The Note (Unsolved Mysteries Book 1) by Kim Knight (books to read romance txt) 📕

The corner of her mouth twisted to one side. She looked at her lap, glanced from him to McDonald, then lowered her lashes, again.

Dunne took a deep breath to keep his patience in check. “Chelsea, can you answer the question please?”

“Chelsea, if you could please answer the question.” He pushed her again.

“About a month or so.”

“Why the affair? You assured us before you were both happy.” McDonald questioned.

“Yes, we were happy, I did love him, I still do. It just happened one of those things. Lance knew about Tony’s cancer and wanted us to be together once he passed away.”

“So, what are you saying? You had free will, you didn’t have to continue the affair.”

“I know. It just happened.”

“Have you seen him since?”

Chelsea paused, bit the inside of her lip, then shifted her eyes from McDonald to the table.

“Well, no. I mean yes, but not like that.”

“When did you last see him?”

“I can’t remember.”

“Chelsea, think back.” Dunne sighed impatiently.

Chelsea glanced at the ceiling, and after a beat, she met Dunne’s gaze. “A few weeks back, I’ve not seen him since.”

“All right, for now we have no more questions.” McDonald glanced over at Dunne, who nodded in agreement.

“For now?” Chelsea’s eyes widened. “You mean you don’t believe me? It was just a fling that got out of hand.”

McDonald reached over and switched off the audio recording. “For now, you’re free to go,” he told her.

Chelsea stared blankly at the screen with the video paused, then rose to her feet.

“I didn’t do it. What they all think I did. I would never, I loved Tony.”

Chelsea broke down in tears. “He was still legally married, but we fell in love.” She sobbed. “His wife and family hate me, but I didn’t force him to change his will in my favour when I learned about his cancer.”

Dunne eyed Chelsea closely, then pulled out a box of tissues from the desk drawer.

“Here, wipe your eyes. Just stay calm and head home.” He handed her a Kleenex. “We’ll be in contact if anything further comes up.”

“Okay.” Chelsea sniffed, then blew her nose. “Thank you, Detective.”

6

I Spy

Chelsea

Chelsea approached the reception desk of the police station to collect her things.

“Sign here,” said the female officer on duty.

She wrote her name, signed, then picked up the clear plastic bag containing her belongings.

In a huff, she placed one hand on the door handle, exited the police station, and stepped out onto the pavement. She glanced around, not sure what she expected to find.

Swiftly, she walked to her car and got inside. Once seated, she blew out a frustrated breath, then massaged her temples.

“Think, think.” She examined the damage around her thumbnail from chewing around the edges under Dunne’s hawk like gaze.

She pulled out her phone, then scrolled through her contacts.

Lance’s name in bold text stood out on the screen. A sense of paranoia came over her. It was almost as if his name itself mocked her for the situation she had found herself in for the second time.

Chelsea moved her thumb over his name on the screen.

Three months ago, when Tony’s body had turned up on the common in the local park, it had been a surprise to her, yes. But she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t happy.

“You were good to me, Tony. But you weren’t Mr. Right—just the Mr. Right for now.”

She laughed out loud, then muted herself with a serious expression.

Scrolling past Lance’s name, she landed on Manisha Patel’s contact details—his legal wife’s name.

A twisted smile and a small chuckle escaped her lips. She threw her phone in her bag, started the car’s engine, and then took off towards her home.

Thirty minutes later, Chelsea shut off the engine on the quiet road and glanced at her watch. It was only mid-day.

She sat a few houses down from where Manisha’s car was parked, outside what was once the marital home of Manisha and Tony.

What am I even doing here, again? Every now and then, she had driven past the property to keep tabs on what Manisha was up to, especially during the battle over Tony’s Last Will in Testament.

Nothing ever looked out of place, and to her surprise, she hadn’t put the house up for sale to try to claw back some of the money—according to Manisha—the woman felt she had been robbed of.

A figure made its way out of the gate of the house. It was Manisha.

Chelsea ducked down slightly, keeping her whereabouts a secret.

Manisha got into a car and took off in the opposite direction.

“That was close.”

Chelsea chuckled, half-startled and half-intrigued by where Manisha could be on her way to. Curiosity got the better her. So, she started the engine and pulled out of the parking space.

“Nah.” She decided against that course of action. “I’ll check on you some other time, Manisha.”

Chelsea did a three-point turn on the quiet road and headed back the way she came, away from Manisha’s home.

7

I.O.U’s

Lance

The phone rang loud from inside the office.

“What the—” Lance literally jumped out of his skin, banging his head against the undercarriage of the vehicle he was working on.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Glancing in the direction of his office, he glared with distain at the echoing ringtone.

All morning, he had been on edge, anticipating John’s surprise visit. Especially in light of the man’s threat yesterday morning.

Time’s ticking, he recalled John’s warning.

He was still no closer to raising part of debt money he owed. Not by a long shot. He’d borrowed a hundred grand from the loan shark in a fit of desperation, and against his better judgement. And now, he had only managed to make an odd payment here and there.

John wasn’t the kind of man to settle for inconsistency. Nope, not one bit.

Ring.

Ring.

He moved from under the hood of the car he was working on, then headed into his office. Shifting around the papers and tools on the desk, he searched for the ringing cordless phone.

Ring.

Ring.

“Hello.”

“Lance, we’re in the shit,” Chelsea blurted out.

He hadn’t expected her to be on the other line. In