“Leave it to me. I know just what to do,” Dave had said before leaving with his salesman smile firmly in place.
Jay glanced at his watch. The man had already been gone twenty minutes. Just as he was debating leaving immediately, Dave arrived at the cafe in the midst of a giggling group of middle-aged women, all prattling together as they went to the larger tables on the other side of the cafe.
Jay’s lips lifted in a half smile. He quickly paid his tab and left unnoticed. He entered The Bronze Rose and spotted Stan near the back repacking a display case.
“Good morning,” Jay greeted, his voice following the same amiable pattern as the day before.
Stan turned. “Oh, it’s you again. Is there something else that you wanted?”
Jay smiled. “I wanted to ask you a few questions if you have a moment?”
At Stan’s clear reluctance, he let his eyes travel pointedly over the empty store.
“Sure, sure.” Stan responded, shutting and locking the case before leading the way over to a small table and chairs beside the counter. “What do you want to know?”
Jay tilted his head to the side as if considering. “Are you and your wife the only ones that work here?”
His knowledge of the man’s personal life threw him off balance, and he went a little pale. “How’d you know Sue was my wife? Who are you exactly?”
Jay’s easy smile gained a slight hint of menace. “I’m asking today, not answering. Well?”
Stan looked all around him, as if seeking aid, and then shook his head. “Was that flashy blond man one of yours? What are you? Which news station? Newspaper?”
“Just answer my question or get dragged into a mess you won’t be able to climb out of.”
Stan paled further then shook his head. “No one else works here. Sue and I run the place alone.”
“That jewelry box. Was it really kept on layaway by Stella?”
Stan’s hands inched toward his pocket. Jay moved without thinking, pinning the man’s hands hard with one of his own. He drew out the little disk he had been reaching for. It was one of those silent alarm triggers.
“This is a private meeting, Stan. Let’s not involve others.”
“Get your hands off me! I’ll have you done in for assault!” Jay remained silent, watching him with steely eyes, and Stan’s bluster faltered. “Go easy, okay? I just did what I was told.”
“Told by whom?” Jay asked, still crushing the man’s wrists into the table and looming over him.
“I don’t know! He didn’t give a name. And he wore a mask, but he paid a lot. I wouldn’t even recognize his voice because he didn’t speak. Everything was written on a tablet.” Jay let go and retook his seat while Stan rubbed his wrists and muttered. “He didn’t say I had to keep it secret. So he can’t be mad I told you.”
Jay raised an eyebrow but didn’t speak, sensing that Stan was about to tell all without the need for prompts.
“He came in here not five minutes after she left. Asked if there’d been anything she liked. At first, I didn’t want to say. I thought he was some stalker.”
“But he offered a lot of money so you did anyway?” Jay’s voice had dipped into a near whisper that in no way hid his murderous anger.
“He just told me to keep the box she had picked safe, and said he’d be back. He came back two days later and put the bracelet in the box. He paid me again and said that if ever someone came here looking for her, and knew about the pending purchase, I could give it to them. If I did that, I’d never see him again and receive my final payment.”
Jay sat straighter. “Have you received your final payment?”
Stan nodded and Jay deflated. If he hadn’t, then he and Dave would have been able to set up a sting and trap him when he came. “When did he come? Did you contact him or—”
“I have no way to contact him. Look, I don’t know how he does it or what he really wants, but the money was just waiting for us in here this morning, with a screenshot photograph in the same handwriting, saying ‘Thanks’.”
“I want that photograph.”
Stan began to stand then winced as Jay stood too. Jay heaved a sigh. “I hadn’t intended to hurt you, but this is a time-sensitive situation.”
Stan muttered something Jay felt he was probably better off not having understood and then spoke louder. “You’re a fed, aren’t you? Jesus. I’ll get the photograph.”
Jay didn’t correct him, but let his face flash through a moment of chagrin, as if annoyed that his secret was out.
Stan moved behind the counter and pulled up the photograph. Jay heaved an irritated sigh. “Handwriting? That’s just a font type.”
“That’s what I meant.”
Jay shook his head, knowing the picture was nothing more than a dead end. He took a picture of it with his phone and pushed it back towards Stan. “Where’s that ledger? I want the page covering Stella’s transaction.”
Stan nodded and then seemed to suddenly think of something unpleasant as he pulled his ledger out. “Did you arrest my Sue?”
Jay bit back a laugh, hearing a mix of fear and relief in the man’s voice. “No. My partner will just be asking her some questions. She’ll be back soon.”
Stan nodded and flipped the ledger open then drew in a sharp breath. Jay followed his gaze and a foul curse reverberated around his mind. Where yesterday there had been a page with Stella’s name and then his own, there was now nothing but the ragged edges of a hastily torn out page.
Jay kept his emotions hidden and waited for Stan to meet his eyes. “I was never here, Stan, understood?
