Chapter Fourteen
Winthrop Residence
Eagle Ridge Place
Brenda kept her focus straight ahead as they started up the sidewalk.
Waking up to the sound of the shower and Ben’s scent on her sheets had been…
revitalizing in several ways. But, at the same time, it was terrifying.
Had she made a mistake? Should she have allowed pleasure to slip into their relationship?
Pleasure was a very apt description. She had never been made to feel the way this man made her feel.
She stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye.
And he’d been such a gentleman this morning.
Since he was in the shower when she woke, that first awkward moment of waking together was prevented.
Then, before she’d talked herself into climbing out of bed, he’d headed to the kitchen and started preparing breakfast. Again, ensuring she was able to shower and dress before the unavoidable morning-after face-to-face moment.
Even more surprising, he had somehow made her feel instantly at ease during breakfast. He’d talked about the case and the next steps and even the weather. She hadn’t felt pressured to discuss their night spent in each other’s arms. No need to analyze what it meant or whether it would happen again.
The perfect morning after.
Another glance at him and she admitted that a lot of things about Ben Clark were perfect.
The angles of his face. His smile. Those eyes.
She liked that he wore jeans with his sports jackets.
He looked at ease and confident. Totally comfortable in his own skin.
Truth was, there were a lot things about him that she liked… a whole lot.
“Would you like me to ask the questions?”
Brenda blinked. A moment was required to figure out what he meant. The interview of the first name on the list they’d found. Further proof that last night had been good for her. Her mind wasn’t trapped in that continuous loop replaying the nightmare her life had become.
“Yes. I’m glad you asked. I would very much appreciate your taking the lead.” After all, he was the expert. No matter that she’d conducted a few interrogations and interviews in her books, this was real life. She would prefer to leave it to the experienced expert.
He smiled in her direction. “Good. You study his reactions, and we’ll have a postmortem after.”
“That’s a great idea.” She faced forward. Maybe today they would make some real headway on solving this puzzle.
The Winthrop home was a stately one. The owner, Albert Winthrop, was the first name on the list they had found last night.
Hopefully, he would have some sort of answers for them.
Whoever was behind the threats against her would be growing impatient.
She needed to find what they wanted. It would certainly be a lot easier if she had some idea what it was.
The location of money…drugs…information that could be used against them?
At the front door, Ben pressed the button for the doorbell. Brenda stood slightly back. This man was older, midseventies. According to Google, he was a widower. She didn’t want him to feel intimidated by the two of them arriving unannounced.
The door opened, but it wasn’t the elderly man whose image they had found on the internet. This was a woman, perhaps a year or so older than Brenda.
“Good morning,” Ben said. “My name is Ben Clark. I’m from the Colby Agency and this is my colleague, Brenda. We’re here to speak with Mr. Winthrop.”
Brenda recognized instantly that something was very wrong. The woman’s eyes were red, and while Ben spoke they filled with tears and her lips trembled ever so slightly.
“I apologize for the intrusion,” he offered. “If this is a bad time, we can come back later.”
Brenda held her breath. They needed answers now, not later. But Ben was right to make the offer.
“My father,” the woman said, then hesitated to take a deep breath, “died last night.”
Fear poked into Brenda’s gut, but she quickly found her voice and offered, “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Disappointment sagged her shoulders because she did not want to lose this opportunity, as selfish as that sounded. But if the man was dead…what could they do?
The woman nodded. “Thank you.” Then she frowned. “Was my father expecting you? I’m not familiar with the Colby Agency.”
Brenda looked to Ben for the answer on that one.
“No,” Ben explained. “He wasn’t expecting us, but we found his name on a list related to J&D Investments, and we’re trying to narrow down—”
A sad laugh burst out of the woman. “I don’t think you would have wanted to hear what he had to say about the people who operated that firm.”
Brenda couldn’t hold back. “Scott Devers was my husband,” she explained. “I’m desperate to determine what was actually going on before the explosion. If you could help I would sincerely appreciate it.”
The other woman’s face hardened, but Brenda kept going.
“Scott and I had been separated for a year, which is why I have no idea about his business dealings. All I know for certain is that whatever he was doing, now my daughter and I are in danger. That’s why we wanted to talk to Mr. Winthrop.
I hoped he might be able to shed some light on the situation. ”
Her face softened a little. “I’m very sorry for whatever you and your daughter are going through.
All I know is that my father discovered millions of dollars were missing from his accounts.
He’d had hip and knee replacement surgery and then spent weeks in a rehab facility.
During that time the money disappeared. Once he was home and back to monitoring his business affairs, he found the discrepancies. ”
“What was the time frame that he made the discovery?” Ben asked.
“About a month ago.”
“What did he do once he realized what was happening?” Ben inquired next.
“He confronted Scott Devers. But Scott claimed it was just a mistake in the reporting system, that the money was right where it was supposed to be. Then magically within twenty-four hours the money showed up—just like he said. My father went to a friend whose accountant specializes in forensic auditing, and he took a look and said there was only one explanation for what my father described. The money was being used illegally. A day or so later, I think, the explosion happened.”
Ben said, “Did your father go to the authorities?”
“Oh yeah. A detective…” She narrowed her gaze as if concentrating on recalling the name. “Sheldon or Shelton, I think he said. Anyway, the detective took his statement, but we never heard anything else.”
Brenda felt like she needed to apologize for Scott’s actions, but then his choices had not been hers. Still, it was painful to hear the story.
“Ms. Winthrop?” Ben asked.
“Bowden,” she clarified. “Tess Bowden.”
“I realize how difficult this must be,” he said, “but would you mind sharing what happened to your father?”
Bowden squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.
“He came to my house for dinner last night. I live in the Green Mountain community, and I didn’t want him to drive home afterward.
It was dark and the road is full of sharp curves.
” Her voice trembled on the last word. “But he insisted. At this point, all we know is that he missed a curve. But the police assured me they are conducting a thorough investigation. They’re doing an autopsy to see if a medical event caused the accident. Whatever caused it, I want to know.”
“No other vehicles were involved?” Ben asked.
“If anyone else was involved, they drove on without stopping or calling for help.”
The idea that the accident was possibly no accident had dread creeping up Brenda’s spine, twisting at the base of her skull. The thought might not have occurred to her except for what Ben had warned this cartel was capable of.
What the hell had Scott been thinking?
“Do you know if your father’s funds remained where they should be?”
Brenda couldn’t help holding her breath while waiting for the answer to Ben’s question. If Scott had cheated this family…
“Oh yes. My father moved them to a new firm immediately.”
Ben took a business card from his jacket pocket and handed it to Bowden. “If you recall anything else your father might have said or if you have any problems related to this situation, don’t hesitate to call.”
She stared for a long moment at the card, then looked from Brenda to Ben. “Why would you help me?”
“Because the people Scott Devers was involved with are very dangerous,” Ben explained. “Detective Shelton should have told you this. There is a Special Agent Cummings from the FBI working on the case as well. You should be very careful, Ms. Bowden.”
She thanked them and closed the door as they walked away.
Brenda waited, her nerves jittery, while Ben checked his car before they could get inside. Then she dared to utter the question throbbing in her skull. “There are two more names on that list… Do you think we’re going to find the same pattern with them as well?”
Ben checked the street and pulled away from the curb. “Unfortunately, I suspect so.” He glanced at Brenda. “The real question in my mind is, why hasn’t Shelton or Cummings done a deeper dig? Why hasn’t one or both followed up with this woman?”
And that reality had only been the beginning, Brenda soon learned. The second name on the list was indeed a client of Scott’s firm and he too was deceased. The truly bizarre part was that he had been dead for more than a year.