Asking For Trouble by Simon Wood Read Free Book Online Page B

removed Fabian’s business card from her pocket and checked the address against the one on the office building in front of her.
    The Argus building looked squashed by its neighbors. It couldn’t have been any wider than forty feet and looked to be an afterthought compared to the GAP store that ate up most of the block and the Metropol Hotel that made its presence felt with its art deco construction and abundant marble. The Argus held its own, though. It wasn’t as tall, showy, or palatial, but it didn’t have to be. The building was understated, in keeping with Fabian’s business. She pushed on the revolving door and let herself in.
    The cramped foyer was crammed with a pair of sofas on either side of a coffee table and a uniformed doorman sitting at an uncluttered reception area. She approached the doorman and asked for Fabian.
    He called up to Fabian before escorting her to the elevator. Unlike most elevators, this one required the doorman to swipe a card key before pressing the button for the fifth floor.
    Discreet and secure
, Jude thought. Fabian took no chances. She wondered what the other businesses in this building did to eke out a living. All too quickly, the elevator reached its destination. She said a brief prayer before the door opened.
    The doors glided back and a slight man, no more than five two, stood waiting for her. He looked well into his fifties, but he somehow retained a boyish quality.
    “Jude Hennessey?”
    “Mr. Fabian?”
    He put out a hand. “Yes, nice to meet you.”
    Fabian escorted her from the elevator. He had the whole fifth floor to himself, but considering the small square footage, it wasn’t an extravagance. Fabian kept the decor tastefuland attractive. Generic art hung from the walls, and the furniture was a couple of notches up from Ikea. He showed her to a conference table in the middle of the room.
    “Coffee? Tea?”
    “No, I’m fine.”
    “Then we’ll proceed.”
    Fabian slid a folder over an inch thick in front of him. He opened it and positioned it so as to keep the contents out of Jude’s sight.
    “To start, could you tell me a bit about your sister?” he said.
    “You know about my sister.”
    “Not really. I know about the circumstances of her death, but not about her as a person. Before I tell you what I’ve learned, I want to hear about her from you.”
    “My sister was killed four years and two months ago.”
    “Stop. You’re getting ahead of yourself. Tell me about your sister’s life, not her death. We’ll come to that when we get there. Who was she in life?” He smiled. “Start with her name and go on from there.”
    She felt like arguing, but why bother? She’d waited so long to reach this point that this distraction was nothing. Besides, it would be good to talk about Kirsten. The people close to her had tired of her tales about Kirsten and didn’t listen anymore. Especially Tom. He’d left her because of them.
Through thick and thin
—what a joke. If Fabian wanted to hear well-trodden reminisces, then so be it.
    “My sister’s full name was Kirsten Elizabeth Hennessey. She was my younger sister by one year. Most people took us for twins, we looked so alike, and I suppose we were, in a lot of ways.”
    Fabian smiled, and she smiled back. A tear leaked out. She palmed it away.
    “Do you have a picture?”
    Always
, Jude thought and produced one from her purse. Fabian took the snapshot and gave it an appraising glance.
    “I see the likeness. She was very beautiful.”
    Recalling Kirsten’s life came easy after that. The stories, the facts, the private jokes, and the kept secrets poured from Jude without interruption or prompting. Kirsten was one of those people who left an indelible mark on people’s lives.
    After a half hour of careful listening Fabian said softly, “Now, tell me how she died.”
    Rain
, Jude thought. She always remembered the rain. It was as if the heavens had cried at Kirsten’s death.
    “I only have the police account