Daisy McDare and the Deadly Legal Affair (9 page)

Chapter Fifteen

Daisy ended up giving Gavin the names of all the potential suspects.  Maybe he could dig up some dirt on one of them.  In the meantime, she had some sleuthing of her own to get back to. 

Daisy only needed to take one step into the office before she realized it wouldn’t just be another day at work. 

“Good morning,” Amber smiled, at the reception desk. 

Daisy was caught off guard.  She was so used to hearing snarkiness come out of Amber’s mouth that a genuine smile made it appear like she had a total personality transplant.  It seemed completely out of character. 

Then again, a lot had changed for Amber in just a few days.  The monkey of Max’s grumpy expectations was off her back, Amber’s secret boyfriend Peter had now been made partner, and the pay raise that had eluded her for so long seemed to be in the bag.  So maybe Amber’s personality had undergone a genuine makeover.  If so, Max’s murder was a catalyst for it all. 

“Morning.  You sound rather chipper today,” Daisy replied. 

Amber played dumb about everything.  “Don’t I always?”

Daisy decided to call out her nonsense.  “Are you kidding?  You were nothing but a snarly puss until Max died.”

“Look, that was a really stressful time in my life, ok?”

“And now that Max is gone, you’re all smiles.”

Amber narrowed her eyes.  “Hey, what are you implying?”

“I’m just saying, ever since your boyfriend took over the practice, you seem like a completely different woman.”

Amber’s jaw nearly dropped.  Her face went white as a blizzard.  She tried to play dumb again, but she was a horrible actress.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know you and Peter are going together,” Daisy revealed. 

Daisy could see Amber’s tongue get tied right in front of her.  The gears started spinning in Amber’s mind.   

“How did you find that out?” Amber stammered. 

“The people in this office aren’t as good at keeping secrets as they think they are,” Daisy replied. 

Amber looked out the corner of her eyes at the mousey paralegal Jennifer Webster. 

Daisy had Amber on her heels now. 

Amber stammered again as she replied.  “Ok, so we’re together.  What are you getting at?”

“You and Peter sure had a lot to gain from Max’s death,” Daisy pressed. 

Amber was seriously reeling now.  “So did a lot of people in this office.”

Daisy kept her pedal to the metal.  “True, but very few people had as much to lose as you two.”

“I don’t like what you’re getting at, especially since we all know Angela Franklin killed Max.”

“Do we, or is the real killer still out there?”

Daisy stared Amber down. 

“I didn’t kill Max, and neither did Peter,” Amber fumed. 

Daisy’s gut instinct was silent as ever on this one.  While she could tell just from looking into Angela’s eyes that the night maid wasn’t the killer, she couldn’t do the same with Amber. 

Daisy didn’t get a definitive feeling either way.  Just because Daisy’s gut didn’t tell her Amber was guilty didn’t mean the receptionist was innocent either. 

“Maybe you’re right.  Maybe you just happened to yield the fruits of someone else’s murderous labor,” Daisy said. 

Amber narrowed her eyes.  “I don’t like where this conversation is going.”

“I don’t like the feeling I have that the real killer is still on the loose,” Daisy pressed on.

Amber tried to fight back.  “I’m pretty sure Brooke wouldn’t like hearing that you’re going around accusing random people of her husband’s murder.”

“She probably wouldn’t like to hear that the man she just made partner has been having a secret relationship with the receptionist either.”

Amber shot Daisy a glare. 

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me…for now at least,” Daisy said. 

If looks could kill, Daisy would be dead right now. 

***

Suspicion was high around the office, but evidence was still in short supply.  She thought hard for a moment.

Jennifer Webster was mousey and unassuming.  She had stayed relatively quiet since Max’s murder, just keeping herself focused on her huge case load of work. 

That was mostly because she seemed to have the flimsiest of motives—at least on the outside.  A suspect didn’t always need a motive that came with flashing lights and an arrow pointing to their guilt to commit the crime however. 

Sometimes murder was the culmination of a slow burn of animosity, boiling over at just the right time.  Judging by the conversation Daisy overheard in the restroom the day before, Jennifer sure had plenty of pent up frustration. 

She was one woman doing the work of two people for one measly salary.  On top of that, the work she did went entirely unappreciated.  If someone were following a recipe for a murderous stew, she had a number of the ingredients required. 

Daisy caught up with the paralegal at the coffee maker in the break room. 

“I didn’t know they let you take breaks,” Daisy joked. 

“I know.  I’ll bet you’re surprised to not see me chained to my desk for once,” Jennifer replied. 

“I am actually.  Everyone knows you’re the hardest worker at this office.”

“You have to be when you’re doing the job of two people.”

“At least they must pay you well.”

Jennifer laughed.  “You obviously don’t know how things work around here.”

“Did you ever ask Max for a raise?”

Jennifer snickered.  “The only person Max ever gave a raise to was himself.”

“From what I can tell, Max sure made a lot of enemies,” Daisy said. 

“He sure didn’t make any friends.”

“How about you?  Did you ever hate him so much you wished he was dead?”

Jennifer gulped.  You could hear a pin drop in the break room. 

“I should probably get back to work,” Jennifer insisted. 

Daisy wasn’t about to let her off the hook that easily.  “I heard you in the restroom yesterday talking about how you used to wish Max was dead.”

Jennifer stopped dead in her tracks.  She fumbled with her words.  “What are you doing, spying on the whole office?”

“I was just going to the restroom.  You have to be careful what you say in a public place.  You never know who may be listening.”

Jennifer went on the defensive.  “It was a figure of speech.  Everyone gets frustrated sometimes and feels the need to vent.”

“I can’t imagine doing your job.  Reading through case after case of heinous acts being committed.  Having to try and formulate a plan of attack Max could use to get his clients off on their charges.   But working for a defense lawyer has its perks.  You start to spot trends over time.  You begin to see how someone could get away with murder,” Daisy explained. 

Jennifer was outraged.  “Are you accusing me of killing Max?”

“I’m not accusing you of anything.  Still, you know just as well as I do that in a lot of these cases, the killer is the person you might not suspect.”

“Actually, most of the time in real life, it is the person you most suspect.  I’ve found that out from years of working on cases.  This isn’t a TV show or movie you know.  Besides, you don’t have anything on me.”

“You’re awfully defensive.  And don’t pretend like saying you wished Max was dead isn’t a motive,” Daisy said. 

“I didn’t do it.”

Jennifer’s eyes told a different story.  Her words didn’t ring true.  As Daisy stared at Jennifer, she didn’t have conclusive evidence that Jennifer was guilty, but the paralegal had far from an innocent face. 

“I didn’t say you did.  Then again, I never said you didn’t either,” Daisy replied. 

“I have to get back to work,” Jennifer insisted. 

“Of course you do,” Daisy said.

“And I have to get a pastry soon,” Daisy thought to herself.   

Chapter Sixteen

Once again, the work day was providing more questions than answers.  Daisy decided to get back to redecorating while her mind went over the specifics of the case again.  That’s when she spotted the bookkeeper Jackson Madsen at his desk. 

Jackson kept glancing at the now empty desk his ex-girlfriend Chloe used to occupy.  He looked inconsolable.  Daisy approached him.   

“It’s not the same without Chloe here, is it?” Daisy asked. 

“You can say that again,” Jackson sniffled. 

“I would, but I try not to repeat myself,” Daisy joked. 

“You’d hate being a bookkeeper then.”

“But look, at least Max is gone, right?”

Jackson tightened up.  “Are you trying to get me to say something bad about my old boss?”

“No.  I’m just saying, it must have really burned you to see your girlfriend fall in love with the same man that worked you to the bone,” Daisy explained.

Jackson was the kind of man that wore his heart on his sleeve.  He looked like an emotional powder keg ready to explode.  In the ‘take no prisoners’ world of defense law, Jackson was a victim of his own earnest nature. 

“If you’re looking to get a rise out of me, it’s not going to work,” Jackson insisted, barely keeping himself together. 

“No.  I’m trying to tell you that you aren’t alone.  I know what it is like to give my heart to someone and have them break it,” Daisy explained. 

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“You keep wondering where you went wrong.  What you could have done differently.”

Jackson stared off into the distance.  “I don’t wonder that.  I did everything I could.”

“Yet it wasn’t enough.  All you could do was sit here and watch the love of your life slip through your fingers.  That has to be one of the worst feelings in the world.”

“You’re not making me feel any better.”

“But look, now that she’s gone, maybe you can finally move on,” Daisy suggested.

Jackson tried to change the subject.  “Was there something you wanted from me, other than to rub my face in my break up?”

“Jackson, you do realize you have to move on, right?  It’s over between you two.”

“What do you know?  You don’t get to decide that.”

Jackson looked like he was about to become unhinged.  He wiped tears from his eyes.  He was unraveling right in front of Daisy’s eyes.  If Daisy thought she was a mess over her own break up with Brent, it was nothing compared to how crazed Jackson was. 

“I’m just trying to help you.  It’s not healthy hanging on like this.  It’s a tough thing to have to deal with, but eventually you have to move on,” Daisy explained. 

Jackson wiped his eyes as he fought back more tears.  “I think you should go back to work.” 

“Suit yourself, but I know I wouldn’t want to be hung up on a murderer.”

Jackson’s face completely changed.  He looked in shock.  “What are you talking about?”

“Oh come on.  Think about it.  Chloe was Max’s assistant.  She made him coffee constantly.  And she loved the man like no other.  So when he spurned the idea of getting a divorce from his wife, it lit a fire under her.  You have to admit, there’s nothing stronger than a broken heart,” Daisy said. 

“That may be true, but Chloe didn’t do this.  She’s not like that. She doesn’t have it in her.” Jackson insisted.

“How do you know?”

“Trust me, I know her,” Jackson sniffled again. 

Jackson was back on the brink again.  His emotions were about to boil over.  He was a one man emotional wrecking crew. 

“I guess I’ll have to take your word for it.  You knew her better than anyone here…other than Max that is,” Daisy said.

Jackson’s eyes opened wide at that statement.  But while he was a volcano of emotions on the inside, he struggled to keep his cool on the outside.  He glared at Daisy while he searched for the right words to reply with. 

Just then, Peter Simpson came out of his office.     

“Daisy, I need to talk to you in my office,” Peter said. 

“Just one second,” Daisy replied.

“This really can’t wait,” Peter insisted. 

Daisy sighed and walked over to Peter’s office while Jackson stewed at his desk. 

***

Peter was all business and didn’t look the least bit happy.  He stared Daisy down.  A sense of dread came over her when she thought about why.  Amber no doubt told him about the discussion they had earlier. 

Peter surprised her by bringing up a completely different topic.  “How is the redecorating going?”

“Good,” Daisy answered. 

Peter’s eyes opened wide.  “Oh really?  Have you gotten much done today?”

Daisy stammered as she answered.  The truth was, she’d done very little decorating today.  The bulk of her day so far was spent sleuthing.  “Not exactly.”

“That’s what I thought.  Which is rather surprising to hear, considering that is the only reason you have to be in the office.”

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault.  I’ve just had a lot going on.”

“I know. What I don’t understand is what you think you’re doing sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“Amber told you about our conversation, didn’t she?” Daisy asked.   

“Ms. McDare, I suggest you get back to work and finish redecorating this office.  Otherwise, I might have to cut your work short.   Do you understand?”

Just when Daisy thought it was safe to rule Peter out as a suspect, he did something like this.  Peter’s defensive tone did him no favors.  Nor did the all too cold look in his eyes. 

“What’s the matter?  Are you afraid of what I might dig up?” Daisy asked. 

“Don’t test me.  I won’t think twice about kicking you out of this office.”

“I know you won’t.  And if you do, I’ll head right over to the police station and spill my guts.  It’s not like you and Amber aren’t without motives--or secrets for that matter.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No, I’m just stating the truth.  If you and Amber are innocent, you have nothing to worry about.  As a matter of fact, you should welcome me poking my head around,” Daisy explained.  

“Why should we do that?” Peter asked. 

“Because the real killer is still out there.  I know it in my heart.  And there’s no telling who they could be coming for next.”

Peter stared Daisy down.  She could see the red in his eyes. 

“I think we should both be getting back to work now,” Peter said.  His eyes bored into her. 

“That man has ice in his veins instead of blood,” she thought as she left his office.