“I got both of these from her hamper, so she had worn them before she went missing.”
Selena stood and looked behind Nicholas. “Where’s Max?”
“In the kitchen until I’ve hidden the wig, then I’ll bring him in here to find it.”
After Nicholas put the wig in a cabinet in the corner, he left and a moment later returned with Max. Selena held her breath as Nicholas took out the clothing and had his dog sniff it. She glanced at the anticipation on her uncle’s face that mirrored how she felt. If Max didn’t seek out the wig, then it wasn’t Erin who’d been wearing it.
TWELVE
A band tightened about Selena’s chest as she watched Max sniff the air then put his nose against the tiled porch floor and make a beeline for the corner where the cabinet sat. He pawed the wooden door on the left side where Nicholas had stashed the wig. He moved to his K-9 and opened the cabinet. Max stuck his head in, sniffed then barked several times.
“Good boy.” Nicholas gave his partner a treat and removed the wig. When he turned toward her, a grin spread across his face. “It has been confirmed. The person wearing this wig wore those clothes.”
Relief flooded Selena. She twisted toward her uncle. “Erin is alive!”
He grinned. “Praise God.” He sank against the back cushion on the love seat. “Now all we have to do is find her and prove she is innocent. She won’t be safe until we do.”
“I agree, Senator Eagleton. We aren’t sure who was the target when you were shot. It could have been Selena, but there’s the possibility you were the intended victim to lure your daughter out of hiding. It almost worked.” Nicholas handed the sack to Brooke.
After she left, Uncle Preston said, “I’d been wondering that, too. And if Selena was the target, it’s probably because she’s looking into those cases Michael was working on.”
“All I know is that your niece’s snooping has stirred up a hornet’s nest.”
Petting Max next to Nicholas, Selena chuckled. “I’m glad to oblige.”
“So what’s next?” her uncle asked, rising from the couch.
“We have a lead on an aide we’ve been looking for.” Nicholas swung his attention from her uncle to her.
“Good. Please keep me apprised of the investigation into my shooting and Saul’s murder, too.”
“Yes, sir.”
Uncle Preston walked slowly toward the doorway into the main part of the house. “Now to find some coffee and my newspapers to read. Work does not stop because I’m injured.”
“I’d like Max to go with you, if that’s all right, sir.”
Her uncle glanced over his shoulder with a somber expression. “Just so long as he doesn’t talk while I’m trying to read.” A grin spread across his face.
When her uncle had disappeared from view, she laughed. “I know Max has many talents, but so far talking isn’t one.”
“Max thinks he does when he barks. It’s good to see your uncle kidding.”
“Yes. We had a good talk about my mother. I realized I could forgive Uncle Preston, but I still haven’t been able to let go of my anger toward her. Do you think it’s because I might be able to have a relationship with my uncle, but since my mother has died, I can’t with her?”
“Do you think that’s it?”
“Answering my question with one of your own isn’t any help.”
“Think about it. You were estranged from both of them and not because of anything you did.” Nicholas stepped closer, clasping her hand. “So why are you still mad at your mom?”
“Because I can’t talk to her and tell her how I feel. She’s gone.”
“But you can still tell her how you feel. Nothing is stopping you. Let it go.”
“Have you let your past go?”
He tilted his head to the side. “I’m working on it.”
“I guess I can say the same thing.” She peeked around Nicholas. “Now that we’re alone, were you referring to a lead on Janice Neill’s whereabouts?”
“Yes. Isaac has left for a small town in Delaware to interview her.”
“Why aren’t you?”
“Because I’m not leaving you and your uncle. He’ll call me as soon as he’s finished the interview. We’ve hit a dead end with the other aides that went to Tabitha’s the day Saul Rather and Greg Littleton got into that argument. Brooke told me when she arrived earlier that the stolen motorcycle I saw fleeing the Eagleton estate was found—at Tabitha’s apartment’s covered parking. It had been parked there for days. When the custodian who took Littleton’s job realized it didn’t belong to a tenant, he reported it to the police. We’d already talked to the owner earlier about it being stolen and ruled out the man for the shooting. I think someone is trying to frame Tabitha as well as Geary.”
“Like the first one in the underground parking garage. Why a motorcycle not a car?”
“In a chase, they can go places a car can’t. It does mean the shooter is a practiced motorcyclist since he or she feels comfortable using it as a getaway vehicle, so we’ve added that information to cross-check against the suspect list.”
“Any word on the breakin of General Meyer’s office?”
“We have a short list of suspects, but no concrete evidence to make an arrest.”
“What’s your gut feeling about who did it?”
“Vincent Geary. There’s something about the man that doesn’t feel right. And I could see him wanting intel on the Jeffries case.”
“So you think he had something to do with Michael’s death?”
Nicholas rubbed his chin. “Maybe, or he just wants to know all the latest for the congressman.”
“But Congressman Jeffries would be filled in on the investigation.”
“There are always pieces of information held back, even from a victim in the crime.”
She set her fist on her waist. “So what are you holding back from me on my attacks?”
He smiled, his dimples appearing. “Nothing. I know better. Besides, you’re the best one to help me with this, and I know you aren’t involved in your attacks.”
“You trust me?”
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”
“No.” The fact that Nicholas—who didn’t trust easily—did trust her spread a warmth through her body.
He inched even closer. “So if you see or talk with Erin, you would tell me?”
“A few days ago I wasn’t sure, but I am now. Yes, I would.”
“What changed your mind?”
“You.”
His arms slipped around her. “You trust me.”
“Yes.”
The softness in his eyes held her roped to him. She didn’t want to move from his embrace. “Thank you.” He dipped his head toward hers, paused and pulled back. He took a step away, releasing her. “You’re a distraction. When this is over, I’m going to kiss you properly.”
Although disappointed, she laughed. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
*
Later that afternoon, Nicholas hung up from talking with Isaac and turned toward Selena sitting beside him on the couch. “We have a few more pieces of information to help us.”
“What did Janice Neill say?”
“We have some more names of regulars at Tabitha’s weekly get-togethers, and Janice is pretty sure most of them attended frequently that summer. Nancy Jackson, Carly Jones and Adele Carpenter.”
“Nancy still works for Senator Langford, and Carly Jones and Adele Carpenter work for my uncle.”
Nicholas smiled. “Also, Vincent Geary stopped by a couple of times, as well as Adam Hansom, an aide for Congressman White. Both White and Langford were Vincent’s alibi for the night of your attack in the parking garage.”
“How is this going to help us? It’s just more names to add to a list that seems to be growing.” Selena massaged her temples.
“Are you all right?”
“I have a headache, but I’ll be fine.” Selena sighed. “So it seems we need to find out who rides a
motorcycle.”
“Exactly. Fiona will cross-check all these names with any history of biking.”
“Maybe we’re grasping at straws.”
“Sometimes it’s the little things that trip someone up.”
“That’ll be a lot of digging into a person’s past.”
“That’s Fiona’s expertise—getting information.”
“Are you going to interview each one?”
“No, I’ll send Brooke, except for Carly and Adele who work for your uncle. I’ll ask him to request they come to the house.”
“I’ll give a call to the office and tell Carly that my uncle wants to see her and Adele.”
“You think they’ll come?”
“Why do you want to see Carly and Adele?” Senator Eagleton asked from the doorway into the den.
Nicholas told him about Tabitha’s get-togethers after work and why he wanted to talk to both women.
Scowling, the senator took a chair across from Nicholas. “I’ll do it if you’ll let me know what they say. I don’t understand why who was at Miss Miller’s is important to the Littleton case.”
Nicholas leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. “A handful of people witnessed the big argument between Littleton and Rather, which became important in the trial because it gave Littleton a motive for killing Rather. We’ve checked out the ones who testified at the trial, but Littleton remembered looking up to Tabitha’s balcony and seeing three women watching Rather accuse Littleton of stealing from him.”
“Did Littleton rob Saul?”
“No, the real thief was caught a few months after Littleton’s trial with a few of Rather’s items in his possession. The man confessed but had an alibi for the time of Rather’s murder.”
“What about the couple who testified against Littleton?” the senator asked. “I remember their testimony, particularly the wife’s, was damaging about how angry Littleton was when Saul accused him.”
“I talked to Mr. Quincy,” Leaning back, Nicholas stretched his legs out. “His wife was visiting her sister, but he told me that she had a tendency to exaggerate the facts.”
Selena sat forward. “Why didn’t he say anything at the time of the trial?”
“He was afraid she’d get in trouble.”
Selena frowned. “Then why did he tell you that the fight between Littleton and Rather wasn’t like what his wife had said?”
“Remorse. He felt Littleton was red with embarrassment, not anger, at the pool. It has been bothering him.”
“What did Tabitha say when you interviewed her?” Selena took a composing breath.
“She remembered the fight but didn’t pay a lot of attention to Littleton, only Rather.”
“How about the other two ladies on the balcony?”
“She couldn’t remember who else was there except Becky Wright, who couldn’t give me much more than what Tabitha did.”
Senator Eagleton picked up the phone on the end table and called his office.
Selena moved closer to Nicholas and whispered, “Michael made a note to talk with Mrs. Quincy after speaking with her husband. That was the day he died. Do you think he told Michael the same thing?”
“I’ll call and ask Mr. Quincy. I have his number in my notes.” Nicholas left the den as the senator wrapped up his conversation with Carly. He retrieved what he needed and found a private place to make the call.
“Mr. Quincy, this is Officer Cole of the Capitol K-9 Unit. I have a question about what you told me about your wife’s testimony.”
“Just a minute. She’s here, and I don’t want her overhearing me.”
Nicholas heard a sound like a door shutting.
“Okay. I’m outside and can talk. You do remember you promised me my wife wouldn’t face any repercussions concerning her testimony.”
“Yes. What I need to know is did you tell Michael Jeffries the same thing when he came to see you about your wife’s exaggeration of what she saw?”
“It was just my opinion and I made that clear to Mr. Jeffries, but yes, I told him. He seemed excited by what I said. I wanted to tell the court I thought Greg Littleton wouldn’t have stolen from anyone at the apartments. I never got the chance to say it. The DA cut me off.”
He wasn’t as familiar with the trial transcript as Selena, so he asked, “Did the defense ask you to elaborate about Littleton’s character?”
“No.”
“Thanks.” Nicholas pocketed his cell phone and returned to the den.
“Carly and Adele are on their way,” the senator said. “I’m going to run through some details for the party this weekend with Carly, so talk with Adele first. Neither lady has given me any reason to suspect them of this crime. Murder? That’s hard for me to believe.”
Nicholas sat next to Selena. “Tell me about Saul Rather. What kind of intern was he?”
“He was driven, very capable at his job and would have probably gone far in politics. When I interviewed him for the internship, he told me he hoped one day to run for office. The only drawback was that he was a ladies’ man, and we’ve seen how that can get a politician in trouble.”
“Did you ever see him with Tabitha Miller?” Nicholas asked.
Senator Eagleton firmed his lips and stared at the floor for a minute. “I think she came to the office one time not long before he was killed. I saw them when I left to go to the Capitol. They were arguing, or at least Tabitha wasn’t happy with him.” He tilted his head. “You know, I wouldn’t have thought about that if you hadn’t asked.”
“Did he ever flirt with members of your staff?”
Selena’s uncle grinned. “If she was a woman under forty, he flirted.”
The sound of the doorbell filled the house.
Nicholas rose. “I’ll send Carly in to see you while I talk with Adele.”
When Nicholas came into the foyer, Max stood waiting for him. His K-9 greeted every visitor. Nicholas opened the front door to allow Carly and Adele into the house. “Senator Eagleton will speak with you in the den, Ms. Jones, while I talk with you, Ms. Carpenter.”
Adele stiffened. “Why?”
“I have a few questions concerning the Jeffries case.” Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Carly lingering by the entrance into the den down the hall. He gestured toward the living room a few steps away.
Adele went ahead of him, shaking her head. “I don’t know anything about that case. I never even met the congressman’s son.”
“I understand.” He waved his arm toward a chair while he sat in the one across from her. “Have you ever attended a get-together at Tabitha Miller’s after work?”
“Sure. I was a regular a couple of years ago, but lately I haven’t. What’s this got to do with Michael Jeffries’s murder?”
“Two years ago in June, did you go to one?”
“I’m sure I did. I usually went with Carly once or twice a month back then.”
“Were you there when an argument broke out between two men outside by the pool?”
Her forehead knitted. “Yeah, I heard one huge fight. I even went to the balcony and peeked out. Tabitha and Becky were watching. I really wouldn’t call it an argument so much as Saul Rather screaming at some man. I’d never seen Saul go off like that.”
“What did the other man do?”
“He was totally uncomfortable. He kept looking around as though searching for a way to escape.”
“Did that man say anything to Rather? Shout back?”
“He just said he wasn’t the one, then tried to calm Saul down.”
“Did the man look angry?”
Adele closed her eyes for a few seconds. “I don’t think so and certainly not like Rather.”
“Who else was at the get-together that day?”
“I can’t remember specifically except Tabitha, Becky and Carly. Sometimes different people came and went. In fact, a couple of times before Saul was killed, he went to Tabitha’s get-togethers but not that day.”
“How did t
he argument end?”
“Saul finally just stormed off.” Adele relaxed against the chair and crossed her legs.
“When you went back inside, did you all discuss the incident?”
“Yes. We often ended up talking about the latest gossip. Carly was surprised at Saul’s anger, too, so he became the object of our conversation that day.”
Nicholas rose and handed her a business card. “If you remember anything else about that day, please contact me.”
She pushed to her feet. “Saul’s murderer was caught and convicted. Why the interest now?”
“I can’t comment on an ongoing investigation.”
Adele snapped her fingers. “You don’t think the building janitor killed Saul.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You don’t have to,” Adele said, a satisfied expression on her face as she exited the living room.
When they entered the den, the senator finished up with his chief of staff. “So the security will be upgraded by Saturday?”
Carly nodded. “They’ve been working all week. I’ll go out Friday and check it over with the supervisor of the project.”
The senator looked at Nicholas. “Do you need to talk with Carly?”
“No, sir. I got what I needed from Ms. Carpenter.”
Frowning, Carly glanced between her boss and Nicholas. “What did you need?”
“Some information about a fight between Saul Rather and Greg Littleton by the pool the night before Rather’s murder. Ms. Carpenter told me she was the third person on the balcony watching the exchange.” Nicholas observed Carly intently.
“Oh, I remember hearing about that fight. Adele told me Saul laid into the other man.” Carly stood and turned toward her boss. “If that is all, Senator Eagleton, we need to return to the office.”
Nicholas escorted both women to the door then locked it after they left. When he looked toward the den, Selena emerged and came toward him.
“Did she give you anything to help the case?” Selena asked.
“Possibly. She confirmed that Littleton wasn’t really angry but uncomfortable by the scene Rather created. I’m beginning to see why Michael was interested in the case. Something doesn’t feel right here.”
“But you don’t know what?”
Love Inspired Suspense June 2015 #1 Page 16
