Free Skating Around The Law by Joelle Charbonneau Page B

Mack had entered the money received and the date contracted but no completion date. Seven other incomplete jobs—all with money received—gave me more suspects. I scribbled down the names of the customers and clicked on the next file.
    It contained a letter, and not a very polite one at that. Mack was demanding fifty thousand dollars in exchange for…something. What, I had no idea. The letter was dated three weeks ago, but there was no addressee named at the top. Something told me extortion was a better motive for murder than unfinished work. Maybe Mack had information on someone. Maybe Annette? That my mother’s best friend could be involved seemed unrealistic, or maybe I was just engaging in wishful thinking. I clicked on the next file, hoping for a clue to the letter’s recipient.
    Another spreadsheet, only I couldn’t make heads or tails of this one. The first column contained a letter followed by several numbers. The next was date received, followed by date shipped. A dollar amount appeared at the end of each row. Mack didn’t provide an explanation of the codes he’d used, so they could mean anything. Nowhere did I find mention of the key I had in my hand.
    I was at a dead end with the CD. I grabbed the paper with the scribbled name and number. Theodore Bosikus. Never heard of the guy, but the area code was familiar. It was a Chicago number. I decided to let my fingers do the walking. The mysterious Theodore answered on the first ring.
    â€œBosikus Investments, Theodore speaking. How can I help you?”
    Investments? A guy who hid nine grand under his mattress didn’t seem like the type, but what did I know? Doing my best impression of a serious professional, I answered, “Hello. My name is Rebecca Robbins. Mack Murphy recommended your company and gave me your number.” Okay, technically Mack didn’t give me the number, but I figured Theodore didn’t need to know that.
    â€œMurphy? One second.” I heard some typing on the other end, and the voice returned. “Oh sure, Mackenzie Murphy. I talked to him a couple of weeks back. He wanted to know my thoughts on markets and stocks. You know, I got to admit I’m surprised he recommended me. At the time we spoke, he didn’t have the minimum amount I require to invest.”
    â€œHe didn’t tell me that.” At last a moment of truth. “He did say you knew a lot of about stocks and how to get the most out of an investment.” That quickly, my brush with truth vanished.
    I could hear Theodore preening on the other end of the line. “I do. Although I must admit my strategy is riskier than that of a lot of investors. That made Mack nervous. Me and my clients like going for the big payoffs. The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward—that’s my motto. Why don’t I get some of your information, then we can talk about your investment options.”
    My mind whirled. Something was strange about this whole thing. Theodore was way too chatty about Mack’s business for my taste. His runaway mouth was good for a beginner detective like me but bad as far as professional ethics went.
    I wasn’t sure I wanted him to know any of my personal information. I said, “Can I call you back, Theodore? I’m at work, and my other line is ringing.” Ring. Ring. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
    Dropping the receiver back in the cradle, I said a small prayer that he didn’t have caller ID and leaned back to consider what I’d learned. Besides the fact Mack’s real name was Mackenzie, not much. Theodore’s company couldn’t be the source of Mack’s financial need. Mack hadn’t invested yet, which I considered a smart move on his part. Big risks might lead to big payoffs, but they also led to big debts. I saw that a lot in my line of work. Mack’s mattress retirement plan was a much better option.
    â€œMs. Robbins?”
    I turned to see