Free T. Lynn Ocean - Jersey Barnes 01 - Southern Fatality by T. Lynn Ocean Page B

where somebody put a bullet in his head at point-blank range. Either he’d rolled down the window to speak with the shooter or he’d been driving with it down to begin with. The deed was done in broad daylight. No witnesses came forward.
    I don’t much believe in coincidences. I had no way to be sure, but my gut told me that the accountant’s murder was related to the flash drive I’d found. It was time to have a talk directly with Chesterfield.

SEVEN
    The next morning when I approached Chesterfield at his company’s Wilmington office, I posed as an investigator hired by Flowers’ family to help find the murderer. I wore a cheap navy suit with plain leather heels and carried a nondescript briefcase. I was Josephine Bell.
    A distinguished man in his late fifties, Chesterfield was even more handsome up close and in person, with dark hair that had grayed at the temples and warm brown eyes covered by nearly invisible wire-framed glasses. An aura of energy surrounded him, radiating success.
    “Thanks for seeing me without an appointment,” I began. “It’s so important to get on something like this immediately.”
    “Well, Miss Bell—”
    “Please, call me Josephine,” I interrupted with a smile.
    “Josephine, I’ll help however I can. But I am curious about something.”
    “What’s that?” I gave him my most friendly, trustworthy smile.
    “The family has never heard of you.”
    I’d underestimated him. He must’ve called to verify my alias during the ten minutes I’d been kept waiting in the lobby. In the immediate wake following a tragedy, most people didn’t take the time to
think
about anything. It usually hadn’t yet occurred to them to be suspicious; they just complied and did what they were told to do. But Samuel Chesterfield was not most people.
    I decided to come clean. Sort of.
    “I’ve obviously misjudged you,” I said frankly, “and for that I apologize.” Taking a chance on angering Lolly, I explained to Chesterfield how I’d come in contact with his wife and how she’d been suspicious of him having an affair.
    “She’s been told that you are not seeing another woman,” I finished.
    A surprised laugh escaped from his mouth. “My goodness, I can’t believe she suspected me of infidelity. Poor thing. Lolly is such a sweet one and I love her dearly, but she’s a bit … naïve sometimes.”
    “Yes.”
    “And, you are here now for what purpose?” he asked straightforwardly. I had given him my real name and the real story, but left out the fact that I’d rummaged through his home and found a mysterious data storage device. I also hadn’t questioned him about the odd lunch meetings I’d witnessed.
    “It seems coincidental that Lolly said you’ve been acting strange and days later one of your vice presidents is murdered.”
    “The police say it appears to be a failed carjacking and I’m sure their judgment is sound.” He leaned forward, elbows on the desk,and touched his fingertips together. “You still haven’t told me why you’re here. Who’s paying you to continue with your little investigation? Surely not Lolly.”
    “No, she never paid me to begin with,” was all I said.
    He leaned back in his chair. “Look, I’m a busy man. I don’t know what you’re after and I don’t have a good reason to cooperate with you. Yes, there’s been a tragic murder. Eddie was not only an officer of the company, he was a close friend. But none of this has anything to do with you.”
    He had a good point. It wasn’t my business. Before leaving, I wrote my home phone number on a Barnes Agency business card and offered my hand. Surprising me, he shook it.
    On my way out, I heard a secretary buzz Chesterfield on the intercom to say the maid needed him and it was an emergency. He picked up and listened briefly before letting the handset clatter to the floor. His face turned ashen and he looked as though he might get sick. I’d seen the same look on men before and it usually meant