Read Online Rollover by Susan Slater - Free Book Online

overnight.”
    Like burglaries didn’t happen during the day. Dan sighed and decided not to enlighten them—no point doing it now.
    â€œDo you remember when you returned the necklace to the bank?”
    â€œLet’s see.” More checking the calendar. “This time—because of needing extra cleaner—I kept it out a full week.”
    â€œAnd the date you returned it?”
    â€œAugust seventeenth. Oh dear, let me see…That’s not quite right. I took the necklace down to the bank but the door to the safe deposit box room had been removed. Some problem with the hinges not releasing when the combination was entered. I had to bring the necklace back home and didn’t put it back in the bank until the following morning. The bank called to let me know when the vault was ready.” Gertie looked at the calendar. “Oh my, look here, I forgot to note the corrected date. But it would have been August eighteenth.”
    Dan made a notation and slipped the notebook back in his shirt pocket. “Anything else you can remember? Anything that you’d like to add?”
    â€œI can’t think of a thing. This is a very quiet town, Mr. Mahoney, very quiet and safe. What happened is such a shock. Why, never in a million years would I have guessed something like this would happen in Wagon Mound.”
    They said their good-byes. Elaine made over Bitsy and the small dog seemed to relish the new attention. Dan couldn’t bring himself to perform another doggy handshake.
    â€œI’d like to find that boardinghouse before it gets too late.” Elaine pulled away from the curb and took a right at the next corner.
    â€œWhat do you think?”
    â€œAbout the Kennedys? There’s absolutely no doubt that they’re being truthful. I really feel sorry for Gertie. Eighty-five and something so precious is stolen. Certainly isn’t fair.”
    Dan passed on making any comments about fairness, and yes, he felt badly for Gertie, too. Life at eighty-five shouldn’t be complicated.
    ***
    Elaine found the boardinghouse—huge compared to the buildings around it—situated on a corner maybe two blocks up from Railroad Avenue. Slick, tan stuccoed walls and tiny windows gave some hint of its age, but again, it was one of the town’s better kept relics.
    â€œBe back in a minute.”
    He handed her his travel plastic. United Life & Casualty was a good company to work for—all things considered. They didn’t scrimp on travel expenses and he couldn’t think of a time that an expenditure had been questioned. Some good things come with seniority.
    Dan watched as Elaine turned halfway up the walk to wave. He was a lucky man. Beautiful woman, great companion. And he hoped that one of these days the vertigo he suffered from just bending over would go away. Wouldn’t impress anyone if he swooned in the middle of sex. He continued to watch until she disappeared inside.Then it was back to business. He took out the notebook and began a list by writing Gertie—interview, completed , followed by the date and time.
    Item two was another interview, this time scheduled with the bank president—he’d try for Monday maybe ten in the morning. He’d also need to tour the robbery site. Not sure how long all that would take. Then tentatively either Tuesday or Wednesday, he’d interview the other safe deposit box holders who had also lost items in the robbery. And he’d stop by the chop shop and talk with Jeeter…Ferris? Sounded right but he’d check the last name.
    He was purposefully leaving the FBI until last. Dan wanted to form a picture of events on his own. It was always better to compare notes with these guys than to sit there taking them. Usually they were pretty helpful—he hoped that hadn’t changed. The mutual back-scratching was important in his business and had worked to his advantage before.
    Then there were other things