Doubleback: A Novel by Libby Fischer Hellmann Read Free Book Online Page B

“Thanks for coming so quickly, Georgia. I appreciate it.”
    “What did she say?”
    “She said she needed help fast. That something bad had happened. She sounded terrified.”
    Georgia raised her eyebrows. She wouldn’t have pegged Messenger as the type to panic.
    “Look,” Foreman slid her hands in the pockets of her jeans. “I don’t know what’s going on, and I promised my family I wouldn’t get involved. But—if there is something you can do...” her voice trailed off. “Of course, that’s your decision.”
    Georgia hesitated. “I’m not sure I’d take the case.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because nothing about this makes any sense.”
    “You mean the kidnapping?”
    Georgia nodded. “We don’t have the whole story, you know that. And—I don’t trust her.”
    “Well, maybe that’s why she called me. Look, I know you have more pressing things to do, Georgia, but I—”
    Georgia cut her off. “Let’s just get this over with.”
    Christine Messenger answered the door. If anything, she looked worse than the first time they’d met. Her skin was ashen, her expression haggard, and her hair looked like she’d been pulling at it. “Thank you for coming—again.”
    “It’s okay,” Foreman said soothingly. “We’re glad you called.”
    Georgia kept her mouth shut.
    Christine led them into the living room. The approaching storm had lengthened the shadows, and the room looked dark and brooding. She turned on some lamps. “Molly’s in the kitchen on her computer,” she said. “I keep it there so I can keep an eye on what she’s surfing.”
    Georgia sat on a couch upholstered in blue brocade. Foreman took a matching armchair. Christine put herself in another chair and gripped the arms. Her knuckles were white.
    “Something horrible has happened.”
    “What?” Foreman asked.
    “I told you that I work at Midwest National Bank, right?”
    “You’re the director of IT,” Georgia said.
    “Right. Well, my boss is the COO. The Chief Operating Officer. He—he died this morning.”
    Surprise streaked across Foreman’s face. “My god. What happened?”
    “His car smashed into the back of a truck on the Eisenhower.”
    “Oh, no. I’m so sorry.”
    Christine swallowed. “The thing is, well, I don’t think it was an accident.”
    Georgia leaned forward. “Why do you say that?”
    “Because he called me at home last night. He told me we had to talk first thing this morning. That it was critical. So I went in early, but he never showed up. And then, when I heard about the accident, well, it seemed too coincidental. I think something else is going on, and I’m scared.”
    “What do you mean ‘something else’?” Georgia asked.
    “It just—well...” Messenger looked down at her hands.
    “Do you think there’s a connection to Molly’s kidnapping?” Foreman cut in.
    “I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe.”
    “What do you want us to do?” Foreman asked.
    “I think I need protection. I—I feel vulnerable.” She looked at Georgia.
    Georgia blew out a breath. “Lady, until you come clean about what happened to Molly, we—I can’t do anything.”
    “What do you mean, ‘come clean’?” She looked over, but her face didn’t register much.
    Georgia frowned. “You may think you pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes, but this—situation—never made any sense. First off, there’s no proof Molly was ever actually abducted. You won’t let the cops talk to her, and—”
    A suspicious look came over Messenger. “How do you know that?”
    “That’s not important. What is important is that I don’t know who you are and why you’re doing this. For all I know, you are a sick woman who needs help.”
    Messenger drew herself up. “You have no right to talk to me like this.”
    “That may be,” Georgia said. “But you have no right to expect me to help you. I’m a private investigator, not a baby-sitter. Hire yourself a bodyguard. As for your boss...” she paused. “Maybe he