The Legacy: A Kimberly & Sykes Mystery Novel by Kasey Mulligan Page A
Authors: Kasey Mulligan
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Sykes’ arrival and opened the door on cue.
The aromas of spicy food swirled around the doorway straight to Lauren’s nose. Sykes was laden with bags from the local Indian takeaway. With an exaggerated inward breath Lauren stepped aside. “I thought you had left.”
“Wishful thinking perhaps?” he said with a smile. “You won’t get rid of me that easily, at least not before we find what we are looking for. I had a couple of things to do and thought it made sense to pick up some food on the way back.” Sykes placed the containers on the kitchen counter and opened the cupboard to pull out some plates. Lauren raised her eyebrow and folded her arms. Sykes, in the process of taking two bowls from the upper cabinet, stopped mid air. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken it for granted it was o.k. to help myself.” He put the bowls delicately on the countertop and pointed to the open containers. “Lauren, would it be O.K. if I got plates and bowls so we can eat?”
Lauren gave a single nod of her head and sat down on a bar stool, pulling it up to the counter.
“I made pasta a couple of hours ago but I could certainly eat again, especially from this restaurant, it’s one of my favorites.”
Sykes dished the food and opened a carrier bag that contained a six-pack of cold India Pale Ale. He opened one for each of them, getting Lauren the glass she requested while he drank from the bottle.
Lauren explained what she had been doing with the yellow stickies on her wall and Sykes added a few comments about additional points she could include. With the dishwasher loaded and the remaining food put away it was time to get back on track and plan their next steps.
“That was quite the break, but, it’s time to pick up from where we left off. I was on my way to my father’s place and you were on your way to…?”
“Nice try. I didn’t say where I was going. We can pick up where you left off and head to your father’s building. It’s after supper, most people should be home.” Lauren hadn’t expected to get a straight answer however, it didn’t stop her wondering where he had gone, and what he was doing.
“Why the mystery?”
“Nothing mysterious about it Lauren. It’s about ‘need-to-know’. What I was doing is nothing you need to know.” Sykes said with authority.
Lauren looked at him for a moment, shrugged her shoulders and then got ready to leave. The sooner they were back on track, the sooner this would be over, she thought.
Chapter 17
Lauren and Sykes were soon back at her father’s apartment building, encouraged to see lights in windows indicating people were home. Mike Kimberly’s apartment unit had already been rented, but they started there in case the new renter had known him. Frequently in these old buildings, apartments changed hands amongst friends and acquaintances. It was a valid assumption but one that didn’t apply in this case: a newly arrived transplant from L.A. rented the apartment through an online agency.
Going door to door was slow, and the results were not positive. Residents in the building kept themselves to themselves and most had been living there less than two years. Most were surprised to hear a resident had recently died and didn’t know Mike Kimberly.
At the thirteenth door, they rang the bell and hit pay dirt. Who said number thirteen was an unlucky number? Having received no response to their knocks they were about to move down to the next floor when they heard a slow shuffling and some heavy panting behind the door. Wide eyed, Lauren looked at Sykes. Sykes held his finger to his lips, pulled Lauren back, and stepped in front of her. A few seconds later, the door opened in gradual increments. Sykes hunched his shoulders, leaned forward bouncing on the balls of his feet and raised his hands, ready to pounce.
The last few inches of the door flew open and a middle-aged woman, wearing the largest and most colorful muumuu Sykes had ever seen, framed the
The aromas of spicy food swirled around the doorway straight to Lauren’s nose. Sykes was laden with bags from the local Indian takeaway. With an exaggerated inward breath Lauren stepped aside. “I thought you had left.”
“Wishful thinking perhaps?” he said with a smile. “You won’t get rid of me that easily, at least not before we find what we are looking for. I had a couple of things to do and thought it made sense to pick up some food on the way back.” Sykes placed the containers on the kitchen counter and opened the cupboard to pull out some plates. Lauren raised her eyebrow and folded her arms. Sykes, in the process of taking two bowls from the upper cabinet, stopped mid air. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken it for granted it was o.k. to help myself.” He put the bowls delicately on the countertop and pointed to the open containers. “Lauren, would it be O.K. if I got plates and bowls so we can eat?”
Lauren gave a single nod of her head and sat down on a bar stool, pulling it up to the counter.
“I made pasta a couple of hours ago but I could certainly eat again, especially from this restaurant, it’s one of my favorites.”
Sykes dished the food and opened a carrier bag that contained a six-pack of cold India Pale Ale. He opened one for each of them, getting Lauren the glass she requested while he drank from the bottle.
Lauren explained what she had been doing with the yellow stickies on her wall and Sykes added a few comments about additional points she could include. With the dishwasher loaded and the remaining food put away it was time to get back on track and plan their next steps.
“That was quite the break, but, it’s time to pick up from where we left off. I was on my way to my father’s place and you were on your way to…?”
“Nice try. I didn’t say where I was going. We can pick up where you left off and head to your father’s building. It’s after supper, most people should be home.” Lauren hadn’t expected to get a straight answer however, it didn’t stop her wondering where he had gone, and what he was doing.
“Why the mystery?”
“Nothing mysterious about it Lauren. It’s about ‘need-to-know’. What I was doing is nothing you need to know.” Sykes said with authority.
Lauren looked at him for a moment, shrugged her shoulders and then got ready to leave. The sooner they were back on track, the sooner this would be over, she thought.
Chapter 17
Lauren and Sykes were soon back at her father’s apartment building, encouraged to see lights in windows indicating people were home. Mike Kimberly’s apartment unit had already been rented, but they started there in case the new renter had known him. Frequently in these old buildings, apartments changed hands amongst friends and acquaintances. It was a valid assumption but one that didn’t apply in this case: a newly arrived transplant from L.A. rented the apartment through an online agency.
Going door to door was slow, and the results were not positive. Residents in the building kept themselves to themselves and most had been living there less than two years. Most were surprised to hear a resident had recently died and didn’t know Mike Kimberly.
At the thirteenth door, they rang the bell and hit pay dirt. Who said number thirteen was an unlucky number? Having received no response to their knocks they were about to move down to the next floor when they heard a slow shuffling and some heavy panting behind the door. Wide eyed, Lauren looked at Sykes. Sykes held his finger to his lips, pulled Lauren back, and stepped in front of her. A few seconds later, the door opened in gradual increments. Sykes hunched his shoulders, leaned forward bouncing on the balls of his feet and raised his hands, ready to pounce.
The last few inches of the door flew open and a middle-aged woman, wearing the largest and most colorful muumuu Sykes had ever seen, framed the
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