Naked Frame Part 11

"Okay. You're right, of course, Poppa."

"So, is everything else going okay? Are you about to own the business?"

"Yes, Sir. Just like I said I would. In a couple of weeks."

"And you'll finally bring in some real money."

"For the family, Poppa. It's all for the family. You know that. How's Momma?"

"She's fine. Except for the dirty look she giving me right now. She wants to go back to sleep."

"Tell her I'm sorry, Poppa. And tell her I love her."

"I will. Goodnight, Son."

"Goodnight, Poppa. And thanks."

CHAPTER 14 - Tuesday, 8:48 a.m.

Rebecca liked the melody. It was a cute little tune. Oddly familiar. It stopped playing. Then it started up again. She woke up. It was her cell phone. "Oh c.r.a.p."

Gabby jumped out of bed. "What?"

"We didn't get our wakeup call. And this is Wendy. I was going to call her first thing this morning and tell her to stay home today."

"She found the body. Now she'll have to call the police."

Rebecca took the call. "Wendy, are you okay?...oh...well, sure, I understand...no problem...just take a sick day...you're welcome...bye."

"What happened?"

"We lucked out. She's feeling ill today. Not anything serious. She was probably up all night with her baby. Her mom will take care of the baby today while Wendy catches up on her sleep. This happened a few weeks ago."

"Sounds like you need a new secretary."

"No, Wendy's been my secretary for several years. When I relocated from Sherman, she came along with me."

"A loyal employee."

"Yeah."

"So, do you suppose anybody has found Big Bill yet?"

"I don't know. The door is unlocked, so anybody could wander in and find him. And even if that doesn't happen, at some point the stink is going to seep into the office next door. So we may not have much time."

"I guess we didn't accomplish much last night."

"Except to get your shop burned down. I'm sorry, Gabby."

"It wasn't your fault. It was probably one of Big Bill's people who knew about my loan. I guess it's better than getting my legs broken."

"Or they might have done it because they tracked Big Bill to my office and they think I killed him."

"Yeah. It wouldn't have been difficult. They could have tracked his cell phone. Or his car. It was parked in front of your office. And if somebody recognized us last night at Cafe Nue..."

"Like Joey Ketrousie. Or Wiley."

"But wouldn't they just let the police take care of us? Wasn't that the purpose of framing us for Big Bill's murder?"

"Yeah." Rebecca thought for a moment. "But if whoever framed us is afraid we're close to figuring out who he is..."

"He might try to take us out himself."

"Right." She sighed. "How did you sleep?"

"I got about four hours."

"Yeah, me too. I didn't think I would be able to sleep at all." Rebecca set her phone on the night stand and stood up. "I keep picturing Carly's face. It must have been a horrible death."

"You still think whoever it was that killed her was working for Big Bill?"

She nodded.

"But what I still don't get is why he was having Carly murdered on the same night he was trying to bribe you to shut her up."

"Yeah. That doesn't make sense. Unless...the person who killed Carly was acting on his own."

"Doing it for Big Bill-without his knowledge? Why would he do that?"

"Deniability. Big Bill would honestly know nothing about Carly's murder. And if he got away with it, he could go to Big Bill and take credit for keeping his b.u.t.t out of prison. And try to collect a pile of cash. Or, if it was Ms. Thagery or some other employee, they might be looking for a big promotion."

"Or...how about this theory?" said Gabby. "The same person who killed Big Bill also killed Carly.

"Why kill Carly if Big Bill is dead?"

"I don't know," said Gabby. "I hadn't thought that far ahead."

"Unless the killer was worried about Carly suing the company. Big Bill's raping of Megan Cinaway involved company business, since the s.e.x was part of his job application process. It would have to be somebody whose wealth or power is tied to the company."

"Well, if that's the case, I'm surprised he didn't go after Megan, too."

Rebecca panicked. "What if he did? She may already be dead." Rebecca picked up her phone and called Megan. "Carly gave me her number, but I've never used it. Come on, Megan, answer.

"Is this Megan Cinaway?...this is Rebecca Ranghorn. Your mother hired me to-...well, I'm glad you're okay, but I need to tell you-...New York?...wait, Megan, I need to tell you something...Megan?...It's important. h.e.l.lo?..."

Rebecca called again, but it went straight to voicemail.

"What was that about New York?"

"She's flying to New York City today. Says she's going to be a supermodel."

"Obviously, she doesn't know her mother is dead."

"I doubt she knows about Big Bill either. But somebody has got her believing she's going to be rich and famous."

"The same somebody who killed her mother and Big Bill? But if that's the case, wouldn't he have already killed her? Why send her to New York?"

"Maybe he figured he was pus.h.i.+ng his luck. He's already got two dead bodies in the same town."

"So, he's going to send her to New York, and follow her up there and kill her?"

"Or have somebody else do it. We've got to stop her from getting on that plane."

"What plane? Do you know what time her flight leaves? And which airline?"

"All I know is that she suddenly realized it was after nine, and that she needed to get to the airport."

"Well, a.s.suming she's not too far away, she's probably trying to make it there by 10:00 or 10:30."

"And that would mean a departure time of around noon or so."

Gabby took out his phone. "So, let's see what flights depart at around noon."

"Just the non-stop flights. She's a teenager. This may be the first time she's ever flown by herself. They wouldn't want to take a chance that she'd miss a connection."

"Okay...my best guess would be...American Airlines...departing at 11:45."

"We don't have much time. And once she goes through security-"

"-yeah. We've got to hurry."

Rebecca spotted her at the security gate. "Megan!"

Megan looked back and saw Rebecca and Gabby hurrying toward her. She ignored them, putting her bag on the conveyor belt, walking through the metal detector, and grabbing her bag on the other side.

By the time Rebecca and Gabby got there, she was already out of sight.

"Try calling her phone again," said Gabby.

Rebecca was already doing it. But it went straight to voicemail. "Megan, this is Rebecca Ranghorn. Please call me when you get this message. It's extremely important. Your life is in danger."

"Why didn't you tell her that her mother is dead? She would have been more likely to call back."

"I know. But I can't tell her that in a voicemail."

"Wonder when she'll turn her phone back on."

"Hopefully before the plane takes off. But who knows?"

Gabby started talking like a ventriloquist, barely moving his lips. "Don't look now, but there are two security guards staring at us."

Rebecca laughed-loud enough for the guards to hear.

Gabby glared at her.

"Okay. Let's go home, Sweetie. I'm starving," she said, grinning. She whispered, "Walk at a normal pace."

CHAPTER 15 - Tuesday, 10:45 a.m.

"Let's pay a visit to Calvin Cinaway." Rebecca gave Gabby directions to the Cinaway home.

"You think he knows his wife is dead?"

"Hopefully n.o.body knows yet-since I put the Do Not Disturb sign on Carly's hotel room door."

"I didn't even see you do that-probably because I was in such a hurry to get out of there before we got caught. You're not going to tell him, are you?"

"No," said Rebecca. "He'd call the police. Then they'd want me for two murders."

"Us. They would want us for two murders."

"But the fact that Calvin doesn't know yet is good for us."

Gabby smiled. "Because we can see how he reacts to certain questions."

"Yeah. And he doesn't know me. He may know my name. But I've never been to their house before. We can use that to our favor."

"You don't think Calvin killed Big Bill, do you?"

"It's possible. He knows his daughter was having s.e.x with him. But from what Carly told me, I'm not sure he really cares what happens to Megan-or to Carly for that matter. He loved the fact that she was earning a lot of money and paying all the bills."