Mourning Commute

by Sam Cheever

  “Right,” I agreed.

  “If they did miss something, we would have found it and turned it into the officer in charge.”

  “Robard?” I asked innocently.

  “Yep. I worked that scene myself, and I can tell you without a smidgen of doubt that there was nothing there. No weapon of any kind. We would have found it.

  “But you didn’t go over the entire house, right? Just the scene of the death?”

  “That’s true. Our work was restricted to the lower level. I guess it’s possible the weapon could have been hidden upstairs. But the police went over the entire house with a fine-tooth comb.” He shook his head. “Detective Robard is very thorough.”

  “I respect that about him. And he spoke so highly to me about this company. I’d be proud to work here.”

  Brad beamed.

  I gave him a conspiratorial look. “I’ve actually been following the case in the news. It’s fascinating. I guess any time you brush up against the wealthy and famous it’s just a little more interesting.”

  He shrugged as if he was unaffected, but his eyes sparkled with interest.

  I glanced around and then lowered my voice further. “Have you met him? Do you think he killed her?”

  Brad frowned and, for a beat, I thought I’d gone too far. But then he leaned closer, his eyes shining. “I believe Tomlinson probably did kill her. But the police will never prove it. He’s too smart for that.”

  “Seriously? That’s horrible. What do you think happened to the weapon?”

  Brad shrugged, seeming to lose interest. But I saw the sudden stiffness in his weak jaw that told me he was feeling defensive. “He hid it somewhere. He had a few minutes before the police arrived. Even more time before he called them.”

  I nodded. “I heard he didn’t call them for over twenty minutes after he found her. That’s plenty of time to hide the weapon.”

  He nodded. “That’s what we thought too. Mr. Mitner said the neighbor called the police before he did.”

  “What in the world was he doing in the house all that time?”

  “Stomping all over the evidence for one,” Brad said, shaking his head.

  “Do you know what’s really interesting?” I asked him.

  He cocked his head to indicate interest, so I went on. “Despite the fact the police only have him on circumstantial evidence that probably won’t hold up in court, I haven’t heard anybody speculating about other possible perpetrators. You’d expect more than one suspect on a case this big. An ex-boyfriend or a home robbery gone wrong. Something…”

  He nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right. I hadn’t thought about that. Mr. Mitner seems convinced Mr. Tomlinson is innocent, but even he hasn’t mentioned any other suspects.”

  “Is Mr. Mitner the owner of Crime Clean?” I asked, just so I didn’t appear to know too much.

  “Yes. He’s quite the crime aficionado. He follows all the cases we get involved in very closely. And he’s really good at figuring out the guilty party. We like to tease him that he should have become a cop.”

  “I suppose most people in this profession are interested in crime. It would be hard not to be, right?”

  “Yep. That’s true.” Seeming to lose interest in our conversation, Brad stood up. “Okay, there’s some preliminary stuff we need to get done, of course. You’ll need to take a drug test, and we’ll run a background check on you. But I’m sure all that will come back fine.” He handed me a sheet of paper. “In the meantime, we can get started on your training. Why don’t you fill out that form authorizing us to begin and I’ll go check the training schedule? I think there’s an entrails and brain matter collection lecture this afternoon. You could probably start there.”

  I gagged a little, keeping my head down so he wouldn’t see.

  He left me to my form. Unfortunately, he’d just closed the door behind him when my cell dinged with a text message. I looked down at it and saw a single word that sent chills slicing through me.

  Flush!!!

  I grabbed my purse, casting a quick look over the folders on the desk and a longing glance toward the file cabinet behind Brad’s desk. I’d love to get hold of the folder for the Tomlinson case.

  Voices approached the office door, and I recognized one of them. I swear I could feel all the blood fleeing my face. I stood there for a beat, unsure what to do, and then gave in to the strongest impulse. I hurried over and opened the bottom drawer of the cabinet, my fingers doing a quick walk through the files in the “T” section.

  There was no folder marked with the name Tomlinson. Either it was on Brad’s desk, or it had already been removed. I closed the drawer again as quietly as I could and hurried over, shifting the folders of the first pile enough to read all the names.

  No Tomlinson.

  Brad’s voice sounded outside the door. My pulse kicked up into stroke range.

  I straightened the first pile and did an even quicker look through pile number two.

  The doorknob started to turn and then stopped as a woman’s voice interrupted Brad’s conversation with another man.

  Watching the knob, I quickly sifted through the third pile.

  I barely made it back to my seat and started scribbling my name on the form before the door opened and Brad the puffer fish doppelganger came inside, holding a brochure in his hand. “You’re in luck. They have room in this afternoon’s lecture.”

  I looked up from my form and gave him what I hoped was a sincere smile. It wasn’t easy with my lips contracting in horror. “That’s great.”

  He nodded toward the form I was not filling out. “As soon as you finish that I’ll take you around and introduce you to everybody. Mr. Mitner just got in. He’s usually not here this early on Monday. It’s your lucky day.”

  “Yay, me,” I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.

  He nodded, oblivious. Moving around behind his desk, Brad frowned down at the piles of folders. Panic seared through me. My cell dinging with another text didn’t help.

  I glanced down at my lap and saw the series of question marks from Deitz. If I didn’t get out of there toot sweet, he was going to be coming in.

  “I…” My mind swirled with a reason to leave the office, finally settling on the simplest excuse. “Could you tell me where the ladies is? I’m afraid I had one too many cups of coffee this morning.” I grimace-smiled at him and he chuckled.

  “Down the hall to the left.”

  “Thanks.” Scurrying toward the hallway as quickly as I could, I plunged through the door just as Brad reached out and shoved a corner of one of the piles, his gaze lifting speculatively to me as I pulled the door quickly closed.

  I headed toward the exit sign at the end of the hall, hoping it would lead me to a back door out of the office.

  I spotted the ladies room and, as I heard voices coming from the other direction, hesitated while considering ducking inside for a moment.

  I shouldn’t have hesitated.

  “May?”

  I jerked to a stop, my heart trying to leap out of my throat, and closed my eyes. Then I did the only thing I could.

  Fixing a surprised look on my face, I turned around to face the man walking toward me down the hall.

  16

  James’ gaze was narrowed, his smile tentative. “We meet again. I’m going to start thinking you’re following me.”

  My answering laugh was weak.

  What are you doing here?” he asked.

  I sifted through my memories, trying to recall if I’d ever told James what I did for a living. I didn’t think it had ever come up. “I…um…I’m applying for a job.”

  His expression closed a tiny bit more. “Really? Does Alex know?”

  I frowned. “Why? Do you think he’d oppose the idea?”

  James’ suspicious expression smoothed away. He seemed to belatedly realize how his question had sounded. “Not at all. I really don’t know what he’d think. I’m guessing because of your relationship to Josh he’d thin
k it was a good idea.”

  I nodded. “Josh is the reason I decided to apply. He used to talk about Crime Clean with such enthusiasm…”

  James’ gaze narrowed again and I realized my mistake. Eddie had told me that Josh was ambivalent about the company. If James was as close to the family as he appeared, he’d probably know that.

  “I know, he wasn’t always thrilled about following in his dad’s footsteps…” I chuckled, and James lifted his brows in seeming agreement. “But he respected the work they did here and, to tell you the truth, I’d feel like I was doing something important at Crime Clean.”

  “I get that,” James admitted. His broad shoulders seemed to relax a fraction.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, skimming a look toward Brad’s door. I was silently willing him not to come looking for me. Hopefully, his sensibilities would be too great to interrogate me about what I’d been doing in the bathroom for so long.

  “I work for Alex.”

  “Oh? I didn’t know that.” I took a risk by adding, “Josh didn’t mention it.”

  “It hasn’t been for long. Just a couple of weeks.”

  Just before Josh was killed. I nodded. “Are you a crime cleaner?” I grinned.

  “No thanks,” he laughed huskily. “My business is Security.” He reached into the pocket of his polo-style shirt, extracting a business card and handing it to me. “If you ever need protection.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I’m sure you won’t. But you never know.” He lifted a dark brow. “Of course, you could always just use the number on the card to call me. You know, for other reasons.”

  With a shock, I realized he was flirting again. I’d written it off the last time to James trying to get under Eddie’s skin. “Oh. Yeah. I might do that.”

  Dangit! I should never have said that. It would do no good to lead him on.

  “Good.” He glanced down the hall. “I should get back. Alex and I have to talk about adding some additional security to the building.” He reached out and grasped my hand, squeezing it. “It was really nice seeing you again. Let’s stay in touch.”

  I nodded and watched him walk back the way he’d come. My mind shuffled through the reasons Alex Mitner might employ a security company. They were obvious and not necessarily connected to Josh’s murder. But the timing was really suspect. And it made me wonder what Alex was concerned enough about to hire James. It seemed the threat he’d had Eddie investigating hadn’t abated with Josh’s death. Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I spun on my heel as my cell dinged again and I glanced down. Eddie.

  I’m coming in!

  I quickly typed a response. No. I’m coming out now.

  Deitz glared at me as I pulled open the truck door and climbed inside. “It’s about time! I was having kittens and a cow out here.”

  I shook my head. “Don’t even try to compare your stress level to mine.” I slammed the door. “Drive. I want to put some distance between myself and this place.”

  “That bad, huh?”

  I held up a finger and thumb with very little space between them. “I came this close to having to learn how to collect entrails and brain matter.”

  “Bleurgh!”

  “Exactly. And as you know, Alex Mitner is inside. But you’ll never guess who else…”

  A knock sounded on my window. Eddie and I jerked around.

  James was staring through the glass at us. He didn’t look amused.

  I sighed. “Apparently, now you don’t have to guess.”

  Eddie hit the window button and it slid down. “Hey man, what a surprise.”

  James glared at me, slowly skimming the glower to Deitz. “Unlock the doors.”

  Eddie frowned. “Why…?”

  “Do it!” James demanded.

  I opened my mouth to argue, but his scowl burned me like the sun’s unfiltered rays and I snapped my lips shut.

  There was a soft click and the back door opened. James slid inside. “Drive.”

  Eddie did as he was told, his expression carefully neutral. “Where to, Miss Daisy?”

  “There’s a diner about a mile up on the right.”

  Silence throbbed through the truck as we drove the short distance. I had to clamp down on myself several times as excuses popped up and begged to be let out to fill the silence. But I knew I’d only bury us deeper if I tried to explain. I decided to wait until Eddie said something and take my cue from him.

  If there was anything I was good at, it was taking cues.

  Nobody spoke until we were seated in a chrome and red vinyl booth at a really cute retro-style diner. Eddie and I sat on one side and faced our stone-faced accuser.

  James and Eddie ordered coffee and I ordered a diet soda. I was dying for a piece of the banana cream pie showcased in the refrigerated case near the door, but it just didn’t seem like a pie kind of meeting.

  Too bad. That pie looked outstanding.

  “Tell me what you two are up to.”

  Eddie didn’t appear cowed by James’ strongman tactics, but he also didn’t try to lie his way through it. Which, I’ll admit, surprised me a little.

  “We think Josh was murdered.”

  James didn’t look surprised. “And?”

  Eddie glanced at me. I felt my eyes go googly. “You knew,” I accused James.

  “Why do you think Mr. M’s updating the security at work and home?”

  At that point I was pretty sure my eyes resembled the eyeballs on my fish flops. “Is Mrs. Mitner in danger?”

  “Until we figure out who’s threatening them, everybody’s in danger.” He held my gaze. “Including you two, apparently.”

  I couldn’t shake the feeling he knew about the attempts on our lives. Then I realized he most certainly knew about the incident at the Mitner’s. “You knew the pool thing wasn’t an accident?”

  He didn’t respond, just continued to hold my gaze.

  Eddie finally let his neutral face slide into anger. “You could have warned us.”

  James leaned forward. “And you could have told me what was going on.”

  Eddie shrugged. “Point. But May could have been killed. You should have warned her.”

  I started to shake my head. The last thing I wanted was for the two big strong men to decide I was the ‘little’ woman and needed their protection. “I can take care of myself.”

  To my surprise, James nodded. “I’ve witnessed that.” He finally smiled. “You drive like a pro.”

  “Wait, that was you chasing us?” I squealed indignantly.

  “Of course not,” he said. “But you were too busy to notice the third car squealing around the cemetery. Why do you think they didn’t follow you out that back road?”

  “You cut them off,” Eddie said, shaking his head. “I should have known.”

  Our drinks came, and to prove my renegade status I ordered a slice of pie. In fact, I ordered it so enthusiastically the waitress blinked in fear.

  Or maybe she just had something in her eye.

  Either way, I was woman, watch me eat pie.

  “That sounds great. I’ll have one too,” Eddie said.

  “Make mine cherry,” James said.

  I slumped in my seat, unhappy. I couldn’t be a rebel if everybody else was rebelling too.

  Then I realized what James was revealing. “You’ve been following us.”

  He nodded.

  “Did Alex tell you to do that?”

  “Not in so many words, no.” James shrugged. “But you’re right. You two are in danger. I couldn’t just sit back and watch you get killed.”

  The slices arrived and we all fell silent until the waitress had settled plates in front of us and laid down forks.

  “Then who is it?” Eddie asked. “Who killed Josh?”

  James picked up his fork and took a bite, chewing it slowly without looking at either of us.

  I stabbed off the point of my pie and slipped it into my mouth, nearly moaning with pleasure as the sweet, creamy su
bstance filled my mouth.

  “James?”

  Eddie’s friend shook his head, swallowing. “We don’t know yet. But whoever it is has a wide reach and deep pockets.”

  “We need to figure out why they killed him,” Eddie said.

  James shook his head. “I can make a good guess on that.”

  My eyes went all googly again. “Will you share that information with us?”

  “No.”

  Eddie went very still beside me. He clearly didn’t like being on the outside of things. Especially when we’d been very much on the inside on the threatening and barely cheating death part.

  I thought about that anger and had a moment of worry that it would erupt inside the cozy little diner.

  It might even affect my pie.

  That couldn’t be allowed.

  “Let him explain, Eddie.”

  Deitz didn’t appear to hear me. “You need to share that information,” he said in a low, growly voice.

  James swallowed another bite of his pie, swiping a paper napkin over his lips. “I would have if I’d known you were investigating this.” He leaned across the table, his gaze hostile. “You knew Alex was worried. That’s why he had you look into those men. You should have been able to put two and two together.”

  Eddie skimmed me a guilty glance.

  I wasn’t too lost in banana cream heaven to miss its significance. “You already knew who the potential killers were, didn’t you?”

  “No. I only knew who Alex suspected they might be.”

  “They?” My pulse picked up. “There’s more than one?”

  “Unless I miss my guess, you two have been checking into Tomlinson, right?”

  Eddie nodded stiffly.

  I swallowed my last bite of pie and eyed his. “You gonna eat that?”

  Deitz gave me a disbelieving look.

  “What? I was too nervous to eat breakfast this morning.”

  Eddie shoved his plate my way. “I just don’t see Sugar Morellis coming at this from such an angle. He runs a gangland-style organization. If they wanted Josh dead, he’d have been killed in a hail of gunfire.”

  I shuddered. I hadn’t even realized we had cartels in Asheville.