Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
GAbrIEL – WEDNESDAY LATER AFTERNOON
Gabe unapologetically listened in on Casey’s conversation. Heidi had always maintained you could learn more than you’d think by listening in on one side of a phone call.
Except for mine, of course.
“I do. He’s here with me, actually. We’re in Westfort. Uh-huh. Do you want his number so you can call him directly?”
Gabe pointed at himself and shook his head, mouthing, No battery.
Casey nodded at him and kept talking. “Ah. Okay. He’ll be in as soon as possible.”
As he spoke, Casey’s demeanor changed from casual to stern.
Gabe knew that look and it wasn’t the sexy kind of Casey-stern.
Something not-good had happened. Casey had many tells, which meant he was a terrible poker player.
Gabriel had managed to get him naked both times that Casey had agreed to play.
Clicking off, Casey set his phone down on the table and looked at Gabe.
“A body was discovered this morning.”
Goose bumps rose on his arms and a shiver raced down Gabe’s spine.
“Whose?” he asked.
“They haven’t ID’d it yet. But—” Casey paused, but in his heart of hearts, Gabe already knew.
“It’s my visitor from Monday, isn’t it? Juliet?”
Casey nodded. “From your description of her, I’d say so.”
“Why’d they call you?”
“Deputy Eagan said that she tried your phone with no luck.”
“Battery’s dead,” Gabe confirmed. “Found that out in the library.”
“She and Deputy Wycoff then went by your place, but obviously you’re not there.”
“Shit.” Gabe stood up, pulled out his wallet, and tossed enough cash on the table to cover the entire bill.
Aside from Elton, for whom using cash was a lifetime habit, he was one of the few people he’d met who carried cash instead of cards to pay for things.
Cash was a habit that he’d found no reason to break.
For one thing, it didn’t leave an electronic trail.
Additionally, servers didn’t have to “necessarily” claim their cash tips when tax season came around.
He looked over at Casey. “Let me guess, Eagan wants to question me? I might as well get it over with.”
Casey rose to his feet, picking up the plastic bag with Greta’s ph? packed inside. “Where’s your car parked?”
“Closer to the library.” Gabe gestured in the general direction of his car. “I was taking a detour.”
“Let me give you a ride there just in case Randy is still around. I’d rather you weren’t arrested by Westfort law enforcement before you talk to the Heartstone Sheriff’s Office.”
“Ha, ha. Yeah, one meeting with cops is pretty much all I can handle most days anymore. Let’s get out of here.” Gabe headed for the door and outside. The Longest Noodle was not the place for this conversation.
He waited for Casey to join him. “But seriously, Juliet’s dead? Was she murdered? At the very least, I’m guessing her death is suspicious since they want to talk to me. As if I didn’t have enough on my plate this week. Did they say how they connected her to me?”
Casey stayed quiet, and Gabe crossed toward the Wagoneer, trying not to look too furtive about it.
“She must’ve had that paperwork on her with my name on it,” Gabe said, answering his own question. “Did Eagan say anything about what happened?”
At Casey’s car, Gabe lingered on the sidewalk, keeping a watch out for Dirty Socks Randy, while Casey climbed behind the wheel and unlocked the passenger door for him.
Randy showing up right now would be the last thing he needed.
He reconsidered that thought; the last thing he needed was Juliet Carter showing up dead.
And yet, here he was.
“Okay,” Gabe said once he was buckled in. “What else did Eagan say?”
“Not much. You heard how short a conversation it was.”
“But you think it’s bad.”
“I think it’s bad,” Casey confirmed.
Gabe blew out a gust of air. “What the fuck is going on around here?”
And when did Wednesday decide to compete with fucking Monday?