Checkmate (Caitlin Calloway Mystery Book 2) by Mavis Applewater

 
    They took all of Annie’s things back to the station. Wayneneeded to go through the laptop and cell phone. Leigh personallywanted to go through the phone log.
    “Pretty girl.” CC stared at the picture of Annie Fraser and herfamily. She had found the family portrait resting on top of the girl’snightstand.
    CC couldn’t shake the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.The way the girl’s bed had been trashed didn’t fit. Who keeps theirroom immaculate then tosses their sheets around?
    “Who walks off their job in a foreign country and leavesbehind everything including their passport?”
    “No one.”
    CC felt her stomach churn as she gazed at the image of Annielaughing happily, surrounded by her parents and her two olderbrothers. It was the same with all cops. When the victims are sovery young, full of life and promise, the loss seems immeasurable.
    “I used to do that,” CC said.
    “What’s that?” Leigh glanced at the picture.
    “Look at the jacket and belt Annie is wearing. I’m willing tobet they belong to one of her brothers. When I was a kid, my olderbrother couldn’t keep me out of his closet.”
    “I only have sisters,” Leigh said with a smile. “But all myfriends used to raid their brothers’ closets. Nice belt. Armani? Iwould have swiped it. So, do you still ransack your brother’scloset?”
    “He died.” CC tried to shrug it off. She liked Mulligan; she justdidn’t feel a need to divulge the convoluted details of her troubledchildhood. “You can tell that’s Armani from this picture?”
    “Oh yeah.”
    “Any luck with the cell?”
    “Annie didn’t lead an exciting life. She called the employment agency, the Sterns, BC a couple of times, the library, and with theaid of an international calling card, she called home. The calls backto Kensington were the most frequent. The husband seems clueless.He struck me as a gutless wonder since the first day.”
    “No kidding. I worry about people who let their girlfriends or wives change them. Mrs. Stern is the key to this case. Getting her to bemore forthcoming is going to be a challenge.”
    Max flopped down in his chair. “Can’t get a woman to talk toyou? Must be losing your touch, Calloway.”
    “Bored suburban housewife. You want to take a shot at her?”CC challenged him in hopes that he might actually get out of hischair for something other than another cup of coffee.
    “Good looking?”
    “Eh, one of those skinny, tight-lipped, ‘I went to Wellesley’types.”
    “I hate those broads,” Max said. “The only time they talk to aguy like me is when they’re working a fund-raiser for their kid’sschool or trying to beat a ticket.”
    “Shirley know you try to chat up other women?”
    “You know, that’s who could hold their own with that type.”Max wagged his finger at her. “My wife can outsmart those tightasses anytime, anywhere.”
    “Did Shirley ever try to change you?” CC studied him closely.“How you dress or act?”
    “Don’t all women?” He laughed. “Nah, not really. But after wewere married, she started buying my clothes and giving me the ‘isthat what you’re wearing’ shtick.”
    “Good Lord. Are you telling me this is the improved version?”CC gasped with mock horror, fully aware that Leigh was watchingtheir banter very carefully. “Fair enough. I get it from Jamie nowand then. She’s much more fashion savvy than I’ll ever be. I do miss having cartoon characters on my underwear.”
    “We’re cops. What do we know,” Max said. “Well, exceptMulligan. She cleans up nice.”
    “Thanks, I think. So Jamie is the fem.”
    “No.” CC laughed. “Everyone thinks so, but she’s much moreathletic and handier with power tools than I’ll ever be. Mulligan, didyou see that picture sitting on Stern’s desk of him and hiswife?”She had begun to study the picture of Annie and her family again.
    “Yeah, the same belt.”
    “You’re certain?”
    “It’s Armani. Not much chance of mistaking