by Rose Pressey
“It’s funny that you say that because the police have been over there a couple times recently.”
Bingo. Now we were getting somewhere.
My eyes widened. “Well, I hope she doesn’t live there if the police have been to the house. Why were they there?” I lowered my voice.
“I’m not sure, but I’d like to find out. You know, I want to know if the neighborhood is safe.”
At least I had more information to go on now. And that would definitely help. Also, I wouldn’t mention that her neighbor was potentially a murderer, although possibly I should tell her.
“Well, thank you for your help.” I reached down and petted the dog.
“I hope you find your friend,” she said.
“Me too,” I said with a smile.
I felt bad for deceiving anyone, but this was definitely necessary. Just as the woman walked away movement caught my attention. The front door of the house opened. I almost passed out from shock when I saw the man’s face. It really was the cameraman from the studio. I was pretty sure he looked my way. I ducked behind the car, although that was probably a dumb move. Maybe I should’ve confronted him.
This wasn’t the same car I’d seen him in at the coffee shop though. I peeked up from over the edge of my car. He was gone. Where was he headed now? I was truly freaking out. I scanned the area, looking for any sign of Adam, but I didn’t see him. Had he gone back in? I eased up from behind my car and decided maybe it was better that I get out of there. I would have to tell the detective what I’d discovered. Maybe he could get information from the cameraman. Adam definitely had some explaining to do. Had he been at my house and parents?
Again, I didn’t know for sure that he’d followed me. Was it just a coincidence that it was the same kind of car that I’d thought followed me before? After all, the detective had seen that car in the driveway at my house too. Just as I slipped into my car my phone rang. It was the detective’s number.
“This is Scarlet,” I said. “Do you have information for me?”
“Sorry, Scarlet, unfortunately, I have nothing new. But I’m going to continue to work on this. I want you to feel safe when you go to work,” he said. “Do you have someone who could go to work with you and maybe walk you in and out?”
“Like a bodyguard?” I asked. “No, I don’t have one of those.”
“What about maybe a friend?”
“I don’t have any of those either.”
“You have no friends? You seem like such a sweet person. I’m sure you have a lot of friends,” he said.
“Well, it’s just that I moved back here, and my best friend is in Kentucky. My parents are here, so possibly I could have them help. I have some friends here in Georgia, but they’re busy with their own lives and I don’t know that they have time to babysit me.”
“Hmm,” he said.
“Oh, there’s Lucille who lives next door. Although I’m not sure she really wants to come to work with me since she’s eighty years old.”
“Well, that does narrow it down a bit, doesn’t it,” he said. “How about this? I can make sure to stop by the studio when you’re there.”
Was he offering to be my bodyguard? Maybe that wasn’t a bad idea.
“I suppose if you have time.” I wouldn’t say that it wasn’t necessary, because after being attacked I really didn’t want to go through that again.
“I can make time for that,” he said. “When do you have to be there next?”
“Tomorrow at eight o’clock in the morning.”
“That early, huh?”
I laughed. “Not used to being up that early?”
“I’m used to being up twenty-four hours a day,” he said. “Asleep with my phone in my hand waiting for a call.”
“That sounds stressful,” I said.
“It’s just part of the job,” he said. “I’m used to it.”
I wasn’t sure if I could ever get used to that.
“Where are you now?” he asked.
Oh, I should have expected that question and been prepared with an answer. There was no way I would tell him my exact location. However, I would have to admit to being here at some point, because how else would I have seen the cameraman?
“I’m just running some errands,” I said.
I wondered if he noticed the hesitation in my voice.
“I thought maybe we could meet and discuss the case,” he said.
What more was there to discuss? He hadn’t found anything new.
“I suppose I could do that. Where and when would you like to meet?” I asked.
“There’s a great sandwich shop around the corner from the studio, if you’re nearby.”
“Sure, I can meet you there,” I said.
“How about in fifteen minutes?”
“Okay, fifteen minutes it is,” I said.
After ending the call, I stared at the house before turning the ignition. Why did I feel as if the detective had just asked me out on a date? First Finn and now Detective Bailey? Okay, the detective said he wanted to discuss the case, but couldn’t he do that over the phone? Why did he need to meet me in person?
Adam was still nowhere in sight. When I met the detective, I’d tell him about what I’d discovered. I needed to call Kristen and ask about him right away. Just as I was ready to pull away from the curb, my phone rang. I recognized the number and my heart skipped a beat.
“Hello, this is Scarlet Baker,” I said.
“Well, hello, Scarlet, this is Finn Fine.”
“I’m well aware of who you are,” I said.
Why did I feel excited and disappointed at the same time at the sound of his voice? I still had a lot of questions for this guy.
“I didn’t get a chance to talk to you before you left the studio today. You seemed like you were in a hurry,” Finn said.
“Hurry? Maybe that’s because I was in a hurry.”
“Is something wrong?” he asked. “Are you angry with me?”
“I was attacked at the studio, that’s why I was in a hurry to get out of there.”
Finn paused before he said, “What are you talking about?”
“I mean, someone attacked me from behind. I never got a good look at the guy. Did you see the police there later?”
“No, I took off right after you when I saw you leaving in such a rush.”
“Well, now you know why,” I said.
“You reported this to the police, right?” he asked.
“Absolutely I reported it and they went back over there to look for the guy. They found nothing out of the ordinary. I’m not sure if I should tell Kristen about this because I don’t want to risk having the show cancelled. I just want the police to figure out what’s going on so that all of this will end.”
“Can you meet me for lunch?” Finn asked. “I’d like to talk to you.”
“I’m sorry, but I already have other plans.”
“What about dinner?” he asked.
“I have a lot of things I need to do around the house. I haven’t gotten all settled since moving in.”
“What am I thinking?” Finn asked. “I should be over there helping you.”
“No, really that’s not necessary,” I said.
“I won’t take no for an answer,” he said. “What time should I be at your house? Around six o’clock tonight?”
“Six o’clock tonight?” I asked with my voice louder than I’d meant.
“Perfect, six it is. I’ll see you then.”
Chapter 18
I buckled my seatbelt and took off toward the sandwich shop that the detective and I had agreed upon. I had two dates for today? I definitely wouldn’t tell my mother about this. She would probably frown upon that. She’d say I needed to pick one guy and concentrate on him. Or she could do the opposite and ask why I was single again.
It was true that I hadn’t dated much since I’d broken up with my ex-boyfriend six months ago. We’d dated all through college and a proposal was expected. But apparentl
y, a wedding wasn’t what I’d wanted after all. When he’d asked, I’d said no. I wasn’t even shocked that I’d turned down his proposal. All along I’d thought that I would say yes, but when he popped the question the word “no” came out. There was no turning back from that. Now I realized I’d made the right decision. I had no regrets. It wasn’t being married that scared me, just being married to him.
Before I went inside to meet the detective, I wanted to give Kristen a call. I couldn’t wait a second longer to ask about the cameraman. Sure, I was a bit nervous about placing the call. What if she had bad news? I wanted to put off hearing that. I didn’t want to hear it right now. Nevertheless, I knew I’d have to hear it at some point, so I supposed getting it over with was better. That didn’t mean I had to like it. When I touched the phone’s screen, the call started, and I waited with bated breath for her to answer. After a few rings, she picked up.
“This is Kristen,” she snapped.
Oh, no. It didn’t sound as if she was in a good mood. Should I end the call? I could act as if I had a bad connection. No, that would only make things worse.
“This is Scarlet Baker,” I said. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
She sighed. “No, it’s fine. Everything is okay. What can I do for you?”
It seemed as if she wanted me to get right to the point.
“I wanted to ask you about that cameraman.”
“Adam?”
“Yes, that’s the one,” I said.
“What about him?” Kristen asked.
“Do you know him well?”
“He’s been working with the company for a couple of years. Why do you ask?”
“I suppose I just get a creepy vibe from him,” I said.
“Oh, he’s harmless. I really don’t think there’s a problem. Plus, I told you not to talk with him.”
“If he’s harmless then why shouldn’t I talk to him?”
Was there something she wasn’t telling me?
“Listen, I really need to go. Can we talk later?” Kristen asked.
“Sure, yeah, we’ll talk later.”
She ended the call before I’d gotten around to all my questions. However, now I didn’t want to talk later because it sounded as if she was frustrated. That made my stomach hurt. Just as I grabbed my bag before getting out of the car, my phone rang again. Instantly my stomach flipped when I thought maybe it was her calling back. But then I saw it with my best friend Jamie Watkins’ number.
“Am I glad to talk to you,” I said when I answered.
She chuckled. “That good, huh?”
“It’s been frustrating,” I said.
“Are you staying safe? I’m really worried about you. When you got this job, I thought it would be a good thing, but now I’m more scared for you than ever.”
I wouldn’t tell her the exact details of everything that had happened. That would only make her worry more. However, I filled her in on my two non-dates, which made her happy.
“Well, you get in there and have a good time with the hot detective. Remember to call me later tonight after you talk with Finn Fine. That’s if he doesn’t stay too late.”
Without seeing her I knew she’d wiggled her eyebrows. She always made that expression when talking about guys.
“Oh, stop. He is not staying late at my house,” I said.
Maybe I felt a tinge of excitement at the thought.
“We’ll see about that,” she said with a click of her tongue. “Byyeee…”
After checking my lipstick in the rearview mirror, I got out of the car and hurried inside the sandwich shop. Scanning the parking lot, I didn’t see the detective’s car anywhere. Checking inside the restaurant, I realized I was here alone. The space was fairly small with room for about twenty tables. The décor was a hodgepodge of items from around the state of Georgia—framed photos of peaches, smiling faces of Georgia residents, and the state map to name a few. What if he didn’t show? I checked the time on my phone. It had only been ten minutes. I supposed I was just anxious about this meeting.
“You can sit wherever you want,” the tall blonde waitress said as she walked by with a tray in her hands.
“Thank you,” I said.
An available table tucked into the corner at the back of the room looked like the perfect spot. We’d have a nice view out the windows and a bit of privacy to talk. Just so we could discuss the case, of course. I took the seat facing the door so that I would spot the detective when he entered.
“Can I get you something to drink?” the waitress asked when she approached the table.
“Water, please. I’m waiting on one other person,” I said, holding up my index finger.
She smiled. “No problem.”
I watched the door, waiting for the detective. A couple of people entered, but no sign of the detective. I checked the time on my phone again. It had been fifteen minutes now. How long would I wait before giving up on him? After all, this had been his idea. When I glanced back at the door again, I saw a man enter the restaurant. He looked awfully familiar. Where had I seen him? A second later, it hit me. That was Ruby’s boyfriend. What was he doing here? Okay, I supposed he was here to eat. What should I do now? I wanted to ask him questions about Ruby and about what happened. I guessed that wouldn’t be possible here though.
He walked over to the counter. It looked as if he was picking up a to-go order. If this was happening, then I had to make my move before he left. My heart beat faster as I stood from the table and crossed the room. I had no idea what I would say to him. It wasn’t every day that the subject of murder came up.
Once he saw Detective Bailey, he’d probably want to get out of there right away. He glanced over as I approached the counter. Would he recognize me? Probably not, since he’d only seen me that one time for maybe a minute. After witnessing his temper with Ruby, I wasn’t sure I was prepared to talk with him.
“I know you,” I said.
He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think so.”
“Yes, you’re Ruby’s boyfriend.”
“Not anymore,” he said as he stared at the menu on the wall.
“I heard what happened,” I said.
“That we broke up?” he asked with a frown.
“That Ruby is a suspect in Corina’s murder,” I said.
Immediately he seemed nervous. He handed the employee at the register his cash. “I don’t know anything about it.”
“You were fighting with Ruby when I saw you. Not long after that Corina was murdered,” I said.
“What are you saying?” he asked.
I held my hands up. “I’m not saying anything.”
He snatched the bag of food from the employee. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
Before I had a chance to say more, he spun around and stormed out of the café. That hadn’t gone as well as I had hoped, but probably as well as I had expected. Just as I sat down again, Detective Bailey arrived. Would he ever ask me to call him by his first name? I’d checked the departments’ website and found out his first name was Alexander. Yes, I’d been snoopy.
He scanned the room and I waved. When he spotted me, he smiled, and my stomach flipped. I watched as he moved across the room. He looked handsome in his gray suit. The detective stepped up to the table.
“I hope this spot is all right,” I said, gesturing toward the chair across from me.
“It’s perfect. Have you been here before?” he asked.
“Never,” I said.
“They have the best sandwiches. I guess you are the expert on food though, so I should wait for your critique.”
I laughed. “Well, if you think they’re the best then it doesn’t matter what I think.”
The waitress walked over to the table. I had no idea what to order. I’d been so focused on talking with Ruby’s ex-boyfriend that I hadn’t even peeked at the menu.
“Have you decided what to order?” he asked.
“What are you having?”
It seemed like he
already knew what he wanted. He must be a regular here.
“The Reuben is the best,” he said.
“Then I’ll have the same.” I handed the menu to the waitress.
He smiled at the waitress. “Two Reuben sandwiches please.”
“Coming up,” she said and then walked away.
Now I was alone with the detective. Well, alone at the table. The restaurant was full of people. Alone at the table was practically the same as if we were the only two people in the place.
“It seemed as if there was something you wanted to talk about,” I said. “Is that why you wanted me to meet you here?”
Please don’t let him want to arrest me for the murder, I thought. Crazier things had happened to people. They went to jail for crimes they didn’t commit. I still had to tell him about Adam.
He took a drink of water as if he was avoiding answering the question. “I just wanted to apologize that we haven’t found who attacked you yet.”
“You gave it a shot. I’m sure if he’s around you will find him.”
“Yes, we’ll find him.”
“What if there’s a serial killer targeting people in that building?” I asked.
“We’ll be watching for anything,” he said.
I took a drink of water, trying to wrap my head around what I’d said. What if there was a killer still looking for his next victim? What if it was Adam.
“I saw a black car that I thought was the one I’ve seen following me. I am sure Adam was the one driving the car. He’s the cameraman from the show.”
Detective Bailey stared at me. “I’ll look into this for you. Sounds like Adam has some explaining to do.”
“Thank you,” I said as I picked at the edge of my napkin.
“So you lived in Kentucky before coming to Atlanta?” he asked.
I nodded. “I was born here, but then I moved to attend college in Kentucky. Then I came back when my grandmother left me the house. Actually, I had received the offer to do the show before I got the house. It just worked out that way, unfortunately.”
“Sorry to hear about your grandmother,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said. “What about you? Are you originally from here?”
“A small town down south from here, but I’ve been here for about ten years now.”