Anonymously Yours by Shirley McCann Page B

I could help my uncle build up a money-making practice. And what better place to start than with Angelica Belmont’s murder? Especially when solving that crime might also save my own life.
    Uncle Bob led the way downstairs and thanked the owner for allowing us to look around.
    “Not a problem,” he said. “Just call if you need anything else.”
    Uncle Bob turned to me. “Now it’s time for me to do a little detective work of my own,” he said, reaching for my hand. “We can talk more about this when I get home this evening. In the meantime, you can go back to the house and see what information you can dig up.”
    We walked to the door, my heart beating wildly with excitement. “I’ll do that, Uncle Bob,” I said. “But once I drop you off at your office, I’m going by the grocery store. I want to prepare you a home-cooked meal tonight. It’s the least I can do. So bring home an appetite.”
    He squeezed my shoulders. “Ah, you don’t have to do that,” he said. “I can always throw something together for us.”
    My stomach suddenly lurched at the thought of my uncle’s cooking. “Oh, but I want to,” I responded quickly. “It will help keep me occupied until you get home.”
    Besides, it will also keep me busy while I wait for Justin’s call, I thought. Hopefully, he’ll have some useful information to share.

Chapter Seven
    I’d purposely omitted Justin’s name from the conversation during my lunch with Uncle Bob. It would have been difficult to explain why Justin was already asking questions about the death of Angelica Belmont without arousing suspicion. And I didn’t want to take a chance that Justin might let it slip out. For now, Uncle Bob knew everything he needed to know.
    After seeing the vacant building and loft apartment after lunch, my hopes had soared to a new expectation. For the first time in a long time, the prospect of working with my uncle seemed like a genuine possibility.
    Back at his house, I placed the groceries on the counter, then called Justin’s cell. While I was aware that he might still be out scouring the neighborhood for information, I couldn’t wait to find out if he’d learned anything useful so far. What I really wanted to do was drive over there myself, but we’d already agreed I should try to stay away from the area as much as possible for now. Working at the diner was one thing: not only did I need the meager income, but I didn’t want any major change in my daily schedule to alert Michael Black that we were onto him. But staying at my parents’ house was different. Staying there alone, I’d be a sitting duck.
    No one answered Justin’s cell, so I left a message for him to call me back as soon as possible. I’d just clicked the disconnect button, when the phone rang.
    “Justin?” I said before giving the caller a chance to speak.
    There was a long pause before anyone responded. “Denise? Are you okay?”
    Mom, I realized. I’d been so sure it was Justin calling me with the information he’d discovered today. “Hi, Mom,” I said, hoping my disappointment didn’t show.
    “Denise,” she said again. “What’s going on? Why are you at your uncle’s house? Has something happened?”
    I realized I probably should have called my parents and told them what I was planning. But at the time, the only thing on my mind was getting to safety.
    “Nothing’s wrong, Mom,” I said. “I just thought I’d come here and fix Uncle Bob a home-cooked meal for a change.” It wasn’t a complete lie, I rationalized. To further convince myself I hadn’t told an untruth, I held the phone between my ear and shoulder, while I located a cutting board and placed it on the counter.
    I heard a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. “When are you going to get a new cell phone?” she asked. “I was worried sick when I couldn’t get you all night at home. I finally called your uncle and he told me you were staying at his house.”
    “I’m sorry, Mom. I’ve just