Free Molten Gold by Elizabeth Lapthorne Page B

open files
in various tabs. A minute later Adelaide returned with her notebook and paper
in hand.
    “I wish I’d thought to grab my laptop,” she sighed.
    “If you sit here you’ll be able to see everything,” Jared
said as he patted the couch cushion next to him. “If you want to start typing
something up, though, like an article, you’re welcome to use my laptop once
we’re done. Just remember your promise. No publishing until after this is settled.”
    “I know—it’s not likely that I’ll forget such a
restriction,” Adelaide replied. Even though her words had an edge to them, she
smiled at him and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek as she sat down.
    “So you said Steven Graves, Brett McLean and Jerome who?”
    “Morrisey,” Jared replied. He frowned for a moment, thinking
about where his priorities lay, then saved a copy of Steven’s and Mark’s files
to his computer. Technically speaking it could be classified as a breach of
confidence, but Jared had no intention of letting Adelaide keep a copy for
herself, and he knew he’d delete it once they were done.
    It just seemed sensible to have a copy in case they needed
it later in the investigation. And both Mark and Steve were dead, so he wasn’t
breaking their privacy either.
    Once he had copies, he closed both files and focused on the
two remaining. He scanned his eyes down Jerome’s file. Almost immediately he
felt his attention catch. In the tab marked “Status” was the word “Deceased”.
    “Hmm, Jerome’s passed away too,” Jared said.
    “Really?” Adelaide peered closer, pressing her shoulder against
his. “Does it say how he died? Was it suspicious?”
    Jared looked down at her notebook, where she’d scrawled the
four men’s names and a few squiggles he assumed were in shorthand.
    “Uh.” He paused while he opened a link in the man’s
personnel file. “Here. Approximately twelve months ago he was in a car
accident. Alcohol and speed weren’t considered a factor. The other driver, a
Mrs. Carol Stennin, lost control of her car in a storm and crashed into Jerome.
He smashed into a telephone pole and died on the way to the hospital. The
police investigated and found it was an accident. Mrs. Stennin got a fine and a
slap on the wrist.”
    “Is it unusual that so many men from the same team have
died?” Adelaide asked.
    Jared shook his head. “Not really. I mean, it could be a
coincidence. It’s been more than ten years since these men were out there and
almost a decade since they were on active duty. People die, have heart attacks,
are caught in accidents. That’s life.”
    “What about this last guy? Brett McLean.”
    Jared skimmed the file.
    “The good news is he’s alive,” he said. “His status is
retired, and he was honorably discharged.”
    Out of the corner of his eye, Jared could see Adelaide
taking notes. He scrolled down. “Okay, he’s living in a small duplex about an
hour from here.”
    “Do you have a photo?” Adelaide peered at the screen,
studying the picture attached, giving it her full attention. Jared concentrated
too. Brett McLean was far older than the man Adelaide had described and didn’t
fit the general physique she’d witnessed.
    Finally Adelaide shook her head. “That’s not him. Damn. I
was hoping it would be that simple.”
    Jared remained silent but rested his palm on her thigh in
comfort. She shook herself and seemed to brace for what was next.
    “Okay, his address?” Adelaide asked. Jared read it out then
pulled up a new tab and opened Google Maps. As he read the driving instructions,
Adelaide continued to write. With that done he scrolled back to Brett’s file
and settled in to read it methodically.
    Adelaide stood, then turned to look at him. “Aren’t we
going?” she asked.
    Jared frowned. “What, now? I haven’t read his file, nor the
other men’s. I’d rather talk to him when I’m prepared.”
    “But it’s almost dinner time—if we wait too much longer it
will be too