Chapter 9
When breaking and entering I have learned that it is best to know what you are looking for. Also make sure that you wear comfortable shoes in case of a hasty get away. Currently, I had neither of those things going for me. I knew that someone had to leak the information about the poisoning, and Paul even said the police are mad about the whole situation leaking to the press. But I didn't know who did it or when.
Oh, and if I had to make a getaway I would most likely end up sprawled out on the floor with a broken ankle. I had on high heels.
I watched from against the wall as CeeCee walked into Anna's office. CeeCee's job was to get Anna out of the office so I could do a little snooping.
CeeCee said something that made Anna look up from her computer with a startled glance. I wonder what she was saying. Code red. Copiers broke?
Anna, clearly frustrated, ran her hands through her hair. She got up and walked out of the office with CeeCee in tow. CeeCee stealthy saluted me as she whizzed passed, signaling that the coast was clear.
I darted into the office and over to her phone. I figured if I looked at her caller ID on the day of the memorial, the day that she got the call about Eric being poisoned, I might be able to get a name and number off the ID. CeeCee had informed me that it had been around 9:00 that morning.
As I looked through the Caller ID I realized that there was none. Any numbers in it I mean. Except from today, there were absolutely no numbers in the memory. Anna had cleared it. I know that if I were guilty I would do the exact same thing. So does that mean Anna's blameworthy?
Ok, this whole mystery was getting a little frustrating. It was one question after another and I am getting absolutely nowhere… I thought to myself.
Then I noticed something. I looked over at her computer, the one she had left so hastily, and discovered an email was open. It read:
Glad you got the scoop. I think it helped boost the papers popularity. –L
Ok. L could stand for London or Larry. It wasn't like the email address was any help. The address was, WIshIWereGolfing and I knew for a fact both London and Larry golf. In fact I think they even golf together…Man how long was their affair going on? Anyway, I hit the print button and the printer on the desk next to the computer spited out the email. I grabbed it and stuffed it into my purse.
"Excuse me? What are you doing in here?" I looked up and had a deer-in-the-headlights moment. I was completely busted and I couldn't even run away. You know, what with me being in high heels and all. I looked at CeeCee whose eyes where wider then a full moon as she stood behind Anna.
"Hi! I was looking for a piece of paper to write you a note on. I'm Susannah Simon, CeeCee's best friend. I was going to ask you about journalism…" I lied, completely amazed at myself for thinking the story up so fast. I had plastered on a fake smile that I hope she would take as sincere.
"Where you just going through my things?" Anna's nostrils flared as she said this, something that I do not think is very attractive. So much for my dazzling smile.
"NO! God no. Like I said I was looking for a piece of paper…" I trailed off not sure what else to say. She had me, and she knew it.
"Uh huh. Right. So what did you want to ask me?" Anna asked a hand on her hip looking at me suspiciously.
"Susannah! You're going to be late…for that thing…at the place…" CeeCee jumped in. CeeCee is good at being a writer but not a liar. But I decided to go with it anyway.
"Yeah! Your right! Want to walk me out?" I asked. I took this as an opportunity to high tail it out the door. CeeCee nodded while following suit.
"Miss Simon!" Anna bellowed. "Don't walk away from me!"
Sorry sister, this mediator has to leave.
"Miss Simon!" Anna said again.
"I really am late! Have a nice day!" I hollered back over my shoulder. When I did so, I saw her watching me from the door to her office looking pretty ticked and a tad dangerous. If she was the murderer, I was going to have to watch my back.
We ran out to the rambler, well I wobbled more than ran because of my heels, and then proceeded to climb into the driver's seat and CeeCee into the passenger side.
"Jesus. I don't know what I'm going to say to her when I go back in there. Maybe I should just quit now. Save her the trouble of her firing me myself." CeeCee muttered.
"Cee, you wont get fired." I replied checking to see if Anna was following us. I added a, "I hope," under my breath.
"Gee. Thanks Simon, you sure know how to make a girl feel better." So much for my comment being under my breath.
"Well… What did you find out?" CeeCee asked.
"She cleared her caller ID. But she got an email…" I pulled the email out and handed it to her.
As she read it, she muttered to herself and when she finished she handed it back to me.
"Which L do you think it is?"
"Could be either. I'm starting to think they are all in on it or something."
"How do you figure?'
"I don't know…Call it a hunch?" I said. "Will you keep an eye on Anna?"
"Sure. Hey, if I get fired because of this do you think your Mom needs help interning at the station?" She asked as she climbed out of the car.
"If you get fired, I'll personally give you my job." I replied.
"So you're no closer to figuring out who did it?" Jesse asked as we sat on the roof of my house that evening, the same place I had been this morning. He had come home with Brad and Andy from work and had dinner with us. Andy didn't mind an extra plate at the table, because his love of cooking meant he had another victim to taste test his latest concoction. Tonight it had been grilled skirt steak with steamed veggies.
"Nope. I've got nothing. Any suggestions?" I asked and took a sip of hot chocolate. Even though it gets up to 90 degrees in the afternoon sun, it still gets to 40 degree's at night and I was freezing.
"Have you talked to Eric recently?" He asked pulling me closer to his chest.
My insides were doing a dance like it always does when Jesse was close to me. As I lay there I could hear his heart beating, something I never could hear when he was a ghost.
"No. No Eric. Paul say's he hasn't been around Larry at all." I replied and finished the rest of my hot chocolate. It was no joke trying to drink it lying down. I already dribbled some of it onto my sweatshirt, something I'm sure makes me look attractive. I sat the cup down next to us.
"Wait, Susannah… You only had Paul watching Larry?" Jesse asked, his voice suddenly filled with concern.
"Yeah why?" I asked sitting up, startled by his tone.
"What about London?"
I bit my lip out of confusion. "What about her?"
"She kissed Larry." He said.
"Yes and Eric went after Larry clearly angry." I replied slowly like I was speaking to a 4 year old.
"Yes but what if Eric isn't mad at just Larry? What if he's mad at his wife too?" Jesse inquired.
"You don't think he went after her instead of Larry do you?"
"I don't know Susannah. Do you think he would?" Jesse raised his scared eyebrow as he said this.
I pondered this for a moment.
"No! Jesse, no! She's having his baby for crying out loud." The wind had picked up and was causing it to blow my hair onto my lip-gloss. I brushed the hair out of the way not caring how sticky it was making my hair.
"Do you think it's his?"
"Well of course it's his baby!" I retorted lamely. I could see where Jesse was going with this.
"What? Do you think it could possibly be Larry's?" I continued.
After I said that I wanted to put my foot in my mouth. Jesse stared at me like I was an idiot.
"Oh man." I said. All of a sudden I started to feel extremely sick. Like I was going to throw up or pass out.
"Susannah…" Jesse whispered.
"It's Larry's isn't it?" I said groaning. "London knew that it was Larry's baby, or at least knew it could possibly be Larry's and she didn't want Eric to know about it. That's why she poisoned him!" I stood up suddenly and almost fell off the roof but Jesse grabbed the hood of my sweatshirt. Once I righted myself, I grabbed the cup and walked over to the window.
"Susannah, where are you going?"
Insane maybe?
"Come on." I muttered.
Ok, so it sounds soap opera-y but I bet people kill for less. London did have a reputation to uphold and if the social scene of Carmel found out she was sleeping with an investigative reporter…Well lets just say she would no longer be welcome to those fancy country clubs on Sunday mornings for brunch with the other rich housewives. At least not with out some whispering behind her back occurring of course.
So in a way, it made perfect sense. London was keeping her reputation in check. But how had she poisoned him? If it had been something obvious, like rat poison the police would have noticed and probably check her house.
But, like I said before, the police don't know everything I do. Which is a pity really, I mean it's not like I can tell them everything I know. They'd just lock me up in the loony bin. Hey officer! A ghost knows that Larry and London are having an affair! Wait why is there a straight jacket? Not that I blame them or anything.
Anyway, Jesse and I went back into my room and I stood there for a moment thinking about our next plan of action.
"What are we doing?" He asked me as we just stood there for several moments.
"You sit right there," I pointed to my bed, "and use your cell phone to call CeeCee." I answered and walked over to the computer sitting on my desk that Andy had bought for me.
I googled London Vandorvelt. After a few minutes of sifting through some articles I came up with something interesting.
"Jesse, got CeeCee on the phone?" I turned around and looked at him.
He shook his head and held up his index finger. The universal sign for "hold on".
"CeeCee, hi. This is Jesse; Susannah needs to talk to you. Call her at this number." Then he clicked off. See what I mean about him not being a phone person? He didn't even say goodbye.
Jesse walked over to the computer and peered over my shoulder.
"It says here that London became one of the richest woman in Carmel." Jesse read.
"Yeah. Apparently after Larry died she got all the money he had inherited. Which, obviously was a lot. On top of all of that, she got his insurance money." I told him.
"Is that another motive?" He asked me.
"I think so. Do you think we should pay a little visit to London?" I asked him looking into his chocolate eyes.
"Si quierda. I think we do." Jesse replied.
It was going to be a long night.