by Linda Wiken
J.J. felt her cheeks doing a slow burn. Best to move on. “Have you discovered anything relevant?”
“Early days. Why did you ask Miranda to be an emcee, especially with Connor Mac, knowing their relationship?”
“I didn’t know they had any type of relationship when I asked her.” She made a face when he raised his eyebrows. “And they were both requested by Megan Spicer, chairperson of the board of People and Causes. So I asked and they both agreed.”
“Why would Megan Spicer want those two specifically?”
“Why don’t you talk to her? She was the client. I didn’t need an explanation.”
“You’d like to know, though, wouldn’t you?”
J.J. sighed again. “Yes, I’ve been wondering the same thing.”
“But you’re not going to get involved in the investigation this time, are you?” He looked serious again.
She shrugged.
“If I tell you what she says will you promise to stay out of it? You know there’s a killer on the loose, and it could get dangerous.”
“That’s what you said the last time, as I recall.”
“And I was right.” He stood. “At the very least, think about calling me if you stumble across anything significant. Okay?”
She gave a noncommittal nod. At least that’s how she saw it. Why would she share with him? He had a paying client. She had the futures of Connor and herself at stake.
“How about some lunch?” Devine asked.
“What?”
“It’s lunchtime. After your harrowing brush with the law, I think you could use a calming lunch at Rocco G’s.”
Tempting. “I love Rocco G’s but I promised Beth I’d eat at Cups ’n’ Roses.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
She shrugged again. Maybe a professional eye would help with her lunch-hour stakeout.
CHAPTER 9
When they walked through the doors of Cups ’n’ Roses, J.J. worried they might not find a table with a suitable view of the room. Beth spotted them and dashed over, steering J.J. to a table with a Reserved sign on it.
“I was worried you might not be able to make it, what with everything that’s going on,” Beth whispered. “And you brought professional reinforcements?”
“He insisted on taking me out to lunch.”
“Does this make up for the supper you declined?” she whispered.
“Hardly. It’s business,” J.J. hissed.
“I can hear you,” Devine said.
J.J. grimaced.
Beth smiled as she gave them each a menu. She rattled off the two specials of the day. They both ordered right away, J.J. choosing the pear with brie salad, and Devine, the mixed deli meat panini.
“I’ll bring you each some water.” She paused and flashed a somewhat harried smile at J.J. “You know how much I appreciate this. Good luck.”
Devine looked at J.J., eyebrows raised. “Why good luck?”
“Beth has asked me to have lunch here for a few days and try to spot who’s stealing from her.”
“Stealing? As in what?” He took a good look around him and then settled back, his gaze focused on her. “Must be awfully small if the thief is doing it right under her watchful eye.”
“The items are small. Things like salt and pepper mills, cutlery, even menus. Beth has switched from cotton serviettes to these thicker-weave paper ones, but even these are being taken. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“You’ll find it makes sense to whoever is taking them.” He leaned back in his chair. “I think this is a good project for you. Concentrate on catching the thief and leave the murder to the police.”
“And you, you mean.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Could be because I have a client and I’m trained as a cop, as you remember.”
Then he smiled the sexy smile.
J.J. flashed back to the time he’d kissed her quite unexpectedly in the car after trapping a stalker. She struggled to regain her equilibrium. “Well, the TV station may be your client, but I’m a suspect, once again, as is a good friend.”
“You should be pleased there are at least two of you on the list.”
She couldn’t read the deadpan expression on his face. “Are there others?”
“There usually are to begin with.”
“Either you don’t know who or you’re not willing to share. Which is it?”
“This is getting us nowhere.” He leaned forward, his arms crossed on the table. “You know I’m not going to tell you anything, and all I want from you is your word that you’ll stay out of it.”
Her spirits plummeted but she wasn’t sure why. “I’ll try. How’s that?”
His eyes bored into hers. “It will have to do, but I’d really try my best to stay out of Hastings’s way this time, if I were you. And also, the killer’s.”
“Believe me, I don’t want to mess with a killer. Now, any ideas about how to spot what’s happening in here?”
“I haven’t noticed anyone doing anything suspicious yet.”
“But we’ve been talking. You haven’t been watching.”
“It’s what I do, J.J. I wouldn’t get too far if I looked obvious about watching people. Besides, I’m quite good at multitasking.” He grinned and J.J. grinned back, for some unnamed reason feeling relieved and happy at the same time.
Their meals arrived, and Beth stood at the table eyeing them both for a few seconds before winking at J.J. and stopping at a number of tables to talk to customers on her way back to the counter.
“Oh man, this is delicious,” J.J. said after swallowing her first bite of the salad.
Devine nodded but continued chewing. He washed his food down with some coffee. “She’s got a good business going here. How long has she been at it?”
“I think around five years or so, before I moved to town. She retired from teaching and apparently, this is what she’s wanted to do for a long time. I first met her because everyone raved about her coffee.”
Devine’s eyes narrowed, focusing on a spot behind J.J.’s right shoulder.
“What is it?” she demanded. “Someone stealing?”
He shook his head. “No, just looking a bit odd. When I tell you, turn around and look at the woman with light brown hair tied back from her face, in the brown jacket. She’s at the table next to the door. Okay, now.”
J.J. turned quickly, just in time to see the woman stand and abruptly exit. “You’re sure she didn’t take anything?”
“Not that I saw, but I think she was spooked. Maybe by Beth talking up the customers. But I’d be on the lookout for her next time you’re working this case.”
Is that a smirk? J.J.’s lips flatlined. “You may make light of this, Ty Devine, but it’s important to Beth. So, I will continue and see if I can find out something to help her out.”
They walked back in silence, and when they reached his car, which was parked on the street in front of the building, parted with a quick good-bye. J.J. kept checking behind her as she climbed the stairs to her office. Silly, really. There would be no reason for him to come back in.
Skye sat at her desk, phone tucked between ear and shoulder. J.J. gave her a quick wave, then flicked on her computer and got straight back to work. About an hour later, she surfaced, having finished off a list of possible entertainers for a thirtieth high school reunion she was planning for next June. She’d be meeting with the school grad committee in a couple of weeks and needed them to make many decisions at that point.
She next did a final read of the casino report. She printed a copy for the paper files and checked it over again before e-mailing it to Megan Spicer and Sue Fischer. Then she breathed a sigh of relief. It was always a good feeling to finalize a project, except this one was still far from being closed. There was still a murderer on the loose.
She picked up the phone and tried calling Connor. Just in case. When it went to voice mail, she admitted to herself that she was getting really worried about him. He had decided to take a drive after vi
siting her on Sunday, to clear his head. Suddenly his car went out of control as he turned onto a dirt road in some remote location. The car came to rest in a thicket, hidden from the road by trees and underbrush with Connor, trapped inside, unable to reach his cell phone, unable to call for help. Slowly getting weaker and weaker. She shook her head to get rid of the image. She’d read a book by Frances Itani not too long ago, with a similar plot. It obviously had stayed with her.
Or, he was on the run from the law. Which would probably mean he was the killer. She didn’t know which scenario was the worst. Neither was good news.
“What is wrong with you?” Skye asked. “You look like you’ve lost your best friend.”
“I may have. Well, not my best. That would be you, but I’m thinking about Connor and why we haven’t heard from him.”
Skye grabbed a Ghirardelli dark chocolate bar from the desk drawer and tossed it over to J.J. “Here, my treat. This may help. Or not. I don’t know what to say. It’s really looking bad for him with the police, isn’t it?”
J.J. broke off a hunk of the chocolate and ate it before answering. “It makes him look guilty, but I really don’t believe he did it.”
“Is it because you’re stuck on him?”
J.J. looked shocked. “No, I’m not. And you, as my best friend, should know that.”
Skye shrugged. “I thought I did, but it’s always good to check in. I have to admit I wondered if he was the reason you said no to going out with that private eye.”
“You thought that? You were relieved, as I recall, that I said no to Devine.” J.J. glared at her.
“Not the same thing.”
“Well, if you must know, the reason I said no was because I’m afraid of him.” She sucked in her breath and hurried on when she saw the look on Skye’s face. “Not that. I don’t think he’d hurt me, well, not physically, that is.”
“Ah. All is revealed. You felt this real connection with him, didn’t you? He got you all hot and bothered without even trying, and you’re afraid you’ll really fall for him, right? And, having done that, you’re equally afraid he’ll dump you.”
“Wow. You don’t hold back, do you? Of course, that doesn’t surprise me.” She sighed. “I just didn’t think I’d been that obvious.”
Skye walked over and gave J.J. a hug. “Honey, you’re always that obvious. At least to me. For what it’s worth, I think it was the right decision, no matter what the reason.”
J.J. appreciated the hug, but she wasn’t so sure about the comment. She watched her friend cross back over to her desk and focus on her computer screen. Skye would soon be back in the zone, that place she went when plotting an event. J.J. knew that would be a good place for her also to be but now that she’d been thinking about Connor, she needed to be doing something about finding him.
The television station seemed like the best place to start. Followed by another chat with a certain board chair.
• • •
About half an hour later she pulled into the parking lot of the WBVT station and eased into a narrow space between a Porsche and a BMW. She knew neither was likely to add any dents to her car. She’d come up with a game plan, of sorts, during the drive downtown. Start at the top. Surely the station manager could fill her in, at least on the reasons why he’d hired Ty Devine. That could turn out to be a part of a key to this entire scenario. If Miranda’s murder was part of some sort of conspiracy against the station, Connor would be off the hook. Of course, that’s it.
Feeling a bit cheerier, she asked at the reception desk but was told that Donald Cooper, the station manager, was out of town for the day. Bummer. The receptionist might be a good source, though. She peered at the nameplate on the counter.
“Wanda, I’m the event planner from the casino night last weekend. The event where Miranda Myers died.”
“Oh.” Wanda seemed at a loss for words.
“I’m just trying to set my mind at rest about what happened and was wondering if there was someone in the station you thought might be a good person for me to chat with about Miranda Myers.” J.J. added a slight note of pleading to her voice. She needed this woman on her side.
Wanda leaned toward J.J. “That was such a horrific thing, wasn’t it? I’ll bet you were right there and saw her body and the whole thing, right? I can’t imagine how I’d feel if I was there. And I know I’d feel even worse if I’d planned the whole thing. Oh, I don’t mean the murder but the other, the event. You know? You must feel so rotten.”
Oh, I do. J.J. wanted to shake this woman to get her to stop talking but bit her tongue instead. Remember your quest. “Oh, believe me, I do. That’s why I need to talk to someone who was maybe close friends with Miranda.”
Wanda leaned even closer. “I always say, it’s best to talk to the enemies. Now, if I was you, I’d talk to Kathi Jones. She’s one of the noon show hosts.”
“They were enemies?”
“Wanted to scratch each other’s eyes out. Meow.” She added a little swipe of her hand. J.J. tried not to associate this woman in her mind with her own even-tempered feline.
J.J. grinned, conspiratorially. “Is Kathi here right now?”
Wanda glanced at her computer. “She’s just off the air and should be in the back office. Do you want me to call her?”
“Please. But first, can you tell me why they were enemies?”
“They were both on-air divas, don’tcha know? Kathi was really pissed that Miranda got the evening entertainment show. That has so much more glamour than the noon show. She let everyone, even me, know that she thought Miranda had done some dirty dealings in order to get it. I think she meant that Miranda slept with the boss, but that’s real hard to imagine.”
“You mean the station manager? What’s his name again?”
“Donald Cooper. And no, I mean the program manager, her immediate boss, who is a woman. Now, doesn’t that sound real mean on Kathi’s part?”
Who knows? She could be right, though.
J.J. nodded. “Would you mind trying Kathi now?”
“Sure thing.” She spoke into her headset and a few seconds later announced, “Kathi’s coming out front to see you.” She winked, tucking a stray piece of blonde hair back behind her ear, and then tended to an incoming call.
J.J. moved closer to the side wall and scanned the photos of the on-air employees. She’d just spotted Kathi Jones when she heard her name called. She whirled around and faced Kathi in person.
“You wanted to speak to me?” Kathi asked, sounding curious but pleasant.
J.J. put out her hand. “I’m J.J. Tanner, with Make It Happen. I’m the event planner for the casino night, and I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about Miranda Myers.”
A look flittered across Kathi’s face, but J.J. couldn’t peg what it was. Sadness, dislike, relief? Maybe J.J. was projecting what she’d just heard from Wanda.
“I guess that’s all right. The police didn’t tell me not to talk to anyone.”
“The police questioned you?”
“Sure. They spent most of yesterday afternoon here at the station talking to everyone who knew Miranda. Look, I just got off the air and could use a coffee. How about we run next door to the Coffee Pot? We’d get more privacy, too.”
J.J. nodded. Kathi signaled Wanda what she was doing and grabbed J.J. by the arm.
At the Coffee Pot, they easily found a table away from the door. J.J. thought if the coffee shop had so few customers all day long, it wouldn’t be in business for very long. They went to the counter and ordered their drinks, and J.J. paid for them.
Back at the table, J.J. waited until Kathi seemed settled and had a couple of sips of her coffee before beginning. J.J. discreetly watched her over the rim of her own cup. Her long blonde hair, pulled back and pinned so that it cascaded around her heart-shaped face, shimmered in a ray of sunlight. J.J. could understand why Kathi was chosen to host a TV show. The camera must love her. “Can you think of anything that might be useful in finding
Miranda’s killer?”
“Hm. Direct, I see. For starters, I didn’t do it, although I know the rumors are flying fast and thick around the station, that Miranda and I were archenemies.”
“And were you?”
Kathi gave a small smile. “Not really. We were rivals, that’s true, and I would have loved her job, but it wasn’t worth killing her to get it. We actually thought the rumors were amusing and agreed it would be fun to ramp things up. So at staff meetings we’d interrupt each other and sit there glaring in between. It doesn’t seem so funny now.”
“That’s an odd thing to do, isn’t it?”
“I asked Miranda to go along with it for the ratings. We knew that Wanda would let it slip to the other media outlets around town, and for a while, it did make headline news. Now it’s on the back burner and has been for a long time.”
“Did it work?”
“We both had pretty good ratings, tops in our time slots, so I’ll let you decide.” Kathi’s smile said it all.
“Okay. Well, can you tell me if she’d had trouble with anyone at the station?”
“Nice of you not to say, ‘other than me.’ No, I don’t think she did. She could be abrupt, especially when close to showtime, but mostly she didn’t mingle too much. She’d come in in the late morning and prepare her show with the help of her researcher, so I didn’t see her then. She’d take a break midafternoon and then be back a couple of hours before the show aired live. Her office, more a cubbyhole like mine, was two doors away.”
“Who is her researcher?”
“Hennie Ferguson. She’s just a kid. She did an internship here and Miranda liked her so they hired her. I don’t know how close they were, though.”
“Is there anyone else at the station I should talk to?” J.J. just hoped she could remember all the names.
“Donald Cooper, the manager, if you can corner him. He’s always at meetings, sometimes in the station, other times off-site. And then there’s one of the cameramen she hung around with. Nothing romantic. Lonny Chan is his name.” Kathi looked at her watch and finished off her coffee. “Look, I’ve got to get back. Hope this helped.”