by J A Whiting
“And what?” Claire asked.
“It didn’t mean anything at the time, but, now, under the circumstances….”
“What, Cam?”
“The guy said something like ‘one of these days, she’s going to get hers.’”
Claire and Cameron stared at each other.
“When did this happen?” Claire questioned.
Cam’s face paled. “About two weeks before Ashley got killed.”
6
Detective Ian Fuller entered the chocolate shop and smiled brightly when he saw Claire behind the counter slipping a tray of cookies and muffins into the case. When Claire met his gaze, the man’s kind, brown eyes warmed her to the core and she returned his smile, happy to see him.
“You’re back from your conference already?” Claire asked. “I thought it ran two more days.”
“I was called back early because of the Smith murder. I drove back this afternoon. I just got in.”
Claire said, “It’s nice to see you, but I guess you’re not here for a social visit.”
“Well, I would have stopped by anyway, but I do want to talk to you and Nicole.”
Robby walked by with a tray of coffee drinks he was delivering to one of the tables by the window. He nodded at Ian and kidded, “What about me? These two girls get all the attention. Don’t you want to talk to me, too?”
“Of course, I do.” Ian chuckled. “But someone has to hold down the fort when I take Claire and Nicole away from their work.”
Claire handed Ian the latte she made for him. “Want to sit?” She gestured to the table in the corner by the window that had just been vacated.
He nodded and took his drink with him while Claire called Nicole from the backroom. When the three had taken seats, Ian got down to business.
“I want to talk to both of you about what I learned this morning about Ashley Smith’s murder.” He looked at Claire and inquired about how she was doing since coming across the upsetting scene.
“I’m okay,” she told him. “I’m glad you’re back. I have some things to tell you, too, but why don’t you share your news first.”
The detective nodded. “Even though I can’t share everything, there are some details about the case you need to hear.” Although Ian kept his voice down, he glanced around at the customers to see if anyone might be paying attention to his conversation. “You’ve heard most of the basic stuff. Ashley Smith worked at the financial services firm. She moved to Boston from Rhode Island, attended MIT’s Sloan school, got her MBA, worked briefly at another company for two years before moving to Pennington Private Wealth.”
“She lived with her boyfriend,” Nicole said. “He worked at the same firm.
Ian said, “They met there, started seeing each other, moved in together about four months ago.”
“Is the boyfriend a suspect?” Claire questioned.
“He was, however, he went into work very early that morning and was in the office when the murder took place.”
“So the woman was killed shortly before Claire found her?” Nicole asked.
“The medical examiner’s timeline puts the death about thirty minutes to an hour before Claire came along. The death was narrowed to a certain window of time because Ashley was seen at a corner coffee shop that morning shortly before Claire found the body. Ashley skipped her usual run, she told her boyfriend she had a headache. After getting up and getting ready for work, she walked to the coffee shop for a takeout drink, got in the car, and drove the two blocks to where she was shot.”
“Did she always take her car to work?” Claire asked. “The building isn’t that far away. Why not walk and avoid the traffic and the hassle of parking.”
Ian said, “Ashley usually walked to work with her boyfriend. She had a meeting with a client in Weston that morning. That’s why the car.”
“The boyfriend was definitely at work when it happened? His alibi is solid?” Something picked at Claire about the details.
“Iron-clad.” Ian took a swallow of his latte and then made eye contact with each of the young women. “Nothing was taken from the car. Ashley’s purse was on the seat, but nothing was stolen from it. All credit cards and cash were untouched. Ashley was wearing diamond earrings and a Rolex watch, an expensive one. She still had them on when the police arrived.”
Nicole’s eyes widened. “Clearly it wasn’t a robbery then.”
“Might it have been a robbery, but the perpetrator was interrupted before he could take anything?” Claire wondered.
“There is a security camera on one of the buildings.” Ian seemed to wince. “The camera captured the murder. The time and date mechanism is broken so it doesn’t give us any information about the time the crime was committed. As I said, we were able to piece that together.”
Ian paused for a moment. “The person can be seen from the back. A man wearing a baseball cap, jeans, a long-sleeve shirt. He waves for Ashley to stop and she does, probably thinking the man needs directions. He steps to the stopped car, leans in. There’s a flash and Ashley slumps. He reaches inside the driver side window for a couple of seconds, then calmly walks away. He knew the camera was there. That’s why he was careful to never face in that direction.”
“Can you tell anything about this guy?” Nicole leaned forward. “Can you use the security film to identify him?”
“Very unlikely.” Ian frowned. “He looks like a million other men, nothing distinguishes this guy from any other young man walking around the city.”
Claire tilted her head in question. “Why did he reach inside the car after shooting Ashley?”
“I was just getting to that.” Ian glanced around the shop again. “The guy removed a ring from the woman’s hand. The boyfriend had given it to her. He said she always wore the ring.”
“Why take the ring and nothing else?” Claire’s forehead scrunched up. “Was it valuable?”
“It was worth about four hundred dollars, a tiny fraction of what the earrings and the watch were worth.”
“Why would he do that?” Nicole asked. “Why just take the ring?”
Ian cleared his throat. “Often when a crime is committed for hire, the hit man takes something from the victim to prove the completed deed to the person who hired him.”
Both Nicole’s and Claire’s mouths dropped open. Neither one said a word. They stared at Ian.
“A hit man?” Nicole nearly spat out the words.
“Someone put out a contract on her?” Claire couldn’t believe it and even though she knew Ian wouldn’t be able to answer, she asked anyway, “Why?”
“If we knew the reason, it would probably lead to the person who made the hire and then to the killer.” Ian’s shoulders drooped slightly. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the answer.”
“Why on earth would someone take out a contract on Ashley Smith?” Claire shook her head and then sat up. “The senior vice president of Pennington Private Wealth got in touch with me. I met him on his private yacht.”
A look of surprise showed on the detective’s face. “He contacted you? Why?”
“Somehow he knew that I was the one who discovered the body.”
“What’s the man’s name?” Ian reached into his jacket pocket for a small notebook.
Alarm shot through Claire’s body. “You can’t let him know I told you this.”
Ian looked across the table at her. “Why not?”
“I don’t want him thinking I ran to the cops after we talked. Even though he didn’t come right out and tell me not to speak to anyone about what we discussed, since we met on his yacht and not in his office, I’m pretty sure that was the message.”
“I won’t say a word.” Ian had a pen poised over the notebook. “What’s this man’s name?”
Claire locked eyes with Ian. “You won’t say a word?”
“I promise. You know you can trust me.”
“Bradford Bilson, he’s one of the senior vice presidents at Pennington Private Wealth Management.”
/> “He contacted you out of the blue?”
“Yes, but he and I have met several times.” Claire couldn’t tell Ian that the firm managed her money. The Pennington company only managed millionaires … or billionaires and she wasn’t ready to reveal her association with the firm.
Ian blinked at Claire, but he didn’t ask her how she knew a man who was involved with such a well-known and prestigious firm.
Claire said, “Bilson asked me about my finding Ashley. He claimed to be concerned about her. My take on it is that his real interest is due to worry that the death could bring bad publicity to the company. I wonder if he thinks someone within the firm had something to do with the murder, an employee … or maybe, a client.”
Ian scribbled some notes.
“Or maybe someone in a senior position,” Claire added.
“This is good information.” Ian looked at Claire. “Anything else you think was important?”
“That’s all. I wish it was more.”
Concern etched into Ian’s forehead. “My reason for telling you about the possibility this is a contract killing is because I’d like both of you to stay out of it. I know your involvement with the last two things was of tremendous help, but….”
“But, what?” Nicole asked.
“These circumstances are out of the norm … and, well, it could be very dangerous. I’m asking you not to get involved. Please stay on the sidelines on this one.” He looked from one young woman to the other.
Nicole took a quick glance at Claire and then said softly, “We can’t promise anything, Ian.”
Ian was about to speak when Nicole cut him off. “We appreciate the difficult and questionable issues with the case, but Claire found the dead woman. They lived in the same neighborhood. You know we feel a duty to help.”
“We don’t yet know who or what we’re dealing with.” Ian’s face was serious. “And this time, trying to help could get you both killed.”
Claire silently agreed with Nicole. She couldn’t promise to stay out of the investigation, because deep in her heart she knew she had to help find the person responsible for Ashley Smith’s death.
7
Little rounds of custard flans sat on a serving platter in the middle of the counter at Tony’s Market and Deli with a few early-morning customers gathered around to taste-test the dessert while Claire talked with Augustus in the back corner of the shop.
“I’m familiar with the Pennington firm and I know who Bilson is. We’ve met a few times at charitable events.” Augustus sipped his tea. “How do you know him?”
“I met him through my late husband. They were acquainted through charity fundraisers.” Claire could tell by the judge’s facial expression and tone of voice that he wasn’t particularly fond of the man. “Why don’t you like Bilson?”
Augustus’s scruffy, white eyebrow went up. “I didn’t say I didn’t like him.”
“But I can tell that you don’t.”
A little smile played over the older man’s face. “You are a very perceptive person.”
“I’ve been known to have strong intuition.” Claire grinned. Augustus didn’t know anything about her special ability to sense things from people and it made her smile when he commented on her perceptive abilities. “So why don’t you like Bilson? Are his business practices suspect?”
“No, not to my knowledge. That isn’t the reason.”
“Can you share the reason?” Claire asked. She understood Augustus was privy to confidential information both in his time as a State Supreme Court Justice and even now as a respected member of the community and he was often unable to divulge what he knew.
“I have no reason to suspect that Bilson is other than a law-abiding and conscientious head of the firm,” Augustus announced. “The financial institution has a strong reputation in this country and abroad.”
“But you don’t care for the man,” Claire observed again.
“I don’t.” A cloud settled on the judge’s face. “I’ve heard some things about Bilson that I don’t like. At the firm, he is very careful to be above-board in his actions … in his personal life, however, he may not be so concerned with what he does.”
“That’s cryptic,” Claire said. “Can you be any more specific?”
Augustus rubbed his chin. “He may do questionable things to fill his bank account.”
“Like what sort of things? Is that all you can say about it?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Could Bilson hire a hit man to get rid of someone?”
“I wouldn’t put it past him, but that absolutely doesn’t mean he had anything to do with Ms. Smith’s murder. The man seems to be the sort of person who would do what’s in his best interests and the heck with everyone else. There are often checks and balances within an institution that keep senior management on the straight and narrow. I wouldn’t do business with the man outside of the management firm, but don’t go off thinking Bilson is responsible for having Ms. Smith killed. A person may not give a hoot about misleading people and bilking them out of their money to make a fortune, but murder? That is a big leap for someone to make. A very big leap.”
“But I shouldn’t eliminate the possibility?”
“There are probably only a few people you should cross off your suspect list. Us, Tony, Nicole, Robby, Ian.”
“That’s not very encouraging,” Claire told the judge.
“It can be a harsh world.” Augustus lifted his cup. “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”
Claire let out a sigh. “You’re right.” She shifted her gaze to the front of the store where Tony was directing the taste-testing of the dessert. The Corgis sat on the floor beside the man listening to his every word.
“It’s important to take this seriously,” Tony told three customers who were filling out the voting cards. “Think about the taste, the texture. Choose carefully. This is important to Claire and Nicole. Nicole is trying to get attention for her chocolate shop. As a small business owner, I know how important this is for her, so please, take your job voting for the sweets seriously.”
Claire smiled. “Nicole should hire Tony as her marketing manager.”
Augustus let out a chuckle and looked at Tony admiringly. “Some of our discussions require us to talk about the worst in people. That man at the front of the market is an example of the best of people.”
Claire was going to agree with Augustus when he spoke before she could say anything.
“And the woman sitting across from me is also one of the best.” Augustus lifted his tea cup to salute Claire and she got all misty-eyed.
Her throat tight, she managed to squeak out a thank you. “And I feel the same about you.”
Tony came up to the small table and noticed the young woman’s eyes glistening with tears. “Why is Claire crying?” He shifted his focus to Augustus with his fist on his hip. “Did you say something to upset her?”
Claire waved her hand in the air and swallowed. “Something got in my eye and made them water. That’s all it is.”
Tony scowled. “What were you two talking about?”
“How great you are.” Claire laughed.
Tony harrumphed and returned to the front counter while Claire and Augustus shook their heads and smiled.
Claire’s phone buzzed with a text. “It’s Nicole. She says to come to work early. There’s someone there who wants to talk to me.”
Augustus said, “If you are going to continue to look into this case, then a word of warning, as always … keep up your guard, Claire. Don’t let it down for an instant.”
When Claire arrived at the chocolate shop, she saw a young woman in her early twenties with chin-length auburn hair sitting at a table sipping a drink looking around the empty place uncomfortably. She perked up when she saw Claire. “Are you Robby’s friend?”
“I am.” Claire went up to the young woman’s table. “You must be the person who wants to talk? Nicole texted me that someone would like to speak with us
.”
As Nicole came out from the back room with a platter of cookies, the woman introduced herself to Claire. “I’m Sally Burton. I go to school with Robby. My stepbrother, Michael, dated Ashley.”
Nicole and Claire sat down opposite Sally.
“Robby said I should come talk to you.” The girl’s big green eyes looked from one to the other and she clasped her hands together tightly in her lap.
“You’d met Ashley?” Claire asked.
Sally nodded. “Not a bunch. She worked a lot, I’m at school, I work part-time and then I do gigs at night.”
Nicole smiled trying to put the young woman at ease. “Do you sing?”
“Yeah. I play piano and guitar, flute too.”
“Impressive,” Claire told her. “Robby can attest to the fact that I have no musical ability whatsoever so people like you are amazing to me.”
Sally seemed to relax a little. “Anyone can learn to play.”
“Your brother dated Ashley for about eight months?” Nicole asked.
“That’s about right. They moved in together a little while ago.”
“What did you think of Ashley?” Claire questioned.
“She seemed nice.”
Claire didn’t think anything of importance was going to come from the conversation. “Did you ever go out together? Have dinner with Ashley and your brother? Did you have a chance to spend any time with her?”
Sally ran her hand through her hair. “I feel awful. I didn’t get together with them much at all, I’m always so busy. We did go out for drinks one night.”
“You had a chance to talk then?” Claire looked hopeful.
“I don’t know much about Ashley. She was nice to me that night when we went out. We talked about music, what I wanted to do after I graduated. She told me she was getting tired of her job, that it was too stressful, that I was lucky to have so much creative talent.”
