eyes went wide. “How do you like that? I’ve thought about venturing out on my own, but the security of a paid job and the benefits make it hard. “
I knew what she meant. Even with the new government insurance programs, the insurance premiums were astronomical. Not to mention liability insurance and not knowing when your next client would appear. But still, I loved the freedom.
“Where do you work? And what brings you here?” I asked.
“I’m in corporate security. I work for Barrows Investments. Nathan Barrows is technically my boss, so I’m here paying my respects.”
She glanced uneasily into the room at the closed casket.
I couldn’t believe my good luck. One of the missing pieces in my investigation—having an 'in' to talk to at Barrows Investments—had just fallen right into my lap.
Artemis’s search for people I knew at Barrows Investments hadn’t found Suzanne because I'd taken those PI classes before I’d acquired him. He only had people I currently knew in his database and didn’t know the connection between me and Suzanne.
I would have loved to have asked if she knew anything about Nathan’s misbehavior at the company right then and there, but I knew she wouldn’t spill her guts with all her co-workers around.
“We really need to get together and catch up. It’s been way too long,” I said.
“We do.” Suzanne’s gaze drifted over my shoulder and I turned around to see two women at the end of the long receiving line jerking their heads for her to join them. “My coworkers are in line. I better go join them.”
She reached into her purse, slipped out a business card and handed it to me. “Give me a call and we’ll get together and chat.”
“Absolutely,” I said as she headed off toward her friends.
I smiled at the business card in my hand. Attending the wake had been very productive. Not only had I gotten a great contact inside Barrows Investments, but David had given me a valuable clue. As I had suspected, Nathan Barrows may not have been at the cabin when his wife was killed.
Now all I had to do was prove it.
Chapter Fifteen
I was still staring at the card when Lexy grabbed my elbow and steered me toward the door.
“Did you find anything out?” she asked.
I nodded. “I got a couple good leads, what did you find?”
“Nothing. These people are shut up tighter than a drum. This is nothing like when I used to investigate. I used to get all kinds of good information back in the day. And the refreshments … Pfft.” She waved her hand in the air dismissively. “Not worth coming at all.”
I hid my smile from her as we walked toward the door. Even though she was disappointed, I’d gotten more than I bargained for and was anxious to start digging into my new clues. I had to wait until I could meet with Suzanne before I dig into what was going on at Barrows Investments, but I could start trying to prove exactly where Nathan really was the night of the fire right away. Now that David had mentioned Nathan wasn’t at the cabin, I knew I was on to something.
I opened the oak door for Lexy and we spilled out onto the steps just in time to see Sgt. Hale and Det. Royce crossing the parking lot. What would they be doing here? There was only one reason for them to attend—they were starting to realize Evangeline’s death was not an accident.
I altered my course so as to intercept them and we met in the middle of the lot. I could tell by the look on Hale’s face that he didn’t like running into me.
“What are you doing here, Justice?” Hale scowled at me, then flicked his eyes toward Lexy.
Lexy gave Hale a defiant look. “Cal is with me. She took me here so I could pay my respects.”
Hale’s eyes flicked back to my face and I nodded. “That’s right, we were just paying our respects. What are you doing here? The police don’t usually attend wakes, or has that changed?”
“I see you still have your father’s sarcastic tongue,” Hale said.
I bristled at
I knew what she meant. Even with the new government insurance programs, the insurance premiums were astronomical. Not to mention liability insurance and not knowing when your next client would appear. But still, I loved the freedom.
“Where do you work? And what brings you here?” I asked.
“I’m in corporate security. I work for Barrows Investments. Nathan Barrows is technically my boss, so I’m here paying my respects.”
She glanced uneasily into the room at the closed casket.
I couldn’t believe my good luck. One of the missing pieces in my investigation—having an 'in' to talk to at Barrows Investments—had just fallen right into my lap.
Artemis’s search for people I knew at Barrows Investments hadn’t found Suzanne because I'd taken those PI classes before I’d acquired him. He only had people I currently knew in his database and didn’t know the connection between me and Suzanne.
I would have loved to have asked if she knew anything about Nathan’s misbehavior at the company right then and there, but I knew she wouldn’t spill her guts with all her co-workers around.
“We really need to get together and catch up. It’s been way too long,” I said.
“We do.” Suzanne’s gaze drifted over my shoulder and I turned around to see two women at the end of the long receiving line jerking their heads for her to join them. “My coworkers are in line. I better go join them.”
She reached into her purse, slipped out a business card and handed it to me. “Give me a call and we’ll get together and chat.”
“Absolutely,” I said as she headed off toward her friends.
I smiled at the business card in my hand. Attending the wake had been very productive. Not only had I gotten a great contact inside Barrows Investments, but David had given me a valuable clue. As I had suspected, Nathan Barrows may not have been at the cabin when his wife was killed.
Now all I had to do was prove it.
Chapter Fifteen
I was still staring at the card when Lexy grabbed my elbow and steered me toward the door.
“Did you find anything out?” she asked.
I nodded. “I got a couple good leads, what did you find?”
“Nothing. These people are shut up tighter than a drum. This is nothing like when I used to investigate. I used to get all kinds of good information back in the day. And the refreshments … Pfft.” She waved her hand in the air dismissively. “Not worth coming at all.”
I hid my smile from her as we walked toward the door. Even though she was disappointed, I’d gotten more than I bargained for and was anxious to start digging into my new clues. I had to wait until I could meet with Suzanne before I dig into what was going on at Barrows Investments, but I could start trying to prove exactly where Nathan really was the night of the fire right away. Now that David had mentioned Nathan wasn’t at the cabin, I knew I was on to something.
I opened the oak door for Lexy and we spilled out onto the steps just in time to see Sgt. Hale and Det. Royce crossing the parking lot. What would they be doing here? There was only one reason for them to attend—they were starting to realize Evangeline’s death was not an accident.
I altered my course so as to intercept them and we met in the middle of the lot. I could tell by the look on Hale’s face that he didn’t like running into me.
“What are you doing here, Justice?” Hale scowled at me, then flicked his eyes toward Lexy.
Lexy gave Hale a defiant look. “Cal is with me. She took me here so I could pay my respects.”
Hale’s eyes flicked back to my face and I nodded. “That’s right, we were just paying our respects. What are you doing here? The police don’t usually attend wakes, or has that changed?”
“I see you still have your father’s sarcastic tongue,” Hale said.
I bristled at
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