Honeymoon - James Patterson [27]
“That is good.”
“Better yet, I got him to fast-track the thing. He gave me his hard-line spiel about not giving special treatment, but I asked him to do it since the Westchester office has been such a rainmaker for the company. Anyway, I just thought you’d want to know.”
“I appreciate it, Mr. Reynolds. It’s a nice surprise.”
“Please, call me Craig.”
“In that case, call me Nora.”
“Nora it is.” He glanced over her shoulder at the red convertible in the driveway, the trunk still up. “Taking a trip?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact.”
“Anywhere interesting?”
“That depends on your opinion of south Florida.”
“As they say, it’s a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to vote there.”
She chuckled. “I’ll have to use that one on my client in Palm Beach. Or maybe not.”
“What line of work are you in—if you don’t mind my asking?”
“I’m an interior decorator.”
“No kidding. It must be fun. I mean, there aren’t many jobs where you get to spend other people’s money, are there?”
“No, I guess there aren’t.” She looked at her watch. “Whoops, somebody’s running late for the airport.”
“My fault. By all means, get going.”
“Well, again Mr. Reyn—” She caught herself. “Craig. Thanks for stopping by. It was very sweet.”
“No problem, Nora. I’ll let you know when there’s something to report on the investigation.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
They shook hands and Craig was about to walk away. “Oh, you know what?” he said. “It dawns on me, with you traveling, I should probably get a cell phone number.”
Nora hesitated for a split second. While giving out the number was one of the last things she wanted to do, she also didn’t want to appear suspicious to the insurance man.
“Sure thing,” she said. “Have you got a pen?”
Chapter 33
I RANG SUSAN right after getting back into the car. My initial two encounters with Nora merited a report back to the boss.
“Is she as pretty in person?”
“That’s what you want to know first?”
“Absolutely,” said Susan. “This girl can’t be doing what she might be doing without being a knockout. So, is she?”
“Is there a way to answer that while still sounding professional?”
“Yes. It’s called being honest.”
“Then, yeah,” I said. “Nora Sinclair is a very attractive woman. Stunning wouldn’t be too much of a reach.”
“You pig.”
I laughed.
“What’s your sense from talking to her?” she asked.
“Too early to tell. She’s either got nothing to hide or is a natural-born liar.”
“I’m going to put ten bucks on the latter.”
“We’ll see if that’s a good bet,” I said.
“With you on it, I’m sure we will.”
“You know, if you prop me up any more, I’m going to hit my head on the ceiling.”
“That, or actually come through for me.”
“Oh, I see. The guidebook says to play into my confidence.”
“Trust me, there’s no guidebook on how to handle you,” she said. “Where are you now?”
“Outside the late Connor Brown’s home.”
“Did you already do the follow-up?”
“Yeah.”
“How long did it take for her to see you?”
“Within minutes.”
“Mets or Yankees?”
“Mets,” I said. “Steinbrenner’s done trading for the year. At least until the pennant stretch.”
“Would she have actually known that?”
“No. But you can never be too careful.”
“Amen,” said Susan. “Did she believe you?”
“I’m pretty sure.”
“Good. See, I knew you were the right guy for the job.”
“Ouch.”
“What?”
“That was my head hitting the ceiling.”
“Let me know what happens next.”
“You got it, boss.”
“Don’t be patronizing.”
“Won’t happen again, boss.”
Susan hung up on me.
Chapter 34
NORA HADN’T DRIVEN very far before the irritating, nagging feeling got the better of her. Right in the middle of the road, alongside Trump National Golf Course, she threw the Benz into a tire-screeching, 180-degree turn—the steering wheel spinning like a carnival wheel in her hands. If she hurried, she thought, she could still catch up to him.
There’s something funny about Craig Reynolds.
And it has nothing to do with his sense of humor.
Nora stepped on the gas and quickly began to retrace the route she’d taken from Connor’s house. Down