Free 5 Deal Killer by Vicki Doudera Page B

her eyebrows. “I must get back to work, Professor Porter. Good afternoon.” She turned toward her desk as his footsteps receded down the hall, unable to resist a tiny smile.
    _____
    “You’ll never believe what the secretary at Pulitzer Hall implied,” fumed Miles as he closed the door to Charles Burrows’s apartment.
    “Whatever it was, I can tell it wasn’t good.” Darby reached up to give the lanky journalist a hug.
    Miles hugged her back, tightly. “Just looking at you makes me feel better, you know that?”
    “I’m glad. Now what did the old witch say?”
    He gave a slow grin. “She isn’t exactly an old witch, although she acts like one, but she said she’d overheard my rather heated discussion with Alec Rodin, but that she hadn’t told the police everything . Emphasis on the ‘everything.’ Darby, she hinted that she’d withheld information. This may sound silly, but I felt as if she’d like to blackmail me!”
    “Because of your argument?”
    “Exactly. I told her she could tell the police whatever she wanted, and that seemed to shut her down.”
    “Good for you. Extortion only works if the victim is afraid of exposure.” Darby had dealt with a blackmailer’s destruction in Maine several months earlier and the experience was fresh in her mind. “Speaking of threats, any word from Natalia?”
    “No. Her father must be here now, and I trust she’s told him about that note.”
    “Let’s hope.” Darby pictured the crude letter and its message and sighed. “What about her article, Miles? Will anything happen with the information she unearthed?”
    “I don’t know. That’s up to Natalia to decide. I’ve asked her for a few revisions, and to flesh out a little of the details, but I would never publish anything without having permission.” He reached out and squeezed Darby’s shoulders. “Enough shop talk. What have you been up to, love?”
    Darby told him about her conversation with Hideki Kobayashi. “I hope you won’t mind if we look at a few properties with him on Sunday.”
    “Not at all. Perhaps he’d like to dine with us on Saturday night?”
    “That’s a nice idea, Miles. I’ll be sure to ask him.” She grinned. “Guess where he stays while in New York?”
    “Let’s see … the Ritz-Carlton?”
    “Exactly! How did you know?”
    “I guess I’m not the only one with super duper powers.” He reached out and tried to rumple her hair, although it was so thick and silky it refused to muss. “Hideki obviously likes the finer things. After all, he has you for his broker, doesn’t he?” Miles winked. “Not to mention that the Ritz is one of the city’s best hotels.”
    “Deductive reasoning. Sometimes it can work like a charm.” She frowned. “I wish we could use it to help Natalia. I’ll admit that I’m worried about her.”
    “I love your concern. Let’s call her and check in, shall we?”
    Miles found his student’s number and gave her a call. A few seconds later, he was leaving a message. When he’d finished, he groaned. “Now I’m worried, too. Perhaps I should send a text?”
    “Why not? It can’t hurt.” Darby checked her own phone and made a face. “ET needs me to contact the office. Excuse me for just a minute, Miles.” Darby rose and went into the bedroom. Her assistant answered immediately.
    “What’s up? I saw your message to give you a call.”
    ET cleared his throat. “Bad news, I’m afraid. The Davenports are taking legal action.”
    Darby thought back to her earlier conversation with ET regarding the couple. “They called a mold inspector, I take it?”
    “I’m not sure, but they’ve decided to pursue the matter in the courts.”
    “What were the results of the mold test?”
    “I don’t know that they’ve had one yet.”
    “So they’re going after the building inspector?”
    “That’s not all.” He swallowed, obviously unwilling to continue. “They’re blaming Pacific Coast Realty for the mold problem, saying the