Chapter 22

 

 

When someone jumped out of the bushes in front of me, I screamed and Dorothy immediately took a karate stance. She didn’t even know karate. Nevertheless, I appreciated her attempt at self-defense. The reporter had been hiding in the bushes and now was standing in front of me with that microphone again.

“What’s this all about?” Dorothy yelled. “Who are you, crazy lady?”

“I just have a few more questions about the case,” Vanessa Carl said.

The wild look in Vanessa’s eyes was a bit frightening. She was obviously on a mission. But I wasn’t about to give in. I was on a mission too. A mission not to speak with her about the case.

“I told you before I have no comment,” I said.

“You told her before?” Dorothy asked.

I caught movement out of the corner my eye. When I spun around I realized the cameraman was right behind me.

“Are you filming this?” I asked.

“Just doing my job,” he said.

Apparently, that was their go-to answer.

“How about you not do your job?” I asked.

“Wait. Are we on video?” Dorothy asked.

“Unfortunately, yes,” I said.

Dorothy immediately started fixing her hair and then straightening out her blouse. “Oh, my word. If I’d known this I would’ve reapplied my lipstick.”

This was no time to worry about makeup. Although maybe I should be worried about it too. I’d been frightened by my appearance on camera.

“I don’t want to look a fright on TV,” Dorothy said.

I suppose it was too late for me to worry about that after seeing my first appearance. I looked frazzled then and I was sure I looked that way now. The least they could do was give me a little notice for these interviews so that I could have my makeup done and visit the hair salon.

“It’s been said that the murders are related. Do you have any comment on that? Since you were arrested for the first murder.” Vanessa stuck the microphone in my face again.

“I was never arrested,” I said with panic in my voice. “I just happened to be on the scene when the body was discovered.”

“So you know who did it?” she asked.

“Where did you come up with these questions? No, I don’t know who did it. If I did the person would be in jail. I’m done answering questions now.” my looped my arm through Dorothy’s. “Dorothy, come on. We have work to do.”

“Do you have any clues that you can give to us?” Vanessa pressed.

Yet another silly question. If I had clues I certainly wouldn’t disclose them. Surely Jake would have something to say about this latest interview. He would ask me to stop discussing the case, which was exactly what I was trying to do.

“I have to get back to business.” I tried to step around Vanessa, but she moved in front of me again.

We were doing some kind of odd dance. Dorothy was still adjusting her hair. Finally, I maneuvered around Vanessa.

“If you’ll excuse me.” I let her know by my tone that I wasn’t happy with this.

I took Dorothy by the arm and led her toward the door. Dorothy waved and smiled at the camera.

“Don’t do that,” I said. “We’re not talking to them.”

“I think that’s too late,” Dorothy said. “You’ve already done enough of that. You are terrible on camera.”

“Well, that’s why I’m a private investigator and not a news reporter.”

“Thank goodness,” Dorothy said.

I fumbled with the key and got the door unlocked. We hurried inside. I slammed the door so that they wouldn’t follow us. Then I locked it behind us.

“Thank goodness that’s over,” I said, releasing a deep breath. “I hope they never come back.”

“Something tells me you’ll see them again,” Dorothy said.

I dashed over to the window to see if they were still outside. When I got there, I opened the blinds. Vanessa was right there and looking in. I screamed again.

“Maggie, you need to stop doing that,” Dorothy clutched her chest. “My heart can’t handle that kind of shock. Why don’t you just get out the paddles and give me a little electric jolt while you’re at it?”

“Sorry, Dorothy.” I knocked on the window, trying to get Vanessa to hear. “Get out of here.”

Vanessa frowned and then finally turned around and stomped back toward the van. The cameraman had already given up and was loading his camera into the back of the van. At least he had a little bit more sense than Vanessa.

I closed the blinds. “I guess that’s over for now. That was stressful and more than a little embarrassing.”

“So you talked to her before?” Dorothy asked.

“Yes, we spoke when the first body was discovered,” I said.

“And you didn’t tell me about this?” she said, placing her hands on her hips.

“I didn’t think it was necessary to share that embarrassment.”

“Oh, I’m sure it was quite a sight to behold. When exactly did this other incident happen?”

“Right before I came into the restaurant that evening after it happened.”

“Was it on the news?” Dorothy asked.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t know about this sooner. How did I miss it? It has to be on YouTube. I have to check the computer” Dorothy turned around to retrieve the laptop.

“What do you think you’re doing? Stop that.” My eyes widened.

Dorothy and I stopped in our tracks. How had we not noticed this when we first entered the office? I suppose we’d been too distracted by Vanessa. The whole place was in shambles. Papers and files were scattered everywhere. The desk was tipped over and the chair was upside down. I choked back tears. Who would do something like this?

“Maggie, this place is a mess,” Dorothy said.

I wasn’t sure what to say.

“I have a feeling someone is trying to send me a message,” I said.

“They could have left a voicemail,” Dorothy said.

“Maybe they were looking for something.”

“What could they possibly have been looking for?”

“Other than the files I have on my clients? Maybe a person wants to get rid of evidence.”

“I wonder how long ago this person was here?” Dorothy said.

“I wonder how they got in? I unlocked the door.” I looked over to the little window and it was closed as well. “No one else has a key but me.”

“That’s not true. You gave one to Jake,” Dorothy said.

“He wouldn’t do this.”

“No, but what if someone took the key from him?”

“Who would do that?” I asked.

Dorothy quirked an eyebrow.

“I guess Abby doesn’t like me much, so I suppose it’s possible. Do you really think she could have done this?” I asked.

“Anything is possible because, like you said, she doesn’t like you much.”

“Should I mention it to Jake?”

“I think you have to,” Dorothy said.

I sighed. “Yeah, I guess I do. And I can’t clean up this mess until the police arrive.”

I pulled out my phone and typed out a text message.

Need you to come to my office ASAP.

“You’re going to tell him this over a text message?”

“I thought maybe he’s too busy to come by right now. It’s not a life-threatening situation,” I said.

“You don’t know that. A killer is out there somewhere. This is like 911 material right here,” Dorothy said.

“I don’t think so, Dorothy. I mean, they couldn’t have taken anything valuable. I don’t have anything.”

“The clients’ information is valuable,” Dorothy reminded me.

My eyes widened. “That’s true. If a client found out their information was stolen they would be unhappy.”

“I hope they never find out,” Dorothy said.

“I hope nothing is really missing.” I blew the hair out of my eyes. “I need to look through everything and try to remember exactly what was here.”

My phone dinged. A text from Jake.

In the area. Thought I’d stop by.

I showed Dorothy my phone’s screen. “I should tell Jake about what happened before he gets here.”

“You should tell me what before I get here?”

I whipped around.

Jake’s eyes widened when he saw the condition of the room. “What happened here? Did you make Dorothy mad?”

“I wouldn’t do this.” Dorothy scowled.

“Did you rearrange again, Maggie?” Jake asked.

“Someone broke into the office,” I said.

“You’re serious about this?” he asked.

“Absolutely I’m serious. Why would I do all of this?” I waved my arm.

“I just thought you were re-organizing again,” he said.

“Look at the desk and the chair.” I pointed.

“All right, we need to step out of the office so that I can get somebody here to dust for fingerprints.” Jake motioned for us to follow him.

Dorothy and I followed Jake out onto the sidewalk, stepping under the sunny sky.

“Did you notice anything unusual when you walked in?” Jake asked.

“Other than the mess?” I asked.

“Was the window open or the door?”

“The window is still closed, and the door was locked. You’re the only one other than me and Dorothy who has a key.”

“This doesn’t make sense,” he said. “There has to be a way that the person got in. Other than using a key, because I know I still have mine.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He sorted through each one. When he looked back at me he had a strange look on his face. I knew that something was wrong. “It’s not there,” he said.

“Do you think someone took it from you and came in here looking for something?” I asked. “What could they possibly be looking for?”

“I don’t know, Maggie, but I’ll get to the bottom of this. I promise you.”