Love Inspired Suspense June 2015 #1

by Margaret Daley

  “A disguise?”

  “Probably.”

  “How about General Meyer’s office?” Selena asked, wondering if the same person had broken in there.

  “I can’t say, but progress is being made. We’re narrowing the long list down. But no one fits the description of the suspect in Tara Wilkins’s case.”

  She twisted toward him as the door opened. “You don’t have to keep babysitting me. I’m going to work tomorrow now that my house is back to normal,” she whispered, then glanced toward Greg shuffling into the room.

  After the guard left and took up a post outside the door, Selena gestured toward Nicholas. “This is Nicholas Cole. He works for the Capitol K-9 Unit and has an interest in your case.”

  Greg looked from Selena to Nicholas. “You mean, someone else believes I’m innocent?”

  “I won’t go as far as that, but I think there may be more to your situation. Why don’t you tell me what happened from the time you and Saul Rather got into an argument by the pool.”

  While Greg told Nicholas what he had said to her last week, Selena took notes, listening closely to determine if he added anything new. She noticed the weary set to the thin, forty-two-year-old man’s shoulders and the tired lines in his face. His skin had a pasty pallor to it, and his brown hair had grayed at the temples. Different from the photo of the man at his trial she’d studied before she’d come to see him a week ago.

  As Greg finished, disappointment weaved through her. He’d said nothing new. Nothing new that she could recall, and that was the problem. She couldn’t check her notes on her tablet. “Can you tell me the names of the people you remember were with you at the pool that evening when Saul confronted you?”

  She jotted down their names, recalling no changes from the last time she’d asked.

  “I also remember that Tabitha Miller and a couple of her female friends came out onto her balcony while Saul Rather was yelling at me,” Greg said. “I didn’t think to mention that before since Tabitha and her friends weren’t right there at the pool like the others and only on the balcony for a minute. I tried to visualize like you said to, but that’s all I came up with.”

  She straightened at the same time Nicholas did. Tabitha Miller was an aide for Congressman Jeffries. “She lives there at the apartment complex?”

  “Yes, at least two years ago.”

  Selena jotted down the information, making a note to check and see if she still lived there.

  “Did you recognize any of the other women with her? Did they live at the apartment complex?” Nicholas gave her a look that told her to let him do the interviewing.

  Selena bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying anything.

  “No to both questions. One of the ladies I’d never seen, but I remember the other had come once before.”

  “I’m surprised you have such a good memory of who was there.” Nicholas lounged back in his chair, taking in Greg’s every nuance.

  “When a person gets chewed out in front of people, they tend to look around, embarrassed, to see who heard. At least that’s my experience. Do you think I’d kill the guy with so many witnesses watching the argument and able to testify to a motive for me to kill him?”

  “It’s happened before.” Nicholas crossed his arms. “Can you think of anything else about that twenty-four hours? Why did you go to the parking garage so early the next morning?”

  “I told the police when they picked me up I received a call about a car with a smashed window.”

  Selena stared at Nicholas. “I didn’t know that. I didn’t find it in the record. Greg, did your lawyer bring that detail up at the trial? I don’t remember it in the court records.”

  “No one seemed to think that information meant anything. Just something to cover my tracks. There wasn’t a car with a smashed window.”

  “Do you remember if it was a female or male voice who called you?” Nicholas asked, interest on his face.

  Greg thought for a long moment, his lips pursed. “I’m not sure. It was a gruff voice. I think.”

  Nicholas took out his business card. “If you come up with anything new, give me a call.”

  “So that’s important to my case?”

  “It could be. Remember everything and tell us, even if you don’t think it’s important. It might all fit together. One piece of the puzzle.”

  For a few seconds Greg’s usual defeated expression vanished. “I will. Thank you. Both of you.”

  Ten minutes later, Nicholas opened his SUV door for Selena. When he came around and slid behind the steering wheel, she asked, “What do you think? We need to go talk to Tabitha Miller as soon as possible. She works for Congressman Jeffries. What if Michael found that out and came over to talk to his dad about her? You see the connection?”

  He started the car then angled toward her. “Just because one of the witnesses to the fight worked for Congressman Jeffries doesn’t mean there’s a connection to Michael’s murder. Don’t get your hopes up. And you are not going to talk to her. I am. Understood?”

  “Only if you’ll tell me what she says. She fits. She has access to the West Wing and would know its layout. She is about the height of Miss Chick.”

  “Slow down. When we get back to your house, we’ll discuss the next steps.” He sliced her a stern look. “The only reason I’m even including you in that discussion is that I’m afraid you’ll go off half-cocked, pursuing your own investigation. Even if Michael talked with Tabitha, that doesn’t mean anything except he was following every lead and talking to every witness to the fight.”

  “I hate to see Greg Littleton in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Just as I hate to see my cousin out there being hunted for one she didn’t do.”

  “It must be nice that you know all that for sure. I need evidence to prove it. Not theories and a woman’s intuition.”

  “My, you are cynical.”

  He stopped at a red light and swung his full attention to her. “And you aren’t? I’ve read your dossier. I know what kind of childhood you had. A tough one.”

  Surprised, she felt the color drain from her face while her heartbeat slowed for a few seconds before revving up as anger swelled in her. “Tough? I guess compared to yours it was. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth.”

  His hands gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles whitened. “So I guess we both know the facts of each other’s background. For the record, the only reason I looked into your past was because of the case.”

  “The same reason for me. You were involved in the Jeffries case. I do have a few connections, working in the White House.”

  He clamped his teeth down so hard that a muscle in his cheek twitched. He made a left turn and kept his focus on the road. Silence ruled for the next five minutes, with Nicholas glancing at the rearview mirror every thirty seconds.

  Selena tensed, feeling his alertness spike. “What’s going on?”

  He swerved across a lane of traffic and took a hard right, the tires screeching. “We’re being followed.”

  FIVE

  “Who’s following us? Where?” Selena twisted around, looking out the rear window.

  Nicholas increased his speed and made another turn. “The white car’s coming around the corner. Hold on. We’re going for a little ride.”

  He’d seen that same car when they’d left the prison. Then it disappeared but reappeared a few streets before he stopped at the light.

  “Do you think someone followed us to the prison?” Selena kept peering back as Nicholas pushed the speed limit when he finally left a residential area.

  “I don’t think so. We picked this tail up at the prison.” Which made him wonder how. Why? Maybe Selena was on to something about Littleton. This all started after she first visited the man who was convicted of killing one of Senator Eagleton’s interns. Everything led back to Eagleton and Jeffries.

  He made a quick decision and swerved left onto a side street, then right and accelerated down an alley. An
other right followed by a sharp turn, which brought him back to the original street.

  “I don’t see the car behind us. I think you lost him.” Selena straightened in her seat.

  “Not for long.” Nicholas went down the side street a second time. “We’re going hunting. I want to know who is so interested in us.”

  “Good. We need answers.”

  He chuckled. “We?”

  “Yes, you said we would work together on Littleton’s case, or do you want me to do it alone? I will if I have to.”

  He continued down the side street, searching for the white car. “You drive a hard bargain, which doesn’t surprise me. All I can promise is that I’ll keep you informed of what I discover concerning Littleton.”

  “And Erin?”

  “I can’t, for obvious reasons.”

  “Because you still think I’m helping her. Is that the real reason you’re taking such an active role in protecting me?”

  Was it? Good question. If he were honest, no. There was something about Selena that attracted him. “It’s more complicated than that.”

  “That’s a cop-out.”

  He spied the rear of a white car turning up ahead and passed the vehicle in front of him.

  Selena leaned forward. “Is that our guy?”

  “I think so.” Nicholas took the corner then pressed down on the accelerator, gaining on the car. “Jot down the license-plate numbers.” Suddenly the Dodge shot forward. “I think he knows we’re here. Hang on.”

  Selena dug into her purse and withdrew the pad she’d used at the prison. “I got the numbers.”

  For the next ten minutes, the Dodge weaved through traffic, ran a stop sign and took Nicholas on a merry chase. He closed the distance between the two vehicles when the white car flew through a light when it turned red. Nicholas slammed on his brakes as a school bus pulled into the intersection.

  Selena jerked forward, her seat belt halting her.

  Heartbeat racing, fed by the flow of adrenaline into his system, Nicholas eased his tight grip on the steering wheel and uncurled his fingers. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine.”

  “We’ve probably lost him.”

  The light flashed green. Nicholas looked both ways then crossed the intersection, heading in the direction the Dodge had gone.

  After a twenty-minute search of the surrounding streets, he pulled over to the curb and called Fiona at headquarters. “I need a favor.”

  “Anything for you, if you promise to bring Max by to see me next time y’all are here.”

  “I thought you were a cat person.”

  “I have cats, but I’m an animal lover.”

  “Same here.”

  “What do you need? Then I’ll give you an update on those videos I’ve been going through.”

  Fiona was also going through the same ones he was. Two sets of eyes were better than one. “I have a Virginia license plate I need you to run down for me.” Nicholas took the sheet Selena handed him and recited the three letters then four numbers.

  “Wait. It shouldn’t take long. My fingers are dancing across the keys as we speak.” A minute later she said, “I’ve got it. The owner is Benny Goodwin.” Then she gave him the address associated with the license plate.

  “Thanks. Will you do another favor for me?”

  “I’m already on it. I’ll pull up what I can on Mr. Goodwin and call you back.”

  Nicholas disconnected with Fiona. “I’ll have something soon on the guy who owns the Dodge. Do you know a Benny Goodwin?”

  Selena shook her head.

  “Let’s grab something to eat. I want to know about this guy before I pay him a visit.”

  “Don’t you mean we?”

  He didn’t want to argue with her right now, but he wouldn’t put her in danger no matter what she wanted. “Let’s check out that café at the end of the block. I forgot to grab lunch before coming to pick you up.”

  “I’m not going to let you change the subject,” she said as Nicholas exited his SUV, scoping out the streets with quaint shops.

  If he ignored the question, maybe she would get tired of asking. He rounded the hood and waited for her to climb out of the Tahoe. “I’m thinking a nice big piece of pie. I love pie. Not many I won’t eat.”

  She gave him a frown and marched toward the restaurant ahead of him. Her body language shouted frustration and anger. He didn’t care. He wouldn’t put her in danger. He would let her help when he thought the situation wasn’t risky.

  As she entered the café, his cell rang. He noted it was Fiona. “Tell me you have the lowdown on Benny Goodwin.”

  “When haven’t I given you the info you needed? He’s a private investigator with an office in Arlington. Do you want the address?”

  “You’re the best tech support a team could have.”

  Fiona laughed and gave him the information. “He has a thriving business, from what I can gather, mostly divorce cases.”

  “Thanks. I won’t forget to bring you a chai tea latte and Max next time I come to headquarters.”

  Nicholas pocketed his cell and headed into the restaurant, a fifties throwback with a jukebox, red booths and pictures of films from that era. Selena sat in a booth with a Rebel Without a Cause poster on the wall nearby. He was beginning to think of her as a rebel with a cause.

  He slid in across from her, opened the menu and spied the waitress coming toward them. “Let’s talk after we order.”

  “What would you two like?” The older woman retrieved a pencil from over her left ear.

  “What’s your specialty?” Nicholas asked, feeling Selena’s glare on him.

  “Chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes with gravy. Also the hamburgers.”

  “How about pies? We don’t have time for dinner.” Selena set the menu on the table. “Which is the best?”

  “Blackberry is my favorite, but most of our customers order the cherry pie.”

  “How’s the chocolate one?” Selena folded her arms over her chest.

  “Good. You can’t go wrong with any of them.”

  “I’ll take the cherry pie with vanilla ice cream.” Nicholas placed his menu on top of Selena’s. “And a cup of black coffee. It smells delicious.” That scent fused with baking bread and grilling meat. His stomach rumbled.

  “How about you, miss?”

  “The chocolate pie would be great with a cup of coffee.”

  When the waitress left, Selena leaned forward. “I want to go with you to see Benny Goodwin. The name doesn’t sound familiar, but I might know him or have seen him around.”

  “Here. I’ve got his driver’s-license photo.” He withdrew his cell and clicked on the one Fiona had sent. “Not a good picture. Looks like a mug shot.”

  Selena took the phone and studied the screen. “No. He’s not familiar. I still want to go with you.”

  “You’re as persistent as the salmon returning home.”

  She pressed her lips together and glared at him.

  “I found out from Fiona that he’s a private eye, so I don’t see why you can’t come with me.”

  Her eyes brightened. “Really?”

  “Yes. After I have my pie. Cherry is my favorite.”

  “I like cherry, too, but chocolate fits my mood.”

  “It does?”

  “I like to eat chocolate when I’m stressed or frustrated. I’m both at the moment.”

  “I’m taking you to see Benny Goodwin.”

  “I think this little bump in our working relationship is an indication of more to come.”

  He leaned forward, lacing his fingers together, his arms on the table. “You are not a law-enforcement officer. I won’t put you in danger.”

  She bent closer to him, their heads inches away. “You are not my keeper. I’ve tolerated your presence in this, but you can’t stop me from pursuing my own inquiries. I was doing just fine by myself.”

  Nicholas ground his teeth together and lounged back. He wasn’t going to be drawn into
a battle with Selena. “Ah, I see our pie is coming.”

  She huffed and sat stiffly against the cushion. “I’m thinking of having two pieces.”

  She was one stubborn lady, but she’d met her match with him.

  *

  “Now I see why you let me come. His office is in a nice area. He obviously must be successful at his job.” Selena let Nicholas open the main door to a three-story renovated redbrick house that had been turned into a commercial building. She noticed several lawyers on the plaque of tenants. Smart move on Mr. Goodwin’s part. Attorneys often used private investigators.

  Nicholas followed her inside but didn’t respond to her statement. In fact, through the stop at the diner and the drive to this place, he’d been silent. He wasn’t happy with her. Every part of him screamed that. She didn’t care. She was the one who had grown up in a tough, gang-infested area, while he’d lived on an estate in Maryland with all his needs met. He hadn’t gone hungry or feared every time he’d left his home that he could be shot. She’d done her research on him in the past couple of days. His grandfather had been a senator and had come from a long line of members of Congress. He’d been influential and wealthy—like her mother’s family. So why in the world was he working as a cop, albeit in an elite unit handpicked by a former general?

  That question taunted her as they made their way to the second floor where Mr. Goodwin had his office. After the interview, she would ask Nicholas. Otherwise it would bug her until she found out. A nasty habit that had gotten her into trouble occasionally.

  She approached the private eye’s secretary a few steps ahead of Nicholas and said before he could, “We are here to see Mr. Goodwin.” Nicholas wouldn’t have known about Littleton and the possible importance of him to the Jeffries case without her. The motive for Michael Jeffries’s murder might very well be due to Michael’s work to set Littleton free from prison and find the real killer of Senator Eagleton’s aide. She needed Nicholas to realize she was part of the investigation.