Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
The sign on Sonny Jones’s office door stated they were closed due to a death in the family. Yeah, Matthias thought, if the owner could be considered family. Did that make the employees his children? Siblings?
Matthias tried the door. Unlike Saturday, the handle didn’t budge. He knocked.
“No one’s here,” Emma said, the disappointment obvious in her voice.
“Don’t be so sure about that.” He knocked again. After another minute of silence, he pounded hard enough to make the wood vibrate.
The deadbolt clicked and the door jerked open to the same red-faced woman who’d been there three days ago. “You people again. Can’t you read?”
“We’re not here to do business,” Matthias said. “Ms. Neidermeyer, I presume?”
“If you’re not here to do business, what do you want?” She raised a palm. “No. Forget I asked. Whatever it is will have to wait. We’re closed.” She reached for the door.
Matthias put a hand on it, blocking it open. “You are Tina Neidermeyer, correct?”
She glared at him. “Move your hand, sir.”
Emma stepped forward. “You lied to us on Saturday.”
“I did no such thing.”
“Yes, you did. I asked if you’d spoken to Eric Baker recently. You claimed you’d have to check your calendar, but unless you have an incredibly short memory, you knew full well you’d met with him on Wednesday.”
The skin at the corner of the woman’s eye twitched.
“You witnessed the signing of a sales agreement between North Star and Nell Anderson.” Before Neidermeyer had a chance to say anything, Emma thrust a hand at her. “I’m Emma Anderson, the other owner of record on that property.”
Matthias battled to contain a smile, especially when he saw the combating emotions crossing Neidermeyer’s face. She had to be wondering if Emma was here to complete the deal—assuming she didn’t know about Emma ripping up the documents. Neidermeyer’s focus shifted back to him.
Emma tipped her head in his direction. “This is Detective Matthias Honeywell.”
He should have spoken up and added Erie Bureau of Police to his title but didn’t. For now. Emma was having more of an effect on Neidermeyer than he was. Let it play out.
Unable to disguise her confusion about the current situation, the woman stepped clear and gestured them in.
“Yes, I’m Tina Neidermeyer. I’m—I was—Mr. Jones’s assistant.
” She flipped the deadbolt. “Please follow me.” She led the way past her desk with the World’s Greatest Aunt trophy and down a hallway to their left, then flipped on a light in the first room they came to.
No glass tables or dividers in sight.
“Have a seat,” Neidermeyer said. “Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee?”
Emma shot a questioning look at Matthias. He shook his head. “We’re good, thanks.”
He pulled out one of the chairs surrounding the conference table and held it for her. As she sat, he leaned down and whispered, “You’ve got the lead on this.” If she needed his help, he’d be ready.
Her nod was almost imperceptible. He slid into the chair next to her.
Rather than sit at the head of the table, Neidermeyer chose a seat across from them. “How can I help you, Ms. Anderson?”
“I’m not sure if you’re aware, but originally I wasn’t in favor of the deal Sonny made with Eric and my sister.”
The nerve twitched again. “I was aware of that.”
“After much thought, I’ve changed my mind.”
Matthias leaned back. Emma wasn’t going to need his help. Hell, if she lost her job at ErieLIVE, she might have a career as an actress. Or a detective.
“Really?” Neidermeyer’s eager tone told him she was buying Emma’s lie.
“Yes.” Emma came forward, resting her interlaced fingers on the table. “But I’m concerned, as you must understand, about Sonny’s death. If the company is going to close, my sister and I should begin to look elsewhere.”
“No,” Neidermeyer replied quickly. Too quickly. “There’s no need for that. North Star Developing isn’t shutting down. We have a contingency plan for moving forward in case of such a tragedy.”
“Oh? But I’ve known Sonny since we were in grade school. I’m not sure if I would feel as comfortable dealing with someone else. My decision ultimately depends on who would be filling his shoes.”
Neidermeyer’s attempt at maintaining a passive face wasn’t quite successful. “You must understand, there are legalities to be worked out. Paperwork to be filed. I’m not at liberty to make a public announcement about the company’s new leadership yet.”
“I’m not asking for one.” Emma gave her an Oscar-worthy grin. “I’m not a member of the media.”
Except, as a crime beat photographer, she was.
“I’m asking for some reassurance before signing my name on a sales contract the size of the one Sonny proposed.”
“I can assure you, everything will be official in a few days. Then, I’ll be able to move your matter forward—”
Emma shook her head and pushed back from the table. “I’m sorry. I won’t be in town by then. If you aren’t able to take care of the sale now, I’ll find another developer who can.”
Neidermeyer reached for Emma. “Wait.” She must’ve seen the looks of apprehension on Emma’s and Matthias’s faces because she recoiled, placing both hands in her lap and clearing her throat.
In a less frantic tone, she said, “I can handle the sale. Strictly off the record, I’m now the owner of North Star Developing. ”
“What about Patrick Winslow?” Matthias asked.
“He and I are in discussions regarding his ongoing role in the company, but at the very least, he’ll continue as our construction foreman.”
Meaning he might be getting a promotion and a raise.
“So, you see,” Neidermeyer said to Emma with a bright smile, “nothing of significance will change in our operations.”
“Jones’s murder is ‘nothing of significance’?” Matthias asked.
The new owner turned an annoyed scowl on him, as if he was a pesky mosquito. “Sonny would be pleased to know his company isn’t falling apart in his absence.”
“He’s dead. You talk about him as if he was taking a sabbatical to a tropical island.”
Neidermeyer glared at him. “May I ask, why exactly are you here? Ms. Anderson and I can handle the sale of her property without you.” Before he could respond, she faced Emma, and the smile was back.
“Speaking of your property, if you give me a minute, I’ll get the sales agreement that your sister already signed, and we can move this deal forward. ”
“You have the agreement that Nell signed?” Emma asked, sounding surprised.
“I’m sure it’s filed in Sonny’s office. If you give me a minute—”
“I don’t think so. Sonny had that agreement with him on Saturday at the Powell farm.”
“Oh.” This appeared to be news to Neidermeyer. “Well then, perhaps we can make an appointment for later today to give me time to track it down.”
“You witnessed Nell signing the document last Wednesday, correct?”
Neidermeyer waved a dismissive hand. “If that’s what concerns you, believe me, I’ll call someone in to witness your signature, since I’ll be adding mine as representing North Star.”
“That’s not it. You let Sonny coerce my sister into putting her name on a legal document while she was obviously under the influence.”
Neidermeyer grew still, her eyes narrowing to slits. “I was not aware of that.”
“Sonny was. Which means, even if you could put your hands on that agreement, I would have it nullified.” Emma rose. “But you won’t be able to track it down because I tore it up.”
Neidermeyer stayed in her chair but placed her white-knuckled fists on the table. “Then what are you doing here? What kind of game are you playing?”
Matthias stood. “It’s called fishing for motives. I wondered who stood to profit from Jones’s death. Now I know.” He placed a guiding hand on the small of Emma’s back. “You don’t need to show us out. We know the way.”
* * *
“I can’t believe she didn’t know about me tearing up the sales agreement.” Emma stared through the Jeep’s windshield at the building housing North Star, waiting for the air conditioning to cool the vehicle’s interior.
“If I was officially investigating the case, I’d have asked her when was the last time she saw or spoke to Jones.”
Emma looked at Matthias. “I told her you were a detective. She didn’t know you weren’t actually on the case. Why didn’t you ask?”
“Because I’m a hundred and fifty miles out of my jurisdiction.”
“That’s why you let me take the lead.”
He shrugged. “Partly. Mostly. She was buying your story. I figured you’d get more information from her as long as she was seeing dollar signs.”
“Should I have kept playing her instead of telling her I tore up the agreement?”
“No. You did fine.” He shot her a grin. “Hell, you did great. The fact she didn’t know about your meeting with Jones on Saturday reveals a lot.”
“Such as?”
“He may not have trusted her as much as it seems.”
“Then why put her in charge of the company once he died?”
“Good question,” Matthias said.
Emma leaned back, pondering it. “Maybe they had a fight. Maybe she did something to make him reconsider.” As the scenario played out in her mind, her heart rate increased.
“They used to be tight, but that changed. He intended to change his Will and put someone else in charge, so she had to get rid of him before that could happen.”
“Whoa,” he said, sounding like he was coaxing a runaway filly to slow down. “In legalese, that’s conjecture.”
“But it’s possible, and it’s motive.”
“All of which needs to be proven.”
“You want to turn the information over to the troopers?”
“I didn’t say that. In fact, that’s the last thing I want to do. Fergusson would throw a fit if he thought I was doing his job.”
“Someone has to.”
Matthias snorted. “We need to stay on Fergusson’s good side. Correction—I need to stay on his good side, which I’ve sucked at so far. Otherwise he’ll shut us out, and we’ll be of no help to Eric.”
Emma recalled the conversation she’d overheard earlier. She’d known Matthias and Fergusson had history, but it went a lot deeper than she’d first thought. She had to wonder if Matthias was even capable of staying on Fergusson’s good side.
Matthias shifted into gear and pulled out of the parking space. “There are two people who might know if there was a rift between Jones and Neidermeyer. Jones’s wife and his foreman.” Matthias glanced at Emma. “How would you feel about continuing to take the lead on this investigation?”
“I feel less like a lead detective and more like the ventriloquist’s dummy.” When Matthias gave her a pained look, she grinned. “I’m okay with that. The problem is, I don’t know the foreman. I do know Ashley.”
“You were friends in high school, right?”
“Friends?” Emma squirmed thinking of Ashley the popular cheerleader and Emma the nerdy president of the camera club. They did not run in the same social circles. “We were classmates.”
“Close enough. Our next stop is a visit to the widow.”