Something Missing_ A Novel - Matthew Dicks [88]
“I’m afraid we’re not available this Saturday,” Justine Ashley answered. “It’s our annual staff picnic.” Then a pause, followed by, “Are you sure that you told Laura that your party was this Saturday?”
“Absolutely,” Martin answered, buoyed by her response. He then recited the lines that he had rehearsed the most. “In fact, she told me to try to get you and your husband to handle the party personally. She said that your staff is excellent but that you are the best. But I guess she didn’t know about your picnic.”
“Yes, I guess so,” Justine responded almost absently. “Sorry I can’t help. Would you like me to recommend another caterer who might be able to help you out?”
“Sure,” said Martin, and he pretended to write down the name and number as Justine Ashley relayed the information.
“Thanks anyway,” Martin said, sensing the call was coming to an end. “Please tell Laura that I appreciated the referral. The next time you speak, I mean. Okay?”
“Right,” Justine Ashley answered. “Sorry we can’t help you out. Have a good day.”
And with that, she hung up.
The final phase of Martin’s plan was now in action. With luck, Justine Ashley was placing a call to Laura Green at this very moment, inquiring as to why she might refer someone for the day of her husband’s surprise party. Martin thought that his chances were good that she would place the call immediately. Justine Ashley was an obsessively organized and diligent woman who would not want to leave any loose ends dangling. She would also need to speak to her friend out of her husband’s earshot, and she probably had a better chance of that at work than in the quiet of their home. Most important, Martin knew the lengths to which Justine Ashley had gone in preparing this party (scheduling a counterfeit staff picnic for the same day in order to avoid conflicts and allow employees to attend the party), so if any part of Martin’s call had roused concern or suspicion, she would want to eliminate it as soon as possible.
And he had tried to arouse as much suspicion as possible.
However, Martin also knew there was a chance that the call might not be placed in time. Perhaps Justine Ashley didn’t know Laura Green’s cellular telephone number, or maybe Laura Green’s phone was turned off. Any number of circumstances might delay the call, and if so, Martin would need to know this so that he could enact his contingency plan if necessary. His plan was to drive back to Manchester and stake out the Ashley home, ready to reenter the house if the call wasn’t placed. In that case he would, as planned, trip the breakers to the home, erase the message on the machine, and move the gift underneath the porch swing, out of view.
But if luck remained on his side, all that would be unnecessary.
Once in position outside the Ashley home, he would call Justine Ashley once more to claim he had lost the number that she had just given him. Had she called Laura Green and averted disaster, she would likely thank him for his fortuitous inquiry or he would be told by the catering staff that she had left early for the day. Once he confirmed her arrival home ahead of her husband, he would know that the plan had worked and could head for home.
As he pulled out of the parking space and turned his car toward the exit, he noticed Laura Green exiting the town hall through the same doors that he had exited minutes ago. She saw Martin in his car and waved at him, motioning for him to stop.
Oh God, Martin thought as he slowed the car in front of the woman. What did I do? A wave of heat rippled through his body and he felt his hands begin to shake. Though barely able to focus his thoughts, he tried to imagine what he might have done to cause this sudden encounter. Nothing came to mind, but Martin knew that he had been swimming in new waters all day long. There was no telling what kind of mistake he might have made. Less than two hours ago, he had been battling this woman’s dog in her house. What might she know?
Laura Green took a few steps over to his car and waited a moment, staring at him through