mid-twenties, well-dressed, with her rich brown hair cascading around her shoulders.
“No, sorry, I don’t. I’m with the Paradise Valley Police. Please let him know I’m here. I’m sure he’ll want to talk to me.”
“He’s very busy, and if you don’t have an appointment, I’m sorry but—”
“Did you hear what I said, Miss? I’m with the police department. Mr. Murphy will want to speak with me.” It was still the truth, she hadn’t quit the case yet.
The receptionist hit the intercom button on the phone. “There’s a woman here to speak to Mr. Murphy. She claims she’s with the police department.”
There was a pause while the person on the other end of the line spoke. The receptionist eyed Emily in her fitted jeans, clingy black knit top, and mid-heeled boots. Emily ruffled her fingers through her tousled blonde curls for effect.
“Yes, that’s what she claims.” Again the woman paused to listen. “All right.”
“Ma’am,” the young woman said, “you can go and talk with Mr. Murphy’s assistant. Down that hall,” she gestured with an outstretched hand, “then go to the right.”
Emily headed off down the hallway and glanced back over her shoulder. Just as she thought, the receptionist was watching her. She rounded the corner and ahead was an expansive desk with another polished young woman seated behind it.
“Emily Parker. I’m a consultant with the Paradise Valley Police.” Emily stuck out her hand and the woman shook it. “I’d like to speak to Mr. Murphy, please.”
“What is this about?”
“It’s police business. He knows who I am. Please tell Mr. Murphy I’m here.”
“Is it about his wife?” the woman asked.
“You know about that?” Emily was surprised. They had tried to keep it out of the news. Patrick himself must have mentioned it.
“Yes, Patrick—I mean Mr. Murphy—he told me about it. I know he wants to keep it hush hush, but I’m his personal assistant, so I know pretty much everything that goes on in his life.”
The woman was stunning, tall and lithe, with fine features. Her eyes were deep green and her dark blonde hair was straight, gracefully brushing her shoulders.
“Mr. Murphy said he had just returned from a business trip on Wednesday night. Where did he go?” Emily asked.
“Well, he went to Austin, Texas, first and then he went on to Phoenix. Is that important?”
“Oh, not really. Just trying to fill in the details.” Jake was from Phoenix. “If you’ll let him know I’m here, I’ll only keep him a few minutes. I want to bring him up to date with our investigation.”
“Of course.” She pushed her intercom button and let Patrick know that Emily was there. “Go on in, Ms. Parker.”
As Emily pushed through the large double doors, Patrick came from around his desk, extending his hand to her, which she took. “Please, have a seat.” He motioned toward the two upholstered club chairs across from his desk. “What have you learned?”
“We believe Elise’s personal trainer is involved in your wife’s disappearance.”
“Really? Have you found him?”
“Not yet, but we’re close. Detective Andrews is closing in on him as we speak, so I thought I’d come and personally deliver the good news.”
“That is good news.” Patrick sat back in his massive leather chair and smiled. Then his expression turned serious as he leaned forward and crossed his arms on the desk. “But is Elise with him? Do you know if she’s still alive?”
“We don’t know that yet. She could be, that is, we hope she is. But for all we know the gunshot we heard on your phone after the money drop went bad might have been…well, you know. So I want you to be prepared for the worst.”
He lowered his face into his hands and shuddered.
Was he crying?
He wiped his hands over his eyes. “Sorry, it’s been a difficult few days. The not knowing is the worst. After what happened with the money this afternoon, well, let’s just say I don’t hold
“No, sorry, I don’t. I’m with the Paradise Valley Police. Please let him know I’m here. I’m sure he’ll want to talk to me.”
“He’s very busy, and if you don’t have an appointment, I’m sorry but—”
“Did you hear what I said, Miss? I’m with the police department. Mr. Murphy will want to speak with me.” It was still the truth, she hadn’t quit the case yet.
The receptionist hit the intercom button on the phone. “There’s a woman here to speak to Mr. Murphy. She claims she’s with the police department.”
There was a pause while the person on the other end of the line spoke. The receptionist eyed Emily in her fitted jeans, clingy black knit top, and mid-heeled boots. Emily ruffled her fingers through her tousled blonde curls for effect.
“Yes, that’s what she claims.” Again the woman paused to listen. “All right.”
“Ma’am,” the young woman said, “you can go and talk with Mr. Murphy’s assistant. Down that hall,” she gestured with an outstretched hand, “then go to the right.”
Emily headed off down the hallway and glanced back over her shoulder. Just as she thought, the receptionist was watching her. She rounded the corner and ahead was an expansive desk with another polished young woman seated behind it.
“Emily Parker. I’m a consultant with the Paradise Valley Police.” Emily stuck out her hand and the woman shook it. “I’d like to speak to Mr. Murphy, please.”
“What is this about?”
“It’s police business. He knows who I am. Please tell Mr. Murphy I’m here.”
“Is it about his wife?” the woman asked.
“You know about that?” Emily was surprised. They had tried to keep it out of the news. Patrick himself must have mentioned it.
“Yes, Patrick—I mean Mr. Murphy—he told me about it. I know he wants to keep it hush hush, but I’m his personal assistant, so I know pretty much everything that goes on in his life.”
The woman was stunning, tall and lithe, with fine features. Her eyes were deep green and her dark blonde hair was straight, gracefully brushing her shoulders.
“Mr. Murphy said he had just returned from a business trip on Wednesday night. Where did he go?” Emily asked.
“Well, he went to Austin, Texas, first and then he went on to Phoenix. Is that important?”
“Oh, not really. Just trying to fill in the details.” Jake was from Phoenix. “If you’ll let him know I’m here, I’ll only keep him a few minutes. I want to bring him up to date with our investigation.”
“Of course.” She pushed her intercom button and let Patrick know that Emily was there. “Go on in, Ms. Parker.”
As Emily pushed through the large double doors, Patrick came from around his desk, extending his hand to her, which she took. “Please, have a seat.” He motioned toward the two upholstered club chairs across from his desk. “What have you learned?”
“We believe Elise’s personal trainer is involved in your wife’s disappearance.”
“Really? Have you found him?”
“Not yet, but we’re close. Detective Andrews is closing in on him as we speak, so I thought I’d come and personally deliver the good news.”
“That is good news.” Patrick sat back in his massive leather chair and smiled. Then his expression turned serious as he leaned forward and crossed his arms on the desk. “But is Elise with him? Do you know if she’s still alive?”
“We don’t know that yet. She could be, that is, we hope she is. But for all we know the gunshot we heard on your phone after the money drop went bad might have been…well, you know. So I want you to be prepared for the worst.”
He lowered his face into his hands and shuddered.
Was he crying?
He wiped his hands over his eyes. “Sorry, it’s been a difficult few days. The not knowing is the worst. After what happened with the money this afternoon, well, let’s just say I don’t hold
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