“Would you like some coffee too, miss?” Dottie said.
“Sure.”
Dottie poured a second cup and looked up expectantly. “Now, can I get either of you somethin’ to eat?”
“I hear they have excellent apple pie,” Sloan offered.
“Pass.” Richard waved his hand dismissively at Dottie, eyes fixed on Sloan. “You’re late.”
Sloan shot a quick smile up. “Just the coffee then, thanks.”
She proceeded to ignore Richard while she busied herself with cream and sugar. I admired her composure.
Finally Richard’s impatience broke in. “Well? You said you had some information for me?”
“I do. Unfortunately, nothing directly on your brother yet.” She took a sip of her coffee.
“So why am I here?”
Sloan gazed back coolly. “I thought you might be interested to know it’s not very likely Walter is involved with the CEO you mentioned. I saw nothing between them when they were alone together. I’m pretty certain there’s nothing there.”
Richard simply blinked at her.
Sloan continued. “And then there was evidence she’s involved with someone else.”
She paused as she noticed the same change in demeanor I did. Richard had stiffened and was glaring at her intently. She continued carefully. “So I don’t think you need to worry about Walter and Carolyn Evans.”
“Someone else . . . who?”
“I don’t know yet. I didn’t think the who was important.”
“It’s not,” Richard retorted. “But what evidence?”
Sloan pulled photos from her bag and handed them across the table. I could tell from a glance that the first was my photo of the bouquet on the CEO’s car. Richard examined it closely.
Sloan narrated. “After she found that waiting for her in the parking lot last night, she drove straight to a hotel.”
Richard flipped to the next picture. I knew it captured Carolyn outside the mystery man’s hotel room. The final photo would show the man grasping her suggestively as they disappeared into the room.
“She was there for a couple of hours,” Sloan continued.
I watched in fascination as the color drained from Richard’s face. He studied the photos for a long moment, then slammed them on the table, his color returning. “Why were you following this woman? This is not your assignment.”
“Oh.” Sloan sounded genuinely surprised. “I thought you were concerned about her and Walter having a possible relationship.” She pointed to the picture. “This way we can pretty much rule out that complication. Your brother didn’t even react to the flowers.”
“You don’t need to worry about motivations.” Richard was overtly hostile now. “Your job is to keep an eye on Walter, and capture anything suspicious. Keep your nose out of anything else. I’m not paying you to run around following whoever you want.”
Sloan took the rebuke calmly. “Got it.”
“In fact, you need to bring me anything even remotely suggestive. I need to know it all. It’s not your job to judge whether there’s anything there or not. Leave that to me.”
Sloan plucked her phone from her purse and spoke with feigned deference. “I’m going to take notes, so I can make sure to get you exactly what you want.” She began typing. “So you want . . . everything? Like, if he’s a little too friendly with a woman? Or even if she’s just flirting with him?”
“Anything,” Richard snapped. “I’ll be the judge.”
My phone vibrated next to me. I tapped it under the table to reveal a text from Sloan.
*SOMETHING’S UP. LEAVE NOW AND FOLLOW *
Sloan continued with her guileless questions to keep Richard talking. I left some money on the table and slipped out. My connection to their conversation dropped out as I exited.
I waited in my car, once again parked in the grocery lot next door. I didn’t have to wait long before Richard stomped out and squeezed himself into his sports car. I had no time to consider my nervousness in undertaking the tail of this hostile man. Once he had pulled out of the parking lot, I was hot in pursuit.
I had followed Sloan’s advice about keeping my distance, but it wasn’t easy. Richard treated other drivers with the same respect he offered in person. He weaved in and out of traffic impatiently, nearly causing collisions as he frequently swerved in front of other cars. But I was still able to keep him in view without all the dramatic maneuvers.
The sun had finished setting during the drive, giving me some additional cover. We arrived in a wealthy established neighborhood, where the landscaped lawns were expansive and well-tended and the houses were even more generous. I picked up my phone and dialed Sloan to check in.
She picked up immediately, excitement in her voice. “Still with him?”
“Yes, but I don’t know if he’s just going home or not. He’s pulling into a driveway ahead.” I checked the street name and notified Sloan before continuing slowly past the house.
“No, that’s not his address. Hang on.” I could hear her typing rapidly in the background.
Richard was storming up the sidewalk of the stately two-story colonial, folded papers in his hand. My stomach twisted in excitement as I realized they were probably the photographs Sloan had provided.
Sloan’s voice was also clearly excited when she returned. “It’s Carolyn’s house!”
“I had a feeling. And I think he’s taken the pictures with him. Maybe he’s actually the one having an affair with her.” I stopped the car down the street to think, the front of the house now out of view.
“And we just informed him that someone else is in the picture. Literally.” Sloan paused, considering. “He could be confronting her. But this doesn’t seem like it has anything to do with his brother, does it?”
What had we stumbled upon? “Not at the moment. So what do we do now?”
“You’re going to have to go check it out.”
Uh oh. “What do you mean?”
“You need to sneak up to the house. Check if you can see them through a window.”
I glanced around the empty street, my heart beginning to race. As fun as that sounded, this woman knew me. I couldn’t risk getting caught snooping.
“You’ll need to hurry,” Sloan continued. “Make sure she’s not getting murdered or something. I wouldn’t put it past him.”
Murder! I couldn’t live with causing something bad to happen and not doing anything about it. Could I?
“Put on the hat and sweatshirt I told you to carry,” Sloan continued to prod.
I retrieved the dark baseball cap and hoodie. They did make me feel more discreet once I had them on. My resistance wavered. After another moment of hesitation, I decided to just go for it.
“Ok, hang on.” I slipped out of the car and crept across the lawn, which was damp from the sprinkler system. Thankfully it was not currently running. The front rooms were all dark, so I headed for a lighted window in the back.
Peeking in the window, I saw a den with overstuffed leather furniture and dark wood. The sheer curtains did little to hamper my view. I first thought the room was unoccupied and was going to keep searching. Then I noticed Richard standing unmoving in the corner. Arms crossed, he was fuming silently.
A moment later Carolyn entered the room carrying drinks. Richard swatted away the offered glass, so she placed it patiently on a table beside him.
He retrieved the stack of photographs and waved them in the air in indignation. I snapped a photo of the scene with my phone. Unfortunately, my clear view didn’t include sound. I couldn’t make out what he was saying, or more likely yelling.
But if I couldn’t hear them, they wouldn’t be able to hear me. I moved away from the window and spoke quietly.
“Okay, I can see them. He’s with Carolyn, and he’s clearly angry about the pictures. She seems to be trying to calm him down and explain something. But I can’t hear.”
“Do they seem like lovers? Yuck, by the way.”
I pee
ked back through the window. Richard had drained his drink and was intently listening to Carolyn. She looked grim as she spoke.
“Not really,” I replied. “Him being jealous is the only thing that makes sense right now, but so far I don’t see any sign of romance. They sure don’t look very intimate.”
Richard began to pace the room, anger etched on his face. His perspiration had increased with the exertion. I watched in silence for a while as they continued back and forth, Richard barking at the woman while she tried to respond calmly. But she seemed just as serious and possibly worried. She began to pace.
Frustrated by the lack of insight being gleaned from this operation, I decided to try moving closer to see if I could pick up on their conversation. They were standing near a window on the other side of the room. I moved carefully around the corner of the house.
A large flower bed extended along the side of the residence. I attempted to navigate the assorted plants, wishing I could use my phone as a flashlight, but I was afraid of drawing attention. Apparently I didn’t need a light for that. My foot caught on an offshoot of some sort, sending me tumbling to the ground.
“Oof.”
I scrambled to extricate myself from the plants and quickly brushed away the mulch lodged in my hands, thinking my quiet accident would be able to go undetected.
“Someone there?”
Instantly, a light was searching the flower bed. The beam quickly found me and I squinted from the glare. It was coming from the yard next door. Crap! Think fast.
“Hi,” I answered and waved with forced friendliness. With the light on me, I was able to move through the flower bed and away from the window easily. I approached the older woman slowly with my hands clearly visible. She stood in her driveway, holding her large dog’s leash protectively.
I heard Sloan’s voice in my ear, still connected. “Quinn? What’s going on?”
I ignored her and jumped in before the woman could speak again. “Have you seen Mr. Snuffaluffagus?”
The woman eyed me suspiciously. “Mister Whatagus?”
“Mr. Snuffaluffagus. My cat.” I glanced around as if searching. “He got out, and I thought I saw him running through here.”
“I didn’t see any cat.” The woman nodded her head toward her dog. “And Oscar here would’ve noticed.”
“Oh, shoot! I bet that’s what scared him off again. Mr. Snuffaluffagus is terrified of dogs.”
She just blinked at me, unsure how to respond.
“I’m just so worried,” I rambled quickly. “He’s never really gotten out before. And it’s time for his medicine. I better keep looking. Would you keep an eye out for him?”
The woman hesitated, but only momentarily. “Sure.”
“Thanks.” I rushed across the front yard before she could respond further. I called out when I reached the street. “Mr. Snuffaluffagus!”
Once in my car, I remembered I still had Sloan on the line. She had stayed silent through the confrontation.
“I gotta go, Sloan.”
“That was some quick thinking. Good instincts.”
“Talk to you later.” I hung up, utterly drained.
When I turned the car on, I realized the hidden benefit of driving a hybrid vehicle. I was able to start the car and begin my escape silently, with no engine to alert the neighborhood. I turned my lights on a block away.
My hands stopped shaking at some point on the way home.
Nine
The next two days passed very slowly as I fought a battle inside my head. Back at work, I tried to absorb myself in my patient schedule of hearing and balance problems. But whenever I had a break in the day, my mind would inevitably wander back to the investigation. Sloan’s regular text updates certainly didn’t help my concentration.
The morning after my close encounter at the CEO’s house, I had woken determined to stay away from the mischief. The investigation, all fun and games in the beginning, had turned into a threat against my career. If I had been caught by the neighbor, it could’ve been disastrous.
I had no idea how I would’ve explained spying in her windows to Carolyn Evans. But regardless of my explanation, she likely would have pulled support for my research project. And that could mean not being able to graduate, certainly not on time anyway.
So I sent a message to Sloan I was going to be busy and wouldn’t be able to help for a while. Eventually I would sever my involvement completely. It was a fun fantasy while it lasted, but sneaking around at night to peek in windows didn’t really fit the profile of a respected medical professional. And that’s what I needed to focus on.
But Sloan was not to be dissuaded so easily. Every couple of hours my phone vibrated, and I knew she was sending me more information. Trying to get me to stay engrossed. She had been doing more stalking, and had turned up some information on the mysterious interloper in the hotel room.
It turned out that the subject of Richard’s wrath was actually the woman’s ex-husband. According to Sloan, he was not easily identified at first because he was fresh out of rehab. Apparently the addiction had done a number on his appearance, because the gaunt, shaggy-haired man in the hotel photos looked nothing like the handsome, athletic middle-aged man in the before-pictures Sloan had sent me.
So it seemed Richard had been furious that Carolyn went to visit her recently-rehabilitated ex. The flowers and handsiness suggested reconciliation. I still found it hard to believe Richard had been passionate out of jealousy, or that she would have been involved with him. But I suppose all manner of blowhards find romance somehow. Especially wealthy ones.
But that was really none of my concern; I was here to help my patients hear better. And get my diploma. That was all that should matter.
At lunchtime on day three, Sloan really started blowing up my phone. No more details, just pleas to meet. They became more urgent as the day went on. I was going to have to be more forceful in my disinterest.
When my phone buzzed once more in the afternoon, I checked it at my desk between patients.
*YOU HAVE TO MEET ME TONIGHT. LIFE OR DEATH*
Life or death? Seemed a tad overdramatic.
There was no reason to drag this out. I needed to extricate myself from this situation before it distracted me any further. I typed a reply.
*JOE’S, 6PM.*
I received a prompt emoticon in agreement just as I heard Grant enter our work area from behind.
“Wowzers.” He broke the silence with his whine. “I don’t have the nerve to break the rules and do personal stuff on the clock. I’m too afraid it’ll reflect poorly if the boss sees me. Good for you for being so brave.”
Well, it wouldn’t be my office anymore without a grating voice hassling me in the background. I gritted my teeth before looking up with a fake smile. “Just something quick I had to take care of. All caught up now.”
Grant ignored my response and launched into a gossipy story about his annoying roommate. Boy, talk about lacking self-awareness.
Certain he would never notice if I was actually listening or not, I surreptitiously clicked the music app on my phone, and classical music began playing softly in my ears. I felt better instantly. Apparently my little helper devices were good for more than just eavesdropping conversations. They also kept me from strangling my coworker.
Now I just had to keep my nerve until this evening. I knew what I had to do, but now that I had put a plan in motion, I felt a small knot forming in my stomach. It could’ve been a feeling of disappointment, if I were being honest with myself.
But that kind of honesty was the last thing I needed.
Sloan was waiting with two cups of coffee when I arrived. I immediately sensed that she was missing her usual perkiness that evening. Her eyes were more guarded and serious than I’d seen before. Maybe because I’ve been dodging her for a few days. I felt a little stab of guilt as I slid into the booth across from her.
“Listen,” I began.
“I know,” Sloan interrupted. “I know yo
u think you need to quit the spying business. But first, let me just show you a few things.” Her eyes were imploring. “Please.”
I had to give in. “Okay.” I noted that my coffee was already lightened to a pale beige with cream, just the way I liked it. I sat back and took a sip, waiting for her to begin.
“Okay. To recap, we now know the man at the hotel was Carolyn’s ex-husband. And we witnessed Richard flipping out after seeing pictures of her with the guy, rushing straight to her house. Thanks to you, we know they had a long, heated conversation. But we don’t know what about or why.”
“Right.”
“Well, the strung-out looking ex-husband is Carter Evans. He wasn’t always a loser and he’s not officially an Ex yet. He was actually the CEO of Quandom. It was his company she works for. Until his drug habit became impossible to hide any longer, that is. Pain killer addiction after a surgery.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Anyway, the company allowed Carolyn to step in in his place, while he was shipped off to extended rehab on the company’s dime. In the meantime he was served with separation papers. Can’t say I blame her.”
“Okay.” I was unsure where this was going.
“Just bear with me.” Sloan she pulled photos from her bag. “So apparently this recently-separated husband checked himself out of rehab a little ahead of schedule. I’m guessing that’s why Richard was so surprised to see him in the pictures.”
“And the hotel makes sense,” I mused out loud, “because he can’t go home anymore and probably doesn’t have a housing plan just yet.” I was annoyed with myself for being interested.
She nodded. “But I’m thinking that without a home and your life in shambles, it’s pretty easy to get yourself back into trouble.” Sloan placed two of the photographs side by side on the table. The first showed Carter sitting at a bar with a beer in front of him. In the second, he appeared to be taking a shot of liquor. “Doesn’t look like he’s sticking to that sobriety too well. I think they frown upon getting drunk within days of rehab. This was taken at the hotel bar last night.”
Impulse Spy (Sonic Sleuths Series) Page 5