A Tease of Murder (eBook)

Jacqueline Farthing Galvin (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
151 Seiten
Publishdrive (Verlag)
9780000820426 (ISBN)

Infos

A Tease of Murder is the prelude to the Tucker and Reggie series, with Tucker Elliott visiting Sin City, where what happens in Vegas does not stay in Vegas. With headlines following him wherever he goes, Tucker is sent stateside with Tolliver, the 'chaperone,' to spy for the company. But the tide turns quickly when not one but two women die the minute he meets them. Since he is the last to see them alive, he becomes the prime suspect until their luck changes and he and Tolliver are targeted.

When they gamble on a far-fetched scheme to catch the killer, they could triumph or lose it all. The stakes are high as the chase leads them to a fight to the death. Will they win the hand and the game, or will they be forced to fold?

Textauszug

Chapter 3

Bruno: My theory is that everyone is a potential murderer.

-Strangers on a Train, 1951

“I can’t believe it. She was so bright and full of life. How did she get to be here?” Tucker asked.

“That’s what we’re hoping you can tell us. You were the last person to see her alive.”

Tucker glanced at the man’s card in an effort to gather his thoughts. If he was the last to see her alive, he could be in big trouble. He had no idea where she went or what she had done after she left him.

“Detective First Grade Nick Stone, I have no idea what she was up to. She had a glass of champagne, told me she had early meetings and left me meandering alone in my suite.”

“So, there’s nothing else you can tell us?”

“Wait… she said she was leaving because she had something to prepare for. Damn. She didn’t say what, so I don’t know if it was personal or for the conference or something else altogether.”

“Alright, Mr. Elliott, I know you’re supposed to be at the conference, so I’ll excuse you to get on with it. Thank you for your cooperation. If there’s anything else we need, we’ll be in touch. With that said, if you recall any other details or learn more about her, please call me. The longer it takes to find this person, the less chance we have of doing so.”

“Thank you, Detective. Since she was an employee, I’m feeling a bit responsible for her, so if you don’t mind, I’ll be poking about on my own. My people will have information I wouldn’t, so give me a minute to infiltrate and dig. I’ll get my man Tolliver on it as well.”

“I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that whatever you find, you’ll need to share with our offices.”

“Of course, Detective Stone. And as I said, if there’s anything you need, you’ve only got to ask. I want to see this cleared up as quickly as you do.”

Tucker watched as Stone rushed off to speak to a man with a notebook of his own. As he was leaving, one glance back told him he needed to get moving. The men were gesturing and watching him as he left the steamy spa.

“I don’t think I like the look of that,” murmured Tucker. “I don’t like the look of that at all.”

* * *

“Tolliver! Front and center, mate. I’ve got a job for you,” Tucker bellowed into the phone.

“Yes, sir. What kind of job? Where would you like me to meet you?”

“Let’s go undercover, shall we?”

“The meetings are down in the conference facilities. I’m sure no one would recognize you there, sir.”

“Cheeky, bastard,” said Tucker, hanging up the phone.

Tucker was reading the daily marquee when Tolliver tapped him and pulled him aside.

“If I might make a suggestion, sir, the distribution reports are being reviewed in the Rat Pack Ballroom at the moment.”

“Seriously, Tolliver? There’s such a name?”

“We are in Vegas, sir. I sat in on sales this morning, and there will be some marketing and training meetings later in the day.”

“So, I give you three thousand dollars to get lost, and that’s how you do it? Don’t you have any hobbies, Tolliver? Do you even gamble?”

“With all due respect, sir, your mother will ask for a full report. One of us must be able to give one.”

“Fair point, Tolliver. Remind me to increase your bribe money. Oh, and Tolliver, something’s come up. We’ll need to discuss it. I’m only hoping my incognito presence stays intact.”

“Yes, sir. If you’ll follow me, please.”

Tolliver led Tucker to a glitzy, triple space. The dividers had been rolled back, and the room was filled to capacity with business-casual-clad people of every size, shape, and color.

“Your badge, sir?” asked a perky young woman sitting at a desk outside the “Rat Pack” room.

Tucker glanced quickly at the table and spotted his name badge. Next to it was one for Pete Hillson, Dallas, Texas.

“Hadn’t picked mine up yet, ma’am,” said Tucker in his best Texas drawl. “That’s me right there.”

Tolliver flashed his badge and moved on, not wishing to laugh in either of their faces.

“Thank you kindly, ma’am,” said Tucker, gracing her with his most brilliant smile.

“Y’all enjoy, now,” she said, joining in on the act.

“Alright, Tolliver, what are we looking at?”

“The man at the front is your head of distribution for North America, which includes Canada. It’s quite an operation, although after seeing sales this morning, I’m left wondering.”

“What about?” asked Tucker, senses awakening.

“I’m not an accountant, sir, but for the distribution’s present level, sales just don’t seem to be matching them. In my humble opinion, sir.”

“Tolliver, what is it you do for the company? Besides babysitting me?”

“If you’ll excuse the expression, sir, your mother calls me her ‘beck and call boy.’ I do any number of things for her and go wherever she sends me.”

“Like, to keep an eye on me.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Leave it to Alene to think of everything.”

“She’s the head of the company for a reason, Mr. Elliott.”

“It’s her name on the canisters and generations of Farthing’s and tea before her, Tolliver. But I follow. Mother does seem to have a certain bird-dog quality about her, eh?”

“Yes, sir. To be perfectly honest, she wanted us here to sniff around. She’s had one of her, uh, gut strokes, as she calls them, about things in the States.”

Tucker was starting to see the landscape come into focus. This was a fact-finding mission, a business version of hide and seek. She usually inflicted her presence on these events, not his, and he was beginning to see why.

“You know my talents lie elsewhere in the company, right? What is it she wants done, Tolliver?”

“Perhaps she’s grooming you, sir. I have heard her say, if you’ll excuse me, despite your unorthodox methods, she is always proud and amazed at your uncanny ability to make money out of even the worst of situations.”

The landscape was now entirely in focus and full technicolor.

“I think I’m beginning to see the picture, Tolliver.”

“I thought you might, sir. I think they’re starting now.”

They scouted the tables for two seats and finally found room in the very back, a situation Tucker always preferred when an imminent escape might be necessary.

“Isn’t it awful?” said a woman two seats from Tucker. “She was in our store just last week. Always so gracious but professional, you know?”

“Oh, yes! I just can’t believe it. She was so smart and always had her finger on the pulse of everything,” said the woman next to Tucker.

He listened intently, trying to look nonchalant, but the hair on the back of his neck was rising, and his senses were on high alert. He hated that feeling; it always led to things. Bad things. He glanced at Tolliver to see if he was following along. If he wasn’t mistaken, the man’s ears were almost flapping. A gentleman at the front tapped the mic and greeted his audience with enthusiasm and a brilliant smile of straight, white teeth. Tucker was fascinated to see what came next, although he was sure he knew what it would be. Word was out, especially if the women next to him were bandying the subject about like the latest Hollywood gossip. He crossed his long legs, sat back, and waited.

“Ladies and gentlemen, before we start today, I would like to have a moment of silence for a lost colleague. For those of you who haven’t heard, last night, a tragic accident took the life of our close associate and my right-hand woman, Pella Fontaine. May we all bow our heads, please.”

Tucker peered through his lashes for the reaction among the group. Shock, sadness, and disbelief registered across the room as the ripple slowly died out, and the speaker was able to continue.

“We hope to know more about how this tragic event happened. The police are investigating as we speak, and they have asked that if anyone has any information they wish to share, they be happy to...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 31.5.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror
• ISBN-13: 9780000820426 / 9780000820426