Darkness Hides by J C Gatlin

Author:J C Gatlin [Gatlin, J C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Florida Mystery Suspense, female sleuth, amateur sleuth, crime fiction, Florida Fiction, whodunit, Murder, fish and wildlife commission, female
Publisher: Milford House Press
Published: 2021-04-26T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Kate sat buckled into the passenger seat as Trace raced his squad car over the Causeway into Bradenton, sirens blaring. They reached the Mayfair Plaza Building within fifteen minutes. Three Manatee County Sheriff’s Department cars were already parked outside, their lights flashing. Trace pulled up beside them.

The twelve-story building looked empty, with most of the exterior windows dark. The ground floor, however, was brightly lit as Sheriff’s Deputies traipsed in and out. Kate and Trace made their way through a bank and investment center and took the elevator to the Forrest Frazier Development offices on the twelfth floor. They were greeted in the front office by a buxom, young woman in a short skirt and high heels.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“I’m Chief Trace Guerra with the Sienna Key Police Department,” he said, flashing his badge. “This is—”

“Kate Parks, Florida Fish and Wildlife Officer on inactive duty status and currently temporarily working for the Sienna Key law enforcement.” She extended a hand.

The young woman didn’t take Kate’s hand. “The police are already here,” she said.

Kate pulled back. “And you are?”

“Shelly Martin,” she said, handing them a business card. “Mr. Frazier’s executive assistant. He’s in his private office talking to the police.” She led Kate and Trace to his corner office.

Forrest Frazier’s office looked chaotic with overturned furniture and police officers snapping photos. Forrest himself sat at his desk, nursing a black eye and a stiff drink as he chewed a cigar. Two deputies stood across from him, writing in notepads.

“That psycho barged in here,” Forrest said. He removed the cigar from his mouth and held it like a prop as he spoke. “He smashed my office with a baseball bat.”

Listening, Kate looked at the room. Trophies and plaques embellished the walls, Framed photographs of Frazier posing with celebrities, sports heroes, and political figures surrounded them. A Widow Rock Towers model lay in pieces on the floor, crushed, along with several photographs dangling askew on the wall.

“Did you recognize the attacker?” one of the deputies asked.

“Redd Tyler.” Forrest downed the last of his drink and returned the cigar to his mouth. He rose from his desk. At the dry bar next to the window, he picked up a bottle of bourbon, opened it, and poured himself another glass, spilling some over the side. “That boneheaded dipstick is psychotic.”

Kate watched him, critically studying his posture. “I suspect you instigated this.”

Forrest grinned at her with the cigar between his teeth.

Trace added, “We heard you paid Elise Tyler a visit earlier tonight.”

“Yeah,” Forrest said. “What of it?”

“You were harassing her,” Kate said. She stepped toward him. Trace gripped her upper arm, holding her back.

Forrest glared at her. “Gomer and Morticia were harassing me. I just went over there to tell them to stop it.”

“Stop what?” Trace asked.

Forrest returned to his desk and picked up a stack of papers. “To stop this. There’s hundreds of them,” he said and tossed the papers in Trace’s direction. They scattered on the floor at his feet.

Trace knelt and grabbed several sheets.

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