by K T Brodland
“Oh, before I forget, I have the photos I took out at your place and again outside the Wilke’s house.” Cat stretched hard.
Cat dug out a large manila envelope from her desk drawer and handed it to Olivia. Olivia emptied the envelope and sorted through the photos, pausing now and then to examine one or two more closely. She tapped one in particular that showed a clear shot of the Porsche’s license plate. “Can we run this through DMV?”
“We can. I am also going to run the faces of the occupants of that car through facial recognition, see what pops up. If any of them are in the system, we’ll know who they are shortly.”
“So, when do you want to do all this?”
“You up for working on it tonight? Or did you wear yourself out at the farm this morning?”
“Tonight will be fine. As for this morning, I did spend some time out in the greenhouses, checking on the plants. Fed the chickens, of course.”
They were briefly interrupted when Anne popped in and announced she was heading upstairs. She smiled at Olivia. “It was great meeting you, Olivia. I’m looking forward to working with you the rest of this week.” She waggled her fingers. “’Night, you two. Don’t work too late.”
When Anne disappeared down the hall and a door opened and closed, Olivia turned a questioning gaze in Cat’s direction. “Does she live upstairs?”
“Yes, she has a flat up there. It’s quite nice too. Takes up almost the entire roof. She even has a small garden and a patio up there. She owns this building so she does pretty much whatever she likes.”
Cat checked the time. “It’s five o’clock. Do you want to go out or eat in? There’s an Italian place around the corner. They deliver and they make a mean cannelloni.”
“Given how much work we have to do, I vote we eat in. And cannelloni sounds perfect.”
“Good choice.”
When the delivery boy showed up at the office door half an hour later, Cat took care of the bill and set the box down on the far side of the desk. Between the two of them they quickly had supper laid out and they dug into the cannelloni, which was every bit as delicious as Cat had said it would be.
With the meal finished, Olivia tidied up, then pulled her chair around next to Cat’s. “You know, I mentioned that I have a fair bit of money at my disposal. You don’t have to pay for every meal we share. I really wish you would let me contribute…”
Cat cut her off by laying her hand on Olivia’s arm. “Maybe one of these days I’ll let you, but right now it pleases me to do so, so don’t spoil my fun.”
Olivia glanced sideways, realized she was sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Cat and probably had been for the past five minutes. Cat didn’t seem to mind, but she casually straightened her position as if this was nothing out of the ordinary.
Cat stood, stretched to ease her back, glanced at the clock on her desk. “Huh, it’s later than I thought. No wonder you’re tired.”
“Yeah, it has been rather a long day, and this is a departure from the way I work.” Olivia grinned. “Not that I mind. It’s a nice change from being cooped up in my office with no one around to share ideas with. I miss that.”
“I know what you mean. Anne and I used to do the same thing, kick ideas around about whatever case I was working on, grumbling about clients who turned out to be less than cooperative when it came to paying their bills.”
Olivia giggled, then covered her mouth. “Next time that happens, let me know. They’ll never know what hit them,” she said, a gleam in her eye.
“Oh, they won’t, eh? Is this another one of the many tricks you have up your sleeve?”
Olivia picked up her shoulder bag and turned to leave. “I’m not ready to give away all my trade secrets just yet.”
“Damn. Oh well, I can dream, can’t I?”
Cat walked Olivia as far as her car. “Take care, sunshine. I’m looking forward to seeing you again tomorrow.”
“Feeling’s mutual. Goodnight, Cat.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
O livia was halfway out the kitchen door when her cell phone beeped, announcing an incoming text message from Cat.
Hi, Olivia , it read. I would have phoned but I wasn’t sure whether you’d be up yet. Looks like you get the day off. I have a client to deal with and Anne and I are meeting with lawyers. In fact, take the rest of the week off. Have a great day. Chat with you later .
Olivia send back a quick message of her own. Okay. Have fun.
Disappointed that she wouldn’t see Cat until later that week, she pocketed her phone and stood on the porch for several minutes, trying to decide what she was going to do with the rest of the day.
She was about to head back indoors, when a rust red Ford truck roared up and came to a halt in the middle of the driveway. Two women hopped out of the truck and strode toward her. Her jaw dropped when she recognized Pat and Tracy.
“What on earth are you two doing here?”
Pat grinned. “You know the old story—we were in the neighborhood and decided to stop by and say hello. Besides, from the looks of it, your lawn needs cutting and that flower bed is a disaster.”
Trying not to laugh at Pat’s enthusiasm, Olivia gave in. “Oh, all right, since you’re here, roll up your sleeves and let’s get at it.”
By midday she was in awe at how much work the two women had accomplished. The grass was cut, and the wobbly railing on the front steps repaired. While Pat worked on the empty flower beds, Tracy kidnapped her and they headed to a local nursery. They returned an hour later, the back of the truck filled with flats of bedding plants along with a new hose and garden tools. They had also picked up a good supply of fried chicken and salads.
Lunch over, Pat came to the real reason they had come by the farm. “First off,” she said. “Jean has brought us up to date on what’s been going on out here.”
“She what?”
Bypassing the interruption, Pat carried on. “Don’t be cross at Jean for filling us in. What affects one of us affects us all.”
Fuming inside at what she took to be a breach of trust, Olivia clamped down on her temper and waited to hear Pat out. Even so, eyes narrowed, she clenched her fists in her lap as she braced for what she thought was coming.
“Tracey and I have talked about this and we have a suggestion,” Pat said, nodding in the direction of the mobile. “No doubt Cat has mentioned that we have been talking about retiring soon. With the mobile empty, how would you feel about us moving in a few bits and pieces so we can stay overnight, keep an eye on the place. Fewer temptations for intruders that way. We would move in permanently, help out with the gardens.” She tilted her head to one side as she waited for Olivia to reply.
“Oh,” was all she could say at first. Pat’s offer of help certainly wasn’t what she was expecting. She eyed Pat’s profile, considering the woman’s suggestions, searching for a hidden motive. Even if there wasn’t one, she still took her time replying.
Tracey intervened before she could turn them down. “I know that’s not an easy decision for you to make, Olivia. You’ve just lost people you’ve known for years. The prospect of having strangers around must be overwhelming. I promise we won’t intrude on your privacy. In fact, until we officially retire, you won’t even know we are here except on our days off.”
Pat added. “Take your time, sweetie, think about it. Give us a shout if you want to discuss the idea at length. We gotta go now, duty calls and all that jazz.”
Tracy stepped in and turned their parting into a group hug, then trotted off in the direction of the pickup. Pat playfully tapped her on the nose and joined her friend. As she did a U-turn in the driveway, Tracy yelled out the window. “See you soon!”
Olivia stared after them, shaking her head, trying to imagine how those two would fit into her world.
When she finally stopped for supper, she took a plate of fried chicken out to the porch and parked in one of the wicker chairs. Feet up on the railing, she munched on a wing, as she considered the possibility of P
at and Tracy living at the mobile full-time when they retired next year. They’d certainly expressed an interest in the place and if the way Tracy had magically transformed the flower beds was anything to go by, she’d be right at home in the gardens. As for Pat, the woman was a powerhouse of energy. The lawn looked better than it had in weeks and she’d made short work of repairing the porch railing and steps.
Whatever happened to the notion that I was going to do this all by myself? Of course, that was before I met Cat and her friends. So why do I feel as though my life is spiraling out of control? So much has happened since I got back from Calgary. And it isn’t finished yet, not by a long shot.
Her shoulders slumped as she thought about the secrets she was still keeping from Cat.
One of these days she was either going to have to tell Cat the truth or cut whatever ties there were between them once and for all. And for the life of her she couldn’t decide which would be worse. Seeing the rejection in Cat’s eyes if she ever learned the truth about her past, or the pain of living a lie for the rest of her life.
Don’t get carried away, girl , she told herself. For all her kindness, Cat is still a private investigator and she admitted she did a background search on you. Just because you went to considerable lengths to erase any trace of who you were before ending up as Olivia Jeffries, there are far more sophisticated tools available now to people like Cat.
If Cat ever dug deeper into her past and uncovered her real identity, it would be all over for her. There was no statute of limitations on murder.
Chapter Twenty-Five
S hortly after eight on Friday morning Cat showed up, a huge smile on her face. Waving Olivia into a chair she proceeded to fix breakfast for them, while bringing her up to date. She was now the sole owner of Solo Investigation Services. Anne had signed all the papers the day after they saw the lawyers. They had celebrated that evening with dinner at Anne’s favorite restaurant.
Olivia smiled and nodded, delighted to have Cat in such a good mood.
Once breakfast was finished, Cat leaned back in her chair. “Oh, by the way, I was admiring the way the place looks as I came up the driveway. You’ve done an awesome job on it.”
“I have Pat and Tracy to thank for that. They showed up here the other day and worked their butts off for several hours. They even suggested they stay here overnight for a while. They seemed to know quite a bit about what’s been going on. Apparently, Jean has been filling in the blanks.”
“Yes, she would. Pat is a close friend as well as a colleague. Those two will make good watch dogs.”
She poured them each another cup of coffee, then settled back in her chair. “Now, what all have you been up to since I saw you?”
Sighing, resigned to drinking more coffee, sitting talking instead of taking action, Olivia shook her head. “Not a great deal. Wednesday was the busiest, with Pat and Tracy here. Once they were on their way, I decided to take a break before I burned out.”
“Good plan. You have been looking a bit washed out lately.”
Ignoring the interruption, Olivia carried on. “So, I slept in yesterday, took care of the chickens as usual, then parked my butt on the porch and let my mind wander where it would. That got a bit old and I grabbed a notebook and started making a list of the things I want and need to get done during the coming months. When I finished, I was appalled at how much work needed to be done around here, let alone what we have in mind regarding the Alphas.”
“I know I am going to sound like a broken record, Olivia, but you do not have to do it all by yourself. I’m more than willing to pitch in and lend a hand. Same goes for Pat and Tracy. We can work something out.”
“Thanks, Cat. I think for this season, though, I’m going to focus on growing enough for myself and the shelter. And my friends too, of course.”
“Smart woman. As for the rest, our priority should be locating the Wilkes brother and then tracking down the people who are supplying the Alphas with their drugs. That alone should keep us busy for quite some time.”
“Don’t forget R. I keep coming back to him.”
“I haven’t forgotten him. One thing at a time, though. Let’s find the Wilkes boys first, then stop and see Anne before she heads off to Vancouver.”
Anne was downstairs in the office when Cat and Olivia showed up. “Oh, good. I was hoping you two would make it here this afternoon. I was digging around in my closet, looking to see what could be put in storage and I came across these.”
She pointed to the cardboard box sitting on the counter of her workstation. Olivia took a quick look inside. “Oh,” she gasped as she lifted out a silver creamer. She did a further check of the contents. “There’s a complete tea set here. Why on earth are you getting rid of it?”
“Because it’s time someone else got to enjoy it. Cat told me she thought it would look lovely on the big sideboard you have.”
Olivia carefully replaced the creamer back in the box. “Yes, it would. I feel as though I should offer you something. Silver tea sets are expensive. What would you consider a fair price?”
Anne smiled. “The look of absolute delight on your face when you realized what was in that box is payment enough. That and knowing the set will be well taken care in its new home is all I want.” She patted Olivia’s hand. “That reminds me, dear, I have several houseplants that also need a new home. You’re more than welcome to them. In the meantime, if you and Cat could see that they are watered I’d appreciate it.”
“That’s great, Anne. I’m not sure I’m the right person for that honor though. Especially since my life is in a bit of a turmoil at the moment. I don’t know the first thing about looking after houseplants. Veggies, yes, anything else, not so much.”
Anne laughed. “Not to worry, I’ll leave instructions on their care and feeding before I go. Cat has a key to my place so she can let you in if you decide to take the plants. I’m also leaving a handbook for you to refer to when you come into the office next week. You caught on quickly to the routine but it’s always nice to have something to refer to if you get stuck. Especially if Cat happens to be out of the office.”
Overwhelmed by Anne’s generosity, Olivia just shook her head and mumbled her gratitude.
Cat intervened. “What time are you heading out tomorrow?”
“As early as possible, but hopefully no later than nine o’clock.”
“Then why don’t I come by first thing, treat you to breakfast, then help you load your car?”
“Thanks. That would be great.”
There was a catch in Cat’s voice. “I’d like to treat you to supper tonight as well.”
Anne smiled. “That’s sweet of you, Cat, but tonight I think I’d like to be on my own.”
Olivia put her hand on Anne’s arm. “Wish I could be here to say goodbye …”
“That’s okay, dear. And who knows, I may be back this way again. Depends on how long I can stand my nephews.”
Cat helped Olivia load the tea set in the Mustang’s trunk then glanced back to where Anne was watching from the office door. “Damn, I’m going to miss that woman.”
“I can just imagine. I’ve only spent one day with her, but I feel as though I’ve known her for years. She reminds me a bit of Alison.”
“Alison must have been quite the woman then.”
“Yes, she certainly was.”
“Since I can’t take Anne out to dinner, would you let me treat you? We can drop the tea set off at your place, then decide where you’d like to go.”
“Is this too casual for Thai?” Olivia said, indicating her blue scrubs and white V-neck top.
Cat laughed. “Hell, no.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
O livia was out on the porch, working on her second coffee of the morning when Cat pulled up in front of the house. She waved hello as Cat got out of her car and slowly approached the front steps. Since Cat was missing her usual smile, she guessed that seeing Anne off had been harder than she expected. She was trying to come up
with an appropriate response when two more vehicles pulled up behind Cat’s Mustang. The first was a familiar rust red pickup, with Pat at the wheel, the other was a police cruiser. Jean emerged from her vehicle, waited until Pat joined her before approaching the porch. Jean wasn’t in uniform, which had Olivia wondering what brought the officer out to the farm.
Jean fist-bumped Pat.
“Hi, Olivia, Cat, hoped I’d find you both here. Got any coffee on?”
“Sure. C’mon in. I was about to take a break anyway.”
Once they were all settled around her kitchen table, steaming cups of coffee in front of them, she turned to Jean. “So, what brings you and Pat out this way?”
Pat spoke first. “Tracey would have been with me, but she is on duty today. However, she asked me to ask you if I could take a look around inside the mobile. Get an idea of what we might need in the way of bit and pieces while we are acting as watchdogs. If that’s still okay with you, of course.”
Olivia drew in a slow breath, let it out. Should she say yes? If she did, she could see her life moving in a new direction. There had already been substantial changes since meeting Cat. Was she ready to take on more? What was it Alison always said? ‘In for a penny, in for a pound?’
“Sure, why not? Be nice to have someone living in the mobile again,” she said, smiling.
Grinning, Pat reached across and fist-bumped her. “Thanks. It won’t be full-time at first, of course, but we can work up to it as we get closer to retirement.”
Jean turned to Olivia. “Now that we have that out of the way, I’d like to include Pat in any further discussions about what is being done to track down the McIntyre’s killers. Not to mention the missing Wilkes brothers.”
“Isn’t there an ongoing investigation?” Olivia said, frowning.
Jean twisted her lips. “Not so’s you’d notice. The powers that be have decreed this case to be a low priority. There isn’t enough potential for headlines and it’s an election year.”