The Edge of Murder (A Hank Reed Mystery, Book 3)

by Fred Lichtenberg

  She returned to the kitchen and brought back a mug of coffee that read ‘I love me’ on it.

  “Thought you might want some.”

  So thoughtful. I am going to miss this.

  “Thanks.”

  She placed the mug on a coaster and glanced at the computer. I had returned to the screensaver and peered up. Her eyes appeared to be burning into the photo.

  “I just realized this is the same photo as the one on the table.” I peered over at the table, but the photo was gone.

  I turned to Amanda. Her eyes remained hard on the screensaver until she slammed the laptop closed. Recovering, she said, “Sorry, you probably didn’t book your flight yet.” She lifted the computer cover.

  That photo. I said, “I was going to, but JR just texted me. Something to do with Nick. His doctor called and told him Nick was making progress and wanted to see me.”

  She stepped back. “What about?” Her voice fell flat.

  I shrugged. “He didn’t say, except it had to do with the murder. Either way, I think I’ll stay a day longer. I’ll go back to Nick’s—”

  “Nonsense, you’ll stay here. As a friend.” Another feigned smile. “We’ll figure out sleeping arrangements.” She then asked, “So, what do you think happened that Nick suddenly came around?”

  I shrugged. “I’ll find out later. Can you imagine if Nick identifies the real killer?”

  Amanda sighed. “I think we both know Elizabeth wanted Terry dead…”

  Our eyes held for a moment, then as she left for the kitchen, I turned back to the screensaver.

  Connect the dots, Hank.

  Thirty-One

  That night, I hadn’t managed to sleep very well. That photo kept nagging at me. Around six a.m., I woke up with a start. I turned to Amanda—her king-size bed kept us safely apart‍—but she wasn’t there. As I took a breath, the smell of coffee wafted over my senses. Good, she was in the kitchen. I stepped into the bathroom and texted JR. I did need him, after all.

  Call me at six-thirty.

  A few minutes later, he texted back, I was asleep. You OK?

  Later, I typed back.

  I hopped in the shower, got dressed, and met Amanda in the kitchen.

  “Morning,” I said. “The coffee smells great.”

  She was dressed casually in shorts and a T-shirt that read, ‘Women do it better.’ I was about to ask her ‘do what better,’ but figured we’d miss the sexy joke.

  “I hope I didn’t wake you. I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d make us some coffee. I can make breakfast.”

  I gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek and filled my cup with coffee. A sip later, I said, “This is all I need, thanks.”

  She smiled sadly. “Sorry about a missed opportunity last night. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Hank. I mean, I do know. It’s complicated.”

  I smiled warmly. “I understand.”

  My cell phone chirped. “Who the heck?” I looked at the phone. “I have to take this.” I got up and stopped at the kitchen door.

  “JR, you’re up early. What’s up?”

  My detective buddy was obviously confused, but he assumed I was into something devious and said, “Okay, I’ll play along.”

  I said, “Doctor Powers told you this? That’s great.” I turned and gave Amanda a thumbs up.

  She feigned a smile and walked over to the coffee maker. As I watched her pour a cup, I noticed another twitch from her hand.

  “And you’re sure of this?” I smiled at Amanda. “Nick wants to see me, now? Great. Can you pick me up at Amanda’s house?”

  JR played along. “You’re tired of getting laid, I get it. When and where?”

  I held my hand over the phone and said, “Amanda, JR’s picking me up. I’ll call later when I find out more on Nick.”

  She nodded. “Right, sure.”

  I gave JR the address. “Call me when you arrive.”

  After saying our goodbyes and wishing each other well, I hopped in the car.

  “You wanna tell me what that was all about? I thought I was in the twilight zone.”

  “In a minute. Drive down the block and park.”

  “Yes, Miss Daisy.” He laughed guardedly.

  I pointed to a spot. “Squeeze in there.”

  “Christ, Hank, what the hell is going on?” He parked and turned to me. “Now what?”

  “Lower the windows. We might be here a while.”

  He depressed both sides and turned off the engine. “Next.”

  I took a breath. “I think there’s something odd going on between Elizabeth and Amanda.”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know, but I need to go back to Nick’s apartment and search through his patients’ files. I’m interested in the woman who killed herself.” I took a breath. “Back at Amanda’s house, I noticed a few photos on a table, and one of them was Amanda and a friend who looked eerily familiar.”

  “Sounds innocent enough.”

  “I thought so, until I studied the photo. There was something familiar about the friend. I knew I’d never met her, but I was sure I’d seen her. If that makes sense.”

  Before JR could answer, I said, “When I opened Amanda’s laptop, the same photo came up on the screensaver. What’s so special about the photo?”

  “You mean the relationship.”

  “Right. That’s when things turned weird. When I innocently asked her about the photo, her mood changed, and not for the better. Things went downhill from there until I decided to leave. And get this. When I glanced over at the table later, the photo was missing.”

  “Sounds like you hit a nerve. And you think you saw the woman in the photo somewhere else. You mean, at a bar?”

  I shook my head. “When I had the chance, I began browsing through Nick’s patient files. Okay, it wasn’t legal, but I was curious about the woman who killed herself. You know me, I’m always searching for angles. That’s when I noticed a photo related to a local newspaper obit. The article was sad, as you would expect. But it was the photo of the deceased that caught my eye. She was young and quite beautiful. What caught my attention was the birthmark on her left cheek. Small, yet noticeable. It reminded me of Marilyn Monroe’s mole. Sexy. Only sad sexy. I think it’s the same woman in Amanda’s photo and screensaver.”

  JR remained silent, but I could tell he was processing what I’d told him. Finally, he said, “Interesting connection.”

  I said, “What do you make of it?”

  He shrugged. “Either a coincidence or—”

  “Something sinister,” I finished. “That’s why I need to go back to Nick’s patient file. What if the deceased is the same woman in Amanda’s photo?” I stared out the window and watched a jogger pass by. “She would have known Nick was her therapist.” I let that stay in the air a moment. “Could it have been planned, that Elizabeth purposely met Nick? And the twins got rid of two evil men together?”

  “Jesus, Hank, do you know what you’re suggesting?”

  “A conspiracy.”

  We waited about ten minutes, and then I called Amanda. She picked up immediately.

  “Hank, is everything okay? You left in such a hurry. Is Nick okay?” She kept rambling.

  “Great news. I just got off the phone with Doctor Powers. Nick has made stunning progress. Apparently, he’s remembering things that occurred over the past week.” I glanced over at JR, whose eyes were rolling.

  “That’s…wonderful. So, he’s talking?”

  “He’s starting to. The doctor mentioned something about a dissociative fugue—some medical mumble jumble—a temporary state of amnesia that’s been reversed.”

  When she didn’t answer, I said, “Amanda, I’m on my way to the hospital now. I’ll call when I get more news.”

  “That would be…great. Yes, please call.”

  “Can you imagine if Nick can identify Terry’s real killer?” I pushed. “I hate to say it, but all roads lead to Elizabeth. She brought him home from the hospital.
She must have called Terry and—”

  “God, Hank, when you put it like that, it seems so real. That’s horrible.”

  I nodded to JR. “And get this, the police discovered a security camera aimed down at Nick’s street. They might be able to home in on the plate number of the car the runner jumped into. The driver’s an accessory to the crime. If they find him, he may talk.”

  “Crazy.”

  “I know. I gotta run. Talk soon.”

  I dropped the call before Amanda could reply, then turned to JR, who had a wide smile on his face. “Good work, Detective. Now what?”

  I pulled the rearview mirror in my direction. “We wait.”

  Within minutes, Amanda’s red Mustang sped down the street, passing them, and barely stopping at the stop sign.

  “That’s her.”

  JR zipped out of the spot and rushed to the stop sign. As he turned, I watched Amanda speed ahead.

  “She’s certainly in a rush.”

  “I guess I set her off.” I kept my eyes glued to the back of her car. She made several turns before working her way to the interstate. “This might get tricky with all the lanes.”

  “Hank, you forget, I drive in New York City.” He chuckled. “Damn, she’s weaving like crazy. She might get pulled over.”

  “Let’s hope not. She’s on the phone, and her hands and head are gesturing like crazy. Like maybe she’s not too happy.”

  “I wonder who she’s talking to,” JR said. “Maybe her partner in crime.”

  I side-glanced JR. “We’ll find out soon enough.” My eyes turned back to the road. “She cut someone off and slid into the right lane.” I looked up at the approaching exit.

  “Damn.”

  “You know something I don’t?”

  “She’s gonna get off at Marina Mile Blvd. Trust me.”

  JR entered the right lane and stayed a few lengths back. “I’ll be damned.”

  I smiled. “I know where she’s heading. There’s an observation area near the airport.”

  “I’m assuming you’ve been here before.”

  “Once, looking for Elizabeth. One of her hiding places from Terry. He nearly caught her.”

  Amanda took the off-ramp and slowed as she entered the narrow road. “You can leave me off at the Naval Air Station museum up ahead.” I pointed. “It’s close enough to the parking observation area, and I can move easily between the trees and bushes.” JR pulled over, and I was about to get out when a car roared past us. A white BMW. I memorized the plate number and repeated it twice before jotting it down on my phone.

  “Could be the same car that picked Elizabeth up at the beach, the one Mrs. Burke might have noticed a woman hop into outside Nick’s building.” I shifted to JR. “I’m guessing they’ll head in different directions on the way out, so you should follow the BMW.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’ll be fine. In the meantime, find the owner of that vehicle. I’m texting over the number now.”

  When it pinged, he said, “Got it.”

  I jumped out, dashed across the road, and ducked into the woods. I charged onto the trail leading to the parking lot, about twenty feet away. When I reached the opening, I counted five cars, all but two facing the runway, so it was easy to distinguish the two I was interested in. Their windows were open, but only Amanda was visible and talking a mile a minute. I snuck around to get a better peek at the BMW’s driver, wondering if it was Elizabeth.

  But it was a man. The rear windows were rolled up, so I assumed only the driver was in the car. I snapped a few pictures of the guy with my phone. Was he another member of Terry’s posse? And why was he here meeting with Amanda?

  A few minutes later, my cell chirped.

  “The guy’s name is James Nash, and he’s from Miller Falls, New York. I think that’s the same town as the victim. He goes by Blade, and he’s got a record, but no open warrants. Seems he likes to play with knives, hence his nickname. Apparently, he killed someone in self-defense and got off. Be careful, Hank.”

  “I intend to. So far, they’re just talking. I don’t see Elizabeth in the car.”

  “Unless the driver is doing the talking for both of them.”

  “The tinted windows are too dark to tell. Maybe when he leaves, I’ll find a shadow. I’ll call you when they head out.”

  I waited another five minutes, thinking the driver must have been the same guy who picked up Elizabeth at the beach and took her to the hospital. They then drove back to Nick’s place where Terry was murdered.

  Then what was Amanda doing here?

  Amanda turned toward the woods, toward me, and I froze. But her gaze wandered back to the driver. She reached down and brought up something covered by a cloth and handed it to Blade. It was quick, but I swore it was shaped like a pistol. Or was it my imagination?

  Amanda rolled up her window and turned to leave. Blade followed, and I called JR.

  “I don’t have time to get back to you before they leave. Follow the BMW. I’ll call Walker. If Blade has a gun, he’ll be interested. One thing, JR: don’t let the bastard get away.”

  “What about you?”

  “Don’t worry; I can grab an Uber.”

  “Okay, they’re heading my way. I better duck before Amanda sees me,” he said, his voice rushing.

  I called Walker and told him about the exchange. “JR is following the guy now.” I rattled off JR’s cell number. “Call him.”

  “Hank, you’re not supposed to be involved—”

  “Sorry, there’s a call coming in. Talk soon.” I disconnected, not wanting to be further chastised.

  I waited fifteen minutes for my Uber. The driver offered a bottle of water, which I gladly accepted, and took a much-needed sip, sat back, and watched a Delta jet take off.

  The driver, a middle-aged guy who went by Buck, rattled off Nick’s address.

  “That’s it. If there’s a change, I’ll pay extra.”

  The driver glanced at his rearview mirror. “No problem.”

  I called Amanda and got her voicemail. No surprise there. I left a message for her to call me. “I’m with Nick. He’s made an amazing recovery.”

  I looked up at the driver, whose eyes stayed on the road. If he was listening, he didn’t show it.

  When we reached the interstate, JR called. “They went in different directions. I don’t know the area, but Amanda got off at Broward Boulevard. I’m following Blade. Walker called and should be catching up with me.”

  “Good, Blade’s the one we want for now. I’m interested in whatever’s in that cloth.” I kept my eyes on my driver. I was certain he was listening to every word. “Now, I’m certain there’s more to the story than one weapon.”

  “Walker’s calling. I’ll call you back.”

  I glanced out the window. We were approaching the Broward Boulevard exit where JR told me Amanda had gone. I leaned forward. “New destination. Get off at the next exit and head east. Can you program an address while driving?”

  “No, it’s forbidden. What’s the address? I’m familiar with the area.”

  “Hold on.” I looked up Amanda’s address and passed it on to the driver.

  “Not a problem, sir.”

  When we arrived at her house, her car wasn’t in the driveway.

  Where are you, Amanda?

  The driver turned to me. “This the place?”

  I peered up and nodded. I decided to get out and wait. Worst case scenario, I’d call for another driver.

  “We’re good.” I took out a twenty and handed it to him. “Thanks.”

  I watched him leave, then headed up the walkway, where there were two gray wicker chairs waiting for me. I plopped down on one and stretched out my legs.

  As I waited, a dozen or so cars passed by, three runners, and a woman with a baby stroller, but no Amanda.

  Fifteen minutes later and with no Amanda, I called her. I received the same unavailable message. I baited her with, “I think the police broke the case. Can’t
discuss it right now, but call ASAP. I’m worried about you. Oh, and I’m sitting on your porch. Another beautiful day in Florida.”

  I assumed that would get her attention, but still, no Amanda. Ten minutes later, JR called.

  “Blade stopped for gas.”

  “Where?”

  “At a Shell station on Federal Highway. Apparently, he needed to take a whizz. Walker and his partner were waiting for him outside, but when he started back to his car, he must have gotten spooked and hightailed it out of there. He was pretty quick.”

  “He’s on the loose?”

  “For now. Based on your witnessing the exchange between him and Amanda, Walker was more interested in what he might find in Blade’s car.”

  “Don’t keep me hanging, JR.”

  He laughed. “After determining probable cause—him running and leaving that beautiful BMW obstructing the gas pump, they found a nine-millimeter and five grand in the glove compartment wrapped in—get this—a chamois cloth, you know the kind they use for car washing. Walker’s having the car impounded, and then they’ll bring the gun in for a ballistics test and run the serial number through NCIC.”

  “And you caught all this?” I asked eagerly.

  “From a distance, but yeah, enough to witness what went down. I’m banking the weapon they found inside Blade’s car was the second one used to kill the victim. Walker told me Terry was hit by two different calibers.”

  “Two?”

  “Looks that way. We’ll soon find out whether the one Amanda transferred to Blake was the second. We know for sure Terry was shot by his own gun found in Nick’s hands at the crime scene.”

  I thought about the twins’ relationship. For sure, Elizabeth was more loving and thoughtful than her sister, maybe feeling guilty that she was forced to ask Amanda for help against Terry.

  Amanda went through the motion of accepting her sister’s dilemma, even going as far as helping her escape from Terry’s web. But there was a history between Amanda and her brother-in-law, and not a friendly one. She hated Terry, and slowly became angry, resentful, and scared. In reality, Amanda became unhinged.