Page 20 of Don’t Say a Word (Angelhart Investigations #2)

Chapter Fifteen

Jack Angelhart

Jack stayed out of his mom’s way.

More than an hour had passed since Margo declined Ava Angelhart’s call, and she hadn’t called back. Ava grew angrier with each passing minute. He told himself he wasn’t hiding in his office; after all, he’d left the door open.

Tess had texted the family chat that she was working from home this morning, so Jack didn’t have a buffer with their mom.

Still, he was surprised that it took Ava an hour before she stepped into his doorway to vent.

“You know Margo called you about Lena Clark’s murder so she didn’t have to talk to me. ”

“I know,” Jack said.

“You should have told me last night. She should have called me. I can’t protect her if she doesn’t keep me in the loop.”

“Margo doesn’t need protecting, not on this,” he said.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“It’s what you said,” Jack countered.

Mom and Margo approached the same job differently.

Ava was smart and methodical, a linear thinker who relied on tangible evidence.

Margo was just as sharp, but trusted her instincts.

Like a bloodhound, she followed her nose, shifting course easily when the trail changed.

She cared about evidence, but focused more on context and how people acted and reacted.

They both knew what Mom would’ve said last night if Margo told her about her conversation with Lena: Contact the detective, give her information.

Ava believed in full transparency. Margo wasn’t dishonest, but she preferred to hold her cards and let others show theirs first. It was an effective way to get people talking.

“I’m concerned,” Ava said. “I know you and Margo are capable, but perhaps it would be better to let the police handle it.”

“We’re not investigating Clark’s murder,” Jack said.

“Yet, Margo has found herself in the middle of the investigation simply because she spoke to the victim minutes before she was killed. I don’t know what the conversation was about, or if Margo has any suspicions about why someone would kill that poor woman.”

“We need to debrief,” Jack concurred, “but Margo’s in the field and I think we let her do what she needs to do.”

Ava sighed. “Very well. I just want to make sure that we’re covered, but she hasn’t returned my call.”

Aw, the crux of the problem. Jack and Tess had worked with their mom for three years.

He knew her pet peeves—she wanted to be in the loop with all the details of every case.

It wasn’t that she micromanaged—she didn’t tell them how to do the job unless they asked for advice—but she didn’t like being in the dark.

Margo had worked with them for three months, and his sister would not share info until she was good and ready.

“What is Margo doing?” Ava asked.

“I haven’t talked to her this morning. She intended to find Elijah’s friends before school and go from there.”

“Where’s Theo? He’s supposed to be working Tuesdays and Fridays, correct?”

“He’s helping Tess with research. Mom, Margo has been a PI for eight years, she knows what she’s doing.”

Iris called over. “Ava, Rita’s on the phone.”

“Tell Auntie I said hi,” Jack said as his mom walked down to her office.

He had talked his mom down. Yes, she worried about all of them, but everything around Margo was still a bit prickly. He hoped things smoothed out over time, because he liked working with his sister. He needed to help restore the balance so Margo didn’t walk away.

Jack went back to researching the subject of the last subpoena he had to serve today.

The office doors opened and in walked Detectives Rachel King and Jerry Chavez. Oh, shit , Jack thought. Did King have the Lena Clark homicide?

Iris approached the detectives. “Hello, may I help you?”

King showed her badge and introduced herself and her partner. “We need to speak with whoever is in charge.”

She made it sound far more confrontational than it needed to be. His mother’s door was closed, so Jack rose and as soon as he stepped from his office, Jerry grinned. “Hey, Jack, it’s been awhile.”

“How’s it going?”

“Good, good. Melanie is expecting again.”

“Number four?” Jack said.

Jerry grinned, shook his head. “Four and five.”

Jack laughed. “Holy shit, that’s fantastic. Congrats. You good, Rachel? How’re your boys? Isn’t the oldest in college by now?”

She seemed irritated with the small talk. “Yeah, he’s up at NAU. Starting his second year, engineering.”

“Smart kid.”

“Tell me about it,” she muttered, then said, “Look we’re here investigating a homicide at Sun Valley High School. The victim called your sister Margaret’s cell phone ten minutes before she was killed. I tried calling her, but she hasn’t answered.”

“Margo,” Jack said. “You call her Margaret and you’ll have two strikes against you.” He was trying to keep the conversation light and friendly; Rachel scowled.

“Jack,” Rachel said, “we know that Margo met with the victim, Lena Clark, yesterday afternoon, and then Clark called your sister a couple hours later. Is she a client? Did she hire Angelhart Investigations? Was she worried about something? Did she have a stalker or other trouble? It’s important to our investigation. ”

“She’s not a client,” Jack said.

Rachel waited for more.

“And?” Rachel finally said.

“And what?”

“Why was Margo there?”

“You’ll have to ask her.”

“For shit’s sake, Jack.”

Jerry put up his hands in a sign of peace. “Hey, Jack, how can we reach her? We just need to get some info, nothing major here.”

“Her cell phone,” Jack said.

“She’s not answering,” Rachel snapped.

“She’s working in the field. I’ll let her know you stopped by.”

His mom stepped out of her office and approached them. Iris must have called or texted her about the conversation.

“May I help you?” Ava said in her most professional lawyer tone.

“Mrs. Angelhart, I’m Detective King.” She nodded to Jerry. “My partner, Detective Chavez. We’re trying to find your daughter Margo. We have questions about her conversation with a murder victim, Lena Clark.”

“I heard. It’s awful. Do you have any suspects?”

Jack had to force himself not to smile. His mom could be very passive-aggressive when she wanted to be.

“We have had this case for less than twenty-four hours and Margo may have been the last person to speak to the victim. I need to talk to her as soon as possible.”

Rachel was definitely irritated.

“We’ll let Margo know, of course,” Ava said.

“Is Mrs. Clark a client?”

“I can’t answer that.” Ava said.

“I just told you she isn’t,” Jack said.

“Just making sure,” Rachel said with a slight smirk. “Mrs. Angelhart, you can’t tell me or you won’t tell me?”

“Can’t,” Ava repeated. “Margo often works on a handshake. You’ll have to ask Margo if Mrs. Clark retained her.”

“Why do I feel that you’re being deliberately unhelpful?”

“I don’t know why you would feel that way,” Ava said, her eyes firmly on Rachel. “Is there anything else we can help you with?”

“When will Margo be in?” Jerry asked.

“She makes her own hours, so your best bet is to call her directly,” Ava said.

“She hasn’t answered,” Rachel said with obvious frustration, “and I prefer in-person interviews.”

“Then arrange that with Margo. I don’t schedule her appointments.”

Rachel’s jaw clenched, and Jack wondered what his mother’s intention was. This wasn’t what he expected after their conversation earlier this morning.

Rachel handed Ava her card. “Please ask Margo to call me when she comes in.”

“I will.”

Rachel and Jerry left, and Jack turned to his mother. “What was that all about? I thought you wanted to tell them everything.”

“I don’t know everything that’s going on, and I won’t speculate with law enforcement. Plus, I didn’t like her confrontational attitude.”

God, he loved his mother.

“That said, if you or Margo or Tess learn anything that will aid the police in finding and apprehending Lena Clark’s killer, I expect you to be forthcoming.”

“Roger that,” Jack said.

Ava went back to her office, but didn’t close the door.

He glanced at his watch, considered heading to Lenny’s for burgers with Rick and Margo, then decided against it. He didn’t need to mediate between his best friend and sister.

Besides, he had a subpoena to serve.

He texted Margo that King was the lead detective on the Lena Clark case and that she’d come in looking for her.

King wants you to call her. She knows you met with Lena and that she called you.

A minute later, Margo responded.

I’m busy, I’ll talk to her later. You coming to lunch?

He responded that he was not going to make it, then added a laughing emoji because it would annoy her.

She sent him an eye roll emoji, then: I’m going to bounce something off Rick, but I might need your two cents. Have a hot date with Laura tonight?

Jack shook his head. Typical Margo.

Barbecuing at her place. You’re welcome to join us. Six-ish.

She responded that she’d let him know.

Jack wondered what Margo was up to.