Window to Danger (Danger Incorporated Book 7)

by Olivia Jaymes

  Trip Stanford.

  Why isn’t he at work? It’s too early for lunchtime. And why is he smiling at me? It’s creepy.

  “Dizzy, I didn’t expect to see you here.” He peered into her cart while she tried not to let her shock and horror show. He was the last person she wanted to be around or talk to. “Looks like you’re baking again. You definitely have a reputation as one of Tremont’s finest cooks.”

  What do I say to a killer when he compliments me?

  “Yes, I am planning to bake today,” she finally managed to say, proud of herself that she sounded almost normal, although she was sure her face was white as a sheet.

  “Cookies or cake?” he asked, still surveying the contents of her cart. “When the weather is nice and the windows are open I can sometimes smell your cookies all the way to my house.”

  “Cookies,” she croaked, her calm veneer beginning to crack. The longer she was standing next to him the worse it was. The images from that terrible night came rushing back, crowding out normal thought processes. All she knew was that this man had killed a woman with his bare hands. Then he’d acted like nothing had happened.

  Straightening, Trip smiled but to Dizzy it looked slimy and contrived. Not natural and easy. “Delicious. I think my favorite dish you make is pot roast though. You made it the other night, didn’t you? With carrots, potatoes, and homemade dinner rolls.”

  She had but how did he know? He couldn’t have smelled it because she didn’t have the windows open that night.

  Unless he’d been watching her. Looking in the windows? Was he so confident now that he was taunting her? What an asshole.

  A shudder ran through her and her fingers tightened on the handle of the cart until her knuckles were white. She was determined that this murderer wouldn’t see any visible reaction to his words.

  “I make it quite a bit. It’s an easy dish.”

  “Dizzy? There you are. I thought I’d lost you. Are you ready to go?”

  Easton’s younger brother Carter was suddenly standing next to her, and Dizzy couldn’t imagine being happier to see anyone than she was right now at this very moment. Taking a calming breath, she forced a smile to her face.

  “I think we got separated in the produce section but I’m glad you found me. And yes, I am ready to go.”

  Somehow Carter had insinuated himself between Trip and Dizzy. She could almost breathe normally with him standing there.

  “Excuse us,” Carter said to Trip, not waiting for any acknowledgement. He simply commandeered Dizzy’s cart and started pushing it in the opposite direction while keeping a casual hand on her shoulder. They were in line at the cashier when he finally spoke again. “Are you okay?”

  “I am now,” she replied, palpable relief running through her veins. She hadn’t realized how tense she was until she wasn’t anymore. “Thank you, by the way. He was trying to engage me in conversation. Why, I don’t know.”

  They didn’t speak anymore as Dizzy’s groceries were rung up and then Carter helped her load the bags into the back of her car.

  “If you don’t mind I’ll follow you back to your place.”

  She didn’t mind in the least, although the trip was only a mile and a half. They were pulling up in her driveway in less than three minutes. Carter offered to help her unload her haul and she accepted gratefully. Honestly, she didn’t want to be by herself. She’d thought it would be okay in the daylight when Trip was at work but she wasn’t too proud to admit the encounter had shaken her.

  When she’d put the last of her groceries away, she still wasn’t quite ready to be alone yet.

  “How about a cup of coffee?”

  “I wouldn’t say no.” Carter sat down at her table and she bustled around the kitchen, starting another pot and placing some cookies on a plate. These were a batch of oatmeal she’d made three days ago and there weren’t many left after Easton had found them in the pantry. “How long had you been talking to Trip when I walked up?”

  Sighing, she sank into the chair opposite, propping her chin up with her hand. “Not long. A few minutes. It was so creepy. I was picking out chocolate chips and then I turned around and there he was. Just like in one of my nightmares.”

  “What did he want?”

  “That I don’t know. He made a comment about my baking smelling so good when the windows are open. Oh, and this was weird…he mentioned that he liked the smell of the pot roast I made the other night, but I didn’t have the windows open. So how did he know? Is he watching me?”

  Carter’s jaw was tight and she’d bet anything that his teeth were gritted together. She’d seen Easton do the same thing when he was pissed off.

  “He might be. It sounds like he’s trying to intimidate you, Dizzy.”

  “Why?” she asked. It didn’t make any sense. “Everyone believes him and no one believes me.”

  “We believe you, and I bet he knows it. He may be confident right now but there has to be a part of him that’s sweating inside. Even if he thinks you’ll let it go and give up he has to know that the Andersons won’t.”

  Standing, she poured two cups of coffee and added cream and sugar to hers but Carter took his black. She’d made it enough times at Sunday dinner to know. Easton took his with one sugar, no cream.

  “For someone who’s scared he doesn’t act it. He seems pretty sure of himself. It’s like he knows he’s got off scot free.”

  Carter shook his head. “He’s scared. Trust me, he’s shaking in his boots. That’s why he’s keeping tabs on you. This is far from over and he knows it. Right now, it’s all about intimidation. Seeing if he can get you to drop the whole thing and change your story. He might not have acted frightened when he talked to you, but he was definitely pale when I showed up.”

  “Can I say thank you again?” Dizzy sighed, sipping her coffee. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there.”

  Chuckling, Carter helped himself to a cookie. “You’d be just fine. You’re an honorary Anderson, after all.”

  That was sweet but she wasn’t sure it was true. She also doubted Tami and Louis would be happy hearing that news.

  “I wonder why he was in the grocery store in the middle of the day. Shouldn’t he be at work?” Another thought occurred to her. “Wait…shouldn’t you be at work too?”

  Popping the last bite of cookie into his mouth, Carter nodded. “Technically, I am at work. I was just meeting with the owner of the store discussing some of the renovations they’re planning in the next few months. That’s when I saw you looking like you’d rather be having a root canal than talking to that bastard. As for Stanford, maybe he took a vacation day. He’s probably exhausted from hiding what a monster he is.”

  “Just when I think this can’t get any more strange I’m proven wrong. If I were Trip I’m the last person I’d be talking to.”

  If that sentence made any sense at all.

  “That’s because you’re a nice person who wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Carter grinned as he stood, pushing back his chair. “Although if you want to give Easton a punch in the nose when he’s acting like an ass you’ll have me in your cheering section. Don’t let him push you around, Dizzy, or make you think you need to change who you are to be with him.”

  “He hasn’t made me feel that way at all,” Dizzy vowed, making a cross-your-heart motion with her fingers. “He’s been great, actually. I’m seeing a whole new side to him. But I still wouldn’t punch him. You know that the Foster family are strictly pacifists.”

  “You just say the word and I’ll do it,” Carter offered. “Now I better get back to the office or they’ll send out a search party for me. Seriously, Dizzy, call me if you need anything. Day or night. We’re here for you no matter what you need.”

  She stood as well and gave him a big hug. “Thank you, Carter. The way your family has stood behind me these last several days has meant the world to me.”

  “There was never a question that we’d do anything else.”

&nbs
p; Buoyed by his certainty, Dizzy walked Carter to his truck and waved goodbye as he drove away. She’d been brought up not to care what people thought about her, but it did feel good to know that she had friends on her side. This was one of the big reasons she’d moved back to Tremont. She had good, loyal friends here, and she needed all the help she could get to find a way to prove what she saw that night.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  ‡

  Easton flipped open the folder on his desk, scanning the contents. Trip Stanford’s original resume he’d sent in before being hired. Copies of his annual performance reviews. Salary and bonus history. Deciding he might as well start at the beginning, Easton picked up the resume for a closer look.

  Stanford had attended a university on the West Coast and studied business. Easton already knew that Trip had received mediocre grades and didn’t have much in the way of extracurriculars. His one item of note on the resume was that he’d done an internship with a Wall Street firm for two summers.

  Flipping over the resume, Easton read through the scrawled and cryptic notes on the backside that the interviewer had made. It was company policy to make notes on the resume if possible. Sadly, the recruiter had only done the bare minimum.

  Wall Street internship.

  Smiling. Friendly. Makes eye contact.

  Understands marketing principles.

  Good problem solving.

  Eager to work.

  Seems ambitious.

  Easton made a mental note to talk to Leann about updating the Human Resources procedures regarding recruiting and interviewing. This wasn’t much to go on and was vague at best. All he could get from this was that Trip had smiled and made a good impression and hadn’t blown any of the situational questions that he’d been asked. Is that all it took to be hired by Anderson Industries? He needed to talk to Shane and Travis and take a look at hiring standards as well. Maybe they needed to do some sort of psychological exam.

  Which reminded him that anyone that worked for Anderson had to have a criminal background check done before hiring. Where was Stanford’s? Easton already knew what it would say courtesy of Jason’s colleague Jared but it should be in the file.

  “Amy,” he barked out to his assistant just outside the door. Thank goodness she was used to him and the way he worked. He’d gone through about a dozen assistants before she took the job. Sometimes he wondered whether he worked for her rather than the other way around. She was priceless and she didn’t take any of his shit. Kind of like Dizzy, only with no discernible talent for painting. “Is this the whole file?”

  Amy hurried into his office, dressed in a navy blue suit and low-heeled shoes. “Stop bellowing, for heaven’s sake. They could probably hear you down in the cafeteria. Is that any way for an executive to act?”

  As usual, she’d managed to put him in his place but he did so enjoy messing with her. He’d known how she was going to react before he’d called out to her.

  He held up the file folder. “Where is Trip Stanford’s background check? It’s not in his file.”

  Crossing her arms, she gave him her patient expression. It was one he knew well.

  “Because they’re all online now with restricted access. Privacy concerns and all of that. Leann just finished a few weeks ago. Next in line are performance reviews.”

  “Then there won’t be anything in the files,” he said, exasperated, tossing the folder back down on the desk. “She might as well digitize everything.”

  “I think that’s the plan, boss. Do you need anything else? A coffee refill?”

  His coffee had long ago gone stone cold but he’d been drinking far too much of it lately.

  “No, but can you call in my lunch order? The usual.”

  Grilled chicken on whole wheat with lettuce and tomato. A side of potato salad. Bottle of water. He’d been eating that same lunch for years. If Dizzy knew she’d be horrified.

  “You know what? Scratch that order. Make it…I don’t know. Surprise me.”

  Brows pinched together, his assistant was looking at him as if he’d lost his mind.

  “Surprise you? Since when do you like surprises? You hate them. You make me tell you in advance when the department is going to sign Happy Birthday to you and bring you cake. You hate Secret Santa at Christmas. You hate doing anything that isn’t written on a list first. And now you want me to just order you a random lunch and surprise you? Have you taken up drinking during the day?”

  Christ, she made him sound like a major pain in the ass. Which he probably was. He’d found Dizzy just in the nick of time.

  Just thinking about her made him happy. He couldn’t remember a woman that could do that.

  “Stone sober. Seriously, just order something you think I’d like. You know me pretty well after all these years.”

  Amy’s chin lifted and her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Fine, I will. But I’ve got my eye on you, Easton. I’m watching and if you’re hitting the bottle at breakfast or are a clone sent by the government I’ll figure it out.”

  Why on earth would the government send a clone to take his place? Deciding not to open that can of worms, Easton let Amy go back to her desk while he continued his research into Trip Stanford.

  After reading through all of the performance reviews, there was no denying two facts. One was that Trip Stanford was a decent employee. He showed up every day, did his job, and didn’t take excessive amounts of sick time. That word mediocre hung in the air, although at times he could do more. If he wanted to.

  Which brought Easton to the second fact. When Trip had a female supervisor his performance appraisals were less stellar. Not the kind of behavior that would get him fired but he seemed less likely to volunteer for a project or to work overtime. According to his file, he had at least one tense verbal exchange with each of his female managers while there weren’t any when he was working for a man. Interesting.

  Trip didn’t appear to like it when women reviewed his work or asked him to fix something. This tendency wasn’t noted anywhere on the appraisals written by the male supervisor.

  Now it could mean that the male manager simply hadn’t given a shit if Trip didn’t like fixing things so they hadn’t documented it but the females did. But he could find out for sure because one of those supervisors still worked at Anderson Industries just down the hall.

  If Stanford had trouble dealing with critical females it might explain how that poor woman had ended up dead. Tucking the folder under his arm, Easton headed down the hall to find Trip’s former manager. It wouldn’t prove anything but it might explain why it happened.

  He didn’t make it to the other manager’s office, however, before his brother Carter exited the elevator and strode down the hall toward him. Carter was supposed to be on a construction site just outside of town.

  “What are you–”

  “I need to talk to you,” Carter interrupted, his expression serious. His lips were pressed together with not a hint of his usual happy go lucky demeanor. “Trip Stanford came up to Dizzy in the grocery store this morning. He hinted that he’d been watching her.”

  A huge mistake by Stanford, and Easton would put a stop to it immediately. No one was going to hurt Dizzy while he still had breath in his body.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  ‡

  Dizzy had three angry men in her house, or rather outside of it. Near dinnertime Easton, Carter, and Zach had shown up at her home wearing grim faces and bearing cardboard boxes. She’d eventually found out that those boxes contained motion-activated cameras that they were planning to install around the perimeter of her home. Just in case Trip Stanford was watching her as he’d hinted this morning.

  Easton was especially pissed off and he’d been stomping around and growling since he’d arrived. Dizzy’s perfectly rational questions about what their plan was had him ranting about how Trip had underestimated the Andersons and overestimated the cops’ belief that he was innocent. It had been Zach who had stopped and calmly explained what the
y were doing. A little while later Leann had joined Dizzy in the living room, drinking wine while the men labored.

  “I’m sorry it’s come to this,” Leann sighed, tucking her legs underneath her where she was perched on the sofa. “But it had to be creepy to talk to Stanford this morning. I saw him at the gas station a few days ago and I couldn’t make eye contact. We know what he’s done and yet he’s walking around just as bold as brass like he’s completely innocent. It’s maddening that we can’t prove it.”

  Yet. Dizzy hadn’t given up and she never would. She’d seen a murder and that wasn’t going to fade away like it never happened.

  “If he’s snooping around these cameras will catch him. Then maybe that will be enough for a warrant to search his house and yard.”

  “You’re the eternal optimist, and I’m the mean pessimist,” Leann laughed. “I don’t really want Trip to be skulking around but I guess if it puts him on the cops’ radar it might be worth it.”

  “I don’t particularly want him on my property either but we’ve been waiting for him to make a mistake. This might be it.”

  Easton came back into the house, wiping his hands on an old towel. “We’re all done out there. Now we need to get the app set up on your laptop and phone. Mine too. That way we can log in any time day or night and see the footage whether live or archived.”

  Technology was fascinating and frightening all at the same time. Dizzy loved what the app was capable of but this was the stuff her parents had railed about her entire childhood. Surveillance had been a dirty word in the Foster household and now Dizzy had plunged in with both feet. Thank goodness Tami and Louis were in Greece on an archeological expedition.

  With Zach’s expertise, it didn’t take long to set up the devices that could access the footage. Carter walked around tripping the motion sensors so they could test that every camera worked correctly. The app would also trigger an audible sound on her laptop or phone when any camera was set off. That was going to be a pain in the ass because it didn’t have to be a human. A bird, a bunny, or even a stray cat could do it, but it was better to be prepared and a little sleep deprived than not prepared at all and well-rested. If Trip set foot over the property line she, Easton, and Zach were going to know about it within seconds.