Connecting the Dots

Past patterns can tell you a lot about someone’s future. At least that’s what I was taught to believe.

Bentley challenged that belief of mine. He pushed barriers that I thought were unmovable. He raised emotions in me that I thought were dead. His lure was silent. It was irresistible. Most of all, it was deadly.

“Hey Justine, how’s it going?”

“It’ll be going well if you can help me out with this case.”

I called Detective Mickey Turner after Rodger and I finished our footwork for the day. She was a family friend and a great source of information whenever I needed it. Since she’d had interactions with Bentley and kept a close eye on him, I reached out to her to ask about his statement.

“Ivy Smith, huh? I can’t imagine what her parents are going through after all this.”

“They’re taking this really hard,” I said. “Which is why I wanna make sure I get every bit of information I can. They deserve to know, and I know there’s something deeper going on here.”

I let myself into my home and tossed my keys on the table next to my door.

“Detective Simmons seems to think so too. He’s got his eye on Bentley Thomas. Says he’s been hearing some interesting things about him and his colleagues.”

I kicked off my shoes and sat down on the couch to take in what Mickey said about Bentley. Detective Simmons was a new face in town, and Westlake had a crazy ick about newcomers. So I wondered what he heard and from whom.

“Who is this Simmons guy anyway? I saw him taking Bentley’s statement the night it happened,” I said. “Did you get a chance to read it?”

“I did.” I heard Mickey shut the door to her office, which was what she did each time she relayed confidential information to me. “He says he doesn’t know anything. He was in his office the entire time. However, a C.I. says he spotted Bentley outside the club that night. Simmons was brought in from New York by some unknown force. I don’t know too much about the guy yet, but I’m looking into him.”

There it was. My suspicions were being confirmed again. Of course, I had no proof that he had left the club that night. But in my experience, Mickey’s informants were always legit.

“Is this a new C.I. you’re working with or?”

“Oh, no, it’s not my C.I. Detective Simmons has his own team in place for this one. I’ve been advised to stay away since I’m a friend of the family. Conflict of interest. You know how it goes.”

I made a note of Detective Simmons and his authority over Ivy’s case. He seemed legit and really dedicated to finding out what happened. But I didn’t trust anyone.

“Did Bentley say anything else in his statement?” I asked. “He took me into his office to show me his view from the cameras. He even made a copy of the footage and handed it over to me. Do you think a guilty person would go that far to cover his tracks?”

“I can’t say,” Mickey sighed. “But the Thomas Clan are known to get away with murder. There’s no telling who he has on payroll or what he’s willing to do to cover his tracks. I’m definitely doing some side work on this. So if I find anything, I’ll let you know.”

Our call ended, and I immediately texted Bentley. His business trip was only supposed to last a day, but it got delayed, and he was stuck waiting for a resolution. That’s what he told me anyway.

I didn’t plan on giving him too much information or asking any questions about what Mickey and I had talked about. I just wanted to feel him out. Because when people were guilty, they could somehow sense when trouble got too close.

“Miss me?” he asked.

I didn’t admit to it, but it sort of felt like I did miss him. He was fun to talk to and kept me on my toes. He knew all the right things to say on top of being the sexiest man I’d ever laid eyes on. And he was interested in me. Never in a million years did I think a billion-dollar man would look my way.

“I haven’t missed anyone in a long time,” I lied. “Just thought I’d reach out and check in with you.”

“That sounds like a yes.”

He was such a smart ass and could be full of himself at times. His confidence was never over the top or obnoxious. It was playful and fun. Flirty and alluring. I certainly wasn’t opposed to it. But I had to keep my cool and refrain from losing myself in his charm.

“You have all the answers, don’t you?” I replied.

“Not all the answers. Just a few. What are you up to tonight?”

Going over statements was on the agenda that night. But while texting with him, I felt a sudden surge of energy that I didn’t know what to do with. And since he was still out of town and couldn’t keep me company, I had no other plans.

“Doing some digging on Ivy’s case. My life is pretty boring. What are you up to tonight?” I asked.

“A boring life keeps you out of trouble. But you shouldn’t let work consume too much of your time. Why don’t you go to the club tonight? I’ll have the girls set up a section for you. All expenses paid.”

A large smile crossed my face. I had never had a guy make reservations for me. It was sweet and made me feel important. And he wasn’t pushy or demanded that I go because he was paying for it. He really wanted me to enjoy myself.

Since a night at Club Lure was already on my to-do list, I took him up on his offer.

But I didn’t go alone.