WindSwept Narrows: #4 Alice Branch

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “After you finish dinner…yes, you may…select a good movie and I’ll set up the TV for you,” Alice promised, swinging him to the ground and heading to the kitchen to make his dinner.

  Emily read the address, folded the paper and slid it into the pocket on her jeans.

  “Exactly why is this our concern?” Jack said calmly, quietly. “Why not just inform the police?”

  “Why haven’t you?” Emily challenged.

  “Because it’s none of my damn…” Jack stared at the little boy holding up his palm. “What?”

  “Twenty-five cents,” Emily informed him flatly. “It’s for bad language. Pay up. You need the practice,” she told him, striding into the house after Alice.

  Jack dug a couple quarters out of his pocket and dropped them in the palm, little feet immediately running for his piggy bank.

  “Practice…” Jack paced while Nick turned the steaks. “This just doesn’t feel good….”

  “Shackles?” Nick suggested, ignoring the laughter from his father.

  “Already thought of it…” Jack growled, shaking his head.

  “Alice…this is not our problem,” Nick said when she came out carrying a plate for Matthew’s dinner.

  “Yes, it is,” she said simply, looking from one frowning man to the other. “There are very few reasons for attacking someone. Setting aside insanity, it’s revenge, greed or money. Period. So…someone with access to money, is Jeremy Cook. Someone with knowledge of Tri-Seas, is Jeremy Cook. Someone who might be a liability…”

  “Yeah, yeah…” Nick began to pace.

  “And me,” Alice said quietly, meeting their stunned expressions. “I know all about the various money coming and going from Tri-Seas, too. And someone with inside information about Tri-Seas, Demming, would know all that,” She turned and walked back inside, talking with Emily in the kitchen.

  “Sh…” Nick ground his teeth together, aware Matthew was watching him intently.

  “I never thought of that angle,” Jack said thoughtfully.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Two hours later, the large SUV drove slowly along the residential street.

  “A quiet house, in a quiet neighborhood,” Alice said as she gazed around.

  “That’s how every horror movie begins,” Emily responded flatly.

  “Thanks…I needed to hear that,” Jack growled.

  “I don’t hear any chain saws, so I think we’re safe,” Emily tossed back with a chuckle.

  “There,” Alice pointed, glancing around at the quiet houses, some with lights on, most dark. Her hand was on the door handle while the other released the buckle on her seatbelt before Nick could make a grab for her.

  “Damn it, Alice!” Nick growled, fumbling with his belt and slamming the car door behind him. Jack wasn’t any closer because Emily had moved just as quickly toward Alice and the dark house.

  “Shhh…stop making so much noise,” Emily tossed over her shoulder, her head next to Alice’s as they walked. “Did you find them?”

  “Yes…not a problem,” she said quietly, tiptoeing to peek into a window. “Can’t see a thing…”

  Emily walked onto the small porch, checking in a window with both hands shielding her eyes. She reached for the door bell and pressed it firmly, straightening up and prepared with her best customer service smile. All wasted.

  “So…” Alice peered around, bending down and lifting a paper. Several more lay under the hedges and trees. “I suppose it’s possible he’s taken an extended vacation…” She met the dubious expression on Emily’s face, both of them intoning at the same time.

  “Naw…”

  “Around the back,” Emily suggested, wiggling out of the palm trying to curtail her.

  “The neighbors…” Jack looked around, increasing his steps to keep up with her.

  “No neighbors,” Alice said quietly. “Look at the windows…the yard…not on this side, at least,” she opened the screen door and knocked loudly, pulling a small pouch from her rear pocket and dropping to her heels after trying the door knob.

  “What the hell…” Nick stared, eyes wide and mouth gaping.

  “Great…I got an escape artist…you got a breaking and entering specialist,” Jack groaned.

  “You acquire a great many skills from traveling carnival folks in Britain,” Alice said with a crooked grin, nodding as the lock popped open.

  “Ohmygod!” Emily pulled the hem of her shirt up over her nose when the door glided open.

  Alice did the same thing, blinking in the dimming light.

  “Out…” Jack grabbed Emily’s and Alice’s palm tightly, sharply pulling them back off the porch, nodding to Nick who dialed up the police.

  “Oh god…” Alice went to the front yard and sat on the grass, her knees up and head between them.

  “That is the most horrendous stench…”

  “Yeah…it’s called death,” Nick said flatly, hanging up with the police and dropping to Alice’s side. His palm rubbed the back of her neck.

  “I’ll get some water out of the car,” Jack told them, returning quickly with a cold bottle for them both. “As far as the police are concerned, Alice is a friend from work who was concerned. Period. Nothing else. We knocked, checked the back and it was open.”

  Nods went around.

  “You’ve smelled that kind of thing before,” Emily looked at them both, their features drawn and jaws tense.

  “You can’t be involved in a war without smelling it,” Nick answered quietly, leaning close to Alice. “Okay?”

  “Yes…thank you…”

  “Okay…so my father is being investigated by the organized crime unit and the head accountant is dead in his kitchen…” Emily hung her head between her knees, the cold water bottle rubbed on her neck.

  “Just another day in the neighborhood,” Alice said with a shake of her head.

  It was a long two hours before they were released by the police. Alice and Emily never left the ground.

  “I was simply worried about him,” Alice said honestly. “I left because of sexual harassment by Alex Demming…I guess it’s been two weeks now. I only started the new position last Monday and found out that no one had heard from him,” her voice shook. “I’ve been so busy learning my new job…I found some people who knew him and got his address. I know he had a drinking problem…and he gambled a little too much, I think…but I never expected…”

  The police officer left her sitting with Emily.

  “I merged the companies about eight days ago,” Jack said tonelessly. “You expect to get acquisitions and contracts and bad attitudes, not a dead body,” he told the officer. “I never met the man. It’s been a nuisance to my people to work to follow paper trails and construct accounts. Policy was clear. He was a no show for five days with no contact,” Jack shrugged, hands rubbing his neck, glancing over at Emily, sitting close to Alice, their heads close together. “We knocked on the front and there was no answer. Why’d we go to the back? ‘Cause we got women who get concerned and involved,” he said with a shake of his head. “The door was open just a fraction…Alice pushed on it…”

  Nick looked over at her. “I’d smelled it before,” he said flatly. “Jack was closest and grabbed both their hands and pulled them away immediately. They haven’t moved from that spot since then.”

  Jack and Nick got them into the SUV, the car started and sent along the police lined road.

  “I seriously need a drink,” Jack declared.

  “Stronger than ale?” Nick suggested. “Scotch and tequila at the house…”

  “That works,” Jack lifted Emily’s hand, peering into the mirror as he drove. “Are you two okay? I’m not used to silence.”

  “We’re plotting,” Emily responded vaguely, two loud male groans filling the inside of the SUV.

  “There is nothing to plot,” Nick said firmly.

  “I need my computer,” Alice said with a slow nod.

  “Alice…” Nick looked to the front at Jack.
“You’re her boss! Order her to keep out of it.”

  “Oh, yeah…that’ll work,” Jack returned sourly. “You’re her….whatever it’s called these days…you order…”

  “Order?” Emily piped up with a frown, her body pulled straight and shoulders back stiffly. “Order us?”

  The two groans were repeated.

  “However did we manage to make it to thirty without them?” Alice asked in awe, her soft British accent making her sound incredibly Victorian.

  “We should never see forty without their kind and altruistic guidance,” Emily added with a nod, arms crossed over her chest.

  “Okay…okay…bad choice of words,” Nick said through his teeth, fighting for laughter and frustration.

  “How very true,” Alice agreed with a glare. “Best that you phone up that florist again.”

  “The garden on your table?” Emily asked curiously. “Hmm…I’ve never got flowers before…though I do get some nice bling,” she held up her wrist for Alice to see.

  Jack’s mouth opened and closed, his head shaking as he pulled into their drive way, both women out of the car as it barely came to a stop.

  “I keep thinking I’m getting ahead…” Jack murmured as he and Nick walked at a much slower pace to the house.

  “No kidding…scotch and ice? Soda?”

  “Straight…”

  “Thank you Darren,” Alice looked at the older man, reading his book while Matthew slept on the sofa. She dropped to her heels, fingers brushing the dark hair from his forehead.

  “I have to thank you, Alice,” he stood up, hugging her when she rose slowly. “He’s such a fun kid,” he watched her gather the little boy and take him to the back bedroom. “Interesting trip?”

  “The guy was dead,” Nick said flatly, pulling some glasses from behind the cabinet, a bottle of amber liquid placed next to it. “Want one?”

  “I think I’ll head home.”

  “Thanks, dad…” Nick sighed tiredly.

  Alice led Emily to the family room level, her laptop opened and answering her requests in a few minutes. She pulled some blank paper from the printer and several pens, scribbling as she scanned.

  “It’s simply off,” Emily agreed, pacing the hardwood floor. “The accountant has to be a…an accident…a mistake…”

  “Unless they tell us how he died, we’ll not know,” Alice said, leaning back in the chair, hands pressed against her face.

  “Need a pillow?” Emily asked, lifting one from the floor, demonstrating when Alice looked at her curiously.

  “Yes…exactly!” Alice rose and sat in the window seat, staring out into the rapidly fading daylight. “We’re missing something…but I’ve no idea where to begin searching.”

  “Demming was only interested in us because of something he wanted. I think the sex approach was a side trail on his part,” Emily said, thoughtfully pacing the floor, hands on her shoulders.

  “Alright…so we start with Demming…the only thing I see that man interested in is money and power,” Alice looked over to see Emily nod. “Marrying you would have theoretically, given him some power. But power over what? The company is solid and had potential, but it wasn’t mega millions power.”

  “But there was money…another source of money…”

  “Alright…shipping has people and contracts. Shipping containers bringing things back and forth,” Alice returned to the computer. “I need to see time sheets,” she murmured.

  “Why time sheets?”

  “If we focus on the containers…logic says the same people would always be there for a certain shipment,” Alice explained. “We need to see a pattern…that will tell us which container…otherwise, I am truly stumped.”

  Emily read through the time sheets of employees with her, her hand up after several minutes. “What is a physician doing at the docks?”

  “How do you know he’s a doctor?”

  “I’ve seen his name…on my father’s desk calendar,” Emily said quietly. “His calendar was on his desk…I…in his office…I don’t know when…I just figured it was something to do with his personal health. Always a seven-thirty appointment with Dr. Markham.”

  Alice looked at the name she pointed to, setting up a search and found his name listed repeatedly, every two weeks.

  Nick and Jack both tossed back the remainder in their glasses and crossed the room, joining the women on the second level. They’d been listening to them talk. Nick moved to sink onto the wide window seat, one knee drawn up with his palms around it, watching. Jack took the recliner.

  “Where does he go?” Emily asked curiously.

  “Well…it was always the same…the main pier for Tri-Seas…where’s my…” she stood up, patting down her jeans and pulling her phone free. “It’s too late now…I’ll try in the morning. There’s another of the same company and items being delivered in three days, but the pier has been changed because of the merger. I’ll call tomorrow after I get my car thing squared away…see if I can confirm his attendance.”

  “Why would a doctor be at the pier?” Emily hated the dawning answer.

  “Because the cargo coming over isn’t parcels,” Alice answered reluctantly. “Drugs or people,” she said quietly.

  “And incredibly profitable,” Jack said flatly, his elbows on his knees as he watched the pair.

  “We should tell Kate…but we don’t have anything concrete,” Emily continued to pace.

  “Kate?” Alice looked up from the screen.

  “The attorney who kind of got caught in the middle…” Emily answered.

  “Let’s go home, Nancy Drew,” Jack stood up and held out his palm. “Tomorrow morning, after ten, Alice. I’ll have a set of earrings for you. Thanks, Nick…”

  “I’ll be there…the car thing won’t take long,” Alice promised, closing her computer and staring toward the dimming horizon. Passing airplanes, a few stars and the distant lights from the island not the only thing she was seeing in her minds eye.

  Nick checked all the doors before peeking in on the softly snoring Matthew. Anxiety and tension coursed through him when he entered the bedroom, uncertain what the reception was going to be. Alice was in her pajamas, a quilt wrapped around her and sitting on the cushioned window seat, staring into the night.

  “How do you push it out of your mind? Out of your…memories…the death,” Alice asked quietly without looking toward him.

  “Crowd your head with other things,” Nick answered softly, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it into the basket she’d set by the closet entrance. “Matthew, work, you…it was…a different time in my life,” he answered honestly.

  “But it’s always there.”

  “Yeah…not sure it’ll ever go away,” he found his shorts and went into the bathroom, coming out to sit on the edge of the bed. “Are you okay, Alice?”

  She stood up, dropping the quilt and moved into his open arms.

  “I am now.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “You took the day off?” Alice looked at him, blinking as she cleaned up Matthew from his breakfast.

  “I can take you to the car dealer,” Nick said with a shrug. “I got time and shuffled a few things around. Then we’ll go see Jack and Emily and relax the rest of the day.”

  “Alright,” she gathered the information the insurance agent had given her, packed a few toys into Matthew’s bag and walked with him to the car.

  Nick stood talking to the sales agent while Alice and Matthew looked around. He thought he knew what she was after until she swerved toward a different style altogether.

  “You want this one?” Nick asked, shrugging.

  “There’s a price difference…” the agent said carefully.

  “Tell me the difference…and include tags, title and taxes,” Alice said simply, her phone out after she handed Matthew over to Nick. She had the money to move, she thought, accessing her accounts.

  Nick parked outside the shops an hour later, still shaking his head at the bargain
his girl got for the new wagon. He let Matthew run free once they hit the sidewalk, snatching him up quickly before he entered the jewelry store. Grace came over with Emily, dropping to her heels and chatting with Matthew, leading him to the toy box they had built up in the costume shop.

  “Okay…I got these this morning from Chloe,” Jack laid out two sets of earrings. “Put them in the way I have them laid out.” He watched, making certain they had the left and right in the proper order. “Your right,” he looked at Alice. “Will trigger Nick’s phone. Your left, me. And the same for yours,” he looked at Emily. “All you do…grip them and squeeze. It’ll open the mini microphone and send out a locator signal.”

  “I phoned the physician’s office this morning,” Alice fit the pretty small flowers into her ears. “To confirm his attendance…”

  “I called Kate this morning,” Jack told them. “Gave her the information you two found…she’s turning it over, but if you need her,” He slid her card over the counter. “Give her a call. I’ve had my people print off the time sheets for them.”

  “It’s wrong that Kate isn’t getting the credit for this mess,” Emily paced, frowning.

  “I don’t plan on being co-operative without Kate there,” Alice said firmly.

  “I think we should be there on Thursday night,” Emily declared, boots echoing over the hard wood floor.

  “I think you two need to officially retire from the detective business,” Nick said firmly. “I do not need to spend another night in the hospital like I did after the car accident.”

  Emily and Alice looked at one another with a slight wince.

  “Alice, tomorrow…” Jack began carefully. “I’m sending two people to have you show them everything Jeremy Cook wasn’t able to share.”

  “Alright. No problem. No one told me he was unavailable, Jack,” Alice sighed. “Thank you for these…do we owe you anything? You shouldn’t…” but she stopped when Jack shook his head.

  Emily laid her head on his shoulder from the side, offering a weak smile at Alice. “I’ll call you later.”

  “Can I ride in the new car?” Matthew ran ahead of the adults, skipping toward the bright deep red wagon.