was, then Mr. Olson's information might mean something. Would you… like to think about it for a while before making a decision?”
Toni nodded, unable to talk. Strangely, the only thing she could think of at the moment was how something like this would affect Melissa. As fragile as the girl's emotions were already, Toni wondered if she had the right to even consider exhuming their father's body for the purpose of an autopsy. But, as Abe had pointed out, what other option did she have at this point? She finished her water, then crushed the paper cup in her hand and dropped it into the trashcan.
Abe walked in to Matthews and Matthews Detective Agency less than five minutes after Toni and April Lippincott had arrived. He still had a hard time believing how quickly and easily this meeting had come together—how it had, in fact, fallen straight into their laps. After suggesting to Toni the previous Friday that she contact JulieGreene's grandmother, he had not expected anything to come of it this soon, and certainly not anything as enlightening as a face-to-face meeting with the woman. Toni had called him first thing Monday morning, however, informing him that before she had even had a chance to telephone Mrs. Lippincott, the woman had instead called her, hesitantly expressing her concern that Paul Matthews's death might have something to do with his investigation into Julie's disappearance. After a lengthy conversation, April Lippincott had asked if she might fly out and meet with Toni. Toni, of course, had readily agreed. And now, here they were, late Wednesday afternoon, the three of them, meeting in Toni's father's office to discuss how to proceed from here.
Abe, his off-white shirt open at the collar and the sleeves rolled up above his wrists, walked straight toward the attractive white-haired lady sitting in the chair next to Toni's desk. He was carrying Julie Greene's file in his left hand. “Mrs. Lippincott,” he said, extending his free hand. “Please, don't get up. I'm Abe Matthews. How are you?”
“I'm fine, Mr. Matthews,” she answered, smiling as she took his hand, “and I'm glad to meet you. I've heard so much about you from Toni. Thank you. I won't get up. It's been a very long day, and I'm rather tired.”
“I can imagine. It's certainly good to have you here.”
Mrs. Lippincott's smile faded. “Thank you, Detective.”
“Please, call me Abe. This is strictly an unofficial visit.” He released her hand and turned to Toni, who was sitting at her desk, watching their exchange. What had she told April Lippincott about him? Had she mentioned anything personal, or had it all been strictly business? Why did Toni always have to look so beautiful? And those blue eyes… he pulled himself back. “Toni, thanks for including me.”
“Glad to,” she answered, offering him a half-smile. “Although I must admit, it was Mrs. Lippincott who first suggested it. When I realized she shared my suspicions about a possible link between Dad'sdeath and Julie's disappearance, I mentioned that you were helping me try to get to the bottom of all this, and the next thing I knew, she had proposed a three-way meeting. Then, a couple of hours ago, I picked her up at the airport, and, well… here we are.”
Yes, here we are, he thought, irritated with himself for the yearning he felt as he watched her every movement and hung on her every word. Why couldn't he have fallen for someone who didn't already belong to somebody else? He cleared his throat and sat down in the extra chair across from Toni, obviously placed there in anticipation of his arrival. Tearing his eyes away from her, he looked at April.
“Well, Mrs. Lippincott, how was your flight?”
Her pale blue eyes mirrored her fatigue. “All right, I suppose,” she answered, smiling wearily. “But if I'm to call you two Abe and Toni, then you must call me April. I feel old enough as it is without you attractive young people making me feel any
Toni nodded, unable to talk. Strangely, the only thing she could think of at the moment was how something like this would affect Melissa. As fragile as the girl's emotions were already, Toni wondered if she had the right to even consider exhuming their father's body for the purpose of an autopsy. But, as Abe had pointed out, what other option did she have at this point? She finished her water, then crushed the paper cup in her hand and dropped it into the trashcan.
Abe walked in to Matthews and Matthews Detective Agency less than five minutes after Toni and April Lippincott had arrived. He still had a hard time believing how quickly and easily this meeting had come together—how it had, in fact, fallen straight into their laps. After suggesting to Toni the previous Friday that she contact JulieGreene's grandmother, he had not expected anything to come of it this soon, and certainly not anything as enlightening as a face-to-face meeting with the woman. Toni had called him first thing Monday morning, however, informing him that before she had even had a chance to telephone Mrs. Lippincott, the woman had instead called her, hesitantly expressing her concern that Paul Matthews's death might have something to do with his investigation into Julie's disappearance. After a lengthy conversation, April Lippincott had asked if she might fly out and meet with Toni. Toni, of course, had readily agreed. And now, here they were, late Wednesday afternoon, the three of them, meeting in Toni's father's office to discuss how to proceed from here.
Abe, his off-white shirt open at the collar and the sleeves rolled up above his wrists, walked straight toward the attractive white-haired lady sitting in the chair next to Toni's desk. He was carrying Julie Greene's file in his left hand. “Mrs. Lippincott,” he said, extending his free hand. “Please, don't get up. I'm Abe Matthews. How are you?”
“I'm fine, Mr. Matthews,” she answered, smiling as she took his hand, “and I'm glad to meet you. I've heard so much about you from Toni. Thank you. I won't get up. It's been a very long day, and I'm rather tired.”
“I can imagine. It's certainly good to have you here.”
Mrs. Lippincott's smile faded. “Thank you, Detective.”
“Please, call me Abe. This is strictly an unofficial visit.” He released her hand and turned to Toni, who was sitting at her desk, watching their exchange. What had she told April Lippincott about him? Had she mentioned anything personal, or had it all been strictly business? Why did Toni always have to look so beautiful? And those blue eyes… he pulled himself back. “Toni, thanks for including me.”
“Glad to,” she answered, offering him a half-smile. “Although I must admit, it was Mrs. Lippincott who first suggested it. When I realized she shared my suspicions about a possible link between Dad'sdeath and Julie's disappearance, I mentioned that you were helping me try to get to the bottom of all this, and the next thing I knew, she had proposed a three-way meeting. Then, a couple of hours ago, I picked her up at the airport, and, well… here we are.”
Yes, here we are, he thought, irritated with himself for the yearning he felt as he watched her every movement and hung on her every word. Why couldn't he have fallen for someone who didn't already belong to somebody else? He cleared his throat and sat down in the extra chair across from Toni, obviously placed there in anticipation of his arrival. Tearing his eyes away from her, he looked at April.
“Well, Mrs. Lippincott, how was your flight?”
Her pale blue eyes mirrored her fatigue. “All right, I suppose,” she answered, smiling wearily. “But if I'm to call you two Abe and Toni, then you must call me April. I feel old enough as it is without you attractive young people making me feel any
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