The Room Upstairs

Chapter Three

Reid cleaned up the kitchen, mulling over Cass's story in his mind. He was still thinking it over when he climbed the stairs and paused with a hand on the brass doorknob of his room. The letters C A S S I D Y were barely visible on the door, a telltale sign that a miniature, whole version of his friend had once resided in the now vacant room. Reid sighed, entering his room. For a while, the genius laid on top of his duvet, still thinking about Cass's history. Finally, he grabbed his phone and called Garcia.

  "Boy Genius, I love to hear the sound of your brain running, but not in the middle of the night!" Garcia yawned.
  "Sorry, but I need a favor," Reid explained. "I don't think Cass wants me repeating this to the whole team, but I need your help..."
He launched into a strictly factual account of the Sherwood Farm's hazy past and his intentions to find the woman who had given life to his friend.
  "And you need me to find you information," Garcia concluded.
  "Anything you can get on Cassidy's father," Reid confirmed.
  "Okay," Garcia sighed. "But only because you don't know how to find it yourself and I like Cass."
  "Thanks," Reid chuckled.
  "Okay, I've got a sort of sketchy guy doing sort of sketchy things," Garcia reported. "Gordon Sherwood had a serious drinking problem, a few records of drunk driving, one account of theft, was accused of domestic abuse on several occasions and died of liver failure, but there's nothing pointing to murder. Is it possible that he accidentally killed his wife?"
  "If he did, he did an incredibly good job of hiding it, which leads me to believe he was sober at the time," Reid said. "He knew was he was doing, and he planned it."
  "So why did he never hurt the kids?" Garcia wondered.
  "I don't know, but I have a feeling it has to do with Uncle Rick," Reid replied.

After a long talk with Garcia, Reid knew that Rick Sherwood was Gordon's older brother. He'd always been more respectable than his brother, but had started keeping a low profile following the disappearance of Victoria Sherwood, Cassidy's mother.
  "Rick knows something," Reid muttered. "Do you have an address? I think I'll make a house call in the morning."
  "147 West Run Road," Garcia replied.
  "Thanks, Garcia," Reid said.
  "Keep me posted! Goodnight!"
The call disconnected and Reid plugged in his phone. It was late, but Reid couldn't resist a look around the room Gordon Sherwood had drawn his final breath in. He grabbed his flashlight and headed for the musty chamber, careful of the creaking door.

Reid clicked on his light and stared around the room. Upon closer inspection it looked as though Cass had been too appalled by her father to even attempt a search of the room. Reid assumed she hadn't been willing to go anywhere near his possessions, even if it mean getting her answers. He swept the light over the piles of rubbish again, eyes landing on a stack of papers. Spencer picked one up, realizing it was a letter.

Brother,
Ethel has come home with an engraved pendant. She says the man at the pawn shop sold it to her cheap. The designs she takes for mere swirls form a map, brother mine, and it will lead to the fortune of the late Mrs. Hill. I recognize the pendant, Gordon, and it is the same she wore for all those years.
-Rick

The next letter was more desperate, and Reid could see the plan formulating between the lines should Victoria not cooperate.

Brother,
That fool wife of mine mailed the pendant off somewhere. I was near mad with fury, but she's assured me it went to your Victoria as a birthday gift. These wives of ours have no idea what they have, perhaps for the better. You must obtain that map!
-Rick

Each page grew more desperate, and Reid could only imagine what Gordon had written in reply to his brother. He knew one thing for certain, however, and that was Cass had no idea how valuable her mother's necklace had apparently been. Realizing it was late, Reid replaced the papers and retired to his own room.