Hot Coffee Iced Santa (Roasted Love Cozy 2)

"In about an hour, I'm going to go to his office. It's sealed off until we can do a search."

Of course I wanted to be there. After asking the Chief if I could meet him at Jared's office, he agreed. He told me as long as I stayed in the doorway, he didn’t object. My connection with the Chief of Police was a solid one by this time. When we hung up I told my boss that I was getting close to solving the murder and asked for a longer break today. He agreed to an hour and a half versus my usual hour. On my way to Jared's office, I thought about Frank Duvall. We were all correct thinking he wasn't rich enough to invest money. Now I understood how he accumulated his wealth. He had a good thing going for a while.

I met Chief Hayes at the bank. Sharon's eyes didn't leave either of us as we made our way down the hall to the investor's office. A Detective not familiar to me stood with Officer Stanton outside Jared's door. Donald told them to collect computers for starters. He pulled open a file cabinet and thumbed through files until he reached one that had Frank's name on it. He waved it in my direction.

“Looks like a spreadsheet,” he said as he bent over the file again.

I wondered what the bottom line showed dollar-wise. "I wonder why Jared kept a file like this in hard copy," I said.

"I think he probably hoped that it would prove Frank was an insider trader, too. A hard copy would strengthen his case against him if it came to that." He peered closer. "I'm not so sure this is a fake document. These numbers match the bank statements we have. Frank was being paid off by Jared. The dishwasher was no investor."

"I didn't think he was rich enough to invest money." I told him. "Spreadsheets are like Greek to me, but I guess the bottom line is that Frank held the reins with Jared because of what he had against him."

Donald smiled and agreed. Somehow Jared had to be forced to confess to murdering Frank Duvall. I felt sure our time was limited until that happened. I crossed my fingers he would do that before he asked for a lawyer. In his career as an investor, I would think that move had occurred by this time. Any way I looked at it, even without a confession, a mountain of evidence was building up against him.

The Chief collected a few more things and placed them into the boxes held open by Officer Stanton.

"How did Frank die?" I asked when we got outside.

"He was hit on the head with a large tool of some kind. At least, we believe that is what happened. The coroner told us it was a blow to his head that did him in."

"That would explain the blood stains on the floor near the opposite wall," I said. Again Chief Hayes agreed with me. "There must have been a fight until they got to the freezer door where Frank finally died." The Chief nodded in concurrence.

I couldn't resist an outward beam on my face. Then I turned back to serious thinking. I thought about Jared's hands. They were broad for a man who was on the slim side. I noted at one time that his physique looked as if he worked out a lot. Frank was overweight and I doubted he moved as fast as Jared. I shuddered when I remembered the grip on me outside Tommy's Bar. The only thing left was to trap Jared into admitting he was the culprit in the murder.

More than once, Donald Hayes reminded me the mystery remained as to whether or not Jared was the actual murderer. I knew the man did more than dabble in illegal financial matters. I recalled the description Joe gave of Jared Freedman. He matched the description

my boss Jacob gave of the man at my door. Jared had dark hair. It was speckled with grey but in the shadows at my front porch, or in a dark bar, the grey wouldn't be so visible.

I walked into Roasted Love within the time Jacob gave me. I told him thanks and got back to work.

"Are you involved in another crime solving, Laila?" asked Lily.

"Yes, and I think it is about to be solved." I told her it concerned the murder of Frank Duvall. "Daniel and I know the owner of Steven's Steakhouse. It happened in one of the freezers at that restaurant."

"You have more nerve than I have," said Lily. She picked up a small tray of scones and two lattes and took them to a couple who sat near the window.

I didn't comment. I loved my job as Barista, but I did enjoy solving mysteries in between times. I had to figure out how to get Jared to confess to murdering Frank. I realized that the Chief had his ways and means but I was getting impatient for them to get to the nitty-gritty of an actual confession.

"How many murderers actually come out and confess?" I said to no one in particular.

Lily's son, Eddie, came up behind me with a tray of bagels. "Are you talking to yourself again, Laila? People are going to start wondering about you."

"If I don't talk out loud when I'm thinking, it takes me longer to come to conclusions." I hit him on the shoulder. "All great minds do that."

"I'm just saying, Laila, not everyone understands that. I'm one of them." He leaned his head back and laughed. Then he set the tray down.

"Those bagels need to be put in the display, Eddie."

At closing time, everyone left except Jacob and me. "Laila, I worry about you in all of this. I hope you aren't taking chances," said Jacob.

"I'm being careful. Besides, I think the killer is the one they have locked up downtown." I told Jacob a few things known about Jared Freedman.

"I've heard of people in high places wanting more," said my boss. "I don't know how some of them can get so greedy."

"I guess some are never satisfied. He hasn't done any confessing to the murder, but I really think they have the right man locked up down there."

"I hope so. Are you ready for your trip home?"