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Two days later, Catt sat at her desk contacting potential clients for the dog grooming service. She hoped the new approach would work.
The screen door swung open. A woman entered. “Remember me? Bella. Trey’s sister.”
Surprised to see the woman, Catt titled her head to the side. “Yes, of course.”
“Listen. I realize we didn’t get off on the right foot the other day. Can we talk?”
Catt waved her hand toward the chair in front of her desk. “Have a seat. What can I do for you?”
“Um, during Trey’s funeral...” She grabbed a tissue from her purse and dabbed her eyes. “Sorry. It’s been difficult with my brother’s passing.”
Catt grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and placed it on the desk in front of Bella.
“Thank you.” She twisted the top and took a sip.
“I’m sorry about your brother,” Catt said. “I only knew him for a short while when he remodeled my office. But he was a wonderful person and carpenter.”
Bella starred at Catt with a long, uncomfortable stare.
Catt lowered her head.
“Trey loved building things. As a teenager, he helped our dad build a shed in the backyard. Then they remodeled the kitchen and living room, knocking out walls and such.” She smiled.
“Sounds like good memories and the start of his career,” Catt said.
“Yes. That’s how he became a handyman and then a contractor to build and remodel homes.”
“That must be why he and Beau have been friends for so long?” Catt asked.
“Yes. They both love carpentry work.”
Bella cleared her throat. “You asked about the blond with Trey before he died.”
“Pardon me?” Catt asked.
“At the funeral. You asked about a blond woman.”
Catt nodded.
“Her name is Catrina Murray. Trey hired her as his assistant a few weeks back.”
Catt accessed the video surveillance on her phone. She turned the phone toward Bella. “Is this Catrina?”
Bella put on her glasses and inched forward in her chair. “Yes. That’s her.”
“Do you know how I can contact her?”
“She moved to the Eastern Shore.”
The Eastern Shore of Virginia was a peninsula of land accessed from Virginia Beach via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, a thirty-mile trek and a seventeen-dollar toll. “Why did she take the job in the first place if she knew she’d be moving?” Catt asked.
“Trey needed her help with administrative tasks since his business was growing. Maybe she did virtual work. I don’t know the details.”
“I see.”
“I told the detective this already.”
“Detective Harding?”
“Yes. He showed me the video last week.”
Catt realized the detective did not owe her any explanation as he had told her prior, but it would have been nice to have known about Catrina’s identity so she would not have to worry so much. “Did either you or the detective talk to Catrina?”
“Yes, the detective did. He told me about their conversation.”
“Did she say what happened when they came here?”
She sniffed. “That was her last day at work. She said Trey had left a tool in your office earlier that morning, so she met him there to say goodbye and pick up her paycheck. That’s when he noticed a loose bolt on the shelf, so he stayed to fix it. Catrina said a few minutes later a man entered the office that Trey knew.”
“Did she mention his name?”
“No. Catrina never heard the man’s name. She said as he and Trey talked about the office remodel, she got her check, said goodbye, and headed straight for the Eastern Shore.”
Catt accessed the video again. “Do you recognize this man?”
Bella shook her head. “The detective showed this as well.”
“So, Catrina didn’t know anything about the murder?”
“No. The detective couldn’t hold her on any charges since they didn’t have any evidence. And she doesn’t have a criminal record.”
“Do you believe her?” Catt asked.
“I don’t know what to think, but everything checks out with her.”
Catt leaned back in her chair. “So, what do you want with me?”
“I want to hire you to find my brother’s killer. I’ve heard you have experience in solving murders.”
Catt’s eyebrows knitted together. “I run a dog walking service not a doggie detective agency. Plus, the police are investigating it.”
Bella waved her hand in the air. “Harding’s investigation skills are not worth two cents. But I have it on good authority that you’ve solved a few murders over the years.”
“That’s true. But it was to clear my name since I was a suspect in them.”
“And you are in this one as well.” Bella reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope. She sat the envelope on the desk and slid it toward Catt. “It contains a hefty fee. Cash that can’t be traced.”
Catt stared at Bella. “I can’t accept your offer. It’s illegal.”
“I’m also aware that your business is struggling with all the negative publicity.”
“I’m struggling, so what? That doesn’t mean I would jeopardize my business even further by accepting money to find the killer.”
Bella folded her arms. “It would solve your financial problems.”
