Part 16 (1/2)
To her surprise, Joey's desk was unlocked. In the top left drawer she found a contract for the sale of Cafe Nue to Joey. It was signed by Kimberly Smotherburn, and notarized. But the doc.u.ment was postdated for the fifteenth of next month. So, the notary had committed fraud, risking revocation of his commission or even prison. There must have been some serious payoff money, thought Rebecca.
Kimberly was selling Cafe Nue for a measly ten grand. It had to be worth a lot more than that. And what gave her the right to sell it?
Rebecca heard someone walking down the hallway. She quickly put the contract back in the drawer and closed it.
Joey opened the door. ”What the h.e.l.l are you doing in my office?”
Rebecca got up from the chair and sauntered over to him. ”I've been waiting for you.” She stepped in very close. With the heels, she was 6-foot-5. Her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s were just below his chin.
”Well, you have no business being in here.”
”Aw, come on, Baby. Don't be mad.” She put her hands on the sides of his head and gently pulled it toward her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. If Rebecca could keep herself from barfing on his head, she figured she just might come out of this alive.
Joey soften his tone. ”I'm not mad...I just...” He kissed the top of her left breast.
There was a knock at the door.
Joey jumped back.
Bobby opened the door and stuck his head in. He looked surprised and disappointed. ”What's going on, Boss?”
”Nothing.” He cleared his throat. ”Get back to work, b.o.o.bsicles. I'll...look into that problem.”
”Thank you, Sir.” Rebecca exited.
She hurried to the dressing room, changed into her street clothes, and left the building before Joey or Bobby came out of the office. She needed a shower. A very long, hot shower.
Once Rebecca was two blocks away, she took out her phone and called Gabby to come pick her up. It took him ten minutes to get there, but it seemed like thirty.
”What did you find out?”
”I think Joey is the killer, and that he did it for Kimberly.”
”Kimberly Smotherburn? Why? I mean, I can understand her motive. She wants her husband's money and his company-without having to be his wife. But what's Joey's motive?”
”The cafe. I found a sales contract between Kimberly and Joey for Cafe Nue. She's selling it to him for $10,000.”
”That's practically giving it to him.”
”Yeah, and it's postdated for the fifteenth of next month. It's even notarized.”
”So, Joey kills Big Bill and frames you for the murder. Owners.h.i.+p of Cafe Nue pa.s.ses to Kimberly, and she sells it to Joey for a song.”
”Quite a plan, huh? So, I'm moving Joey Ketrousie to the top of our suspect list.”
”But if Joey killed Big Bill right there in your office, why hasn't he recognized you?”
”I don't know. He must have hired somebody else to do it.”
CHAPTER 24 - Tuesday 7:32 p.m.
Wiley plopped down in his leather recliner and called her again.
”Why do you keep calling me?”
”Because I miss you, Baby. And I want to come over.”
”Well, I miss you too, Honey, but you know you can't come here right now. What if somebody were to see you?”
”I don't care,” he slurred.
”Are you drunk, Wiley?”
”No. Of course not.”
”Because you know how I feel about that.”
”I know. I did have a couple of drinks earlier. But I'm not drunk. Definitely not drunk.”
”Good.”
”I want to come over there and screw your brains out.”
”Wiley!”
”I'm sorry. I meant make love to you. You know that's what I meant, Baby.”
”I know. I want that too. But we can't.”
Wiley sighed.
”But you know what we can do?”
”The Game?”
”Yeah, The Game. It turns me on like crazy, Honey. Please play with me.”
”Okay. Let me get it. I'm putting you on speaker.” He set his cell phone down on the coffee table.