Tags:
Fiction,
General,
detective,
Suspense,
Mystery & Detective,
Women Sleuths,
Mystery,
Mystery Fiction,
Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths,
Fiction - Mystery,
Crime & mystery,
Crime thriller,
Women lawyers,
Honolulu (Hawaii)
straighter. âWhy did you call me?â
âI was surprised at Davidâs reaction to the will. You have any idea whatâs going on with him?â
Lorraine clamped her hands together and looked down at them with an unhappy expression. Storm wanted to ask a dozen questions, but forced herself to lean back and take a deep breath. Lorraine certainly knew more than she was saying. Storm looked at the older womanâs tiny white hands, which sheâd twisted tightly together, and suddenly understood that the woman was afraid. Lorraine wanted to talk, but was anxious about something.
Stormâs mind raced. Learning whether Lorraine worried about a family or a business issue would depend on how she could put the woman at ease.
âIâm trying to figure out if I did something wrong,â Storm said softly. âEven Martin shut me out of the conversation after Cunningham read the will.â She let the sadness show on her face. âI also wanted to ask you about Hamasakiâs briefcase. Maybe if I knew where he was Sunday, who he spent time with, I could find it.â
âMaybe his late appointment has it,â Lorraine mumbled.
âHe met someone on Sunday?â
âYes, Bitsy was visiting her sister on the Big Island, so he was getting some extra work done. He had an appointment that afternoon.â
Storm sat back with surprise. He hadnât said anything to her about it. âWhoâd he meet?â
âI donât know. Iâd come in to do some filing and he told me not to wait, that he wouldnât be long. Dr. OâToole called, but he says he never came to the office.â
Storm blinked rapidly. Uncle Miles used to tell her over and over that one had to pay attention to more than words. He knew better than most that she operated with her head in the clouds. He also understood that almost everyone lied.
âYou answered his private phone line for him, didnât you?â Storm asked.
Lorraine nodded slowly. âYes, most of the time.â
Storm leaned toward the older woman. âMaybe if we put our heads together, we could figure out who he met. Or where he left the briefcase.â Storm searched Lorraineâs face. âDo you think you could make a list of people he talked to last Friday and any calls to the office during the weekend?â
Lorraine nodded. âI could try.â
Lorraineâs eyes flitted from Stormâs face to the desk to the hands folded tightly in her lap, then she stole another glance at Storm.
Again, Storm had the feeling that Lorraine wanted to share something. âI can help with Friday. I drove him to work after we dropped his car for an oil change,â she said.
âOh yes, you two came in together. And not long after he went to his office, Bitsy called.â Lorraine started twisting her wedding ring again and avoided Stormâs eyes. âSome of his problems were family ones.â
âYou know, until this morning, I thought I was part of the family.â Stormâs voice quivered a bit.
Lorraine sighed. âYou probably know some of this, anyway. I overheard part of the conversation when I dropped some contracts in his office to be signed. He was practically shouting.â Her face reddened. âHe was telling Bitsy that Davidâs financial problems were his own fault and loaning him money wasnât going to teach him to stop his champagne and truffle parties. It sounded like Bitsy thought Davidâs worries were hurting his health.â Lorraine dropped her voice. âShe told me a few days ago that heâd gained more weight and his insulin requirements have gone up. He has to give himself at least two shots a day, now.â Lorraine looked at Storm. âHeâs gained weight, hasnât he?â
Storm nodded. âAnd Hamasaki was tough about money. He was determined none of us would depend on our trust funds as a livelihood. Heâd pay for four years of
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