Page 92 of Counter Attack

Alex had to almost jog to keep up with the older woman as she rolled her walker to the elevator. Once inside her condo, she took the packages from Alex and carefully placed them on a mahogany dining room table. The condo was a mirror to Denton’s, except Ms. Mattie’s was furnished with well-polished antique furniture. “Your place is lovely,” Alex said.

“Thank you, dear. The furniture is old, like me, but you can’t get pieces like this any longer.”

Alex ran her hand over a dark green rocking chair. “This is a Windsor, isn’t it?”

“You have a good eye.”

“I should. My grandmother dragged me in and out of antique stores when I first went to live with them and would now if I had time.” Her phone dinged a text. Nathan. She quickly messaged him where she was and told him to come up.

“Then you probably have an appreciation for old things.”

She’d never thought about it, but Alex supposed she did. “I’ve asked a friend to meet me here. Do you mind?”

“Of course not. I’ll put on a kettle and we’ll have tea.” She pulled out an electric kettle before Alex could tell her they didn’t have time for tea.

Ms. Mattie smiled at her. “Phillip was an old soul like you. I guess that’s why we clicked.” She stared at the kettle, lost in thought. “I was so surprised to learn he was a magician.”

“A magician?” The revelation made her forget that she was about to protest that Ms. Mattie wasn’t old.

The doorbell rang, and they both turned toward the door. “That must be my friend. I’ll get it.”

After she let Nathan in, she made the introductions and said, “Ms. Mattie was friends with Phillip Denton. In fact, I think she was his only friend in Chattanooga.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” the older woman said from the doorway. “He met someone for lunch almost every week. Never did say who it was, but they must’ve been friends. Have you talked to that person?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Getting information from Ms. Mattie about Denton was like getting water from a rusty pump. It came in drips. “Anything else you can think of?”

Ms. Mattie shifted her eyes to the right. “Have you talked to the friend who dropped by late at night?”

“No. Did you ever see this person?”

“Just from the back.” She shrugged. “I suppose it could’ve been one of his magician buddies.”

“Magician?” Nathan looked from Ms. Mattie to Alex.

“Yes.” She beamed at him. “My, you are one fine specimen of the male species.”

Nathan turned three shades of red, and Alex ducked her head to keep from laughing. “I’m confused,” he said. “What about magicians?”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Ms. Mattie said. “I bet you feel like you came in on the middle of a conversation.”

This time Alex did laugh. “I think he did, Ms. Mattie.”

The older woman frowned then shook it off. “Phillip was a magician. His best trick was sleight of hand. He’d misdirect my attention with his left hand so he could hide something in his right. Got me every time.”

Alex’s breath caught in her chest. Misdirection. The fake bomb yesterday. Spending today in Chattanooga chasing a ghost ... While not exactly misdirection, it certainly tied up her time.

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Misdirection,” Nathan repeated, his voice echoing in the stairwell as he followed Alexis down the steps of the condo building.

“Maybe not misdirection, but a waste of time.” Alexis hit the exit door, spilling them into the lobby.

“It’s only three so not the whole day and not sure it was wasted, anyway.” Nathan caught up with her and opened the entrance door. “We’re down the street.”

He’d moved his truck from the building parking lot after the evacuation. Five minutes later they were headed to I-24. “We got a lot of information today, and a couple of things Madden said gave me ideas.”

“I’ll take anything.”

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