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Chapter 14
Sunday
Spence Flynn sat in his car along the curb, a half-block from the entrance to Madeline’s. A dark-haired woman shoved through the door, stuck her hands in her jacket pockets, and stormed away from the restaurant. Definitely not Carole.
A few minutes later, a younger woman with blond hair emerged. She glanced over her shoulder back into the restaurant, shuddered, and walked in the same direction the first woman had gone. She looked too young to be Carole.
Finally, Spence heard a car start in the parking lot behind the building. A few seconds later, a silver Toyota Corolla with a dent on the left side shot out of the parking lot and turned right, tires screeching. Had to be Carole, the woman he was supposed to follow.
He waited a beat, then slid in behind her, a half block away. Another car turned onto the street between them, and Spence was grateful for the cover. There wasn’t much traffic, so it was easy to follow the Corolla to Hillman City, a Seattle neighborhood of McMansions near Lake Washington.
Interesting that the hostess traveled so far to her job. There must be twenty or thirty restaurants between Ballard and Hillman City.
Carole finally stopped in front of a large house with the porch lights blazing. But although the house had a three-car garage, Carole parked on the street and hurried toward the door.
It opened before she reached it, and a man stood in the doorway. Spence grabbed his camera, focused with the heavy zoom lens and snapped a number of pictures as Carole waved her arms and leaned toward the man. The former hostess was clearly angry. Agitated. Spence zoomed in as far as he could and continued taking pictures until the man wrapped his arm around Carole, drew her into the house and closed the door.
So maybe not her home. A boyfriend’s place?
Spence drove farther down the street, turned around and parked a couple of houses down from the extravagant home. He’d wait a while and see if Carole reappeared.
Spence texted Nico and told him where he was. Nico texted back that he was going home with Julia, and Spence should pick up the restaurant key at Julia’s house when he was finished.
An hour and a half later, the door opened again and Carole stepped out. The guy followed her onto the porch, and Spence began snapping pictures again. They talked for a few moments, then Carole ran down the steps and hurried to her car. She drove off, and Spence waited until the door closed behind the mystery man, then pulled away and followed her.
He tailed Carole to an apartment building, where she pulled into an underground garage. He parked in front, and when lights came on several minutes later in one of the darkened units, he memorized which one.
Spence watched for a while longer, then headed toward Julia’s house. He’d barely started up the front steps when the door opened. Nico held the screen door, and Spence stepped inside.
“She went directly to this house in Hillman City,” Spence said, showing him a picture of the place. “This is the guy who apparently lives there.” He scrolled through the pictures, Nico peering over his shoulder. “Recognize him?”
“Brown hair. Average build. Wearing jeans and a pullover.” Nico shook his head. “Never saw him before.”
“I assume you want me back at Madeline’s tonight?” Spence asked.
“Yeah.” Nico handed him a key. “Get back there ASAP. Carole is vindictive, and I don’t want her doing anything to the restaurant.”
“Will do. I’m going to email the best photos of the guy to Mel. Have her run them through facial recognition software.”
“Send them to me, too,” Nico said in a low voice. “I’ll see if Julia recognizes him when she wakes up.”
“Got it.” Spence shoved the key into his pocket, then hurried down the stairs to his rental car.
He drove more quickly than he normally would to Madeline’s. Nico was right. Based on her reckless driving and her visible agitation when talking to the guy in the house, Carole had been really angry. He wouldn’t be surprised if she’d had an extra key made for Madeline’s, and her rage might push her to make a stupid mistake.
As he sped toward the restaurant, Spence made a mental note to make sure someone was always in the restaurant until they got the locks changed tomorrow.
Inside the darkened restaurant, Spence eased into a chair, then scrolled through the photos and sent the best shots of the man in Hillman City to Mel and Nico. On a hunch, he sent pictures of Carole to Mel, as well. It couldn’t hurt to check her out and make sure she was exactly who she’d said she was.
Then he opened his cot and stretched out, knowing he’d sleep lightly tonight. He was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
He didn’t have to wait long.
Spence had barely fallen asleep when he heard the quiet rasp of a key sliding into the front door lock. Rolling off the cot and folding it up, he eased it silently into the shadows, hoping whoever was at the door didn’t notice it. Then, crouching behind one of the tables, hoping the shadows would hide him, Spence reached for his gun.
The front door opened, letting a gust of fresh, outdoor air into the restaurant. The door clicked shut, then footsteps approached. The intruder walked right past him, but Spence got a good look. Carole. He shot off a text to Nico, then slid out from his hiding spot and ghosted after Carole.
A circle of light spilled out of Julia’s office, and Spence walked faster. As he approached the glass that made up Julia’s office wall, he spotted Carole in front of the safe. She looked down at a piece of paper in her hand as she turned the wheel on the tumblers.
