Read Online Veiled Threat by Alice Loweecey - Free Book Online Page B

D.”

eleven
    “Yeah, Jimmy? … What? … Uh, no … I’m sure, but … Yes, but … Giulia, wait.”
    Giulia was already on the other side of the door, even as she was dying to eavesdrop.
    “Come in and close it, please. Jimmy wants me to put him on speaker.”
    She sat in the client chair and had to pretend to adjust her socks to paste a neutral yet interested expression on her face.
    Jimmy’s voice on speaker was clear and cheerful. Giulia heard “I’m going to ask you a favor” undertones in it.
    Yes. He found out something.
    “We got a break, Giulia. The owner of the resort knows about that adoption assistance group. She did a one-eighty from guarded hostility to all cooperation when I explained why I wanted to see her records.”
    “Good,” Frank said. “Digital?”
    “No. They had a fire last month. Destroyed the back office, phones, computers, but not the hard copies of the records. Get this—she keeps physical copies in a fireproof safe because she’s a pyrophobic.”
    Afraid of fire, Giulia mouthed at Frank.
    I figured that, he mouthed back.
    “So they’re still re-keying all the records and she doesn’t want to let them leave the premises,” Jimmy said.
    “Are you sending Poole out there?” Frank said.
    Jimmy’s snort came through with perfect clarity too. “Only if I could send the camera crew for America’s Funniest Home Videos along with him. I had a different idea.”
    Frank fidgeted. “Jimmy, I object to this.”
    Giulia sat forward in Frank’s client chair. You were wrong, you were wrong, you were wrong, Frank, she chanted to herself.
    Jimmy’s voice continued, “Objection noted. The resort has a small staff during fall and winter: cross-country ski instructor, masseuse, two child-care people, and the usual chefs, wait staff, and cleaning people. Here’s the thing—” Another line rang on his end, loud enough for Giulia and Frank to jump back. “Just a sec.”
    “He wants me to go out there and ask them questions,” Giulia said to Frank.
    “Sort of.”
    “Sort of? Let me in on the rest, please.”
    Click. “Sorry about that. So here’s my idea. We need the records examined, and I’d like to know if you’re willing to talk to the staff. It’s a female-only resort, and the only female I have here is Carlson—you remember her, Frank?”
    “The bulldozer?”
    “Yeah. Can you picture her trying to ease into someone’s confidence to get information?”
    “Hell, no. The woman makes a pile driver look gentle. What about Zimmerman or Janus?”
    “Zimm’s on maternity leave, and Janus left last year for Orlando.” He paused. “So I was wondering if we could borrow you, Giulia?”
    Giulia glanced at Frank. He’s too upset for this to be a plain old interview request. Too bad. This is about Katie. She chose a disingenuous reply for Jimmy. “To talk to the resort employees? How big a staff is there?”
    “I’m hoping you’ll agree to work undercover there for a few days. They can use the help so it won’t be an obvious plant. You’re so nondescript, you’ll fit in without a problem.”
    Giulia aimed a crooked smile at Frank. “That is probably the most backhanded compliment I’ve ever received.”
    “You’re not nondescript. Jimmy, you know what I’m going to say.” Frank glared at the phone. “You seem to forget that Giulia’s an employee of Driscoll Investigations, not a public servant.”
    “I know she doesn’t work for me, Driscoll. You were the one who called me about this yesterday, remember? Said you wanted to help. What with Poole and the department’s scarcity of females, it turns out I could use the help.”
    “You know I called you under pressure from Giulia. And let me remind you this business has casework to complete and my employees have their salaries to earn—”
    Giulia cut off his last word. “I know you called him to get me to shut up. That doesn’t bother me. You are welcome to dock my pay for the rest of the week. Captain Reilly,