“You think you’ll eat this? I wonder. Should I call them Kitty Patties?”
While the Kitty Patties were cooling, she texted Julie to call her when she could. Two minutes later, her cell rang.
“We’re on break.” Julie’s voice was hushed. “I’m out here in the hall, but we have to go into the courtroom in a few minutes.”
“Still doing voir dire?”
“Yep. We should be able to finish that up today, if all goes well. Whatcha need?”
“I found a piece of paper in Quincy’s bed.” She picked it up from the kitchen counter where she’d put it, then walked to the balcony doors to inspect it again in the daylight coming through the glass panes.
“Oh yes, what is that? I remember seeing it there.”
“You saw this? When was that? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It was the night Gabe was killed. It was bothering Quincy. I took it from his collar, but you discovered the rats and we all ran downstairs before I could say anything. I dropped it into his bed right before Grandma and I left to see what was upsetting you. Forgot all about it until now.”
“Do you know where it came from?”
“No, just that it was stuck in his collar.”
“I never saw it, and neither did Mike.”
“It was folded up, tiny. I wouldn’t have seen it except Quincy was scratching like crazy and I poked around to see why.”
“Did you look at it?”
“Not really.”
“Can you meet me somewhere for lunch and take a look?”
“Sure. Oops, gotta go. I’ll text when we’re breaking for lunch. I think I can get away today. I’m supposed to run to the office for some papers and some online research anyway.”
Chase closed the call and looked out at the street below. She didn’t often have time to stand and watch the city going about its business in the morning. The café directly across the street was open for breakfast. People who looked like professors—and several students—went in and out, carrying coffee containers as they left and headed toward campus. They all wore substantial jackets and a few had hats and gloves on as well. The weather was turning.
When she went back to the counter, where she’d left the Kitty Patties cooling, Quincy was crouched over the broiler pan, steadily chowing down.
“Finally, something healthy that you’ll eat.” She broiled up a few more to have on hand. She would give Anna strict instructions to feed him these instead of dessert bars.
At 11:30, she was in a seafood restaurant a block from the court building. Julie made it there only fifteen minutes after the time she’d given Chase in her text message.
“Sorry,” she said, unbuttoning her coat and unwinding her scarf. “I got waylaid by my boss. I have to run to the office this afternoon and research a couple of points. I should have a few minutes now, though. Enough time to eat and chat.”
“I ordered you a cup of clam chowder and the iceberg wedge salad.” That was what both of them always got for lunch there unless they were splurging on the lobster bisque.
“Perfect.” Julie threw her coat and scarf onto the seat and slid into the booth. “How are you feeling?”
“I’ll live.”
The waiter delivered the iced tea Chase had ordered and Julie held out her hand. Chase put the torn piece of paper in her palm. “Definitely some sort of contract to be signed by two people,” Julie said, squinting at the tiny scrap. “Looks like Naughtly and Iversen, doesn’t it?”
“I just wanted to make sure.”
“Aha. It’s also dated the day Naughtly was murdered.”
“So, somehow, Quincy got this stuck in his collar at Gabe’s.”
“Most likely,” Julie said.
“Which proves that Iversen was there before he said he was, just like Mike told me,” Chase said. “The torn bits of paper on the floor next to his body must have been something that one of them tore up before I got there.”
“Do you think they had a quarrel about some sort of agreement?”
Chase chuckled. “A disagreement about an agreement? Is there any way to find out what it was, exactly?”
“Do you know who Naughtly’s lawyer was? Or who Iversen uses?”
“No, but the police would.”
“I don’t know if this has anything to do with the murder, but I happened to overhear someone say that Torvald Iversen filed a restraining order yesterday.”
“Who is it against?”
“I didn’t hear that. I’ll try to find out if you think it’s relevant.”
“Probably nothing to do with this business.”
Chase’s next stop was the police station. After she asked for Detective Olson out front, she was shown back.
“Good to see you again.” He motioned her into the chair beside his metal desk. It was just as uncomfortable on her back as it had been the last time. The room vibrated, full of bustling people this time of day.
His blue eyes were so dark, and so steady. She blinked and he broke his gaze.
She handed him the scrap of paper. “I found this caught in Quincy’s collar.”
He looked at it, turned it over, and set it on his blotter. “Yes?”
“See?” She leaned over and pointed to the print. “It’s an agreement signed by Iversen, but not by Gabe, dated the day Gabe died. Iversen was there before he said he was, taking this to get Gabe’s signature. They had a fight about this—whatever it is—and Iversen killed Gabe over it.”
The unwavering gaze was back.
“There was probably a lot of money involved,” Chase ventured. “Don’t you think?”
“I think this is the rest of the document we found on the floor by the body. It is a document signed by Iversen, but that doesn’t mean he was there that day, when he says he wasn’t.”
“Can you see if his fingerprints are on it?”
“They’re on the other pieces, so they’re probably on this one, too.”
“He was there earlier! Michael—Dr. Ramos—saw him!”
“Yes, we have that information.”
He leaned toward her and gave her a gentle smile. She felt something inside warming up.
“Ms. Oliver, we’re still gathering evidence. This isn’t proof of anything, but thanks for bringing it in.”
She shot up out of the chair. “Am I still the main suspect?”
“Did I say you were?”
“You told me not to leave town.” She winced and grimaced from the back spasm caused by her sudden movement.
“Yes, I did. And that still stands. Are you okay?”
“Fine. If I can find someone else who saw him there, will that nail him?”
“Please let us interview the suspects.” There was no trace of that smile and the dark blue eyes glittered, looked hard.
“There were other people there, too.”
He raised his eyebrows, encouraging her to go on.
She sat down gingerly and told him about Hilda and the young man and the floozy. She was almost certain the young man was Ted.
“We’ll look into this,” he said, but he hadn’t taken any notes.
It was still up to her to clear herself.
SIXTEEN
Driving away from the police station, Chase wanted to talk to Anna. She called, but Anna didn’t pick up. The lovely day that had stretched before her, free and empty, seemed dreary and weighty now. It was only midmorning. What would she do the rest of the day?
She headed for the hospital to visit with Laci. However, she had checked out early that morning and was, as far as Chase could tell, at home. Chase had never been to Laci’s home and had to stop by the office to find the address.