Hot Coffee Iced Santa (Roasted Love Cozy 2)

"Come on in to my office, Laila. I was just thinking about you."

The first thought that raced through my mind was he knew I had been in Frank's house. I even thought he glanced at my boots. I imagined he compared footprints left at the dishwasher's back door to mine. My purpose in being at the precinct slipped from me. I followed him to his office.

"Why did you think of me? Do you have anything new?" I asked.

"There was quite a lot at Frank's house. The Techs are still going through his computer but it looks like he was investing money after all. There are several emails back and forth to the bank. That seems to be the tie-in. So far, no explicit companies he invested in have shown up. They'll find everything, I'm sure."

I couldn't stand it any longer. If I expected the Chief to be open with me, I had to give him the same back.

"Before you tell me anything else, I have a confession to make."

"Well, I doubt you are getting ready to confess to murder. So what is it?"

Donald had settled in his chair. He gestured to the one opposite him for me to sit down.

"I was in Frank's house just before your cops searched it. When I called you to ask if they had found out anything there, I had just been there. The detectives came almost as soon as I hung up talking to you. I got out of there in time for us not to meet." He didn't respond. "I felt lucky they didn't find me inside his house. I left everything as I found it."

"You do know that is considered breaking and entering, don't you? How did you get in or do you have a key?"

"No, of course not. I only met Frank the night his body was discovered in the freezer. It was the first time I ever saw him. In fact, it was the first time I met Steven Landers for that matter." I knew I babbled. "Not only that, it was my first time to eat in his restaurant."

"How did you manage to get inside Frank's house? And, what reason did you have to do that?"

"I used a bobby pin. Anyone could have easily gotten in. It wouldn't have taken much with that flimsy lock."

"We'll get to all of that later. What were you looking for?"

"I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I was just searching for unknown clues."

"Did you find any?"

"I was blown away when I saw all of that expensive stuff in his house. When we went into his bedroom the stacks of cash were the most surprising of all."

"We? Do you mean to say someone was with you?" His face switched to stern and accusing.

"I had my dog with me. He was on a leash the whole time."

Donald leaned back in his chair. The familiar slow grin began to spread across his face. "Is your dog your partner?"

"I used him for my decoy. I pretended to walk him in the neighborhood. That was in case there was a neighborhood snoop around."

"Okay, then, let's get down to business. I'm sure you saw the handwritten note between a couple of the stacks." I nodded yes. He didn't say anything until "It's time for a visit with Jared Freedman."

Chapter Twenty Two

Chief Hayes buzzed for Susan and directed her to get Officer Stanton into his office right away. When Dan Stanton appeared, Donald told him to take a Detective with him and bring Jared Freedman in for questioning.

"When they get Jared here, you can watch the interrogation through the window. I'll have my two lead Detectives with you. Officer Stanton and I will do the interrogation. What else should I know before he gets here?"

I told him everything I knew. I included being in Jared's office just before I came to the police station. "He wears the same cologne I smelled the night I was attacked outside Tommy's Bar."

The Chief flipped a pencil back and forth between his fingers. I searched my brain for more.

"I have some speculations," I said.

"I'll take them. What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking Frank did