Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 45821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
“Did the analysis of the books reveal anything?”
“Stan had skimmed money from the account for years. His brother pressed charges against him, and the judge sent Stan to jail for 20 years. The total amount was astronomical.” She shook her head in disbelief before continuing, “It exceeded the amount due to him from the will, so Eddie kept everything else.”
“Do you stay in touch with Eddie, your ex-brother-in-law, or with your former husband, Stan?”
“No. I hadn’t heard from them for years until that afternoon I was walking in the greenway. I didn’t answer the call. I figured Eddie could leave me a message if he wanted. Then, he texted the picture.”
“Can I see that picture?” Dirk asked.
Cynthia started to get up and froze, looking at Dirk for permission to get her phone from the place it was charging on the island. When he nodded, she dashed over there and returned. Pulling up her messages, she found the picture and turned the phone around to show Dirk.
Taking the phone from her hand, he looked at it carefully and described it. “The picture appears to be from a security camera focused at the café. I can read a sign announcing all deliveries for the Country Cooking Café must be made between certain hours. You are in the picture wearing a uniform. There is an emblem for the café on your apron. You are next to the brick building with a silver tool in your hand. It is not completely visible as this shot shows your right hand on the tool near a cluster of pipes running the length of the wall. From your posture and the angle of your arm, you appear to be tightening a pipe, but I can’t see which one you’re working on.”
“Yes. I was tightening the thick one. There had been some vandalism in the back. Albert put up the camera so he could catch them. I’d taken the trash out that afternoon and slipped on the puddle of water that always accumulated there. The water pipe always leaked. That day, I’d had enough, so I went inside and got a wrench to see if I could fix it. I was pretty stoked that I’d guessed the right size to grab from the tool kit inside on the first try.”
“Why did he send you this picture?” Dirk asked.
Her mouth was suddenly as dry as the Sahara. “Could I have some water?”
“Of course.” Dirk rose and brought her a glass of cold water.
Cynthia took a grateful sip and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to see his expression. “Look at the time stamp. It’s the afternoon before the gas leak that killed Albert and Roberta. Eddie said that he had more pictures. All of them show me next to the gas lines where it would have been easy to unfasten the seal on the gas pipe and to create a path for gas to escape, gather, and ignite.”
Cynthia shook her head in disbelief before meeting Dirk’s gaze directly. “You have to believe me. I couldn’t hurt anyone—especially not the two people who treated me like a daughter.”
“Did he say anything else to you?”
“He said he knew I was working for Edgewater Industries. Eddie had just gotten laid off his job because they lost a big contract and his firm reduced staff. He blamed Mr. Edgewater and wanted him to pay.”
“Did he say how?”
“He ordered me to introduce a bug into Edgewater’s computer system. If I didn’t, he would make sure I went to jail for murdering his parents. If I did as he asked, Eddie would destroy the pictures and I’d never hear from him again.”
“Did he say anything else to you?”
“Yes, but I don’t want to tell you.” Cynthia took a drink of her water to postpone the inevitable. “He said I’d never see Alicia again. I was so upset when I got off the phone, I talked to Belinda and then jumped in my car to try to talk to him in person, but he didn’t live in the same apartment.”
“Who’s Alicia?” Dirk asked, looking puzzled.
“That’s my mom. She didn’t want any kids and especially didn’t like me. She always said she should have named me Plain Jane—not beautiful, not smart, just plain. Alicia’s in a care center now paid for by the state. She has cancer and is dying.”
“Do you go to see her?”
“No. She doesn’t allow me to visit. The staff is overworked to the point that most don’t have the time to care about the residents. There are a few great people there. If I give them money to help me, they call when she needs something and let me drop off things she needs. Alicia won’t accept them unless they tell her it came from a charity donation. If it’s a nice day when I try to visit, they take her outside so I can see her through the window. I know it’s weird, but she’s my mom. I feel like I should do something for the woman who brought me into this world.”