by Lynn Cahoon
“If she’s not, Esmeralda’s going to be out of business.” When I looked confused, he laughed. “No one will pay for her talent for delivering messages from the dead if they can just use the cell phone frequencies now.”
“Come on, be serious.” I glanced back at the door, like I could actually see inside to watch my aunt.
“I am being serious. At least we caught it before she sent this guy any money.” He saw the question in my eyes. “Oh, crap. You think she actually sent him money?”
“She was too defensive when you asked. I didn’t push, but I saw the look on her face. She sent him some, I’m just not sure how much.”
Greg tapped the phone. “Well, as long as I have this, she shouldn’t be bothered again. I’d like to wring this guy’s neck. Is this why she canceled the engagement with Harrold?”
“Wouldn’t you, if your dead wife called you out of the blue?”
“One, Sherry’s not dead, and no, I wouldn’t. Sherry had her chance with me.” He grimaced. “But I could see Jim doing something stupid like this. Let’s see if we can find out who was doing this before they move on to their next target.”
He kissed me and then headed downstairs.
“Tell Deek we’ll be right down.”
“Will do. Right after I give him grief about hugging my girlfriend,” he called back up the stairs.
“Technically, I hugged him,” I called after him.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m still giving him grief.” Greg waved from the bottom of the stairs, then disappeared into the office.
I returned to the apartment to find Aunt Jackie had cleaned up our coffee cups and was heading to the door. “Where are you going?”
“It’s time for my shift. We don’t want to be paying overtime to anyone just because you want to talk.” She tried to move around me, but I blocked her.
“I do want to talk.” I waited for her to go sit back down, but she didn’t move. “Fine, we can do this here. You really don’t believe that’s Uncle Ted on the phone, right?”
I saw that the shot had hit as soon as my words were out of my mouth. She tightened her hands around her tote. “Yes, Jill. I do think it’s your uncle. Although why he would do something like this to me, I can’t begin to guess.”
“So you broke your engagement.”
She didn’t meet my eyes. “I can’t marry someone else if I’m still married, now can I?”
“Look, this guy isn’t Uncle Ted. He’s a scammer. You have to know that.”
She looked defeated. “All I know is, he knew way too much about Ted and me to be some random outsider. If he’s not Ted, he has a heck of a lot of information about me and my life.”
I let her go downstairs and smiled a bit when she started ordering Deek around. She was feeling a little less alone in this problem. Even if she didn’t want to admit it.
Two hours later, I hadn’t heard from Greg and I was beginning to get antsy. So I dialed his number to invite him to dinner. That would give me lots of time to grill him about what he’d found.
“Hey, Jill. Sorry, this is a bad time.”
I jumped in before he could hang up. “Come over for dinner and you can tell me what you found.”
“I haven’t been able to look in to it. I’m sorry.” He called out an order to someone else.
“Where are you?” I was kind of mad he hadn’t even tried to find out about who was impersonating Uncle Ted. I know Jackie had been dealing with this for a while, but geez, the guy had promised.
“I’m at a murder scene.” He paused. “Some guy got shot in his house just after I left the shop. Sorry, I really have to go.”
I realized he’d already hung up on me. I knew Greg’s commitment. If he hadn’t been able to help Aunt Jackie yet, he would. I just hoped it wouldn’t take too much longer. I didn’t know if she could stand not knowing if her husband was really dead or just a jerk.
Chapter 4
Early the next morning, Greg sat at the counter in the shop, drinking his second cup of coffee and eating a big slice of cherry cheesecake. “Sorry I didn’t call you back last night. I didn’t get back to the station until after midnight, so I crashed on the couch. I’m heading home for a quick shower and change of clothes before the circus begins again today.”
“Let Emma out when you get there. When her routine is changed, she gets nervous.” I glanced toward the stairs. “I take it you didn’t get anywhere with Aunt Jackie’s phone?”
“Actually, I had Tim take it to the crime lab this morning. They have a tech who’s pretty good with electronics. I told them I had the victim’s permission. You don’t think she’d give me that in writing?” He looked at me with pleading eyes. “I’d ask, but I’ve got a lot on my plate this morning, especially with the murder.”
“Sure, throw that in the mix.” I refilled his coffee. “I’ll write out something and have her sign it before I leave for home. You want it at the station or home?”
“The station.” He finished off his cheesecake. “I don’t think I’ll be home much for a while.”
“Who was killed? Do I know them?” I was treading carefully, knowing that Greg didn’t want me involved in investigations. But maybe, just maybe, he might be tired enough to let this one pass.
“A man who lived just at the edge of town. His girlfriend said she’d lived there for five years, but I’d never even seen them in town.” He covered a yawn with his hand. “I’ve got to shower. The coffee isn’t even keeping me awake.”
“Why don’t you take an hour or so?” In my opinion, Greg always pushed himself too hard, especially during an investigation. “Emma would probably take a nap with you.”
He chuckled. “I bet she would. Okay, you win. I’ve got a briefing with the mayor at three. If I’m still asleep when you get home from your shift, wake me up. I don’t need Marvin any madder at me that he is already. I swear, every election he gets more paranoid.”
He gave me a quick kiss and then walked out. I remembered I was going to tell him about my conversation with Harrold, but it would have to wait. I took my coffee over to the couch and booted up my laptop again. I’d decided late last night when I couldn’t sleep that there was one way to handle my aunt’s problems. I had to prove to her that my uncle was really dead.
By the time Deek arrived for his shift, I’d run into a brick wall. I had some old clippings of Uncle Ted as he ran his café. Had I known that Aunt Jackie had helped him with the café for years? Probably, but by the time I went to live with her, Uncle Ted was gone and she’d sold their business. Back then, she waitressed at the diner she used to own. Mostly to keep me in school and fed. I’d never asked about family finances, because she’d always said Uncle Ted had provided for her. I guess he just hadn’t counted on a teenage girl moving into the house after he’d died.
“You look down, Boss Lady. What can Deek do to cheer you up?” Deek sat on the chair across from me, and not for the first time, I wondered how he’d melted into my life, our lives, so seamlessly.
“Tell me where I’d find records of deaths for over twenty years ago.” I laid my arm across my eyes. I was burned out. Time to call it a day.
“That’s easy.” Deek turned my laptop and hit a few keystrokes. “So, who’s the dead dude you want to find?”
“Ted Ekroth. He died in early May.” I sat up, watching him. I thought about my childhood with my aunt and felt my lips turning into a smile. “I know it was in May because Aunt Jackie made me go with her to visit his grave twice every May. By the time I was a teenager, I started complaining about it to my friends. But never to my aunt.”
“Twenty years ago?” Deek used his fingers to count back the years.
“Somewhere around that time. I moved in with Aunt Jackie the summer before my freshman year.” I drank down the rest of the cold coffee and glanced at my watch. I needed to go home to make sure Greg was up.<
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“Here it is. Theodore W. Ekroth, survived by his wife, Jacqueline.” Deek frowned at the website. “But that’s all that’s listed. There should be a lot more information here. Maybe your dead guy isn’t dead.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe this was happening. Had Uncle Ted really faked his own death? There was no doubt in my mind that Aunt Jackie had believed she’d buried her husband. But now, finding proof seemed to be a bigger issue than I’d expected. “That can’t be.”
“I’m just playing with you.” He took out his phone and started keying. “I’m emailing the information to Trina. She works at the county records department. She’s in my marketing seminar this semester. The girl is crazy good with computers. If there’s a record to be found, she’ll find it.”
“Thanks, Deek.” I stood and tucked my laptop and notebook into my tote. “If you hear something from her, would you call me? Or email?”
“Sure thing, Boss.” He tucked his phone into his pocket and followed me to the coffee bar. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. Just worried about Jackie.” I rested my hands on the coffee bar and waited for him to pour his coffee. “Look, can you not discuss this with my aunt? Just keep the search and results between us?”
“Of course. Deek’s lock is on full security mode.” He glanced toward the door leading into the back and to the stairwell up to Jackie’s apartment. “I’ll keep an eye out on her too. You know, just in case. She’s not acting normal. I haven’t gotten reamed for not doing my job for more than a month.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Thinking of something else, I turned back toward the coffee bar. “And don’t let any strangers talk to her. Not unless you have vetted them with me.”
“This is serious stuff, then?” Deek’s question echoed in the empty shop.
“I’m afraid so.”
* * * *
Emma greeted me when I got to the house. She was out in the backyard and sat by the gate, her fluffy tail cleaning the sidewalk of any dirt or debris as she wagged it so hard while I walked up. I loved having a dog to welcome me home. Especially when I’d lived alone. It made me feel warm and safe. Now, I had Greg to welcome me home, but with his hours and schedule, a lot of the time it was still me and Emma.
“Hey, girl.” I let myself in through the gate so I could take Emma into the house with me. “Is our boy awake? Or have you been out here for a while?”
“I resent that remark,” Greg said from the back porch. He was sitting in my porch swing watching us. “I wouldn’t let my best girl hang out in the backyard while I slept. Besides, she’s my nap buddy.”
“Hey, you’re awake. I wondered if I was going to get to throw ice at you.”
He patted the swing. “Come sit with me a bit before I go back in. I know this murder case is going to keep me working twenty-four-seven, so this might be the last you see of me for a while.”
“You have to eat and shower sometimes. Maybe I’ll bring over a picnic dinner tonight.”
He shook his head. “The county sheriff’s coming over to go over the case. Dinner is being catered. Apparently, he’s doing a favor for Marvin.”
“Isn’t it a little early in the investigation to get outside assistance from other law enforcement agencies? Or is this guy a big shot?” Emma brought me her ball and I threw it out into the yard. Then I wiped the slobber off my hand onto Greg’s jeans.
“Unemployed loser, from what I can see. I guess he lived off his girlfriend.” Greg lifted my hand off his jeans. “The guy’s a friend of the mayor. Marvin’s just trying to keep me on my toes. He thinks if he keeps me busy, I won’t have time to start my campaign to run against him in the primary.”
That made me shoot up to my feet. “Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking about running? I told the mayor you weren’t even considering it.”
“I’m not. But it doesn’t hurt to keep the guy on his toes. He’s been unopposed for too many elections. He needs to remember why he wanted to be elected in the first place. It needs to be about the citizens again.” He pulled me back down to sit beside him. “I can’t even imagine doing all the campaigning and baby kissing.”
“And yet, you sound like the perfect candidate. No wonder our mayor is nervous.” I leaned back and curled into his side. “I don’t want to share you any more than I already have to. I missed you last night.”
He kissed the top of my head. “I missed you too. But now I’ve got to go. I’ll text you if I’m not coming home tonight.”
He stood and I grabbed his hand. “I hate to ask, but…”
“I’ll put Esmeralda on the search. If there is anything that proves your uncle is alive or dead, we’ll track it down. Then I’ll go with you to tell your aunt. Can you find out if she really did give the guy money? And if so, how much? We might be able to track down a bank transmission.” He squeezed my arm. “Don’t worry about it. Now that we know what’s been going on, we can fix this.”
“I hope so.” I watched as he went out to the driveway and backed his truck out to the main road. I knew my aunt’s problems weren’t as high on the list as a murder, but I wished Greg had real time to put toward finding out who was scamming her. It seemed like older people should be off limits for this type of crime.
I smacked my hand on my forehead. Elder crime. I should call Paula to see what she knew about this type of scam. Maybe there was already an investigation going that I could get information from. I dug my phone out of my tote and dialed the number from the card she’d given me.
“This is Tessa from the Senior Project. How can I help you today?” a chipper receptionist answered the phone.
“Hi, Tessa, I’m looking for Paula Wood. Is she in yet today?” From what Paula had said, she worked more hours than she was paid for, so my chances of catching her were good.
A silence fell over the line. I’d thought maybe I’d been cut off or put on hold. I glanced down at the phone, but I was still connected. “Hello? Tessa?”
“I’m sorry, Paula isn’t in today. She had a family emergency.”
“Oh? What happened?” From what I’d heard, the only family Paula had was that less-than-stellar boyfriend of hers. What was his name? I tried to think, but then I heard the click. This time, I had been hung up on. I went into the house and found my paper day planner. Then I wrote myself a note to remember to call back tomorrow. I should have thought about this as soon as Jackie told me about the caller.
Emma had followed me inside and looked at the couch. I didn’t have anything else to do and I really hadn’t been spending enough time with my dog. So I grabbed a soda from the fridge, turned the television on to a music station, and then curled up on the couch with a book I’d brought home from the shop.
I could worry later.
I’d just gotten to the middle of the book where the killer was stalking the heroine when I heard a knock on my door. I had a dilemma. I could set the book down and answer the door. It was probably some true believers in water vacuums trying to get me to buy. If I ignored the knock, I could avoid the face-to-face denial of entry and not see the disappointed look on the salesman’s face. And I could keep reading.
I chose option number two and focused on the page in front of me.
The knocking got louder and more insistent. Emma nudged my foot with her nose, staring at the door.
“It’s probably no one we want to talk to anyway.” I said to my concerned dog. “Just ignore it.”
Emma laid her head on my foot, but the look in her eyes told me she didn’t believe me.
“Jill, I know you’re there. I just saw Greg as I was walking down here,” Amy called through the closed door.
I jumped up and ran to the door, Emma at my heels. When I opened the door, Amy pushed her way inside, a box in her arms. “Whoa, that looks heavy. Sorry, I thought you were a door-to-door salesman.”
“Do I look like a
salesman?” Amy asked as she walked into the kitchen with the box.
I didn’t want to tell her that, yes, she kind of did. Following her, I studied her digging what looked like random items out of the box. “I thought you were at work.”
“Marvin sent me home. He’s meeting with his campaign manager and worried I’d eavesdrop and tell Greg what they’re planning.” Amy grinned as she took out the last item from the box, a roll of mint-green ribbon. “Score for me. Now you can help me decide on the table decorations for the reception.”
Great, craft projects. Not my favorite activity, but Amy was my best friend. I guess this was the price of being a maid of honor. I went over to the coffeepot. “Coffee or iced tea?”
“Coffee. I didn’t sleep last night. I’ve been so worried about the reception. I’ve been trying to set up seating charts, and there’s no one I can sit at the mayor and Tina’s table.”
“I’d throw some of Justin’s coworkers there. You don’t want to make his family suffer that kind of evening.” I started the coffee, then sat down, looking at the pile of ribbons. “What are you making out of these?”
“Hold on.” Amy moved piles around the table. “I know I had the directions here somewhere. I printed them off when I was at work. Then I laid them near my phone when I got a call…” Amy backtracked her steps while still digging into her purse. She dropped the purse on the floor. “Crap, I must have left them at work. I guess I’ll have to go back. This is the only time I have to figure this out until next month. And by then, it will be too late.”
Amy looked like she was about to cry, and I wasn’t sure she’d make it back to City Hall without beating herself up with every step. “It’s okay. Let me call Esmeralda and she can grab it and fax it to us. I have a printer in my office.”
Of course I never used the home office, but I had it all set up. In fact, Greg used it more than I ever had. Amy seemed to be calming down. “Why don’t you get us coffee while I deal with this?”
She went to the coffeepot and I stepped into the living room, dialing the police station’s nonemergency line. I was surprised when Greg picked up instead of Esmeralda. “You filling in for dispatch now?”
