Never Tell (May Moore Suspense Thriller 2)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Huddled over her laptop, side by side with Owen on his, May searched back through Emily’s profile and history. She wanted to find out her address, but she was also interested in any other information that might be available.

Because there was surely a chance that Emily might be the killer. If so, what had motivated her to commit these crimes? Was there any association between her and the Reeds, apart from a simple role as a journalist?

“According to this site, she’s thirty-four,” Owen said. “She seems to have been working as a journalist for more than a decade. She’s divorced after being married some years back. And I’ve found her current home address, in Silverlake Forest.”

“She’s been at the Tamarack News for three years, according to their website,” May said. “And her previous experience was in New York. That seems to be where she went to school, from what I can see here.”

“Perhaps she connected with the Reeds there?” Owen said. “They have a lot of business interests in New York.”

May nodded. “It could well be. Were they ever friends of hers, I wonder? Did things go wrong? How well does she really know them?”

“I’ll see what I can find out about Emily’s social connections,” Owen said. “You want to do the same?”

Turning to her laptop, May changed her browser to access social media.

“Now this is interesting,” she said. “Look here, Owen.”

“What?” he asked, leaning over.

“Emily dated Danny Charter a couple of years ago!”

May couldn’t believe her eyes. There was the connection they’d been seeking. Clearer and closer than she’d expected.

Just eighteen months ago, they’d been a couple. The photos were there to prove it. They’d gone to dinner together. Gone to movies together. Been a good-looking pair at parties. Emily’s delicate blond looks were a good foil for Danny’s solid dark-haired charm.

Now, Danny, whom Emily had been dating, was murdered and Madeline, whom Emily likely had been blackmailing, was murdered.

They had finally found the common thread they needed. Now the pieces were falling into place.

“What’s her address?” May said, feeling elated at the breakthrough they’d just made. We need to drive there immediately! Let’s get my car.”

Remembering her car was with Kerry, she quickly amended, “Your car, if that’s okay, Owen.”

*

Ten minutes later, May and Owen were speeding along the main road to Silverlake Forest, where Emily’s residential address was located.

Speaking out loud, May listed the facts she’d assembled in her mind.

“So this entire scenario could have been blackmail gone wrong,” she said.

“How so?” Quickly, Owen overtook two slower moving cars before veering back into his lane.

“Let’s assume that Madeline Reed was bringing in labor on the cheap from Eastern Europe, during those recruitment trips, and that they were cutting corners somewhere along the way to save on costs. Most likely, the workers might be treated badly, underpaid, their visas not in correct order,” May hazarded.

“Right. I’m assuming that.”

“Emily must have found out about all of this. Perhaps Danny clued her in on Madeline’s role. Maybe he was going to take a cut. She then blackmailed Madeline, who paid her to keep quiet.”

“Then what do you think happened?” Owen sped the car around a sharp corner, tires wailing.

“Perhaps Danny got greedy. He wanted more than what Emily was prepared to pay him. So she killed him. And perhaps Madeline started getting ugly and threatening her. Maybe Madeline found out who she was and threatened to expose her. There are lots of potential scenarios and reasons. So she killed her, too.”

“That would make sense,” Owen said. “Sort of, I guess. I guess it all hinges on how badly Madeline wanted to protect her reputation, and how illegal her cheap labor was.”

“I’m sure Emily must have done research on that,” May said.

They had reached the town where Emily lived. Now they were accelerating to its outskirts. May felt herself growing nervous. They were about to confront a woman who they suspected of committing two violent murders. There was no telling what might play out when they banged on her front door.

“Let’s come up with a plan,” May said. “That way we’re ready for whatever happens.”

“Good idea.”