minutes,” she said, holding up the envelope. “I’m going to give this to Mrs. McKinley.”
“What about a refund?” Jake asked. “It didn’t take us all that long.”
“We’ll see,” Annie said. “I’ll offer most of it back.” She turned her head as the office phone rang, then looked at her watch. She was running close on time. Maybe she should let the call go to voicemail. She changed her mind and dashed into the office, answering the phone.
“Lincoln Investigations. This is Annie Lincoln.”
“Ms. Lincoln. Hello. My name’s Teddy … Teddy White.”
Annie sat and pulled her chair in to the desk. “Yes, Mr. White. How can I help you?”
“My wife was … killed yesterday. Murdered. I’ve talked to the detective several times. He said they have a suspect.”
“You would be better to let the police handle it, Mr. White. If they have enough evidence, they’ll make an arrest.”
Teddy White sighed and his voice shook as he talked. “The murderer has disappeared, and I don’t think they’re doing enough to find him. At first the detective wouldn’t tell me who it was, but I persisted, and he gave me the man’s name.”
Annie hesitated. She knew most victims are content to wait until the police have done all they can, but occasionally, there are those who are unsatisfied, don’t trust the police, or just can’t wait. That’s when Lincoln Investigations often got a call.
“I’m sure they’re doing everything they can to find him,” Annie said.
“Perhaps they are,” Mr. White said. “But there’re only two detectives on the case and I don’t feel confident.” He paused. “Can you help me?”
“Was the detective you talked to named Hank Corning?”
“Yes. Detective Hank Corning. That’s what his card says.”
“He’s very capable,” Annie said. “My husband and I have known him a long time.”
“Nonetheless, can you help me? Are you too busy?”
Lincoln Investigations had nothing pressing at the moment, but she didn’t want to interfere when she knew Hank would have everything under control.
She hesitated, then said, “We’ll come and see you before we decide.” She jotted down Mr. White’s address, looked at her watch, and agreed to meet him at home by 2:30 that afternoon.
She told Jake about the call, then hurried out the door, making it to the cafe a few minutes late. Mrs. McKinley sat at a table on a small patio out front and Annie sat opposite her, declining her invitation for a drink.
“I’m afraid your suspicions were correct,” Annie said, pushing the envelope toward her.
Mrs. McKinley opened the envelope and removed the photos, running through them slowly. Her face grew sadder with each shot. When she finished, she sighed and looked at Annie. “Thank you,” she said, her voice weak and lifeless.
“I’m sorry,” Annie said. “It must be hard.”
Mrs. McKinley smiled feebly. “Now I have to decide what to do with these.”
“The video is more of the same,” Annie said.
The woman nodded and tucked the photos back into the envelope.
“It didn’t take us more than a few hours,” Annie said. “I’ll give you a refund for the extra.”
Mrs. McKinley shook her head. “You earned it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She picked up her small Prada handbag and removed a twenty, tucked it under her coffee cup, then stood and picked up the envelope. “I have an appointment,” she said. “I must go. Thank you again.”
Annie watched her leave, wondering what would become of the woman’s marriage. Whether they got divorced or not, she was afraid Mrs. McKinley was in for some more heartache, and all the money in the world couldn’t heal a broken heart.
Annie called Jake and told him she was on her way back, and he promised to meet her outside. He was sitting on the curb when she pulled up and he hopped in.
On the way to Teddy White’s house, she filled him in on her meeting with Mrs. McKinley. He didn’t say much, but Annie could
“What about a refund?” Jake asked. “It didn’t take us all that long.”
“We’ll see,” Annie said. “I’ll offer most of it back.” She turned her head as the office phone rang, then looked at her watch. She was running close on time. Maybe she should let the call go to voicemail. She changed her mind and dashed into the office, answering the phone.
“Lincoln Investigations. This is Annie Lincoln.”
“Ms. Lincoln. Hello. My name’s Teddy … Teddy White.”
Annie sat and pulled her chair in to the desk. “Yes, Mr. White. How can I help you?”
“My wife was … killed yesterday. Murdered. I’ve talked to the detective several times. He said they have a suspect.”
“You would be better to let the police handle it, Mr. White. If they have enough evidence, they’ll make an arrest.”
Teddy White sighed and his voice shook as he talked. “The murderer has disappeared, and I don’t think they’re doing enough to find him. At first the detective wouldn’t tell me who it was, but I persisted, and he gave me the man’s name.”
Annie hesitated. She knew most victims are content to wait until the police have done all they can, but occasionally, there are those who are unsatisfied, don’t trust the police, or just can’t wait. That’s when Lincoln Investigations often got a call.
“I’m sure they’re doing everything they can to find him,” Annie said.
“Perhaps they are,” Mr. White said. “But there’re only two detectives on the case and I don’t feel confident.” He paused. “Can you help me?”
“Was the detective you talked to named Hank Corning?”
“Yes. Detective Hank Corning. That’s what his card says.”
“He’s very capable,” Annie said. “My husband and I have known him a long time.”
“Nonetheless, can you help me? Are you too busy?”
Lincoln Investigations had nothing pressing at the moment, but she didn’t want to interfere when she knew Hank would have everything under control.
She hesitated, then said, “We’ll come and see you before we decide.” She jotted down Mr. White’s address, looked at her watch, and agreed to meet him at home by 2:30 that afternoon.
She told Jake about the call, then hurried out the door, making it to the cafe a few minutes late. Mrs. McKinley sat at a table on a small patio out front and Annie sat opposite her, declining her invitation for a drink.
“I’m afraid your suspicions were correct,” Annie said, pushing the envelope toward her.
Mrs. McKinley opened the envelope and removed the photos, running through them slowly. Her face grew sadder with each shot. When she finished, she sighed and looked at Annie. “Thank you,” she said, her voice weak and lifeless.
“I’m sorry,” Annie said. “It must be hard.”
Mrs. McKinley smiled feebly. “Now I have to decide what to do with these.”
“The video is more of the same,” Annie said.
The woman nodded and tucked the photos back into the envelope.
“It didn’t take us more than a few hours,” Annie said. “I’ll give you a refund for the extra.”
Mrs. McKinley shook her head. “You earned it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She picked up her small Prada handbag and removed a twenty, tucked it under her coffee cup, then stood and picked up the envelope. “I have an appointment,” she said. “I must go. Thank you again.”
Annie watched her leave, wondering what would become of the woman’s marriage. Whether they got divorced or not, she was afraid Mrs. McKinley was in for some more heartache, and all the money in the world couldn’t heal a broken heart.
Annie called Jake and told him she was on her way back, and he promised to meet her outside. He was sitting on the curb when she pulled up and he hopped in.
On the way to Teddy White’s house, she filled him in on her meeting with Mrs. McKinley. He didn’t say much, but Annie could
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