Checkmate (Caitlin Calloway Mystery Book 2) by Mavis Applewater Read Free Book Online

hate to bother you, Dr. Himple . . .” CC abruptly cut herself off when she noticed the older woman’s eyebrows lift, apparently questioning how CC knew of her occupation. “My apologies. I noticed your name on the mailbox. Occupational hazard. We notice things.”
    Dr. Himple nodded. CC instantly liked this woman who seemed completely at ease with herself and the world in general. So unlike her neighbor.
    “Speaking of noticing things…” the doctor began to say hesitantly. “The police seem to have taken an interest in my neighbors. Tell me there’s something scandalously exciting happening.”
    “Wish we could.” CC smiled, wishing she could share their suspicions with the kindly older woman. “We just had a few questions about the Stern’s au pair.”
    “Annie?”
    “She hasn’t called home in over two weeks, and her parents are very concerned.”
    “Oh, dear.”
    “Have you seen or heard anything that might help us track her down?”
    “You think she ran off?” She gasped. “Not that one. If anything I’d be looking at…” Her voice trailed off as she seemed to realize what she was about to say.
    “What is it, Doctor?” Mulligan asked. “Her parents are terribly worried.”
    “I don’t know anything certain.” Dr. Himple hesitated. “It’s just that, well, Natalie wasn’t very nice to the girl. If you ask me, I think she was jealous. Then again, when wasn’t she jealous? You’d think that husband of hers was Warren Beatty. “
    “When was the last time you saw Annie?”
    “A couple of weeks ago,” she confidently answered. “Annie may have been very young, but let me tell you, she was quite reliable. Those two boys were more than a little difficult to handle. Annie is a good kid. Very polite and the patience of a saint.”
    “Do you think Annie might have had enough and thrown in the towel?” CC asked.
    “No.” The response was adamant.
    “Even with Mrs. Stern’s snotty behavior?”
    “She wouldn’t. Annie was humbled by her parent’s scraping the money together so she could make this trip. She couldn’t let them down.”
    CC and Leigh thanked the good doctor for her time before deciding to pay Mr. J.M. Charles Stern a visit at his office. CC tensed slightly as she made her way through the mid-afternoon traffic. Navigating the streets of the financial district was difficult enough; adding the lateness of the hour turned it into a horrible experience.
    “I liked the way you handled yourself,” Leigh said. “It’s true what they say about you.”
    “What do they say?”
    “That you could sell snow to an Eskimo.”
    “Hah!” CC barked, thoroughly amused by the comment. “Right. That lady was easy. I’m guessing by all the time she’s spending in the garden that she’s retired and probably not by choice. Doctors hang on forever. They talk about retiring, but they’re addicted to their work. Dr. Himple seems to have a lot of time on her hands. I’m willing to bet she’s a widow. Also sticking her with a lot of free time. She just needs someone to talk to.”
    “I doubt that the Sterns make for good company.” “There didn’t seem to be anyone else on the block around her age. Too many minivans, which means middle-aged or twenty-something soccer moms. Something I seriously doubt that Dr. Himple has a great deal in common with.”
    “You’re thinking no kids?” Leigh seemed to be intrigued by CC’s assessment.
    “The house is too small. By the looks of it, she’s lived there for a long time. Annie was probably very bright and well spoken. I think she and Dr. Himple enjoyed chatting.”
    “Yeah, the Sterns don’t strike me as the type to do a coffee chat with the staff.”
    “From the vibes I get from Mrs. Stern, I have a feeling that most of the world doesn’t meet her exacting standards.”
    “How did you know that I’m divorced?”
    “Lucky guess.” CC said. “Very few cops get through with only getting hitched once.”
    “You let those ladies