Kat pulled into the DataRightly parking lot at seven o’clock the next morning. A few lights were on, but the building as a whole was still dark. She had expected as much, considering that the official start of the workday didn’t begin for another hour.
Thoughts of Sadie Cramer had kept her from sleeping well. After talking to Chloe she had called Andrew and told him about having Sadie’s cell phone. He had promised to stop by sometime today to pick it up.
Unable to resist scrolling through the iPhone’s call history, she had been startled to note that Sadie’s last call had been to Bob Bellerose, one of 4F’s foster parents and Stumpy’s current caretaker. The timestamp indicated that Sadie had phoned him shortly after ten yesterday morning. Maura and Kat had gone outside around eleven, which meant Bob might be one of the last people to have talked to Sadie before her death.
Maura’s interest in Leo’s cat struck Kat as the perfect opening for her to get in touch with Bob. She would call him later and set up a time to bring her boss by to meet Stumpy. While they were there, she could casually ask if he knew who Sadie might have run into after she’d talked to him.
Kat got out of her car, her eyes veering toward the snowbank where she had found Sadie’s body. She wondered if the white cat was lurking nearby. She had brought him some of Matty and Tom’s kibble, placing it in a plastic lid fished out of the recycle bin. She didn’t plan to feed him every day, but neither could she let him starve out here in the cold.
She brushed aside some snow near one corner of the building and set the food down. Meanwhile, she couldn’t stop herself from searching for evidence that Sadie’s killer might have left behind. Although the authorities had already combed through the area, with all this snow they could have easily missed something.
Kat didn’t unearth anything, but that didn’t prevent her from running through possible scenarios as she headed for the building entrance. After her phone conversation with Chloe yesterday, she certainly had enough suspects to keep her mind occupied.
Or maybe Sadie hadn’t known her killer. Perhaps she had caught a car thief by surprise when she’d come out for her smoke break. Maybe he’d just happened to have a stapler handy and used it to keep Sadie from telling anyone what she’d seen.
Kat was so lost in her own head she almost plowed right into the man standing by the building entrance.
“Oh, gosh,” she stammered, stopping short of jabbing him with her key.
The man’s own key ring tumbled to the ground. Kat hurried to pick it up for him, but in her rush she grabbed it too hard and ended up depressing one of the buttons on the car fob. A black sedan beeped and flashed its lights.
Kat dropped the keys into the man’s hand before she could do anything else to embarrass herself. “Sorry.”
He smiled at her. “No problem.” He aimed the fob at the car and pressed another button to quiet it. “You’re lucky this thingamajig actually works. Three months ago I was driving an old rust heap that preferred to remain unlocked rather than obey any commands I gave it.”
His joking manner caused Kat to relax. At least he didn’t seem too upset with her.
He tilted his head. “You looked like you had a lot on your mind.”
“I do.”
“Care to share?”
Kat pulled at one of her mittens. “Oh, I was just thinking about the woman who was killed here yesterday.”
The man grimaced. “Sadie Cramer.”
“Did you know her?”
“I know most of the people who work in this building.” He squinted at Kat. “But I don’t recognize you.”
“I just started at DataRightly yesterday.”
“That explains it then.” He held out one gloved hand. “I’m Allen, Allen Bolt. I rent one of the first-floor suites.”
“Kat Harper.” She shook his hand. He had a strong, firm grip. “You’re a lawyer, right?”
He grinned. “Guilty as charged.”
“I met your receptionist yesterday,” Kat told him. “Rachel. Or, rather, I gather she’s your former receptionist.”
He frowned. “Rachel was here yesterday?”
“She came to pick up her last paycheck from Sadie.”
“Huh. I didn’t see her.”
“She stopped by after the police were already on their way,” Kat informed him. “I don’t think they let her get past the lobby.”
“Well, that explains why she didn’t pop in to say hi.”
“Did Rachel get along well with Sadie?”
“Yes.” Allen fiddled with his keys. “Although . . .”
“Although . . . ?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have even brought it up.”
Kat studied him, itching to know what he had been about to say. Had he witnessed Sadie and Rachel fighting on occasion? Perhaps Rachel had a temper that only a former employer would know about.
Not wanting to drop the subject, Kat said, “Rachel told me Sadie hired her after you let her go.”
Allen bobbed his head. “That’s correct.”
“That was nice of her. I’m sure Rachel appreciated it.”
“Sadie was like that. Always willing to help a person out, ethical to almost a fault.”
“Ethical to a fault?” Kat repeated.
Allen flicked his wrist. “All I meant is that saving Rachel wasn’t Sadie’s job.”
“You’re saying she shouldn’t have hired her?” Kat asked.
“Oh, Rachel is a good worker. I would have kept her on myself if I could have afforded her.” Allen held up an index finger. “Now, I know what you’re thinking. Attorneys should have oodles of money, enough to sleep on mattresses stuffed full of hundred-dollar bills when they finally stop billing for the day.”
Kat feigned surprise. “You don’t?”
“Unfortunately we all can’t be one of those celebrity lawyers you see on television. After all, there are only so many ex-NFL players and burnt-out singers to represent.” Allen laughed. “But, then again, I didn’t choose the path of a high-profile criminal attorney either. I’m in estate planning, one of our profession’s more boring branches.”
Kat smiled. “Sounds about as interesting as computer programming.”
“Ah, but do you enjoy it? That’s the real question.”
“I do.” Kat slipped her key in the lock and pushed the door open. She could see no point in continuing this conversation out in the cold.
Allen pulled off his gloves as he followed her inside. “And I enjoy my work as well. There’s nothing more satisfying than knowing you’ve helped to get someone’s affairs in order. Tell me, do you have a will?”
Kat blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“I was inquiring as to whether you have a will.”
“Um, no.”
“You ought to think about writing one,” Allen advised. “I’d be happy to help you draft it.”
Kat was only thirty-two. She had nothing that was worth much. And, except for Matty and Tom, she had no dependents. A will seemed superfluous.
“It’s never too soon to plan for the inevitable,” Allen said, as if he could read her mind. “Wills, trusts, power of attorney, I can help you with any of it. I’ll tell you right now, you’ll sleep better once you get all that done.”
Kat ignored the sales speech, too focused on a possibility that had just entered her mind. “You didn’t happen to do Sadie Cramer’s will, did you?”
“Why yes, I did. Why do you ask?”
“I was curious whether it led to any strife within her family.”
Allen tapped his chin. “Well, I can tell you, there’s nothing that gets relatives up in a knot more than dividing up somebody’s possessions after they’re gone. Part of it, I’m sure, is the stress that comes from losing somebody. That often stirs up a lot of unresolved feelings, and those feelings come out in the oddest of ways.”
Kat frowned. She didn’t miss how he had avoided giving her a direct answer. Although, what had she really expected from a lawyer?
Allen checked his watch. “I should get going. I’ve got a full day’s work ahead of me.”
“It was nice meeting you,” Kat said.
“You too, Kat.”
She watched as he disappeared down the hall, wondering what insights into Sadie’s family he had just taken with him.