember that," Veronica said.

"Mary lived there after you moved away from Schuyler Square," Chelsea told her.

"What happened to her?"

Chelsea and Tom exchanged apprehensive glances. "She died," Tom finally said.

"In the house?" Veronica sounded alarmed.

"Oh, someone should have told you," Chelsea said. "Yes, she died in the house. As a matter of fact, she was murdered."

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