by Nora LeDuc
Once they finished their brief conversation with the clerk, Luke drove toward Narragansett. The traffic on I-95 was heavy and from the number of boats being towed; Luke guessed people were anxious to get an early jump on the boating season. “When we arrive at the garage, I’ll speak to A.J. Remember, you stay in the car.”
“Lennox—”
“I’m in charge.”
“I’m using my smart-on. I won’t cause trouble.”
Her lack of argument left Luke suspicious. She sat quietly with her eyes closed. She looked small and tired, and he longed to comfort her. He swallowed past the knot of unexpected emotion wedged in his throat. Feelings for Rose popped up at the worst moments like on his way to question a possible killer.
He glanced at his GPS. In five minutes they’d arrive. A street sign signaled him to turn right at the next street for the Foreign Car Specialists. Luke drove down the hill to a large garage where various vehicles sat in front of the rectangular, concrete building. He parked in a vacant spot on the side of the three bays.
Rose stirred when the car stopped. “Are we in Rhode Island, yet?” She peered at him through half open eyes.
“We’re at the garage. You’re tired. Rest, while I go inside.”
She unfastened the seatbelt. “I’m always tired. I’d have to wait for the next century to catch up on my sleep. Luke, you should reconsider and let me talk to A.J. first, soften him up.”
“I don’t want your presence to alert him something might be up, which you appearing out of nowhere would do.”
“You brought me along to keep an eye on me?”
“No, I brought you as my personal sex object.”
“Funny.” She rolled her eyes.
“I don’t know how this will go. I’ll let you ID him when I’m sure it’s not dangerous like when he’s behind bars.”
“That’s useful.” She folded her arms over her chest.
“I can’t worry about you and a suspect at the same time.” He slammed the door before she could protest and marched to the garage. He surveyed the front exits, three bay doors and one entrance for the office. There was one in the rear where he entered. The odor of grease filled the cool air, and the soft sound of an air compressor threatened to interfere with conversations.
“Can I help you?” A heavy set, middle-aged woman shouted from behind the counter.
“I’m here to speak to Al about my Maserati. He expects me. Name is Joe.”
The woman gazed at him over blue framed glasses perched on her nose. “He’s working. I’ll see if he can come out.” She pushed the buzzer of an intercom and spoke into the mouthpiece.
Luke wandered toward the windows that separated him from the work space. One man dressed in a green jumpsuit was on the wall phone. Lennox studied his profile. Dark hair, long face, it could be A. J. He needed a better view.
“It’s not him.” Rose sidled up to him and nodded to the figure beyond them.
“Did you forget how to wait again?”
“Lennox, I just—”
“Sir, sir,” the woman behind the desk whipped off her glasses and yelled to him.
He glanced back at the man in the jump suit. The man had hung up the phone and returned to the sports car on the lift.
Rose stepped in front of him. “Lennox, listen to me.”
“Later,” he told her. When would she listen to him? He crossed the concrete floor to the receptionist.
“Al went home sick. We’ve another mechanic, but he’s behind schedule and can’t work on your car today. Do you want to make another appointment?”
Luke flashed his badge along with a picture of A.J. at the receptionist. Her eyes widened as her gaze bounced between Lennox’s shield and the picture he held on his phone.
“Is this Al?” he asked.
“He must be in trouble.” Her eyes squinted as she focused on the photo. “He’s cleaned up and younger in the picture, but yeah, it’s him. What did he do?”
“How long has he been employed at the garage?”
“He’s worked for us about two months. He’s reliable, always comes to work on time except for the one sick day. What did he do? Kill someone?” She laughed nervously until she caught his grave expression.
“When was he sick?”
“The first week, the boss had to dock him a day.”
“I’ll need his address and the date he was out.”
“It’s always the quiet ones.” She pulled out an index card from a gray metal file and scribbled on the back.
“I’ve arrested plenty of noisy people.” He grabbed the card, glanced at it and headed to the exit with Rose.
At the door, she lurched in front of him. “Are you ready to listen to me, Lennox? I saw A.J.”
Chapter 24
“A.J. drove off. He must have seen or heard you asking for him and been suspicious. You do kinda walk like a cop.”
“I’m sure A.J. would know.”
“If you’d let me talk a few minutes ago, we’d have him already.”
She was right. “I’ll work on letting you forgive me later.” He ran a fingertip across her cheek and dropped his hand. “We better go.”
He sped to A.J.’s address. A decade old car sat parked at the curb of a gray three-decker building. “It doesn’t look like A.J.’s car,” Rose pointed at the ancient vehicle.
“If he did ID me as a cop, he might be hanging low. Let’s find out. You’d better come with me in case Edwards is sneaking around.”
They ran up the front steps and entered the building to stop at the first door. Luke banged on it. A rail thin, gray-haired woman opened up and claimed to be the landlady.
“I’m looking for Al Edwards. Where is he?” Luke held up his badge.
“It’s a free country. I don’t keep track of my tenants.”
Luke’s impatience threatened to get the better of him. “Cut the attitude. Where’s Al?”
Her thin shoulders in the worn blue shirt seemed to cave forward, and a frayed belt held up faded jeans around her toothpick size waist. A hand marked with age spots gripped the doorknob. Was it for keeping her balance or to slam it in their faces? “Talk to the people at the body shop where he works.”
“They told us he left for home,” Rose injected, standing beside Luke. “The drive takes five minutes. He should be here.”
“I can’t help you.” The landlady wrinkled her nose in a sneer. “I got to go. My grandbaby will wake up in a minute.”
“There are two young women who will never wake up and maybe more if I don’t find your tenant. Now answer my questions or I’ll take you in for obstruction of justice. Does Edwards stay home sick often?”
“I’m not obstructing anyone and he never misses work. He’s no trouble, goes to his garage every day.”
“Any females visit Mr. Edwards?”
“Two dropped by when he first moved in. I’d never seen either one before or after. One came inside. He didn’t stop by and introduce her.”
“Describe her.”
“She was blonde, thin, and kinda attractive, but wore too much eye makeup. What man goes for that type?”
“Did she drive or did he bring her here?” “She drove and the other woman waited out in the car. I only glimpsed the one outside when she put down the car window to talk to her friend. I can’t describe her except she was blonde.”
“How long did Al’s visitor stay?”
“I’d guess five minutes at the most. She and Al fought. I couldn’t hear their exact words, but she ran down the stairs. I opened my door to see if she was okay and all. She stopped at the bottom of the steps and yelled up at him.”
“What did she say?” “She said, ‘Don’t forget. It’s your last chance.’” The woman’s nostrils flared. “She sounded like she was warning him.”
“What did he say?” Luke asked, snapping out the words.
“He didn’t answer. I heard him stomp away. He left her standing in the hall, and then I heard his door slam. That’s when she w
ent back to her car and talked to the other woman. I couldn’t hear what they said either.”
“When did she visit?”
“I don’t know. I was writing my grocery list when she arrived. She mighta come at the end of February or the beginning of March. I can’t remember.”
“Did the woman who warned him resemble the person standing next to me?”
The landlady tilted her head to the side and stared at Rose. “She was blonde like her, but she’s not the one who came inside.”
Luke dug his phone from his pocket and pushed a button. “Was this the woman?” He held up the image of Cassie Raymond.
The older woman pushed her nose up to the screen. “It’s her, but she put too much powder on her face in your picture.”
“She’s dead,” Luke said. “Her name is Cassie Raymond.”
The landlady flinched and retreated a step. “Did she die from a cosmetics overdose?”
“She was murdered.”
“And my tenant killed her?” The woman’s mouth fell open, revealing a blue stained tongue.
“We’re investigating her death and another person’s. I want to check on Al in his apartment. The receptionist at his job told me he left because he was sick. He could be upstairs, too ill to answer his door.”
“Like I already told you, he’s not home and never comes back during the day.” The landlady rolled her eyes and pulled a key out of her jean pocket. “I’d be able to hear him if he was upstairs. The ceilings are thinner than plastic wrap. But I don’t suppose you’re going to leave until I let you inside. If he’s upstairs hiding, I want you to take him away. I don’t want murderers living above and killing me when I’m asleep.” She shut her door and climbed the stairs, complaining about her rheumatism. On the second floor, she stopped at the first door. The hallway was dim and the air stale.
Luke banged on the entry. “A.J. Edwards, it’s Detective Lennox of the Ledgeview Police Force. I want to ask you a few questions.” When no one answered, Luke turned to the landlady. “Open it. He may need medical attention.”
“How do I know you’re a real cop?” She pushed her glasses up on her nose. “I bet you can buy those badges in the toy department.”
“We’re dealing with an ill person, life and death,” Luke said. “Unlock the door.”
She tightened her lips and inserted the key with a twist. The sound of a lock popping announced they were free to enter.
He held up a hand to both Rose and the landlady. “Stay out here.”
“Sure, I’ll guard the hall from whoever lives here.” Rose’s gaze skittered over the doorways.
“You’ve nothing to guard here but dust balls. I don’t have time to clean up after everyone.” The landlady gave a sniff.
Luke removed his gun, entered the apartment and crept forward as he followed police procedure for entering a residence with a suspect inside. The rooms and closets showed no signs of a person hiding. A.J.’s belongings hung inside, waiting to be worn. The refrigerator contained fresh milk and bread.
Luke holstered his weapon and walked into the hall. “He’s not home.”
“I told ya he wasn’t upstairs.” The landlady crossed the floor to the steps. “Push the button on the knob, and lock up after yourself. I got to tend my grandbaby.” She shuffled downward. The worn steps creaked under her light step.
“I want to walk through again, Rose. Keep up the lookout.”
She slapped her arms against her sides. “Hurry, it’s creepy out in this hall.”
Luke made his way back into A.J.’s and hunted for signs of the man’s timetable. The towels in the bathroom were dry. A clean Formica counter showed no signs of recent use in the kitchen. Above the empty sink, sun poured through the slats of the blinds. He turned to go into the next room and brushed against the wall phone. He dug out a pen from his pocket and pushed the recall. Surprise nipped him as he recognized the number. He finished up by taking pictures. Minutes later, he escorted Rose from the building.
Luke waited until they hit the highway to mention the phone call. “A.J.’s last call on his landline was to you.”
She raised one shoulder in a half shrug. “A.J. called days ago. Remember? Are you sure? I was his last call? He owns a cell phone and talks a lot on it.”
Luke’s hands tightened on the wheel. “Repeat everything A.J. said when you spoke.”
“He’d heard about Cassie’s death from the YouTube video. He apologized for not calling before. He said he was too upset to talk about Dahlia. I asked where he was but Frank showed up and interrupted us. That’s when A.J. hung up.”
“Why would Cassie visit A.J. and not bring up the subject at your lunch?” New suspicions formed in his mind.
Rose shook her head. “I’ve no idea. When I heard that Cassie and Dahlia drove to Rhode Island, I couldn’t have been more surprised if you told me the landlady was Miss America. Cassie never said one word about visiting A.J.”
“She never told you about the boxes in your store either. She was a woman with many secrets.”
Rose was silent for a second. “What if she really wanted to confess that she drove up to visit A.J. and wimped out before she could bring up the truth?”
“Maybe she thought you’d eventually figure out what was happening and save her a confession.” Luke flicked a glance at the vehicle in the passing lane and breaking the speed limit before he answered. “Was it possible A.J. cheated on your sister with Cassie?”
“No, Cassie was Dahlia’s best friend.”
He wasn’t convinced of Cassie’s faithfulness to her friend, but he’d try a different theory. “Possibly Dahlia wanted to get back with A.J. and stalked him when he refused. Cassie might have been assisting your sister. The visit set A.J. off, and he killed your sister and then Cassie because she could lead the police to him.”
Rose pushed herself up straight in the passenger seat. “No one knows better than I that Dahlia could be annoying, but she’d never stalk A.J., or follow him unless he offered encouragement. My sister didn’t dwell long on the past. I bet he contacted her first and then changed his mind.”
“Cassie must have stayed in touch with both of them.”
Rose folded her arms over her chest. “Do you think the day A.J. was out sick was the day Dahlia died?” She bit her lip and her face paled to gray.
“We need to find your almost brother-in-law. He’s the one who can answer our questions.”
Rose cracked the window and tilted her face to the opening. After a few seconds, she seemed recovered from her fear. “I’ll try calling him again to set up a meeting.”
“A meeting is not a good idea, Rose. I’m predicting we’ll be arresting Mr. Edwards soon, and he could be dangerous. At least two women have died in Ledgeview. I’m not aiming for a third. I need his location. I’m the detective, not you.”
“We’ll work it out tomorrow.” She shut the window.
“Not on my watch, Rose. Forget about talking to A.J. I’m not taking risks with your life.”
She stared straight ahead. Her lip jutted out in disagreement.
She wasn’t taking his last order well, but no way was another person who he cared about getting hurt or leaving him.
Hell, what was he thinking? Of course she’d leave. She had another life. He shoved the fact away. He’d concentrate on keeping Rose alive and within his reach. And he was going to arrest A.J. Edwards for murder.
Chapter 25
A chill crawled down Rose’s spine. She tugged up the blanket and turned over on the sofa bed. An icy sensation traveled across her skin.
Rose cracked open an eyelid and lowered her cover.
Dahlia peered down at her in the early morning light. Rose froze.
Dahlia fingered Rose’s butterfly ornament. “He’s here. For you. I can’t stop him.”
“No!” Rose shot upward. Her hand clutched the pendant around her throat. The sound of her uneven breathing filled the empty room. Dahlia was gone, or was she dreaming? Rose forced herself
to inhale calming breaths.
She collapsed against the mattress and ran the warning through her mind. The digital alarm clock showed 6:45 am. Rose got up and padded across the cool floors, looking in each room. No one was here.
Relieved, she showered, pulled on jeans and a green jersey and finally settled at the table to drink a mug of coffee. Her nerves calmed. She dug out her journal and was writing her fourth page when someone rapped on the door. Her heartbeat picked up. “Lennox?”
“It’s Tia Drown.”
“Tia?” Disappointed, she hesitated and then slid the chain bolt enough to open the door for a peek.
Tia waved at Rose. “I hope you don’t mind my dropping by early, but I’d like to come inside for a minute?”
Rose swung the door wider. “Is Shauna all right?”
“She’s still recovering” Tia said, walking inside. “We’re doing everything we can to help her forget her terrible ordeal. It’s part of the reason I dropped by before work.”
“How did you get into the building?”
“I helped myself to the emergency set of apartment keys. Please, don’t be mad. If Dean found out, he’d lecture me about privacy rights, but I needed to speak to you today and this was the fastest way.”
“Come in and sit down. Would you like coffee? I always keep a hot pot.”
“No thanks, I’m cutting back.” Tia’s black boots tapped across the floor as she entered.
“Let me take your coat.” Rose held out her hands for the turquoise garment.
“I’ll keep it on. I won’t stay long.” She glanced at Rose’s open journal.
Self-conscious, she swept up the book and put it on the counter. “Take a seat.”
Tia slid into the kitchen chair and rested her black designer purse on the tabletop. She removed one black leather glove. “I can’t forget our disastrous dinner. I wanted you to have a pleasant evening, a break from all the terrible events in your life, and the night turned into a fiasco.” Tia blinked several times, and a tear rolled down her cheek.