Jayden Roe Mystery 02-The Final Lie by Lily Campbell (read a book .TXT) 📗

“So you really did doze off.”

Dave’s expression became sheepish. “Sorry. Had a bad night.”

Jay nodded and answered the question. “We are here because Natchitoches is not New Orleans, and I don’t want another Salisbury either.”

Dave looked up at the big mall and nodded. “I see. So we’ll be meeting Dr. Piers here?”

Jay smiled at the reminder that his childhood friend had finally married the woman who had supported him through every bad patch in his life. “That’s the plan.”

“You say that like you don’t really expect her to show up,” Dave told Jay as they entered the bustling mall.

Jay gave a rueful laugh and pitched his voice so that only Dave would be able to catch his words. “Her husband might not like her getting involved in all this. Especially if he has discovered that I went to Salisbury and then returned leaving a body count behind me.”

“You make it sound like he’d believe you capable of murder.”

Jay gave him a disbelieving look. “I thought you knew everything about me? Didn’t you know that Hector was the one who arrested me for the murder? A murder I confessed to so it is hardly a stretch for people to think me capable of it.”

“Yes, but he also ensured that everyone knew Linda had wanted to die to bring down Goldstein.” His green-blue eyes flew suddenly wide as if he’d just had an epiphany. “Hang on. You don’t think it is him do you? Goldstein? I mean, it all adds up,” Dave started to  talk faster now as they settled into a table near the staff entrance of a restaurant. “Goldstein has every reason to hate you. Even though he’s serving multiple life sentences, he could still have some power and reach. Maybe there is someone who knew him who escaped your net and holds a grudge?”

Jay remained silent. He had thought of all this too. Dave’s logic was sound and feasible, but Jay was reluctant to believe them. After all, he had been chasing Goldstein for years, digging into his life, discovering everything he could, every link the man had. He knew that to truly break someone like him, he would need to have broken every single link, so that there was no chance of a comeback. He was confident that his work had been absolute, but where his mind got stuck was on Dave’s last point. While Jay had fashioned the net, he hadn’t cast it himself. All that had been left to Hector. Was it possible that someone had managed to escape Hector’s grasp?

Dave was watching him and seemed to have come to another realization. “Didn’t Linda Wei have a granddaughter? Could she—”

“No,” Jay stopped him there. Ruby was not heartless. She had suffered much as a child, and he knew she would never hate someone that much.

The fact that no one had seen even the smallest sighting of Stella in the nearly three weeks she had been gone, meant that either she was already dead, or she was being kept somewhere secretive. Even if Ruby hated him, she would never kill Stella, nor would she chain her somewhere.

Dave met his gaze squarely. “Why not? Look I think—”

“They’re here,” Jay interrupted again.

“Where?” Dave scanned the restaurant, but neither Natalie nor Hector were anywhere in sight.

Jay readied himself to leave and tilted his head discreetly toward the staff door that had been propped open to let out a stream of waiters, carting sparklers, and a birthday cake.

As the singing inevitably drew everyone’s attention, Jay rose and slipped through the door, followed swiftly by Dave.

They entered the kitchen area and followed the chef’s direction as he pointed a steak knife in the direction of another door.

Jay entered the small staff rest area and took in the three people there. The mere fact that Hector had brought Natalie gave Jay hope that he would at least listen to what he wanted. Jay turned a smile on the last person. A woman with silvery blond hair and a long face with dark eyes who had once sat on the Natchitoches city council. It was thanks to his work that she had not gone down with Goldstein.

“Thanks for helping me out, Kelsey.”

She smiled and shrugged. “I owed you one.”

Jay inclined his head, and she slipped out.

Hector watched her leave and then his eyes fell on Dave. “You!”

Jay smothered a laugh. He had forgotten that Hector might not take kindly to Dave’s presence. “You already know my partner, Dave Tiller, of course.”

Hector’s eyes flashed to Jay’s. “Partner? Since when do you have a partner?”

“Since I realized that Stella’s life was on the line and Dave here proved worthy.”

Dave shuffled his feet, but greeted the two in a solid voice.

“Do you know he tricked my wife into giving him information he wanted?” Hector fumed.

Jay sighed. “He needed to prove his worth. I can’t have just anyone tailing me, can I?”

Hector stared at Dave another long moment then turned a dark smile on Jay. “Can’t you? Then why are there eighteen dead at Salisbury and counting?”

Jay breathed out his annoyance, reminding himself that Hector had chosen to show up with Natalie, despite already knowing this. “I’m working on that. In conjunction with the Salisbury police, I might add.”

Hector snorted. “You mean you’re shoving some of your artfully created reports down their throats so that they stay out of your way.”

Jay half smiled as he sensed the end to Hector’s anger. “We’re running out of time here, Hector. Stella was taken more than three weeks ago. You know the odds better than anyone.”

Hector held his gaze for a long moment and then sighed. “I only want one honest answer from you.”

“Ask away.”

“Is this personal? As in, was Stella taken because of you?”

Jay felt his