Lowering her bag to the floor, she tapped her chin with her finger.“You interviewed Barack Obama and Bob Woodward?”
His eyebrows rose.“You remembered?”
“It would be hard not to.They’re your dream team.If you ever speak to them, can I say hello?”
“Consider yourself officially invited to any interview, but that’s not why I called.Do you remember the pianola we found in the old steamboat museum?”
Barbara nodded.“It was the first piece of furniture you featured on your radio program.Have you found the owner?”
“I’ve done more than that.”Holding her hand, he sat her in front of one of his computers.“I have something to show you.”
With his heart racing, he opened the four photos he’d been sent.“These were taken in 1933.Saskia Wachowski’s parents brought their pianola to America when they emigrated here in 1937.It was their pride and joy.”
Barbara leaned forward.“It looks like the same pianola that’s in the old steamboat museum.Who are the people sitting on the stool?”
“Saskia’s parents.Each evening, her family would sit around the pianola, listening to it play music.”Theo opened another file.“This is a film Saskia’s children had digitized a few years ago.”A young girl with fair hair and a mischievous smile sat on a piano stool, pretending to play the complicated piece of classical music.“That’s Saskia when she was about three years old.Many years later, when her father died, she was living in Paris.Her brother sold their family home before she was able to return to Detroit.Unfortunately, all the furniture was given away, including the pianola.Until a few days ago, she never thought she’d see it again.”
Barbara’s eyes widened.“Are you sure you’ve found her parents’ pianola?”
Theo nodded.“She recognized the rose her dad painted on the case.”He pointed to the distinctive flower on the right-hand side.“Her mom’s name was Roza, which is Polish for rose.”
“How did Saskia find it?”
“She saw one of the Facebook posts you created.She’s eighty-eight years old now and lives in Hawaii.A furniture removal company are collecting the pianola on Friday.Once she has it, she said everything will feel more real.She made a video to thank us for finding it.”
Theo watched the excitement build on Barbara’s face.He glanced at his desk, making sure his box of tissues was still there.“Are you ready?”
Barbara nodded.When the image of Saskia came onto the screen, she smiled.“She has such kind eyes and a lovely smile.”
Through the lens of her camera, Saskia showed them photos of her mother sitting at the pianola.With her high cheekbones and dark hair and eyes, her mom had been a beautiful woman.A third of the way through the video, Saskia told them why her parents had emigrated to America.The hardships they’d suffered brought tears to Barbara’s eyes.
Theo handed her the tissues.
“Thanks.”
As she spoke, Saskia’s hands fluttered in front of her, becoming more agitated as she described the political unrest and persecution that had haunted her family.In desperation, the Wachowski family fled to America to begin a new life.The pianola was their most treasured possession.It became the symbol of all the good times they’d shared and saw them through the challenges of living in a new country.And now, thanks to their discovery, Saskia could share the pianola with her children and great-grandchildren.
When the video ended, Barbara sat back and wiped her eyes.“I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Neither was I when I first saw it.Saskia doesn’t know who brought the pianola to Sapphire Bay.We’re hoping one of my listeners might know something about it.”
“The mystery surrounding the pianola sounds like the letter we found.”
Theo grinned.“It does.Have you had any news from the Smithsonian about your great-grandfather?”
“Not yet.Penny and I found a bereavement card that a friend of my great-grandmother’s gave her.We don’t know if it will help fill in the missing years of our great-grandfather’s life, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Sometimes, the smallest detail can make a big difference.”
“That’s what we’re hoping.”
Theo wrapped his arm around Barbara’s shoulders.“Saskia’s happy to share her story on the radio.Would you like to be part of the interview?I’m calling her on Saturday.”
“I’d love to.What time will I need to be here?”
“Mid-day.”
“That’s perfect.What else have you been doing?”
