story I’m doing on Kyle Adler.” She showed him the photo. “He was murdered a few days ago.”
Thrasher looked from the photo to her. “I heard about his death.” He gave a shrug, the gesture uncertain. “I also saw on the news that the police were talking to you about it.”
“Did you know him?” Amber forged ahead despite the turmoil of abrupt emotions his words had stirred inside her. Maybe Sean had been right to warn her. This was not the same as chasing a story about someone else.
Thrasher nodded. “Not really. Not until he started his delivery service anyway. He was a friendly guy. Easygoing, quiet. It’s a real shame, what happened to him.”
“It really is,” Amber agreed. “I want to do all I can to ensure justice for Mr. Adler.”
Thrasher glanced at Sean. “Were you and Kyle...involved? I mean, after what I saw on the news last night...” His words trailed off as his gaze settled on Amber once more.
“I didn’t know him. He delivered flowers from your shop to my home a couple of times. They were lovely, by the way.” She searched Thrasher’s face. “Did he ever mention me?”
Thrasher’s expression turned defensive. “I see. You think he was some sort of stalker or obsessed fan.”
“I don’t think that at all,” Amber denied. “I believe whoever killed Kyle is using me to get away with murder. I’m hoping that his friends and colleagues can help me find out who killed him.”
“Isn’t that what the police are supposed to do?” Thrasher stared at her expectantly.
Amber couldn’t get a read on the man. Was he being indifferent or accusatory? His tone gave nothing away.
“Sometimes,” Sean said, his tone undeniably pointed, “the police are too busy with other leads to see the real ones they need to follow. If you counted yourself a friend of Adler’s, we’re hoping you can help us find the truth.”
“Anything you recall,” Amber cut in, “might prove helpful. Did Kyle have any close friends that we might speak to?”
Thrasher stared at her for so long without saying a word, Amber was sure he wasn’t going to answer. “Kyle was a loner. He didn’t have any friends that I know of.”
“How well did you know him?” Sean pressed.
Thrasher visibly withdrew. His shoulders went back and he eased a few inches from the counter. “I really didn’t know him. He made deliveries for me. He was quiet and reliable. That’s all I know. I have work to do, so if you’ll excuse me.”
He had already turned and reached for the door when Amber said, “You seemed disturbed by the idea that I might consider Kyle a stalker or an obsessed fan.” Thrasher hesitated but didn’t turn around. “If you didn’t know him very well, why would that bother you?”
Thrasher turned back to face her. Whatever he felt or thought, he had wiped his face clean of any reaction. “I don’t like the idea of anyone being made to look bad when he’s not here to defend himself,” he said, his tone barely above freezing. “Have a nice day.”
Amber mulled over his words as she and Sean exited the shop.
“Strange guy,” Sean muttered as he opened her car door.
She turned back to the shop before getting into the car. “A little.”
When she was settled into the passenger seat and Sean had climbed behind the wheel, he said, “He lied about his relationship with Adler.”
Amber had sensed that, as well. Thrasher’s defensive reaction had been his only slip. “The question is, does he simply not want to get involved or is he protecting his friend by not revealing some not-so-flattering secret?”
“You may have missed your true calling.” Sean grinned. “Maybe you’re the one who should be a PI.”
4:15 p.m.
“T HAT ’ S IT .” A MBER POINTED to the alterations shop. “Martha Sews.”
Sean maneuvered into a parking spot. The alterations shop had a great location in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods that had gone commercial. Martha’s shop was near Mountain Brook
Thrasher looked from the photo to her. “I heard about his death.” He gave a shrug, the gesture uncertain. “I also saw on the news that the police were talking to you about it.”
“Did you know him?” Amber forged ahead despite the turmoil of abrupt emotions his words had stirred inside her. Maybe Sean had been right to warn her. This was not the same as chasing a story about someone else.
Thrasher nodded. “Not really. Not until he started his delivery service anyway. He was a friendly guy. Easygoing, quiet. It’s a real shame, what happened to him.”
“It really is,” Amber agreed. “I want to do all I can to ensure justice for Mr. Adler.”
Thrasher glanced at Sean. “Were you and Kyle...involved? I mean, after what I saw on the news last night...” His words trailed off as his gaze settled on Amber once more.
“I didn’t know him. He delivered flowers from your shop to my home a couple of times. They were lovely, by the way.” She searched Thrasher’s face. “Did he ever mention me?”
Thrasher’s expression turned defensive. “I see. You think he was some sort of stalker or obsessed fan.”
“I don’t think that at all,” Amber denied. “I believe whoever killed Kyle is using me to get away with murder. I’m hoping that his friends and colleagues can help me find out who killed him.”
“Isn’t that what the police are supposed to do?” Thrasher stared at her expectantly.
Amber couldn’t get a read on the man. Was he being indifferent or accusatory? His tone gave nothing away.
“Sometimes,” Sean said, his tone undeniably pointed, “the police are too busy with other leads to see the real ones they need to follow. If you counted yourself a friend of Adler’s, we’re hoping you can help us find the truth.”
“Anything you recall,” Amber cut in, “might prove helpful. Did Kyle have any close friends that we might speak to?”
Thrasher stared at her for so long without saying a word, Amber was sure he wasn’t going to answer. “Kyle was a loner. He didn’t have any friends that I know of.”
“How well did you know him?” Sean pressed.
Thrasher visibly withdrew. His shoulders went back and he eased a few inches from the counter. “I really didn’t know him. He made deliveries for me. He was quiet and reliable. That’s all I know. I have work to do, so if you’ll excuse me.”
He had already turned and reached for the door when Amber said, “You seemed disturbed by the idea that I might consider Kyle a stalker or an obsessed fan.” Thrasher hesitated but didn’t turn around. “If you didn’t know him very well, why would that bother you?”
Thrasher turned back to face her. Whatever he felt or thought, he had wiped his face clean of any reaction. “I don’t like the idea of anyone being made to look bad when he’s not here to defend himself,” he said, his tone barely above freezing. “Have a nice day.”
Amber mulled over his words as she and Sean exited the shop.
“Strange guy,” Sean muttered as he opened her car door.
She turned back to the shop before getting into the car. “A little.”
When she was settled into the passenger seat and Sean had climbed behind the wheel, he said, “He lied about his relationship with Adler.”
Amber had sensed that, as well. Thrasher’s defensive reaction had been his only slip. “The question is, does he simply not want to get involved or is he protecting his friend by not revealing some not-so-flattering secret?”
“You may have missed your true calling.” Sean grinned. “Maybe you’re the one who should be a PI.”
4:15 p.m.
“T HAT ’ S IT .” A MBER POINTED to the alterations shop. “Martha Sews.”
Sean maneuvered into a parking spot. The alterations shop had a great location in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods that had gone commercial. Martha’s shop was near Mountain Brook
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