Samantha opened the first folder. “Are you looking for anything specific?”
“Charlie made notes on most invoices. Read them as you go through.”
“Got it.” She turned her attention to the first invoice and continued through the stack. “I have three folders that you should look over.”
Linc got up and stood behind her. Leaning over he kissed the top of her head. “Show me what you found.”
“This one is interesting.” She handed him an invoice. “This one is two months old and there on the side, someone has written Tillie, Serenity Hospice, and a telephone number. Do you think my grandfather was considering hospice?”
“He never mentioned it.” Linc pulled his chair next to hers. He pointed to the company name. “Wilson’s All Around Home Repair. I know this guy. You met Tom when he came out and replaced the broken window. He does odd jobs at the restaurant.”
“So who is Tillie?”
“I don’t know, but now that I think about it, he and Charlie always had a drink on the patio after the work was finished. I found one that looked interesting too. You up for a drive?”
“I sure am.”
Linc stopped her at the door, turned her around and kissed her. “I’m surprised some tall Texan hasn’t branded you. Never found the right one?”
The answer “not until now” flitted through her mind, but she pushed it away. “I got close once. His name was Gordon. Lucky for me I found out he believed fidelity only applied to women.”
“Idiot.” Linc held the door open for her.
“Exactly.” Samantha waited until they reached the parking lot to ask her question. He had, after all, started this line of conversation. “So who broke your heart?”
Linc kept walking without responding. He’d pried into her past and shouldn’t have been surprised that she’d asked him about his. She didn’t ask again, just made her way to his car. He’d answer if he wanted to share so she left it alone. He opened the car door for her.
“It’s been a few years, but I’ve been there. She wanted more than I was could give, so she ended it. By the time I realized how much I cared it was too late.”
“Nobody since?”
“No. I’ve been damn good at keeping it light with the ladies.”
“We’re keeping it light, right?” The uncertainty churning in her stomach was hard to hide.
“I’m trying. I have to admit that watching you stare at the Pacific with the wonder of a child moved me.” A frown cut a groove between his eyes. “But I fought it off. Top up or down?”
“Down, please.” The conversation was over. He’d issued a warning, leaving no doubt as to his feelings.
****
Linc wasted no time getting on the highway, where the wind ended any chance of follow-up questions. Putting Sam on that airplane and allowing things to cool off between them would be good for them both.
He drove to the address on the invoice and parked in front. The sign read “Open till noon on Saturday” — and they were just in time.
A bell tinkled above their heads when they entered. Bare windows and a skylight flooded the room with light. One wall was lined with shelves, housing maybe twenty wooden carvings. All were beautiful examples of sea life. The rest of the small shop was cluttered with window frames and samples of building material. A six-foot desk that appeared to be handmade graced one corner. Two leather upholstered chairs sat in front of it and behind it, a high-back chair of matching material filled the space. The luxurious office furniture seemed odd against the rest of the room. There was no one in sight.
“Hello,” Linc called, walking toward an open door at the back.
“Coming,” a male voice responded. A tall thin man with a shock of white hair stepped through the doorway wiping his hands on a red shop towel.
“Linc,” Tom said, immediately turning to Sam. “I’m sorry for your loss. Your grandfather was a good man.”
“Thank you,” Sam said extending her hand.
“How can I help you two?” Tom asked, motioning for them to follow. “Have a seat.”
“You and Charlie were friends?” Linc asked.
“Yeah. More so after we discovered that we had something in common.” Tom’s hazel eyes filled with pain. “Tillie and Charlie both were battling cancer. Even when he was the weakest, he made the trip to the hospital and sat with me. He was there the night she passed.”
“I’m sorry, Tom. I had no idea.” Linc waited until the tension on Tom’s face relaxed. “I’d like to ask you a few questions if you’re up to it.”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Charlie’s death troubles me. I’ll never believe he committed suicide. I need to figure out who or why would anybody kill him. Did he ever discuss issues or problems with you?”
Tom smiled. “Charlie and I spoke of many things over the last few months of Tillie’s life. She fought to the very end, taking every drug offered, but Charlie didn’t want to end his days suffering. Had he mentioned establishing residence in Montana or Washington so he would qualify for their assisted suicide program?”
“Not a word.” As if he were a balloon and Tom had stuck a pin in him, all the air left Linc’s chest. He turned to Sam. “Maybe I’ve been wrong all along.”
“But Charlie was scared of water,” Sam said softly.
“He was,” Tom spoke up. “I never understood that. Besides, I know what mental state Charlie was in, and he was a long way from being ready to die.”
“Charlie wouldn’t let the doctors install a port. Every chemo treatment, blood draw, and transfusion went into a vein, leaving his arms bruised from his elbows to his knuckles. He always looked liked he’d been in a struggle.”
Tom nodded his head. “Making it impossible to tell if he had bruises.”
“We’re hoping you’ll remember a comment or thought Charlie shared with you, maybe an employee or business associate that he didn’t trust.”
Tom was silent for a minute. “Not at all. Is the FBI going to investigate?”
“No. This is just us trying to figure out who the murderer is.”
Sam stood and walked to the shelves holding the carvings. Disappointment rolled off her in waves. Tom watched as Sam ran her fingers over the smooth surface of a dolphin.
“Tillie made every one of those. She really liked Charlie and would want me to help. I’m sad to let you down, but Charlie never complained about a soul.”
Linc stood and offered his hand. “Again, I’m sorry for your loss. If you think of anything call me.” He placed his card next to Tom’s phone. “My number is on the back.”
Tom came around and opened his arms. Sam walked into them as if they were old friends. “Your grandfather was a good friend.”
“I have no doubt that you were too.” Tears rimmed Sam’s eyes. “Thank you for being there for him.”
Linc took Sam’s hand and walked close to her as they left the shop. He’d just started his car when the bell on the shop door tinkled and Tom ran out, carrying one of the statues.
“I want you to have this.” He hand the carving to Sam. “Tillie loved working with basswood, and dolphins were her favorite subject.” A frown creased Tom’s forehead as he lifted his gaze to Linc. “I don’t know if it’s helpful, but I just remembered Charlie saying he was disappointed with one of his employees. He never said why.”
“Thank you,” Sam clutched Tom’s hand. “I’ll treasure this.”
Linc watched as the older gentleman went back inside. His footsteps seemed to be lighter and his head was held high. Maybe sharing the dolphin with Sam lightened his load.
He’d driven a block when Sam gripped his arm. “One of the employees? I can’t believe that any of them would harm Charlie. They all talk like they loved him.”
Linc patted her hand. “Cool your jets. We can’t start accusing people of murder.”
“Well, at least Tom gave us a place to start.”
****
Samantha smoothed her fingers across
the dolphin’s surface. The sunlight highlighted the deep, rich high gloss of the statue. She felt the love and tenderness the sculptress had used as she changed a piece of wood to a work of art. The dolphin would be displayed in a place of prominence.
Her mother would have loved the gift and the story behind it. Samantha wished she could pick up the phone and tell her all about Linc and Charlie.
“You okay?” Linc eased the car to a stop.
“I am. Tom touched my heart. I’m glad Charlie was there for Tom and Tillie.”
“I thought I knew Charlie, but in reality I only saw a part of him. He was an even better man than I thought.”
“I think we all have our different faces.”
“Let’s grab lunch before we check out the other invoice. It’s a florist shop. I wonder who received flowers from Charlie.”
“You’re thinking it was probably Tom’s wife?”
“Could be, but it’s worth stopping by the flower shop.”
The drive to the florist took them further north on the coast highway, reminding Samantha just how much of the area she hadn’t seen. She had seen pictures of the Pacific coast, but nothing compared to actually being there — on one side of the winding road, steep mountains bursting with bloom; on the other, stunning views of a sparkling ocean from cliffs that often dropped precipitously to the beach.
She was beginning to understand the pull this part of the state had on Charlie. How odd was it that she had unconsciously accepted him.
The florist shop was intriguing. Would they discover he’d had a lady friend that no one knew about? If so, why hadn’t she come forward? Samantha shook off that idea and tried to stop romanticizing today’s excursion. This was a fact finding mission.
She studied Linc as he drove, oblivious of her scrutiny, committing to memory the planes and valleys of his face. The muscles in his arm flexed and released as he downshifted, demonstrating the power to control whatever came his way. His chest and shoulders were broad and supported a narrow waist and hips. His crystal blue eyes made him shockingly appealing, and when his sensuous lips lifted into a grin, well, sparks flew through her system.
Linc navigated the car through a small shopping center. Palm trees and dozens of sweet scents shrubs covered in blooms were scattered through the landscape?
“You were staring again.” He gifted her with a smile.
Samantha batted her eyes and feigned innocence. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“You’re a bad a liar.” He leaned across the console and kissed her.
Before she could comment, he was out of the car and waiting for her. “You coming?”
Samantha entered the shop ahead of Linc. The air was permeated with different scents. Flowers and plants were everywhere. The assault on her senses proved to be almost too sweet. A woman looked up from her work and smiled. Her dark hair was cut short and framed a pretty face. She came out from behind the counter to meet them.
“You’re Charlie’s granddaughter. You look exactly like your pictures.” She lifted her gaze. “Linc, it’s good to see you.”
“Mila, it’s good to see you too. We’d like to ask you a few questions about Charlie’s account if you have time.”
“Wait here. Mama will want to be involved.” She disappeared though heavy rubber curtains.
“Customers of the restaurant?” Sam asked.
“Yeah, Mila and her husband are regulars, but I had no idea they ran a flower shop.”
“Hard to tell by the name on the invoice. Hearts and Flowers would confuse a guy.” Sam grinned.
“Don’t get cheeky.” The corners of his mouth twitched. “I’ve never had reason to dig through Charlie’s invoices before.
An older woman hurried out, drying her hands on her apron. “Thank you for coming to our shop. Whatever you need we can make it.”
“No, Mama.” Mila made introductions. “They have questions about Charles Pearson.”
“Questions?” She motioned for them to follow her through the curtain. “I never met the man.”
“I understand that, but going over old invoices, I noticed that Charlie ordered flowers from you. We’re hoping you can tell us who you sent them to and when.”
“I don’t have to look that up,” she said nodding. “He had a standing order for years. Most recently, he had flowers delivered for Tillie Wilson’s funeral, but once a year he sent a small arrangement to Samuel Anderson. That’s his son’s grave in Dallas, Texas.”
Black dots appeared before Samantha’s eyes. She felt lightheaded, and her stomach churned. She took a stabilizing breath and gritted her teeth. She refused to throw up. An arm slipped around her waist. Linc had moved close to support her.
“Curiously enough, he gave strict instructions that no card was to ever be included. It was none of my business, so I never asked him why.
The woman’s voice seemed far away as she assured Linc all the invoices had been paid and nothing was owed to the flower shop.
“We appreciate your time.” Linc said his goodbyes and led Samantha to the car. Once seated, he turned to her. “No one in your family ever wondered about the mysterious flowers?”
“We didn’t go the cemetery every year. My mother was sure they were from the Fire Department.”
Linc started the car. “Another part of Charlie’s life nobody knew.”
“I wish he were here to tell me these things himself.”
CHAPTER 17
Linc pointed the car south, stealing a glance at Sam as he drove. The standing florist order had been a shock. She just kept rolling with the punches. Her strength and how she handled all the surprises being thrown at her was amazing.
They had a few more invoices to check on, but a face to face wasn’t necessary. “Let’s do the rest of our fact gathering by phone. You up for it?”
She glanced at her watch. “Yeah. We need to get this done.”
“Good. We’ll stop early enough to be at the restaurant on time.”
“Sounds good.”
He left her to her thoughts until, he’d parked and they were inside his condo. He pulled her into his arms and smoothed the back of his fingers down her cheek. “Have I told you how impressed I am with you?”
“You’re impressed with me?”
“Very. And if you don’t grab a file soon, I’m going to carry you to the bedroom and show you how much.”
She laughed as she wiggled out of his grasp. The sound filled the room, filling him with an odd sense of calm.
“Work first. Sex later.” She picked up one of the two remaining folders.
“Damn bossy woman,” he mumbled as he grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge and then joined her at the table. “If Charlie had trust issues with one of the staff, we need to finish this and then start digging into personnel files.”
“Money says Charlie never ran background checks on anybody.”
“You’re probably right.” Linc liked that she was getting a feel for her grandfather and how she’d warmed to his memory.
“But he was on to something, and it involved a staff member.” She opened the water and took a drink. “It feels good to actually have a lead.” Her face brightened.
“Now who sounds like a Fed?”
“Touché. I’ll call this supplier from the other room.” She carried the file and her cell with her.
Linc’s call was short and gathered no information of value. A few minutes after he’d logged onto his laptop, Sam returned. “I’m guessing from the look on your face, you had the same kind of uneventful call I did.”
“Yeah. Charlie disagreed on the price his landscaper billed. The guy agreed and discounted the invoice. You?”
“The same. Apparently Charlie had a good relationship with his suppliers, this guy loved him.”
“I just received a call from the Smythe’s real estate attorney. They offered appraisal value plus attorney’s fees and costs with a two-hundred-thousand dollar bonus.”
Linc leane
d back in his chair. His hopes of owning The Cage dimmed. “You said yes, didn’t you? You had to.”
She tilted her head and smiled. “How disappointed will you be if you’re not the new owner?
He stood, walked to her, and then tipped her chin up. “It’s a lot more than I can pay you. Of course, you should take the deal.”
“I passed.”
Linc let that sink in for a second. “I don’t get it.”
“I think I want to stay. Who knows how involved I’ll be in the restaurant, but the coast is growing on me.”
“You do know Texas has a coast, too.”
“So I’ve been told, but I saw this one first. What do you think?”
What did he think? Linc needed a minute to gather his thoughts, so he went to the fridge and opened two beers. Did he tell her how pleased he was that she might be waiting at his home base? Was that what she was suggesting? He took her a beer and held his up.
“To you. You constantly amaze me. This is a huge decision and I’m happy for you. It’s obvious that you’re in your element at The Cage. I predict you’ll make it even better and bigger.”
“Thank you. I know you wanted a place to retire.”
“That hasn’t changed. I’m not selling this condo.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Congratulations on finding your true home.”
“Now back to work, right?” Her laughing eyes lit up her face.
“Yeah and I have an idea that might work. I know a couple of agents who work out of the Dallas office who might run some background checks for me.”
“You can’t ask the office here?”
“I could but it’s better if I keep this investigation under the radar. I can trust Rafe Sirilli and Colton Weir to keep it quiet. I was undercover in Westbrook Hills, Texas when I met those two. They’re good people.”
“Was that about the high school drug ring? Some detective was interviewed on national news.”
“That would be Wade Beckett.”
“Right. Was that when you were hurt?”
Linc nodded his answer and flexed his fingers to remind himself the damage wasn’t permanent. “I need to make this call, so we can get ready for work. I hear the boss is a terror.” He fished around in a kitchen drawer until he found a card with Rafe’s office number and dialed.
Till The Dead Speak (Killer Affections Book 2) Page 16
