by Fiona Grace
Brynn’s eyes narrowed. Even though Mia was trying to play it down, she realized the seriousness of the situation.
“We need to call Jeffy,” Brynn said.
“No, no, absolutely not!” Mia said. “I can’t let you or Jeffrey get involved in this situation.”
“Listen, Mia, I know Jeffy is awful sometimes, but he’s really good at his job. I promise you that this Detective Waite is going to be very sorry he picked on you. Do you have the detective’s number?”
As much as Mia wanted to handle the whole thing herself, she was scared. Her whole career and future were on the line. She went to her desk, found the detective’s card, and handed it to Brynn.
“Listen, Brynn, can you cover for me with the family? I think I have a lead on the murder and the best way for me to prove I didn’t do it is to figure out who did,” Mia said.
“Okay, do what you have to do. I’ll talk to Jeffy,” Brynn said. “But be careful. You take too many risks, Mimi. Sometimes I think you got that from your dad.”
“I’ll be careful,” Mia said, brushing off the comment about her dad. Now was not the time for a conversation about Frank Bold. Instead, she hugged Brynn tightly and said, “Thanks, sis.”
Brynn locked her suitcase and kissed Rose and Tandy goodbye. Before she headed out the door to join the rest of the Middletons at the hotel she turned to Mia.
“Don’t worry, Mimi,” Brynn said. “I’ll make sure Jeffy handles this guy.”
***
Once Brynn left, the apartment was incredibly quiet. Mia tried to choke back the terrible sense of fear rising up in her gut. Rose came over to touch Mia’s nose before going about her kitty business.
Mia could swear Tandy looked worried.
“I’m worried too, boy,” she said as she finished clearing the table and cleaning up from breakfast.
Johnny’s words about getting agent representation nagged at her, but not because of her own career. The word “agent” had sparked a question. Greg Abbott said Fat Cat was a real estate nerd, always showing of his knowledge. Could he be a broker or agent of some type? She took her phone out and looked at the picture she’d taken at the abandoned playground at the Elmswood House.
So Halcyon Commercial Realty had bought a tiny strip of land, too small to build on? Why?
Mia went to her computer and searched Swampscott’s property records. She was shocked to find that Halcyon had bought up all the strips of land around the Elmswood property.
What did they want with a bunch of inconsequential pieces of land?
Mia surfed over to the Halcyon Commercial Realty site. A pop-up began to play. An aerial drone shot of Swampscott appeared with graphic arrows showing all the properties being handled by Halcyon. There were office buildings and high-end condo projects. Apparently, the company had been acquiring property in Swampscott for years, sometimes converting single-family residential properties into condos and commercial ventures. At the end of the video, a well-dressed man appeared.
“Hi, I’m Dominic Rehm, the CEO of Halcyon, We specialize in exclusive properties for the discerning client. Call us to make your dream come true.”
Mia looked at the contact page and found the company offices. She typed the address into her phone. Halcyon was located in in the middle of Swampscott.
There was only one way to test her theory. She needed to go to Halcyon and see what was going on with her own eyes. Mia forwarded the picture she’d taken of the Halcyon Commercial Realty sign with Sold written across it to Detective Landry.
Took this picture at Elmswood.
Halcyon’s been buying up land around the house
Going to check it out!
“Come on, boy,” Mia called to Tandy. From high on her cat run perch, Rose glanced down before returning to cleaning her fur.
Mia and Tandy took the back stairs and climbed into her Toyota. She didn’t want to drag Sylvie or Johnny into the situation at this point. Halcyon was a long shot but it was the only clue she had. She thought of the spooky little girl who had led her to the sign. Had she really seen a ghost? Was she the ghost of Lydia Humphrey?
That puzzle would have to go on the back burner for now. Thinking about crazy phenomena she couldn’t prove one way or the other would not help. Right now, she needed to keep her head straight and find out more about Halcyon Commercial Realty.
The roads were clear as she headed for Swampscott. The ride took on a strange quality, as she realized that this might be the last free day of her life. To be sent to jail for a crime she hadn’t committed was an awful thought. The trees and old wooden houses rushed by and she lowered the window so Tandy could feel the breeze on his floppy ears. Who would take care of Tandy and Rose? She knew that Sylvie would step in and help her but the thought of being taken away from her new life was scary. Her new friends had been there for her before, but she hadn’t understood how important they’d become in her life until Mark came to town. She really didn’t want to lose them.
Mia turned down the sunny streets of Swampscott until she found Halcyon Commercial Realty. The building was tall and square and made of granite, with slabs of dark gray marble on the front. It was very ultra-modern and looked almost like a mausoleum with its featureless sharp angles. She checked her appearance in the rearview mirror, brushing her hair back away from her face and pinching her cheeks until they were rosy.
“Ready, boy?” she said, taking a deep breath.
Tandy followed her out of the car, and Mia attached his lead. They walked up the long sidewalk to the commercial building. Inside, everything was made of glass, and all the offices were on an open plan. She walked down the hall until she found a door with Halcyon Commercial Realty embossed on the glass.
The door opened into a stark, minimalist office space with a few green trees in pots. The spacious office was empty except for a slim young woman seated at the reception desk. She was dressed in an asymmetrical, gray sheath dress. Her angular face was enhanced with airbrushed makeup and eyelash extensions. On the counter was a single orchid in a square vase.
“Can I help you?” the young woman said, displaying a thin smile. “Is that your emotional support doggie?”
“Why yes,” Mia said, trying to adapt an equally dismissive air of disenchantment. “I’m here to see Dominic Rehm.”
“What’s your name? Do you have an appointment?” the girl said and started making a kissy face at Tandy.
“Mia Bold,” she said. “I represent a production company. We’re looking for studio space. I’m only in town for a day.”
“All right, let me check with him,” the girl said and disappeared into the back of the office, teetering on high heels.
Mia stepped over to the reception area where an assortment of high end magazines were on display. Within a moment, the receptionist returned.
“Mr. Rehm will see you now,” the girl said and led Mia and Tandy into the back of the office, which overlooked an open green park. She knocked on the office door and opened it for Mia.
“Mr. Rehm? This is Mia Bold,” the girl said.
“Thank you, Tina, you can take your lunch now,” Dominic Rehm said and smiled. “Ms. Bold? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Mia stepped into the stark office. There was a large modern painting behind Dominic Rehm on the far wall and a 3D model of a commercial property in development on a table by the large industrial window.
Tandy lowered his head nervously and growled.
“Shhh,” Mia said. “Be a good boy.” Tandy obeyed his mistress and sat at her feet warily.
Dominik Rehm was tall and slender, with a high-forehead, a receding hairline and a tightly wound, angular body. He had a hungry look on his face, with narrow eyes and a straight nose with a slight bump at the top. He was clean shaven with a stiff, white collar, a slim-fitting suit, and a thin necktie fixed with a gold tie clip.
‘How can I help you?” Rehm said. “You’re with a production company? Are you looking to purchase some commercial property?”
�
��Why yes,” Mia said. “We’re thinking about it.”
“Well, I’d be more than happy to attend to your needs.”
“How does that work?” Mia said.
“We regularly invest in land in this area. We both convert and build commercial properties. To the highest standards I might add.”
Mia walked over to the 3D model.
“What’s this?” she said.
“A future project,” Rehm said. “We’re building some condos over by the sea front.”
A chill made its way down Mia’s spine. Dominic Rehm was flat out lying and she knew it. The makers of the 3D map had done their job accurately and in incredible detail. Mia had studied Swampscott on Google Maps enough times to recognize certain landmarks. This 3D map was not “by the sea front.” This condo project was smack dab in the middle of Elmswood Road where Connie Carol’s decrepit house now stood. So that’s why Halcyon had bought up all that property!
Dominic Rehm must be Fat Cat, Mia realized. He must have wanted to buy the Elmswood House to tear down and build the condos. Halcyon had already bought the strips of land surrounding the house. But Connie Carol wanted to sell to someone who appreciated the history of the house, not a developer who would just tear it down. A nervous flutter descended to Mia’s stomach.
Did Dominic Rehm kill Cindy Moore?
A terrible thought occurred to Mia. If Rehm was a killer and wanted that house, what was there to stop him from killing Connie Carol? Cindy told her that the older woman was all alone in the world. That meant if she died her property would be auctioned by the city. Under those conditions it would be simple for anyone, including Dominic Rehm, to sweep in and buy Elmswood House.
“We have a number of properties that might suit your needs. Do you need stage space also?” Dominic said.
“Yes, definitely. Do you have any properties in mind?” Mia said with her back toward Rehm. Carefully, she inched her phone out and texted Landry.
Dominic Rehm
Help now!
“I do have one that could be perfect,” Dominic Rehm said.
“Great, I’d love to see it,” Mia said and turned around.
Dominic Rehm was wearing black gloves and holding a 9mm Ruger handgun pointed directly at Mia’s heart.
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
Mia stared at Dominic Rehm and the gun in terror.
“Hand me your phone,” Rehm said and plucked Mia’s mobile phone out of her hand. His expression had changed; gone was the fake salesman smile. Now his lips were pinched and his eyes were narrowed in rage.
Tandy snarled at the strange man and Rehm pointed the gun toward the dog. “Keep that mutt under control or I’ll shoot him.”
“Quiet, boy,” Mia said.
Dominic Rehm read the last text she had sent Landry.
“Well, that is unfortunate. Looks like we’ll need to take this party off site. Let’s go.” Rehm motioned toward the door. Mia turned and felt him press the barrel of the gun into her back.
“Help!” she screamed out.
But Dominic only laughed, a cold and merciless sound.
“There’s no one here,” he said. “I sent Tina to lunch. And knowing Tina, she’s already at the mall contemplating nail polish.”
“You won’t get away with this,” Mia said, trying not to let the fear creep into her voice.
“Oh, I think I will,” Rehm said and took Mia’s arm before pressing the gun into her side. “Stay close. I’d hate for this to go off.”
There was no one around, just rows of sedans and SUVs. Mia tried to calculate how long it would take for Landry to arrive, but the math she came up with was bleak.
“You’re making things worse for yourself,” Mia said.
“Am I? That rundown heap must be your car,” Rehm said. “Get inside, you’re driving.” He drove the gun against her rib.
“Okay, okay!” Mia said and walked toward her Toyota.
“Put the dog in the back. We’re going for a ride.” Rehm said.
Mia opened the door for Tandy. He looked at her as if unsure what to do. His ears were back and his backside tucked under. It broke Mia’s heart knowing her loyal companion, sensing her fear, was scared too.
“Come on, boy. Up. It’ll be OK,” she said.
The trusting dog leapt into the back seat and Mia shut the door behind him. She desperately scanned the parking lot for another human being before sliding into the driver’s seat. But everything was quiet. There were no witnesses to Mia’s disappearance into this monster’s world. Landry would have no way to find her, no idea where she’d gone.
Rehm got into the passenger’s seat and turned to face her. He kept the gun pointed at her.
“Listen, Dominic, the cops are looking for me,” Mia said. “If you let me go, they’re still going to think I did it. Your word against mine.”
Dominic Rehm laughed.
“After that message you sent to your buddy Landry?” Dominic said.
“He’s not my buddy, he’s a cop,” Mia said, trying to keep her voice calm.
“Well, by the time he finds you, you’ll be dead and I’ll look like the victim of baseless accusations,” Rehm said. “Now quit stalling and drive.”
Mia turned the ignition and pulled onto the road.
“Where?” she said.
“Take Beach Avenue to Elden Street, then take a right,” Rehm said.
With a chilling sense of dread, Mia knew exactly where Dominic Rehm was headed, the little yellow house near the high school—Connie Carol’s apartment.
“What are you planning?” Mia said, swallowing hard.
“To kill two birds with one stone,” Rehm said and cackled to himself.
Tandy growled menacingly in the back seat.
“Quiet, boy,” Mia said, concerned Rehm would hurt him.
They drove along the quiet suburban streets of Swampscott. As Mia drove, she wondered if this was her last day on earth. It was an ordinary day with kids out on their bikes and people walking their dogs. Desperately, she searched for someone she could signal, a crossing guard or a cop, but the pedestrians paid no attention to her car, blissfully ignorant of the fact that the woman inside was being kidnapped at gunpoint. Mia took a right on Elden Street and headed toward the high school.
They reached Connie Carol’s two-story Victorian house, the one with two front doors. Rehm looked out the window, checking the street the same way Mia was searching for someone she could signal. But the street was empty.
“Take a left up ahead on Burpee Street. See that alley? Pull in there, now!” Dominic said and jammed the gun against Mia’s ribs. Once they were parked, he looked in all directions. “Now, leave the dog and get out. If you run, the dog dies.”
As Mia carefully stepped out of the car, Tandy dug at the seat, frustrated.
“Shhhh,” Mia said to Tandy and closed the door, leaving the window partially rolled down. Tandy looked at her with his big brown eyes. She prayed her pup would be okay as she stepped away from the car.
She looked down the street at the houses. A man was rolling his trash cans down to the street. Mia was about to shout out when she felt Rehm shove the gun into her back.
“Don’t try anything. Open the gate,” he said.
Mia did what he said. As soon as they stepped inside the backyard, they were out of sight of the street. Now no one could see them. They were cut off from the world. She was alone with Rehm, who was clearly psychopathic.
Mia tried not to panic. The man was a murderer and he would kill her without hesitation. She tried to think of a way to alert Connie, looking around the porch for some way to make a noise.
“I’m warning you,” Rehm hissed. “Not a peep out of you.” He knocked on the door.
Inside the house, Nutmeg started to bark. A high, yipping sound that was almost comical.
“Who is it?” Connie Carol’s voice came from the other side of the door.
“Mrs. Carol? Can I have a word with you? It’s Dominic Rehm.”
; “Who?” Connie said in a gruff, no-nonsense voice.
“Remember me? I’m from Halcyon Commercial Realty. We think we have an investor for your house. A nice European couple who wants to restore the property.”
“You do?” Connie said and unbolted the door.
“Don’t!” Mia started to call out but Dominic Rehm pistol whipped her across the jaw. The pain exploded in her head, stunning Mia and silencing her warning.
“That’s right, Mrs. Carol. They want to consult with you. I think we have a solution that’s going to save the property.”
The moment the door opened, Dominic Rehm grabbed Mia by the collar and shoved her inside, almost knocking Connie over.
Nutmeg grabbed onto his leg with her tiny jaws and bit down fiercely, ripping his trousers and drawing blood until Rehm shook the little dog off and kicked her aside. Nutmeg yelped and ran back a few steps warily.
“What is this?” Connie Carol said, dressed in her house coat. Then she saw Mia holding her jaw with a drop of blood trailing from the side of her mouth. “What the heck! You all right there, Hollywood?”
Mia nodded, but her eyes issued a warning. Rehm was dangerous, play along.
“Both of you, into the living room,” Rehm said. He was restless and starting to act more menacing as he waved the gun in the air, herding them away from the door. Nutmeg charged again and Rehm pointed the gun at the dog. “Pick up that little snapper or I will shut it up for good.”
Connie Carol looked at Mia, who gently nodded to her, a warning in her eyes. The older woman swept Nutmeg up in her arms and cradled her. They all stepped into the living room, which had a Brady Bunch feel with wood paneled walls and couches in a plaid fabric with orange and avocado green tones. Connie stood near a square brick fireplace with a mantel covered in knickknacks.
“I know you,” Connie said. “You tried to buy my Elmswood House.”
“And you should’ve sold it to me,” Dominic said, his body tense and his nervous system wired.
“So you’re Fat Cat,” Mia said. “The one who’s been asking questions about the house online.”