In the Blink of An Eye by Jerry Baggett (ebook reader for surface pro TXT) 📕

leaned back in his chair. “I just had my ass handed to me by that woman in DC. We all know women and cats get away with doing as they please. Men in my position, and dogs, have to live by discipline and training.” He waved them to seats in his office. “You should get completely away from this island.”

Samantha’s smile faded. “I’ve taken a week’s vacation, Agent Hunt. That’s the best I can do. Nurses are in short supply on the island, as well as the entire state. Replacement for a longer period was not possible. I could never leave Doctor Peyton and his patients with only one overworked nurse.”

“Don’t underestimate these people, Samantha. They will try again.” Hunt looked across at Dick. “We have to think outside the box now, and find a way to settle the issue of Samantha’s safety.”

Dick glanced toward Samantha then back at Hunt. “I haven’t mentioned this to Samantha, but she may have an answer to the problem in her Aunt Clara’s storage unit. Grant has a lot riding on something important to Stephanie’s murder being stored there.”

“Yeah, Hunt said. “I’m aware of his deep belief there’s evidence waiting for him in that toy box. He’ll probably be disappointed.”

Dick grimaced. “I believe him. He told me Samantha’s childhood toys and her mother’s belongings were moved into storage immediately after her mother’s death. It’s a long shot, but he deserves our help. Let’s try to prove his hunch, one way or the other.” He turned to face Sam. “Do you have any idea what’s in storage, and where it might be located?”

Samantha looked puzzled. “What storage? I assumed the furniture was sold with the house.”

Hunt didn’t allow himself to visibly react. “Your aunt’s furniture was stored somewhere in Santa Monica after the house was sold. That’s where she lived with you, and she taught school there, didn’t she? Who arranged the storage?”

“Aunt Clara died in a nursing home. She put the house up for sale and went into an elderly care facility while I was in nursing school at UC, San Diego. I don’t remember very much about that. She was very efficient and always handled things herself.”

Dick said, “Somebody’s paying for the storage or it’s been sold off by the storage facility. You should have a record of everything somewhere.”

She blanked on any of that. “Damn. I must have forgotten. Aunt Clara’s law firm in Santa Monica would have the records. The attorney handling her business passed away shortly after she died. He was with Lawson & Associates, there.”

Hunt yelled, “Margie! Call this law firm and see what they can tell us about the estate of Miss Clara Brooks. Find out who’s paying the storage fees and where her belongings are stored. Demand to know everything we’ll need to find that stuff. If it’s been sold for storage fees, we want to know who bought it.” He handed her a paper, full of his handwritten notes.

“While we’re waiting for Margie, let’s talk about something else; Maria, the missing person. We owe it to Grant. If Maria’s alive we need to find her. We’re grilling every low life we pick up for information. Grant feels we’ve all let her down. She should have been placed into witness protection as soon as her information became actionable. He’s probably right, in hindsight. We know she was followed from the club where she worked by two people in an old Ford van. She hasn’t been seen since. I’m sorry to say, we all know what that means.”

Margie rushed back, waving Hunt’s notes. “You won’t believe this. Attorneys for the Davis family trust have been paying storage fees on Clara Brooks’ stored possessions all those years since Clara Brooks died. Access to the storage unit was denied until very recently. Attorneys for the Davis family trust recently presented evidence proving the heir to the Brooks trust is sitting with us. Samantha, you’re the only person legally allowed to enter the locked storage unit.”

Everyone looked at Samantha. “I know nothing of this,” she said. “Why in hell didn’t Grant say something about it?”

Dick cringed. She would never trust him if she found out he had known about her inheritance without telling her. He shouldn’t have promised Hunt.

Hunt said, “Stand up, Samantha. We all want to see what a recently minted millionaire looks like.”

Samantha blushed. She covered her face with nervous hands. “How do you know all this, and why didn’t Grant tell me these things himself?”

“Grant has been busy trying to prove his innocence. He wanted solid proof before facing you,” Hunt said. “I have to take responsibility for the haphazard way everything came out. I hope you’ll forgive me, Samantha. He needs access to what’s inside that box.”

Dick pulled her to her feet and wrapped an arm around her waist. She looked up. “What are we going to do?”

“We’re going to keep you alive. After that, everything will work its way out.” He kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Now we have a better idea of why someone’s trying to kill this beautiful girl. Let’s go see if we can help Grant find the magic box.”

Chapter 28

Dick eased himself out of bed at seven a.m., adjusted the thermostat, and ran through his regular thirty-minute exercise routine.

Both had awakened earlier, long before daylight. He suspected his restlessness had awakened her. Their teasing and touching led to the discovery of exciting new sensations and emotional highs he had never reached before. Afterwards they had talked quietly for an hour before falling asleep again in each other’s arms.

He had been concerned about Sam’s emotional fragility after two violent attempts on her life. The loss of her cottage had nearly destroyed her self-confidence. The never imagined details of her heritage had been a thrilling surprise that changed everything. Her insecurity disappeared. She regained her positive attitude. She