A Penny for Your Thoughts by Mindy Starns Clark Read Free Book Online

was gone, I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out my cell phone. While dialing Tom’s private line, Iwondered if he had already heard the news about his friend Wendell or if I would have to be the one to break it to him.
    He answered on the first ring.
    “Looks like he was probably murdered,” Tom said after he realized it was me. “I just got off the phone with a friend in the Philadelphia police department. Wendell’s death has been tentatively classified as a homicide. I don’t have all the details of how he died, but it looks like someone gave him an overdose of insulin. Wendell had really bad diabetes, you know. Apparently, he died from insulin shock.”
    I sat back on the bed, my head reeling. Here I was in the middle of things, and yet somehow Tom had more information about the situation than I did. Typical for the man who always seemed to know everything about everyone.
    “Couldn’t it have been an accident?”
    “Not likely,” said Tom. “The full coroner’s report should be released in the morning, but the police seem fairly certain that it was a premeditated act. Between the condition of the body and the fact that you chased someone from the scene, the cops are fairly certain: Someone gave him a lethal dose of insulin.”
    “I thought diabetics usually gave themselves their own shots.”
    “Not Wendell,” said Tom. “He had a needle phobia. Had other people do it for him whenever he could. Apparently, this particular injection was in a spot he couldn’t reach, so it had to be done by someone else. They’re thinking that whoever did this came into his office through the bathroom entrance—the same way you chased them out.”
    “Do the police have any suspects?”
    “Right now,” he said, “they’re not ruling out anybody. Coworkers, business associates. Family, which is of course ridiculous. But it’s a big list.”
    “Incredible,” I said.
    “It seems that the coroner found the injection sight clean and straight, with no sign of a struggle. Wendell willingly let whoever did this give him the injection. I think that’s telling.”
    “I think so, too.”
    Because Tom wanted to hear my version of all that had happened, I went through the entire story once again, pausing only when Angelina came into the room with an armload of clothing. She put it on top of the dresser and then left, closing the door softly behind her.
    “That’s about it,” I said, finishing my tale. “Now I’m stuck here until the police decide I can leave town.”
    “What did you do with the J.O.S.H.U.A. money?”
    “Still have it,” I said. “The check is in my briefcase.”
    Tom told me to hang onto it for the time being, to wait and see whether they planned to proceed with the purchase of the building before we handed over the money.
    “Sure.”
    “I can’t imagine what could possibly have happened to lead to Wendell being murdered,” he said somberly. “If you had known him, Callie, you’d understand my shock. He was my mentor, my hero. I’d have bet the farm he didn’t have a single enemy in the whole world.”
    “All it takes is one,” I replied softly, picturing the man’s lifeless form lying on the floor in front of me.
    “You know, of course,” Tom continued, his voice suddenly resolute and business-like, “we’ll have to run our own concurrent investigation. I’m sure the Philadelphia police department is competent, but I want to take things a step further. No expense spared here, Callie. Wendell Smythe was my friend. If he was indeed murdered, I want you to find out who killed him and why.”
    I had had a feeling this would be coming. My head throbbed as the image of my little canoe, my beautiful tributaries, receded further still from my mind.
    “I don’t have any contacts,” I said halfheartedly. “The Philadelphia police aren’t exactly going to open their files to me. They’ll only think I’m in their way.”
    “I’ll take care of that,” he replied, and I couldn’t