by Rose Pressey
“Please don’t go,” he said with a pleading look.
I released a deep breath. Jake had a way of knocking the air out of me with just a look.
I nodded. “Fine.”
After waiting for Jake to get his order, I headed toward the door and he walked along beside me. We reached the door and he held it open for me.
When we stepped outside into the warm morning air, he asked, “Did you get any sleep last night?”
“Why do you ask?” I looked at him suspiciously.
“After your exciting evening I just wondered if you were able to sleep.” He looked me up and down and I suddenly became very aware of his intoxicating gaze.
I sipped my drink, then said, “I guess I got enough sleep.”
He smiled softly. “Good.”
I peeked over at him. “What about you?”
He shook his head. “No, I didn’t sleep much. I had a lot on my mind.”
I looked over at him again. He didn’t offer a reason for his lack of sleep and I didn’t press for an answer. My heart sped up.
Jake walked me to my car where we paused by my door.
“Well, I guess I’d better get to work.” I tucked a strand of hair that had escaped from my hastily pulled up ponytail behind my ear.
“You have a full day ahead of you?” Jake casually leaned against my car.
I took another drink. “Yes, I have a murder case to solve.”
He shook his head.
“What?” I quirked my eyebrow questioningly.
“Oh, nothing.” His mouth curved into a smile. “You’re certainly very determined.”
I pasted a smile of nonchalance on my face. “I guess I’ve always been that way.”
“It’s a good quality.” A smile remained on his handsome face.
I knew by the look on his face that he was sincere.
After a pause, I said, “Well, enjoy your doughnut.”
Just then a car engine revved and caught our attention. I’d forgotten about the mysterious SUV.
The SUV peeled out of the parking lot. I’d caught a glimpse of the man’s face and it was the same one from last night. My stomach turned and panic set in. Who was this man and why was he following me? He’d followed me after I’d followed him, but what did he want? What did Sam know about this? I intended to ask him that question as soon as I tracked him down.
“That was the car from last night,” I said in a panic. “Do you believe me now? Do you believe me when I say someone is following me?”
He scowled. “Hop in and we’ll see if we can catch up with him,” he said as he hurried toward his car.
I ran over to the other side and jumped in, slamming the door behind me. Jake turned the ignition and shoved the car into drive, peeling out of the parking space and flying across the parking lot. A couple people on the other side of the lot stared at us in shock. Jake flipped on his siren and lights which made the adrenaline flow even more. At that moment a flash of my father’s face ran through my mind. Was this a hint of the adrenaline he’d felt on the night of his murder?
We pulled out onto the street weaving in and out of traffic as cars cleared a path for us. We whizzed past the buildings and cars like they were standing still.
“I don’t think we’re going to find him.” I held on tightly.
“We won’t give up just yet. Unless he turned off, he’ll be sitting in the traffic up here. It always gets congested,” Jake said.
The car came into view.
“That’s it right there,” I said as I pointed toward the SUV.
Jake sped up and weaved around a couple cars. Within a few seconds, we’d reached the SUV. Finally, I’d find out who this person was and why he was following me. Jake sounded his siren again and the car pulled over to the side of the road. Jake called in the license plate number, then climbed out of the car. I held my breath as I waited for what might happen. This could turn serious at any moment. Jake came around to the back of the SUV with a woman with him. Who the heck was that? He talked to her for a moment, then she went around to the driver’s side and pulled the SUV away from the curb.
I didn’t want to even look at Jake when he returned to the car.
“That wasn’t the guy from last night, huh?” I said feeling more than a little embarrassed.
“Unless he was a girl, then no,” Jake said.
“You just followed the wrong car. I know that was the guy from last night in the parking lot. I looked right at his face.”
Jake stared in silence for a moment, then said, “I believe you. I can follow you to your office.”
I shook my head. “No, that isn’t necessary. I’ll be fine,” I said.
I wasn’t so sure about that, but I didn’t want Jake to know.
Jake dropped me off at my car and I hurried to the office, ready to put this morning’s embarrassing incident behind me.
Chapter Fourteen
When I arrived at the office, Dorothy had left a note stating that she’d be back in an hour. Apparently there had been a surprise sale on yarn and she didn’t want to miss the bargains. That was fine with me. I’d spend more time researching.
I was lost in my Internet searching when Dorothy came back with a bag full of yarn.
She placed her hands on her hips and looked at me over the top of her eyeglasses. “Well, I’m glad you made it and I didn’t have to send out a search party. I guess last night was just too much partying for you.”
The sad truth was it had been exhausting. With the Bunco and the car chase, I had been drained. I really needed to get out more.
I’d spent the last hour working on clues for all my suspects, which consisted of a short list…the condo owner, Sam Louis, and my client. There had to be someone else who hated Arthur Abbott enough to kill him, right? I just didn’t want to think his wife or partner would have anything to do with his murder. The condo tower owner on the other hand…
Dorothy had just sat down when I jumped up.
“Where are you going?” Dorothy asked as I grabbed my purse and headed toward the door.
“I have to do something. This case is going nowhere and now someone is after me,” I said.
“Why don’t you just tell the police? After all, they know someone tried to shoot at you, and then the car chase. Plus, Detective Jackson seems more than willing to help you out,” Dorothy said.
I shook my head. “No way. I’m doing this on my own. A private eye doesn’t go running to the police the first time something goes wrong.”
“So what are you going to do?” she asked.
“I’m headed to talk with the other partner in the law firm. I also want to talk with the receptionist. She had to know the comings and goings of everyone at the firm. It probably will lead nowhere, but it’s better than sitting around doing nothing.”
As I reached out to grab the doorknob, Dorothy jumped up and grabbed her purse. “I’m coming with you. You can’t talk to that bulldog on your own.”
Dorothy had given the receptionist a nickname after I’d told her about her stubborn demeanor.
“What? No way, Dorothy.” I shook my head. “Besides, who will answer the phone?”
She smirked. “You can forward the hundreds of calls to your cell phone like you did before. But don’t ask me to do it because I don’t even know how to check my voice mail.”
It looked as if I’d lost that argument. Within a few minutes, Dorothy and I pulled up in front of the office building.
When I shoved the car into park, Dorothy stuffed her knitting needles into her purse and opened the door. “I’m going with you.”
Dorothy was being awfully protective now. My own mother had never been that protective. There was no sense in arguing with her.
I made sure to keep my eye out for any suspicious behavior as we made our way across the parking lot. As soon as I stepped into the building, the receptionist looked up at me and frowned. What did this woman have against me? She hadn’t liked me from day one.
“May I help you?” She eyed me suspiciously.
“I’d like to see Mr. Cooper,” I said, looking her right in the eyes.
I wouldn’t let her intimidate me. After all, I could be a client for all she knew.
“Do you have an appointment?” she asked with a frown.
“No, I don’t, but it’s very important that I speak with him,” I said.
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but he doesn’t see anyone without an appointment.”
Dorothy marched up to the counter and placed her hands on her hips. “Now listen here. This is an official investigation and we have questions that need to be answered, so I suggest that you go get him right now.”
The receptionist stared at Dorothy with her mouth open.
Dorothy continued her rant. “Listen here, lady, you’d better quite messing around with us and just give us the freakin’ information.”
I had no idea Dorothy’s voice could even reach that level.
“You can’t talk to me that way,” the woman said.
Dorothy tapped on the woman’s desk. “Now, do I have to get the information from you the hard way?”
“Dorothy, please.” I motioned for her to knock it off. “I’m terribly sorry. My assistant gets a little excited. She had a stroke,” I whispered.
“I heard that and I most certainly did not have a stroke,” Dorothy said.
I looked at the woman again. She glared at me. Dorothy had certainly riled the hornet’s nest, but it looked as if it had been necessary. This woman wasn’t about to release any information.
I tapped my fingers against the counter. “Are you going to stop playing games with us and tell me what I need or what?”
“Or what,” the woman said in a curt tone.
All right then. That answered my question.
“That’s it. I’m coming around that desk,” Dorothy moved toward the woman.
“Dorothy, no!”
The woman’s eyes widened as I grabbed Dorothy and stopped her from moving around the desk. The receptionist scrambled up from her desk and hurried down the hallway.
“Maybe you could tone it down a notch, Dorothy? I think you scared the woman,” I said.
“What? She was like a statue. Nothing would get through to her. I bet the devil is scared of that woman,” Dorothy huffed.
“She wasn’t that bad,” I whispered.
“I think I saw her eyes glow red,” Dorothy said.
I chuckled. “Well, just let me handle it next time.”
Would there be a next time? I needed to keep Dorothy away from questioning anyone from this moment forward.
“Is there a problem?” a male voice said from over my shoulder.
I whipped around. “Mr. Cooper, you’re just the man I wanted to see. If you have a moment, I’d like to ask you a few questions.”
He looked just like his photo on the law firm’s website. Why hadn’t he requested to see me to begin with? He knew that his client had hired me. We should be working together to get her out of jail.
“Please come into my office.” He gestured down the hall.
I glanced over my shoulder and caught Dorothy as she smirked at the receptionist. The woman frowned back at Dorothy, matching her dirty look. If I wasn’t careful they’d break out into a fight.
Matt Cooper pointed at the chairs. “Please have a seat, ladies. What can I do for you?” he asked.
Dorothy looked around the room, scrutinizing every detail. It was a rather boring space with lots of wood trim and a large walnut desk in the middle of the room. He had a big leather chair behind his desk that resembled a throne. In front of the desk were two small leather chairs. Diplomas and pictures of Matt with various fish hung on the walls. On his desk was a picture of a woman and small children which I assumed was his family. He was much older than she was. He looked old enough to be her father.
“As you know, Mr. Cooper, I’m working for Mrs. Abbott. I just need to ask a few questions,” I folded my hands in my lap.
“I understand that Allison has hired you, but really your services aren’t needed.”
I stared. “Is that right? And why is that? Do you have someone else investigating the case?”
“That’s not something I can divulge,” he said curtly.
His answer said it all. Why wouldn’t he want to help his client in any way possible?
“Can I just ask some questions about Mr. Abbott?” I asked.
Dorothy sat with her arms in front of her chest, clutching her pocketbook. Her laser-like death glare was focused on Mr. Cooper. It didn’t go unnoticed by him either. He kept glancing at her every few seconds.
“What would you like to know?” He asked as he leaned back in the leather chair.
“I need to know if Mr. Abbott suspected his wife of having an affair with Sam Louis?” I stared at him waiting for an answer.
A slight smile crossed his face. Or it might have been more of a smirk. What was this man’s problem?
“No, I don’t think he knew what was going on.” He shuffled papers on his desk and avoided my stare.
“How is that possible? If you knew, then how did he not know about this?” I asked.
Dorothy nodded as she pulled a peppermint candy from her purse and popped it into her mouth.
“Mr. Louis confided in me about their affair, but I didn’t tell Mr. Abbott,” he said.
“Don’t you think he had a right to know?” I asked.
He frowned. “Would you have gotten involved if you were in my position? It was none of my business. I didn’t want to be involved, but Mr. Louis didn’t give me that option when he told me what was going on. I insisted that he break it off, but he didn’t listen to me.”
“Don’t you think the police should have looked closer at Mr. Louis as a suspect instead of Allison?”
“Look, Ms. Thomas, I don’t think either one of them are guilty, and I don’t appreciate you coming in here and blaming Mrs. Abbott or Mr. Louis,” he said.
“If you don’t think Mrs. Abbott was involved, then why aren’t you doing more to get her out of jail?” I crossed my arms in front of my chest.
He stood from his desk. “I think this conversation is over, Ms. Thomas. Now if you’ll please leave.”
He pointed toward the door as if I didn’t know how to find it.
I paused for a moment before finally pushing to my feet. This wasn’t the last he’d see of me.
“Come on, Dorothy. We need to leave.”
She continued her death glare all the way out the door. Dorothy mumbled something under her breath as she walked past the receptionist’s desk. I couldn’t make out the colorful phrase for sure, but I thought she said something about her nasty disposition.
Chapter Fifteen
Dorothy decided to wait in the car while I went in to visit Allison. That was probably for the best. She’d have time to catch up on her knitting and crossword puzzles. The jail where Allison was being held was in the same location where Detective Jake Jackson worked. If there was an ounce of luck left in the world for me, I wouldn’t bump into him this time.
I’d parked on the street next to a parking meter, so I knew I hadn’t taken his reserved parking spot this time. There was no reason to talk to him. So why was I thinking about him the entire time I walked toward the building? I seriously needed to stop.
After stepping into the station, I waited by the front window for someone to help me. I tapped my fingers against the counter, but no one looked my way. I stared in their direction, hoping they’d sense my eyes focused on their every move. That didn’t work either. Finally, I coughed loudly and caught the attention of a female officer.
I had no idea so much went into visiting an inmate. After all, I’d be separated from her by glass. Did they really have to be that thorough in their body search? I couldn’t pass a cake with a file in it through the glass partition. The officer led me back to the room with the glass partitions and phones.
After a few minutes, Allison appea
red from a back room. The orange jumpsuit was ugly, but somehow she made it look good. She gave a half-hearted smile and wave as she approached. I grabbed the phone and waited for her to sit down and pick up her extension.
“How are you?” I asked as she sat down.
Of course I knew she was miserable, but I had to be polite and ask.
“As well as can be expected, I guess. I figured you’d given up on the case after I was arrested,” she said.
I shook my head. “No, you hired me to do the job and that’s what I intend to do.”
“Do you have good news for me?” she asked with a hopeful look in her eyes.
It would be hard to tell her that I was no closer to finding the killer than when she’d first come to me. Maybe I could pick my words carefully and make the situation sound better than it actually was.
“I’m working hard on the case. I have a few leads,” I said with a less than confident tone in my voice.
It must have worked because her eyes brightened slightly, which made me feel even worse.
“Oh yeah? Like what?” She scooted closer to the table.
I went over the leads that I had filed away in my mind. Yeah, they were minimal and pathetic.
“Have you talked to your lawyer?” I asked.
“Um, yes, we’ve spoken.” I needed to change the subject quickly. “Is there anything else I should know? Any other leads you can give me?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I can’t think of anything.”
“Do you know anything about the man who owned the tower?” I asked.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea. You should go talk to him.” She sat up a little straighter.
“Do you know where I can find him?” I asked.
“I looked up his name, but I can’t remember the exact address. I remember the street name though,” she offered.
How would I find out exactly where he lived? I couldn’t drive up and down the street and hope to see him. Besides, I wasn’t sure I even knew what he looked like. I’d seen that man in the tower, but I wasn’t positive that he was the owner of the place.
