Sarah Woods Mystery Series (1-6) Boxed Set

by Jennifer L. Jennings

  She looked up, surprised. “You mean go there and confront him?”

  I paused when I realized I had overstepped my boundaries. “Never mind. Maybe that’s not the best idea. Forget I said that.”

  “I can’t, anyway. Daddy wouldn’t allow it.” She straightened up and smoothed the front of her dress. “We should go in. The others must be anxious to talk to you. In the meantime, I’ll see if lunch is ready.”

  I gently squeezed her arm. “Hang in there, Jessica.”

  Once inside, I spotted Max and Carter sitting on the lanai, hunched over some high-tech looking device.

  Carter was the first to notice my presence. “Good job. Piece of cake, right?”

  “Sure,” I said, looking around. “Where’s Richard?”

  “He’s out by the pool talking with Doctor Theo.”

  “Did you manage to get the surveillance equipment up and running?”

  “We just finished downloading the info from Cunningham’s cell phone. Max is trying to get the video feed working now. He was able to position the camera in a smoke detector in the kitchen. We’ll be able to watch him through streaming video.”

  I touched my chest and felt the bump in my bra where the transmitter was still attached. I reached in, removed it and set it down on the table next to Max. “Cunningham wants me to go back for another massage tomorrow. What do you guys think about that? Maybe we could get some info from his computer.”

  Carter shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  “By the way, I almost forgot. He gave me a tip.” I took the money out of my back pocket and handed it to Carter. “I haven’t counted it yet.”

  He unraveled the bills. “Wow, Sarah. How much is the average tip?”

  “Ten or twenty bucks. Why?”

  Carter held up the bills and waved them at me. “He gave you a hundred dollars.”

  “What?”

  Max turned around and narrowed his eyes. “He’s looking for something more.”

  “I swear I did nothing to give him that idea.”

  “I know, I know,” Max said. “But I don’t like the fact that he thinks he can tempt you with cash. Who the hell does he think he is?”

  Carter nodded in response to Max’s opinion. “What’s your impression, Sarah? You think he’s dangling a carrot?” Carter handed me the money. “Or do you think he’s just in love with your hands?”

  “I don’t know. Let’s think about this for a minute. Let’s say he’s trying to persuade me to give him a hand-job. Well, what if---”

  “Hold on,” Max said. “Don’t tell me you’re actually willing to give this loser a hand-job?”

  “No. Well? It depends.”

  “Depends on what?”

  “I’m not sure what I’m saying. If it would help us find Toby, I guess I’d be willing to do something drastic.”

  “Hmm,” Carter said, as if he was thinking it over.

  “Are you out of your mind, Carter?” Max stood up from the table. “How is a hand-job going to help us find the kid?”

  Carter paused for a moment. “You’re right. You are absolutely right. I’d never expect Sarah to do something like that.”

  I stuffed the bills in my back pocket and stepped between them. “Look, guys. It’s not like I’d be having sex with him. All I’m suggesting is that we keep our options open.”

  Max rubbed his forehead and let out a long breath. “Fine.”

  I stepped away, feeling flustered and stupid. Had I just offered to give Cunningham a hand-job? What an idiot. I shuddered to think what was going through Max’s mind.

  I needed to take a walk, and get some fresh air to clear my head. I slipped out the side door and headed toward the front lawn.

  As I took in the pristine landscape, I realized Jessica probably never had to worry about money. I imagined her going to the best private schools, having the best tutors, the finest clothing, and the fanciest cars to drive. Not to mention a doting father who’d buy her the moon if he could. And yet, even with her unlimited resources, her little boy remained missing. How is that possible? I guess the old saying is true: money can’t buy you everything.

  As I continued my stroll, I encountered a small flower garden, and eventually found myself on a stone walkway that led to a private courtyard. Lush potted plants, mostly palms, shaded the small area. Across the courtyard, massive flowering bushes proudly exhibited exquisite white blossoms. The rich scent beckoned me. I walked over, grabbed one of the branches, and stuck my nose inside a flower when my thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

  A voice coming from the other side of the courtyard was faint, but getting louder. I craned my neck to get a better look. Alex O’Malley was talking on his cell phone. His expression suggested the conversation was a serious one. I slipped behind a bush to conceal my presence, and strained to hear what was being said.

  “We might be facing a potential problem here. I’m worried about Jessica. You may hear from me again very soon.” O’Malley ended the call and headed back toward the house.

  Who was O’Malley talking to and why was he worried about Jessica?

  I retraced my steps around the courtyard back toward the house when Max startled me.

  “Hey, where’ve you been?” he asked.

  “Just taking a walk.”

  “The Sanborns are anxious to hear about our findings. Care to join us?”

  “Of course.” I followed him through the house and out to the lanai. It appeared as though everyone was waiting for me.

  Max stood at the head of the table as if he were conducting a board meeting. He cleared his throat and looked around at everyone.

  “Over the past hour, we’ve been reviewing Cunningham’s cell phone history, but since it’s a newly activated Tracfone, there wasn’t much. Four different calls were made in the last week. One was the number he got from Carter’s phony massage flyer to book the appointment with Sarah. A few days before that, he made a call to a Brenda Graves. She’s the cleaning lady we’ve seen several times at his house. The third number belongs to Island Pizza. The fourth call was made to a church, Hope Chapel, located in Kahila which is the next town over.” Max looked over at Jessica. “Is he a religious guy?”

  She cleared her throat and nodded. “I guess so. He wanted to get baptized. He used to talk about it a lot.”

  “It’s worth checking out,” Richard said. “We’ll give the pastor a call.” He turned to Max. “Anything else we should know?”

  “I’ve attached a GPS to Cunningham’s car,” Max said. “The program will alert us every time he starts his engine. And the video surveillance in his place is motion activated. If someone enters or leaves his house, we’ll know about it. We’ll also get an alert every time he makes or receives a call.”

  “I see,” Dr. Theo said. “I appreciate your strategy. But what about this cleaning lady you mentioned? Shouldn’t we talk to her, too? Maybe she’s seen or heard something that could help us.”

  “Well,” Richard said, taking over for Max, “it’s tricky. We’re not sure what her loyalty to Cunningham is. It’s better if we do a background check and find out more about her before we assume she’d be willing to help us. We’ll let you know what we discover.”

  “So, we’re done for now?” Dr. Theo asked.

  Everyone nodded in agreement.

  As we all got up from the table, Carter approached me and Max. “We’ve done all we can do for today. Richard and I will stay here for a few more hours and continue to monitor the surveillance equipment. Let’s meet back here first thing tomorrow morning.”

  “Fine with me. Just keep a close eye on that equipment,” Max said, pointing to the device.

  “Will do,” Carter said. “Thank you, Max. You’re a good man for doing all this.” He extended his hand.

  Max shook his hand and said, “I just hope it helps us locate the boy.”

  Chapter 9

  I saw no need to rush back to the hotel. Daniel hadn’t left any messages on my cell. He was eithe
r sleeping or still too angry to call. Besides, I wasn’t opposed to spending one-on-one time with Max. “Mind if we go for a walk on the beach?” I asked.

  “I’d like that,” Max replied. “I know the perfect spot. I discovered it last night.”

  We climbed inside his jeep. I stared out the side window as Max drove, thinking maybe I should be more concerned about Daniel and his condition. But the self-indulgent pity party he’d thrown for himself earlier kept replaying in my mind.

  “What’re you thinking about, Sarah?”

  “What? Oh, nothing, just looking at all these gorgeous homes. I mean, really.” I pointed to the gigantic house on my right with a four-car garage. “Some people have way too much money.”

  He laughed. “If you asked them, they’d probably tell you otherwise.”

  “I know. That’s the crazy part. Why can’t people just be happy with what they’ve got?”

  “Human nature, I guess. People are greedy. Well … some are.”

  He pulled over to the side of the road and cut the engine. “There’s a secluded beach beyond these trees. I discovered it last night. Wait ‘til you see it.”

  I jumped out of the vehicle. Max took my hand in order to help me negotiate the overgrown trail. It eventually opened up to a beautiful, crescent-shaped beach. The ocean twinkled like silvery diamonds in the sunlight, the water a mixture of turquoise and cobalt blue.

  I squeezed his hand. “Wow! This is amazing.”

  He smiled. “I knew you’d love it.”

  We removed our shoes and walked for a few minutes, side by side.

  “Something happened today. I’m not sure if it means anything, but I feel like I should mention it,” I said.

  Max raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

  “While you and Carter were busy back at the house, I took a stroll around the property. I heard a voice and stopped to listen. O’Malley was talking on his cell phone away from everyone else. I don’t usually make a habit of eavesdropping, but I was curious. O’Malley told the person on the phone that he was worried about Jessica.”

  “What else did he say?” Max stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets.

  “Well, he told the person on the phone they might be hearing from him again soon.”

  “I wouldn’t be too concerned, Sarah. O’Malley was probably talking to his wife, or a friend back home.”

  “I don’t think he’s married. He’s not wearing a ring.”

  “Well, the fact that he’s worried about Jessica stands to reason. She’s the daughter of his client, after all.”

  “I agree, but there was something in his voice that made me think it was more than that.”

  “Like an emotional attachment to her?”

  “I’m not really sure. O’Malley is the family attorney, but maybe he’s got a thing for Jessica, too.”

  “How old do you think O’Malley is? He’s got to be at least my age, right?”

  “I’m guessing mid-thirties.”

  “Why would he be interested in a twenty year old?”

  “C’mon, you’ve seen her. She’s gorgeous and smart.”

  “I wouldn’t date someone that young, no matter how mature they were.”

  “Some guys don’t care about age,” I said.

  Max smiled. “Look, we’re getting way ahead of ourselves. So what if O’Malley has feelings for Jessica. That’s none of our business.”

  Max was right. I suddenly felt ashamed I’d mentioned it at all. “Well, anyway,” I said, as we resumed our walk, “I have to admit that Cunningham doesn’t strike me as a guy who could kidnap his own child.”

  Max shook his head. “I know his type, Sarah. He probably acts all cute and innocent, but he’s a player. And the tip he gave you today just proves my point.”

  “I know what you’re thinking.” I tried to keep the defensive tone out of my voice. “You think I’m naive. Maybe he just appreciated the massage. After all, it was free.”

  Max shrugged off the comment. “If he didn’t take his son, how can he afford to live in Hawaii? He took that ransom money, Sarah.”

  “I know, but he’s barely twenty years old. How did he avoid being found until now?”

  Max rubbed his chin. “If terrorists can learn to make bombs by surfing the web, Cunningham could easily have learned how to acquire fake documents and change identities. Money is a huge motivator, don’t you think?”

  “I suppose you’re right.”

  We finally stopped, sat down, and dug our feet in the sand. Max was so close, our arms and legs touched.

  “So,” he said, tilting his head to look at me. “How long have you been working with Carter?”

  A gust of wind came from behind, whipping my hair into my face. I swept it back. “It was only one job. I went undercover to befriend an exotic dancer named Tiffany.”

  Max’s eyes grew wide as he looked at me. “Are you serious? How did you manage that?”

  Slightly offended by his tone, I replied, “I managed it quite well, thank you very much.” He didn’t need to know that I’d almost gotten myself killed.

  “I’m sorry,” Max said. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sure you’re very capable.”

  I paused to reflect before I decided to fess up. “Oh, who am I kidding? I don’t know jack shit about any of it. Truth is, I botched the whole investigation, and Carter had to bail my ass out.”

  Max laughed quietly as he rubbed my back. “Sarah, you’re one of the bravest women I’ve ever known. And smart. You’re not afraid to take chances. You have a keen intuition---”

  “Okay, okay.” I slapped him on the arm. “Now you’re overdoing it a bit.”

  “I worry about you. What’s the real reason you’re doing this?”

  “I guess being involved in this business gives me a sense of purpose.”

  Max’s expression turned serious. “How well do you know Carter?”

  Good question. After two months I didn’t know much. “All I know is I trust him, though I’m not sure why.” I took a handful of sand and let the grains trickle through my fingers. “You must trust him, too, or you wouldn’t have flown all the way to Hawaii.”

  He stretched his legs out and leaned back, propping himself on his arms. “After Beth died, I did some digging into Carter’s past. Let’s just say I understand him better now.”

  “Really? What did you find out?”

  Max hesitated then said, “Carter has been through a lot. I’ll leave it at that.”

  Though I was curious, I decided to respect Max’s discretion.

  He squeezed my arm gently. “Hey. Are you hungry?”

  “Are you kidding? I’m always in the mood to eat.”

  “I noticed a little Mexican place on the way here. I could go for a margarita and some nachos.”

  “Now you’re talking.”

  We got up, brushed the sand off, and walked back to the car. As soon as I buckled up, my cell phone rang. I glanced at the incoming number. “Shit.”

  “It’s your husband, isn’t it?”

  “Sorry, I need to take this. Hey, Daniel. What’s up?”

  “We need to talk face to face. Right now!” Daniel’s sharp voice nearly pierced my eardrum.

  “What happened? Is Brian okay?”

  “This isn’t about Brian. We need to talk.”

  “Can’t this wait until later? I’m right in the middle of something.”

  “No, it can’t wait.”

  “This is ridiculous, Daniel. What’s the big problem?”

  Daniel hung up. Chucking the phone on the ground would have made me feel better, but I didn’t want to upset Max.

  “Back to the hotel?” he asked.

  “I’m afraid so.”

  Chapter 10

  When I got back to the hotel room, Daniel had our bags packed and lined up by the door. A hobbling mass, he approached me from the lanai with a cell phone in his hand. A scowl formed deep wrinkles on his forehead. “As you can see, I had to do all of this myself.”<
br />
  “What exactly are you doing?” I asked, gesturing to the suitcases.

  “We’re going home.”

  “Why are you being such a big baby? I mean, really. Look at you. You can barely walk.”

  “I know for a fact you didn’t go on a whale watching cruise today. They cancelled them all due to high seas. I saw it on the news. So where have you been?”

  I hoped the panic I felt inside didn’t show on my face. “I took a walk on the beach,” I said. At least that part was true.

  Daniel blew past me toward the door. “I already changed our flights. We leave in two hours. There’s a limo waiting for us downstairs. I suggest we get going.”

  “You can’t be serious. I’m not going anywhere.”

  He stopped and turned around. “This is no joke, Sarah. We’re leaving now.”

  “I didn’t fly twelve hours just to turn around and go home. If you’re so anxious to leave, go for it, but I’m staying here.”

  “If you don’t leave with me right now---”

  “Then what, Daniel?” I said, taking a few steps closer. “Don’t threaten me unless you plan to back it up.”

  Daniel grabbed the handle of his rolling suitcase and walked out the door. “Fine. We’re leaving together, or this marriage is over.”

  I stood there for a moment, unable to move or breathe.

  “Goodbye, Sarah. Have a great time in Hawaii.” He shut the door in my face.

  Knowing Daniel like I do, his theatrical exit was meant to throw me off kilter. He wanted me to run after him with my luggage, begging forgiveness. He’d soon realize that wasn’t going to happen this time.

  I paced the room for a few minutes and waited, for what I wasn’t sure. I knew Daniel too well. He would just as soon die than admit to being a prick. Even when I confronted him months ago about his online affair with Rita68, he’d graciously denied it, acting as if I were on drugs, or worse-stupid. I suppose I never really cared that much to turn it into a serious discussion, but now I wish I had made a stink. At least it would give me some kind of leverage in the future if need be.

  Another ten minutes passed and my anger subsided. Maybe Daniel’s departure was a good thing. With him out of the picture, I could focus on the assignment I’d been called upon to do.