Exit Strategy by Colleen Cross

Author:Colleen Cross [Cross, Colleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Journalists, Lawyers, whimsical women sleuths, conspiracies and cover-ups, British cozies, arcane, amateur detectives, Academic mysteries, American cozies, financial thrillers, mob thrillers
ISBN: 9780987883506
Publisher: Slice Publishing
Published: 2014-10-19T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

Kat was growing impatient. Audrey Braithwaite was forty-five minutes late. The waiter stalked by and refilled her water glass with an exaggerated flourish.

“Still waiting for your friends?”

He wouldn’t earn much of a tip on her tap water refills. It was just before eleven and Carlisle’s was full with the business-lunch crowd. The waiter was anxious to turn her table over to a more lucrative diner. She’d have to leave soon or order something off the outrageously priced menu.

She decided to give Audrey five more minutes. She eyed the fare at nearby tables. It was just as well. The entrees were miniscule. Artistically arranged or not, the escargot at the next table reminded her of the wildlife she had seen on her sidewalk this morning. She could only justify the expense if it was going to be worth her while.

Kat thought about the caretaker note from yesterday. Was it really Verna, or just someone’s idea of a practical joke? The writing did look like an old woman’s, but that could be faked. Could Verna have been the person she saw in the backyard earlier?

If she could intercept whoever was leaving the notes, she might get her answer. Maybe she would find out more about Verna and why she forfeited her house to the city tax sale.

“She’s over here.”

The waiter’s voice caught Kat’s attention. She glanced up from her menu to see the insolent waiter approaching with Audrey. All traces of arrogance were gone, and he smiled broadly as he escorted her over to Kat’s table at the back of the restaurant. Judging by their chatter they knew each other, not much of a surprise as Audrey had chosen the restaurant.

Audrey appeared to be at least sixty, but she was well maintained. Kat imagined an army of personal trainers, plastic surgeons, and whomever else rich people employed to buy youth. She flashed an artificially white smile at Kat as she sat down.

“What’ll it be, Ms. Braithwaite? The usual? And you, miss? Another water?”

Audrey ordered double gin and tonics for them both before Kat could protest. She was still reeling from last night’s Pinot Gris. Alcohol made her woozy, and she needed to work fast before the alcohol went to work on her. This was do or die.

She was also guardedly optimistic. They might bond over drinks. A little tête-à-tête and maybe she could stop the next criminal act.

She tentatively sipped her gin and tonic and almost gagged. It was all alcohol and Kat’s first bout with gin. Not exactly tasty, but she was determined to get in Audrey’s good books, no matter what. If it meant drinking hard liquor on an empty stomach, she would do it.

Audrey belted hers back in two quick shots.

“So you’re the girl working on the Bryant fraud. I’ve heard lots about you.”

Apparently not that much, or she would know that Kat had been fired. And she was hardly a girl, but decided not to take offence at Audrey’s comment. Older people always seemed to underestimate age. It was a form of self-denial.

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