Page 24 of Copper

It’s good to know that he’ll be here all night. I don’t tell him that his wife is going to be more upset to find a police officer at the door. I’m going there next, and I need to make sure he isn’t going to interrupt us.

Chapter 11

Aaron

Shedoesn’tunlockthestorm door when I show her my badge and smile like I’m a normal person and not a psycho here to kill her. I’d never hurt her, but I guess she doesn’t know that. She pales, like she saw a ghost, and her hand shakes as she holds on to a dainty teacup like what my grandmother drank out of. Maybe that’s what makes her look so old.

She’s a couple years older than Lucy, but there are bags under her eyes. This is a woman who hasn’t been sleeping. She’s wrapped in an old gray sweater that doesn’t go with her black Lululemon leggings and the house slippers on her feet that look like expensive fabric boots. A grungy white t-shirt is under the sweater and looks like it could use a wash.

“I just want to ask a few questions about Beck Lenin. Can I come in?”

She shivers at the name and looks left and right up the street. Is she scared of him like Lucy is scared of him? Did they fight?

Her fingers toy with the lock on the screen. “Did someone send you?” she asks.

The question startles me, and I open my mouth in surprise. It must be enough of a genuine reaction to get her to open the door because she unlocks the door and pushes it open before stepping back. Is she afraid I’ll grab her? Does she think this is a kidnapping attempt? Who would send me? Beck?

I climb the two steps into the entryway of her home and keep my hands visible. I need my phone to take notes, but I don’t dare put my hands in my pockets now. She may think I’m carrying a weapon. I am. I have my service weapon in my back holster, but my jacket covers it. Something tells me that I’d never need to use it with her anyway.

She’s terrified of me. Her lip quivers, and she backs against the wall, knocking over a nearby frame of Jalen holding a golfing trophy. “What do you want with me?”

“Can we sit down, Mrs. Quarry? I’m with the police. I just have a few questions for you.”

She waves me to the nicely decorated living room and waits for me to walk into the room first. She doesn’t want to turn her back on me. I normally don’t like to turn my back on anyone I don’t know and trust – it’s just the cop in me – but I don’t think a woman that weighs all of a hundred pounds dripping wet will get the jump on me. If I can get her to relax, I have a feeling she’ll be a great source of information.

I take in the room and smile at her wedding pictures on the mantle as I make my way to a rose-colored loveseat with white and yellow cushions. The room is cheerful and bright. It’s definitely a contrast to Ellen’s demeanor and clothing today. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was in mourning. The rest of the room is floral patterns and pinks with a rich, white shag rug in the middle of the room.

She practically slinks onto the couch across from me. No offer of coffee or water. Most people I question want to impress the police officers at their door. Play nice.

Ellen Quarry doesn’t give a shit.

She pulls her sweater tighter around her chest. “What did you want to know?”

I lean forward. “I’m going to get my phone out so I can take notes, OK?” She nods, and I finally reach into my pocket. “It’s my understanding you know Beck Lenin.”

“What would make you think that?”

I sigh and look around the room again, finding my words carefully. “Mrs. Quarry, I know you were having an affair with him.”

She sits up straighter and her eyes widen to silver dollars. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“His wife reported him missing. We know you were involved with him. I’m not here to judge you, Mrs. Quarry. I’ve spoken to your husband about Beck’s work life, and I did not mention your affair. I have no desire to break up your marriage. Hell, maybe you have an open marriage. It’s not my business what you do in your bedroom. It is my business to gather information about Beck to see where he may be.”

She’s silent, but a little tea sloshes onto her leggings as her hand shakes. After what seems like minutes, she clears her throat. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“Tell me how it is. Please. His wife wants to divorce him, and she needs to find him to serve him papers.”

Something in her eyes lights up like a match spark. Happy Lucy’s leaving him? Angry? I can’t tell, and other than trembling, which could be for any number of reasons, Ellen Quarry’s holding her cards close to her chest.

“How did you meet him? Let’s start there.”

She looks down, ashamed. “Jalen’s work party. He was so…charismatic.”

I smile and prop my leg on my knee in a relaxed pose, trying to put her at ease. “You wouldn’t be the first to say so. His wife indicated that he could charm the birds out of the trees when he felt like it.”

My phone vibrates in my hand, and I swipe the red phone button to send Mitchell to voice mail. Can’t the man take direction? I told him I was handling personal business and couldn’t be bothered.

“I met Beck during a bad time in my marriage,” Ellen says, her face reddening and her eyes filling with tears.

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