Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Her heart thudded. But, um, was she truly considering taking the next step with Conrad?
Her phone rang, and she leaped on the distraction at warp speed. Spotting the number displayed on the screen, Jane gaped. Someone from the Bank of Aurelian Hills. Seriously? The very place Lucy Chang worked.
Uh, what if Lucy was the one on the other end of the line?
Frowning, Jane tapped the button and pressed the phone to her ear. “Yes, um, hello? This is me. I mean, this is Jane. Jane Ladling. I’m she.”
“Hi, Jane. You might not remember me, but I’m Lucy Chang. A loan officer at the Bank of Aurelian Hills.”
Okay, what the heck was even going on right now? Jane thought of a person and boom, they reached out? Henry Cavill, Henry Cavill, Henry Cavill. “Yes, I remember you. You worked at my event last night.”
“Yes, that’s me.” Lucy gave a nervous laugh. “I would love to meet with you here at the bank. Today. If it’s not too much trouble. I’m willing to work around your schedule.”
She wanted to shout, “Yes!” but the oddity of the situation left her speechless. A murder investigation had never gone so seamlessly, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.
Lucy lowered her volume, whispering, “Please visit me. There’s something you need to know about the murder.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“Victory doesn’t fall on you like ripe cherries from a tree. You fight to make it happen.”
Lucas “Trick” Robichaud
Jane smoothed the lines of her dress. A cascading floral fit-and-flare with interlocking sections of black and teal. When satisfied with that, she adjusted the hat pinned to her crown. The little beauty possessed sprigs of both blue and green flowers to match. All right. Nothing out of place. With a large purse dangling from her shoulder, she soared into the ornate lobby of the premier bank for Aurelian Hills.
A bell tinkled as she went from bright daylight and cold to subdued lighting and warmth. Up ahead, an electronic banner flashed the words Serving Your Needs Since 1832. The only nod to the twenty-first century. Other than the state-of-the-art security, of course, hidden throughout for discretion.
No expense had been spared on the marble flooring and pillars, or the golden lions that guarded the vault. Even the bars between tellers and customers were said to be encrusted with flakes of gold. Sadly, such rumors had only led to the real life hotsy-totsy robberies of decades past.
Jane ignored the vibrating cell in a purse pocket and strolled deeper inside the building. No doubt it was Ashley Katz from the Headliner again; over the last hour, the woman had called repeatedly, not taking the hint when Jane failed to answer, too busy for an interview right now.
At a reception desk littered with tiny pumpkins sat an older security guard with the thickest mustache in history. Per Lucy’s instructions, Jane stopped there to sign in.
Perhaps a wee bit too loudly, she proclaimed, “I’m here because I have an appointment with Ms. Chang. For a loan. Well, a potential loan.” Because she refused to lie, she would, in fact, be filling out the paperwork for said loan. If, by some miracle she got it, she’d either turn it down or use it to purchase cameras for the Valley of Dolls.
The guard frowned at her but also waved to a waiting area with uncomfortable looking chairs. “Have a seat. I’m sure she’ll be with you shortly.”
Wonderful. Jane would use the time to text Beau and draft questions for Tony’s business partner, Devin Hagger. Before driving to the bank, she’d contacted his office to make an appointment. They were scheduled to meet tomorrow morning at 10:00.
Preparation had never been more important.
Jane eased into a seat. Getting as cozy as possible, she withdrew her phone from her clutch. Yep. The earlier call had indeed come from Ashley Katz.
Sighing, she typed the message to Beau: Where are my crime scene photos, Bo-Bo?????? (Okay, the nickname was supposed to be a punishment for your terrible breech of manners, but it’s so cute I think we should run with it.) Also, can you do morning rounds for me tomorrow, since you’ll be doing patrol anyway????? I’ll pay you in the form of a meal and great conversation since you won’t accept my money.
Beaudyguard: Two meals, and Bo-Bo says deal.
She snorted. Dang, she treasured this amazing man.
Jane: Done! Now get me those photos.
Beaudyguard: You’ll have them by tomorrow morning, promise.
Why the hold up? Was he afraid she’d see something disturbing?
Inquiries for later. Time to craft those hard-hitting questions for Hagger. Except, Lucy exited an office at the end of a narrow hallway. A beauty in her late twenties, with sleek black hair and rich brown eyes. She wore a dark gray pencil skirt and a black-and-white striped top—and no wedding ring.
Hmm. A potential match for one of Beau’s friends, perhaps? In Jane’s mind, Beau himself was already paired with Eunice Park…who continued to ignore her calls. But that was something else she needed to put on hold for now. If Jane remembered correctly, the slightly older Lucy had been kind to everyone in school, no matter their social status. Or lack thereof, in Jane’s case. In other words, perfect companion material.