They commiserated over their common dilemma for a few minutes and then James decided that he had gotten as much information as he could get without becoming obvious. He apologized for coming to the wrong house, thanked her for her time and trouble and returned to the car. Sin couldn’t tell by his stoic expression if the visit had been successful or not.
“What’s up?” he asked eagerly.
Instead of answering, Starr reached into his pocket and handed him the tape recorder that Sin had seen him with previously. Starting the car, James flashed him a wily smile before pulling away from the curb.
“I think I hit pay dirt.”
“So what is this about?” Sin indicated the tape recorder.
“It’s a copy of that telephone call from the kidnapper. I was listening to it on my way here. Play it.
Doing as instructed, Sin tensed as the voice of the abductor who had called Dana filled the car. The recording lasted under a minute, but it felt longer. When it was over, he turned to James.
“Okay, so what?”
Having driven out of the Heflin’s neighborhood, James pulled over to the side of the road and parked.
“Play it again and listen carefully to every word that’s said.”
Once again Sin complied. The voice had been electronically distorted in an attempt to disguise it, but the words spoken were clear, except—
Frowning, Sin played the recording again and again and again. When it ended the last time he turned to James.
“It’s subtle but it sounds like he’s got a lisp.”
James met Sin’s eyes and smiled.
****
Dana made her rounds of the stores in the Plaza making various purchases. Among them was a sexy pair of underwear that she planned on donning this evening. She was sure that James would enjoy removing them.
She wondered how his efforts were going. There was little doubt that he would resent her having conspired with Sin to follow him, but hopefully she and James could get past that. Sin and he made a good duo. If his presence turned out to be an advantage for James maybe he would forgive her deception. All she could do was hope.
CHAPTER 26
“His name is Robert Heflin,” Sin said into his cell phone. “And he works for Tech Play in Carmel.”
James sat listening to his end of the conversation. He had to admit that Sin was turning out to be an asset to moving this investigation along. During the week that he had been preoccupied with Nate’s death, both Sin’s daughter and niece had identified the still comatose Andy Vegas as the man who had picked them up at school. The disguise he had worn hadn’t fooled them. Sin had also kept up with the FBI’s interrogation of Jack Spencer. The authorities still couldn’t prove that he was involved in the abduction. The person of interest wasn’t talking, so Spencer was being held for a slew of unpaid parking tickets while the kidnapping investigation continued.
During his trip to New York, James had turned Spencer’s background check over to one of his employees. The man had been thorough in gathering information, but somehow Sin had assembled additional facts that he had shared with both the authorities and with James.
Where he got his information James didn’t know, but once again here he was using another contact to get a handle on Heflin and this one was no mystery. Sin was on his cell with one of the most influential men on the Peninsula, his best friend, Brandon Plaine. His power and empathy, as well as his friendship with Sin, made him a valuable resource.
James listened with interest to Sin’s side of the conversation. There were a series of yes and no comments and then Sin jotted down some information down. After disconnecting, he turned to James and smiled coyly.
James lifted a brow. “What’s up?”
“Brandon has heard of Tech Play. It’s a mid-sized company with customers throughout the Peninsula, and one of those customers is the school that my daughter and niece attend. The company installed the computer system and provides maintenance services.”
“So that’s how Heflin got the information about the girls. Straight off of the school computers,” James concluded.
“More than likely. Also, Tech Play is located in a building that Brandon owns.”
James chuckled. “This gets better and better.”
“There’s more. Follow me to my house and there should be a job application waiting for you on my computer.”
He went on to explain that if James wanted to get close to the suspect, Brandon would make arrangements for the investigator to start working at Tech Play tomorrow as a custodian in the building where Robert Heflin worked. His position would give him full access to every office in the building without raising suspicion.
“Brandon said that would give you the opportunity to get inside to see what you can find on Heflin. Meanwhile, he’ll do some research and find out what he can get on him. After that he agrees with you that if Heflin is a viable suspect, his name should go to the authorities.”
“If they don’t have it already,” James surmised. “But I’ll follow up on it.”
Meanwhile, the anonymous tip that Starr had been given was providing him with an advantage that he planned on using.
“Of course Brandon wants an exclusive interview with you if what you find from your investigation leads to Heflin’s arrest,” Sin further informed him.
“I see.” And James did, quite clearly. “So you’re saying that if I nab this creep, my company will receive the publicity for the effort.”
“Something like that.”
“Agent Conway wouldn’t be pleased. This case is a big one for the Bureau.”
“If the Bureau solves the case first, then they get the publicity. But my bet is on you.”
“Oh really?” Although he remained stoic, James was pleased by Sin’s words of confidence. He was really beginning to like this guy.
As he followed Sin’s car back to his house in Carmel-by-the Sea, he thought about Sin’s presence in Salinas. It hadn’t turned out to be the detriment that he had originally thought it might be. However, Sin hadn’t been too thrilled with the whole process. It seemed that the life of a private investigator might not be for him.
“I didn’t like staying in the car, Starr,” Sin had told him. “It was boring.”
“That’s pretty much the life of a P.I.,” James answered honestly. “It’s mostly research and interviews.”
“Oh.”
Sin looked so disappointed that James had forced himself not to laugh at the expression on his face. It was obvious he had hoped that the job would be more exciting.
When they reached Sin’s house, the job application was waiting. James filled it out with the fictitious information that he would use to create his persona. Meanwhile, Sin cooked them dinner. It turned out to be delicious.
“Man, You really know your way around a kitchen.” James was surprised
“I’m the one who does the cooking around here when our housekeeper is off.”
“You mean that fine wife of yours doesn’t cook?”
“Nope, she warms up and brings home carry out.” Sin cleared the table. “But what she lacks in culinary skills she makes up for it in other ways.”
“You seem to be happy.”
“That’s an understatement. I don’t know what I did in my life to deserve Nedra or those kids, but whatever it was I am grateful every day.” He paused, and then said pointedly. “The women in the Stillwaters family are special. They do know how to cast a spell on a man. Ask Ray, he knows.”
James didn’t have to ask anybody. He already knew and that’s what hurt so badly about Dana’s betrayal. Meeting her had made him feel like life might have given him another chance at love, but now he wasn’t sure.
Sin seemed to read James’ mind. Placing the dishes in the dishwasher, he went back to the table and addressed a brooding James..
“Dana is a good woman, Starr…”
“Don’t.” James warned.
“Okay.” Sin held his hands up in front of him in a gesture of surrender. �
�But, I’m just saying.”
At least he had tried. Dana had made a decision to help him and he had felt obligated to return the favor. What happened between the two of them from now on was out of his hands.
“Do you need a place to stay tonight?”
Sin had assumed, correctly, that James wouldn’t be staying with Dana this evening.
“No, I’m cool. I’d better get going if I’m going to report to work tomorrow.”
Sin escorted him to the front door and bid him good evening with a warning. “I’m putting you on notice; Starr, I want this thing wrapped up as quickly as possible.”
“Patience isn’t one of your virtues, is it?”
Sin was blunt. “No it is not.”
CHAPTER 27
“No, everything is fine,” Dana reassured her sister as she sat in the Inn waiting to hear from James.
“If you say so.” Bev didn’t sound convinced. “How are things going down there? Have you checked on my daughter’s house? Are those paparazzi still slithering around in the bushes?”
“Careful, Sis, your contempt for honest, hard working snakes is showing.”
Bev sniggered. “That’s a good one.”
“But seriously, everything is fine.” And it was, as far as Dana knew. She didn’t want to tell her she hadn’t been by the Stewart home as she had stated that she might do before she left Tiburon. “Security is checking on the house regularly.”
She figured this was true since that was their job. If she had time she would stop by the place tomorrow before she left for home.
Bev’s next inquiry caught her by surprise. “How is James doing? Has he followed up on whatever it is he’s doing down there?”
Dana hesitated. Was Bev asking the question because James wouldn’t offer specifics when Ray had asked why he was returning to the Peninsula so suddenly? Or had Bev sensed in her voice that there might be trouble between James and her?
Just as she was about to answer, her cell phone indicated a call on the other end. With a hasty goodbye to Bev, she picked up the call.
“Dana.”
The sound of James’ voice made her heart race. She had been expecting the call, but she wasn’t sure if this was the the end of what might have been. She responded with a hushed, “Yes.”.
James drew a jagged breath. Simply hearing Dana’s voice made him want her, but his response gave no hint of his conflicting emotions.
“I’ve rented a hotel room for the night. I think that we need to take a break for a while.”
His words hurt, but Dana understood. “If that’s the way you feel, I have to respect that. Maybe in your opinion what I did by contacting Sin wasn’t the right thing to do, but it’s done and I’m not going to offer any excuses.”
James liked the fact that she didn’t make any excuses, but it didn’t ease the pain of her betrayal. “I’ll be staying down here for a while on the job before returning to the Bay Area. Will you still be flying back to L.A. tomorrow?”
“That was the plan.”
There was silence on the other end. Dana knew he was pondering what to say as his parting words.
“You know, Dana, honesty is the foundation of any good relationship.”
“So is love,” she replied.
“I have a question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“Will your family always control your actions?” There was a hint of bitterness in James’ voice.
“The only one who controls my actions is me, and it’s taken a long time for me to get to this point.” Dana expelled an exasperated breath. “I apologize for deceiving you, James, and I hope you will accept my apology. As for my family, Nia and Gillian were innocent victims of a crime and I want the people responsible caught.”
“I thought that was why I was hired,” James reminded her as he had been reminded so many times. “You don’t trust me to see that this job is done?”
“I trust you, but I’ll do what I have to do to make sure that justice is served.” With those words she said goodbye.
As soon as they disconnected Dana began to miss him, but crying about it wasn’t on the agenda. She had shed her last tears over a man a long time ago. She had vowed to herself that any tears shed over a relationship in the future would be ones of joy.
A short time later, Sinclair called.
“How are you doing?”
“I’ve been better,” she admitted.
“I’m really sorry if this cost you.”
“I had an idea what could happen when I called you, but if this Heflin guy is guilty of snatching the girls it will be worth it.”
He filled her in on what had occurred after he followed James to Salinas. Dana was anxious.
“So James will be going into Tech Play undercover?”
“Yes, he will.”
Do you think that he’ll be in any danger?”
“It’s a computer company, Dana, not mafia headquarters. Anyway, Starr has been in this game for a long time. He’s still standing. He knows what he’s doing.”
“You’re right.”
“And Dana, from what I can get from Starr’s personality, he seems to be the kind of guy who will stew for a while when he’s angry but I think that he’ll eventually come around. He seems to really like you. He’s too smart to let a good thing go.”
“Thanks, Sin.” His words made her feel better. All she could do was hope they were true.
****
Sitting in the break room at his new “job”, James thought about how often his real job was made easy by others. He had been an employee for less than eight hours and had gathered so much information about Heflin that he could literally see the noose being placed around the man’s neck. It turned out that James’ supervisor was a certified, card carrying gossip.
His name was Dan Santos, a rail thin man in his late fifties who had been employed as the maintenance supervisor for fifteen years. There wasn’t a person who worked in the building that he didn’t know and whose business he wouldn’t reveal. As he trained James regarding the intricacies of his new job, he also let him know who was married, divorced or single and who was trying to sleep with whom. By mid-morning James’ head was spinning with all of the intimate details about the lives of people who he didn’t know.
Dan talked nonstop, and most of what he said was of no value, but after too many hours of listening to his mindless chatter James finally hit pay dirt when they made it to the floor where Tech Play was located. To his utter pleasure, sitting at the desk in one of offices was the man who he was seeking.
Robert Heflin looked to be in his mid-thirties. He was an average looking guy of average height, weight and size. He was nothing like the sinister ring leader of a gang of ruthless kidnappers that most people would have suspected. James knew that was a stereotype. Most of the criminals he had met were ordinary looking people. They would be the last ones anybody would suspect of breaking the law.
Dan confirmed Heflin’s identity by introducing him to James. Heflin looked up at James behind a pair of stylish reading glasses and his solemn expression quickly transformed into a welcoming smile. Reaching across the desk to shake James’ hand, he greeted him warmly.
“Nice meeting you.”
His eye contact was direct, his grip was strong and his greeting seemed sincere. If James had met him under any other circumstances, he might have liked the man.
“You’ve got a great place here,” James complimented, looking around at the well furnished office.
“Yes, it’s comfortable,” Heflin replied. It was obvious that he was anxious to get back to work as he resumed reading.
Leaving the office, James was quite satisfied. Not only did he have a face to go with the name, but when Heflin pronounced the word, yes slightly off kilter that was what he needed to hear. As slight as it was, the man did have a lisp.
James was able to fill in some of the blanks when Dan and he were in the cafeteria during their break. He didn’t have to fish hard for any informati
on that he needed, all James had to do was open the door just a crack.
“I really think that I’m going to enjoy working here,” he told Dan. “Everybody seems to be nice, especially that Heflin guy up at Tech Play. He was real friendly.”
“Yeah, he is,” Dan agreed, “and those supervisors of his keep him practically chained to his desk. The man’s a workaholic. He’s usually the first one to come into this building in the morning and the last one to leave at night. He lives and breathes computers.”
“Man,” James blew out an empathetic breath. ‘Does he ever take a vacation?”
“As a matter of fact he just came back from one last week. He was gone for two weeks. That’s the longest I’ve seen him take off since he’s been working at Tech Play.”
Dan went on to tell James everything that he knew about Heflin except the color of his boxer shorts. It seemed that he was well respected by his colleagues, and long overdue for the promotion that he had recently received. As for his personal life, Dan told him that Heflin had been recently divorced. He and his ex-wife were childless, but she had received their house and a substantial financial settlement, resulting in Heflin having to move in with his mother for a while to regroup.
James listened to the picture that Dan was painting. It seemed that Heflin was a man embittered by a divorce and in need of money. While his own observation of him had been brief, he had formed some first impressions.
Heflin’s office had been extremely neat, indicating that he was well organized and liked to be in control. Having all of his bases covered was probably important to him.
If that was the case, it was a certainty that Heflin was the one who planned the abduction. James would bet his recently inherited fortune that never in Heflin’s wildest dreams would he and his merry band of men have factored into the equation that their plan would be thwarted by a keg of dynamite named Gillian Reasoner.
It must have been frustrating to have opened the door to that little room only to find it empty. He would have paid anything to have seen their faces when the three of them realized that their dreams of instant wealth had turned into dust.
Strangers Page 18
