Part 24 (2/2)

”Who are Steve and Anne?” I asked.

”Two other a.s.sociates,” she said. ”They've both just reached their five-year anniversary.”

”Tuesday and Anne, did they get neckties, too?” I asked.

”Silk scarves,” Reese said. ”Do stop prattling, I can't look at this and converse at the same time.”

Duly chastised, I resumed pacing. I checked the time on my phone. There was a text from Inspector Franks: Where are you?

I quickly texted back that I was on the thirty-third floor.

I waited but there was no immediate reply.

”I found it,” Reese said. She glanced at the small printer in the corner behind her desk. ”The invoice for his tie is in his file and it lists the number st.i.tched on it. I'm printing a copy of it.”

”Excellent,” I said. ”Now if the police find that this number is different than the number on the tie he was strangled with, it could lead us to the killer.”

Reese moved to stand beside the printer. I noticed her hand was shaking as she pulled the invoice out of it. ”I hate to think that it was one of our own.”

She moved back behind her desk and glanced at her computer screen. ”That's strange.”

”What?” I asked.

”Win's file, the file I was just in, was wiped clean,” she said. She leaned over to examine the screen more closely and began clicking her mouse. ”And I've been locked out.”

”Who could do that?” I asked.

”I think you'd better take this paper and go,” she said. Her voice trembled and the raw fear made the hair on the back of my neck p.r.i.c.kle.

She held the sheet out to me. I started across the room to take it when her office door banged open.

”Reese, Rene tells me you have a new hire . . . what's this?” Tyler Carson stood in the doorway, looking perplexed. He stared at me. ”You?”

”Hi,” I said.

I gave him a tiny wave as I reached out to take the paper. He was too quick for me, however, and s.n.a.t.c.hed it out of Reese's hand before I could. He glanced at the paper and then at Reese.

”Explain,” he said. He sounded angry and I saw Reese flinch. Then she shook her head and blew out a breath.

”I know,” she said. ”Everything.”

She s.h.i.+fted her feet, almost in a fighter's stance. This got my attention. Pale and tight lipped, Reese looked frightened and enraged all at the same time. Emotion was pouring off her in waves and my inner sense of caution was now clanging like a five-alarm fire bell. Something awful was about to happen.

”That sounds very dramatic,” Tyler said. He gave her a confused half smile. ”Why don't we discuss this in private?”

”No, I know what you did,” she said. Her voice was low and growly, sounding more angry than scared now as if her courage had just needed a few minutes to build itself up.

Tyler heaved a put-upon sigh. ”We've been over this and over this. I don't know what you think you know . . .”

”Win wasn't wearing his tie at the party,” Reese said.

”Pah!” Tyler scoffed. ”Of course he was, it's mandatory.”

Reese pointed to me. ”She says he wasn't.”

Tyler turned and looked at me. His gaze was sympathetic and kind as if he felt my tension and was pained by it. I felt myself relax. Tyler was such a nice man. He took the care of his company seriously; I knew he wouldn't let someone get away with murdering one of his staff.

”You were mistaken, weren't you, Scarlett?” he asked. ”You were overwrought at the party, which was quite understandable given Win's boorish behavior.”

I nodded. Huh? I shook my head.

”No, I was up close and personal with his s.h.i.+rtfront,” I said. I looked at Reese, who was shaking her head at me. ”Not on purpose. It just sort of happened.”

Now she was shaking her head more frantically, which made me feel terrible given that she had just admitted to pining for a relations.h.i.+p with Win that he had denied her and here I was talking about his awkward pa.s.s at me.

”I'm sure it was because he was drunk and because he hated Harrison,” I said. I glanced back at Tyler. ”But you're wrong. I am quite certain he wasn't wearing a tie.”

”That is quite unfortunate,” Tyler said. Then he lunged at me.

Chapter 28.

Taken by surprise, I jumped back out of instinct, which was a good thing because Reese hurled a solid gla.s.s paperweight at Tyler, popping him in the ribs with a sickening thunk.

He dropped the invoice as he grabbed his side with an ”Oomph!”

”Grab the paper!” Reese yelled.

I s.n.a.t.c.hed the sheet off the ground. Dancing back just before Tyler caught me with a kick in the head. He staggered forward as I dashed for the door.

”Run, Scarlett, ru-” Reese's voice was cut off with a sickening crunch.

I had no doubt if I went back, Tyler would get the paper, the last bit of evidence that Win was strangled with-and I knew this was no longer a wild guess-Tyler's necktie. I had to hope Reese could fend for herself and I had to keep going.

Now I was d.a.m.n thankful for my jeans and Converse sneakers. Had I worn a power suit and heels, I never could have bolted out of Reese's office as fast as I did. There is a message there but I had no time to ponder it. Probably it was that normal people in suits don't have to run for their lives, but that's just a theory.

I glanced up at the ceiling and saw a sign that showed a white stick figure running on a green background with an arrow pointing. I a.s.sumed this meant go this way. I did.

The elevator was out as it would be too easy for Tyler to catch me while I was waiting for it and if he got in with me, he could strangle the life out of me before we hit the twentieth floor. It was going to have to be the stairs. I scanned the ceiling looking for more of the green signs with the little running man on them.

I was lapping the offices in the center of the floor, trying to read the doors as I flew past. I heard a shout behind me and I knew it was Tyler. He was gaining on me. I stumbled. Not helpful but terror makes me a tad uncoordinated.

Finally a severe-looking gray door tucked into the wall showed a picture of a stick figure and an arrow pointing down. I pushed through it, wondering if an alarm would sound. I heard nothing.

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