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Authors: Marla Madison
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drove it to the ground, coating everything in its path.
Shannon had been in the office all day with papers spread across the conference room table, organizing Earl’s real estate transactions before he left in mid-November to spend the winter months in Florida.
Not long after taking a quick dinner break, she heard the wind beating at the walls of the old building, howling softly, eerily insistent. She shivered, wishing Lisa were working tonight. Just as she moved a stack of files to the file-cabinet, she heard a noise coming from Lisa’s office. She put down the files and went for the Tasar she carried in her purse.
Weapon in hand, she opened the door to Lisa’s office. Nothing appeared to be amiss. Through the large bay window, she saw the oak trees straining against the wind, a stygian scene highlighted by the dim light in the parking lot. The wind must have tossed something against the building. Spooked, but not enough to curtail her progress, she went back to her work.
It was still sleeting a half hour later when Shannon left the building. Though not easily frightened, she was glad she’d parked on the street so she could avoid the parking lot. Grateful the nearly deserted streets had been salted, she scraped at the ice that had built up on her windshield until she’d removed just enough to see out.
Secure in her locked vehicle, she drove into the parking area behind the building. Her blood froze when she saw a shadowy form moving through the oak trees, vanishing so quickly she wondered if she’d really seen it.
She turned the car around, making sure that everything appeared to be in order as her headlights lit up Lisa’s rear entrance. Nothing looked like it had been disturbed. She decided it couldn’t hurt to drop in at the police station on her way out of town. She knew most of the Pewaukee police from seeing them in the deli across the street. She’d tell them what happened and ask if they would check the place during the night.
When TJ left Lisa in Vinnie’s parking lot, she walked across the street to her apartment. The building, nearly forty years old, was past its prime; no longer considered an elite address, but still respectable and well maintained. Years back, after so many newer places sprang up on the east side, the managers started making tenants super offers on long-term rentals. TJ had negotiated a sweet ten-year deal.
As she walked into the apartment, she noticed a message on her landline. It was from Jeff Denison. Crap. She’d promised to call and set up a time to meet him on Saturday, the first day of their interviews. Even though it made sense, the buddy system still irritated her, and she’d put off calling him. She picked up the phone and dialed his number.
The phone rang so many times that TJ was about to hang up when he finally picked up. “Jeff?”
“Yes,” he said, his voice thick and a little breathless. Did she wake him up?
“This is TJ. Sorry I didn’t call sooner, but been busy.”
“Can you hang on for a minute?”
She thought she heard him blow his nose. Damn. Had he been crying?
“I’m back. Sorry for the interruption.” He sounded better, but nasal.
“No problem.”
TJ wasn’t quite sure what to say. Should she ask if he was okay? Lisa was the one who should be working with this guy.
“Just met with Lisa and we divided up the list. Gonna call a few tonight and see if I can get us some appointments lined up for Saturday. Most of ‘em will be in this part of town, so why don’t we meet somewhere ‘round here for coffee at about eight and go over the schedule.” She mentioned the name of a pancake place across the street.
He said, “I’ll be there. I could make some calls for you, if you want to give me some numbers.” His voice sounded quivery and he asked her to hang on for a minute again. TJ was in no mood to play therapist to a grieving husband. Maybe he was just getting a pen.
When he picked up the phone, his voice froglike, TJ sighed
Shannon had been in the office all day with papers spread across the conference room table, organizing Earl’s real estate transactions before he left in mid-November to spend the winter months in Florida.
Not long after taking a quick dinner break, she heard the wind beating at the walls of the old building, howling softly, eerily insistent. She shivered, wishing Lisa were working tonight. Just as she moved a stack of files to the file-cabinet, she heard a noise coming from Lisa’s office. She put down the files and went for the Tasar she carried in her purse.
Weapon in hand, she opened the door to Lisa’s office. Nothing appeared to be amiss. Through the large bay window, she saw the oak trees straining against the wind, a stygian scene highlighted by the dim light in the parking lot. The wind must have tossed something against the building. Spooked, but not enough to curtail her progress, she went back to her work.
It was still sleeting a half hour later when Shannon left the building. Though not easily frightened, she was glad she’d parked on the street so she could avoid the parking lot. Grateful the nearly deserted streets had been salted, she scraped at the ice that had built up on her windshield until she’d removed just enough to see out.
Secure in her locked vehicle, she drove into the parking area behind the building. Her blood froze when she saw a shadowy form moving through the oak trees, vanishing so quickly she wondered if she’d really seen it.
She turned the car around, making sure that everything appeared to be in order as her headlights lit up Lisa’s rear entrance. Nothing looked like it had been disturbed. She decided it couldn’t hurt to drop in at the police station on her way out of town. She knew most of the Pewaukee police from seeing them in the deli across the street. She’d tell them what happened and ask if they would check the place during the night.
When TJ left Lisa in Vinnie’s parking lot, she walked across the street to her apartment. The building, nearly forty years old, was past its prime; no longer considered an elite address, but still respectable and well maintained. Years back, after so many newer places sprang up on the east side, the managers started making tenants super offers on long-term rentals. TJ had negotiated a sweet ten-year deal.
As she walked into the apartment, she noticed a message on her landline. It was from Jeff Denison. Crap. She’d promised to call and set up a time to meet him on Saturday, the first day of their interviews. Even though it made sense, the buddy system still irritated her, and she’d put off calling him. She picked up the phone and dialed his number.
The phone rang so many times that TJ was about to hang up when he finally picked up. “Jeff?”
“Yes,” he said, his voice thick and a little breathless. Did she wake him up?
“This is TJ. Sorry I didn’t call sooner, but been busy.”
“Can you hang on for a minute?”
She thought she heard him blow his nose. Damn. Had he been crying?
“I’m back. Sorry for the interruption.” He sounded better, but nasal.
“No problem.”
TJ wasn’t quite sure what to say. Should she ask if he was okay? Lisa was the one who should be working with this guy.
“Just met with Lisa and we divided up the list. Gonna call a few tonight and see if I can get us some appointments lined up for Saturday. Most of ‘em will be in this part of town, so why don’t we meet somewhere ‘round here for coffee at about eight and go over the schedule.” She mentioned the name of a pancake place across the street.
He said, “I’ll be there. I could make some calls for you, if you want to give me some numbers.” His voice sounded quivery and he asked her to hang on for a minute again. TJ was in no mood to play therapist to a grieving husband. Maybe he was just getting a pen.
When he picked up the phone, his voice froglike, TJ sighed
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