“Yeah. She told Joe that’s what she was doing. Do you know why?”
“It’s complicated, so I’ll let her explain.”
“Shouldn’t she be back by now?” Fin asked. “I mean, whatever she was telling him shouldn’t take this long, surely?”
Nash looked from Fin to Joe and Bailey. Then nodded. “Let’s go. We’ll escort her back.”
Fin followed Maggie’s brother out of A.S. and onto the street. They then headed to the police station. They didn’t pass her on the way. When they arrived, they were told Maggie wasn’t there, and according to Chief Blake, he’d not seen her.
“So you got a few bruises from today, Fin?” Chief Blake asked. He was seated behind his desk drinking coffee.
“Maggie didn’t drop off anything to you?” Nash asked before Fin could speak.
“No, should she have?”
“We were driving here and suddenly she said she needed to go to the gallery.” Nash filled them in on what happened earlier.
“Linda Foster wrote the invoice and it had the initials A.J. on it?” Chief Blake said, looking suddenly alert.
“The ink was faded, but Maggie was pretty convinced about the initials and the handwriting,” Nash said.
Fin’s unease grew as he pulled out his cell phone. Dialing Maggie’s number, he waited for her to pick up. She didn’t. He left a message. “Call me as soon as you get this.”
He called Joe next. “Is Maggie back there yet?”
“No. What’s the problem?”
“Not sure, but I’ll let you know if there is one.” Fin cut the call.
“Chief, I have the Linbars in the waiting room. They’re wanting to know when you’ll release Simon’s body to them.”
“They’re here today? A weekend, with celebrations going on.” Chief Blake shook his head.
“They don’t have much to celebrate, is my guess,” his deputy added.
“I’ll be right out.” Chief Blake sighed.
“You need to ask them if either of their boys have the initials A.J.,” Fin said as his desperation climbed another notch. “If Linda Foster was in any way involved with them, then maybe the note was written to one of them. This could all be linked in some way to Simon Linbar’s death, and Maggs may have landed herself right in the middle.”
“Now, Fin, I showed both the wallet and note to Noel. He didn’t recognize either.” Chief Blake raised a hand. “It’s speculation, and there are no facts. Nash said himself that he couldn’t see the initials, and people do have the same handwriting. No address is on the invoice, and the only link is Linda Foster—and that’s tenuous. Why would she or Noel Linbar want Simon dead? It makes no sense.”
“You know me and know I never panic, never do things without thought,” Fin said, making himself speak slowly, rationally. “I have a bad feeling about this, Chief Blake, and that Maggie’s involved in some way. You have to ask the questions.”
“What question? Is one of your sons called A.J.? Did one of them have an affair with Linda Foster? Would Noel have killed Simon because of an affair? You have no proof.”
Fin paced the small room. “I don’t know why I feel this way, but I do. Something’s off here.”
“And if he says that and my sister’s involved, you need to ask the question,” Nash added.
“I’ll ask the question, but it still doesn’t say anything other than Linda Foster was in love with this A.J., who just may be a Linbar.”
“Call me if you get anything.” Fin headed back out the door. “Anything at all!”
“Maggie will be back in the bar by now,” Chief Blake called after him.
He and Nash ran back to A.S.
“Why are you worried about her?” Nash ran alongside him.
