Deadly Ambition by Laura Bradford

Author:Laura Bradford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mysteries & Thrillers
Publisher: Beyond the Page
Published: 2013-10-16T00:00:00+00:00

An Ocean Point College student who’d once envisioned life in designer suits and ties has opted for an orange jumpsuit in the end.

Andrew Bennigan, 22, of Sumter, was arrested Friday on multiple counts of larceny in a rash of crimes that targeted storm-ravaged business owners up and down Main Street over the past four weeks.

An anonymous tip led police to Bennigan’s apartment, where they found the fourth-year business student preparing to sell some of the stolen items.

“Wait a minute. They arrested someone?” But even as the question left her mouth, she knew the words on the screen in front of her made no sense. The last time Ryan had been at his computer was before Joe Wiley’s murder. She’d talked to Mitch countless times since that evening and never once did he mention an arrest in conjunction with the incidents along Main Street.

In fact, as recently as the previous night, he was still fingering Ryan for the crimes . . .

Grabbing the rarely used landline from its cradle on Ryan’s desk, she dialed her husband’s number.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings.

She braced herself for the click of his automated voice mail but was relieved when he answered in person.

“Mitch Burns.”

“It’s me,” she said by way of introduction. “Have you arrested someone in conjunction with the robberies along Main Street?”

“Ha, ha.”

“No, I’m serious.”

Hesitation gave way to a quick laugh. “Elise, I think it’s honorable you want to support your coworker, but c’mon. It’s time to face facts and move on.”

She stared, again, at the computer screen, tried to rationalize what she was hearing with what she was seeing.

“Have you ever heard of an Andrew Bennigan?”

“No.”

“Any chance the Sumter PD picked him up for the crimes and failed to fill you in?”

“No. The robberies didn’t happen in their jurisdiction.”

Nothing about the document in front of her made any sense. Had Ryan been acting on a tip that hadn’t panned out?

“Can I read you something?” Without waiting for his answer, she gave voice to the paragraph that called to her again and again. “Andrew Bennigan, 22, of Sumter, was arrested Friday on multiple counts of larceny in a rash of crimes that targeted storm-ravaged business owners up and down Main Street over the past four weeks.”

“Say that again—”

She continued on as a different image began to take shape. “An anonymous tip led police to Bennigan’s apartment, where they found the fourth-year business student preparing to sell some of the stolen items.”

“Where are you getting this, Elise?”

“From Ryan’s computer. It’s an article he started but never finished.”

“Leave it right there. Don’t do anything to it, okay? I’ll send an officer over right away.”

“But what do you think it means?” she asked, breathless.

“I don’t know. But I’m going to find out, that’s for damn sure.”

She heard him say something about dinner and she was pretty sure she responded in kind, but by the time the call was over, all she could think about was Andrew Bennigan. Was he a real person? If he was, why would Ryan

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