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Authors: Kristen Gibson
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admitted, and blushed even though she couldn’t
see it through the phone. Then my eyes went to Garrett and back to the dash.
“I know a guy in
the business who may be able to help.” I waited for her response.
“Do you think he’d
look into it?”
“I trust him to
find out what really happened to Chloe.” At least I hoped so. I looked at
Garrett and he politely signaled me to hand over the phone, so I did. I blew
out a breath and waited for them to discuss the next steps.
“It would be best.
If you released the body to our funeral home, so I could take a closer look. We
don’t want whoever may be behind this to know we’re investigating.”
This scared me. It
all seemed too real, and wrong. I had no idea what really happened. But, we
intended to find out.
“I’ll do whatever I
can to help you, Mrs. Ellis. I’m very sorry for your loss,” Garrett told her
sincerely. He handed me the phone and waited for me to finish.
“Thanks Mattie, but
please be careful. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you or that nice
young man because you helped me.”
“Mrs. E., I promise
we’ll do whatever we can to figure out what happened to Chloe. Once we know
more, we’ll call you. Just hang in there.” I disconnected and quiet shock took
over for a few moments. My breakdown would have to wait. Could Chloe have
killed herself? If she didn’t, then she was murdered. That made everything much
worse. Who would kill her and why? Could it have been a colleague, or even Tab?
My head spun.
Garrett knew about
Chloe and Tab’s rocky relationship. I’d told him about it after our run-in with
Tab the other night. It made sense to fill him in on the rest. I told him about
Chloe’s call to me for help on a case; her mom’s call for help getting in touch
with Chloe; and how odd it all seemed for them to contact me considering we
hadn’t kept in touch much after I left school.
He listened
intently then drove back to the funeral home. We’d both been lost in our own
thoughts on the ride home until he pulled in a parking spot near the garage
doors.
“I’ve got a friend
who might be able to help. Calvin’s a detective, and we go way back, so I trust
him. He may be able to help us, but we won’t know if it’s worth pursuing until
I take a look at Chloe.” He sighed. “Mattie, I’ve seen cases like this where family,
or friends, can’t come to terms with a loved one’s suicide. It can be a real
mess of grief and guilt. I just want you to be prepared in case she did take
her own life, and to know you’re not responsible.”
Garrett unbuckled,
and signaled for my phone, which I still held in my hands. I handed it to him
and he typed in his contact information. “As for your car, someone will pick it
up tonight. Text me at this number when you’re up and running tomorrow. I’ll
text you back and let you know if I can drive you over to the garage, or not.
Ask to see this guy.” He handed me a business card and continued. “If I can’t
make it, I’ll leave some keys in my top desk drawer so you can drive over and
check on your car. Leave my car there, they’ll get it back to me later.”
“Thank you.” He was
going out of his way to help with everything. Filled with so many emotions, I
didn’t know what else to say.
“Anytime. I know
living here has to be an adjustment for you and your mom. These other problems
are only making life more complicated. Let me know if you need anything.”
Before I could say
anything more, or hug him, his phone rang. It was my mom, and it was quick. It
took a moment for me to register what they discussed.
“We’ve got a body.
Sorry, a customer. We’d better get inside.”
The wind gust had a
cold edge to it when we hopped out of the truck. He led me inside, closed the
door and watched as I ran my fingers through my hair to calm it back into
place. He shivered, probably from the wind. He stepped close enough I could feel
his body heat. Maybe not the
see it through the phone. Then my eyes went to Garrett and back to the dash.
“I know a guy in
the business who may be able to help.” I waited for her response.
“Do you think he’d
look into it?”
“I trust him to
find out what really happened to Chloe.” At least I hoped so. I looked at
Garrett and he politely signaled me to hand over the phone, so I did. I blew
out a breath and waited for them to discuss the next steps.
“It would be best.
If you released the body to our funeral home, so I could take a closer look. We
don’t want whoever may be behind this to know we’re investigating.”
This scared me. It
all seemed too real, and wrong. I had no idea what really happened. But, we
intended to find out.
“I’ll do whatever I
can to help you, Mrs. Ellis. I’m very sorry for your loss,” Garrett told her
sincerely. He handed me the phone and waited for me to finish.
“Thanks Mattie, but
please be careful. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you or that nice
young man because you helped me.”
“Mrs. E., I promise
we’ll do whatever we can to figure out what happened to Chloe. Once we know
more, we’ll call you. Just hang in there.” I disconnected and quiet shock took
over for a few moments. My breakdown would have to wait. Could Chloe have
killed herself? If she didn’t, then she was murdered. That made everything much
worse. Who would kill her and why? Could it have been a colleague, or even Tab?
My head spun.
Garrett knew about
Chloe and Tab’s rocky relationship. I’d told him about it after our run-in with
Tab the other night. It made sense to fill him in on the rest. I told him about
Chloe’s call to me for help on a case; her mom’s call for help getting in touch
with Chloe; and how odd it all seemed for them to contact me considering we
hadn’t kept in touch much after I left school.
He listened
intently then drove back to the funeral home. We’d both been lost in our own
thoughts on the ride home until he pulled in a parking spot near the garage
doors.
“I’ve got a friend
who might be able to help. Calvin’s a detective, and we go way back, so I trust
him. He may be able to help us, but we won’t know if it’s worth pursuing until
I take a look at Chloe.” He sighed. “Mattie, I’ve seen cases like this where family,
or friends, can’t come to terms with a loved one’s suicide. It can be a real
mess of grief and guilt. I just want you to be prepared in case she did take
her own life, and to know you’re not responsible.”
Garrett unbuckled,
and signaled for my phone, which I still held in my hands. I handed it to him
and he typed in his contact information. “As for your car, someone will pick it
up tonight. Text me at this number when you’re up and running tomorrow. I’ll
text you back and let you know if I can drive you over to the garage, or not.
Ask to see this guy.” He handed me a business card and continued. “If I can’t
make it, I’ll leave some keys in my top desk drawer so you can drive over and
check on your car. Leave my car there, they’ll get it back to me later.”
“Thank you.” He was
going out of his way to help with everything. Filled with so many emotions, I
didn’t know what else to say.
“Anytime. I know
living here has to be an adjustment for you and your mom. These other problems
are only making life more complicated. Let me know if you need anything.”
Before I could say
anything more, or hug him, his phone rang. It was my mom, and it was quick. It
took a moment for me to register what they discussed.
“We’ve got a body.
Sorry, a customer. We’d better get inside.”
The wind gust had a
cold edge to it when we hopped out of the truck. He led me inside, closed the
door and watched as I ran my fingers through my hair to calm it back into
place. He shivered, probably from the wind. He stepped close enough I could feel
his body heat. Maybe not the
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