“Ben is Emma’s husband,” Andi said. “Emma’s . . . out sick.”
Ben’s face turned red, but he didn’t contradict her. It was Carter who’d had enough tiptoeing around. “I don’t know what your deal is with Andi, but I do know this is outside your job description. You want to play bodyguard or whatever, go ahead. The Wrens will work things out as a corporation.”
Andi said tightly, “Did you forget about the note I got, Carter? And the threat Brian made to me at the gym?”
“I’ve never known you to overreact, Andi.” A muscle in Carter’s jaw worked.
“She didn’t overreact,” Luke said, his tone firm. “I’m here because she called me, because she feels threatened by a couple of thugs named Carrera.”
“Emma’s not going to like this,” Ben said.
“Well, next time fucking sober her up and get her to the meeting.” Carter shouldered past Luke and down the planks. Ben blinked a couple of times, then left as well, albeit without the fury radiating from Greg’s brother.
Andi started shaking visibly. “Reaction,” she said, embarrassed thinking of Carter’s cutting remark. “Or overreaction.”
“Hey, none of that.” Luke put an arm around her. “You have a right to be upset.” He glanced at the parking area. “Do you want to leave your car? I can drive you.”
“No.” She shook her head and let out a long breath. “I don’t want to leave my car. But can you come to the cabin? I want to go home, but I want to work out our arrangement. I want a bodyguard.”
“I’ll follow you. Drive safe.”
“I need to stop by the office first,” she realized. “Pick up the mail. Sort through a few things?”
“I’m right behind you,” he said.
Chapter Fifteen
Sirocco Realty’s Laurelton offices were inside a Georgian-style brick building that took up an entire block in what served as Laurelton’s city center: a cross street on the highway through town that led back to Highway 26. There was no municipal architectural planning. The city had just built up around the main road in a hodgepodge fashion where sidewalks rimmed parking lots.
September walked beside Gretchen but took the lead when they entered the offices and were met with the receptionist whose name tag read Tracy. Gretchen had refused to see Mr. Bromward first, and though her high-handedness irked September, she hadn’t really felt like dealing with the old man and the cats much either. “After lunch,” Gretchen had said, and September had agreed.
“May I help you?” Tracy said perkily. She had short dark hair and an elfin look that was accentuated by her green sweater and slacks.
“We’re here to meet Kitsy Hasseldorn. I called earlier; Detective Rafferty,” September clarified. “I left a message and Mrs. Hasseldorn called me back and said she would be in the office after eleven.”
Tracy stared at September as if she hadn’t understood the message. “Detective?” she finally said.
“That’s right.”
“Oh, uh. I don’t know if Kitsy’s in. I didn’t see her.”
At that moment another woman walked out from the inner offices. “She’s here,” she assured the receptionist. “I just saw her.” She smiled briefly at September and Gretchen.
“Musta been when I was on break,” Tracy said. “I’ll call her desk.” She seemed boggled by Gretchen and September. “Kitsy? Oh, hey, there’s a detective here to see you, and another woman.”
“Also a detective,” Gretchen said.
“Yeah, okay.” Tracy hung up the phone. “You can go right back. It’s down that hall, the last office on the right.”
“Thank you,” September said.
“Not the brightest lamp in the room,” Gretchen remarked when they were out of earshot.
Kitsy Hasseldorn’s office was adorned with Halloween decorations, one being a full-sized plastic skeleton standing in the corner. Gretchen walked over to get a closer look as Kitsy, all five foot three of her, stood up and shook hands with September.
“Police detectives,” she said, smiling uncertainly. “And you want to know about Tommy Burkey? That’s what the message was?”
“That’s right. Burkey’s Tommy’s last name?”
“If he’s the one you mean.”
“He apparently mowed lawns for some of the residents on Aurora Lane.”
“That’s Tommy Burkey all right. He did yardwork when he was a kid,” Kitsy said. “What do you want him for?”
“We’re investigating the death of an unidentified male whose bones were found in the Singletons’ basement,” Gretchen said, giving up her perusal of the skeleton to take the other club chair across from Kitsy. September had seated herself in one already.
“Oh, yeah. I saw that on the news. And the Singletons poisoned each other?”
“That’s the way it looks,” September said.
She shook her head. “Sounds just like them.”