Martinez, Mary - Classic Murder: Mr. Romance (BookStrand Publishing Romance)

by Mary Martinez

  * * * *

  Adam took a deep breath and stood for a moment before he went to his desk. He was proud of himself. He’d walked past Katie as if the last thing on his mind was to walk around her desk, throw her on top and make passionate love with her. No, that had been the first thing on his mind. After several attempts to concentrate on the proposal Logan had given him to review, he gave up and swung his chair around so he could stare out the window. Not much of a view, just the building across the street, but anything was better than staring at the paperwork as if it were a blank piece of paper.

  Things were a lot simpler before Katie had crawled under his skin. And he couldn’t even blame the removal of the god-awful glasses for his recent fascination. Nope, his curiosity about her had begun long before then. He remembered the day he hired her as his assistant. She’d had the best background, and she wouldn’t be a distraction. At the time, he had still thought he’d live his life taking beautiful women out, never wanting a relationship with any of them, never wanting to settle down to have a family. He knew with an assistant who didn’t attract him, there would be no danger of asking her out and then having to let her go if she developed the wrong idea. Somehow, over the years, she’d wormed her way into his heart and without realizing it, love had bit him on the ass.

  He thought about all the Katies he knew. The one with the awful black glasses, always professional, but sometimes dressed on the bohemian side. Katie dressed in a gown designed to take his breath away and accomplished. Katie with a cold in flannel pants and a T-shirt, head resting on his shoulder, snoring. Katie dressed casually with a ponytail and frog slippers, looking like a teenager. Every one of them intrigued him, and he knew he’d never grow tired of her.

  If someone had told him even six months ago how much he would love and want a life with her, he would have heartily denied it. Now, here he sat trying to think of ways to woo her. After her reaction to their kiss last night, he wasn’t sure if he could. He’d felt her attraction at times, like when they watched the movies the night she’d had the awful cold, so he knew she felt something.

  Maybe she hadn’t wanted to start anything until after the murderer was caught. He agreed. He would put his desires on hold until this mess cleared up.

  The intercom buzzer made him jump. He swung around to face his desk and he reached over and hit the button. “Yes, Katie?”

  “Detective Novak would like to speak with you on line one,” her voice floated out of the speaker.

  He picked up the line and spoke with the detective. After the phone call, he yelled for Katie to come in his office. He knew it was unprofessional, but he hated the intercom.

  “What?” Katie asked, rushing in and looking around.

  “Sit down, I’ll fill you in on the phone call from Novak,” Adam said.

  “You scared me. Why can’t you ever use the intercom?” Katie sat in the chair in front of Adam’s desk. “Oh never mind, you’ll never change. So what did the good detective have to say?”

  “He said he needs both of us to come to the station as soon as possible to give statements of where we’ve been the last few days,” Adam said, raising his eyebrows and looking around the room, hoping Katie would catch on she wasn’t to say anything.

  He needn’t have worried. Katie had already assumed she would need to just play along. “Okay. Do you want me to tell the receptionist to forward our calls to your cell or just take messages?”

  “Have her take the messages. Tell her we’ll return all calls in order of importance.”

  Adam watched Katie leave. It was going to be a struggle to keep his hands off her when they went to Paris to fake their weekend. He wanted more than anything for their plans to be the real thing, and maybe the start of a relationship. He sighed. He would just have to hold those thoughts for a while. After all, he’d waited years to finally find someone who could make him dream of a home and family, a little longer wouldn’t hurt. Well, maybe a bit.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Detectives Novak and Jones were waiting for them at the station. The two men ushered them into a room with a table and chairs and little else. Katie assumed it was an interrogation room. She didn’t like the creepy feeling tumbling through her senses to be sitting across from them.

  “Glad you two could make the time for us on such short notice. The chief doesn’t want us to wait. There haven’t been any new leads. He wants the case solved before the holidays, if possible,” Detective Novak informed them.

  “Katie, how fast can you get something written to put in the paper?” Adam asked.

  “It’s ready. I worked on the story this morning while you were gone.”

  “Great,” the two detectives said in unison.

  “How soon can you have things arranged?” Detective Jones asked.

  “I can have them arranged by tomorrow. When do you want us to go?” Katie asked.

  “My parents are coming back from their trip this weekend, and I wanted to meet them in Detroit. I will be able to have Jamie fly us to France, if we wait.” Adam turned to look at Katie. He really didn’t want her to be placed in danger, but the sooner they got this over with, the better. “Do you want to try for the following weekend? That will be the first part of November.”

  “Sounds good to me. Do I explain what’s going on to my parents so they’ll know when they read the paper?” Katie asked the detectives.

  “No. Not yet, we want their reactions to the news genuine, in case someone is watching,” Detective Jones said. “When you show up on their doorstep after the trip, you’ll be able to fill them in. That way they won’t worry about you while you’re gone.”

  “That’s a good idea. I don’t know if my father would allow me to go. I know I’m way over twenty-one, but dads can be that way, no matter your age.” Katie smiled at Adam, but he didn’t return it.

  “And I’d be on Logan’s side. He’s probably never going to speak to me again when he finds out.” Adam didn’t think the secrecy would bode well if they had a future together. He would stop things if he could, but what choice did he have?

  “Mr. Russo, your concerns are duly noted. But as Ms. Sinclair pointed out last night, we’d have a rough time passing off a policewoman as a socialite,” Detective Novak said.

  “Why can’t the policewoman go with me as Katie?”

  Katie tried not to feel hurt that he didn’t want to spend time with her. She tried to tell herself he was just protecting her. However, a little trickle of doubt remained. “Someone I know may blow her cover without knowing. If she takes my place as soon as it is announced and one of my friends show up at my apartment or shows up at the airport to bid me farewell, they would know the woman was not me.”

  “Ms. Sinclair has a valid point again,” Detective Jones said.

  “Fine, I’m outnumbered again. Let’s get this planned so we can get this over with and the culprit be found. I just want Katie out of danger.”

  “I’ll be fine, Adam.” Relief flooded through Katie—he had been protecting her.

  “First we need to decide how you are going to make the murderer know which movie to pick,” Detective Novak said.

  “There are a few classic movies set in France. If we start at the French old town of Megève with the surrounding ski areas, then take the train into Paris from there, the first movie any buff would come up with would be Charade,” Adam started to explain.

  “Where is that? Is that by Paris?” Detective Novak asked.

  “No, it’s about seventy kilometers outside of Geneva. Jamie can fly us into the international airport there. We can ski a day, then take the train from Albertville into Paris and fly home from there.”

  “I haven’t skied for years, and the resort you are talking about has some pretty hard runs,” Katie said.

  “So, we’ll sit out on the patio and watch the skiers. Just like the movie, when Audrey Hepburn first met Cary Grant at the resort.”

  “Sounds good to me, because I’m not going to tackle those slopes.�
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  “Okay, you two, let’s get back to business. I’ve asked Freda Maxim to join us. She will be our double for Ms. Sinclair,” Detective Novak said. A knock sounded on the door at the same time. He stood to invite Freda to join them at the table.

  Katie stared at the woman who would be putting her life in danger by impersonating her until they caught the murderer. Up close, no one would mistake her for Katie. At a distance, they wouldn’t be able to tell.

  “Freda, this is Katherine Sinclair, most people call her Katie. And this is Adam Russo.” Everyone shook hands and said hello. Then the woman made herself comfortable at the table.

  “Ms. Maxim, I really appreciate you helping us out this way. I’m concerned about a few things,” Katie stated, but Detective Jones interrupted.

  “Ms. Sinclair, Freda is one of our top officers. She’ll be fine. When the time comes for her to step in, she’ll know you better than you know yourself.”

  “I’m more worried about my nosy neighbor blowing the whistle on our plan. She’ll know it’s not me, and if the murderer is watching my apartment, he’ll see that something is wrong,” Katie said in a worried voice.

  “Mrs. Newcomb. She bangs on the wall over a pin dropping. She’ll come out to see who is going into Katie’s place. Katie’s right, she could blow the whole thing,” Adam said.

  “I realize I’m not a dead ringer for you, but with makeup and enhancements, no one, not even your mother, will be able to tell the difference. Unless we’re standing face to face only inches apart.” Freda spoke up for the first time. “Ms. Sinclair, Mr. Russo, please let us tell you what our plan is, then when we are finished, if you have any questions and concerns we can discuss them.”

  “Yeah, if you two interrupt us every five minutes, we’ll never get done here,” Detective Novak told them as if he were talking to children.

  “Sorry, I just don’t want anything to happen to Ms. Maxim. I’d never be able to handle the guilt. I already have to live with the deaths of three beautiful and vibrant women hanging over my head the rest of my life. I’m against this plan, but I’ll go along to catch the bastard.” Adam took a deep breath and continued. “Okay, I’ve got that off my chest. I promise to quietly listen until you’re finished. I will ask questions and voice concerns until I feel comfortable with everything. Katie and Ms. Maxim’s lives depend on things going smoothly.”

  “I understand, and we don’t want anything to happen to either of them. Now let me outline what we are going to do,” Detective Jones said. “We are going to get our makeup artist in to take a few pictures of Ms. Sinclair and Freda. She’ll compare the two and decide what needs to be done to transform Freda into Ms. Sinclair when the time comes.”

  “Please, could everyone just call me Katie? I feel like you’re talking about my mother, and not me,” Katie interrupted. She hated being called “Ms. Sinclair.”

  “Katie it is then.” Detective Novak smiled, then continued where Jones had left off. “Mr. Russo, you won’t need to stick around for a lot of this since this part won’t involve you. After you’re satisfied and all your questions have been answered, you can go back to your office. We’ll need to burn the midnight oil a few evenings. I hope you didn’t have anything planned you can’t cancel, Katie.”

  “No, I’m pretty free this week.” Actually, she was always free, he didn’t need to worry. She wasn’t exactly a party girl.

  “Good, because we don’t want anything during your daily routine to change, so you’ll have to work with Freda in the evenings,” Detective Novak said.

  “What do you mean ‘work with’?” Katie wanted to know.

  “As you said, your neighbor could ruin our plan. Anyone could, your friends or any number of things. I’m not going to take the time to run them by you. As I said before, Freda is going to know you better than you know yourself. In the evenings, Freda will drop by. You can show her your place so she can learn where everything is. She’ll be living there from the time you come back from Paris until this is over,” Detective Jones explained to the group.

  “Mrs. Newcomb will see her,” Katie said.

  “She will be wearing a disguise when she comes to your house. You’ll need to give her a list of all of your friends. If you have pictures so she’ll be able to put a face to them, all the better. We don’t know how long this will go on. It could be a day or a week. But she has to know everything. Even if you think something isn’t worth telling her, tell her. Tell her when you have your menstrual period, everything,” Detective Novak said.

  Katie blushed—she wasn’t that intimate with her mother. She was a very private person. She looked at Adam beneath her lashes. He was intent and listening to everything. Well at least she’d be alone with the woman when she told her about her personal life. “Do you like dogs?”

  “What?” Freda asked.

  “Dogs. I have a dog named Oscar and he’ll have to like you or we’ll be in trouble.”

  “I didn’t think of that,” Adam said. “Oscar is pretty good, and Ms. Maxim will be visiting you the next couple of days. Oscar will get used to her.”

  “He’ll get used to her without her disguise, but when she comes back from Paris instead of me, he’ll know.” Katie stopped and turned to Freda. “Your first test with my friends will be Dottie. She always watches Oscar for me when I’m out of town. You’ll have to call her and let her know I’m home. I have pictures of all my friends.”

  “Katie, I’ll do fine. I’m going to bring my recorder, that way not only will I record everything you say, I can listen to it so I won’t forget anything. It will also allow me to study your voice patterns. I’ll not only look like you, but I’ll sound like you.”

  Katie looked at Adam and then the two detectives. She felt like she was in the middle of a Sam Spade movie, the one with Humphrey Bogart. This was her life. Someone was going to actually live in her apartment, talk to her friends, and take care of her dog. Be her! The situation was just beginning to sink in. For the first time, she questioned her ability to go through with the plan. When she had volunteered, she hadn’t realized the consequences. Or how involved the plan would be. She almost wished she could back out, but then she looked at Adam. She loved him, she had no doubt, and if things didn’t progress to a life relationship, she’d deal. For now, she would do this to help the police clear him of all whisper of doubt.

  Adam finally spoke and broke the silence that had filled the room. “Are you all right, Katie? You don’t have to do this. We can do something else.”

  “No, I’m fine. I just didn’t realize how complicated the process would be, how entailed. I want to catch this guy, or woman, whoever. They have to be stopped, and I’m glad to help.”

  “If you’re sure, because once we start this, it’s a go. So think, be sure, now. Freda, Ed, let’s step out for a minute, so Mr. Russo and Katie can talk a moment.”

  After the three left, Katie took a deep breath and then asked Adam, “Do you think this will work?”

  “I’ve been against this from the first, but the more I listen, the more I’m convinced the plan will pan out. She’s trained for these situations. She’ll know what to do. We’ll be giving our culprit the perfect movie to copy. Not only is there one murder, there are several. He’ll be rubbing his hands in glee. The detectives and Freda, and anyone else who will be involved after we come back, will have orders to watch Charade until they have the DVD memorized. They’ll be ready for any scenario.”

  “Okay. It’s just weird having someone take over your life. I’ll have to tell her so much about my friends so she’ll know them. Do they want a total stranger to know those things without their permission? Dottie will probably expect to stay and gab after she drops Oscar off, you know like when I went with Mom to New England. How will I know what to tell her? I can’t possibly tell her my whole life in detail in the next few nights.” Katie stood up to pace. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

  “I’m sure Freda will know what to do, change the subject if
the need arises. Dottie will probably be the only one to meet Freda. And if she is suspicious, hopefully everything will be over before she can cause problems.”

  “I guess you’re right. Do you think this person will put listening devices, or bugs, or whatever, in my apartment when he or she finds out I’m going with you?” Katie asked.

  “I doubt it. The detectives didn’t say anything about the murderer bugging the other women’s homes. When they come back, it wouldn’t hurt to ask though.” Adam scribbled a note on the pad he had in front of him. “Is there anything else bothering you, Katie?”

  “Yes.” Katie stopped pacing for a moment and looked at Adam. “It’s about that kiss last night.” Katie could feel the heat rising up her face. She couldn’t go to Paris with him without making some ground rules.

  Adam stood and walked to where Katie had stopped her pacing. He placed both hands on her shoulders and looked down at her. “What about it?” She resisted the urge to rise up on her toes so she could touch his lips with hers.

  Katie visibly swallowed and looked from his eyes to his mouth, licked her lips, and hurriedly looked back into his eyes. “I was thinking that we shouldn’t let that happen while we are in Paris. We’re only there on false pretenses and I don’t want to lose track of the real reason we are there.” Katie stepped out of his reach, feeling bereft when his hands fell from her shoulders.

  “Let’s sit back down, Katie, and discuss this. Though I agree, we have to stay focused. But I want you to know, it’s not going to be easy.”

  “Really?” Katie was overjoyed that she wasn’t the only one who would have a hard time.

  “Yes, really.” Before Adam could continue the door opened and Novak, Jones, and Freda entered.