by Nora Kane
“He didn’t seem to think so.”
“Yeah, well, that was dumb on his part.”
“He let you have a gun.”
“No, this was Dan’s. I found it while he was trying to kill Gale and saved everybody’s life. Well, everybody but Dan. You should be thanking me.”
“I had the drop on him and you shot him in the back.”
“I didn’t see it that way. When you saw me, you were distracted. He was turning around to kill you. I saved your life.”
“I’m pretty sure you're full of shit. Keep your hands where I can see them.”
“Whatever you say.”
Chapter 13
“I know you don’t like to talk shop when we’re eating dinner but…”
“You’d like to know what happened to Lori Thompkins?” Radcliff said as he lowered his fork and looked up from his enchiladas.
“I was going to ask about Dean Stone, but yeah, I want to know about that one too,” Margot replied.
She was glad to be here eating enchilada and drinking Margaritas with Detective Rick Ratcliff. After the mess she got him into with Dean Stone and Lori Thompkins, she was afraid he wouldn’t want anything to do with her.
“Stone made his phone call. I could only hear his end and he was vague enough I couldn’t tell you what he was talking about, even though I kind of knew what he was talking about.”
“Good news or bad?”
Radcliff shrugged. “I couldn’t tell, but he let me drive him to the F.B.I., and after some haggling, he let me bring him in.”
“Haggling?”
“He was very specific about which agents not to turn him over too.”
“He told me when I found him in Riverside that there were agents on the cartel payroll. He seemed to think they’d kill him.”
“Yeah, I don’t know if there’s any truth to it, but I’d say Stone believed it.”
“I suppose if he and the up-and-comer didn’t get to some sort of arrangement, he wouldn’t have cooperated.”
“I hope you’re right. I’d miss you.”
“I’d miss me too. Speaking of the cartel, what did you do with Mal?”
“I should have arrested him, but other than kicking the shit out of Stone and tasing me, he didn’t really break any laws. Stone wasn’t going to press charges and I guess I’d rather keep that whole orange grove adventure off the official record. I guess three hours in his trunk was punishment enough. I let him go. That was a week ago…you haven’t heard from him?”
“No, he was already mad at me for seeing you. This might have pushed him over the edge.”
“He didn’t seem happy about the whole thing.”
“No one was.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much. He’ll probably come around and forgive you. It’s not like he has a lot of other friends.”
Margot wasn’t sure what to say to that so she asked, “Lori?”
“I’d say the theory you and Gale cooked up over drinks at Layla’s was more or less spot on. Some combination of Lori, Chuck, and Dan Jensen decided to get Dave Jensen to sell his dad’s beloved coin collection. Dan, it seems, borrowed a lot of money from people he shouldn’t have borrowed money from, so he really needed the cash. Chuck wasn’t in particular financial trouble, but he wasn’t getting rich either and he was screwing Lori, who, for good reason, was not much of a fan of her husband.”
“He beat her.”
“Yeah, he was more of a work the body guy than the face. She has the scars to prove it, so Chuck probably gave her the beating in the picture.”
“Is she going to press charges on Dave?”
“Surprisingly no, but she did move out. I don’t think she’s very welcome after tricking her husband into selling his dad’s coins and then helping Chuck murder his brother.”
“So, she was in on it.”
“Yes, but no. Anyone with half a brain thinks she was part of it and while Dave is certainly a wife-beating control freak, he does have half a brain. Since Chuck decided ten grand was not enough to split three ways and the best way to go was to murder anyone who knew anything about the plot, and since even you and Gale didn’t know that you knew anything, plus she put two in the back of Chuck’s head—well, there really isn’t anyone around to dispute her story.”
“So, she walks?”
“Yeah, seems to be a common theme lately. I liked it better when I just arrested people. If it makes you feel any better, she never got Dave’s coin money.”
“She’ll get half of it in the divorce.”
“Well, thanks for ruining that for me. That was the only thing about this mess I was happy about.”
“Sorry. I wish I could have done this without getting you into it.”
“You know, the thing is, when someone like Mal calls me a choirboy, he’s not wrong. I don’t break the rules; I don’t even bend them. Except for you. For you, I’m transporting fugitives instead of hauling them to jail and overlooking assault and attempted murder.”
Margot didn’t like the look on his face.
“Are you breaking up with me?”
“No, I’m asking you to stay out of trouble because I want to stay out of trouble. I’m fine being a choirboy, but I don’t want to give up on you yet.”
“You want the best of both worlds.”
“Why the hell not?”
“You just said ‘hell.’ That’s a stepping stone to f—”
“—Don’t say it. Just because I’ll overlook a few felonies for you doesn’t mean I’m going to start dropping F-bombs.”
“Fair enough. If Stone did what he said he was going to do, I’m back to normal old boring P.I. work and I plan to keep it that way.”
“Good,” Radcliff said as he raised his glass, “Here’s to nice normal boring work.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Margot replied, though she had a nagging feeling things weren’t ready to get boring quite yet.
Books by Nora Kane
1. Secrets of Woodcrest Manor
2. Wolverine Harbor Novellas Series
Book 1- The Veil of Deceit
Book 2 -The Veil of Envy
Book 3 -The Veil of Vengeance
3. Emmy Grimm Series
Book 1- Lured
Book 2- Chased
Book 3- Blindsided
4. Margot Harris Series
Book 1- Shadow of Greed
Book 2- Shadow of Pretense
Book 3- Shadow of Suspicion
Book 4- Shadow of Betrayal
Book 5- Shadow of Misgivings
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When the Patriarch of the Woodcrest Family was found dead in the flowerbed under his bedroom window, the local police department called it suicide. His son hired Private detective Emmy wanting to uncover the real truth behind his father's death. Surrounded by so many individuals who could benefit from his death, now the responsibility is on Emmy to figure out who was responsible. When Emmy starts to talk to the heirs the Woodcrest family's secrets begin to emerge.
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