Mistaken Character

by R A Wallace

  “No. I was at a party. A couple of us from here were, actually. It was a pirate theme. Everyone was in costume.”

  “Crystal didn’t go?” Callie wondered why.

  “No. She hated things like that.” Fiona thought for a minute. “I think Amy was there. She does the graphics here. I know there were others. Maybe Sam. He was Crystal’s camera guy.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Callie was surprised to find Greyson sitting at her desk when she returned to the office. She could see a lot of contractor trucks parked in front of the office space next door. Sierra and Michael were nowhere in sight. She stopped midway into her office and stared at Greyson.

  “Michael and Sierra had to meet with a client. I said I’d hang out here until you got back,” he explained. “The contractors have been over a couple of different times to ask questions or take measurements.”

  She wanted to complain about him sitting at her desk but couldn’t find fault with his logic about having someone available. She stared pointedly at the laptop he was using.

  “Sierra said it was an extra computer and that I shouldn’t be able to get into much trouble with it.” He stood and motioned toward her desk with a gallant sweep of his hand.

  Callie walked past him and put her purse away. She glanced at the laptop screen when she did.

  “What are you working on?” She could hear pounding next door.

  “I’m trying to track down Adelaide Carson.” He sounded frustrated.

  “No luck?” She took her seat and read the search results on the screen.

  “No.” He walked closer to the desk.

  “You said that she worked at a college in Colorado, right?” Callie asked.

  “Yeah.” He sounded hopeful that she was asking him for a reason.

  “Maybe she stuck with what she knew?” Callie suggested.

  “Got a job at a college here? It’s certainly possible. But wouldn’t her name come up in an Internet search?” he asked.

  “Not necessarily. Robots and humans alike search online directories to get contact information so they can use that information for scamming or for phishing attempts. Most directories aren’t on static web pages like that anymore for that reason. Universities and businesses have gotten smarter about that. You need to actually go to the web site and try searching that way.” Callie keyed in a search term.

  “I still don’t understand. If you can find it when you go to the web site, why can’t you find it doing a generic web search?”

  “According to Sierra, the information is in a database on that specific web site. The Internet search engines don’t pull from databases like that when you enter your search term on an Internet search engine,” Callie explained.

  “Okay. That almost makes sense,” he said. “What are you looking for then?”

  “I want a list of the colleges and universities in the state of Florida. Then I’ll go to each web site and search each one individually for Adelaide Carson.”

  “Give me half the list when you get it. We’ll split it up.” Greyson leaned over her desk to check the results.

  Callie pointed at the list on the screen. “You start with this half. I’ll use my computer and do the other half.”

  Greyson lifted the laptop and went over to Michael’s desk to use it.

  Callie turned on her own laptop and ran the same search.

  “Sounds like they’re getting a lot of work done next door,” Callie said as she pulled up the first university web site on her list.

  “I’ll bet it drives Sierra and Michael crazy having to listen to this noise while they work on the renovations,” he said as he closed the first web site on his list and pulled up the next.

  Callie stopped typing for a moment. “Maybe Sierra. Michael…”

  “Usually has the earbuds in when he works,” Greyson finished. “Maybe Sierra should try that for a while.”

  “I’m sure she’ll think of something.” Callie pulled up the next web site. “Wait. What did you call your missing person of interest?”

  “Adelaide Carson,” he muttered as he pulled up another web site.

  “Which could be shortened to Addie.”

  Greyson stopped typing and looked over at Callie. She looked smug. He stood and walked back over to her desk.

  “Are you kidding me?” he asked.

  “What?”

  “I didn’t expect her to be this close to Pomelo Cove.” He bent closer to the laptop to read the screen.

  “She may not be,” Callie said. “I found her name in an old school newspaper article. Not in the employee directory.”

  “Tricky.”

  “Not as tricky as Sierra or Michael would be,” she said. “They could probably tell you her favorite color by now.”

  “I’m not complaining. You gave me a good start.” He straightened. “Are you going to stay here until Sierra and Michael get back?”

  “Yeah. I have some other work to do while I wait for them.” She glanced at the time on her computer. “They shouldn’t be much longer. They don’t usually stay away from their computers for very long.”

  “Sounds like an addiction,” he said. “But a very profitable one.”

  “Maybe, but I still like getting out into the field.”

  ***

  Michael looked across the conference table at Sierra. They’d come a long way from their first professional job meeting after forming Knox and Wolfe Software & Consulting. At that first meeting, he’d been a geeky young kid with no business savvy. When the company they’d been meeting with had offered them that first job, Michael only just managed to stop himself from jumping up and giving everyone at the table a high five.

  Oddly, Sierra had never exhibited the same unpolished behavior. From the get-go, she’d taken the lead with any meetings that they’d held. It was only recently that that had begun to shift. Now Michael was as apt to be the one to deal with the business people they met with. Given his shyness as a youth and unadulterated geekiness overall, it was quite a change.

  He stood when the others around the table did and shook hands. After thanking the group for their time, he and Sierra left the plush office and walked down the tiled hall to the elevator. Knowing that cameras and microphones were everywhere these days, they both remained quiet until they exited the building entirely.

  “What did you think?” Sierra asked.

  “I’m sure we have the job,” Michael said confidently.

  “But do we want it?” she asked.

  He stopped as they reached the car.

  “What do you mean?” he pushed the button on the key fob to unlock the doors.

  “I mean that we can afford to be more selective now. Is this something you want to do?” She walked around to the passenger side and got in.

  He got into the driver’s side and turned the car on, blasting the air. They remained where they were for the moment.

  “You’re thinking we should skip this one?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said simply.

  “Sierra, this isn’t like you. You always know everything.” He turned to look at her. “What’s bothering you?”

  She took a breath. “It’s not that I’m bothered by this job. It’s just… didn’t you enjoy helping with the forensic project for Callie?”

  He didn’t try to stop the smile. “Yeah. That was a lot of fun.”

  “When was the last time we had fun?” she asked.

  “We have fun.” He heard a lack of conviction in his own voice. “We had fun helping Callie and Greyson with the encrypted code case, right?”

  “That’s just it. We don’t have a lot of fun with our own contracts. We have fun with Callie and Greyson’s cases.”

  “What are you saying?” he asked. “You don’t want to program for our software company anymore?”

  “No. I’m not saying that at all.” She bit her lip as she considered her own feelings. “I just think that we need more of a balance. We should still take our own jobs and progr
am code like we always have.”

  “But you like helping Callie and Greyson too?” He wanted to make sure he understood what she was saying.

  “Don’t you?” she asked.

  “Without a doubt. What are you suggesting?”

  She made another face of indecision. “I don’t know. Maybe we could help more with Ariana’s teacher?”

  “Inez Chen? The one that got hacked?” Ideas began swirling around in his head.

  “Yeah. We could probably find out things that Callie never could. Right?” She played with the seatbelt as she waited for his answer. She didn’t have to wait long.

  “Yeah, totally. We could probably find whoever set up the fake WiFi. Callie would never be able to do that on her own.”

  Her eyes flew to his. She smiled. “That’s what I’m talking about. We could actually go out and work in the field, like Callie and Greyson do.”

  “That would be a big change for us.” The thought didn’t bother him as much as it might have when he was younger.

  “Sometimes change is good for people,” she said.

  “You really want to do this?” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her this excited about something.

  “We wouldn’t have to do it all the time. Just when we feel like we need to get out of the office,” she suggested.

  “When Callie and Greyson are working on something computer related,” he agreed.

  They shared a smile before Michael put the car in drive.

  ***

  She didn’t recognize the number on her phone when it rang. The voice on the other end was familiar though.

  “Ms. Indigo? I’m calling for Principal Torres at the Pomelo Cove High School.”

  Callie’s first thought was for Ariana. She worried that something had happened at school.

  “It’s about the name she was trying to remember,” the voice continued.

  “Yes, I remember. Did you find it?” She exhaled in relief.

  “The name is Jimmy Milstein. He applied for the art teacher position when it was open.”

  “The job Inez Chen has now?” Callie asked.

  “Yes. Obviously, he wasn’t the candidate that was chosen for the job. Ms. Chen’s qualifications were really outstanding.”

  “You’re saying the fact that he didn’t get it wasn’t necessarily a reflection on his qualifications?” Callie asked.

  “Exactly, though I wasn’t part of the committee for that position so I can’t give any details.”

  “Thanks. Tell Principal Torres that I’ll get right on it.”

  Callie set her phone down and pulled her laptop closer. She was going to look for Jimmy Milstein using the same methods that she’d used to find Greyson’s missing person of interest. Given that he’d listed the Pomelo Cove Academy as his last place of employment, she pulled the web site up and began looking for a faculty directory. It didn’t take long.

  “Got you,” she said to an empty office.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The campus of the Pomelo Cove Community College wasn’t exactly what he was expecting. It had never occurred to him that the campus would share its space with a retirement community. He saw just as many silver-haired people walking around as young people. Perhaps more.

  Greyson stopped in the largest building and walked inside. There was a directory pointing him toward the administrative offices. He figured it was a good place to start and headed down the hall. As he walked, he passed more multigenerational people. Many of them were interacting with each other as they walked.

  He stepped into a suite of offices and was greeted by a woman at a reception desk. Based on her headset, he assumed she was working the switchboard.

  “Can I help you?” Her friendly smile matched her voice.

  “I hope so.” Greyson leaned against the counter that separated them.

  The nameplate on the counter said Sarah.

  “I’m looking for someone who might work here. I’m not sure if they’re here now, but I believe they were in the past.” Greyson returned her smile.

  “Do you have a name?” Sarah asked.

  “Adelaide Carson. She also went by Addie.”

  Sarah frowned briefly. “I’m not familiar with the name but I’ve only been here a few years.”

  “Is there anyone who has been here longer that may know?”

  Sarah held up her finger and she answered the call she’d just received. Greyson waited patiently until the call was ended.

  “I thought everything was automated now,” he said.

  “This system is automated also but the college prefers that a live presence be available as well. Let me check with the dean’s office for you. The secretary there may know the person you’re looking for.” Sarah pushed some numbers and spoke into her headset again. When she was done, she disconnected the call.

  “Looks like your Addie Carson worked in the grant office,” Sarah said.

  “Is there anyone there who may have known her?” he asked.

  “Yes, Elisabeth Crabtree has been here for years. She runs the grant office. You’ll find her in the library.”

  Greyson followed the directions that Sarah had given him to the library. Inside, there was a sign directing him to Elisabeth Crabtree’s office. It was a room off to the side of the main library with glass walls. The woman inside was probably fifty-something. She had what Greyson thought of as salt and pepper hair. She wore a long, flowing skirt and a matching tunic. Her reading glasses were perched on her nose but attached to a chain around her neck.

  She was sitting at a table with several chairs around it reading from a pile of papers. She looked up when he tapped on the open door.

  “Yes?”

  Greyson introduced himself. “I’m with Indigo Investigations. I’m trying to track down someone who may have worked with you several years ago. Adelaide Carson?”

  The smile on her face immediately turned into a frown.

  “Why?” she asked.

  “She’s not in any trouble,” Greyson said smoothly. “She may have information that would help me with a case I’m working on.”

  “I don’t think I can help you,” Elisabeth said.

  “You didn’t know her?” It wasn’t what he was expecting.

  “Oh, I knew her. For the brief time she was here, I’m sorry to say that I was her supervisor.”

  Greyson felt his brows go up. “Sorry? She didn’t work out, I take it?”

  “No, she didn’t.” Elisabeth frowned again.

  Greyson pulled a chair out next to her. “The thing is, it would be helpful to me if I knew why.”

  “She just didn’t fit in here,” Elisabeth said.

  Greyson detected the caution in her tone. He smiled knowingly.

  “That’s what the college in Colorado said also,” he said. They hadn’t quite said that, but he hoped it would remove some of Elisabeth’s caution.

  “I wish I’d known that before she was hired here,” she said.

  “That bad?” Greyson made a noise indicating he wasn’t surprised.

  “I thought the faculty were going to revolt,” Elisabeth said.

  “Really?”

  She nodded. “She seemed perfect for the job when we interviewed her. It wasn’t until she was around the faculty that we began to notice a pattern.”

  He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “That happened here too, did it?”

  “I guess I can understand why the place in Colorado couldn’t put that in writing. Now that I think back, you couldn’t really put your finger on any one thing. It was just the way she attached herself to individual faculty members. It scared them, you know?” Elisabeth looked at Greyson for understanding.

  “Of course. Exactly the same as what I was told. She made people feel uncomfortable,” he said.

  “The way she tried to form such an attachment to them was very strange,” Elisabeth agreed.

  “Clingy?”

  “At the horror movie level.”

  “A
nd you have no idea where she may have gone after she left here?” he asked.

  “No. We were all just happy to see her leave.”

  ***

  Callie met the same receptionist at the television station that she’d spoken to before. This time, she was allowed to walk past the front desk on her own. As she passed the station manager’s office door, she could hear Shannon talking on her phone. She sounded every bit as short-tempered as she had before. Callie wondered if it was a common state for the woman.

  She continued past Shannon’s office and paused when she neared another area. Peering inside, she could see it was the set where the news was broadcast from. There was camera equipment everywhere. A couple of technicians were working with something but no one else was in the room. They weren’t currently broadcasting.

  As she neared the end of the hall, she almost bumped into an extremely attractive woman. Callie recognized her immediately from seeing her on television. The woman looked incredibly petite.

  “Isabel Pena? I’m Callie Indigo, with Indigo Investigations.” She watched as Isabel looked longingly past her. “Do you have a minute?”

  “I was just on my way to the break room,” Isabel said.

  “If you don’t mind, I’ll follow you.”

  Callie didn’t really give Isabel a chance to refuse. She followed Isabel as she turned a corner and walked down another hall before entering a room. There were a couple of vending machines, a fridge, a microwave, and multiple coffee machines.

  “Coffee?” Isabel asked as she reached for a pod.

  “No, thanks. I was hoping you could tell me about Crystal Delaney.”

  “Oh, you’re the one. I heard Al Rosales talking about you. I see what he meant now.” Isabel pushed the buttons on the coffee maker. “Don’t pay any attention to him. He’s an idiot with most women.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “He said you were hot for an older woman. I just assumed he said something stupid to you,” Isabel said as she picked up the coffee mug. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “I imagine you get more than your fair share of comments like that,” Callie said as she took a seat across the table from Isabel.