The Hard Fall (7 page)

“Right. What time?”

“They’ll be arriving at four. Dinner’s at six.”

“I’ll be there.”

I clicked on Dad’s message and opened up the photo. Alex Dowd was in his early thirties, blond, buff, and tanned. He was holding a beer in one hand, a big grin on his face. I leaned in for a closer look. The hair colour was lighter but there was no doubt in my mind: the woman that Alex had his other arm draped around was none other than his high school sweetheart Laura Flint. She was clinking her beer bottle against his and her head was tucked into the hollow of his neck. She looked happy, relaxed, and very much in love.

Of course. Laura Flint’s high school sweetheart. Who better to help her kill her husband and break an old man’s hip? I looked down the road and thought about the black car that had tried to ram me off the road. I remembered how the push had felt that landed me in the middle of the busy street. It must have been him. And if so, Alex Dowd was one nasty piece of work. I had no doubt he would have killed Laura in a heartbeat, once her money ran out.

I lowered my phone. Pieces of the puzzle were finally sliding into place. It was time to set the final trap.

* * *

Paul Taylor looked even more tired and dejected than on my first visit. He hadn’t combed his silver hair recently. His shoulders were more rounded. The sight of me didn’t appear to help his mood. “So?” His voice was empty of energy.

“I believe you were set up. I can’t prove it yet, though. I’ll need your help.”

Paul lifted his head and studied my face. Something flickered in his eyes. Something hard. “Who?” he asked.

“I’m not sure yet. I want to throw out some bait. You have to be prepared not to like who we reel in.”

He thought over what I’d said before nodding. “Someone else deserves to be in a cell; not me. I have no problem putting away one of my friends. What do you need?”

“Katie is coming to see you today before she meets with Kyle and Gordon. She’s going to ask you to take me off the case. Tell her that I’ve got a lead that you want to see through. Let it drop that the lead has to do with Laura Flint’s boyfriend Alex Dowd from high school. Also, tell your wife that I’m working late tonight at my office. If you can, slip in that my partner is away.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah. That ought to do it.”

Paul Taylor was no fool. “Are you saying that you think my wife had something to do with this? Because that would be insane. She’s been the only one to stand by me. We’re planning a family together.”

“No, I’m not saying that at all. She’s bound to share your update with the vice presidents. This way, she doesn’t really know anything and she’s protected.”

Paul was distracted enough to buy my explanation. “Fine,” he said.

I called for the guard and made my escape. I didn’t want to give Paul Taylor time to dig any deeper into my request.

* * *

I bought some lunch from a Westboro food truck and sat at their picnic table to eat. I made a few calls between munching on French fries and a burger. The sun was like a heat lamp on my face. Too bad this one day heat wave wouldn’t last. My last call was to Dad. I told him not to hold supper for me. I’d do my best to get home when I could. Hopefully, there would still be some birthday cake left.

My next stop was a spy equipment store. I bought a video camera hidden in a digital clock. The sound and picture quality were amazing. The spy clock used a battery and would sit on the desk in our office, ready to record. I looked at the spy watches and other high-tech toys. I’d be back when I had more money.

It was nearly five o’clock when I climbed the stairs to the Storm Investigations office. The sun had started to sink lower in the sky and a chill had replaced the day’s heat. I unlocked the door and left it unlocked. I hoped that Paul Taylor had given Katie my message. If I was right, the driver of the black car would soon be paying me a visit.

I
kept busy typing my report for Paul’s lawyers. It gave me time to review the facts and to think. All the while, I was listening for footsteps on the stairs. As time went by, it got harder to concentrate. The clock struck seven and I thought about calling the whole thing off. I looked toward the other room, now completely in darkness. The door was half open, revealing the empty space. If no one showed up, I was going to look mighty foolish.

I decided to give it a bit more time. Ten minutes later, my patience was rewarded. The stairs creaked as someone’s weight shifted on the old wooden steps.

Show time.

The door to my office silently swung open and Alex Dowd stepped inside. He made a quick check of the room and shut the door firmly behind him. He was wearing leather gloves, a black jacket, and a ball cap.

I pretended to be surprised. “Can I help you?” I asked.

“I think you can.”

He walked toward the desk and stood a few feet in front of it. He took off his baseball cap and smiled. The word that came to mind was hot. Alex Dowd was definitely a man that women would do bad things for. Messy blond hair, bleached almost white from the sun, square jaw, eyes that could melt butter, and a strong body. Animal heat steamed off of him like a boiling kettle.

“You’ve been talking about me to people,” he said.

“I might have a few questions for you, Alex. Why don’t you take a seat?” I pointed to the chair next to him. It was hard to get a read on what he planned to do. I had to keep him talking.

“I’ll stand, thanks. Ask away.”

“Why did you kill her?”

“You don’t waste any time. I guess you’re referring to Laura. How did you know we were still in touch?”

“I had a source in New York City. They tracked the two of you to an apartment building. Laura moved to Ottawa six months ago and so did you.”

“That doesn’t prove anything. We ran into each other a few years ago.”

“Really? I think that if I do some more digging, I’ll find that the two of you were together right after her husband was shot by a mystery hunter. You lived the good life on her husband’s money.”

“I’m not admitting to anything.” He moved half a step closer. One hand was in his jacket pocket. I tried to keep my eyes on his face. “Let’s say that
if
I killed Laura’s husband, she would have come up with the plan. Laura was tired of being married to an old fart.”

“I think you both planned it
before
she married him. The two of you carried on behind his back and waited for the right time to get rid of him.”

He shrugged. “Show me your proof, lady.”

“I intend to. So, your money . . . or I should say, Laura’s dead husband’s money, was running out. The two of you decided to con some other rich sucker out of their money. That’s why you weren’t living together in New York or here. It’s hard to pick up somebody rich when you have a partner at home. God forbid, either of you got a job or scaled back your lifestyle. Who came up with the plan to target the Taylors?”

“If
we had a plan, Laura was the one with the big ideas.”

“It’s easy to blame a dead woman. What, did she get jealous when you actually fell for Katie Taylor? Did Laura tell you she’d let you go over her dead body?”

A puzzled look came into his eyes. He wrinkled his forehead as if trying to place her. “Katie Taylor?”

“Too late to pretend she’s not involved. Your arrival here tonight confirms the two of you are in on this together.”

His eyes got a little less happy. “The problem you leave me,” he said, “is that you aren’t going to let this go, are you?”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

Dowd nodded. “So be it.” He took another step closer, at the same time pulling a hunting knife out of his jacket pocket. The desk was still between us. I got to my feet and pushed back my chair.

Dowd stopped and held up both hands in a shrug. The knife glinted in the light from the desk lamp. “Believe me, nobody was more surprised than me that I fell hard for Katie Taylor. Laura would never have stood for it if I left her. She didn’t like being on her own. Let’s say that she could have made my life very difficult. As time went by, I came to realize that I needed both Laura and Paul out of the way so that I could have Katie
and
the money.”

“Katie was in on it,” I said. I wanted to hear it from him.

“Katie had to go back with Paul and convince him that she loved him. We couldn’t chance him cutting her out of his bank account.” He took another step toward the desk. The knife was starting to make me nervous. I’d also gotten enough on tape to nail them. “Shaw!” I yelled. I looked Dowd in the eyes. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You’re in enough trouble already.”

Detective Shaw and Jada burst out of the little room where they’d been listening in the dark. Shaw had his handgun pointed at Dowd. “Put down the knife, Dowd. He looked over at me. “Nice work, Sweet.”

“Anytime.” I sank back into my chair. I looked at Jada. “If we keep this business going, we should really think about upping our life insurance policy.”

J
ada waited until Shaw and Dowd were out the door before she leapt across the floor. She grabbed me around the waist and lifted me into the air. “I can’t believe you got Taylor off! This is going to make the national news. Storm Investigations will be drowning in work!”

I laughed as we jumped up and down. I hadn’t felt so happy about anything in a long time. The new clock on our desk caught my eye.

“Look at the time! Evan will be waiting for his present.” I grabbed my jacket from the back of my chair. “We’ll have to celebrate later.”

Jada walked with me to the door. “I was going to tell you about the person I hired today. In all the excitement, I almost forgot.”

I paused. “Do I know her?”

“Not a her; a him. Nick Roma begins Monday. He said that he can’t wait to meet you. Oh yeah, and his dad Gino says hi.”

* * *

“Another piece?” Dad asked. He waved the knife in the air, waiting for me to say yes.

“Why not?” I said and held up my plate. Dad slid a chunk of chocolate cake onto it and a smaller one on his own. I scooped out the ice cream.

“Thanks for holding off on dessert,” I said, licking the spoon. “You bake a great cake.”

“Well, Evan wouldn’t have it any other way. He sure liked the kite you gave him. It’s a beauty.”

“I can’t wait to get him outside running around.”

Dad and I were sitting at the kitchen table. Jimmy, Cheri, and Evan had just gone home so that Jimmy could get ready for the night shift.

“Dad, I want to thank you for all your help with this case. I wouldn’t have put it all together if you hadn’t kept digging.”

“Gave me something to do.” Dad’s voice was gruff but I think he was secretly pleased. “I was mighty surprised that Katie Taylor was in on framing her husband. Good work figuring that out.”

“Well, I found it impossible to believe she’d forgive him so easily for sleeping with Laura Flint.”

“I can’t think of too many women who would have let that slide past.”

“Especially not an independent woman who looks like Katie Taylor.” I checked my watch. “Shaw sent some cops over to pick her up. She should be putting on her new orange jump suit right about now.”

Dad swallowed the last of his tea and stood up. “Well, tomorrow is chemo day so I’d better go get some sleep.”

“What time do we have to be at the clinic?”

“Early. Six a.m. I’ll be taking a cab.”

“No, I’m driving you, Dad.”

“There’s no need.”

“But I want to. I’ll be up by five.”

Dad looked down at me for a few seconds. A smile came and went. “I must have done something right in my life,” he said finally. He nodded at me before turning and walking out of the kitchen. “Good night, Anna,” he called over his shoulder. “Don’t forget to lock up.”

“Good night, Dad.”

I love you too.