Chapter Five
Life settled down after the weekend, and the four of them fell into a routine of sorts. True, nobody would nominate them to win a Family of the Year award, but they all buckled down for the long haul. Both Minka’s and Robin’s snippy remarks abated, creating a more peaceful environment.
Minka spent much of her limited free time pondering the investigation. Her brother’s arrest had all but closed the case on the police’s end, and though Cael assured her they’d remain vigilant if anything arose, his other cases would seize most of his time. Thus, if anything was buried out there that could prove Robin’s alibi true, she needed to unearth it on her own.
With so many holes in it, however, she couldn’t even decide where to start. She couldn’t find everyone who visited the bowling alley the infamous night to determine what they might’ve noticed. Thus, until the optimum plan occurred to her, she resigned herself to proceed with her day-to-day life.
An unexpected source revived her intrigue. While Cael and Caela were at aerobics Tuesday, Minka was watching television, and Robin passed through to use the bathroom. She kept quiet on his way in, but her conscience prodded her to acknowledge him, at least, before he retreated downstairs.
“Do you need any extra blankets for your bed to get through this cold snap?” She used the low-fifties temperatures to her advantage.
“I’m good. A basement’s a basement.”
His ungraciousness never ceased to annoy her, but she persisted in her efforts. “I wish the circumstances didn’t box you in like this.”
“You’re telling me.” He didn’t disagree for a change. “I know I filed a suit against the guy, but I never fought with him, unlike Josie Walton.”
“Who’s she?”
“Our public relations executive until last month. I never overheard them myself, but they argued nonstop, according to the office grapevine. At the same time, rumor also had it they were ‘making up’ after work.”
His sister didn’t dare to ask him to elaborate on the latter, remembering how colored his sense of humor could be. Even so, she craved more insight into the woman’s role. “Did she quit?”
“No, he fired her. He didn’t share it with anyone until he introduced her replacement at the beginning of the year.”
Minka considered the information for a moment, which proved to be too long when Robin started trotting back down the steps. Before he made it to the fourth one, she took a longshot. “You didn’t happen to notice her at the bowling alley with him, did you?”
“I’ve only run into her once or twice, so I couldn’t say, but there was a lady with him.”
She wished he would’ve related the account sooner but reckoned it might not have made a difference. Like many with his job description, Hamilton’s business dealings no doubt cost him friends at times, and Josie Walton could’ve clashed with him over matters like that. If they’d developed more than a professional relationship and had a date at the bowling alley, however, that put her into another category—suspects.
Once again, her fingers danced across the keyboard, trying to dig up all she could on the PR woman. Thankfully, her public position allowed Minka to access a fair amount, with her social media profiles open to anyone’s eyes. Minka’s attention zeroed in on her relationship status, which proclaimed the ever common, “It’s Complicated.” She also noted that Josie had already found employment from a rising restaurant chain, and judging by the ads she’d posted to her feed, it didn’t appear she was wasting any time mourning her departure from Stags.
With regard to her personal life, though, the posts conveyed a despondent outlook. Hamilton didn’t grace the page, but Josie shared plenty of romantic quotes. In her eight-year-long social media presence, the quotations and poems she’d posted varied from the wonders of love to the miseries of it, indicating on-again, off-again relationships. Minka grew tired of them, but one in particular stuck out, especially when she observed that Josie published it the day her alleged lover wound up in a coma.
“The love of a half-dead heart will keep you half alive.”
She found the words somewhat puzzling, but she had to wonder if Josie was alluding to Hamilton’s soon-to-be half-dead heart…and if it would become that way by her own design.
****
Minka spent the rest of the evening mulling over her discoveries. She failed to spot any evidence of Hamilton being involved with Josie, nor any indication that she’d accompanied him bowling. Hence, she decided to keep her suspicions to herself, again hating to paint herself desperate by voicing wild speculations. When Cael returned with Caela, she mentioned Robin’s recalling that a woman was with Hamilton at the alley and added nothing more.
He agreed to investigate it, but she couldn’t drop the matter there. In her research, she learned Josie met with a book club at the library every Wednesday. With it located not far from their neighborhood, Minka itched to join that week’s meeting, even if it meant she had to cram the selected book in less than twenty-four hours. She downloaded the e-book version of the renaissance romance novel after she tucked Caela in her crib, and since it was a simple read, she finished the epilogue before needing to get the little one up for breakfast the next day.
Wes observed her reading over her cereal. “You’ve never been this captivated by a book before.”
“I’m not.” She set down her tablet. “I’d rather gouge out my eyeballs with tongs than read this. These women act like they can’t blink without a man around.”
“Hey, it’s nice to be appreciated. Maybe it’ll remind you of what it’s like to show your man some romance.”
“Touché, me lord.” She curtsied, then carried her bowl to the dishwasher.
“If you hate it so much, why are you reading it?”
“For my book club.”
“When did you join a book club?”
His wife had hoped for one of those instances when he was paying partial attention and would accept the little he heard. When he proved her wrong, she admitted the truth. “Last night. Robin told me yesterday that Hamilton was allegedly dating an employee, who he fired a couple of months ago. I did some digging on her and found out she was in one, so I’d like to go to their meeting tonight.”
“Like any good stalker would do.”
Minka giggled, before she asked if he minded having Caela alone again. He assured her he didn’t, giving her the whole day to focus on her strategy.
Contrary to the criticism she expressed to her husband, she praised the story up and down when she chatted with the group, which won her favor. That didn’t matter to her, though, since Josie hadn’t arrived by the time the meeting began. Needless to say, she released a sigh of relief when the woman she recognized entered the room a few minutes later.
She analyzed her from afar, employing her profiling skills. Josie didn’t let much show while her friends discussed their views on the plot, but once she took her turn, she didn’t make it hard to read her.
“I loved how vividly the author conveyed the heartache of enduring an unrequited love.” The comment reminded Minka of the quotes she’d posted online. “I could feel Francine’s pain over Theodore’s constant attention to his job and other women. I admired the way she overcame it, especially considering how important marriage was back then. I just…”
She trailed off, overcome by emotion, and her audience applauded. Minka cringed at the soundness of it, but with her goal in mind, she played along. Josie sunk down in her seat, and her friend beside her consoled her through the rest of the reviews. Afterward, much of the group huddled around her, too. As an outsider, Minka kept her distance but had the volume on her cochlear as high as she could tolerate it. From what she surmised, Josie already informed the ladies of her recent breakup, but none seemed to be privy to the details.
Minka planned to leave when Josie did, which forced her to stay longer than she would’ve liked. She munched on snacks to avoid suspicion, until her target headed out to the parking lot. She followed her, reminded of Wes’s comparing her to a stalker. Josie’s car occupied a spot close to the entrance, so she managed to casually approach her along the way.
She initiated the conversation before the woman could duck into her vehicle. “I enjoyed your speech.”
“It didn’t consist of much.” Josie seemed more embarrassed than she had earlier.
“It was more than I gave. I’m Minka, by the way.”
“Josie. I would’ve liked to hear your thoughts.”
“Thanks, but public speaking intimidates me. The unrequited love storyline drew me in, too. I suspect we’ve all experienced it at some point, in varying degrees.”
Josie pursed her lips, nodding, and for a moment, Minka didn’t expect her to say any more. Nonetheless, she stood still, and her patience paid off.
“Most times, I’ve played the bad guy in those scenarios. I guess I send the wrong signals, which probably helps me excel in PR. I like to employ manipulation techniques. In my latest relationship, though, I found myself on the opposite end and discovered how much it hurts.”
“Was he a lot like Theodore?”
“Pretty much. He didn’t have any other women, at least to my knowledge. His work was his mistress, and I finally had enough. It took me being left alone at a bowling alley to get there, but I did.”
Minka sucked in her desperation, restraining her arms from grabbing her to shake a better explanation out of her. “He took you bowling and deserted you?”
“Yes. A friend of his visited from out of town, and my boyfriend claimed he wanted us to meet, but he didn’t do more than introduce us before they split off by themselves. They never even played, unless they did after I left. He directed me to wait at the bar, but after two drinks, I stormed outside and called a cab.”
Minka wanted to ask if she’d spoken to him since, but Josie became distracted.
“I forgot my purse inside. I’d better run in for it before they lock up. Nice to meet you, Minka.”
She reciprocated and started to stroll to her SUV. Upon noticing that Josie had left her door open with her phone on the driver’s seat, she peered around and grabbed it when she verified no one was nearby. With the phone unlocked, she tapped on her text messages app in haste. She scrolled down to her chain with Hamilton and their dialogue on the night in question. She discovered his invitation to go out with him, followed by a brief exchange after Josie lost patience.
He realized her absence at three minutes past nine.
—Where are you?—
—I busted out of there half an hour ago. Your buddy and so-called business seemed to amuse you better than I can.—
Hamilton didn’t reply and would be assaulted minutes later. Josie apparently didn’t get word of it for two days, during which she sent him repeated appeals to talk. She may have engaged in a romantic relationship with her boss, but she didn’t batter him.
****
As she drove home, Minka contemplated Josie’s date with Hamilton and envisioned the scene. She could imagine her sitting alone, lonely and bored, but wondered what preoccupied the CEO for so long. People often invited friends along to bond with a new love interest and merge their social circles, but why tend to business concerns on such an occasion? Plus, what kind of business could he accomplish at a bowling alley with a friend who lived so far away?
After she returned home and spent some time with Wes, she decided to research Hamilton’s buddy. She remembered his name was Steadman Rissdale and typed it into the search box, which led her to his company, Riss Software. In every sense of the word, it mirrored Stags Technology, with its products and services similar to the ones featured on Stags’ website. Upon her further examination, she learned that Riss had boasted more sales than Stags had the prior year, in spite of it being established almost a decade later.
Operating in different countries, they probably didn’t pose much of a threat to each other, but it surprised her to note Hamilton’s name on the list of Riss Software’s shareholders. More brow-raising than that, a recent press release announced the construction of a new branch in Orlando. Why would Hamilton invest in the competition, much less usher it to his own backyard?
The corporate world always puzzled her, so she didn’t strain to understand it at the late hour. Regardless, it explained what occupied the two and stole Hamilton’s attention from Josie. But why conduct such business at a bowling alley?
Her day of speculation wore her out, making her sleep better than she had since Robin’s arrival. Her Thursday morning showed promise, with her decreased anxiety level seeming to rub off on Caela, who didn’t even cry when she woke. For a whole twenty minutes, cheer bloomed in the Avery household…until her brother entered the room.
With his hair a mess and pajamas full of holes, Robin stumbled into the kitchen and uttered a groan. His demeanor didn’t surprise Minka, as he greeted most days the same way when they attended school. She remained calm and tried to treat him like she’d observed her mother do—albeit without the terms of endearment.
“What would you like for breakfast?”
“An omelet,” he grunted.
“I think we’re out of eggs. I’ll buy some today. Is cereal all right?”
“Whatever.”
Though his lack of gratitude and manners grated on her nerves, she kept her cool. “Did you sleep well?”
“Nah, I never do in that basement.”
Her anger began to take shape. “The garage couldn’t have offered much more comfort.”
“The back seat of your car isn’t so bad.”
She gritted her teeth and mumbled, “Then, why’d I bother carting a mattress down all those narrow stairs?”
“You tell me.” His exceptional hearing had always compensated for her lack thereof.
“You are just a ray of sunshine today.”
“Don’t blame me. My beds ran out three weeks ago.”
His statement floored her. “Your meds?”
“Yeah, I take an antidepressant and anxiety medication.”
“Why haven’t you told me? I could’ve picked them up for you.” She’d do anything to better his mood for everybody’s sake.
“My shrink insists I visit him before he fills out a new prescription, but I’m stranded here with this stupid tracker on me.”
“You’re allowed to go to doctors’ appointments. How long have you been seeing a psychiatrist?”
He shrugged and carried his breakfast into the living room. “Since I was a kid.”
Paralyzed by the realization, Minka froze in place. A therapist had treated both of them for a year after the abduction, but she’d assumed the doctor released him at the same time she signed off on her. They moved away after her final session, and her parents had never hinted to taking either one of them to a new therapist. Sure, her mom or dad took Robin to places on his own from time to time, but she always believed their claims of going to basketball or tee-ball practice.
They were all lies, however, no doubt to protect her from the truth. As it sunk in, Minka slowly dropped to the floor, the same guilt that had plagued her at eight years old rushing back to her. She couldn’t help but remember the many times she’d become angry with him over his behavior, when the whole while, he was still suffering from the trauma she’d failed to prevent.
When she rose back to her feet, her remorse made it hard to face Robin, like she struggled to in the days after his rescue. She couldn’t avoid him for long, though, having a baby waiting to be fed at the table and other errands to run. Hence, she regained her composure and resumed her day.
He scheduled an appointment with his psychiatrist that afternoon, so she drove him. In the car, she continued to reflect on their childhood and how their relationship changed after his kidnapping. She’d asked him countless times to tell her what he’d gone through, but he never opened up to her. After a few weeks, her parents instructed her to stop questioning him. Up till now, all she’d gleaned was that his abductor locked him in a basement…
The instant the thought crossed her mind, Minka rebuked herself for being such an utter fool. She couldn’t believe she’d force him to stay in their basement, forgetting the nightmare he’d lived in one. For a moment, she almost convinced herself that it hadn’t occurred to Robin, either, but in light of his slighting comments that very morning, she perceived it did affect him.
Ashamed, she wanted to ask him outright and beg for his forgiveness, but she resisted the impulse. When dealing with her brother, she had to handle matters with discretion.
“I was just considering how you said you can’t sleep in the basement.” She started to tiptoe onto the tightrope. “Does the bed bother you, or is it something else?”
Once again, he employed a deflective mechanism. “I don’t know.”
“We can switch some things up if it would help. Wes and I could park outside if you’d rather be in the garage. I understand it isn’t the cleanest, but you’re welcome to it.” She tried to conceal her grin about the cleanliness aspect.
He stared into space.
“Or I suppose we could scoot Caela’s crib into our room, and you could stay in her nursery.” Minka didn’t like the idea, but she was desperate to drag an answer out of him.
It worked, prompting him to glare at her, but he didn’t give the response she’d wanted. “Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden?”
His words stirred up a mix of frustration, humor, and confusion in her. “Well, you are on ‘house arrest,’ so I want you to feel at home.”
“Give me a break, Minka.”
With no other choice, she decided to admit a semblance of the truth to him. “I guess I just realized the challenges you’ve encountered in your life, and I don’t want to add to them.”
All at once, his face softened, and he seemed to sense that she had pure intentions. Not the sentimental type, he spun back around to gaze out the window. “I’ll take the garage.”
****
Minka sat in the waiting room, flipping through magazines while Caela played in the kiddie corner. Robin’s appointment had exceeded his allotted hour, but subsequent to the last few weeks, she understood. Plus, the doctor didn’t have any patients waiting for him, so a little overtime pay wouldn’t hurt him. Regardless, she didn’t mind, as long as she didn’t have to pick up the bill.
In fact, the time she spent there refreshed her, almost a psychiatric treatment in itself. Of course, she still had to keep a close eye on Caela, but she didn’t shoulder the same responsibilities she did at home. For once, she could sit and relax, assured her brother was in good hands. She hadn’t enjoyed this much peace in weeks, despite the rocky start to the morning.
When Robin’s visit approached the ninety-minute mark, Caela began to fuss, and Minka started to grow tired of reading the latest gossip and parenting tips. To occupy them both, she lifted the little one onto her lap and bounced her, while her gaze drifted to the muted television, which was tuned to a world news station. The closed captions translated the stories it was covering. She scanned it with minimal interest, but before long, a report brought her to attention:
Breaking news out of Quebec: Founder and CEO of Riss Software, Steadman Rissdale, was just escorted out of his office by police amid allegations of embezzlement. According to reports, a recent audit revealed an inaccuracy in the company’s accounts, with the books boasting five million dollars that couldn’t be tracked down. The sum was later found dispersed in three different offshore accounts, all linked to Rissdale. At this time, police haven’t charged anyone else, but sources anticipate more to fall into the crosshairs in the coming days.
Minka gasped the instant the screen displayed the man she’d researched just a few nights ago. Questions about Hamilton’s connection to the scandal raced through her mind, and she wondered if it was the scandal that consumed the men’s attention during their evening of bowling. Could it be coincidence that they both would land in tumultuous situations around the same time? Minka didn’t believe so.
Disrupting her thoughts, Robin emerged from the doctor’s office and nodded toward the door. She picked up her daughter and followed him, but her mind continued to spin. All the way home, she pondered the possibility of the two incidents somehow being linked, but she didn’t have the resources to go much further.
Had she worked on the force, Minka wouldn’t have hesitated to run her theory by Cael, even if he still would’ve found the holes in it. Being in the position she was, however, she resolved to do her homework first. She seized her laptop the instant she had some time to herself.
She skimmed through several articles discussing Rissdale’s latest exploits, many of which reiterated the same allegations the news report had. Giving up on that subject for now, she decided to dig deeper into his relationship with Hamilton. The two appeared to be longtime friends, posing in various photos together over the years at charity events and personal outings. Their life courses seemed to coincide, too, with both divorcing their wives the same year and rising in their business pursuits shortly thereafter.
Again, she reflected on Perry’s involvement in Riss Software, and it didn’t cease to confound her. To the best of her ability, she searched to find out if they were sister companies, but she didn’t spot any indicators of it. Steadman wasn’t listed anywhere on Stags’ site, so Perry’s investment seemed to be one-sided.
Wes bent over his wife’s shoulder. “Who’s Steadman Rissdale?”
Although she never liked when he snooped into her investigations, Minka welcomed the chance to tell somebody about her theorizing. “He’s Perry Hamilton’s bowling buddy the night he was attacked. Ironically, he’s in some sorry straights himself. He was just caught juggling the books of his software company and supposedly embezzled five million dollars. When I did some probing the other day, I discovered Hamilton was one of the company’s largest investors, and it puzzled me. This takes it to another level.”
“Why would he invest in a competitor?”
“That’s what I can’t understand. Their companies don’t seem to be related or anything, but Hamilton’s even been backing an effort to establish a branch here. It just doesn’t add up for a good businessman to welcome a rival company to his own stomping grounds.”
For a change, Wes followed her reasoning. “Unless he cares more about his own success than that of his own corporation.”
“Exactly. I traced through their sales and stock, and Riss Software has been far outmatching Stags Tech in recent years. I can’t help but wonder if he’s submitting to his own demise. Meanwhile, he could be preparing to reemerge as one of Riss’ founding fathers. People have done stranger things in the name of an ego and greed.”
“True, but are you suggesting this has something to do with Robin’s case?”
“I’m not sure. Even if Hamilton is involved in Rissdale’s criminal activity, it doesn’t mean Robin’s off the hook. There’s still a chance he ‘just so happened’ to go after his boss the same night Hamilton was visiting with his shady friend. Still, it just smells like too much of a coincidence, you know? At the very least, Hamilton must have some insight into his buddy’s schemes, and maybe that led to his assault.”
“I guess it’s possible, but I had a couple of friends in college who didn’t have the best of records; I was hardly aware of their shenanigans.”
She eyed him with skepticism. “You and I both know that isn’t true.”
“It is when we’re talking around my daughter.” He grabbed Caela off the floor and cradled her in his lap. “I appreciate your points on this mess, honey, but don’t get too wrapped up in it. You have enough on your plate as it is. While it isn’t ideal to have Robin here, you can’t go on a desperate witch hunt trying to vindicate him and get him out of our hair.”
“I’m not doing this just to kick him out the door. Sure, it’d be a perk, but that’s not my motive. I may not be a cop anymore, but I still don’t want someone to commit a crime and allow somebody else to take the rap for it, especially when it involves my family. How could I face my parents again if I let Robin go to prison when I doubted his guilt?”
Wes didn’t argue with her reasoning, but Robin’s entrance into the room ended the conversation. Minka resolved not to reveal any of the recent developments to him, hating to build up his hopes of being proven innocent. Plus, she didn’t want to encourage him to sway her opinion in the wrong direction if he was guilty.
“Have you picked up my beds yet?”
“No. I had to wait until Wes was home to watch the baby.”
Meds? her uninformed husband queried in ASL.
Tell you later, she signed, then said out loud, “I’ll start dinner, then head to the pharmacy.”
“When you do,” Robin said, “could you take my phone and get me some Wiki Rocks? My game’s been down since I’ve been trapped here.”
“Wiki Rocks?”
“From Wiki Revolution,” the guys said in unison. Robin gave his brother-in-law a high-five.
She raised a brow at her husband. “You mean the ridiculous game that had you scouring the city for imaginary dinosaurs while I was taking care of our newborn?”
Wes grinned. “I always combined it with diaper runs.”
Robin passed her his phone. “I have a couple eggs that need hatched, too, so drive slowly.”
“I’ll give it a go, but hatching your eggs seems a little too personal.”
For the first time in years, he snickered at his sister’s wit, making Minka, once again, wish they’d shared a closer bond. Her sadness evaporated, however, when he proceeded to order Wes to cart his belongings out to the garage. Unaware of that development, too, her husband leveled a puzzled expression at her, but she reaffirmed her approval of the request.
By the time she returned home, the two had already finished furnishing the space. When she hit her garage door opener, she discovered her brother lying in his bed. He raised his head and shot a perturbed scowl at her, as if she were invading his space. She was tempted to throw up a sign even he would understand, but she resisted, advising herself to stick to her word.
She plastered on a Cheshire grin, backing up and lowering the door down. “Sorry.”
Despite the inconvenience she’d just encountered, it relieved her to find only Wes playing with Caela in the living room. The television wasn’t blaring in the background, and the microwave didn’t beep incessantly after heating up a frozen burrito. Rather, her little family passed the time in peace.
As much as she wanted to bask in the newfound solace, her thoughts continued to drift back to Hamilton’s potential hand in his friend’s fraud. With the scope of it, she doubted she’d be able to deduce if or how it was related to the assault and questioned if the police could, either. There was a chance the authorities in Quebec would uncover some link to Hamilton, but would it be enough to impact Robin’s fate?
While her lack of a badge had been a detriment throughout the predicament, Minka realized how, in this instance, her status as a sister could work again to her advantage. In light of the allegations against her brother, she could pay a visit to Hamilton to apologize for Robin’s behavior. She could take her time with him, listening to the ordeal he’d endured, all while gathering any intel she could about him. True, it wasn’t a warrant, but at least it could get her through the door.
With her plot strategized, Minka headed to Stags’ main branch the next morning to determine if he was back on the job. Since it was the building where Robin worked, she told the front office she wanted to collect his belongings. The secretary surprised her when she grabbed a small box from beside her and handed it over without delay, not uttering a word. The news had clearly spread that Robin was Hamilton’s alleged attacker, but the disgruntled woman agreed to let Minka apologize to the CEO face-to-face.
For his part, Hamilton’s demeanor was friendly, despite the bandages still covering the wounds on his face. He smiled when she entered the room, even standing from his desk to greet her with a handshake. He appeared to have made significant progress since Cael’s interview with him a couple weeks prior.
Then, his voice had been weak, tremulous. Now, he welcomed her in almost a shout, apparently aware of her hearing impediment. “Hello, Mrs. Avery. It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve admired your work with the police department.”
Taken aback, Minka wondered how he knew who she was, but she reciprocated in kind. “Nice to meet you, too, sir. I’m glad you’re back on your feet.”
“So am I. I’m sure this wouldn’t have happened if you had been on the job.” She assumed he was trying to appeal to her ego. His belittling manner, in reality, did nothing for it. “Please, have a seat, and tell me why I have the privilege of having you in my office.”
She bit her tongue but remained cordial. “I don’t want to take up too much of your time, sir, but I’m Robin Parker’s sister. I just wanted to apologize on behalf of my family for any involvement he had in your injuries.”
“I appreciate that, but it’s unnecessary, as far as I’m concerned. It’s been a rough experience, but I’ve forgiven whoever’s to blame.” Hamilton’s docile statement sounded a bit rehearsed to Minka, and so did his follow-up. “As you’d imagine, his employment has been terminated here, no matter what his future holds, but I hope you’ll pass along that I wish him the best.”
Minka checked out his office every time he glanced away. “That’s kind of you.”
“To be honest, I’m sorry for your family’s suffering in all of this. I can understand how difficult it is when somebody you care about disappoints you.”
She nodded, right before the CEO’s phone rang. She half expected him to excuse her, since their business was pretty much finished from his standpoint, but he just rotated his chair. He greeted his caller in a much lower volume than he’d been using with her, but it wasn’t close to a whisper. His misperception of Minka’s limitations worked to her advantage, as it allowed her to eavesdrop without even trying. To her disappointment, it seemed to be all business that didn’t involve Rissdale.
Caela let out a whimper, signaling that her patience was running out. In an attempt not to disrupt him, Minka rolled the stroller back and forth, which soothed the baby as usual. Even so, her mother figured it wouldn’t last for very long and seized the opportunity to continue to visually browse the room for anything that could assist in her research. The office didn’t have many personal touches, no doubt because of his lack of a wife or child. Behind his chair, she noticed a college flag, and soon after, her eyes caught the school’s logo also on his bachelor’s degree. Studying the framed document as best she could from her vantage point, she realized it bore a different name: Percy Hickington.
Smiling, she understood why Hamilton had opted to change his name but typed it into her phone for future reference. Perceiving that his call was wrapping up, Minka scanned her surroundings thoroughly and spotted a framed picture of Hamilton and Rissdale. She stared at it for a brief spell, until Hamilton’s closing sentence beckoned her attention.
“We’ve taken care of it on our end, so there’s no need for alarm.”
The statement could’ve pertained to a number of subjects, but something in his manner gave her a bad feeling. She ignored it for the moment, as he apologized for the interruption.
Unable to resist another impulse, she called attention to the photo of him and his friend, playing dumb. “I recognize him from somewhere. Hasn’t he been in the news lately?”
“He has indeed.” Hamilton let out a sigh, which seemed more genuine than anything he’d done the whole time. “Like I said, I can understand what it’s like when someone you care about disappoints you.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“Once a detective, always a detective, right?”