Not Quite a Murder

by Liz Turner

  “Well, at least your trickery led to a good lead,” Garcia mumbled, his brow still furrowed.

  “Oh, and I made an appointment for us to meet with Doug’s coworkers this afternoon,” Lily said quickly with a sweet smile.

  “You’re getting way to comfortable here, Ms. Wilkens,” Garcia said before giving an exasperated laugh. “I’m not sure how we ever survived without having you around.”

  Lily grinned, realizing this was the happiest she’d felt in a long time. Bantering with Garcia and Ryan while working a case was managing to fill the hole in her heart.

  Chapter 4

  The Hated Millionaire

  “Are you Douglas Radley’s work partner?” Ryan asked.

  “Yeah. Rob Knightly. Nice to meet you,” a slender man with silver hair and dark eyes said while flashing a smile at Lily.

  Ryan grit his jaw and Lily elbowed him.

  Ryan cleared his throat. “I’m Detective Scott. We have a few questions for you about Mr. Radley. Is there perhaps somewhere private where we can continue this conversation?”

  “I’m not sure I have anything to say about Doug. We weren’t exactly best friends,” Rob said, returning to his paperwork.

  “Any information you can provide us with will be a great help,” Lily said, offering a toothy smile.

  “Ah, the lady speaks,” Rob said. “I suppose I’ll have to obey now. Follow me.” He gestured with a flourish towards the conference room, his eyes slowly leaving Lily’s.

  “Is there a problem, Detective Scott?” Garcia asked quietly, studying Ryan’s glowering expression.

  “I don’t like how that guy stares at Lily,” Ryan mumbled.

  “Didn’t use to bug you in the past,” Garcia pointed out with an arched eyebrow. “What’s changed?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Then focus on the job.”

  Lily jabbed Ryan in the ribs with her elbow again, scowling at him as she passed through the doorway. “Keep it together,” she whispered.

  “Right,” he mumbled and cleared his throat again. “So Rob Knightly, can you tell us about your relationship with Doug?”

  “What about it?” Rob responded obstinately, clearly unwilling to assist.

  “Was he a good colleague?” Lily asked.

  Rob happily turned to Lily. “If I’m perfectly honest—no. I hated Doug with a passion. He swindled me out of several business deals that I worked hard to set us up for and made off with my commission.” Rob’s skin redden and his arms thrashed wildly as he spoke.

  “Why didn’t you report these to your boss?” Garcia asked calmly.

  Rob sneered. “Look, you work in law enforcement. The world of investments is far more cutthroat. Doug was one of the best here because he wasn’t afraid to double-cross anybody, including his own partner—me.”

  “If you hated Doug so much, why were you paying him money every month?” Ryan retorted.

  Rob tilted his head to the side as if he hadn’t heard Ryan clearly. “Sorry, what?”

  “Doug’s bank financials show that every month, you paid him money.”

  “That’s impossible.” Rob shook his head in disbelief. “That guy stole enough from me. Why would I give him more money?”

  “Perhaps it was a different Knightly,” Lily suggested. “Mr. Knightly, are these the last few digits of your account details? They’re reflected on Doug’s statement.”

  Rob spluttered, his skin turning burgundy. “This is not possible,” he said, his eyes bulging as he stared at the numbers Lily had written down. “This is my account, but I wasn’t paying Doug money! How much were the monthly installments?”

  “Ten thousand dollars,” Lily answered.

  “What?” Rob’s face turned a worrying shade of purple, and a vein throbbed in his forehead. He bit down on his fist, hyperventilating.

  “Calm down, Mr. Knightly. Tell us what is going on,” Garcia said.

  “I’m going to kill him!” Rob shouted. “I swear, I’ll kill him with my bare hands!”

  “Interesting you should say that, considering someone tried to do just that last night,” Ryan said.

  Rob’s eyes widened, and he froze, his face paling.

  “Sit down,” Ryan ordered, taking control and relishing in Knightly’s panic. “Tell us about the ten thousand dollars. Who did you think you were paying that money too?”

  “My blackmailer!” Rob choked out, his eyes shifting furtively around the room in case someone else was listening.

  Lily, Garcia, and Ryan shared a split-second look before snapping their attention back on Rob.

  “Elaborate,” Ryan demanded sharply, “or we’ll drag you across the office floor in front of all your colleagues to the station for further questioning.”

  “Fine!” Rob cast an ashamed glance at Lily. “I… uh… cheated on my wife. Then I walked into the office one morning and discovered a brown envelope on my desk. You can imagine what was inside—photographs with me and my secretary late one night in the office… I don’t know how anyone was able to get those shots, but they did. Then the threatening letters started, demanding money every month for my crimes,” Rob sniffed. “So I paid the money, broke off the affair, fired my secretary, and have been trying to fix things with my wife ever since.”

  “I think you should work harder on that last part,” Ryan muttered.

  “Sorry, what was that?” Rob asked.

  “Nothing.” Ryan smiled hastily, rifling through his files. “Mr. Knightly, the blackmailing letters you received—did any of them look like this?” He held up a photograph of the letter they’d found on Doug that morning, with the word cheater arranged across the center in magazine cut-out letters.

  “Uh… no…” Rob shook his head. “I’m afraid my letters were all in email form. I paid someone to trace the email, but clearly, Doug was a lot smarter than I thought because my IT guy couldn’t even find the source.”

  “Well, it turns out the ‘source’ was sitting a meter away from you every day, probably blackmailing you while going about his daily tasks,” Garcia commented ruthlessly.

  “If I get my hands on him–” Rob abruptly stopped himself, remembering who he was speaking to, along with the horrific context of their conversation.

  “So, apart from you,” Ryan said, “who else would want to harm Douglas Radley?”

  “Any number of people in this office, and that’s just for a start! Doug made a lot of enemies…”

  “That’s apparent. But why?” Lily queried.

  “Because he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, to point out your flaws, or withhold his help if he decided you didn’t deserve it. It didn’t sit well with most people. He held fast to his beliefs, and those who didn’t meet his standards simply had to suffer the consequences.”

  Lily found Doug’s character fascinating. His lawyer had described him as a man who was loyal to his own, leaving millions to his wife and daughter should something happen to him. Yet, should anyone disappoint him…

  Lily could understand Doug’s response to his wife’s cheating, but why capitalize on another man’s sins?

  “Was there ever a time where you and Doug were good friends?” Lily asked on a sudden whim.

  “Actually, yeah. In the beginning, we got on really well. We would watch the game together, and my wife and I would often go over for barbeques. But it all changed overnight,” Rob admitted solemnly.

  “What was the turning point?” Lily asked, pushing for further understanding.

  “I suppose it was the day I found that brown envelope on my desk and received my first blackmail.” Rob ran his hands through his slick, silver hair. “I should have realized he knew.”

  “I don’t know Doug,” Lily said, “but his wife cheated on him. Seeing you betray your wife in the same manner may have been too much for him to bear. And the best way to punish you wasn’t to wreck your marriage that you clearly didn’t care about, but to get you where it hurts—your thirst for money.”

  Rob’s eyes w
eighed heavy with sadness, listening to Lily’s reasoning. Staring at the floor, he braced his hands on top of a chair and shook his head.

  “I didn’t know…” Rob trailed off softly.

  “Where were you between midnight and five this morning?” Ryan asked.

  “Home with my wife,” Rob answered.

  “Please understand, we’ll need to get your wife’s statement as an alibi before we take your word for it,” Ryan said with a blistering stare.

  Rob nodded mutely. “Do you think Doug is going to be okay?” he asked gravely, genuine concern finally breaking through.

  “We don’t know yet,” Lily answered.

  “We’re going to need to see copies of those emails Doug sent you,” Garcia said.

  “Sure. I’ll fetch my laptop now,” Rob complied.

  “So, what do you think?” Garcia asked, closing the door behind Rob after he exited.

  “Guilty as hell,” Ryan concluded.

  “You can’t just jump to that conclusion, Ryan,” Lily said, her hands on her hips.

  Ryan rolled his eyes. “Oh, you’re quick to jump on his side,” he sulked.

  Lily blinked, looking hurt. “My reason is that he didn’t really have motive to harm Doug until now! He had his own problems to worry about—a blackmailer and a wrecked marriage for starters—so do you honestly think he would lure Doug into the park and kill him?”

  “Yes, I do,” Ryan said, his voice rising slightly. “Doug had another letter on him, so clearly he planned to confront Rob and deliver it.”

  “We don’t know that, though. Doug caught his wife cheating, caught his work partner cheating, and took matters into his own hands.” Lily frowned, wrinkling her forehead. “It seems like Doug was the kind of guy who somehow knew far too much about everyone around him and went around blackmailing them by way of some kind of personal twisted judicial punishment.”

  “Are you suggesting that another victim of Doug’s blackmailing could be behind his murder?” Garcia prompted.

  “I’m not sure, but yeah, it’s possible.” Lily shrugged.

  Garcia cocked an eyebrow. “What if it was meant for his wife? She was a cheater too and stood to inherit millions. You’ve got motive right there. Her daughter could easily lie about being an alibi, especially if Tasha also stood in line to inherit millions.”

  “Yeah, but we don’t even know if they knew about the money,” Lily countered.

  “Women always know about the money,” Ryan joked.

  “I’m going to see what’s taking Rob so long with that laptop.” Garcia excused himself from the room.

  “What’s gotten into you?” Lily grumbled when Garcia left.

  “Me?” Ryan said in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right? After I’ve had to sit here and watch while you flirt with our suspect?”

  “Flirt? How dare you! I was just trying to get the guy to answer our questions. Your aggressive attitude certainly wasn’t helping!”

  “Oh, so I’m in the wrong for being protective over my girlfriend?”

  Lily paused for a second, stunned. Giggling, she covered her mouth with her hand.

  “You can’t giggle in the middle of a fight! What’s gotten into you?” Ryan said in a hushed whisper, his eyes flicking cautiously to the door as he moved closer to Lily.

  She grinned. “It’s just the first time you’ve ever called me your girlfriend.”

  Ryan shook his head but smirked, nonetheless. “You’re such a girl,” he muttered.

  Lily composed herself, her face growing serious again as she fixed her big, gray eyes on Ryan. “Look, you can’t keep making me the center of your vision while we’re on a case just because we’re a thing now. Emotions will either blind us, or get us killed. When we’re on the job—”

  “We’ve got to focus on the job, I know.” Ryan hung his head. “I just hated how that creep looked at you…”

  “So did I.” Lily shuddered. “And I hate how girls check you out when we’re at other interviews, but I trust you enough not to make a big deal out of it.”

  Ryan sighed, his fingers creeping slowly across the desk to Lily’s hand. “I’m sorry. Look, when we knock off work, why don’t we have our special date tonight? Then we can talk things through.”

  “That would be—” But Lily was interrupted by the door abruptly swinging open as Rob and Garcia marched back in. She quickly jumped away from Ryan and pretended to sort through the files on the desk. Thankfully, Garcia had been behind Rob and hadn’t noticed the remnants of the intimate exchange Ryan and Lily had been engaged in just seconds beforehand.

  “Great,” Lily said, finishing her sentence for Ryan.

  “We’ve got what we need,” Garcia announced. “We can tackle things in the morning. It’s been a long day, and we need our brains in working order tomorrow.” He eyed Ryan. “So get a good night’s sleep and let’s get an early start.”

  “Right, boss,” Ryan said.

  “You guys want to get a drink?” Garcia asked as he held the door open for them. “I sure could use one.”

  “Maybe when the case is over,” Lily suggested quickly. As much as Lily loved spending time with Garcia, especially when he was relaxed, she didn’t want anything to interfere with her first real date with Ryan. “I think we all need an early night.”

  “Oh, okay, let’s get you home then,” Garcia said, his voice slightly disappointed.

  Lily’s stomach twinged with guilt, and one look at Ryan told her that he hated deceiving Garcia even more than she did. “Uhm, why don’t you two just grab a quick drink? I’ll catch a cab,” Lily suggested, ignoring Ryan’s panicked signals in the background.

  “No, it’s fine,” Garcia responded wearily. “We can save it for after the case.”

  Chapter 5

  Love Strikes Again

  Laughing, Lily gently clinked her wine glass against Ryan’s.

  They had just devoured a surprisingly delicious meal that Lily had mostly cooked herself, with Ryan’s help. She was very proud that her mac ‘n cheese had actually tasted like mac ‘n cheese for a change, and that Ryan had managed to smile all the way through the meal. She had also admitted to him that she probably was addicted to lasagna, and her grandmother had now placed restrictions on how many she bought.

  While mac ‘n cheese wasn’t the typical dish featured at billions of first dates across the world, it had worked for Ryan and Lily. Ryan hadn’t wanted to risk eating at a restaurant, just in case Garcia or any of the other police officers happened to walk in. So instead, they decided to rent a couple of movies, buy some food and wine, and tuck themselves away in the concealed safety of Ryan’s flat.

  Things had been awkward at first. Lily had spilled scalding cheese sauce on Ryan’s bare foot, and though he’d hopped around shrieking as though someone had just stabbed him, he claimed he was fine. He’d then disappeared into the bathroom for some time, and Lily cowered as she heard him washing the sauce off his foot with an occasional sob.

  Ryan had also coped well after Lily knocked her first glass of wine over, staining his tablecloth and shirt. He waved it off, carefully cleaning the mess and finally dissolving into laughter with her over her clumsiness.

  But as the evening progressed, the pair slowly eased into getting to know each other on a different level, and the conversation flowed easily. Their friendship had always been a fast-paced, action-filled race alongside Garcia, but now, they found themselves alone and in the quiet, timid company of each other. Lily felt herself slowly relaxing, her eyes regularly catching Ryan watching her, a small smile escaping in response as her cheeks flushed from the attention.

  This had just refilled their glasses and were just about to take their first sips when Ryan’s doorbell rang.

  Lily’s eyes widened and Ryan sprung off his chair. He shrugged at her before quickly going to check the eyehole. “It’s Garcia!” he mouthed. “Hide!” He then hastily pointed to the cupboard behind her.

  Lily shoved her handbag and coat in one arm
and grabbed her wine glass with the other before rushing into the cupboard.

  “Hey, Filippo. What’s going on?” Ryan asked casually after opening the door.

  “There’s been an incident at the hospital, so get your stuff and let’s go,” Garcia said urgently.

  Ryan jumped into action, grabbing his wallet and keys. As he clicked his phone on, Ryan noticed twelve missed calls. “Ah, sorry, man. My phone was on silent…”

  “A detective’s phone should never be on silent,” Garcia reprimanded as the door swung closed behind them.

  With bated breath, Lily listened to the door lock, followed by Ryan’s and Garcia’s hurried footsteps thudding away. As soon as she felt it was safe, she sprang out the cupboard, working hard not to spill more wine. She wasn’t entirely sure how Ryan expected her to escape from his apartment when he’d locked her in.

  Panic rising within her, she pulled out her phone and noticed that apart from Garcia’s missed calls, Ryan had texted: Sorry to abandon you! Spare key is under the mat.

  Lily sprang into action, calling for a cab as she hurtled down the stairs, careful to avoid killing herself in the process.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Lily apologized as she ran up to Garcia and Ryan in the hallway. “I came as soon as I saw your message.”

  “We’ve only just arrived,” Garcia smoothed his hair down. It was obvious he had probably been sound asleep when he’d received the call from the station.

  “What happened?”

  “Doug was attacked. The nurse who witnessed everything is with the doctor now, trying to stabilize him. So we’re stuck until they get back.” Garcia sighed and slumped into a waiting chair.

  Lily threw her head back as she scanned the ceiling. “What about surveillance footage for this passage? There’s a camera over there.” She pointed.

  Garcia shook his head despondently. “No luck. Hospital security said the break-in happened through the hospital room window. Apparently, our attacker entered and exited through there.”

  “Which means,” Lily said pensively, pacing across the passageway, “whoever attacked Doug is familiar with where his room is and where the hospital cameras are.”