When Jack Parker heard a door close down the hall and recognized the anxious gait that followed, he got up and left his own desk, walked past the as yet unoccupied secretary’s desk in the outer office of his suite, and stepped into the hall just in time to intersect Liam Elliott.
If possible, Liam looked even worse than the last time Jack saw him less than twenty-four hours earlier. He had an all-nighter look about him. At least Liam wasn’t wearing the same suit.
“You doing okay, buddy?” Jack fell into step with Liam as they reached the top of the stairs.
“It’s a hectic time.” Liam didn’t meet Jack’s eye.
“I sure hate seeing you look so worn out these days.”
“It won’t last forever. You know how work can be. Feast or famine.”
Jack kept pace with Liam descending the stairs. “I do know.”
Jack thrived on feasting. He got by the last few months with routine work from established clients who stayed with the practice after Jack took it over, but it was no feast. His practice needed an injection of interesting work, something that would justify the expense of finding someone to replace the legal secretary who retired when her employers turned the practice over to Jack.
The overstuffed leather computer bag Liam carried around would suggest his business was doing well, but Jack was unpersuaded. Liam didn’t look harried by work. Jack had seen enough frightened clients to recognize the face of fear.
“Do you have time for a cup of coffee?” Jack asked as they reached the sidewalk.
Liam shook his head. “I’m hoping to catch the mayor.”
“I thought she kept morning office hours.”
“I heard she was in her store today.”
They rounded the corner and walked over one block to Main Street.
“Something’s going on in the park,” Jack said.
Liam hesitated long enough to turn his head.
“Isn’t that your brother?” Jack nodded toward the uniformed sheriff’s deputy taking notes while an older man pointed and waved his arms.
“With Richard Jordan.” Liam looked toward the park and then down the street.
“You know him?”
“He’s a client.”
“Maybe he needs help.” Jack stepped off the curb to cross the street.
“I’ll catch you later, Jack.” Liam continued down the sidewalk.
Jack knew where to find Liam. This skirmish in the park would be a brief diversion, but if it had legal overtones, Jack didn’t want to miss it.
“Did you see what he looked like?” Cooper Elliott said as Jack reached him.
“Young. Dark. Strong.” Richard thrust an index finger toward the back of the park. “He came from that direction. He was trying to get my wallet.”
“Did you see his face?” Cooper asked, his pen poised over the form he was filling out.
Richard shrugged. “He never looked at me full on.”
Jack cleared his throat. “What I think the good officer is getting at, Mr. Jordan, is whether you would be able to identify your assailant if you saw him again.”
“Hello, Jack.” Cooper gave Jack a cool look.
“How do you know my name?” Richard asked.
Jack extended a hand. “Jack Parker, attorney. I only want to help.”
“Jack.” Cooper cocked his head. “Let me get the man’s report.”
“Of course.” Jack stepped back to where he could casually look over Cooper’s shoulder at the makeshift map of the park drawn with stick figures and arrows.
“I think he was following me ever since I left the hardware store,” Richard Jordan said. “He was dressed all in black and gray, but I remember noticing he was wearing green tennis shoes. Seemed odd to me.”
Cooper made notes. “But you didn’t see his face?”
“It was just a face. Who notices the face of everyone you see when you’re out running errands?”
“And no suspicious behavior?”
“Not until he tried to steal my wallet.”
“We’re right off Main Street,” Jack said. “Someone else must have seen something.”
“I already told Officer Elliott I didn’t notice who else was around. Not anybody I know, I guess.”
“That’s right.” Cooper clicked his ballpoint pen. “We’ve already been over that ground. I think I have everything I need for now. I’ll see if there have been any other reports of pickpockets lately. Maybe we’ll find a pattern.”
“Be sure you talk to Gavin Owens about the attempted purse snatching in his restaurant.” Jack reached into his breast pocket, withdrew a business card, and handed it to Richard. “I’m experienced with criminal cases. I might be able to help you remember something you don’t realize is significant.”
Richard put the card in the pocket of his brown flannel-lined jacket. “I have to go meet my wife.”
“Call me anytime if you want some help.”
Jack looked down the street. Liam was out of view. Jack found it hard to believe Liam and Cooper were brothers. Beyond a vague family resemblance, they seemed nothing alike, even when Liam was not the ball of nerves he’d become in the last few days. By now Liam was probably at Waterfall Books and Gifts. Jack crossed the street and strode down the sidewalk.
At the mayor’s shop, Jack tried the front door and found it locked. He could see into the store, though, and watched Liam set his lumpy bag on the counter. Jack jiggled the doorknob again, and Sylvia looked up and pointed at the sign. Closed. Unperturbed, Jack waved through the glass but made no movement away from the door. When he had Sylvia’s eye, he pointed at the door. A moment later she turned the latch.
“We’re not open, Jack. It’s still a mess in here.”
“I just thought I’d see if I could be helpful.” Jack pushed into the store.
“We have it in hand,” Sylvia said.
Jack spotted Dani Roose toward the back of the store. She was definitely someone he should speak to soon. He could represent her interests in making sure any suspects in the vandalism to her boat were prosecuted as thoroughly as possible. Probably there were grounds for a civil case on top of criminal charges.
“I haven’t heard back on the calls I made yesterday,” Jack said. “It takes time, though. I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as I hear anything.”
Silent, Liam shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
The poor guy can hardly stand up, Jack thought.
Sylvia turned to Liam. “As I was saying, the best thing is to call Marianne and make an appointment to see me. Then we can talk without interruption.”
Liam glanced at Jack and ran his tongue over his lips. “I appreciate your willingness to see me in your office, but I believe this is an urgent matter.”
Jack knew when to keep his mouth closed. He stepped back two paces to listen.
“You can see I’m in the middle of my own muddle. I could give you my full attention at Town Hall.”
Liam glared at Jack. “I was hoping to speak privately.”
Jack gave a smug smile. He wasn’t going anywhere.
“I’ve told you before,” Sylvia said, “the town council can’t look at your proposal until the comptroller has vetted it.”
“This is about Quinn.”
Sylvia froze. “What about Quinn?”
Jack leaned with one palm on the counter.
Liam took his phone out and tapped a few buttons before turning the screen toward Sylvia. “This was mixed in with my mail. I couldn’t keep the letter, obviously. I hope it’s not a crime to take a picture, but I thought it might mean something. Look at the next one, too.”
Sylvia held the phone in both hands, studied the image, and scrolled to the second one. “What kind of business is that?”
“I tried to find it on the Internet,” Liam said. “They don’t seem to have a website.”
“Everybody has a website,” Jack said. “Mind if I have a look?”
He ignored the reticence in Liam’s face and reached for the phone. Sylvia handed it to him.
“Santorelli,” Jack read aloud the single name of the business. The address was in Pennsylvania, but it was only a PO box. “In my experience, this sort of letter comes from an organization whose greatest value is being discreet, like a private detective or an adoption search.”
“Adoption search,” Sylvia said. “Why would Quinn. . . ?”
“Some sort of search,” Jack said. “It might not be an adoption, but Quinn is probably looking for somebody.”