said, “but I can’t just go over and say, ‘Clem just spilled his guts to a woman who hears the dead and told her he hired someone to kill you because he thought you were having an affair,’ now can I?”
Andi shrugged. “When you put it that way, it sounds very Ghost Whisper -ish. On the other hand, people who are grieving are often more likely to accept what I hear.”
Stacy gave her an incredulous look. “You mean Vaughn Hemmer and the Spences?”
“That’s one example,” Andi said.
“You have others?”
“Well, um, no, but I’d be willing to bet Denise will believe you if you give it to her straight.”
“I’m more inclined to think she’ll believe me more if I tell her I’ve heard chatter that her husband put a contract out on her because he thought she was cheating on him.”
“OMG!” Andi said, as a thought occurred to her. “I never asked Clem if he’d told anyone what he planned to do. What if he did? That might help us track who the hitman is.”
Stacy narrowed her eyes on Andi. “Before you go any further, tell me what the error is in that comment you just made.”
Andi chewed the inside of her cheek, thinking. “Clem wouldn’t have told anyone what he was doing?”
“Wrong. You used the word us , as in might help us track the hitman.”
“I didn’t mean that literally,” Andi said in her own defense.
“Right,” Stacy said, though her tone was anything but agreeable. “Look, Andi, you’ve got a fine mind. You’re organized, thoughtful, and insightful. Hell, if you ever decide to change careers, I’d love to have you investigating cases for me, but right now, you write game apps.” She leveled a stern expression at the game-app writer. “You don’t work for EPD. I appreciate that when you hear something untoward from a Smokie, you bring it to the police, but you can’t go getting involved again, like you did on the Hemmer case.”
Father Riley reached over and gave Andi’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Andi understands what you’re saying, Lieutenant, but she is the one who initially gets the information. You can’t just expect her to hand it over then stand back, waiting to see if it gets resolved satisfactorily.”
The LT’s demeanor grew even more grim. “Actually, I can.”
He tapped his copy of Andi’s notes. “You wouldn’t have one iota of information about this if Andi hadn’t done a mini-interrogation on Clem. He’s stuck in Limbo Land forever if there’s no resolution in sight, so he will be back and she can try to get more out of him.”
Father Riley paused for effect, which Andi had always found to be one of his more effective skills.
He went on. “Will you be able to do that?”
The LT frowned at the priest, though it seemed to be more as a result of her internal struggle than any displeasure she had with him.
“Vaughn Hemmer knew Clem,” Andi inserted. “He said he went to his service, too. He asked me if Clem had stopped by to chat on his way to…wherever.” She still wasn’t sure Naylor would be headed to Heaven. “Vaughn told me if I’d like to pick his brain about Clem, feel free.”
“I saw him at the service. In fact, we spoke briefly.” Stacy drummed her fingertips against the stapled notes, obviously thinking. “Okay, here’s what’s going to happen.” She rolled her eyes skyward. “And God help me if I’m making a big mistake.”
“You’re not,” Father Riley said.
Since Stacy hadn’t yet outlined her plans, Andi had no idea how he could be so certain.
. . .
Father Riley booted up his laptop and they logged into Clem’s account on the hitman-for-hire website using his password. From there, they poured over the information, item by item. Not only could a person choose the method of death, but the date and time, as well, which coincided with Clem’s statement to Andi. What surprised them was that the questionnaire was set up something like a multiple choice test, with second options available in some
Andi shrugged. “When you put it that way, it sounds very Ghost Whisper -ish. On the other hand, people who are grieving are often more likely to accept what I hear.”
Stacy gave her an incredulous look. “You mean Vaughn Hemmer and the Spences?”
“That’s one example,” Andi said.
“You have others?”
“Well, um, no, but I’d be willing to bet Denise will believe you if you give it to her straight.”
“I’m more inclined to think she’ll believe me more if I tell her I’ve heard chatter that her husband put a contract out on her because he thought she was cheating on him.”
“OMG!” Andi said, as a thought occurred to her. “I never asked Clem if he’d told anyone what he planned to do. What if he did? That might help us track who the hitman is.”
Stacy narrowed her eyes on Andi. “Before you go any further, tell me what the error is in that comment you just made.”
Andi chewed the inside of her cheek, thinking. “Clem wouldn’t have told anyone what he was doing?”
“Wrong. You used the word us , as in might help us track the hitman.”
“I didn’t mean that literally,” Andi said in her own defense.
“Right,” Stacy said, though her tone was anything but agreeable. “Look, Andi, you’ve got a fine mind. You’re organized, thoughtful, and insightful. Hell, if you ever decide to change careers, I’d love to have you investigating cases for me, but right now, you write game apps.” She leveled a stern expression at the game-app writer. “You don’t work for EPD. I appreciate that when you hear something untoward from a Smokie, you bring it to the police, but you can’t go getting involved again, like you did on the Hemmer case.”
Father Riley reached over and gave Andi’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Andi understands what you’re saying, Lieutenant, but she is the one who initially gets the information. You can’t just expect her to hand it over then stand back, waiting to see if it gets resolved satisfactorily.”
The LT’s demeanor grew even more grim. “Actually, I can.”
He tapped his copy of Andi’s notes. “You wouldn’t have one iota of information about this if Andi hadn’t done a mini-interrogation on Clem. He’s stuck in Limbo Land forever if there’s no resolution in sight, so he will be back and she can try to get more out of him.”
Father Riley paused for effect, which Andi had always found to be one of his more effective skills.
He went on. “Will you be able to do that?”
The LT frowned at the priest, though it seemed to be more as a result of her internal struggle than any displeasure she had with him.
“Vaughn Hemmer knew Clem,” Andi inserted. “He said he went to his service, too. He asked me if Clem had stopped by to chat on his way to…wherever.” She still wasn’t sure Naylor would be headed to Heaven. “Vaughn told me if I’d like to pick his brain about Clem, feel free.”
“I saw him at the service. In fact, we spoke briefly.” Stacy drummed her fingertips against the stapled notes, obviously thinking. “Okay, here’s what’s going to happen.” She rolled her eyes skyward. “And God help me if I’m making a big mistake.”
“You’re not,” Father Riley said.
Since Stacy hadn’t yet outlined her plans, Andi had no idea how he could be so certain.
. . .
Father Riley booted up his laptop and they logged into Clem’s account on the hitman-for-hire website using his password. From there, they poured over the information, item by item. Not only could a person choose the method of death, but the date and time, as well, which coincided with Clem’s statement to Andi. What surprised them was that the questionnaire was set up something like a multiple choice test, with second options available in some
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