A Killer Cover Up Read online

  Then another thought gripped her, making her hand slide down to press the door lock button. Had someone watched her find his body? Was someone watching her now? She remembered Clint’s hackles going up and his suppressed growl. Had he sensed someone nearby? What she needed to know was how long Paul had been dead when she found him. It wouldn’t give her full assurance, but if he’d been dead over an hour by the time she got there, then it was possible the murderer had left long before she arrived.

  Either way, Margot knew she’d have to be extra careful to be aware of her situation in case the murderer was waiting around for her.

  Safe inside her home, she made herself lunch and gave Clint a treat for his well-behaved manner that morning. After calling the bakery and making sure things were going well, she changed into sweatpants and decided to work on some of the business things regarding the bakery. It felt odd not to go in and sink her fingers into dough, but she knew that Julia and Rosie would do fine for the rest of the day.

  When she turned on her laptop to open the documents she needed, another thought occurred. If only she could remember Paul’s last name.

  She opened a search browser and typed in Paul then stopped, letting her eyes flutter closed in thought. Bringing up the memory of Julian introducing her, she zeroed in on the introduction part.

  “Margot, this is Paul…”

  Her eyes snapped open. Henman!

  She finished typing in Henman and then put “investigative reporter” after it. Several results popped up from sponsored sources, but she scrolled down until she saw one that sparked her interest. It was a detailed interview with Paul.

  She clicked on it and read about how Paul had gotten his start in reporting, coming from a family of writers and a father who left a legacy of dangerous reporting in foreign nations. It was obvious from the tone of the article that the author had a great respect for both Paul and his family.

  At the end of the interview, the author asked Paul what he was working on next. He was cryptic in his answers but hinted at something that was going down in D.C.’s back yard, as he put it. Margot’s pulse spiked. Did that have to do with Julian’s murder? Or was that something he’d come across along the way?

  A quick glance at the date let Margot know the article was from a little under two months ago. It was possible it had brought him to her, but there were also numerous other reasons he could have come across the information.

  Sighing, Margot closed the article and looked through the other Google search results. They all seemed specific to articles he’d posted in the past and nothing sparked her interest so far as it could provide her with information about him.

  She did end up reading a piece he’d done that revealed corruption inside a precinct in Maryland a year before. It detailed how Paul had gone undercover for the piece and discovered several officers involved in a series of petty crimes.

  Margot shook her head, feeling sick to her stomach. She knew many officers and detectives and hated to think of them being capable of corruption, and yet it wasn’t impossible. Just as it wasn’t in any other realm of work.

  She was about to try another search to uncover more of Paul’s past when her phone rang. One glance told her it was Adam and her pulse spiked.

  “Hello?”

  “Margot,” Adam said, his tone bordering on chastisement but landing on concern. “What were you thinking?”

  She rolled her eyes but smiled. He cared about her, that was more than evident, but she also had to convince him she’d thought through every angle of the decision she’d made—everything except finding her contact murdered, of course. But no one could have foreseen that.

  “I know what you’re going to say, but—”

  “I’m glad you’re okay,” he interrupted, his tone softening. “Les briefed me on what went down today. I’m going to try and come back tomorrow so that I can assist with this case, but you’ll have to tell me everything.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  “I know.” He cleared his throat. “I was really worried. I’m sorry I couldn’t answer my phone before.” She knew better than to ask what he was doing, but he continued, “It won’t happen again. But please, please, promise me you won’t try to meet up with random strangers alone again?”

  “I wasn’t alone,” she said, letting her grin bleed into her words, “I had Clint.”

  The dog perked up from his spot on the floor.

  “Right. Well,” Adam sighed, the tiredness now coming out in his tone, “I’m glad for that, but I’m also worried.”

  “Did Martin call you?” She referred to the Medical Examiner for North Bank, knowing that Adam would have wanted to be updated on everything case-related.

  “Yes. It looks like strangulation.”

  “Does he have an idea of how long Paul was dead before we found him?”

  “So you know it was Paul Henman.”

  “Yes.” She looked at her computer, her search results still showing. “Adam, Julian introduced me to him over six years ago.” She couldn’t bring herself to say more, unsure of what it actually meant, but she knew it was significant.

  “And now he contacted you about Julian.” It was a statement more than anything, but it held weight.

  “We can’t know until the email is assessed, but if it was him and now he’s dead… Could this be related to Julian’s death?” She hated the hope that filled her at that thought. She didn’t want Paul’s death to be related, but she couldn’t help but hope that it was—despite how cold that sounded. She wouldn’t have wished for this, nor would she have sacrificed him for the truth, but with the reality that he was dead and somehow linked to Julian gave her hope that things could be put to rest once and for all.

  “We don’t know that yet. We don’t even know if he was the one emailing you. I’ll have someone look into it. As for the time of death, Martin places it within an hour of him being found, but he said it could have been even less than that.”

  Margot recounted how early she’d gotten to the meeting spot. Had Paul gotten there an hour before her? Now that she considered it, she found that hard to believe. It was possible the murder had taken place only a little while before she arrived at the trail since she’d come early as well. Though would she or Clint have heard something? That thought soured in her stomach and she licked her lips nervously.

  “The killer could have seen you, Margot.” Adam said what she was thinking. “I’m having an officer placed outside your home. Please don’t go anywhere or let anyone in, all right? I’ll come back to North Bank as soon as possible, but I’d recommend either closing down the bakery or having Julia and Dexter work it until we know what’s going on here and if you are in any danger.”

  She wanted to debate him, to tell him she wasn’t in danger, but the words wouldn’t come off her tongue. She had no idea if she was in danger now, or if the threat had stopped with Paul’s death.

  “I’ll call to make sure. I don’t even think Dexter is back yet, but I’ll make sure I can stay here. But what about Clint?”

  Adam let out a sigh. “I’ll let the officer know you’ll need to walk him, but they can escort you.”

  She wanted to protest again, thinking she would feel so foolish walking her fiancée’s dog with a police escort around her quiet neighborhood, but she closed her mouth. Adam was right to be cautious and she had been foolish enough to go meet a contact on her own.

  “All right. I’ll be sure to wait for them.”

  “Good.” Adam muffled something to someone on his end of the line before saying, “I’ve got to go. I’ll let you know when I’m coming back. Until then, please be careful.”

  “I will be, but you’ll have to let the officers know I’m planning on going to Bentley’s production at the end of the week so they’d better pack some dress clothes.”

  “Right,” Adam said, some of the humor seeping back into his words though he remained professional. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Bye.”

 
; He hung up and silence filled the room. It was enough to make her check over her shoulder, but she knew that the blinds were drawn and no one was there. It was just her imagination. But still, it would help her to feel better knowing that her house would be under surveillance for the next few days—even if it was a fool’s errand.

  She didn’t know whether or not someone was after her or if they thought they’d effectively stopped the information-sharing by killing Paul. Either way, she would play it safe and wait for Adam to arrive. Then, hopefully, they’d be able to attack the case together.

  4

  A knock sounded on Margot’s door the next day and she jumped. Clint immediately got up and issued a loud bark. Heart thumping, Margot went to look through the peephole and saw Julia standing there, a thick scarf wrapped around her neck and a paper bag in her hand.

  “Julia?” Margot said, opening the door and looking around behind her.

  “Hey, boss lady,” she said, her grin expanding. “The nice officer let me past, but it took some convincing.”

  Margot let her in and Clint immediately sniffed at the bag Julia had brought.

  “Lunch?” she said, holding it up.

  Margot grinned and led her into the kitchen. “Okay, so how did you get him to let you by?”

  “Bribery.” Margot caught the teasing tone and waited for her to tell the real answer. “Actually, after checking my ID, he called Adam’s partner who, after FaceTiming with me, gave him the okay to let me in. Technology, eh?”

  Margot laughed. “That is incredible, but smart at the same time.”

  “Everything’s going fine at the shop, before you ask. Dexter is there now with Rosie and sales are doing well. There’s nothing to worry about there, but we are worried about you.”

  “I’m fine,” Margot said, pulling out plates so that they could share the Chinese food Julia had brought. “I assume you’re going to stay and eat with me,” she asked hopefully.

  “I wouldn’t miss this chow mein.” She accepted the plate Margot offered her. “But I did want to see how you’re really doing.”

  “Did Adam send you?” Julia looked down but not before Margot caught her guilty look. “He did, didn’t he?”

  “He feels bad that he can’t get away as quickly as he said he would. He wanted me to check on you to make sure things were all right.”

  “Which is why he cleared you with Les, I’m sure.”

  Julia shrugged and pulled apart her chopsticks, rubbing them against one another to take off the splinters. “He cares about you and wanted to make sure you were okay. That’s sweet and you know it.”

  Margot laughed. “I do know it.”

  “So, how are you?”

  She portioned out some of the food, pondering what she wanted to tell her friend. Things had gone well the night before, especially after she saw the squad car arrive and park out front. She was able to go to bed knowing that she would be safe, or at least so she hoped, but today, she felt cooped up.

  “I’m getting claustrophobic.”

  “In this beautiful house?” Julia laughed, looking around. “You are crazy. Take the vacation day, boss. Enjoy it. Pig out on Chinese food and watch a rom-com or something.”

  “That only lasts for so long.”

  “True.” Julia slurped up noodles and chewed thoughtfully. “Why don’t we take Clint out after lunch? Your guard out there can follow us, but you’ll be outside—and not alone.”

  Margot shrugged. “Sounds like a good idea. Maybe that will help.”

  They finished their food over talk about the shop and a few notable customers before Margot changed into jeans and put on Clint’s leash. When they stepped outside into the frigid wind, she almost regretted agreeing to a walk, but she knew Clint didn’t. He’d barely been allowed outside, having to do his business in the small area right behind Margot’s row house, and he was anxious to stretch his legs.

  The officer, the same young man from the day before, nodded to them. “Afternoon, ma’am.”

  “Hello…Officer Jordan, is it?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Call me Margot,” she said, hating how old the term ‘ma’am’ made her feel.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said with a smile.

  She grinned and told him of their plans to walk around the block. He agreed to follow at a respectful distance and they set off.

  “So, what really happened?” Julia finally asked. “The papers say that a body was found on the Pine Creek Trail, but they don’t say much more than that. Not even who it is yet—or who found it.”

  Margot was glad to hear that, knowing news that she’d been involved was best left out. She filled Julia in on what had happened, including some of the details but leaving others out as well. She still wasn’t sure how much of Paul’s involvement in Julian’s death, if he even was involved in it, should be public knowledge. She trusted Julia, but that didn’t mean she had the freedom to share everything with her.

  “That is crazy,” Julia said as they rounded the first corner. Clint stopped to sniff and they waited for him.

  “There’s a lot I still don’t know either and without Adam being here, I can’t really know what is happening in regard to it all. I just know I’m under guard and stuck with Adam’s dog.”

  Julia laughed. “There are worse things. Clint’s cute.”

  “Isn’t he?” She observed the big mutt as he vacillated between one side of the sidewalk and the other, following the smells. “But I feel as caged as he does.”

  “You want to look into all of this, don’t you?”

  They rounded another corner.

  “I do, but I also don’t want to get in the way. My curiosity…” She shrugged, searching for the right words. “It can get me in trouble.”

  “Don’t I know it.” Julia didn’t even know the half of it, Margot thought, but she kept that observation to herself. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “I don’t think so.” Margot smiled her appreciation. “At least not at this point. Though—” She paused, considering what she was going to ask the woman to do.

  “What?” Julia prompted.

  They rounded the last corner, her row house coming into view, and Margot sighed, knowing she’d have to go back inside for the rest of the day.

  “Would you have Dexter look at an email I got?”

  “An email?”

  Margot cringed. She’d kept this part back and only now considered Dexter’s involvement. “It’s important, but I can’t really get into details yet.” She cringed again, knowing that if she swore Dexter to secrecy, it would also divide him from sharing what he found with Julia. With them dating, that made things more complicated, but she’d rather have the message passed by word of mouth than text message. There was no telling if they were dealing with a technology-savvy individual on the prowl for a digital trail from Paul to Margot.

  “I get it,” Julia said gently, smiling back at Margot. “I’ll ask him to look into it.”

  “Thank you,” Margot said, squeezing her friend’s hand. “It’ll be from two days ago, it came in around eleven I think, and has an attachment.” She knew he’d be able to decipher which one within minutes of looking at her email. “Tell him to ignore all the foolish emails about my wedding while he’s in there.”

  Julia laughed. “Will do, boss.”

  “And thank you—for understanding, that is.”

  “It’s okay. You’ll tell me when—and if—you can.”

  They stopped at Julia’s car, Officer Jordan going back to his squad car though Margot knew he’d still keep a close watch on them until she went back inside.

  “Thanks again for stopping by. Did you leave anything in the house?”

  “I don’t think so. I can come back tomorrow if you need more rescue-food.”

  “I’ll let you know,” Margot said through a laugh. They embraced and then she turned back to the steps that led up to her house. At the top, she stopped, her breath catching. A bubble mailer sat
innocently on her doorstep with her name and address scrawled across it. There was no return address and Margot could tell immediately that the package hadn’t been sent via the postal service. There were no other markings.

  Clint moved forward and sniffed it, but then sat down waiting for Margot to open the door. The dog didn’t seem to be bothered by it, but she wondered if she should tell someone or mention it to the officer. On a hunch, she checked in her mailbox and noticed that her mail had arrived while they were gone as well.

  Was it possible the package had arrived by mail and somehow missed the marking process? That seemed implausible, but she went ahead and picked it up along with her mail.

  Once inside, Clint went directly to his favorite spot, where Margot had put down a folded blanket for him in place of a bed, and rested his head on his paws. He’d no doubt be asleep within minutes.

  Margot took the mail to the table and rested the bubble mailer there as well. She stared at it, then, on a hunch, turned it over. There, on the back, was a faint, smudged mark, as if it had been stamped with something and then placed against something that had rubbed off the freshly printed ink. She couldn’t quite make it out, but it almost looked like a logo of some sort. Perhaps a carrier service?

  Grabbing her scissors, she sliced open the top of the mailer and pulled it upward so the contents inside slid out. It was a leather-bound journal. She gasped. She recognized this journal.

  It was Julian’s.

  Margot smoothed her hands over the worn leather and felt a tug deep inside her. A sadness that welled up and came out as tears slipped down her cheeks. It was the unexpected discovery of something of her late husband’s that shocked her the most. She hadn’t been sure what to expect when she opened the package, but it certainly wasn’t this.

  As if sensing her distress, Clint came up and rested his head on her knee.

  “It’s okay, boy,” she said, rubbing his ears. “It’s just hard.”

  She cleared her throat and wiped the moisture from beneath her eyes. Then she picked up the journal and headed for the couch. Clint, taking this as a good sign, went back to his bed, though his eyes stayed on her.