5 Killer Cranachan (Teaberry Cozy Murder Mysteries Book 5) by R. A. Wallace

Author:R. A. Wallace
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2022-12-02T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Erica nudged Jerry out of the path of the tow motor. “I think the office is over this way.”

“Have you ever been here before?” Jerry nimbly dodged a deep pit in the paved lot.

“Yeah, but it has been a long while and I don’t think I ever went inside.” Erica reached the entrance first and opened the door.

Jerry stopped beside her inside the small reception room. It was obvious that the business involved in corrugated paper products didn’t get a lot of visitors off the street. There was no one in the front office. Erica called out hoping to gain someone’s attention.

A man carrying a hard hat that had seen better days appeared from a hall in the rear. “Can I help you, officers?”

“We’re looking for someone who can tell us about a former employee,” Erica explained.

“How far back?” He tucked the hard hat under one arm.

“Recent,” Erica replied. “We’re here about Finley Fraisier.”

Understanding filled his face. He nodded toward the hall he came from. “HR is down that way. She’s probably your best bet.” He didn’t wait for a response before exiting the building through a side door.

Erica caught a glimpse of the activity in the adjacent building as the noise reached them. When the door closed behind the man, the volume returned to something more easily dismissed. Jerry moved toward the hall. It didn’t take long to reach an open office door.

Jerry popped his head inside. “Human Resources?”

“That’s me.” The fifty-something woman eyed them with interest. “Can I help you?”

Erica followed Jerry into the room made smaller by their presence. “We’re here to ask some questions about Finley Fraisier. You are?”

“Deana Goodman.” She folded her hands then rested them on the desk in front of her as though she had all day. “What is it you want to know?”

“You make corrugated paper products here, is that correct?” Jerry dug into his pocket for a notepad.

“We do. Our products include shipping solutions as well as several other paper-based items.” Deana waited patiently for the next question.

“How long did Finley Fraisier work here?” Jerry asked.

One corner of Deana’s mouth turned up. “Some might say too long.”

“Care to explain that comment?” Erica asked.

Deana didn’t offer an apology. “Finley could be difficult, to say the least.”

“How so?” Erica thought of the glimpse she saw of the factory floor a few moments ago. “What did he do here exactly?”

“Finley would have told you that he was a programmer,” Deana replied.

“What would you have called him?” Jerry asked.

Deana sucked in a breath and considered it. “A blackmailer.”

“Excuse me?” Erica shared a look with Jerry.

“Finley developed the accounting system here early on,” Deana explained. “And he never let any of us forget it.”

“One of those,” Jerry said.

Erica knew that her partner was encouraging the woman to say more.

“Oh, yes. To be honest, we should have replaced him years ago. He was argumentative at times and never very nice but.” Deana nodded once to the side. “If I left him alone the work got done, the payroll checks were always on time, and the taxes were good.

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