I looked at Josiah, open-mouthed. Although my area of expertise was antique books, I’d picked up enough information on general antiques to know that an original Remington bronze bust could be worth hundreds of thousands. Heck, even the good replicas are worth thousands.

“I don’t remember ever noticing the busts in there,” I said.

“Most people don’t. Over the years they got shuffled around.” Josiah turned to Bing. “Bing, you remember those don’t you. I seem to recall even back then you had an interest in bronzes.”

Bing nodded. “Now that you mention it, I do remember. I did have quite a collection of bronzes in my younger days, but I don’t collect them anymore. Never had a Remington, though.”

I remembered that Bing had an extensive collection of antiques, many of which he’d acquired from various parts of the world where he’d performed as a magician. He’d been collecting since he was a boy. When I was young, I used to love to go to his house and look at all the old stuff. He had a treasure trove of items stuffed in the attic, basement and barns. It was no surprise he’d collected a bronze or two in his day.

Josiah looked back at me. “You younger people wouldn’t remember. They weren’t worth nearly as much at the time they were donated, so no one paid much mind to what happened to them and they got moved downstairs.”

Downstairs … where Lavinia’s body was found.

“Gosh, I had forgotten all about those,” Cordelia said.

Hattie looked at the group solemnly. “Maybe someone else remembered about them and broke in to steal them.”

“… And Lavinia stumbled across them and they killed her!” Cordelia added.

“Were any of the statues missing from the library?” Josiah asked me.

“I’m not sure, but you can bet I’m going to find out,” I said.

“Well, then, I think I’ll be on my way.” Josiah pushed himself up from the couch. “I’ll ask around about the bronzes and let you know if I come up with anything.”

“Us, too,” Cordelia and Hattie chorused, then gave each other a knuckle tap as they rose from the couch.

Bing got up with the others. I noticed he’d been unusually quiet.

“I wish you’d be careful if you are going to look into this, Willa,” he said as he followed the others out the door. “There’s a killer on the loose and now that the police are on it, it might be best to leave it to them.”

“I’ll be careful,” I promised.

Bing looked like he was going to say something else, then he must have decided better of it as he turned and disappeared out the door.

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven