Chapter 6CassieLink
Chapter 6
Cassie
We’re all the way back in the office before the shock wears off. Lincoln said drive, and I drove. I didn’t think twice about it.
What came over me?
I tell myself it was the draw of a new case. Despite the dirt and damage to my clothes and rental car, I did have fun chasing down a bull with him earlier.
Nothing at all to do with his commanding tone.
I shake my head.
Nope. Not that at all.
Whatever the reason, here I am back in the office I swore I’d never step foot in again. Twenty minutes ago, I was determined to fly back to New York and demand my agent give me another chance. And now, I’m watching Lincoln argue with his new… what?
Before the McCray Farms incident, I’d thought she was his latest conquest. But now, after picking her up from a speed-dating event and hearing her go on and on about how horrible it was, I have to reassess my thoughts about her.
Whatever she is—a friend helping him with cases or an actual employee—I know I like her. I smile, thinking about the horror story of her night of speed dating. It was almost as bad as my night.
Almost.
“Seven cats! Who has seven cats in a studio apartment? And don’t get me started on the accountant! Where do they find these people?” Quinn had said after a lengthy recounting of every bad date tonight. “I’m so glad there’s a two-minute buzzer. Have you seen those Super Speed Dating videos where you can buzz the other person whenever you want? Oh, I would have loved one of those things tonight!”
“Why are we picking you up?” Lincoln had asked, jumping in when she finally took a breath.
“Slashed tires, remember?”
“That was months ago! You said you got new tires.” He sounded like an older brother scolding his kid sister.
“Yeah, and I’d like to keep them. Not taking any chances.”
“I told you I’d check ‘em out if you give me some names. Or find you a better match.”
Quinn laughed. “There’s no way you know anyone I would consider a match.”
Lincoln sucked in a breath and clutched his nonexistent pearls.
Quinn leaned forward and tapped the back of my seat. “Thanks for picking me up. Nice to see you again. Wish it was under better circumstances.”
I shrugged. “At least it’s a case, right? That’s good.”
Quinn and Lincoln had exchanged looks.
“What?”
Now, I’m standing in the middle of my dad’s office, watching them argue over that ‘what.’
“You knew when you called me!”
“You wouldn’t have come if I’d told you!”
“My point exactly!”
“Mine, too!”
“What?” I yell again. “Why aren’t we at the client’s house? What aren’t you telling me?”
They exchange another look, sending a silent argument that only they understand.
“Tell me, or I leave,” I say, holding up my keys.
It’s a bluff. I’m too nosey not to find out what’s going on here. But also not. This is precisely the kind of chaos I left home to get away from. First, I’m chasing a bull through a field, then finding out Lincoln is living in my dad’s house, and now… some big mystery surrounds the next case. One they can’t seem to agree on whether to take.
Lincoln rubs a hand over his face in the way that used to look so adorable. Right now, with the mood I’m in and the anger on his features, he just looks exhausted. “Mrs. Harper is a serial reporter. There’s always something missing. A prowler, one of her staff, is up to no good again. These calls never turn into cases, and Quinn knows it.”
“This one’s different,” Quinn argues. I can tell by the stern tone of her voice that she’s used to butting up against the ego of one Lincoln Suco and that she sometimes wins.
Quinn turns to me as if I have any say in the matter. And I guess I do, since now it’s my Love on the door. If I want it to be.
“She’s never offered this much money before.”
“How much?” I ask, letting myself take in the state of the office once more.
The paint is peeling. Both desks are in disarray. The unpaid bills ticked me off so badly this morning. I don’t know how they keep the lights on if Lincoln isn’t taking these cases seriously.
I don’t like how my gaze turns to Lincoln as Quinn says, “Two thousand dollars.”
Why won’t he at least consider it?
“What’s the real reason you don’t want to do this case?”
Lincoln throws his hands up. Now that Quinn and I are teaming up against him, he knows he stands no chance.
“Oh, I want the case!”
My mouth opens, then closes.
“But you just?—”
“Said it’s not a real one. There’s a difference. I would love to find whatever piece of jewelry Mrs. Harper thinks is missing and collect a big fat check in return. But it’s just not happening. And Quinn knew it was a no-go before she called us to pick her up!”
“I told you, this case is different.” Again, Quinn ignores him entirely and moves toward me. “Mrs. Harper misplaces things, yes. But he didn’t hear the fear in her voice this time. She’s worried. This is real. And it’s a good case.” She starts counting on her fingers. “It’s jewelry, so you know there’s a motive. People are in and out of her house all day… opportunity.” She stops, then points to Lincoln. “And it’s up to him to figure out the means.”
He raises both eyebrows at Quinn as if telling her to go on, but she doesn’t.
Why on earth are they tiptoeing around an easy, free case?
Link
Quinn looks at me like there’s more, but she won’t say it.
Cassie’s looking at me like I’m a fool for not wanting to take the job.
I do want to take the job. Easiest two-thousand dollars we’ll make all year. Old Lady Harper’s loaded and constantly calling us to find this or that missing thing. But the rewards are never this tempting. It’s possible she just misplaced her favorite earrings or something. Happens all the time. People like her have more things than they can keep track of.
I’ll probably get there, find some earrings in the wrong lockbox, and walk out with a hefty payout. As it’s becoming clear that Quinn won’t stop pleading her case, I wonder what I’d do if it turned out to be that easy. No harm, no foul, no case. Would I refuse to take her fee?
Nope .
Given the enticing fee, it's also possible that something really did get stolen from her. At least, that’s what I tell myself.
Like an old cartoon bandit seeing dollar signs in his eyes, I clap my hands together. “All right, it sounds like a real case.”
“Great! So you’ll take it?” Quinn’s still got that cagey expression on her face.
“Of course he will,” Cassie answers for me. “Why wouldn’t he? Look at this place!”
Quinn nods in agreement, though I catch her inching toward her desk to straighten things up.
“Yeah, Quinn, why wouldn’t I want to take it?”
Cassie glances between us. “What’s going on?”
I wait, but Quinn just keeps moving things around on her desk. If you ask me, it’s making it look worse, not better.
“There’s something about this case she doesn’t want me to know.” I put my hands out in my best innocent pose. “Now, I’m happy to take it here and now and earn this firm a cool two-K, no questions asked, but?—”
“Then why are you asking so many questions?” Quinn snaps.
I level my gaze at her, and she knows she’s taken the bait. “Because you’re evading the answers.”
Cassie steps forward, putting her hands out between us like a parent jumping into a sibling fight. “What could she say that’s so bad you won’t take the case?”
Quite a few things, actually.
“I already said I’m happy to take it. Let’s go!” I reach my hand out for the keys. Cassie snatches the keys away and pops them in her pocket.
“Mrs. Harper thinks it’s Phineas Abrams.” Quinn finally comes clean.
I pull my hand back as if touching fire. I no longer want the keys or the case.
Phineas Abrams is bad news.
The Harpers own half the town, and he owns the other half by unscrupulous means. He clawed his way to the top, and he keeps climbing. He’ll do anything to control the town.
But why steal jewelry?
“Nope,” I say, shaking my head. “You should have led with that, Quinn. All to get a ride from your stupid speed dating night. You used me.”
“Oh, hush!” Quinn points at Cassie, who’s staring at us both with her mouth open. “If anything, I used her, and she doesn’t mind. Do you?”
Cassie shrugs, then smiles.
I tell that black hole in my chest to ignore how it makes me feel.
“I kinda liked hearing about your bad date.”
“Plenty more where that came from!” Quinn holds her hand out for a high five, and Cassie actually gives her one.
Great. I’m glad they can yuk it up while I’m sitting here freaking out about what to do. We need the money, obviously. And chances are, it could still be nothing. The jewelry could be under a couch cushion somewhere, just waiting for my superior detective skills.
Or it could be—for some unknown reason—Phineas Abrams. Then what? Then I go gallivanting around town, asking questions I don’t want answers to, only for word to get back to Phin… and his goons?
And what if the jewelry is under the couch cushion, but word gets out that I took the case knowing he was the prime suspect? My head on a silver platter isn’t worth two grand.
Phin wouldn’t bother stealing jewelry , I argue with myself.
But he does have his thumb on all the real bad guys in town , I argue back. And I’m already in enough hot water with most of them. I don’t need to be showing my face in certain circles.
“We’ll take it!”
Quinn and I both turn our heads to stare at Cassie.
She’s too busy fishing the keys out of her pocket to notice.
I move to block the door before she can get to it. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Cassie. Let us handle this.”
“Stop calling me that!” She gestures with her head for me to get out of her way, but I don’t move.
“He’s right, Cass… andra.”
Cassie spins to look at Quinn. “Why are you scared of Phineas Abrams? So, he’s shady. Most rich people are. Doesn’t give him the right to steal from other rich people. Look around you!” She turns back to me for that part of her rant. “This place is falling apart. You obviously need the money.”
“You don’t know how bad it’s gotten since you left.” I want to call her Cassie again, but I stop myself. She’s mad enough as it is. And I need her to see my point in this. Or we’re in trouble.
“Isn’t this what you wanted?” She holds the keys out and shakes them. “I’m here. I’m ready to work on a case. Let’s go!”
I can’t take that look on her face. The way her eyes are wide, and she licks her lips. She reminds me so much of Robby right now. The fire that made him take every case, no matter how small or how dangerous. He needed to solve the puzzle.
This is all he ever wanted. And he’s not here to see it.
“No,” I say softly.
Get her out of here!
Cassie’s brow furrows and her lips form a tight line, and I know I’m about to get it—another of Robby’s most famous expressions.
“It’s too dangerous,” I say, trying to stem the tide before it starts.
“Don’t you tell me what’s too dangerous, Lincoln Suco. I’m tired of people telling me what I should and shouldn’t do. ‘Don’t take a leave of absence to care for your ailing father. Your role is too precarious. Don’t take longer than a weekend for the funeral. Your reshoots will hold up production. Don’t come back to New York to fight for your job. You’ll look like a fool.’” Her voice breaks, but she keeps going. “Don’t solve a real crime like your father always wanted because it’s too dangerous for you. You’re too small and weak.’” The last words come out in a whisper, though her face is still set in its anger.
“I don’t think you’re weak, Cassie.” I pause, but she doesn’t tell me not to call her that. “I think something is going on with this case that might get out of hand.”
I don’t bother saying that something is my involvement with some of its key players.
Then something in her expression changes, and I realize what’s happening. She needs this. She needs the case, the adventure, and the excitement way more than the company needs Old Lady Harper’s money.
And we really need Old Lady Harper’s money. Her face draws my attention. She looks hopeful, and it pulls at my heart. Robby would want me to get this place back in order, and now that Cassie’s back, it might be possible. Maybe a little risk is worth it.
“You know what?” I say, throwing my hands in the air in mock defeat. “Let’s go find some jewelry! I’m driving.”
Cassie shoves me out of her way and runs to the car.
Quinn sighs at my side. “You know we need it, Link. Let’s just hope you’re up to the task.”
I puff my chest. “What? You don’t have faith in your boss to solve this thing in the first five minutes before anyone can get hurt?”
“I just hope that, for once, you can.” She fake-punches me on the arm.
“I’m sure I will.” I follow Cassie to the car, where she’s already jumped in the front seat and started the engine.
Because I can’t be the reason any harm comes to Robby’s little girl.