Page 56 of Whispers Left Behind

He had been able to convince Evelyn Reichard to call the Fallbrook Police Department and officially label Calvin Gantz a missing person. Beck might have suggested that, should it be discovered something happened to the man, the house stood a chance to go to the closest next of kin. He had no idea if what he had spouted during the call was true, but the end result had been a formal missing persons claim.

Beck tapped his thumb on the steering wheel as the other end of the line rang numerous times. He was just about to pull the phone away from his ear when a familiar voice greeted him.

“Ryan, it’s Beck. I have a quick question for you,” Beck greeted as he adjusted the vent away from his face. “How difficultis it to shut off a home security system without the owner’s knowledge?”

“I didn’t take you for a criminal, Serra.” Ryan’s laughter could be heard over what sounded like a loud fan. “Tell me this is a hypothetical question.”

“Hypothetically, how difficult is it to shut off a home security system without the owner’s knowledge?”

“Hypothetically, it would depend on the system. It is hooked to a landline? Wireless? Do you have a particular brand in this scenario?”

Those were questions without answers, and Beck figured he would have an easier time asking Kinsley for the code outright…which is a scenario that would never come to fruition.

“Never mind. Forget I asked,” Beck muttered as a white Chrysler sedan entered the neighborhood. “How has Miami been treating you?”

“My days are filled with sunshine, vodka, and beautiful women. You’re freelancing, right? You’re out of your damn mind for staying in that cold ass state.”

“You’re probably right.” Beck monitored the vehicle with interest when the driver slowed down and began to pull into Kinsley’s driveway. “Ryan, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you back if that hypothetical situation ever pops up again.”

Beck lowered his cell phone. He recognized Margaret Aspen as she stepped out of the car. Her chestnut-colored hair was blown into her face as she quickly reached for the handle on the back door. Before too long, she had leaned inside to collect what appeared to be a white square box. Once she had the container securely in hand, she closed both doors and made her way to the front entrance of Kinsley’s townhouse.

He had never met Margaret in person. The one-on-one interviews he had arranged with George Aspen and Calvin Gantzhad been held at the offices of Aspen Law LLP. Beck wondered if she would even recognize his name should he introduce himself.

Margaret stood at the front door for a moment, finding a specific key on her keyring. Before too long, she disappeared inside. Beck waited in his car for a while. After five minutes had passed and Margaret never exited the house, Beck made the impulsive decision to knock on the front door.

A cold gust of wind whipped at his face as he stepped out of the rental car. He pressed the key fob to lock the doors since his leather satchel containing his laptop was in the backseat. Even though the neighborhood seemed decent, he didn’t want to take any chances that someone would steal the contents. Some of the neighbors had opted to put up Halloween decorations. As he walked past a mailbox, he was startled by the sudden caw that emanated from a black raven.

Agitation set in as he continued to walk up the short driveway. He empathized with the mail delivery person who had to deal with that life-sized bird every single day. The homeowners would be lucky if they didn’t find it stuffed inside their mailbox one afternoon. Then again, given the security camera above Kinsley’s garage, nothing could be done about the annoying decoration without being recorded for all to see.

Once Beck reached Kinsley’s front entrance, he hesitated to ring the doorbell. She would inevitably hear about his visit, but maybe that would spur her to seek him out. He had several questions for her, and it might be time to ask them.

Beck rang the doorbell.

He shoved his hands in his coat pockets and waited for Margaret to come to the door. When she finally appeared, he noted that she had removed her jacket and was currently holding a dishtowel.

“May I help you?”

“I was hoping to speak with Kinsley,” Beck replied, keeping his tone casual.

“I’m sorry, but Kinsley’s at work right now.” Margaret waited for him to reply, but he remained in place hoping that she would invite him in. If he could get a glimpse of the alarm panel, then there was a chance that Ryan could explain how to get around the system. “I’m her mother, Margaret. Is there something that I can help you with?”

“I appreciate that, but I need to ask Kinsley a few questions regarding Calvin Gantz.” Beck had purposefully brought up the alleged killer’s name. “I’ve met with your daughter twice before. As a matter of fact, your husband gave me a one-on-one interview last year. My name is Beck Serra.”

Margaret nodded in recognition, but she still didn’t take a step back from the threshold. As a matter of fact, she shifted until her right arm was behind the door. He figured Kinsley had taught her the defensive maneuver. It gave her the ability to shut the door with the weight of her body if needed.

“You should stop in at the station,” Margaret advised as suspicion flickered in her hazel eyes. Kinsley took after her father’s side of the family when it came to physical attributes, but she had definitely inherited Margaret’s heart-shaped face. “I’m sure you’ll find her there.”

“Kinsley wasn’t at the station when I was there this morning, but I should have just asked to speak with the officer handling the missing persons case.” Beck gave Margaret an apologetic smile. He loathed being like those other reporters, who would do anything for a story, but this was about life and death—Gantz’s life to be more specific. “You have a good day, ma’am.”

“Missing persons?”

“You haven’t heard the news yet?” Beck asked after he had taken a step back. He shrugged, as if what he was about to say was common knowledge. In reality, it would be once thelocal media got wind that one Evelyn Reichard had reported her cousin missing since last year. “Calvin Gantz is officially listed as a missing person. I’m sure your husband knows all about it. Again, I’m sorry to bother you. You have a good day.”

Beck turned and began walking down the side of the driveway. Once he reached the end, he made it a point to stare directly at the security camera mounted above the garage. He wanted Kinsley to seek him out. If she murdered Gantz, then she was no better than him.

As for Margaret, she seemed genuinely clueless as to what her daughter might have done. For nearly a year, Beck had kept the handwritten note under wraps, biding his time and gathering information. Having interviewed Calvin Gantz himself, he understood firsthand that the man could be cunning and manipulative.

Could Gantz have wanted Beck to accuse Kinsley of murder all along?

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