AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She followed Mason through the office door, front and center of the complex. The leasing agent behind the reception desk looked up with a perky smile. She appeared to be in her thirties with bright red hair pulled up in a ponytail. Two candles burned on her desk, which accounted for the apple scent in the air.
The news anchor was nattering on about how hackers were taking control of vehicles and how to stop them. Annie barely registered the brunette on television before focusing her attention on the woman at the desk.
Her smile faded when she recognized Mason. “Sheriff Kaleva, what can I do for you?”
Mason slid the car registration across the desk to her. “We found this car abandoned in the forest. Ms.Fraser appears to reside here?”
The woman glanced at the slip and nodded. “I noticed this morning she’d finally moved her vehicle. We’ve sent notices and left stickers on the car for about a year. She’s never answered her phone or stopped to take care of the situation.”
“When was the last time you saw her?” Annie asked.
Mason sent her a look that ended her questions. This wasn’t her investigation.
“It’s been ages. Her rent is paid by mail, and she never answers her phone. That car hadn’t been moved out of the parking garage in all that time. It was covered in dirt.” The leasing agent leaned forward. “I don’t think she’s living here. I told management I believed she was using this residence as a cover for something. Who leaves an expensive car like that in the parking garage that long? Something’s fishy about it all.”
“Did you ever meet Ms.Fraser?” Mason asked.
“Just when she leased the apartment. Young, probablytwenty-four or twenty-five. Long brown hair, brown eyes. Around my height of five four. She seemed skittish and scared when she checked in here.”
“Was she alone?”
The woman nodded. “She kept glancing out the window. I think she was afraid of someone.”
“Did you see anyone with her?”
“No, but she was really jumpy.”
Mason waved the car registration. “Did she drive here in this car?”
“Yes, and that was the last time I saw it moving.”
Kade had said the vehicle was easily worth sixty thousand. Who would leave a vehicle like that and never drive it?
Mason glanced out the window. “Could we do a wellness check on her?”
“Sure.” She reached into the drawer and fished around. “Here’s the key card.”
The woman was much too curious herself to turn them down. Annie and Mason followed her out of the office and down the hall to the elevator. They took it to the top floor. Mason rapped on the door and called out his identity.
When no one answered, he stepped back and nodded toward the door. “Go ahead and open it.”
The leasing agent swiped the card and opened the door. She stepped out of the way and let them go first. Annie caught a glimpse of fear in her brown eyes. Maybe she was afraid they’d find the Fraser woman dead inside. Annie had the same worry.
The air inside the condo felt stale and dusty. With the drapes pulled, it was hard to see, so she felt along the wall and flipped on the light switch. With the overhead chandelier throwing outillumination, she could see the place looked unlived in. No knickknacks, no personal photos out. The thick coating of dust showed clearly on the dark wood floors. Annie walked through the entry and living room to the kitchen. The cabinets and drawers were empty. She peeked out onto an empty deck.
“She’s never lived here, Mason.” Annie swept her hand around the space. “There isn’t a single dish in the kitchen. No skillets, no canned goods or utensils.” Opening the refrigerator revealed a brand-new, never-used interior.
“Very strange,” Mason said.
The leasing agent had followed them in, and a frown darkened her face as she glanced around. “It looks like it did when she moved in.”
Annie trailed behind Mason down the hall with the other woman bringing up the rear. Annie checked out the hall bathroom first. No toothbrush, no deodorant. Nothing but dust. The guest room was completely empty. The main bedroom held only a bed covered by white bedding. The adjoining bathroom was a repeat of the hall bath—empty of everything but dust.
Had Michelle ever slept here, or had it been for show from the beginning?
The leasing agent stood in the hall with a shocked expression. “I saw a moving truck arrive with the furniture. I had no idea she wasn’t living here. Her rent payment has always been punctual. Why would someone pay for a home and not live there?”
The question of the day.
