Page 94 of Little Dark Deeds

CHAPTER 34

Istepped into thereal estate office and approached the front desk.Lila was dabbing her eyes with a tissue, which she then used to blow her nose.

“Hey, Lila,” I said.“You doing okay?”

“I’m just ...you know, sad about Tyler,” she said.“Can’t believe he’s dead.And Jana, I can’t believe she shot him.”

“We’re still trying to figure it all out.Was Tyler at work yesterday?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Jordan said they had an argument in his office.”

“I don’t know anything about an argument.They were both talking about that crazy old woman, the one who says she’s going to solve the murder.”

“Queenie.”

“Yeah, that’s her.”

“She talked to Tyler, right?”

“And Jordan.Accused them both of murder.”

Yet Jordan had said he hadn’t spoken to Queenie.

So many secrets.

So many lies.

It was time for them all to come out.

Lila grabbed another tissue from the box on her desk.“I’m sorry.I’m a blubbering mess.”

“Don’t be.It’s understandable.Is Jordan here?”

“He’s not.I can tell him you stopped by.Do you want to leave a message?”

“I’ll just talk to him later.Listen, can I use your bathroom before I go?”

“Oh, yeah, sure.It’s down the hall, third door on the left.”

I thanked her, and as I headed down the hallway, a couple walked in the front door.

The timing couldn’t have been better.

Jordan’s office was also down the hall and to the left.I slipped inside and began looking around.His office looked a little different since my last visit.The framed photo of Audrey Hepburn was gone, replaced by another photo of a Labrador retriever.The box of candles was also gone.

I walked in front of his desk and sat in the chair, pulling the drawer open.There were a handful of file folders, several bottles of hand sanitizer, and at the bottom, a bottle of bourbon and a small box.I pulled the box out and opened it.A gun was inside.I moved to the next drawer.It contained hanging files, all arranged in alphabetical order.

“What are you doing in my office?”

I looked up to see Jordan standing in the doorway.

He wasn’t pleased to see me.