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Chapter 3
The jangle of his alarm woke Jerry way too early the morning after he’d hired the hitman. Without opening his eyes, he reached to slap it off, then remembered he couldn’t go back to sleep. He had an appointment to have the ‘Benz serviced.
Groaning, he rolled over and stumbled to the bathroom. He hadn’t heard Alex getting ready for work, but that wasn’t unusual. She’d moved into a spare bedroom months ago, and they’d led separate lives ever since.
He’d been trying to cozy up to her the last few weeks by preparing her travel mug of coffee every morning. She wouldn’t get her coffee this morning, though. She was in the middle of a trial and had probably left for work hours ago.
He’d had too much scotch after the hitman left the house, with predictable results. That guy had been scary as hell. Those blue gloves had freaked Jerry out, and the hitman’s ice-cold stare had sent shivers down his spine. The guy exuded power, though. He’d get the job done.
As Jerry returned to the king-sized bed, he detoured to check Alex’s bedroom. Stopped at the door and stared. Alex hadn’t slept in her bed last night.
Now, more awake, he stared at Alex’s still-neatly-made bed. Alex was fastidious about her personal grooming. But she never made the bed. It had driven Jerry crazy when they shared a bed.
He reached for his phone to call her office. Saw it was eight-thirty a.m. Swore. He’d waited weeks for that service appointment. Couldn’t be late.
Ten minutes later, he backed his car out of the garage and drove to the dealer. When they told him it would be ready at the end of the day, Jerry cajoled a loaner out of them. Boring black. But it would only be for the day.
On the way home, he tried to call Alex. Straight to voicemail without ringing.
She was probably already in court. Since she hadn’t slept in her bed, she must have spent the night at the office. She did that sometimes, when a trial was nearing the end.
Or maybe there was a different reason she hadn’t made it home last night. Maybe she was already dead.
Was it possible? Excitement replaced irritation. Maybe the hitman had seen an opportunity and taken it. Maybe Jerry’s problem was already solved, and the insurance money was as good as his.
No. The hitman had told him it would take time. That he had to watch her, study her habits before he could do anything.
As he turned onto his street, he saw Alex’s car in front of the house.
So she wasn’t dead. Damn it! He’d gotten his hopes up for nothing.
Before he reached the house, she hurried out, dragging a suitcase, her fancy business tote slung over her shoulder. Her movements were jerky. Hurried. She got into her car, did a three-point-turn, and headed toward downtown and her office.
What the hell? Why did she need a suitcase? Where was she going?
His stomach jumping with nerves, he parked in the driveway and hurried into the house. Grabbed the phone and called her office.
“Conway and Baker,” Shelley, the snotty receptionist, said.
“Hey, Shelley, Jerry here. Alex in the office, or still at the courthouse?”
There was a long silence. Then Snotty Shelley said, “She didn’t come in today. She was feeling ill at the party last night and she went home early.”
“What party was that?” Jerry asked.
A longer silence hummed over the phone. “The wrap-up party,” she said slowly. “The jury came back with a not-guilty verdict yesterday afternoon, and we all went out to dinner.”
“Can I speak to someone who was with her?” Jerry asked.
“I was there. So were Sierra and most of the paralegals. When I left the party, Alex’s car was gone. I assumed she’d gone home.”
“Okay, thanks, Shelley. We must have gotten our wires crossed.” He ended the call.
What the hell was going on? Why did Alex have a suitcase? Was she going somewhere? He hadn’t seen a note on the kitchen table, their usual form of communication. Maybe she was taking a few days to decompress after the trial.
Except she hadn’t left a note.
He’d been off his game these past few weeks. Worried about the Russians. Scrambling to figure out where to get the money to pay them back. A darker thought struck him. Could she have been rooting around in his business? Found out about the Russians? And about his plan to off her?
