“EC Investigative Services,” Tori said. “The name sounds familiar. Are they connected to EC Security Services?”
“Yes,” Mercedes nodded. “Elvira Cobb owns both companies. She runs the investigative services company and her sister, Dernice, the one you’ve been dealing with, runs the security company.”
“Wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest?” Tori asked. “Investigating your own company?”
“One would think, but then Elvira has never been one to follow rules,” Carlita said. “She’s concerned the authorities will begin investigating EC Security Services’ employees and find out Dernice, the head of the security company, has a criminal record.”
Tori shook her head. “Good heavens. Who puts a convicted criminal in charge of a security company?”
“Elvira,” Mercedes and Carlita said in unison.
“We need to tell the investigators.”
“I don’t disagree on that point,” Carlita said and turned to Mercedes. “Tell Tori what you found out.”
Tori sipped her brandy and cradled the glass in her hand. “Was Ava’s personnel file able to provide any new clues?”
“Yes.” Mercedes squeezed in next to her mother on the settee. “At first, I didn’t think there was anything until I took a closer look at the Dykstra’s personnel file on Ava. Do you want me to go get it?”
“If you think it would help,” Tori said.
Mercedes popped off the couch and hurried from the room, returning moments later with Ava’s folder. She handed it to Tori. “If you flip to the second page of Ava’s file, you’ll see that close to the end of her term of employment with the Dykstras there was a gap in employment. My theory is the Dykstras fired Ava and then for some unknown reason hired her back, only to fire her again, which is when you hired her.”
Tori slipped her reading glasses on and studied the paper. “You’re right. I never noticed it before. Perhaps it’s a typo.”
“I don’t think so.” Mercedes shook her head. “I believe during her employment, Ava flirted with Mr. Dykstra. Mrs. Dykstra found out and promptly fired her.”
“But why hire her back?” Tori asked.
“Well, there’s one thing that all of your employees mentioned about Ava - she spent a lot of time threatening the others that she was going to report them. Maybe Ava pulled the same stunt on the Dykstras. What if she had some dirt on them and threatened to expose a secret they were desperate to keep under wraps?”
“That’s an interesting angle,” Tori said. “Now that you mention it, there were rumors swirling about that Mimi and Rick were having marital difficulties. I assumed it was related to their finances, which is the reason Mimi gave me for having to let Ava go.”
“If they’re having financial difficulties, they have an odd way of showing it. I was checking out the Dykstra’s social profile page before dinner and they don’t seem to be hurting for money.”
Tori abruptly stood and set her glass on the side table. “Mimi and Ava may have come to some sort of agreement, where Ava promised to leave quietly if Mimi was able to find her gainful employment…me.”
“And you would be the perfect person to pawn Ava off on,” Carlita said.
“Because I don’t have a husband for Ava to chase after,” Tori guessed.
“Bingo.”
“But I do have employees.” Tori sighed heavily. “That woman is still causing me grief, even after her death. It doesn’t mean Rick or Mimi murdered her.”
“True, but it doesn’t mean that one of them didn’t.” Mercedes began to pace. “We need to set up some sort of sting to uncover the killer. I just haven’t figured out how yet.”
Knock. Knock.
“Come in,” Tori called out.
Byron opened the door. “I’m sorry to bother you, Mrs. Montgomery, but there’s a deranged woman at the front door, demanding she speak with you and Mrs. Garlucci. She was here the other night as part of the additional security staff.”
“Elvira,” Carlita and Mercedes said.
Chapter 17
“Shall I tell her you’re not seeing visitors?” Byron asked.
Tori cast Carlita a questioning glance.
“This is Elvira we’re talking about. You can tell her to leave, maybe even forcibly remove her or call the cops, but she’ll be back.”
“She’s like a bad penny,” Mercedes added.
“We might as well get this over with.” Tori waved her hand. “Show her in.”
“As you wish.” Byron disappeared and then returned moments later with Elvira following close behind.
When Elvira saw Carlita and Mercedes, she rushed past Byron and pointed an accusing finger at Carlita. “I knew it. You two are gonna ruin my investigation.”
“Your investigation,” Mercedes snorted. “Mrs. Montgomery asked us to help her, not you. In fact, you shouldn’t be here. You’re trespassing.”
“I am not. The butler showed me in.”
“Under duress,” Carlita said. “Arguing won’t help. What is it that you want?”
“I need to take another look at the pool house. The cops are breathing down my neck, demanding I release the personnel files of the staff who were working here the night of the party.”
“So?” Tori shrugged. “Give them what they want.”
“As long as they - and you - have nothing to hide, I don’t see the big deal.” Carlita knew it was a big deal…a very big deal, especially for Dernice. “I’m sure you screened your employees, including the supervisor, prior to hiring them, especially for a sensitive job like security.” She gave Elvira a pointed stare.
“You know my situation, Carlita. But it’s even worse than that. They already ran a background check on Dernice, seeing how she was in charge of security. They pulled her records and now she’s down at the police station, so I’m kinda working with a deadline here.”
Elvira continued. “Before the fuzz carted Dernice off, she told me she thought she saw the dead woman hanging around the pool house acting strange.”
“Strange as in?” Tori
