by Cindy Bell
“Someone was found dead in the kitchen. The police are evacuating the building.”
“Found dead?” Eddy grasped him by the elbow. “It wasn’t an accident, was it? Or they wouldn’t be evacuating.”
“No, it definitely wasn’t an accident.” The waiter’s face grew pale as he spoke, then he turned and continued on with the crowd.
Chapter 5
Eddy’s mind swirled at the news that someone had been murdered.
“We need to get inside.” He grabbed Samantha’s hand and began to steer her around the side of the hotel.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Samantha frowned. “What if we get caught?”
“You can stay out here, Sam, but Colin invited me here for a reason. This might just be it.”
Samantha followed right behind him. There was no chance that she would let him go in there alone. When Eddy looked back and saw her there, he was both relieved and nervous. Relieved that he had some back-up he could rely on, and nervous that he would get them both into trouble.
“This way.” He pointed down a side hallway.
“How do you know?” She matched her pace with his as they continued down the narrow hallway.
“All of the police are headed this way, so this must be where the body is.” He gestured to a few patrol officers who were already near the end of the hall.
Samantha’s stomach twisted as she wondered if the officers would notice them. However, they turned the corner without ever looking back. As they reached the corner, Samantha peeked around it.
“Wait a second.” Eddy placed his hand on her shoulder. “I think we’re near the kitchen. I can smell the food.” He sniffed the air.
“How are we going to get any closer with all of these officers in the way?” Samantha whispered as she hung back, close to the wall. She knew if the officers saw them they would be kicked out of the hotel, and there would be no chance to find out more about what happened. Eddy seemed to be at a loss. “I’ll get you in.” She patted his shoulder, then stepped out into the hallway.
The moment she did, the officers noticed her.
“Ma’am, we’re evacuating the premises, you need to leave.” One of the officers stepped forward and pointed down the hallway to the exit.
“Oh, but I left my phone inside, I just need to grab it. I’m a doctor, and I can’t be without it. I happened to be in the restroom when the evacuation started. I just need to get back into the ballroom to grab it.” She looked between the men that stared at her. “How much harm could that really do?”
“You’re really a doctor?” One of the officers eyed her.
“Yes.” Samantha did her best to sound convincing and hoped that they wouldn’t request proof. “I almost never leave my phone behind, but someone spilled champagne on my dress.” She gestured to the stain on her skirt. “I rushed to the restroom to clean it off, and that’s when the evacuation started. The officer that ushered me out of the restroom refused to let me retrieve my phone. I’m just hoping that you will see how important it is for me to have it back.”
“All right, I’ll take her.” One of the officers tilted his head in the direction of the ballroom. “Can you two handle the final sweep?”
“Yes, we’re on it.” The two other officers headed in the opposite direction down the hall. Eddy saw his opportunity as Samantha was led away by the third officer. He slipped around the corner and through the kitchen doors before anyone could stop him. The kitchen was quiet, but he could hear the chatter of police radios not far off. It was a very large space, and he guessed that the action was taking place somewhere else. He started to make his way forward. As he did, the side door of the kitchen that led to the ballroom abruptly swung open. Samantha stepped in, her face pale and her eyes wide.
“I think I lost him.”
“Good job, Doc.” Eddy winked at her. “Let’s see if we can find out what’s going on.”
Eddy led the way towards the other side of the kitchen. Since they walked in from behind the main crime scene, most of the officers were facing in the other direction. Eddy stepped around a large butcher’s block, and immediately froze.
“It’s Colin!” He stumbled back, right into Samantha who stood just behind him.
“What?” She grasped his shoulder to steady him as she looked beyond him to the kitchen floor. A bolt of shock rushed through her as she recognized the figure sprawled out across the tiles. There was no question that foul play was involved, the crimson pool against the stark white tiles made that very clear. “Eddy, I’m so sorry.” She pulled him close and wrapped her arms around him.
“What are you doing in here?” A voice behind her barked, causing her to jump.
Samantha and Eddy both turned to see Detective Brunner in the doorway of the kitchen. He looked at the other officers.
“I told you to clear the crime scene, so why are there two civilians in the middle of it?” His tone was sharp, and left no room for excuses.
One of the young officers cleared his throat.
“It’s not his fault.” Eddy straightened up and looked at Brunner. “I snuck in. We’ll be on our way.” He grabbed Samantha’s hand and steered her out through the kitchen door.
“Eddy, wait!” Detective Brunner followed after him. “Did you know the victim?” He stared at him, his gaze unyielding.
“He was an associate of mine. But I didn’t know him well. Good luck with your investigation, Detective.”
Samantha started to draw away from him, uncertain as to why he wasn’t telling the truth. She intended to tell the detective that they had shared a table with the victim, and he seemed to be involved in something that might have led to his death, but a sharp tug on her hand silenced her. She looked into Eddy’s eyes, and saw the warning there. She didn’t understand it, but she trusted him enough to heed it.
Once they were outside the hotel he turned to face her.
“We need to be careful what we say and to whom.”
“Okay.” She narrowed her eyes. “Even Detective Brunner?”
“Especially Detective Brunner. Colin wanted me here for a reason, he wanted to tell me something, and he didn’t feel comfortable discussing it in a room full of cops. What does that tell you?” He lifted one of his eyebrows.
“That what he had to say involved someone in law enforcement?” Samantha’s heart fluttered as a group of patrol officers walked past.
“Exactly. Until we figure out what it was that he had to say, we need to be cautious about what we say about any of this.” He shoved his hands into his pockets again as a cold breeze carried through the parking lot.
“Eddy, this isn’t just about a mystery that you need to solve. You’ve lost a very good friend.” Samantha gazed into his eyes. “You realize that, don’t you?”
“Of course, I do.” Eddy squinted as he grasped the bag in his pocket again. “What is this?” He pulled it out and opened the bag right up. The moment he did, he closed it again and shoved it back into his pocket. He grabbed Samantha by the elbow and steered her towards the car. “We have to get out of here.”
Samantha noticed the urgency in his voice and it caused her heart to beat even faster. “What’s wrong, Eddy?”
“Get in the car.” He pulled open the door for her, and passed swift glances in all directions around the parking lot. “Hurry!”
Samantha slid into the passenger seat, her eyes wide and her mouth dry. If something had Eddy that shaken, she was sure it had to be quite serious. Once he was in the car beside her, he turned the engine on and drove out of the parking lot.
“Eddy, tell me what’s going on. I’m involved in this, too, I have a right to know.” Samantha grabbed the handle above her door as he took a hard right and she lurched to the side. “Slow down!” She growled her words.
He slammed on his brakes in an empty parking lot, then pulled the bag out of his pocket again.
“Look for yourself.”
She was stunned as she noticed the quake in his hand. She p
ulled open the bag and discovered that there were a few stacks of hundred-dollar bills inside of it.
“What is this?” She gasped. “How did it get in your pocket?” She dug through the bag and found that there was a folded note in the bottom. “Did you see this?”
“I have no idea how it got there. It wasn’t there when I went in, which means one of two things, someone is trying to frame me, or someone is trying to send me a message.” He took the note from her and opened it up. “No, I didn’t see this.” His face grew pale as he read it over. Then he read it out loud.
‘Eddy, in case something happens to me, this is what I wanted to talk to you about. It is evidence and there’s a lot more where that came from. It will all make sense soon enough.'
“What does that mean?” Samantha narrowed her eyes. “Evidence of what? And who is the note from?”
“It must be from Colin.” Eddy’s forehead creased as he considered the words. “He was obviously involved in some kind of investigation, I suspect into Hank Greer. But I have no idea what this money has to do with it, or how it can be used as evidence. He must have planned to tell me about it, but was worried that he wouldn’t get the chance to. What I don’t understand is how did he get this into my pocket?”
“He didn’t.” Samantha grabbed the sleeve of his trench coat. “The stain I saw today, the coffee stain, remember?”
“Yes?” He glanced at his sleeve.
“It’s gone.” Samantha ran her thumb over the place where it should have been. “I don’t think this is your coat, Eddy.”
“What are you talking about?” Eddy frowned. He took a closer look at the material and the way it fit the length of his arms. There was not a stain, and the coat was a bit small on him. “You’re right,” he murmured as he studied the coat. “It must be Colin’s. I noticed he had a similar coat on last night when we were out for drinks.” His voice trailed off. “I can’t believe this. I can’t believe he’s really gone.”
“I’m so sorry, Eddy, but we have to turn it in, and the paper bag that was in the pocket. If you don’t, you’re interfering with a murder investigation. Well, I don’t have to tell you the consequences of that, do I?” She locked her eyes to his.
“No, you don’t.” His gruff tone indicated that he might be a little annoyed that she mentioned it in the first place. “This is going to be messy.” He sighed, then turned the car back on. “The sooner the better.”
Chapter 6
As Eddy drove back towards the hotel, Samantha placed a call to Detective Brunner. As she expected, it was sent to voicemail. He was in the middle of the initial stages of an investigation, she doubted that he would take anyone’s calls at the moment. However, as they pulled back into the parking lot of the hotel, her cell phone began to ring. She was jolted by Detective Brunner’s name on the screen.
“Hi, Detective Brunner, Eddy and I need to speak with you.”
“About?” His voice was terse. “I’m in the middle of something very pressing, you know.”
“Yes, I do. But this is important. Trust me. We’re outside the hotel, where can we speak to you, alone?” Samantha scanned the front walkway. It was dotted with police officers and onlookers. There wouldn’t be much privacy there.
“Meet me on the rear deck. It is completely cleared, but not being searched at this time.” He hung up the phone before she could even agree.
Usually Detective Brunner was helpful, and patient, but today he seemed far from either of those things. She looked over at Eddy, nervously.
“He seems pretty upset. But he said to meet him on the rear deck. What are you going to tell him?” She frowned as he parked the car in front of the hotel.
“That somehow I stole a murder victim’s coat, I suppose.” Eddy stepped out of the car.
“You didn’t steal it. The coat check gave you the wrong coat or maybe you and Colin got the tickets mixed up. They were on the table together.” She joined him on the sidewalk.
“Splitting hairs. It’s not going to matter. I’m going to be one of the first people they look at no matter what. I had no business being here.” He led the way around the side of the hotel towards the back.
“Your friend invited you to a party, that’s not suspicious.”
“A friend that I hadn’t spoken to in years. And then suddenly he’s dead.” His cheeks flushed. “No, Detective Brunner is not going to just let that go.”
They reached the deck and Samantha spotted Detective Brunner as he stepped through the french doors onto the wooden planks.
“It’s going to be okay, Eddy.” Samantha remained at his side as he approached Detective Brunner with the coat in his hand.
“What is this about?” Detective Brunner crossed his arms as he looked between the two of them. “You know I can’t have any interference in this investigation. A police detective murdered at a birthday party for a police chief? I am definitely going to be under the microscope here.”
“I know.” Eddy’s expression was grave. “Colin was a good friend of mine.”
“I’m sorry.” Detective Brunner’s expression softened as he studied Eddy. “I didn’t know that.”
“That’s why I was here. He asked me to be here. He had something he wanted to tell me. I suspect it was about an investigation he’d gotten involved in. When I went to meet him outside to speak to him about it, I stopped and picked up my coat from the coat check. At least I thought it was my coat.” He handed over the long trench coat. “Somehow they got mixed up.”
“Somehow?” Detective Brunner raised an eyebrow. “You had nothing to do with the mix up?”
“No, nothing. I didn’t even realize it was the wrong coat until I was in my car. Actually, Samantha was the one who pointed it out. But this was in the pocket.” He held up the brown paper bag.
“You’re telling me you didn’t know that you got the wrong coat?” Detective Brunner took the paper bag from him.
“Look, Detective.” Samantha flipped to a recent picture of Eddy on her phone, wearing of course, his favorite coat. “They’re nearly identical. The coat check just made a mistake, or maybe Eddy and Colin got the tickets mixed up, or maybe Colin mixed up the tickets on purpose, so Eddy would get the paper bag. Maybe he knew he was in danger.”
“I see.” Detective Brunner nodded as he scanned the coat in front of him, and the coat in the picture. “So, what’s in here?” He opened up the bag. When he saw what was inside his entire body tensed. “Do you know anything about this?”
“No.” Eddy narrowed his eyes. “But I think it has something to do with the investigation he was involved in.” He glanced over at Samantha.
She received the message loud and clear. She was to be careful about what she said. The problem was, she wasn’t great at following orders.
“We suspect it was someone with a badge.” She raised an eyebrow. “Someone that might have even been here for the party. Maybe that’s who went after Colin.”
“Wait a minute.” Detective Brunner held up a hand. “I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. Eddy, do you want to tell me what Colin told you?” His heavy gaze weighed on Eddy’s.
“He didn’t have the chance to tell me much. I’m sorry. If I could help, I would.” He frowned. “That’s why I brought this in as soon as I found it. I’m sure if it has something to do with Colin’s death you’ll figure it out.”
“I will.” Detective Brunner swept his gaze along Eddy’s face, then looked over at Samantha. “Did he say anything to you, Samantha?”
“No, not at all.”
“Interesting.” He rested his hands on his hips as he stared at both of them. “So, a man requested your presence, and help with potential police corruption, but he didn’t tell either of you anything about it?”
“That’s what happened.” Eddy lifted his shoulders in a mild shrug. “You can believe us or not.”
“Believe you? Do you think I have a reason to suspect that you’re not telling me the whole truth?” He squinted at Eddy.
> “No, sir.” Eddy gazed back at him. “I’ll answer any questions you might have.”
“Good. Because I’m going to have some. Right now, I need to get these items logged into evidence. I’ll be contacting you soon for an interview.”
“I’ll be available.”
“We both will.” Samantha nodded.
“What about my coat?” Eddy glanced towards the hotel. “Can I retrieve it?”
“Not now. I’ll make sure it gets back to you.” Detective Brunner grabbed the handle of the door that led into the hotel. “Rest assured, Eddy, whatever happened here, I will figure it out.”
“I’m sure you will.” Eddy watched until the door was all the way shut, then shook his head. “He doesn’t have a clue.”
“Unfortunately, neither do we.”
Samantha fell into step with him as they headed back towards the parking lot. She noticed a tense silence exuding from Eddy. She could hear it in his sharp steps, the subtle clench of his jaw, and the way he kept his gaze pointed at the ground. It grew until they reached the car, when Eddy finally broke it.
“I just don’t get it, Samantha.” Eddy shook his head as he paused beside the passenger door.
“Don’t get what?”
“How could you tell him that we suspected it might be a police officer?” He frowned as he jerked the car door open.
Instantly, Samantha realized that he was more than a little frustrated with her.
“I thought it was important information for him to have. I mean if someone would go after Colin don’t you think it’s possible that person will go after Brunner, too?” Samantha settled in the front seat. “I know you didn’t want me to tell him, but when dealing with the police, especially their safety, I always err on the side of truth.”
“Err on the side of truth?” Eddy sat down in the car and closed the door. “Did you think I intended to lie?”
“Well, you weren’t being very forthcoming about it.” She tilted her head to the side as she studied him.
