“You didn’t have the right to withhold that information from me,” Phillipa stated. “All this time I believed that you and Dad lost the fees you paid. Now I understand why you wouldn’t let me pay you back.”

  “We were trying to spare your feelings,” Bethany said.

  Jacob headed toward the dining room. “We can finish discussing this after dinner.”

  “I’m not hungry,” Phillipa stated. “I’ve lost my appetite. I’m going up to my room, but I’ll send Raya down.”

  Right now, she just wanted to be alone.

  Chapter Seven

  Kyle sat in his car for about twenty minutes after leaving the Stevenson home. He’d finally had a chance to talk to Phillipa but realized there was nothing he could say or do to change the way she thought of him. He hadn’t fought hard enough to get her back all those years ago—he should’ve gone out to Los Angeles after her.

  He remembered the very day he’d gone to see her parents to get Phillipa’s address and phone number. It was three months after Helena’s death. Amid the tragedy, Kyle realized just how much he missed Phillipa and wanted her in his life. So he decided to go to California. Kyle even figured they would get married as soon as possible. He was willing to stay in Los Angeles if that was what Phillipa wanted. However, his plans were sidelined when her parents informed him of her engagement. News of her upcoming marriage felt like a kick to his gut.

  He was too late. Kyle could only blame himself. Initially, he was in a bit of denial. She’d been in Los Angeles for just six months; how could she have met someone and agreed to marry him so quickly? Maybe it was Phillipa’s way of trying to hurt him.

  The idea of another man being her husband and owning her heart didn’t sit well with Kyle. There was a part of him that still wanted to fly to California and whisk her away, but his mother talked him out of it—said he had to face the truth. Phillipa was marrying another man. He’d allowed his fears to consume him, and now she was going to be someone else’s wife.

  But now she was back and no longer married.

  Kyle refused to let thoughts of a reconciliation enter his mind. It was much too soon to think that way. Phillipa wasn’t even close to forgiving him. She was still so angry. And he would have to get over that hurdle first.

  Seeing her again only served to make Kyle realize just how much he’d missed Phillipa all these years.

  * * *

  The next day, Phillipa found Kyle already at his desk. He was going through a murder book and taking notes. He was so involved in his work that he didn’t seem to notice her arrival.

  She studied him, poised so straight and tall in his crisp pale blue shirt and dark pants. He was devastatingly handsome. Phillipa quickly crushed that thought as soon as it entered her mind. When he looked up at her, Kyle’s brown-eyed gaze made the already warm day sizzle. He acknowledged her presence but didn’t try to strike up a conversation.

  He was either hyperfocused on his case or he wasn’t talking to her after the things she said to him when he’d come by the house. Regardless, relief swept through Phillipa as she made it to her office and closed the door behind her.

  As soon as she sat down, she went to work on Helena’s case. She reviewed a statement that was made by Paula Johnson, Helena’s best friend, after the murder. It was time to have a conversation with her.

  Phillipa called the number someone had written down on her statement.

  “Accounting. This is Paula Johnson speaking...”

  “Miss Johnson, I’m Sergeant Stevenson with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police. I’m working on the Helena Rossi case.”

  There was a pause on the line. “Has there been new information?”

  “I’d like to talk to you about Helena. I understand you were a friend of hers.”

  “I was her best friend,” Paula stated. “I go to lunch at noon. We can talk then. I’d rather you come here to my office. I don’t want to go down to the station.”

  “That’s fine,” Phillipa responded. “I’ll see you then.”

  She hung up, wondering why Paula preferred to meet with her at work instead of coming to the precinct, but shrugged it away and left shortly after twelve to meet with the woman.

  On arrival, Phillipa silently assessed the petite, thin woman who walked into the reception area of the office. Paula was dressed in a chic bright red pantsuit and heels that didn’t look at all comfortable to wear for a full workday. Phillipa searched her memory banks and vaguely recalled seeing her at Jon and Helena’s wedding. She had been the maid of honor.

  “Sergeant Stevenson, it’s very nice to meet you in person,” Paula said. “We can talk in my office.” While they walked down a long hallway, she added, “Jon had nothing but nice things to say about you.” She paused a moment. “I feel like I’ve seen you before.”

  “I was at Jon and Helena’s wedding. I’ve known the Rossi family a long time,” Phillipa said.

  “Oh, yes. Jon did mention that.” Paula closed the door to her office, then sat down at her desk. “I was a bit surprised when he told me you were going to be investigating Helena’s case. Especially since it happened such a long time ago.”

  “There’s no statute of limitations for murder,” she responded.

  Paula’s smile vanished. “I see.” She gestured for Phillipa to sit across from her.

  “Tell me about your friendship with Helena,” Phillipa said, taking a seat.

  “I met her when she first came to work. Helena and I started a week apart in the accounting department here at Hawkins Special Events.”

  “Where did she tell you she was from?”

  “Atlanta, I believe.”

  “Were you two very close?”

  “Yeah, like I told you earlier. She was my best friend. We spent a lot of time together back then...going to the movies, eating out and going to dances.” Her smile reappeared. “Helena loved to dance. That’s how she met Jon. We were at this club in uptown Charlotte. Although the truth is, I met him first.”

  “You met Jon first.”

  “I did, but when I introduced him to Helena...he only had eyes for her.” Paula shrugged. “But then, she always had a way about her.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She was flirty. Helena liked a lot of attention.” Paula opened a compact mirror and checked her reflection.

  Phillipa was surprised to hear this. The Helena she’d known was quite the opposite. She didn’t even like taking photographs. “And was she that way after she and Jon got married?”

  “Oh, she still liked being the center of attention, but she didn’t go out much after that. Helena got pregnant right away. I suppose she needed to secure her position as Jon’s wife. She knew he was going to be in the medical field—that he’d be a heart surgeon. Helena told me that as his wife, she’d have status and financial security.”

  None of this reconciled with the young woman she recalled. “Can you tell me anything you remember that may have struck you as odd at the time?” Phillipa questioned.

  She put her compact away. “There was something... It was when Helena and Jon were getting married. I helped her pack up her apartment two weeks before the wedding. I found a degree in accounting from a college in Miami, but it belonged to someone else. I asked Helena about it—she got really upset with me.” Paula shook her head. “You should’ve seen the way she snatched it out of my hands. She then told me that it belonged to some close relative who’d passed away. Helena said it was all she had left of the woman. Now that I think about it, I never saw one for her. Helena put on her job application that she’d earned a degree in accounting.” She gave a slight shrug. “I don’t know if she really had one or not.”

  Paula held out her hand as if admiring her manicured fingernails. “Some people lie about stuff like that. All I know is that I earned mine—it’s hanging right over there.” She pointed to a frame on the wall.

  “Do you think she lied about having a degree?” Phillipa asked.

  “No. I’m just saying there are people who do.”

  “You also stated that you weren’t sure that she had one.”

  “That’s the truth,” Paula responded. “I don’t know for sure.”

  “Why did you find her behavior so odd at that time?”

  “Because of the way she freaked out when I found that degree. I’d never seen Helena act like that. That’s all I’m saying.”

  “Do you happen to remember the name that was on the document?”

  “I think it might have been Clara, but I’m not really sure,” Paula responded. “Is that important?”

  Phillipa found it a bit strange that Helena would have in her possession a degree belonging to someone else. But if it belonged to a deceased relative, it made sense. “Is there anything you can tell me about the days leading up to Helena’s disappearance?” she asked.

  Paula nodded. “Yeah, she was different.”

  “In what way?”

  “Helena was always nice, but she started to change toward the end. She seemed kind of short-tempered and worried. I was concerned that she’d started abusing drugs. She was just so different.”

  “As her friend—”

  “Her best friend,” Paula interjected.

  “Did you try to talk to her about it?”

  “I did, but Helena would just tell me that nothing was going on. She began shutting me out.” Paula released a sigh. “I considered going to Jon because I was so concerned about her at the time, but I didn’t want to interfere with their marriage. I will say that her death has been terribly hard on him.”

  Phillipa nodded in understanding.

  “Sergeant Stevenson, where exactly are you with this investigation?”

  That wasn’t something Phillipa could go into. “I thank you for your time, Miss Johnson.” She rose to her feet. “I must get back to the precinct.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m only at liberty to discuss this case with Jon. Again, thank you for your help.”

  “I’m sure you can find your way out,” Paula said in a snippy voice.

  Phillipa bit back a grin. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”

  As soon as she returned to the precinct, Phillipa stopped by Kyle’s desk. “I just met Paula. Come to my office when you have a minute. I’d like to know more about her.”

  “I can come now,” he said, rising to his feet.

  Once they were behind closed doors, he said, “All I really know is that I’ve never trusted the woman. According to my mom, Paula chased after Jon even before he married Helena. She was always stopping by my parents’ house to see him for one reason or another.”

  “When I asked about Helena, Paula described her as flirty and attention seeking.”

  “You know that’s not true.”

  “I didn’t think it was, but I didn’t know your sister-in-law that well.”

  “Those characteristics fit Paula to a T,” Kyle uttered. “You should see the way she’s always trying to insert herself in Jon’s life. My mother lives with him, takes care of the house and the girls. It’s been twelve years and Paula is still showing up with meals. She’s always trying to make plans for my brother and the girls. I keep telling Jon that Paula has ideas about being his next wife. I’m not about to let that happen because she doesn’t love him—it’s his money she’s after.”

  Helena mentally filed that away for later. “Paula insinuated that Helena may have started taking drugs. She based this on her actions before her death.”

  He shook his head. “She was pregnant. Besides, there weren’t any found in her body at the time of the autopsy.”

  “I don’t think Paula knew about the baby,” Phillipa said.

  “I told Jon it was best that he keep that bit of information within the family,” Kyle responded.

  “I agree.” She paused a moment before saying, “And speaking of, I need to tell you something, but I want it kept just between us. At least for now.”

  “Okay. What is it?”

  “I told you that Helena’s birth certificate was fake. I was right, Kyle. The real Helena died three years before your sister-in-law.”

  Kyle eyed her in disbelief. “Identity theft...? Helena...”

  “Looks that way,” Phillipa said. “We just have to find out why.”

  He looked as if he was searching for words.

  “I’m struggling with it myself,” she said, meeting his eyes. “I’m thinking we might find the answer in her belongings, or at least some clues to her real identity.”

  “Jon put all her stuff in a storage unit,” he announced. “He didn’t want to get rid of anything. I guess it’s a good thing he didn’t.”

  “Do you think he’ll let me go through her boxes?” Phillipa asked. “Without a lot of questions?”

  “Let me handle my brother. Is this enough to reopen Helena’s case?”

  Phillipa nodded. “It certainly is. We have to find out exactly who Jon married.”

  * * *

  “I’ll call Jon right now,” Kyle said as he pulled out his phone and walked out into the hallway.

  He was reeling from what Phillipa had just told him and needed to step away. After he hung up with his brother a couple minutes later, he walked back into the office. “He’s fine with us going to the storage unit. I told him we’d come by to pick up the key.”

  “We, as in you and I?” Phillipa asked.

  “I think he’d be more suspicious if it was just you. When he wanted to know why, I told him that I’d like to see if she left anything behind that would help you with the investigation.”

  He couldn’t read her expression. Phillipa was smiling, but he noted that her smile did not quite reach her eyes. “I’ve given it some thought, and I decided you’d be the best person to assist me in this investigation.”

  He wasn’t expecting that. “Thank you.”

  He looked around the office, trying to avoid her gaze. Phillipa seemed to have gotten moved in and settled. He glimpsed the many awards and accolades she’d received throughout her career. She had thrown him completely off guard and he had to mentally shake himself to keep from staring.

  He eventually nodded succinctly, saying, “Meet you outside,” then left the room and walked past several open workspaces to get to his desk.

  Kyle retrieved his duty weapon, which was kept locked in a drawer while he was working. He met Phillipa outside by the detective cruiser assigned to him.

  “I figured I’d drive,” he said as he held open the front passenger side door.

  “Do you think Jon will be okay with us taking items we find into evidence?” she inquired.

  “I’m sure he won’t mind,” Kyle said. “All her stuff is just sitting in storage.”

  “Would you mind stopping at Cook-Out? I’ve been wanting one of their burgers since moving back, and I skipped lunch.”

  “You mean you haven’t had one?”

  “I haven’t,” she responded with a grin. “I’ve been craving a single hamburger with everything but cheese.”

  “But add bacon,” Kyle finished for her.

  “You remembered?”

  “It’s imprinted on my memory. You used to get so mad at me when I forgot to tell them that you didn’t want cheese.”

  Phillipa surprised him by laughing. “I was horrible.”

  “I wouldn’t say that. You just wanted what you wanted—I understood.”

  “Do they still serve Coke floats?”

  “They do,” Kyle responded.

  Phillipa looked over at him. “Do you still get the onion rings and hush puppies as your sides?”

  “Yeah. Always.”

  “I guess some things just don’t change.”

  Kyle broke into a grin.

  As they neared Jon’s house after getting their takeout, Phillipa stared out the window. “I hope we’ll find something that will give us a clue to Helena’s real identity. And offer some insight as to why she was using another person’s name.”

  “Me, too.”

  She stayed in the car to finish her hamburger as he approached the door, but the women waved at each other when his mother answered it.

  Kyle accepted the key she held out to him.

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “It’s good seeing you two together,” Amelie said.

  “We’re at work—not on a date,” Kyle said.

  His mother quirked a brow. “The Lord works in mysterious ways.”

  He smiled. “I’ll see you later.”

  Kyle walked back to the car and got inside. He was glad to be going with Phillipa to the storage unit. He had so many questions swirling around in his head. He’d never expected that reopening Helena’s case would prompt another mystery.

  Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at their destination. He drove through the iron gates surrounding the storage facility and they got out of the car.

  “It’s B-230,” Kyle said. He had no idea what to expect or what they’d find.

  “Here’s to hoping we find answers and not more questions,” Phillipa said.

  Nodding, Kyle responded, “I couldn’t have said that better myself.”

  Chapter Eight

  They were alone in the midsize storage unit, surrounded by rows of cardboard boxes and large clear containers.

  “What are you doing?” Phillipa asked as Kyle reached toward her face.

  “You have something in your hair.” He retrieved what looked like a piece of a feather from a curly tendril.

  “Oh,” she uttered. “Thanks.”

  His gorgeous brown eyes were as mesmerizing as ever as he flashed her one of his trademark grins. “You’re welcome.”

  Phillipa hated that she could still go weak in the knees around Kyle. The last thing she wanted was to give him the idea that this little truce between them was going to lead to something more.

 

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