a smart man. He knew what he was doing. But he was lazy. He was fired because of his poor work ethics. It was nothing personal."
"Was there ever an incidence in which he threatened anyone or the laboratory? Showed any signs of violence?"
"No."
She raised her eyebrows. His answer had come a little too quickly, a little too sharp.
"Look, Julianna, I know you're doing your job, but shouldn't you be trying to locate Lewis?"
"Sheriff Higgins is searching for him as we speak, but Lewis hasn't been to his apartment since before the, ah, event."
"All the more proof that he's guilty."
Julianna closed her eyes and counted to ten. Talking to this man was infuriating, all the more so because she was certain he knew more than he was sharing.
His chair scrapped across the floor, and she opened her eyes. "If you don't have any more questions," he said as he stood.
"Sit, please, just a few more." She waited for him to comply before asking, "Who was fired before Lewis?"
A muscle in his neck jumped. "Why?"
"It's possible Lewis wasn't working alone, or that Lewis wasn't the responsible party."
A bead of sweat formed on his forehead. "I'm sure it was Lewis."
"Doctor Richards, you would never dream of hindering a police investigation, would you?" she asked sweetly.
He sighed. "Karl Coleman."
Julianna let loose a low whistle. "Wow."
"Tell me about it." He wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I didn't have a choice. Didn't want to hire him in the first place but..."
The pressure from Coleman's father must have been immense. After all, Don Coleman was the mob boss in Lightmeadow.
Dr. Richards cleared his throat. "I hired him against my better judgment. He was too under-qualified and made too many careless, dangerous mistakes that threatened the lives of my employees. I had no choice but to fire him."
"So the mob could be behind the destruction of the laboratory."
"Yes..."
"Do you know if Lewis has any connection to the mob?"
"That I don't know, but it might explain his chronic tardiness."
"Anything else I should know?"
Dr. Richards rose to his feet again. One would have thought telling the truth would have lifted some of the weight off his shoulders, but he stood hunched over, as if trying to make himself smaller. "Not that I can think of."
"And the chemicals in the lab that caused the fog?"
"I already told the sheriffs about the chemicals, you can ask them."
"Why did you confiscate all of the wood and scrap metal pieces from the remains?"
"That is none of your concern," he snapped, all pretenses of civility gone. "I really have to be going. Good day, Julianna." He stalked out the door.
Julianna rubbed her forehead. Maybe she should turn over the investigation to Lightmeadow, like Sheriff Higgins wanted to. After all, the mob was located in Lightmeadow.
Something struck her as off. Lewis Lichman was a bright man. Why would he work for the mob? And if Nicholas was somehow involved...
She kept telling herself she got him the construction job so she could keep an eye on him and try to get him back on the straight and narrow. Deep down, though, she knew she wanted him around for a more selfish reason, a reason she had no business wanting. As infuriating as he was, she looked forward to their verbal sparring matches. She wanted to spend time with him. She found herself thinking about the kiss that hadn't been with her all the time. Wishing and wondering and hoping and dreaming for a love that would never be hers.
Chapter Eighteen
Dr. Richards straightened his back before entering his expansive conference room. Thankfully, his headquarters occupied a separate building from the laboratory. He hardly went into the lab, except to surprise his employees and frighten them into becoming more conscientious personnel.
Only one other person lingered in the room -- Hunter Walter, one of his longest-lasting and most diligent workers.
"Well?" Dr. Richards drummed his fingers on the tall, marble table, standing in front of his lush
"Was there ever an incidence in which he threatened anyone or the laboratory? Showed any signs of violence?"
"No."
She raised her eyebrows. His answer had come a little too quickly, a little too sharp.
"Look, Julianna, I know you're doing your job, but shouldn't you be trying to locate Lewis?"
"Sheriff Higgins is searching for him as we speak, but Lewis hasn't been to his apartment since before the, ah, event."
"All the more proof that he's guilty."
Julianna closed her eyes and counted to ten. Talking to this man was infuriating, all the more so because she was certain he knew more than he was sharing.
His chair scrapped across the floor, and she opened her eyes. "If you don't have any more questions," he said as he stood.
"Sit, please, just a few more." She waited for him to comply before asking, "Who was fired before Lewis?"
A muscle in his neck jumped. "Why?"
"It's possible Lewis wasn't working alone, or that Lewis wasn't the responsible party."
A bead of sweat formed on his forehead. "I'm sure it was Lewis."
"Doctor Richards, you would never dream of hindering a police investigation, would you?" she asked sweetly.
He sighed. "Karl Coleman."
Julianna let loose a low whistle. "Wow."
"Tell me about it." He wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I didn't have a choice. Didn't want to hire him in the first place but..."
The pressure from Coleman's father must have been immense. After all, Don Coleman was the mob boss in Lightmeadow.
Dr. Richards cleared his throat. "I hired him against my better judgment. He was too under-qualified and made too many careless, dangerous mistakes that threatened the lives of my employees. I had no choice but to fire him."
"So the mob could be behind the destruction of the laboratory."
"Yes..."
"Do you know if Lewis has any connection to the mob?"
"That I don't know, but it might explain his chronic tardiness."
"Anything else I should know?"
Dr. Richards rose to his feet again. One would have thought telling the truth would have lifted some of the weight off his shoulders, but he stood hunched over, as if trying to make himself smaller. "Not that I can think of."
"And the chemicals in the lab that caused the fog?"
"I already told the sheriffs about the chemicals, you can ask them."
"Why did you confiscate all of the wood and scrap metal pieces from the remains?"
"That is none of your concern," he snapped, all pretenses of civility gone. "I really have to be going. Good day, Julianna." He stalked out the door.
Julianna rubbed her forehead. Maybe she should turn over the investigation to Lightmeadow, like Sheriff Higgins wanted to. After all, the mob was located in Lightmeadow.
Something struck her as off. Lewis Lichman was a bright man. Why would he work for the mob? And if Nicholas was somehow involved...
She kept telling herself she got him the construction job so she could keep an eye on him and try to get him back on the straight and narrow. Deep down, though, she knew she wanted him around for a more selfish reason, a reason she had no business wanting. As infuriating as he was, she looked forward to their verbal sparring matches. She wanted to spend time with him. She found herself thinking about the kiss that hadn't been with her all the time. Wishing and wondering and hoping and dreaming for a love that would never be hers.
Chapter Eighteen
Dr. Richards straightened his back before entering his expansive conference room. Thankfully, his headquarters occupied a separate building from the laboratory. He hardly went into the lab, except to surprise his employees and frighten them into becoming more conscientious personnel.
Only one other person lingered in the room -- Hunter Walter, one of his longest-lasting and most diligent workers.
"Well?" Dr. Richards drummed his fingers on the tall, marble table, standing in front of his lush
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