Reunion on the Run Page 5

  Alex knew she wasn’t exaggerating. The gunmen at the cabin attested to that.

  “What’s your game plan?” he asked. “You said you’ve been doing research the past few weeks. What are you looking into?”

  “It goes back to that first conversation. I thought jobs were on the line. I didn’t realize lives were on the line.” Her fingers tapped listlessly against her thighs. “Jared said Xavier terminated someone who got in his way. Terminated. Past tense.”

  “Meaning it wasn’t a threat, but something he’d already carried out.”

  “Yes.” Claire frowned. “I’ve looked up every name in this file.”

  “You only have a list of buyers.”

  “Right.”

  “Any of them dead?” The question was blunt but necessary.

  “No.”

  “So chances are,” Alex said as he thought it over, “if Xavier took someone else out, it was a middle man. Maybe someone in charge of sales.”

  “That’s what I’m thinking,” Claire agreed. “Maybe even a competitor. He probably made it look like an accident.”

  “Like he tried to do with Jared?”

  A grim look settled on Claire’s face. “That was the initial report. Jared had a gash on the back of his head. I assumed he’d tripped and hit his head on the edge of the pool. When the emergency responders first arrived, they seemed to think so, too. However the autopsy showed there were flecks of paint in the gash. They matched the paint on a lawn statue in our backyard. Whoever killed Jared hit him with the statue before shoving him into the pool. His official cause of death was drowning.”

  “But whoever hit him over the head wanted him dead,” Alex finished. “Did they find the statue?”

  “The statue was in the garden where it had always been. There were still traces of blood when the investigators came back.”

  “No fingerprints?”

  She winced. “Only mine. It’s my flower garden.”

  “How convenient,” Alex said sourly. “That’s when you became a suspect?”

  She nodded. “I was brought in for questioning, but they let me go. I already had my suspicions by then. As soon as I knew Jared had been murdered, I knew Xavier was involved. They questioned him, as well. He told them Jared and I had a troubled marriage. Things went sideways pretty quickly from there.”

  “You didn’t tell them you suspected Xavier?” Alex asked.

  “Of course I did,” Claire said. “But I don’t think they took my suspicion seriously. One of the detectives asked if I was accusing Xavier out of retaliation because of what he’d said about my marriage to Jared. The information I have regarding the antiquities just as easily points to Jared being the front man. I have no proof that Xavier was dabbling in the black market, let alone that he’s a murderer.

  “When I left the station that afternoon, they told me not to leave town.”

  “So that’s exactly what you did.” Alex shook his head. “That doesn’t sound like the Claire I knew. You’ve always been a rule follower.”

  Her spine stiffened, and she sat straighter. “That’s because the Claire you knew didn’t have a daughter to protect. She’s already growing up without her father. I’m not going to allow her to grow up without her mother.”

  “Keep that attitude,” Alex said, refusing to take offense at her words because he knew she didn’t mean for him to. “I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”

  “What I need,” Claire said firmly, “is to prove that Xavier really did have someone killed and that Jared knew it. That would give him motive to keep Jared quiet. Permanently.”

  “You hit dead ends with the names in the file,” Alex said.

  “True. But I know someone who might know something.”

  “Yeah?” Alex raised an eyebrow. “Who would that be?”

  “Ruth Crenshaw. She was Jared’s secretary. She left a message saying she needed to speak with me. Her message wasn’t detailed but she did say she had information about Jared that could be important,” Claire said. “By the time I got the chance to contact her, she was gone.”

  “Gone?”

  “She left A & M Inc. after Jared’s funeral. It makes sense. Jared was her boss. Though, to be honest, I think there was more to it than that. She was afraid when she left the message. I could hear it in her voice.”

  “How do you know she’s no longer at A & M?”

  “After I left, I tried getting in touch with her. I was told she no longer worked there. I asked where she’d gone but I was told they couldn’t give out that information. I found her home phone number but it was disconnected.”

  “Do you know where she lives?” Alex asked. He was already reaching for his phone.

  “No. Her address wasn’t listed.”

  “Give me a few minutes. I’m sure I can figure it out.”

  FOUR

  Claire’s short, newly darkened hair was scrunched into waves. She wore a gray knit cap and chunky glasses. Her makeup was light, an artfully drawn beauty mark etched over her upper lip. With her leggings, black turtleneck and blue flannel shirt wrapped around her waist, she looked like a college student. Like any one of a hundred or more chic hipsters that could be found in any Portland coffee shop.

  In addition to her subtle disguise, she’d lost weight. Her face was gaunt, making her cheekbones more prominent. Alex would know her anywhere, but for the rest of the world, it was an excellent disguise.

  He was hit with a feeling of nostalgia. He’d loved this woman so deeply once. He knew he would always care for Claire. Knowing they had a daughter together bonded them forever. If things were different, he could almost imagine marrying her, becoming a family. It frustrated him that she didn’t think he could be a good father. And if she had her doubts about that, anything more would certainly not sit well with her. He mentally pushed the thoughts aside. There was no sense going there. The time for that had passed.

  He’d blown any chance of a relationship with his past mistakes. Now all he could do was try to make up for walking away like he had. He’d help Claire out of this mess and, as soon as he was able, he’d prove to her he could be a great dad.

  For now he had to settle for helping her track down her best lead.

  As much as he disliked Claire being out in the open, he disliked the idea of leaving her behind even more. He was confident that she would not be recognized as they drove into the city to begin their search for Ruth.

  They were almost to Ruth’s neighborhood when his cell phone rang. It was a new phone, different from the one he’d used when speaking with Beth, and very few people had the number.

  He felt Claire’s concern as he listened to the man on the other end. The conversation was quick, to the point, and really not all that surprising.

  “What’s wrong?” Claire asked when he disconnected.

  “That was the driver of the tow truck.” He’d called a company earlier in the morning to make arrangements to have his vehicle brought to the nearest town. He didn’t want to risk meeting up with Xavier’s men by fetching it himself. He had no reason to believe they’d cause any trouble for a towing company. “He got my truck back to their shop but he wanted to let me know it’s been heavily vandalized. Xavier’s men broke all the windows.”

  “They wanted to search inside.”

  “That’s my guess,” he agreed. “They won’t find anything. They can use my license plate number to trace the vehicle back to me. At this point I don’t think it really matters. I’m sure they figured out who I am right after the phone call with Beth.”

  Claire winced. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”

  “Don’t be. I’m not. It’s not as if they’re going to take the information to the police. They’re not going to want to explain what they were doing out at the hunting shack, or how they know I’m involved.”

  “I’m al
so sorry about the damage.”

  “That’s what insurance is for.”

  Thoughts of insurance reminded him he needed to be extra cautious while driving the Jeep. He wasn’t going to do anything that would result in being pulled over. The lack of registration and insurance ate at him, but there wasn’t much he could do about it just yet. He’d contemplated a rental car but was leery of it being traced. He also knew showing up at the campground with a new vehicle would draw unwanted attention.

  For now, though he didn’t like it, the Jeep was their only option.

  “Do you know Ruth well?” Alex wondered.

  He had found an address for her in a middle-class neighborhood on the edge of Portland.

  “We were friendly,” Claire said. “She worked at the desk in the lobby of A & M Inc. She was the first face you saw when you walked in the door. I didn’t visit Jared at work often but when I did, I always stopped to chat with Ruth.”

  “You’re on good terms?”

  “I believe so.” Claire’s eyebrows scrunched in thought. “She’s an older woman, nearing retirement age. Her husband passed away—massive stroke—a few years ago. I volunteered to help with the luncheon at the church after the funeral. She was so grateful. When Jared died, she sent a beautiful bouquet and such a lovely card.”

  Alex checked the street sign up ahead. “We’re almost there.” He turned into the residential area. Claire had switched out the hipster glasses for a pair of sunglasses he’d gotten at a gas station.

  He had his own cheap pair perched on his nose.

  “That’s it,” Claire said, sounding slightly distressed. She rattled off the street number just to be sure she was looking at the right house. “It looks like this lead just died.”

  Alex parked a few houses down from the white bungalow with a For Sale sign in the front yard.

  “Not necessarily,” he said. “She might still be living here. I’m going to see if anyone is home.”

  Roscoe poked his head between their seats. His ears perked up when he heard the door handle engage.

  “Stay!” Alex commanded.

  He dropped back to the floor.

  “Be careful,” Claire ordered.

  He appreciated the way she was scanning the street. He didn’t think they’d been followed, didn’t think anyone would bother looking for them there, but knew you could never be too cautious.

  School was out for the day. Several houses down, a father was playing catch with his son and daughter. The sight of them made Alex smile. In the other direction, a woman was weeding her flower bed. Someone in the neighborhood had lit a charcoal grill. The scent wafted through the air as he strode up Ruth’s sidewalk.

  He pushed the doorbell, stepped aside and waited. From this angle he was still able to keep an eye on the street. Traffic was light as people began coming home from work, and Alex watched as a beige car drove by. He stabbed at the doorbell again. It was possible Ruth was working late. He thought they’d given her plenty of time to get home.

  But maybe not.

  Or maybe she had errands to run.

  The woman weeding her flowers kept glancing his way.

  He smiled and gave her a nod.

  Brushing the dirt off her gardening gloves, she smiled back.

  Alex knew it would be a wasted effort to ring the doorbell a third time.

  He clomped down the cement steps and cut across the neighbor’s yard.

  “Good afternoon,” he called.

  “Hello.” The woman rose to her feet. “You’re looking for Ruth, I assume?”

  “I am,” Alex agreed. “We have a mutual friend. I happen to be passing through town, thought I’d stop and say hello. Do you happen to know if she typically works late? I’m wondering if I should stick around for a while.”

  “That would be a waste of your time.” The woman gave him an apologetic shrug. “She moved out a few weeks ago. I didn’t see her, but a moving van came. I don’t know where she moved to.”

  “That’s unfortunate. My friend will be bummed I wasn’t able to connect with her.” Alex didn’t have to fake the disappointment in his voice. “I know she used to work at A & M Inc. I heard she left there. Do you happen to know where she’s working these days? Maybe I can catch her there?”

  “I don’t. I’m sorry.” She gave another shrug. “We just moved in a few months ago. We haven’t really gotten to know anyone yet.”

  Alex was typically pretty good at reading people. He thought the woman was telling the truth. He cast a glance over his shoulder. He motioned to the man playing with his kids. “Any idea if he knew Ruth?”

  Even as he asked the question, his attention was split. A rusted-out beige sedan looped around the block for the second time. It was nothing like the decked-out SUV Xavier’s men had driven the other day, but maybe the man had gotten smarter. Alex didn’t get a good look at the guy behind the wheel. His features were hidden by a baseball cap and a pair of trendy sunglasses.

  “I couldn’t tell you that, either.” The woman laughed self-consciously. “I’m sorry. I realize I’m no help at all.”

  Alex pulled his attention away from the street. He forced a quick smile. “Thanks, anyway. I appreciate your time.”

  If not for the sedan, Alex would’ve checked in with other neighbors. He wasn’t going to risk it today. He jogged back to the Jeep.

  Claire had climbed into the driver’s seat. She fired up the engine when she saw him heading her way. He wasn’t about to argue with her.

  “That car’s gone past twice.” Claire turned around in Ruth’s driveway. “I tried to get a license number but the plate was covered in mud.”

  Alex was on high alert as Claire drove. He’d already slid his Glock from his holster. He hated the idea of using it in a residential area. As the car did a U-turn, he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

  “Maybe he’s just lost.”

  “Maybe.” Alex wasn’t entirely convinced and could tell by her tone that Claire wasn’t, either. Following the speed limit, she cruised out of the neighborhood. With Claire behind the wheel, it allowed Alex to be more vigilant. He watched over his shoulder as the sedan turned off.

  “Turn left at the intersection up here. He turned off but he could be trying to cut us off up ahead.”

  Claire did as directed.

  Alex continued to scan the area, watching for any sign of trouble.

  As they finally headed out of town again, he started to relax.

  “I hope that wasn’t one of Xavier’s men,” Claire said. “If it was, that means he’s been keeping an eye on Ruth.”

  “I think if that was one of Xavier’s men, we’d know by now. They wouldn’t have backed off,” Alex said. “Not when they’re trying so hard to find you.”

  Claire’s fingers strummed against the steering wheel. “I assume you didn’t get anywhere with the neighbor.”

  “She just moved in. She didn’t know Ruth but said a moving van came a few weeks ago.” Alex continued to scan his surroundings. He hadn’t seen the beige car since leaving the housing development behind. He doubted it would make a reappearance, but that didn’t mean he could let his guard down.

  “It bothers me that she’s no longer at A & M,” Claire admitted. “Now her house is for sale. I hope nothing has happened to her.”

  “I think you need to try A & M again,” Alex said.

  “Giving out personal information is against company policy.”

  “I happen to know you can be very persuasive.” He gave her a pointed look. “I have a hunch that with a bit of effort, you can get the information you need.”

  “I’ll certainly try. I’m not sure where else to go from here.” She ground out a frustrated sigh. “When I left Mia with Beth, I didn’t think I’d be gone this long. If I’d known, I’m not sure I would’ve been able to leave her. I was hoping to
buy myself some time, a few days, to find something concrete. It’s been weeks and I’ve hit nothing but dead ends.”

  He couldn’t help but wonder how Mia felt about the situation, about not seeing her mother for so long. He wondered if she was afraid, lonely, or if Beth was managing to keep her happy.

  “I’d like to get into your house,” he said, forcing himself to concentrate on the situation at hand. “I want to look through Jared’s office myself. See if there’s anything you missed. But I’d imagine you have a security system.” Claire nodded. “And the police will be keeping an eye on that.”

  “The police scoured his office when they took his computer. They didn’t find anything,” Claire said. “At least not that I’m aware of.”

  “I’d still like to take a look for myself. We should check out of the campground soon,” Alex decided. “We can’t get another vehicle until we do. It would draw suspicion.”

  That, of course, was the last thing they wanted.

  * * *

  Before returning to the campground they stopped for much-needed supplies. Alex had grudgingly left Claire in the parking lot. They’d stopped at a convenience store, where he’d made quick time of purchasing a few meals’ worth of food. Then—faster than Claire would’ve believed possible—Alex ran into a department store to buy enough clothing to get him by for a few days. He’d grabbed a duffel bag to stuff everything into and had completed his shopping in record time.

  After a quick dinner of canned soup and sandwiches, Claire and Alex sat at the kitchen table to once more look over the names she’d compiled. She’d written down detailed notes about each person. They lived all over the country, with careers in various fields. The one thing they all seemed to have in common was they had money to spend.

  Not one of them, as far as Claire’s research had found, had a criminal history.

  She had to wonder if perhaps they were unaware of the unscrupulous nature of their purchases.

  “I spoke with a friend who might be able to dig up some dirt on Xavier,” Alex said. “If he’s dealing in fenced antiquities, chances are good he’s dirtied his hands in other ways, as well.”