Sizzling Cold Case

by Rayna Morgan

  “I thought you wanted to know who met with Lynn.”

  “Who was it?” Pat asked.

  “Sam Swanson’s son, Brad.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Margo was not present for their second meeting with Sam Swanson’s wife. Lynn led them to the living room, slipped off her sandals, and folded her legs beneath her on the couch.

  “You met with Brad at the Bobcat Room last night,” Tom said. “We would like to know the reason.”

  “I expected Brad to come to the house yesterday to help with care arrangements for his father. When he didn’t show up, I knew where to find him.”

  “Drowning his sorrow?”

  “More like celebrating. When I dragged him off the dance floor at the Wildcat, he was spouting wild plans of ditching his responsibilities at Tech West and returning to his band. His father didn’t deserve that kind of disrespect. I told him I wouldn’t stand for it.”

  “How did he respond?”

  “He laughed. Father is in no condition to stop me from doing what I want, he told me. I can get by with token appearances at the company and have plenty to live on. If he dies, I can leave and I’ll have his money to do it.” A smile floated across her face. “Brad’s in for a surprise. He doesn’t understand how well his father knows him.”

  “What kind of surprise?”

  “Brad’s inheritance is conditional.”

  “Conditioned on what?”

  “Brad being active in the family business for at least five years. The bequest will be granted on his fifth year anniversary with the company. If Brad leaves earlier, he receives nothing.”

  “What was Sam’s reason for doing that?”

  “Sam is smart. He knows if Brad doesn’t spend at least five years in the business, he won’t give himself a chance to succeed.”

  “Do you think that provision will keep Brad tied to the business as Sam intends?”

  “I don’t know. Sam tries to convince himself Brad has taken an interest in the business, but I know better. Brad doesn’t care about anything but Brad.”

  It was time to introduce the information gathered from Margo and Jack. “There are rumors your marriage is in trouble.”

  Lynn uncrossed her legs and sat straight, her body rigid. “Who told you that?”

  Before either detective responded, she waved dismissively.

  “It doesn’t matter because it’s not true.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “The husband of close friends of ours had an affair which destroyed their marriage. I worried the same might happen to us. Sam assured me I had nothing to worry about. I realized I was being silly.”

  “What would you do if Sam found someone else?”

  “I told you—”

  “Humor me,” Tom said. “It’s a hypothetical question.”

  She looked away in an unconcerned manner. “I’m not worried enough to figure out what I might do.”

  Tom shook his head. “All right, we’re finished. Sorry to bother you again.”

  The detectives rose and she reached for her shoes.

  “Don’t get up,” Tom told her. “We’ll find our way out.”

  Pat turned before leaving the room. “By the way, was Jack Elliot at the Bobcat last night?”

  Lynn thought a moment. “Yeah. I saw him before I went looking for Brad. He told me he was sorry about Sam and left.”

  Pat breathed a sigh of relief.

  “That makes two of us,” Tom muttered as they walked out the door.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  When Tom picked her up for dinner, Maddy reminded him that it was her turn to choose a restaurant.

  “Burgers or Mexican?” he asked.

  She surprised him by suggesting the Cliff House in Vista Harbor.

  “Have I forgotten your birthday?” he asked in alarm.

  “No, silly.” She pushed him out the door. “I thought a place out of town would be a nice change. We’re less likely to run into our usual crowd. It gives us a chance to enjoy each other’s company.”

  The scent of her perfume drifted toward him as he followed her to the car. He considered wrapping her in his arms and suggesting they stay home and order takeout.

  “You’ll love the view,” she called over her shoulder.

  An alarm went off, breaking the spell.

  “Have you been there without me?” he asked, helping her in the car.

  She laughed easily. “Stop pouting. I was on assignment for Conley and Austin. Besides, how many places do you go without me?”

  “I wouldn’t take you to the greasy spoons where Pat and I go.”

  He was silent as he drove through the neighborhood.

  On the freeway, he rolled the window down. The cool air blew away his irritation.

  He reached across the seat to grab Maddy’s hand.

  “It’s a perfect choice, Mad.”

  She smiled and squeezed his hand tighter.

  • • •

  Tom announced their arrival to the host at the Cliff House. “We’re early for our reservation.”

  The man checked his list. “Ah, yes. The lady requested a place at the window.”

  He pointed toward the cocktail lounge. “I’ll page when your table is ready.”

  As they made their way through the seating area to the bar, Maddy’s purse brushed the back of a woman’s chair.

  “Sorry,” she said.

  Engaged in animated conversation with a male companion, the woman took no notice.

  Those people look familiar, Maddy thought.

  At the bar, she pulled out her phone and scanned the photos related to Lea’s case.

  Tom leaned toward her. “I hope you aren’t breaking our rule of no calls on dates.”

  “You’re allowed to take calls from the station. What I’m doing is work related.”

  The bartender came for their order. While Tom decided on a beer, Maddy adjusted the camera on her phone.

  She turned toward the couple and snapped a picture, then swiveled back to the bar.

  “I’ll have a vodka tonic,” she told the barman.

  She typed a message on her phone and attached the picture. Seconds later, she received a call from Lea.

  “You’re right,” Lea said. “It’s Cheryl and Nolan from Turner Pest Control. I’m surprised Cheryl is there, but it’s exactly the kind of place Nolan would hang out.”

  “Why come all this way for a drink when there are bars close to their office?”

  “Why, indeed? Unless they don’t want to be seen together. I’m beginning to think they try too hard to convince people they don’t like each other.”

  Maddy watched the pair leave. “Should I follow them?”

  Her sister laughed. “Don’t be melodramatic. Enjoy your dinner. Good work, Sis.”

  Pleased with herself, Maddy dropped her phone in her purse and turned to Tom.

  “I’m all yours, handsome.”

  • • •

  Her name was called and Tom paid the tab. As they followed a waiter across the room, Maddy remembered the first time she and Tom went on a date.

  As Maddy sat down at the restaurant, Tom asked her to move to a different table.

  “A seat’s a seat. What does it matter?”

  “Certain areas of a restaurant offer a more tactical position,” Tom explained. “I prefer to view what’s going on and who’s coming in and out.”

  Maddy understood it was about control. Not with her, but with his environment.

  Before being seated at the Cliff House, she asked, “Is this all right, Tom?”

  He looked around the room and nodded. “It’s fine.”

  They took their time, enjoying the sunset as they surveyed the menu. Maddy glanced across the table. Even when Tom was still, he was both at rest and prepared for motion.

  “Shall we have appetizers?” she asked.

  “Let’s go the whole route,” he replied. “Appetizers, a bottle of wine, and dessert.”

 
“You’re turning this into a special occasion.”

  Recalling his brother’s comment about seizing the moment, he reached for her hand. “Say the word and tonight can become one of the best moments of my life.”

  His smoky gray eyes bore through her. Her stomach tightened, but not from hunger.

  She gently pulled her hand back.

  “There’s you, there’s me, and there’s us. I’ve rediscovered me since my divorce. I need to hold on to me a while longer.”

  “How long is a while?”

  “However long that turns out to be.”

  “For some people, a while stretches into a lifetime. I don’t want that to happen to us.”

  “Let’s leave things as they are for now.”

  The waiter uncorked a bottle of wine and poured a small amount in Maddy’s glass. She tasted and nodded approval. He filled their glasses and left.

  Tom touched his glass to hers. “Here’s to the us in your equation.”

  She smiled and sipped her wine.

  He leaned forward. “I don’t want our relationship to stagnate.”

  “There’s little chance of that. Moving slow is not the same as being apathetic.”

  “I’m not opposed to moving slowly, but are we moving forward?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Do you view our relationship like your investigations?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If you don’t make progress, you won’t get who you’re after.”

  He sat back, offended. “How about you? Do you see our relationship as a commitment you’re afraid to make?”

  She grimaced. “It makes you gun shy when you think you know someone well enough to vow to spend your life with him, then discover you were completely wrong.”

  “You will only be wrong now if you let that experience stop you from trusting me.”

  Tiny wrinkles crossed her forehead. “Talk about trust, stop looking for clues in our relationship.”

  “The vigilance you find annoying comes with the territory. Being a cop is not a switch I turn off and on.”

  She allowed herself a small smile. “You might work harder at turning it off.”

  “That’s one reason I need you. When we’re together, I relax enough to be myself.”

  She tapped her glass, making a pleasant ringing sound. “I’m very fond of the off duty version of you.”

  He studied her face. “I’m worried my being a cop will stand in the way of our relationship.”

  “Why should it?” she asked in an offhand manner.

  “It’s no secret police work destroys relationships. My first marriage was a train wreck because of my job.” His voice became thick with guilt. “Since then, I’ve tried to balance my professional and personal life.”

  “Pat told me you counsel policemen on keeping their marriages intact.”

  “I care about officers and their families. As their supervisor, I help any way I can. Part of helping is sharing my experience of a failed marriage.”

  The waiter brought their meal and they were quiet, savoring the aroma of grilled fish.

  After the server left, Tom took a roll and passed the basket. “I may have been lax in sharing with my officers, but not with you.”

  “I’m afraid to hear details of the bad things you experience.”

  “I won’t get myself killed, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  She frowned and he winked at her. “You and your sister have been in more dangerous situations than I care to remember. I’m the one who should worry.”

  She smiled weakly. “You’re trying to make me feel better, but I’m only trying to provide a place where you can let go of the bad stuff.”

  “You’ve always provided that for me.”

  “If we saw more of each other, I could do that more often.”

  “I want to be with you as much as you want me there,” he told her, “but that’s not always how it will be.”

  She lowered her head. “I know.”

  “So we’re all right?”

  Her response was a dazzling smile. “We’re more than all right,”

  For the rest of the meal, they talked and laughed over events in each other’s day.

  They were eating the last bites of key lime pie when Tom received a call.

  “I’ll take this outside.” He moved away without hurry, but with power in the deliberateness.

  She sat back, enjoying the rich flavor of after-dinner coffee.

  His wish for permanent commitment was no surprise. She knew Tom was deeply involved in their relationship. Her feelings for him ran as deep, but she worried about things they had discussed.

  She wondered if growing up with a cop for a father made her more—or less—susceptible to such concerns.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  After talking with Maddy, Lea closed the office and drove to a place far enough from the downtown hustle and bustle to provide a quiet atmosphere. She parked in the lot beside the wine bar and walked inside.

  Cork and Bottle provided the ambiance of a small town European restaurant. The mouth-watering smell of wood fired pizza and spicy sauce filled the room. Table candles and hanging plants added to the homey atmosphere.

  She found her father next to a large, stone fireplace on the patio. A carafe of wine and two glasses were on the table in front of him.

  “I’m expected for dinner at home, but I took the liberty of ordering cheese and bread to munch on.”

  After hanging her purse on the edge of the chair, she sat down. “Thanks, Dad. I’m famished.”

  She lifted her glass, allowing the fruity, smooth liquid to flow down her throat. “This is a nice way to relax at the end of a long day. It’s even nicer to talk with someone who understands what I’ve been up against.”

  “It’s nice for me, too. When you were growing up, your mother and I agreed police work was not a proper topic at the dinner table. It’s a habit we didn’t change after you moved out.”

  His comment piqued Lea’s curiosity. “What do you and Mom talk about?”

  “You mean during the time of day when the sun is over the yardarm?”

  She smiled and nodded.

  “We have a cocktail before dinner and play a game of cards. I pretend to listen to her news about the neighbors. She pretends to listen to my rant about the latest political blunder or my baseball team’s disappointing performance.”

  “I hope Paul and I share moments like those after forty years of marriage.”

  Warren nodded thoughtfully. “The length of our marriage is more of an accomplishment these days with people marrying multiple times.”

  Lea proposed a toast. “To golden wedding anniversaries.”

  He raised his glass and tapped hers. “For us all.”

  “Paul and I have a chance, but Maddy better get started. Her first marriage cost her ten years of happily ever after.”

  “Do you think she and Tom will marry?”

  “I don’t know, Dad. I hope they do, but Maddy is wary of commitments and broken promises.”

  “A cheating spouse has that affect.”

  “Eric may have ruined Tom’s chance to convince Maddy to marry. Still, they’re happy in the relationship they have. That may be enough for them.”

  The waiter brought a tray of assorted cheeses and a basket covered with a checkered cloth.

  For several moments, they munched on warm bread topped with cheddar, brie, and mozzarella slices. As the sky overhead populated with stars, flames from the fire warded off the cool night air.

  Lea finally leaned forward and placed her napkin across her plate. “I need help with the Turner Pest Control case.”

  “That’s what I’m here for.”

  “Tell me more about how to flush out an embezzler.”

  “Let’s start by looking at the typical scenario in which embezzlement occurs.”

  “Sounds good.” She took a small notebook from her purse. “Fire away.”

  “Seventy percent of fraud cas
es occur at companies with fewer than one hundred employees.”

  “That applies to Rod’s company,” she said. “What kind of person is most likely to steal from their employer?”

  “An embezzler commonly appears conscientious and ambitious. The person may come in early and leave late and never take vacations. It appears as dedication to the company. In fact, it’s an effort to keep from being caught.”

  A picture of Cheryl sprung to Lea’s mind.

  “Another likely candidate is a disgruntled employee, one who feels underpaid or unfairly treated. That person may be tempted to steal to even the score or get what they think they deserve. They feel someone owes them what they take.”

  Lea’s excitement mounted. “That description applies to either the office manager or the sales manager. Cheryl hasn’t received part ownership in the business as promised. Nolan considers himself underpaid and undervalued.”

  “Theft often occurs in the reimbursement process,” Warren continued. “A salesman may pad his expense account or seek reimbursement for unauthorized expenses. Almost any employee can falsify time sheets. In one case my department handled, an employee got paid for legitimate expenses but he added a zero to the check written to him.”

  She sat back with a troubled look on her face.

  “What are you thinking?” her father asked.

  “Cheryl pays the invoices and writes the checks. Besides questioning Nolan’s expenses, she should have caught any doctored checks in the bank statements, but she’s reported no discrepancies.”

  “What conclusion do you draw?”

  “Maybe Cheryl and Nolan aren’t as adversarial as they appear.”

  “Is Rod a hands-on owner?” Warren asked. “How involved is he in day-to-day operations?”

  “Rod admits the company has grown so large that he no longer exercises personal surveillance. He depends largely on Cheryl to handle the bookkeeping and oversee the financial side of the business.”

  Warren ran a finger around the rim of his glass. “Rod has provided a perfect opportunity for the employee in charge of finances to set up a dummy supplier and create fictitious purchase transactions. She could even add names of relatives or fictitious individuals to the payroll and enjoy several salary checks each week instead of one.”

  Warren’s phone rang. The conversation was brief. “I’m on my way, dear.”