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“So, he just called me. From a house phone. He wants to meet me in the cafeteria to ask me some questions.”
“Sounds a little nefarious, dontcha think?”
“Very.” Colette exited the elevator and walked to the nearest table that was empty. “Go sit at another table and just keep an eye on us without looking like you’re on a stakeout.” Growing up, Colette had watched a lot of crime dramas and used the jargon often.
“Roger that,” Dottie joked. “I’ll be right over there. With my camera.”
Colette gave her a look.
“Relax. I am a primo stealth photographer.” Dottie gave her a wink.
“Please. I’m nervous enough. I don’t want to know about any of your dark secrets. At least not right now.”
The elevator door opened, and the self-described bald, black-rimmed glasses man stepped out. He recognized Colette immediately, but he pretended to look around. Colette seemed to cringe when he approached her. Was it her imagination, or was she being paranoid?
“Colette?” the man asked.
“Yes. Hello,” she replied evenly.
“Did you have the opportunity to read my letter?”
“Yes, briefly. As I mentioned, we were terribly busy this morning. I glanced at it in my car but didn’t have time to read it carefully. And, unfortunately, I left it in the visor.” Her thought trailed off toand I called the office and you don’t exist.Even though she didn’t say it, the words were floating in her head.
Taylor, or whatever his real name was, shook her hand and sat down across from her at the small, square table.
Colette laced her fingers together and placed them on the table. She sat up tall. “What can I help you with, Mr. Taylor?”
“You were present when Mr. Randolph Millstone passed away, correct?”
“Yes. That is correct.”
“Did Mr. Millstone ask you to witness papers at some time before he died?”
Colette sat up even taller. “Yes, he did. About two, maybe three weeks earlier.”
“And what was on those papers? Did you read them?”
“No. I was only told to witness his signature. And that I be present when he signed it. That’s all he instructed me to do. There was no reason for me to read the document.”
“Do you know where that document was kept?”
“I do not. But I would think it would be in his safe. That was where he kept all the important documents.” Colette remained calm. But her mind flashed to the envelope. The envelope she had not been able to retrieve from the drawer in which she had hidden it. Then to the small spiral book under her passenger seat. She cocked her head. She had to pay attention and not give him too much information. She wanted to find out who this man really was and why he was asking her these questions.
“Apparently the document in question was not in his safe.”
“I really don’t know what to tell you, Mr. Taylor.” This time, she couldn’t help but emphasize “Taylor.” It occurred to her that he hadn’t asked about the notebook, and she was not about to offer any information about it either.
“Just so I can close this case, you affirm that you did, in fact, witness a signature of Mr. Randolph Millstone on a document, but you do not know the nature of said document?”
“That is correct.” Colette looked him straight in the eye. Something wasn’t right with any of this.
“Well, thank you for your time, Ms. Petrov. If you should think of anything, please call me. Have a good afternoon.” Taylor got up, extended his hand for a shake, turned, and waited for the elevator. To Colette, it seemed like an eternity. As soon as Taylor, or whatever his name was, disappeared into the elevator, she nodded at Dottie. The two women hurried to catch the next car. Colette wanted to follow him as far as she could without being noticed. She and Dottie entered the lobby and watched Taylor walk to the guest elevators. Colette thought he might be staying at the hotel. Colette told Dottie to watch the elevator light and see if she could tell on which floor he got off. Meanwhile, Colette walked over to the front desk. “Hi, Eddie. Do we have a Jacob Taylor registered here?”
Eddie scrolled through the database. “No. No Jacob Taylor.” Colette stood there, thinking for a moment, when Dottie dashed over. “The elevator stopped at the fourth floor, then continued up to eight.”
“Eddie, can you check who is registered on those two floors?”
Eddie ran down several names that didn’t sound familiar. Then Eddie came to a Jerry Thompson, who was with the Millstone Group. Colette gripped the counter. Why would that man lie to her? Something was terribly wrong. She needed to find Clive Dunbar.
