Gotcha Detective Agency Mysteries Boxed Set (3 Books)

by Jamie Lee Scott

  “Are you sure?” I had to push his memory. There had to be something more he wasn’t telling me.

  “Look, I trust everyone who was at the table on Monday night.”

  “What about after you left the restaurant?” I asked.

  “I went straight home.”

  “Was Sebastian still there when you got home?”

  “No, I didn’t see his car.” Henry’s brow creased. “But he must have come in because there was an open bottle of wine on the island in the kitchen. And there were two glasses. Yes, that’s right, because one of the glasses was empty, and the other about half full.”

  I didn’t remember seeing the wine when I peeked into the kitchen.

  “I don’t know if you know this, but everyone who lives in the house uses the kitchen door entrance. The main hub of the house is the kitchen. There are many nights Lauren, Esme and I have sat around that island trying to fill holes in a plot. And we all drank wine. Lauren is a connoisseur of wine. Or she likes to think so anyway.” He laughed. It was the first time I’d heard him let go with an uninhibited laugh.

  “Do you have a wine cellar?” Maybe the crime scene guys had already processed that space in the house.

  “No, but we do have a rack, and a small wine chiller in the kitchen. It’s in the far left corner. And I know you’re going to ask, the wine was a Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon. 2003, I think. I poured myself a glass before I put everything away.”

  I contemplated what Henry just said. I took the hotel notepad and pen and wrote down the name. I tore off the sheet of paper and folded it. Could the Cabernet have been drugged? If Henry got home after the killing, he may never have gone into the dining room. Had the wine been drugged to subdue Esme before killing her? What was the killer’s plan? Was there a plan?

  “Did you wash the glasses?”

  “No, I put them in the dishwasher. I put the wine back in the rack. Believe me, if I’d known there was a dead body in the other room, I wouldn’t have touched anything.” Henry held his hands up in surrender.

  I think I’d know something was wrong in my house before I saw it. The energy would be off. This made me wonder if Henry had ingested something, it may have been before he got home. Maybe the wine exacerbated the drugs, if there were any drugs.

  I didn’t know how much more I could learn from Henry and he looked to be fading fast. I stood.

  “I really appreciate your time. This has all been such a nightmare.” I walked toward the door.

  “Yes, it has.” Henry stood and walked me to the door.

  “Good night,” I said. As I walked out the door, I glanced into the bathroom. Something caught my eye.

  CHAPTER 11

  Thoughts on yesterday’s interviews played in my head as I drove to work the next morning. I know the guy in the hall had something to do with all of this. I could kick myself for not following him out of the hotel. I should have pretended I forgot something and followed him to the parking lot. I could’ve gotten a license plate or something. But at the time, how did I know he’d be significant? I still didn’t know if he was, but he was definitely in Henry’s room.

  And the bottle I saw on the counter in the bathroom as I was leaving, I swear it had Susan’s name on it. If only I’d had a second more to focus. But it was a prescription bottle and I was sure the name on it wasn’t Henry.

  Turning onto Central Avenue, all thoughts of yesterday dissipated. There were two patrol cars outside my building. The car in the driveway was parked at an angle and the one on the street had the passenger door open and the lights flashing. To say this wasn’t good was sort of cliché.

  Since the police were blocking the entrance to Gotcha’s parking lot, I drove around the corner and slipped into the closest space on the street. I went around to the passenger side and grabbed my briefcase and laptop. I snapped a leash on Lola before letting her out. She sniffed for a few seconds and started dragging me toward the office. My heart rate peaked as I walked in the front door.

  I set my briefcase and laptop just inside the entrance, looking through the foyer to the reception area. It looked like someone had a pillow fight since I’d last been here, the kind where feathers start flying. Only instead of using pillows they used file folders, printer paper, Post-it Notes, paper clips, pencils, pens, and computer discs. I could barely detect a narrow trail of floor.

  I let out a breath when I realized I’d been holding it. Holy shit, the place was a mess. Guess I didn’t have to ask why the police were here.

  Lola was having none of it. She trotted right over the mess and into my office.

  I’d never been robbed, or is it burgled? Not as a kid, or in my home, or here at the office. I had no idea how violated I’d feel. Voyeurism came to mind, like someone had gotten a chance to look deep into my private moments. Of course the only thing private about what happened in this building was everything. My business relied on confidentiality. We were so careful not to reveal personal information. Discretion was the bond of the private investigator.

  Hearing voices I turned toward the back of the reception room. Charles spoke to the officers as they walked into the room. As always, Charles was the epitome of control. He pointed to the back corner of the room where the safe was tucked behind the mirrors.

  “Anything pertaining to an ongoing case is kept in our safe. All the closed files have a hard copy and a file on disc. We keep those files here for one year, then they are transferred to a secure storage facility.” He pulled the mirror away from the wall. “Do I need to open it?”

  The older officer, a man in his late fifties with a thin build but a pot belly said, “As long as it wasn’t breached there’s no reason to open it.”

  “My partner says you work on cases for the Salinas PD. Do you have anything you’re working on now?” the young officer asked. This man had a stocky build and no belly, but still looked soft.

  “Yes, but I can’t discuss open cases, even with you. Suffice it to say the chain of custody wasn’t breached and the evidence I’m working with is safe.”

  I sucked in a deep breath and blew it out when I heard Charles’s answer. But still, there were a gazillion files splayed across the floor. How were we going to sort through what was current and what was closed?

  “Mimi. Finally. Don’t you answer your phone anymore?” Charles admonished.

  I looked down for my briefcase. I went back to the door and leaned down to get my cell phone from my bag. I looked and saw eleven missed calls. I’d put my phone on vibrate while I’d conducted my interviews yesterday and forgotten to turn the ringer back on.

  I hustled back into reception. “Oh God, Charles, I had it on vibrate. I’m sorry.”

  “You can see we have a minor disaster.” Good old Charles, pointing out the obvious.

  “What the hell happened?”

  The officers looked at each other and then at Charles, who was obviously the one in control of the situation.

  “Someone broke the window pane out of the back door in the kitchen. From there it was easy to unlock the door and come in. I don’t know what they were looking for, but Esme’s computer is gone. I don’t know if they wanted her computer specifically, or just a new laptop.”

  “And our security system?” What the hell was I paying a fortune for a security system for if it didn’t work?

  “Yeah, about that. I, um, I left around midnight to have drinks with Alex and planned on coming back, so I didn’t set it on the way out. Only I had more than a few drinks and Alex drove me home, not back here.”

  Wide eyed, I was stunned. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  Charles doesn’t even know the meaning of the word sheepish, but he was doing a good impression now. “I know. What are the chances?”

  “From the looks of this place, I’d say, oh, about a hundred percent.” My frustration was getting the better of me.

  “You know this isn’t like me.” Charles raked his fingers through his perfect hair.

  I did know
it. Then I remembered what we were working on and gulped. Oh shit, Nick was going to give birth about this one. He didn’t want me involved to begin with and now we’d had a major breach. Well, this was Charles’s baby, not mine. Nick could take it up with him, if he dared.

  “Don’t worry. I was done with the computer. I have the hard drive and all the contents removed and stored in the safe. I even had the pages from her PDA filed in the safe. I’m not an idiot.” Charles assured.

  “Okay.” I sighed. “So do we have any idea what else is missing?”

  Charles spoke to the police. “Go ahead and take your pictures. I’m going to talk to Mimi in her office. If you need me just knock on the door across the hall.” He pointed to my open office door.

  I headed to my office. At the door I came to an abrupt halt. I could see the floor in the corner where I kept my filing cabinet was three inches deep with manila folders and paper. All six files drawers were pulled open. One had even been yanked from its rollers. I felt a tightening in my chest as the fury worked its way to my throat. Charles wrapped his arm around me just as my knees gave out.

  “Oh, honey, it’s not that bad. We’ll hire a temp from Manpower and get everything cleaned up in a day or so.” He took Lola’s leash and guided me toward a client chair and sat me down.

  I tried to stand. Irritated, I wanted to pace. Charles gently pushed me back into the chair.

  “How will we know if anything is missing?”

  Charles grinned. “Absolutely every piece of paper in this office has a computer backup. Not only do we have a hard copy backup on CD, but I also backup the files nightly to a separate server. That way, if the place burns to the ground we still have everything but the absolute current notes on file.”

  My cell phone rang. I picked it up and looked at the number. “Unknown.” I answered, “This is Mimi.”

  “Stop now if you know what’s good for you,” a nondescript voice whispered in my ear.

  “Excuse me?” I understood what was said, I just didn’t get it.

  The voice repeated, “Stop now if you know what’s good for you.”

  I hung up. I couldn’t process the call along with everything else.

  Charles must have seen the disgust on my face. “Who was that?”

  “I don’t know. But someone wants me to stop doing something.” I tilted my head and raised my brows.

  “Stop doing what?” Charles asked.

  “I don’t know. I’m always doing something I shouldn’t be, so you name it.” I had to laugh at that one because it was so true.

  “Probably a pissed-off cheating husband.” Charles dismissed the call like it was an annoying fly.

  Before I could comment on Charles’s wisdom, Jackie walked in the door. Beyond the horrified look on her face, she looked as put together as always. She wore dark denim tucked into caramel colored boots and a purple T-shirt covered by a tan cotton pea coat. Her auburn hair was pulled into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. She’d recently had her bangs cut. I’d known her most of my life and she’d never had bangs. I still couldn’t get used to them no matter how good they looked on her.

  “This is so not good.” Jackie spoke very slowly.

  “Nice observation,” Charles retorted. “Got big plans today?”

  “Bigger than I expected apparently. What the hell happened?” Jackie stayed in the doorway.

  “We aren’t sure what the motive was, but someone broke in last night. Whether they found what they wanted or not, they wanted us to know they were here,” I said. Steadier now, I stood. “They definitely wanted us to know they were here.”

  “I’ll call Manpower and see if they can get someone over here this morning.” Charles stepped over papers and folders as he headed back to the door.

  I yelled after him. “They have to be licensed and bonded.”

  Jackie braved another step in the door, and Charles kissed her cheek as he moved past her. Lola tugged at her leash and Charles let go. She went straight to her bed, made three turns and plopped down.

  Jackie looked around the corner to my files. “What on earth?”

  “My thought exactly. Why not just take what you want and get the hell out?” I walked toward the strewn files. It took every ounce of energy I had not to kick the files across the floor. It’d just make more work in the long run, but boy, it would have felt good in the moment.

  “Making a mess of everything will make it that much harder to find what’s missing. The longer it takes, the better the chances are that what they took won’t matter to us as much,” Jackie said. She leaned against the wall with her arms crossed.

  “Duh. I should’ve figured that. But they took Esme’s computer. That was pretty obvious.” I bent down and pushed the paper back into one of the folders.

  “Isn’t that the one Charles is working on for the police department?” Jackie uncrossed her arms and pushed off the wall.

  “Yeah, it was her work computer.”

  Charles popped his head in the door. “Someone will be here in about an hour. She’s got lots of filing experience. But she has a kid in school and has to leave by three.”

  “Great. One more person will be a big help,” I said.

  “Oh yeah, one more thing. You know the threats and the nasty messages on Lauren’s website and blog?” Charles asked.

  “Yeah,” I said, a little impatient.

  “All of the messages came from the same IP address.” Charles turned to leave.

  “Hold up. What does that mean?” Me being the computer dolt that I am, I didn’t know an IP address from UPS.

  “It means that Esme, or someone on her computer, wrote every last one of those hostile remarks, and every threat.” He said this so matter of fact I almost didn’t catch it.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. The whole thing was a farce. There were no threats. She probably doesn’t even need a bodyguard. Maybe she set up Esme’s demise and needed an alibi. That sweet little thing was probably boffing her hubby, and Lauren got rid of her. Setting up the threats could make it look like a crazed fan, and Esme was none the wiser.” He ran his manicured fingers through his hair.

  “Her alibi would have been the book signing. She could hardly have killed Esme when she was in San Francisco.” Jackie loved putting her two cents in.

  “Whatever. I don’t know why she did it. But she set the whole thing up. Maybe it’s the opposite and Lauren doesn’t even know about it. Esme could have set it up.” He was now examining his fingers, and rubbing something from his thumb. Like a cat, Charles was always grooming.

  “You met her. Do you think anything happens that Lauren doesn’t know about?” I asked.

  “Who knows? Maybe Esme was trying to scare Lauren for some reason.” Charles shot his cuffs then turned to leave.

  I called after him. “Where are Gemma and Lauren today?”

  “Los Angeles. The signing is at seven,” Charles called over his shoulder.

  I grabbed for my desk phone, but it was on the floor. I picked it up, replaced the receiver, then lifted it and dialed Gemma’s cell. She answered on the second ring.

  “Put Lauren on the phone,” I snapped.

  “Mimi? What’s going on?” Gemma said.

  I could hear noise in the background. A television, radio, I couldn’t tell.

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m in the hotel room. Lauren’s in the shower. Hold on.” I could hear Gemma put down the phone.

  “I’m going to the other room to help Charles. This’ll take all day.” Jackie left.

  “She’s just getting out of the shower. Do you want to wait?” Gemma asked.

  “Have her call me back. This is very important.” I heard Gemma speaking as I hung up the phone.

  I shouldn’t have been so short with Gemma, this wasn’t her fault. Being flummoxed made me testy.

  Were there problems between Lauren and Esme? What would make the girl write such awful remarks in a public forum? They seemed to get along well
when I met them Monday morning and Esme said she loved her job. I couldn’t figure out what was going on. And the way Charles delivered the information was like he’d expected it all along. Maybe I missed something.

  I looked at the pile of papers and folders on the floor. Oh, it would have to wait. I started toward the foyer to get my briefcase and laptop when I saw them next to the door. Either Charles or Jackie had brought them in and I hadn’t even noticed. I bent down to grab them and saw shiny black feet.

  “Mrs. Capurro, may I take pictures in here now?” It was the younger officer.

  I stepped away from the doorway. “Sure. Come on in. I’ll be working at my desk if that’s okay.”

  “Sure. I’ll just be a few minutes.” He eased past me.

  Setting up my laptop computer on the desk was easy. The intruder had kindly swept the contents of my desk into a pile on the floor. I looked at the pile to the right. In my head, I made a sweeping motion. Burglar boy was right-handed. That really narrowed it down.

  I couldn’t concentrate on anything with papers strewn across the floor, so when the officer finished his photo session I started on the mess.

  I’d been picking up and sorting paper from the floor for twenty minutes when my cell phone rang. I rose from my kneeling position in front of the filing cabinet and pulled my phone from the holster.

  “Hello, this is Mimi.”

  “Gemma said you wanted to speak to me.” Lauren’s tone was stiff.

  “Why don’t you tell me about the hostile environment on your website these last few months.” I said it as a statement.

  “What about it?” There was no hint of defensiveness in her voice.

  I wondered for a second if she actually knew the threats were fake. But only a second. Nothing went on without Lauren’s knowledge, I was certain. I answered back with another question.

  “Whose idea was it?”

  “Okay, Mimi, I’m really not in the mood for games. What’s this about?”

  I wasn’t in the mood for games either. “Charles informed me this morning that all of the comments and messages on your website were coming from the same IP address. He traced the IP address to the laptop the police delivered. Esme’s computer. Do you know what that means?”