Page 26 of 3rd Tango
Reluctantly, I take the slips. “Thanks. If you get too hot, you can work from home.”
She resumes typing. “It’s only seventy-six in here, and Matt brought these fans. I’m fine.”
My blouse is already sticking to my skin. I walk down the hall and our resident fan hero meets me before I reach my door. He’s dressed for the warm day, a bright blue button-down short sleeve shirt matching his eyes.
“Got the pictures you wanted. Shouldn’t be an issue for Mrs. Olsen to proceed with whatever she’s going to do about her marriage. The file is on the desk.”
One case closed. I salute him. “Thank you for doing that.”
He follows me and I see a large coffee waiting on my desk. How did Meg and I get so lucky to have him? “Did you have to stay out all night?”
“Three hours,” he says with the cavalierness of an investigator. He plops in the chair and kicks his feet out. “I’ve had worse.”
Since he’s wearing anI’ve got a secretlook on his face, and the fact he’s still sitting here, I assume there’s more to the story. Or maybe he wants to work from home as well, thanks to our failing air conditioner. “Appreciate you bringing in the fans.” I walk to the new one on my credenza and punch the low button.
“Bought them with petty cash.”
Ah, not as heroic, but still appreciated. “Surprised there was enough in there.”
“You probably should refill the funds.”
I turn to the desk and reach for the coffee. “Shouldn’t be a problem once Olsen pays up.”
“There’s an interesting twist to her case,” he says, and sure enough, when I glance at him, a grin spreads across his face.
“Spill it.”
“Mr. Olsen’s girlfriend is sister to Patty Belkin.”
My brain stutters for a second, then makes the connection. “The Patty Belkin I’m investigating for embezzling at Markent Corp?”
He nods, still grinning like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. “I did a background check and I think you’ll find it interesting. Seems the sisters have quite an enterprise going.”
He launches to his feet, taps the folder he’s placed on my desk. “If you get the goods on Patty, you shouldn’t have any problem closing that case by the end of the day as well with the information I dug up. They particularly enjoy funding trips to Vegas and Miami.”
He winks and leaves.
“I love you, Matt,” I call. I’m due at Markent Corp in two hours. Patty’s boss alerted me she called in sick today, so I’m installing tracking software on her computer to see how and where she’s diverting funds.
“Love you, too, boss,” he calls back.
By the end of today, I could have two cases closed. I sip the coffee—no amount of heat keeps me away from the stuff—and prepare for the meeting I’ve set up with Al.
I tend to confront problems head on, and the behind-the-scenes investigation on Al before he quit the Bureau is not something I can dance around. I need to rescind my offer, even if I don’t call him on the carpet about it. I haven’t yet decided whether to throw that in his face or not, but I’m sure he’ll want to know why I’ve had a change of heart.
When he arrives fifteen minutes later, Haley shows him to my office, and I still haven’t decided whether I’m going to bring it up.
His shirt looks freshly pressed, as do his khakis, the humidity seeming not to bother him. His cologne is fragrant but light enough to not be overwhelming. He leans across the desk to shake my hand, eyes the fan, and takes a seat in the chair Matt vacated. “This heat is something, isn’t it?”
He gives me a smile that I don’t return. “Thank you for coming in on short notice.”
“I’ve given your offer extensive consideration, and I’m ready to start work whenever you need me. Have you had a break in your mother’s case?”
I haven’t heard from Meg and her fishing expedition yet, and with Mom down with a migraine, I don’t expect to. Thank God. “I’m afraid I have to rescind that offer.”
His face falls, eyes widening with surprise. “I’m sorry to hear that. Is something wrong?”
I decide to go with a generic answer, always a safe option. “After considering it, I decided there’s too much conflict of interest. Mom hired us, and she’s in the group with you. We’re not exactly unbiased, and at this point, I feel it would be safer to keep you out of our investigation so you remain on the unbiased side of things.”
