Read Online The Heir Hunter by Chris Larsgaard - Free Book Online
Authors: Chris Larsgaard
Tags: Suspense
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this was tempting.
He stepped over the side rail of the porch and walked down a cobblestone pathway to the back fence. He stopped at a side door and placed his face up against the glass. Another curtain blocked his view from what probably was the kitchen. He walked to the sturdy-looking six-foot fence, placed his hands on the top, and hoisted himself up for a look. The yard was rectangular with several concrete paths traveling the length of a poorly maintained garden. Overgrowths of plants and shrubs bordered the yard, and cheap plastic furniture dotted a wooden patio by the back door. Nick lowered himself to the ground and noticed the curtains in the house next door rustle. Probably a good cue to take off.
He was walking back down the pathway toward the street when something caught his eye directly to the right. Jacobs’s mailbox was stuffed to capacity with mail. Envelopes and colorful junk mail jutted out of the garage mailbox slot like a growth of weeds. He walked over and grabbed the bulging stack. Miss Busybody would probably have a conniption when she saw that, but she would get over it. He returned to the car and placed the pile of mail under the passenger seat. At least he had something to show for the morning’s work. He slid the key into the ignition.
“Neighbors don’t know much, do they?”
The voice startled him. The man noticed and seemed to enjoy the fact. He wore a suit and tie and an arrogant grin on his face.
“Sorry,” said the stranger. “Didn’t mean to scare you. Nick Merchant, right?”
Nick nodded and said nothing. He knew immediately who the man was, or at least who he worked for. It was only a matter of time before he or Alex crossed paths with one of them.
“Tough case, eh?” commented the man. His eyesflicked to the mail by Nick’s side. “Danny Risso—General Inquiry.” He extended his hand with a smile. Nick looked at him and the hand momentarily before offering his own.
“Any luck so far?”
Nick smiled weakly. As if he would tell him. “We’re doing okay.”
Risso laughed a bit, a chuckle that grated on Nick. “Hell of a case, huh? I mean, who would’ve thought something like this would ever come out of Columbia County. Or anywhere, for that matter . . .”
“Who would’ve thought it.”
Risso stuck his hands in his pockets and glanced around the street. “Kinda strange the old coot lived here, huh?”
Nick shrugged, noncommital. He had heard enough of the idle chatter. He had already broken his own rule of not speaking with the competition. He wasn’t about to sit there and have public enemy number one pick his brain for clues. He started the ignition. Risso backed away. The oafish smile was back.
“Gotta run, huh? Hey, good luck there, Nick. By the way, in case you haven’t figured it out already, you don’t have a prayer of solving it.”
Nick snapped his head to him. Their eyes locked. Risso’s grin had shrunk to a smirk. A variety of choicely worded responses filled Nick’s head, but instead he gave a smirk of his own and pulled the car into the street.
It took half an hour and two map references of the town of Cedar Hill for Alex to finally find Acacia Street. She slowed the car to a steady cruise as she strained her eyes for 978 Acacia. A dull brown ranch-style home provided the number. She made a quick U-turn and eased into a spot directly in front of the home. According to the address provided by her PI, this was the current residence of one Bonnie Schliegel.
Alex took a moment to calm herself. Nervousness was standard before meeting a key client, but this time the feeling was amplified. Bonnie was potentially the key piece to a puzzle worth twenty-two million dollars. All questions had to be asked with the utmost tact and delicacy. Alex tilted the rearview mirror and dabbed at her hair. Being well-groomed and presentable never hurt with the little old ladies.
With a determined frown, she stepped to the curb. An older-model Oldsmobile in
He stepped over the side rail of the porch and walked down a cobblestone pathway to the back fence. He stopped at a side door and placed his face up against the glass. Another curtain blocked his view from what probably was the kitchen. He walked to the sturdy-looking six-foot fence, placed his hands on the top, and hoisted himself up for a look. The yard was rectangular with several concrete paths traveling the length of a poorly maintained garden. Overgrowths of plants and shrubs bordered the yard, and cheap plastic furniture dotted a wooden patio by the back door. Nick lowered himself to the ground and noticed the curtains in the house next door rustle. Probably a good cue to take off.
He was walking back down the pathway toward the street when something caught his eye directly to the right. Jacobs’s mailbox was stuffed to capacity with mail. Envelopes and colorful junk mail jutted out of the garage mailbox slot like a growth of weeds. He walked over and grabbed the bulging stack. Miss Busybody would probably have a conniption when she saw that, but she would get over it. He returned to the car and placed the pile of mail under the passenger seat. At least he had something to show for the morning’s work. He slid the key into the ignition.
“Neighbors don’t know much, do they?”
The voice startled him. The man noticed and seemed to enjoy the fact. He wore a suit and tie and an arrogant grin on his face.
“Sorry,” said the stranger. “Didn’t mean to scare you. Nick Merchant, right?”
Nick nodded and said nothing. He knew immediately who the man was, or at least who he worked for. It was only a matter of time before he or Alex crossed paths with one of them.
“Tough case, eh?” commented the man. His eyesflicked to the mail by Nick’s side. “Danny Risso—General Inquiry.” He extended his hand with a smile. Nick looked at him and the hand momentarily before offering his own.
“Any luck so far?”
Nick smiled weakly. As if he would tell him. “We’re doing okay.”
Risso laughed a bit, a chuckle that grated on Nick. “Hell of a case, huh? I mean, who would’ve thought something like this would ever come out of Columbia County. Or anywhere, for that matter . . .”
“Who would’ve thought it.”
Risso stuck his hands in his pockets and glanced around the street. “Kinda strange the old coot lived here, huh?”
Nick shrugged, noncommital. He had heard enough of the idle chatter. He had already broken his own rule of not speaking with the competition. He wasn’t about to sit there and have public enemy number one pick his brain for clues. He started the ignition. Risso backed away. The oafish smile was back.
“Gotta run, huh? Hey, good luck there, Nick. By the way, in case you haven’t figured it out already, you don’t have a prayer of solving it.”
Nick snapped his head to him. Their eyes locked. Risso’s grin had shrunk to a smirk. A variety of choicely worded responses filled Nick’s head, but instead he gave a smirk of his own and pulled the car into the street.
It took half an hour and two map references of the town of Cedar Hill for Alex to finally find Acacia Street. She slowed the car to a steady cruise as she strained her eyes for 978 Acacia. A dull brown ranch-style home provided the number. She made a quick U-turn and eased into a spot directly in front of the home. According to the address provided by her PI, this was the current residence of one Bonnie Schliegel.
Alex took a moment to calm herself. Nervousness was standard before meeting a key client, but this time the feeling was amplified. Bonnie was potentially the key piece to a puzzle worth twenty-two million dollars. All questions had to be asked with the utmost tact and delicacy. Alex tilted the rearview mirror and dabbed at her hair. Being well-groomed and presentable never hurt with the little old ladies.
With a determined frown, she stepped to the curb. An older-model Oldsmobile in
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