How was she ever going to get ready for a wedding now? She couldn’t do workout videos to lose weight. She couldn’t tan with the boot on her leg. She couldn’t even work to make money to pay for the wedding that was now fully her responsibility.
Tears blurred her vision. She looked out the rear window and blinked them away. “How am I going to serve tea?” Her voice cracked a little, but she’d blame it on all the smoke she’d inhaled.
Tandy’s tone turned somber. “I have someone who can fill in for you until you come back.”
The deaf guy who would make a great circus clown? That was her replacement?
Marissa’s nose tingled with the threat of turning runny. She sniffed back her emotions. “What does Zam know about high tea?”
“Probably nothing.”
But people loved him anyway. He put on a great show. Her customers might not even miss Marissa’s knowledge and class. They certainly wouldn’t miss her clumsiness.
She glared at the boot. Honestly, how had she ever made it this long in life without hurting herself when she fell?
Connor flipped on the blinker. “Did Greg ever run the background check on him?”
Marissa frowned in the rearview mirror at her fiancé. Was Connor suspicious of Zam? She hadn’t heard about this.
“No.” Tandy twisted her hair up into a messy bun. “I would have had him fill out the form this morning, but we were a little distracted.”
Connor turned onto the side road, leading through a grove of trees toward headquarters for Cross Enterprises by Joseph Cross’s docks. The man owned everything from a shipping business to steamboats to a swanky retirement center. Having his computer files held ransom would really be a big blow. Marissa wondered how much he’d paid to have the files restored.
An uncomfortable thought wiggled its way into her subconscious. “If Mr. Cross’s private investigator is the one who set the safehouse on fire, could Cross have hired him to do that?”
Connor took a deep breath and pulled into a parking spot by a fancy looking warehouse with two stories of glass offices above the first floor of loading docks and storage areas. Through an open garage door, Marissa could see one end of the steamboat float that had been in the parade the day Randon was attacked.
Connor shifted into park and turned off the ignition before twisting her way. “I’ve been afraid to ask such a question.”
Tandy quirked her lips. “I hadn’t thought of that. But what if Cross hired both the hitman and the investigator to throw suspicion off himself.”
Marissa leaned her head against the warm, smooth glass behind her and stared at the roof of the truck. Her brain was so foggy from painkiller, this hurt to think about. Or maybe it hurt because she knew how much Billie liked the guy. Mr. Cross had been a suspect in a different murder, but that was before Billie had started dating him.
She sighed. “Why else would Trenton come after me?”
Tandy scratched her head. “Maybe it wasn’t Trenton who set the fire. Maybe he leaked to someone that he’d recognized you and which direction you’d headed on the four-wheeler.”
Marissa thought back to their interactions. Both when she bumped into him on the sidewalk and the repetitive interrogation session in her tea loft. “He’s not exactly forthcoming with his knowledge.”
“Or maybe he didn’t answer any of your questions because he had nothing to say that wouldn’t incriminate himself,” Connor suggested. “Cross doesn’t necessarily have to be involved. Maybe Trenton and Cash Hudson were cohorts without anyone else knowing.”
“That’s a possibility,” agreed Tandy. “Except for the part about Trenton’s grandma saying she saw a woman leave the note on Marissa’s door.”
Marissa sat up straighter. “It was a woman?”
Connor shrugged. “According to a lip reader. Even if Zam is innocent, he could have gotten his information wrong.”
“Hmm.” Tandy reached for her door handle. “I really want to believe Trenton did it so we can have him arrested and go back to our normal lives.”
Marissa grimaced in preparation of lifting her foot. “I’m going to make sure whoever is responsible for ruining my wedding goes to jail.”
Tandy hung back as Connor helped Marissa maneuver up the ramp built for those who couldn’t take the stairs. Though her friend looked cool in her edgy clothing, Tandy did not envy her position. If Trenton turned out to be innocent, and there was still a killer on the loose, where was Marissa going to stay that night? She would endanger anyone who stayed with her.
Tandy wouldn’t worry about it right now. They were here to question Joseph Cross about Trenton, and she needed to be on her A game.
After what seemed like forever, they reached the front doors. Tandy held the door open for Marissa and Connor to enter in front of her.
The icy air conditioning greeted them like aloe vera on a sunburn. Soothing. However, the rest of the atmosphere was not.
A sleek white reception desk remained empty, while groups of employees congregated as you would expect them to do around a water cooler, and others charged with purpose over the striped carpet.
Tandy looked around for anyone who might notice them standing there while Marissa swung on her crutches to a funky white chair in the shape of a leaf. Funny how Billie and her love of all things antique would fall for a business owner who seemed to prefer modern furnishings. If the two ever married, it would be interesting to see how they decorated.
Joseph Cross stormed down white stairs that were connected to the far wall but seemed to float in thin air. He was dressed for business in one of his three-piece suits but sported a golden tan that contrasted so starkly against his trim silver beard that it screamed vacation. A herd of employees, including security guards followed, making notes in their phones and nodding as he spoke. The only one who mattered was Trenton in his polka dot bow tie and matching suspenders.
Tandy would have to get Joseph Cross alone.
Cross barked orders. “I want everyone to submit a list of any missing items by closing time. I want all data backed up by our mainframe, and everyone to change their computer passwords.”
She arched her eyebrows at Marissa. Apparently Cross had problems of his own. Maybe they were caused by Trenton too.
Connor stepped forward. “Excuse me, Cross. Could we speak with you privately for a moment?”
Joseph paused long enough to look between the three of them. He did a double take at Marissa’s getup. Tandy would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so serious. “This isn’t the best time, kids.”
Connor rolled his neck like he was popping it and getting ready for a fight. Tandy understood that he felt protective of Marissa, but nobody won a fight with Cross. Especially when security guards were involved.
She stepped in. “Is something wrong?”
Cross made it to the ground floor and continued past them through the lobby. “We had a break-in. And the sheriff won’t answer his phone.”
Tandy clicked her tongue. “He’s in the hospital with food poisoning. Is there something we can do for you?”
Joseph pivoted to face her. “Food poisoning? Are you sure it wasn’t intentional?”
Tandy blinked. “He’s not the only one who is sick, so I don’t think so.”
Connor crossed his arms. “Why do you think he’d be poisoned? What’s going on?”
Joseph motioned for Trenton. “Why don’t you tell them? Earn some of that money I’m paying you.”
Trenton shrugged his brawny shoulders, looking much like Tandy remembered the high school wrestling coach except for the outfit. The bowtie could be a disguise. He might simply be an average thug underneath.
“There was a break-in. Nobody knew about it until the morning shipment arrived. One of the garage doors was unlocked.”
Tandy’s spine shot straight. A break-in right after a ransomware virus seemed a little too close for coincidence. “What was taken?”
Joseph snapped and pointed for a couple of his employ
ees to get into action before he responded. “That’s what we are trying to figure out.”
Marissa spoke up from her spot behind them. “If nothing is missing, then how do you know there was a break-in? Maybe someone simply forgot to lock up.”
Joseph glanced at her like she was an inconvenience. “That’s what I’d hoped, but security footage has been wiped out for the time between one and three in the morning.”
Tandy gasped. “The same way it was wiped out at the hospital when Randon was attacked.”
Connor shook his head. “Mr. Cross, I think it’s even more important that we have a private word with you now.”
Joseph huffed then tilted his head toward what looked like a conference room with white desk chairs that had to be more comfortable than the one Marissa was currently occupying. “I’ll give you five minutes.”
He turned to lead the way, and Trenton followed as if assuming he would be included.
Connor stepped in front of him. “I mean we need to talk to Mr. Cross alone.”
Joseph paused to assess Connor’s stance. He must have seen whatever he needed to see because he waved Trenton away with the back of his hand. Then he led the rest of them into a glass room with greenery covering windows for a treehouse feel. “It’s fine. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Connor stood at the door, waiting to let Tandy enter first. She joined Cross in the room and watched as Marissa swung herself their way on crutches. With as long as it took her, she’d probably never won any three-legged races during elementary school field day.
Trenton watched as well. He could very well know how Marissa had been injured.
Tandy shifted uncomfortably at the thought. Marissa’s crutch smacked the doorframe, and Tandy jumped. She took a deep breath to soothe her own nerves as Connor caught Marissa with an arm around her waist. He supported her until she was safely inside then swung the door shut behind them.
Cross tapped a pen on the table. “Why is it so important that we meet privately? What do you know that my investigator doesn’t?”
Connor rested a hand on his fiancée’s shoulder. “We think your investigator could be involved.”
“What?” Cross turned to stare through the window at Trenton. The man stayed right where he was but straightened his tie. “Why would you think that?”
Tandy narrowed her eyes at their suspect. He’d have to be pretty sneaky to fool Cross.
Marissa slumped into a chair. “I received a threatening note. Someone doesn’t want me testifying against Cash Hudson. The Sheriff put me in a safehouse to protect me, but it got burned down today.”
Joseph eyed her leg. “I’m sorry to hear that. Did you injure yourself getting away?”
“Yes.” Marissa’s lashes lowered to hood her eyes. “But it could have been worse.”
Tandy’s stomach dropped at the thought. Some things were a lot worse to think about than a damaged oven.
The businessman’s chest rose and fell. “I’m glad you survived. Now why do you think this has anything to do with Trenton?”
Tandy shrugged. “He’s the only one who ran into Marissa in disguise at noon today. He’s the only one who could have followed her back to the safehouse.”
Joseph checked his watch. “Noon, you say? Then it couldn’t have been Trenton. I called him as soon as we found out about the break-in. He was at the hospital, questioning Susan at noon, and it only took him a few minutes to get here. He’s been here ever since.”
Tandy sank into the seat next to Marissa’s foot. Trenton had an alibi. So where did that leave them? “There could be a third person involved.”
Joseph stuck the pen in his breast pocket. “You kids are looking the wrong direction.”
Connor stared through the glass at the man he now had to cross off their suspect list. “I don’t know where to look then. This was the only thing that made sense.”
Tandy grimaced at Marissa. So much for getting a good night’s sleep that night.
Joseph rubbed his whiskers. “If you believe all these crimes are connected, find what connects them.”
Marissa looked up. Her eyes widened. “Computers.”
Tandy tilted her head as if that would help her see the connection Marissa made. “How so?”
Marissa held up a finger. “Randon is suspected of the ransomware virus. He’s a suspect because he’s a computer genius. But whoever tried to kill him at the hospital was also able to hack into the security computers to destroy evidence. And same thing here today.”
Tandy leaned forward against the table. “You’re right. I wonder why they’d want to break in here. Do you think they left evidence behind from their cyber-attack and had to return to destroy it?”
Connor slapped his hands together. “That’s what you should have your investigator looking for, Cross.”
Joseph motioned for Trenton to join them. “I will, but since we never found the evidence the perps supposedly left behind, we’ll never know if it went missing after this break-in.”
Tandy quirked her lips. The criminal was ahead of them at every turn.
“You guys.” Marissa’s hushed voice drew their attention faster than a scream would have. “If our criminal is a hacker, then it’s possible he hacked into the police computer and found the files on my safehouse.”
Chills prickled up Tandy’s arm. If the hacker could get into police files, then nothing was safe.
Chapter Nineteen
Marissa fought the sleep that attempted to wash over her on the warm, lolling truck ride back into town. Drowsiness was apparently a side effect of her pain killers. Though the darn things eased the ache in her ankle as well as her armpits, which felt rubbed raw by her stupid crutches, they also made it hard to keep her eyes open.
If there was anything she needed to do, it was keep her eyes open. Especially since they were going to face off with the creepy deputy.
Okay, she wasn’t really going to face off with him. She wasn’t even going to accuse him of covering up for Moria or for framing Cash the way she wanted to. They were going to the police station under the guise of reporting the break in at Cross Enterprises and to warn the deputy that their computer system might be compromised.
The truck rocked to a stop. They were there already? As much as she would have appreciated a nap, at least now they could get this over with and she could go to bed early. Where she’d sleep, she didn’t know.
Connor popped the back door open and she almost fell into his arms. “I got ya.” He scooped her out by her tender underarms and helped her balance on one foot so she could drag out her crutches.
“What if I still have these at our wedding?” she asked.
He kept his hands at her waist until she was steady then kissed her on the back of the neck for encouragement. “You could get one of those knee carts. I’m sure Tandy and Greg would love to decorate it with a ‘Just Married’ sign and streamers.”
The image made her want to laugh and cry at the same time. Or could that be another side effect of the drugs? A constant state of PMS. Tandy rounded the truck with a grin. “I could attach paper coffee cups to the back of it instead of the traditional cans used when decorating the getaway car.”
Marissa swung her crutches forward, ready to get the day over with. “That isn’t how I imagined my wedding.”
“I know, hon.” Connor followed.
“It’s going to work out.” Tandy fell in step beside her.
Marissa harrumphed. “Says the woman who gets to wear her black bridesmaid dress and eat the mocha cake she wanted.”
Tandy grinned. “See? It’s working out splendidly.”
Marissa couldn’t prevent a small smile from playing on her lips. “Just wait until I’m your maid-of-honor.”
Tandy’s face pinched together in mock pain as she opened the door. “Ohh…”
“Yeah, you didn’t think of that, did you?” Marissa swung through the entrance. “Two words: Barbie pink.”
Speaking of Barbie pink, Kristin stood up
from her desk wearing a black t-shirt with a pink version of the American flag on it. If that was patriotic, what did it say about their country? “Connor. What are you doing here?”
Marissa lowered into the nearest chair. It was hard and plastic, but more comfortable than whatever it was that Mr. Cross had at his office.
Connor motioned toward her. “I’m helping Marissa track down the person after her.”
Kristin glanced at Marissa then did a double take. “What happened?”
Marissa grunted and tried to put her leg up. Did nobody in Grace Springs own comfortable chairs. “I escaped a fire.”
“That’s a relief.” Kristin motioned to her leg. “But are you going to wear a walking cast in your wedding? You might have to postpone, huh?”
“I should be healed by then.” She looked past Kristin to see how Deputy Creepy McCreeperson would respond. He was the real reason they’d come.
Romero glanced up from his computer and leaned against the back of his chair like he found both her outfit and predicament entertaining.
Connor crossed his arms. “Deputy, we’re here to talk to you about who might have been trying to kill Marissa. The only person who saw her come out in public was Joseph Cross’s private investigator, but he’s been busy at Cross Enterprises ever since Marissa bumped into him. He couldn’t have followed her back to the safehouse and set the fire.”
“Hmm.” The deputy flicked her a look of condescension. “The sheriff asked me to secure a new safehouse for you, Miss Alexander, but if it’s true that you came out from hiding, I don’t think we really have any responsibility to spend more government funding on your protection.”
Marissa gave him her best blank stare. “Like I’d ever entrust my life to the likes of you.”
He rubbed his bald head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Tandy stepped in front of Marissa, blocking her view. “She means your computer system might have been hacked.”
A Latte Difficulty Page 17