Read In the Shadow of Love Online
Authors: Annie Bruce
The more Morris thought about the current situation, the more humorous it all seemed. He started to laugh. Nobody to hear him but he laughed hard all the same.
A short distance behind, Geridano noticed Morris throw his head back and laugh. Fearing he was made, he turned onto a nearby street. He’d pick him up on the other side. Coming to a stop he saw the unmarked vehicle heading northwest.
“Where’s he going?” Geridano muttered in exasperation. He sat and waited until the other vehicle drove far enough away before continuing his pursuit, when a horn screamed out from behind him.
“Alright already.” It was said through gritted teeth. “Jerk!” Geridano had a mind to pull the impatient driver aside and read him the riot act but he didn’t want to waste time and risk losing his prey.
Too late. A large truck cut him off and before he could clear his way around it Morris had disappeared.
“Damn!” Geridano turned his vehicle around and headed back towards the station. He’d just have to find out where Morris was going another way.
Chapter 3
Maggie arrived at the restaurant early. Anxious at being part of a murder investigation, her nervousness threatened to undermine her normal business composure.
The restaurant wasn’t officially open but since she was part owner and since her partner was her brother it wasn’t difficult to gain access. Sitting just inside the entrance, her back to the kitchen and most of the dining area, she would see the detective before he saw her, an advantage she needed.
“Hey, sis!”
Maggie nearly jumped out of her chair.
“You scared me to death.” It took a moment to catch her breath. “Don’t do that again!” Her hand pressed firmly against her chest as she tried to steady her pounding heart.
Admonishing her younger brother she fought feeling guilty for her tone. Growing up he was the source of many embarrassing moments, especially around her boyfriends. She still had a long way to go to even the score.
“Why so jumpy?” He teased.
“You snuck up on me, that’s why!” Maggie’s tone was harsher than she intended.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just that I’m meeting a very important client today.”
“Who?”
Maggie knew from experience that Donald wouldn’t leave until she answered his question.
“A detective, okay!”
To her relief he accepted what she said and returned to the kitchen. It wasn’t a stretch really. She worked with law enforcement throughout the country, so her brother didn’t seem surprised at her answer.
Maggie took another sip of the hot coffee that Andrea Serrano had placed before her. Andrea was always fussing over her and her children when she brought them in, especially since Maggie’s own parents had passed away. Andrea’s husband had passed away recently and her only daughter was married and living overseas, so Andrea doted on Maggie and her two boys at every chance.
Detective Morris showed up promptly as scheduled, his car giving him away. Most police cars, even unmarked ones, looked like police cars. So did the officers who drove them - even when not in uniform they had a signature style of dressing. Suit, tie and those forever famous shoes. Departments across the country must have a special deal with the shoe manufacturer because no matter where Maggie went, the shoes were the same. Patten leather in black or brown. She wondered if they were actually comfortable.
To her surprise, a tall handsome man pulled his lithe body out of the driver’s side of the vehicle. He paused before closing the door and looked around cautiously, taking in his surroundings. That was another thing cops did, especially experienced ones.
When his visual surveillance reached the restaurant his head stopped and held its position, looking directly at her. He closed the car door - slowly. He was a man in control. Maggie felt mesmerized by this almost complete stranger as he walked the short distance from his car to the restaurant.
Through her own surveillance, Maggie noted that he wasn’t wearing the typical cop shoes after all. Intrigued, she pulled the cup of coffee to her lips and let her eyes work their way up his athletic frame to the broad shoulders that told her he worked out on a regular basis. His light brown hair was short, but not too short, his eyes covered by a pair of aviator sun glasses.
There was something about the way he carried himself that held Maggie’s attention and made her feel safe. Her gut instinct told her that Detective Morris was the right man for the job and maybe something else!
“Maggie Faraday, you’re bad!” Her inner voice screamed at her. She didn’t usually allow herself to be so wanton, especially about someone she was meeting for the first time.
Her eyes locked on the tall handsome law man as he lessened the distance between them. Pulling off his sun glasses, he stepped through the first set of double doors and looked around. Even from a short distance Maggie was struck by his eyes. As blue as any she’d ever seen, they complimented his light brown hair that was slightly wind-swept giving the impression he’d just walked off a modeling shoot.
Hunk! It was the only word to describe the devastatingly handsome man who walked through the restaurant door and into her life. Catching her breath she dragged her eyes away from the gorgeous detective, hurriedly looking down to give herself time to stop blushing. Andrea opened the second set of doors and greeted him.
Morris pulled easily on the interior restaurant door at the same time a small bundle of energy thrust it towards him.
“Welcome, Detective Morris.” It was clear that the older woman was expecting him.
“Interesting, very interesting.” He made sure he kept his thoughts to himself this time, his lips held tightly together.
“Right this way. Maggie is waiting for you.”
“So, they know her on a first name basis.”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, nothing. Just mumbling to myself.”
The older woman cast him a weary glance.
He straightened his back and prepared himself for any possibility as he was directed to a table just inside the doors – the only one occupied.
He recognized her immediately. Her picture on her web site didn’t do her justice. She was much more beautiful, much more striking than any photograph could ever show. Too bad this was business. He forced himself not to notice her deep green eyes or her luscious red lips that were so full he wanted to run his tongue over them. Nope, he didn’t notice them at all!
Maggie Faraday rose gracefully from her seat and extended her hand and began to mesmerize him in a way that no other woman had before. She was definitely a business woman but with all the grace and beauty of a goddess.
“Thank you for meeting me, Detective Morris.”
“Of course.” He took her hand in his and the contact was electrifying. She felt it too, her eyes widening in response as she quickly pulled her hand away. She gestured for him to sit as she did the same.
He looked around the empty dining room, seating himself across from her.
“Do you know the owners?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact I do.”
“Family restaurant?” Morris let the question hang in the air as his eyes connected with hers and the ball of this game they seemed to be playing was now in her court.
Maggie didn’t – no couldn’t avert her eyes as the man now sitting across from her waited. She became abruptly aware of how he could ask pointed questions both on the phone and in the first few minutes of their formal introduction. Then again, he was a detective.
“You could say that. It’s my brother’s place and I own a small share.”
Maggie felt herself squirm. Now why did she reveal that! She preferred to remain a silent partner. The slip made her realize just how nervous she was - or just how forceful the disarmingly handsome detective’s presence was. Her work with police up to this point had always been as a consultant and not as a possible informant to murder. The whole experience put her on edge.
“Well, “she cleared her throat, “–shall we get started?” Her words sounded uncharacteristically as they echoed in my head. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes, silently chastising herself to chill out. When she opened her eyes, she found him studying her.
As the only ‘guests’ in the restaurant this time of day she felt isolated and just wanted to put this ordeal in her rear view mirror. So eager was she to hand this matter off to the good detective she convinced herself that after today she could go to back to her straight-forward, uneventful life.
“So what makes you think there was a murder?” His question, and tone, told her it wouldn’t be that easy.
She silently retrieved a large envelope from a briefcase resting on an empty chair to her left and slightly out of view.
“This.” Maggie handed over the evidence.
Watching nervously she admired his steady hand as he unwound the string that secured the envelope and looked inside.
Leaning back in his chair, Morris felt uneasy as he pulled a stack of what looked like normal white paper from a printer. He gently slid the contents out by its edges to preserve any fingerprints that might exist. As he fanned through the documents, careful not to damage any potential trace evidence, he saw nothing more than instructional letters and financial memos with the now deceased gentleman’s name and signature.
“So? How does this prove a murder occurred?”
“Because those weren’t written or signed by Owen Cassidy.”
Morris looked Maggie straight in the eye. He could always tell if a person were lying by the look in their eyes. It was one of his many skills that made him a good detective.
“How do you know?”
“Owen hired me a few months ago to look over some correspondence that he suspected was forged to gain financial control of his company.”
“These?” Making a mental note that she was on a first name basis with the deceased, he hoped this wasn’t a setup to contest a will. The deceased man was quite rich after all.
“Yes. Those are just some of the documents.” She nervously took another sip of coffee.
“So, you’re a–” he let the unfinished question hang in the air.
“–a forensic linguist.” She completed his sentence without hesitation. “I normally work on corporate cases and white collar criminal investigations. This is my first experience with,” her pause caught his attention and he studied her body language even more intensely, “–a murder.”
“Okay, let’s assume that what you say is true. It sounds like something the corporate attorneys and accountants need to take care of. Not a homicide detective.”
Returning the documents carefully to their envelope he handed them back across the table.
“Except that Owen would never have committed suicide. He was murdered.”
“How do you know,” he challenged her. That uneasy feeling that coming to this meeting was a bad idea returned, but the detective in him wanted to hear what she had to say.
“Owen Cassidy wasn’t a quitter. He built his company from scratch. He could have quit many times in the past but nothing, and I mean nothing made him quit.”
“Is that all? A gut feeling.”
He watched her expression turn from one of determination to one of frustration. Lowering his gaze, he stared at the envelope for fear the sorrow in her eyes would melt him and he’d do anything she wanted him to do which was a new and unsettling experience for him.
“I gotta tell you Miss Faraday,” he paused and looked up, “it is Miss Faraday, isn’t it?”
“Huh?” She looked stunned.
“Miss, it is Miss?” When she didn’t answer he added, “I want to get the information correct for my report.” It was only partially true.
“So, you’ll look into Owen’s death?”
Her plea and those beautiful green eyes melted him. He couldn’t say no.
“Yes.” He knew there wasn’t much he could do but the relieved look on her face and the sparkle in her eyes made him want to try.
“Oh, and it’s Ms.” It took a minute for him to realize that she was answering his earlier question.
“Ms. Faraday,” he wrote the name in his notebook to at least make it look like he meant to check into this matter. Ms. didn’t mean she was married but then again it didn’t mean that she wasn’t. He looked at her hands. No wedding or engagement ring. But not everybody today wore their rings. If she were his wife he’d make sure she wore it!
He jerked upright in his chair when he realized where his thoughts were going.
“Are you okay?” Leaning forward, she had a genuine look of concern for him on her face. A waft of her perfume began to tantalize his senses. He leaned back to break the spell she was beginning to cast on him.
“Yeah, bad back is all,” holding his hand to his lower back for emphasis. “Old football injury.” So Morris told a fib – just a little one. He did play football in school and he had been injured many times but he always made a full recovery.
At the moment, he wasn’t sure just how far this investigation would go. Right now the prospects included a few inquiries and a disappointed Ms. Faraday when he told her there was nothing more he could do. Maybe she’d let him console her after this was all over with.
Before his mind wandered any further away from reality he pulled a card from inside his jacket and handed it to her making sure their hands didn’t touch. “Well, if you think of anything else give me a call.”
Maggie took the card with a stunned look. “Is that it?”
“I’ll call you as soon as I have any new information.” That look of frustration and sorrow swept over her beautifully shaped features again. “I promise.” He stood to leave.
“Detective Morris?” Her voice was compelling, firm but sensual, sending shivers of desire up his spine.
“Yes.” Not wanting to leave but knowing he had to for fear he’d ask her out on a date.
“I’m not some hysterical woman.” She stood up for emphasis. She wasn’t as tall as him but he noticed that she’d fit comfortably in his arms on the dance floor.
“Owen Cassidy did not commit suicide.” Her determination gave him pause.
“I don’t think you’re being hysterical.” He looked down at her from his higher advantage towering over her just enough for her head to tilt back ever so slightly, exposing the smooth skin of her throat. “I’m just not sure how much there is to investigate right now.”
A deep sigh told him she was disappointed in his response.
“Look, Ms. Faraday, let me see what I can find out before we jump to any conclusions.”
Her posture straightened slightly.
“Thank you detective.” She touched his arm, her eyes locking with his.
Patting her hand he smiled back and left before he gave into his strong desire to kiss her.
Maggie watched as the detective disappeared through the restaurant door. Despite the gravity of the situation she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He slid effortlessly into his police sedan and drove away leaving her with a sudden and overwhelming sense of loneliness. Lowering herself onto the chair that was still warm from his body she slid her hand across its fabric trying to soak up some of his heat.
Still feeling his presence she wanted to keep her connection to him alive for as long as possible. When their eyes met, she felt a strong attraction to this man who was summoned into her life by such horrible circumstances. But looking into those blue windows to his soul she felt her fear
and
her control melting away. She could lose herself in his eyes.
She once read that everyone had that one perfect person for them, their soul mate, and that it would be obvious the first time they met. Could this be it for her? Could she have found that one perfect man who could be her hero? And, she so desperately needed a hero right now.
So entrenched was she in her thoughts and fantasies that she didn’t notice her brother sitting at the table next to her.
“So, is he going to find out what happened to Owen?”
Maggie jumped, clutching her hand to her heart.
“How did you know?” She said breathlessly, so sure she’d been discreet. Not as close to Owen as she was, Donald’s time away in the army and then in college meant the two had little contact. An old family friend, Owen was more like an uncle to Maggie.
“When have you ever been able to hide anything from me, little sister?”
Maggie gave him the look. She hated when he called her that. He might have been younger but her small stature compared to his height and large presence made the reverse seem more likely. It was true that she couldn’t hide anything from him. He always seemed to know her secrets. That’s what made him so dangerous.
“Okay, okay. You caught me.” Maggie looked sheepish. “But watch the little sister comments. I am the oldest after all.”
“So, how far are you planning to take this little investigation of yours?” His expression turned serious.
“Don’t tell me you believe Owen killed himself!”
“Of course not. But, it sounds like somebody did a good job of making it look like he did. I’m just not sure that you can prove that he didn’t. ”
“I know. But I have to try.”
Donald grabbed Maggie’s hand from across the table and made her look up at him.
“Look, Mags,” she hated when he called her that too. “I wasn’t as close to Owen as you were, and I’m sure I’d be doing the same thing if I was.”
Maggie’s eyes filled with tears.
“But, I don’t want to lose you.”
Her head shot up at his last comment.
“Whomever made Owen’s death look like a suicide went to a lot of trouble to do so.”
“And?”
“So, they might just go to a lot of trouble to keep anyone from proving otherwise.”
Maggie sat back defiantly as she was known to do when challenged.
“You don’t really think someone would try to hurt me, do you?”
“I’m just saying it’s a possibility that you can’t afford to overlook.”
The image of her twin boys flashed before her but it was just too unsettling to think let alone believe that someone might want to hurt her. She put the thought out of her mind. Besides, she already turned the whole matter over to Detective Morris. Surely he’d solve the case.
“But what if he didn’t”
“Didn’t what?”
“Oh nothing. I was just wondering if Max was going to remember to pick up the boys for spring break on time.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. Sometimes her ex did forget to pick up the boys on time.
“Okay, Maggie, have it your way. But just remember what I said and please be careful.”