The Girl Who Didn't Die--A Suspense Novel
Page 12
“My favorite restaurant is Hokkaido Seafood Buffet.” Munroe smiled.
“I like seafood, too.”
Thunder cracked outside. Alice turned to the windows and said, “Is it going to rain?”
“Maybe. Do you like rain?”
“No.”
“My father never washes his car. You know why?”
“Why?”
“Because it’ll rain eventually.” Munroe grinned.
The waiter set their plates on the table, and Alice thanked him.
“Does your father live in California?”
“No. He lives in Texas.”
“Were you born in Texas?”
“Yes.”
Another roll of thunder rumbled outside.
“When did you move to California?”
“Ten years ago. Have you always lived in California?”
“Yes.”
Was Jeb or one of his people in the restaurant watching them?
Why did he want her to go with Munroe to his place? Was he going to film them entering Munroe’s house together and then threaten to show the video to Munroe’s wife?
But Munroe had said he wasn’t married.
Maybe it’s a lie.
Were they being filmed right now?
“Do you have children?” Munroe asked.
“No, I don’t. Do you?”
“No. Have you ever been to Egypt?”
“No, I haven’t. It’s dangerous there, isn’t it?”
“I’m fascinated by the Egyptian pyramids. Some say that they were built with the help of aliens. What do you think about that?”
“It’s an interesting theory.”
“I think aliens were involved. Those pyramids are huge. There’s no way the ancient Egyptians could’ve built them on their own.”
“Have you been to Egypt?”
“No. Do you think aliens have visited Earth?”
“I think they have. I wonder why the aliens left Egypt.”
“Maybe they had to go back to their planet.”
Alice looked out the windows and saw that it was raining.
“Did you work in the X-Files department?” she asked, smiling.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Does the FBI have an X-Files department?”
“Maybe.” Munroe paused. “Am I boring you? If I am, let me know.”
“No, you’re not boring me.”
“You want to hear a joke? Two flies are sitting on a pile of dog crap. One asks the other, ‘Do you want to hear a really good joke?’ The other fly replies, ‘Yeah, but nothing disgusting like last time. I’m trying to eat here.’” Munroe laughed.
Alice laughed, too.
“What do you like to talk about?” Munroe said.
“Movies, clothes, celebrities… There are a lot of things I like to talk about.”
“I know you like to play tennis. What else do you like to do?”
“I like to hike. Do you like to hike?”
“Yes, I do. Do you play poker?”
“Yes, but I’m not very good at it. Are you good at poker?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Have you ever played in a tournament?”
“No, I’m too busy for that. I play in casinos sometimes. Do you like Las Vegas?”
“I love it. I go there every year.”
“Do you gamble there?”
“Very little. I go to Vegas for the shows.”
“What’s your favorite Vegas show?”
“Cirque du Soleil’s O. I love Cirque du Soleil.”
2
Alice checked her watch. It was 7:27. The rain had already stopped. They were eating dessert, and Alice figured they’d be ready to leave the restaurant in ten, fifteen minutes.
Would Jeb mind if she and Munroe left Providence at seven-forty and spent the remaining twenty minutes strolling along Colorado Boulevard?
Alice didn’t want to take any chances. They would stay at Providence until eight o’clock.
She would order another dessert when she finished her crème brûlée.
“Do you have any pets?” she asked Munroe.
“No. Do you?”
“No, I don’t. I had a cat, but he ran away.”
“When did he run away?”
“Seven years ago. I had him for a year. His name was Joey. He was a tuxedo cat. I thought he got killed by a car, but then I found out that he lived with an elderly couple a block down the street. They loved him so much I decided to let them keep him.”
“You know what say: dogs have owners, cats have staff.”
Alice’s phone rang. It was Jeb.
“Are you still at the restaurant?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to stay there until eight. You can leave now.”
“Okay.” She hung up. “But nothing disgusting like last time. I’m trying to eat here!” She giggled. “That was a good joke.”
“Yeah.”
Alice looked at her watch. “We’ve been here for almost two hours. I think it’s time to leave.”
“I know a place with great music and free drinks. You want to go?”
“What is it?”
“My apartment.” Munroe smiled. “You want to hang out at my place? I’ll show you the poster Elton John signed.”
“Okay.”
Munroe called the waiter over and asked for the check. When Alice took out her credit card, he said, “I got this.”
“Thank you.” She put her card back in her wallet.
Munroe paid the bill, and they left the restaurant. The air smelled clean and fresh, the clouds glowed pink in the sunset light.
He’s an FBI agent, so he’s not going to rape or murder me, Alice thought as they walked to Munroe’s car.
“Do you live alone?” she asked.
“Yes.”
How long would she stay at Munroe’s apartment? She wanted to get home by midnight, so she’d leave his place around eleven.
3
It was half past eight when they arrived at Munroe’s apartment complex. Munroe said that he lived on the second floor and suggested they take the stairs.
“Climbing stairs is good exercise,” he added.
The second-floor hall was dimly lit and quiet. When they reached Apartment 2D, Munroe said, “This is my place.”
Alice looked around, wondering if Jeb had installed hidden cameras in the hall. Munroe inserted the key in the lock and turned it.
“That’s strange,” he said.
“What is it?”
“The door’s unlocked.” He pulled out the key, opened the door, and went inside. Alice followed him.
Munroe glanced around the living room and then hurried into the study. Staring at the desk, he frowned, and said somberly, “Someone broke into my place.”
“Oh my God!”
It must be Jeb or his buddies.
“Shit.”
“What did they take?”
Whatever the burglars had stolen must have been in plain sight: Munroe’s apartment had not been turned upside down, everything seemed to be in order.
“My laptop,” Munroe said. “They stole my laptop.”
“Is it expensive?”
“It’s my work laptop.”
“Oh my God! Does it have anything important on it?”
“Yes, it does.” Munroe sat down in a swivel chair. “Dammit!”
“Can you lose your job over this?”
“I could go to jail over this.”
Gooseflesh broke out on Alice’s arms.
“Tell them your apartment was robbed.” Her mouth was dry.
“That’s not a good excuse.”
“Are there security cameras in this building?”
“I don’t think so.” Munroe heaved a sigh.
He gazed at the floor pensively for a long moment, then looked at Alice and said, “Did you tell anyone that we were going to a restaurant tonight?”
“No.”
Munroe was onto h
er. Alice could sense that.
“Not even your best friend?”
“No.”
“Are you involved in this in any way, Alice?”
Alice shook her head. “No, I’m not.”
Her heart was racing, her stomach was knotted up.
I’m going to prison. Jesus! I’ve done nothing illegal, but they’ll put me in prison anyway.
“Lying to a federal agent is a felony.”
Did she look nervous? She hoped to God she didn’t.
“I’m telling the truth, Kevin. I’m not involved in this in any way.”
She wanted to go home. Could Munroe arrest her?
He probably could.
“Who called you while we were at the restaurant?” Munroe stood up, his eyes fixed on Alice.
“A friend.”
“What’s the friend’s name?”
Alice felt as though she were on a raft rushing toward a bottomless waterfall.
The FBI would not leave her alone. They would railroad her.
“David.”
“Can I see your phone?”
Her heart pounding like a drum, Alice pulled her phone from her pocket and gave it to Munroe.
“What’s the passcode?” Munroe asked.
“Two zero one two.”
Is he going to call Jeb’s number? Alice wondered as Munroe entered the passcode.
Munroe checked Alice’s call log and then went through her messages.
“I want to go home,” Alice said.
“Just a minute. Can I see your driver’s license?”
Alice took out her driver’s license and handed it to Munroe. “I don’t understand, Kevin. Why do you think I might be involved in this?”
Munroe examined her driver’s license and then gave it back to her. “I have an idea.” He opened Alice’s call log. “Call your friend David and talk to him for a minute.”
Alice’s heart stopped for a moment. “About what?”
“Anything you want.”
“Okay.”
Please, God, let Jeb’s phone be off.
Munroe dialed Jeb’s number and put the phone on speaker. The phone rang once, twice, and then Jeb answered, “Hi, Alice.”
“Hi. How’s it going?”
“Where are you?”
“I’m home.”
“Did Munroe ask you to come with him to his place?”
Munroe frowned.
“No, he didn’t. Are you home?”
“No. I’ll call you at ten.”
“Okay. Bye.”
Jeb hung up.
“Why does David know my name?” Munroe asked.
“I mentioned your name to him.”
What the hell was she doing? She needed to stop answering his questions and get the hell out of here.
But that wouldn’t save her. Munroe knew her name and where she lived.
“What did you tell him about me?”
“I told him you were my friend.”
“Did you tell him I work for the FBI?”
“No.”
“What does he do for a living?”
“He’s a businessman.”
“Did you tell him we were going to a restaurant tonight?”
“No.”
“Why did he ask you if I’d asked you to come with me to my place?”
“He thinks you want to have sex with me.”
“Did David tell you to take me to a restaurant tonight?”
“No.”
“Let’s meet David. Where does he live?”
“I don’t know. He moved recently.”
“Call him and ask for his address.”
Alice held out her hand and said, “Give me the phone.”
Munroe handed the cell to her.
“Look, Kevin,” she said, “I told you I have nothing to do with this. I don’t know who took your laptop. I hope you find it.” She pocketed her phone. “I’m going home, Kevin. Good night.”
Blood pounding in her ears, she turned around and started toward the door.
“Alice, stop,” Munroe said softly. “Don’t leave.”
“I have to go, Kevin.” Alice stepped out into the hallway.
“It was a test, Alice. And you passed it.”
Alice stopped and looked back at Munroe, who was standing in the doorway. “What do you mean?”
“It was a test.” Munroe grinned. “Jeb wanted to see how you act under pressure.”
Alice breathed a sigh of relief. “Do you work for Jeb?”
“Yes. I have a couple of tips for you. Don’t talk to the feds. Don’t talk to the cops. You can’t be arrested for not talking to them, but you can get in trouble if you say the wrong thing. And never give your phone to a cop or a fed. Don’t trust the cops or the feds. They’re not your friends.”
“Got it. Are you really an FBI agent?”
“Yes.”
They went into the living room.
“Who killed Melissa?” Alice asked.
“Only Jeb knows who killed her.”
“What does Jeb do for a living?”
“Ask him.”
“Does he work for the FBI, too?”
“No.”
“Is Kevin Munroe your real name?”
“Yeah. Would you like me to take you home?”
“No. I’ll take a cab.”
Alice left the apartment building and called a taxi.
Why did Jeb want to see how she acted under pressure? He was probably going to ask her to perform a stressful task for him.
Jeb must be a powerful person: regular people didn’t have henchmen. Was he a crime boss? Was he a high-ranking government official?
Jeb called Alice fifteen minutes later, while she was in the cab.
“Kevin told me you passed the test,” he said. “Congratulations, Alice.”
“When are you going to tell me who killed my daughter?”
“Soon. Good night, Alice.”
Chapter 27
1
Should he ask Alice to take a lie detector test?
If Alice was the killer, she wouldn’t agree to take the test.
First, he should ask her for an alibi. If she had a watertight alibi, he would eliminate her as a suspect.
Hagan’s cellphone rang. He did not recognize the number.
Hagan took the call. “Hello. Detective Hagan speaking.”
“How are you, Detective? My name’s Neil Challis. I work for Universal Wireless. I’m calling to give you an update on the location of the phone you asked us to monitor.”
“What’s the phone number?”
Challis told Hagan the number. It belonged to Melissa Keener.
The killer had switched on Melissa’s phone. Was he going to text someone?
“Where’s the phone?” Hagan asked.
Challis gave him the address and said that it was an approximate location.
Hagan knew whose address it was.
“How long has it been there?”
“Thirty minutes.”
“When did the phone connect to the network?”
“Thirty minutes ago.”
“Were any messages sent from it?”
“No.”
“Were any calls made from it?”
“No.”
“Thanks for the call, Neil. Please call me when the phone’s location changes.”
“Okay.”
When Hagan told Valdez where Melissa’s phone was located, his partner said, “How did she get it?”
Hagan shrugged.
2
What did Jeb mean by soon?
Although it had been only two days since she’d passed Jeb’s test, Alice was getting impatient. Jeb was going to ask her to do something for him, and she couldn’t wait to find out what it was.
Alice took a bag of bologna and a package of mozzarella cheese from the refrigerator, placed them on the table, then pulled out two slices of bread and made a sandwich. As she put the bologna and cheese back in the refrigerator, the doo
rbell rang. She went to the front door and looked through the peephole. It was Detective Hagan. She opened the door.
“Hi, Stephen.”
“How are you doing, Alice?”
“I’m fine.” Alice let the detective in and closed the door. “What brings you to Pasadena?”
Hagan pulled out his phone and said, “Would you mind if I looked around your house?”
“Are you looking for something?”
“Yes, I am.” Hagan dialed a number on his phone, and a moment later there was a ringing sound. It wasn’t Alice’s ringtone.
Was there someone else in the house?
“Who are you calling?” Alice asked.
Hagan went into the hallway, and she followed him. The ringing sound was coming from the study.
Why doesn’t the guy reject the call? Why was he letting the phone ring?
“He’s in the study,” Alice whispered. “Who is it?”
She expected Hagan to draw his gun, but he didn’t.
They entered the study, and Alice was relieved to see that no one was hiding there.
The ringing phone was in one of the desk drawers. Hagan placed his phone on the desk, then took a latex glove from his pocket and slipped it on his right hand.
What did he need a glove for?
Hagan opened the bottom drawer and lifted a box of pencils, revealing the ringing phone, a white Samsung Galaxy S III.
Hagan picked up the cell with his gloved hand, ended the call, and asked, “Does this phone belong to you?”
“No. I’ve never had a phone like this.”
“Did you put it in the drawer?” Hagan said as he placed the phone in a plastic evidence bag.
“No.”
“I believe this is Melissa’s phone.”
Alice’s skin broke out in gooseflesh.
Melissa’s killer had put the phone in the drawer. Melissa’s killer had been in her house!
“I don’t know how it got there,” Alice said.
“It’s your house, Alice.”
“Melissa’s killer must have put it in the drawer.”
She was lucky she hadn’t come home when the killer was in her house. He would surely have killed her if she’d caught him in the act.
“Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know.”
Melissa’s killer wants to frame you, Alice.
“What time did you come home?”
The killer must know Melissa was her daughter. Had he, or she, gotten this information from the Keeners? Was the killer friends with the Keeners? Was he, or she, their relative?
The killer might be one of those perverted uncles who lusted after their young nieces.