Good Fortunes (A Claire Rollins Mystery Book 1)

by J A Whiting

  Questions about what was going on had nagged her throughout the day. She’d called the law firm again and asked to speak with Merritt, but was told that the young lawyer was out of the office and that her return was unscheduled.

  Unscheduled? What did that mean? Claire thought that either Merritt had become frightened about working in Freeman’s illegal business and had taken off, or Freeman had sent her on a “business” trip and was keeping her whereabouts a secret.

  Wanting more information on the players involved in the odd happenings, Claire started with an internet search on Detective Ian Fuller, but found very little information on the man. The law enforcement website had his picture displayed, had a brief bio reporting Fuller’s educational and professional experiences, and listed the man’s awards, honors, and charitable associations. The biography seemed deliberately vague.

  Next, Claire did a search on Merritt Handley and read about her experiences working on several important cases as a prosecutor for the Middlesex County district attorney’s office prior to joining Freeman’s law firm. Merritt had been at the private law office for about six months and Claire wondered why Merritt had left the DA’s office for a private firm and how she ended up working for Freeman and Johnson.

  Claire yawned and stretched and got up to make herself a cup of tea before returning to the laptop and deciding to read more about Melody Booker, the Fast Freight Airline employee, who’d met with Merritt at the airport and appeared to be distressed and upset. Tapping at the laptop keys, Claire saw a breaking news story that caused her to nearly topple from the seat.

  The news article provided information on a missing person, Melody Booker. Ms. Booker had not reported to work at the airline since the night Claire saw her at the airport. Melody had gone out later that night to pick up sandwiches for herself and some of her crew, but she never returned to complete her shift and had not been seen or heard from since. Ms. Booker lived alone in an apartment in Quincy and it seemed that Melody had not been in the apartment since she’d gone to work on the day she disappeared.

  Her parents, boyfriend, and best friend had texted and called the woman, but she hadn’t answered or responded to their messages. Ms. Booker’s car had not been seen or found and police were searching for the vehicle in and around Boston. The family reported that Melody had never gone off like this and they feared what might have become of her. Authorities asked people to call, text, or email if they had any information on Melody Booker and to be alert for either the woman or her vehicle.

  Claire sat back with her heart pounding like a sledgehammer. Merritt had disappeared, and now, Melody Booker had gone missing. Claire was sure it wasn’t a coincidence.

  Where were they?

  Claire’s phone rang making Claire jump and she scrambled to pick it up when she saw Nicole’s name on the screen. “Hi, Nic. Are you still planning on coming home the day after tomorrow?”

  “Claire.”

  The tone of her friend’s voice made a cold shudder run down Claire’s back. “What’s wrong?”

  “I just got home. I was going to drop my suitcase here and then come to your place to surprise you.” Nicole’s words had a tremble to them.

  “Are you okay?” Claire stood up.

  “No, I’m not. Can you come over here? Claire, someone broke into my apartment. Will you come?”

  “I’m on my way.”

  Claire and the dogs took off out the door and practically ran all the way to Nicole’s place located above the chocolate shop. Nicole was standing in the hall outside her third floor apartment when Claire and the Corgis rushed up the staircase. Claire hugged her friend and glanced into Nicole’s living room through the open front door.

  “Were you here when they broke in?”

  “No, it was like this when I got back.”

  The living room desk had its drawers pulled out and the contents dumped on the floor. The same thing had been done to the drawers of the tall armoire. Nothing else in the room looked like it had been touched. The dogs darted about the space sniffing everywhere.

  Claire walked slowly around trailing her hand over the furniture and she knelt down and touched the drawers and the contents that had been spilled onto the floor.

  “Do you sense something?” Nicole watched what Claire was doing. “Can you feel anything about what happened here?”

  “I’m not sure.” Claire stood and walked around the perimeter of the room. “What’s missing? What was taken?”

  “That’s just it.” Nicole led the way into the kitchen. “I don’t think anything was taken. The drawers have all been emptied and the closets have been rummaged through, but nothing seems to be missing.”

  The girls moved into the bathroom and then the bedroom. “The TV is still here and even my laptop. I only took my tablet with me. There’s even a hundred dollars in cash on the dresser and it’s all still there.” Nicole turned and stared at Claire. “Why isn’t anything missing? It’s kind of creepy.”

  Claire swallowed and sighed. “A lot has happened while you were gone. Let’s sit and I’ll tell you about it.” She gestured around the room at the mess of stuff on the floor. “This … might have something to do with what’s been going on.”

  It took over an hour for Claire to tell Nicole all the things that had happened from Siobhan believing that Alex Freeman was dealing in something illegal to Siobhan passing away and Claire suspecting that Freeman had Siobhan killed. She told her friend about Melody Booker and how she’d brought her union in when she was passed over for promotion. “I’m afraid that Freeman and Merritt Handley are using Melody to arrange transport on Fast Freight jets for whatever Freeman is dealing in. And now Melody is missing.”

  Nicole’s mouth had been hanging open for some time. “What a terrible mess. Who is on whose side?”

  “I don’t know.” Claire put her chin in her hand. “And Merritt is nowhere to be found either.”

  “You think Merritt has Melody?” Nicole asked, her eyes wide.

  Claire shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  “I’ve been thinking that the shootings were done to get rid of Siobhan because she overheard Freeman talking about his illegal activity, but he wanted to make people think that the target was Merritt.”

  Nicole asked, “Why would he want people to think Merritt was the target?”

  “Because he and his partner could spin it to make it all about some case Merritt handled while working in the DA’s office. They could make it seem like someone was angry over a case she was involved with and that someone wanted revenge. All the focus would be on that and no one would look at Freeman and what he’s doing. Then Freeman would get rid of Siobhan before she spilled the beans on him, but make it look like the real target was Merritt and Siobhan just got in the way.”

  “Is Merritt working with Freeman or is he using her and she doesn’t realize it?” Nicole’s head was spinning.

  “At first, I thought Freeman was using her, but now I’m not sure. Why would Merritt be at the airport talking to Melody if she wasn’t working with Freeman?”

  Nicole’s eyebrows shot up. “Maybe Merritt isn’t working with Freeman. Maybe she found out what he’s doing. Maybe she talked to Melody about it. Maybe they’re trying to figure out a way to bring Freeman down.”

  “Then why wouldn’t they just go to the police and turn him in?” Claire rubbed at her temple.

  Excitement caused Nicole’s voice to tremble. “They might be trying to gather evidence against Freeman first.”

  “Then where are they? If they’re trying to get evidence, why would they disappear?”

  “Oh, no. Do you think Freeman had them killed?” Nicole clutched her hands together.

  Claire’s face clouded and her voice was soft. “Someone has to stop that man.”

  The girls sat in silence for a few minutes thinking everything over. The dogs were still padding through the rooms sniffing the drawers that were toppled onto the floor. When the Corgis walked into the kitchen, Nicole glan
ced at them and leaned forward towards Claire. “So why do you think the break-in here has something to do with Freeman, Merritt, Melody, and Siobhan?”

  “Because you and I were at the first shooting. Merritt came to talk to us twice. Freeman saw me visiting Siobhan. The bad guys must think we have some knowledge of what’s going on.”

  “But why would they break into my place?” Nicole’s face blanched. “Were they looking for me?”

  “You know I told you that when I was watching Melody and Merritt at the airport, Melody passed a book or notebook to Merritt? I think whoever broke in here was looking for that book. Somebody thinks you and I are involved and that we know more than we do. Somebody thinks we’re hiding that book. I can feel it all floating on the air.” Claire’s lips turned down in a frown. “I think the death of my former hairstylist, Alicia Fitchburg, is linked to this whole thing. The women I spoke to at Alicia’s wake said someone had come into the salon shortly before Alicia was killed and seemed to be arguing with Alicia. The way the woman described the person made it sound like Merritt Handley.”

  Nicole said, “But lots of people fit the description.”

  “I know, but….” Claire hesitated for a moment. “I feel like I need to find out if there’s a link between Alicia and what’s been going on. I sense something.”

  “Ugh, what a mess.” Nicole groaned and put her hands on the sides of her face. “What are we going to do?”

  Claire took in a deep breath and leveled her eyes at her friend. “We’re going to figure this out.”

  Nicole nodded reluctantly. “There’s just one thing.”

  Tilting her head in question, Claire asked, “What’s that?”

  “I’m not staying alone here until this is over.” Nicole smiled. “Want a house guest?”

  The two dogs yipped their approval.

  Claire looked at the dogs and then returned her friend’s smile. “You bet we do.”

  20

  Once they’d returned to Claire’s apartment, the young women and the dogs curled up on Claire’s big sofa and talked for another hour before heading to bed. They made the decision that Claire should pay a visit to Alicia Fitchburg’s husband to try to find any shred of information that could help to figure out why Alicia was murdered.

  In the morning, Claire made a call to Alicia’s husband introducing herself and asking if she might drop by to see him briefly that afternoon. She left the chocolate shop shortly after noon carrying a chocolate-caramel cheesecake and headed to Paul Fitchburg’s home in a town bordering Boston. Claire admired the overflowing flower pots standing on each step leading up to the big porch.

  A short, stocky bald man with soft kind brown eyes answered the door after one ring. “Claire?” The man opened the door wide and welcomed the young woman to his home. “Call me Paul.”

  Claire followed Paul down the hall across polished wood floors to a large kitchen at the back of the apartment. White cabinets lined the walls, granite covered the countertops, and a small gas fireplace stood in one corner.

  “Alicia loved to cook. I do, too. So we renovated and added this kitchen a few years ago.” Paul glanced around and his eyes got misty. “Alicia loved this room.”

  “It’s beautiful.”

  Taking the cheesecake to the refrigerator and thanking Claire for her kindness, Paul gestured to the farm table set next to two big glass doors that led to a deck overlooking the small, nicely-landscaped backyard. He carried two mugs of coffee to the table and sat across from his guest.

  “It’s nice to meet one of Alicia’s clients.”

  Claire told Paul how while a law school student she’d loved to visit Alicia’s salon to chat with the woman while having her hair done. “I always looked forward to it. Alicia was so great to talk to. We got along so well. It was a well-needed break from school and I appreciated Alicia so much.”

  Paul ran the back of his hand across his eyes and said in a thick voice, “Thanks so much. It’s nice to hear.” He cleared his throat. “Alicia had a knack. She always made everyone feel good.”

  Claire shared some fun anecdotes about the hairstylist and Paul chatted about what a wonderful person Alicia was, before Claire gently moved the conversation to an uncomfortable topic. “Are the police making any progress on the investigation into what happened to Alicia?”

  Paul grunted and shook his head. “They have nothing new. I don’t think they’ll solve it. Aren’t the first forty-eight to seventy-six hours the most crucial in solving a thing like this? Well, that’s long past. I hate to say it, but I’m not hopeful.” Paul gripped his coffee mug. “How someone can kill a person and get away with it is beyond me.”

  Claire murmured agreement. “My friend and I were present at the first shooting that happened in Boston almost two weeks ago. If we hadn’t acted so quickly, we might have been hit by one of the bullets.” Claire looked at Paul. “I have a feeling that the person involved in that shooting and the shooting in front of the Jasper Building may be responsible for what happened to Alicia.”

  Paul raised his eyes and didn’t respond for a few moments. “I’ve had the same feeling myself.”

  Claire’s eyes widened in surprise. “Was Alicia worried about anything? Was anyone angry with her? Was anything different than usual?”

  “I’ve been racking my brain about this.” Paul ran his hand over his bald head. “Alicia was always upbeat, optimistic, had tons of energy. She ran circles around me. Just before she was … um, killed, she seemed kind of worried or distracted. I asked what was wrong and she said she was feeling a little tired and wondered if she was coming down with a cold. I didn’t think that was it, but I didn’t nag her.”

  “Had she mentioned any trouble at work? Any trouble with customers?”

  “Nah.” Paul shook his head. “Alicia got along with everybody. That wasn’t it.”

  “Was there any trouble with business associates or a professional advisor?” Claire had wondered if Alicia had used the Freeman and Johnson law firm for anything.

  “No. Alicia used the same tax guy and accountant and financial advisor for years. They’re all practically our friends.”

  “Did she have anything to do with a law firm called Freeman and Johnson?”

  “Sounds familiar.” Paul’s forehead creased. “We never used a big law firm, though. We have a friend we use whenever we need legal stuff done.”

  “When I was at the wake, I heard one of the attendees talking about being in the salon. She mentioned that a young woman had come in one day and that Alicia went to speak with her. They seemed to be arguing.”

  “Arguing? My Alicia and some woman?” Paul’s face showed disbelief. “I don’t know. Alicia never said anything about such a thing. You sure someone said that?”

  “The person described the young woman who was talking to Alicia.” Claire reported what the woman had looked like. “Do you know anyone that matches that description?”

  Paul’s eyes narrowed while he processed the information and then he let out a quick chuckle. “The only one I know who fits that description is a young lady who grew up in the neighborhood. She’s a smart cookie. She wouldn’t be arguing with Alicia though. That girl loved Alicia. She lost her mom at a young age and her dad worked long hours so she used to hang around here all the time, ate with us, did her homework here. Alicia would take her to the salon some evenings and on Saturdays. The kid loved it. Alicia gave her little jobs to do. She grew up to be a fine young woman. We’re proud of her.” Paul winked and grinned. “We feel like we had a hand in raising her since she was here all the time. Sometimes I forgot that she wasn’t ours.”

  Claire smiled and marveled at Alicia’s and Paul’s generosity.

  Paul lifted his index finger and gave his hand a slight shake. “You know, that’s why that law firm sounded familiar to me. She works there now.”

  Claire’s heart started to race. “She works at Freeman and Johnson?”

  “Yup. She’s a lawyer. Like I said, she’s a smar
t cookie. She just got the job there a while ago. The name of the firm slipped my mind. Freeman and Johnson, yeah, that’s where she’s working now.”

  Claire sucked in a breath. “What’s her name?”

  “Merritt. Merritt Handley. Alicia was like a second mother to that girl.”

  Claire’s thoughts were spinning so wildly that she thought she might tumble from the chair. Paul noticed the look on her face and asked Claire if she was okay. “You need something? Want some water?”

  “I felt dizzy for a second.” Claire apologized and then made eye contact with Paul. “So Merritt was like a part of your family?”

  “She sure was.”

  “Do you still see her? Does she come around?”

  “She doesn’t come around much, usually holidays, at Christmas to say hello, but she saw Alicia pretty often. Alicia would give me the news and the updates about Merritt. Merritt would drop by the salon, sometimes they’d get together for lunch. They kept in touch.”

  Claire was trying to sort through this new information. “Did you know that Merritt was at the Olde South Meeting House the night of that shooting I told you I was at?”

  Paul’s face was expressionless and then an eyebrow went up. “Merritt?”

  “She was behind me and to my left. She saw me drop to the ground and she did the same realizing that something was wrong.”

  “Merritt was there?”

  Claire nodded. “I wonder if she told your wife about it.”

  “Alicia didn’t say anything to me about it. Merritt’s okay, isn’t she?”

  Claire didn’t know where Merritt was or if she was okay or not. “She’s fine. At least, she was that night. I haven’t seen her.” Not lately anyway. “Is Merritt’s father still living in the neighborhood?” Claire thought it could be helpful to talk to him.

  “Her dad passed away a few years ago. Poor kid. No parents, no siblings. I think that’s why she kept in contact with Alicia.”