While the Iron is Hot: An Organized Crime Private Investigator Mystery (Sherman Iron Mysteries Book 4) by Bowen Greenwood

Author:Bowen Greenwood [Greenwood, Bowen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-02-27T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

Helena was a much smaller town than Hunter but, since it was the state’s capital city, everyone took it very seriously, especially the Helenans. Rolling south on the freeway, it first came into view when we rounded a hill. The mountains enfolding it weren’t quite as majestic as the peaks that swooped to the sky west of Hunter, but they still gave the town a scenic character.

Treasure State Pharmaceutical Research, the company Jaden’s friend had gone to work for, occupied an office in the medical industry area of Helena. Gathered around the hospital, ultrasound businesses, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, and more all hung out their shingles to draw in some of that health care spending.

We parked Huey’s pickup in front of a three-story glass box with Health Professional Commercial Space emblazoned on the door. Up three flights of stairs and halfway down the hall, we found TSPR in the early afternoon.

The interior was a lot like the exterior: ultra-modern with huge, windowed walls looking out on the town of Helena. I could see the dome of the state capitol building in the distance and the town’s signature mountain behind it. The gently curving reception counter with faux marble top and branded coffee cup filled with branded pens, protected a woman dressed in a blouse and jeans.

The receptionist didn’t appear to have a lot to do. Nothing rang and, to judge by the motions of her thumbs on her phone, I thought I recognized a fellow Candy Crush addict. She looked younger than Jaden, with brown hair and dressed a little more casual than seemed appropriate for a professional office. Her brown eyes flicked up to us when we walked in. Her gaze, along with her pressed-together lips, made it clear she thought we were the rude ones for interrupting her game.

Jaden opened with, “We’re looking for Tanner Solveig.”

The receptionist set down her phone. “Oh. Gosh. Um… I think I better let you talk to my supervisor,” she stammered out. Before either of us could ask further questions, she disappeared down a hallway.

We traded glances. That couldn’t possibly be good news. And, indeed, before I could even lean over the counter to peek at her phone and see how she compared to me in terms of Candy Crush levels, we heard the receptionist’s voice from down the hall.

“Come on down here, please.”

The person she described as her supervisor stood to greet us when we came in, neatly trimmed gray hair and beard shifting as he smiled. The receptionist scuttled away the moment we came in.

“I’m Terry Locke,” the man said. “I work with Tanner.”

His thinning gray hair and beard spoke of a long life. His beer belly said he’d spent most of it behind a desk. His un-ironed white shirt told me this was a man who didn’t keep much track of his personal appearance.

“When is he likely to be in?” Jaden asked.

Mr. Locke looked away, shifting from foot to foot. Finally, he mumbled something about privacy and personnel files.

Jaden tried honesty as a negotiating tactic.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.