Page 35 of Memory of Murder
She hoped this was not more trouble. The idea that the timing was worrisome wasn’t lost on her. Could Langston really work that fast? They’d only left the meeting a few minutes ago. Then again, he could have started this as soon as he heard she was in town.
A black tee caught her attention. Plain. Good. She plucked it from the rack and tossed it into the cart as well. Maybe one more, and that would be enough. She settled on a pale rose-colored one, and it joined the others in the cart. She glanced at Jack, who lingered close and still appeared to be in deep conversation on his own phone.
She grabbed two pairs of jeans and headed for the lingerie department, which was next to this one. She glanced back to ensure Jack followed. He did, but thankfully he kept his distance while she grabbed the necessary bras and undies as well as a nightshirt.
All she needed now was a few toiletries like deodorant and a disposable razor. Maybe some mascara.
“Sorry!” Lisa said into her ear, making her jump. “You are really not going to believe this. It was the same guy—the tile supplier. Now he says the kitchen-floor tile is on back order. But I know it’s not because I spoke to one of the guys who works there this morning to go over the suggested coordinating trim. It was not on back order, Anne. Something is going on with this guy. I mean, I can call around and see what I find out from other wholesalers, but this is very strange.”
Anne’s fingers tightened around the cart handle. Nothing she could do from here…except stay calm. “Just do what you can to ensure we have what we need to start in fourteen days.”
“Don’t worry,” Lisa assured her. “I will. I just wanted you to know that something weird is happening here.”
“I’m sorry for the trouble, Lisa. I promise there will be a big bonus in this one.”
Lisa laughed. “I got you. Don’t worry. Bonus or not, this is going to get done.”
Anne thanked her and ended the call. She tossed her phone back into her bag. Outrage rushed through her veins, and she wanted to scream. How the hell had he done this so fast? Even if he’d started yesterday…this was incredibly quick. His statements in the meeting suggested he had already done a background search on her. But the details of her latest client’s contract? That was over the top.
Well, of course he had gotten in-depth information. He was rich and powerful…and a scumbag.
How much money did it take, she mused, to turn longtime suppliers against her?
“Everything okay?”
Jack must have noticed the look on her face because he was suddenly beside her.
“I don’t know. It seems we have a problem with our tile supplier.” She looked directly at Jack, hoping he would read the innuendo in her eyes. “This morning all was well with our orders, and now suddenly there are delays. I want to believe this has nothing to do with what’s going on here…” She moved her head side to side. “But after that veiled threat he made about my life, I’m not so sure.”
Her phone sounded the warning that she had a new text message. She grabbed it from her bag and stared at the screen.
You will not believe this!
Her heart dropping, she opened the text box.
There may be a snag with our permit for the job!!!
Anne typed a quick message letting Lisa know to call if she couldn’t get it straightened out.
“And now—” she looked at Jack “—there’s a holdup on our permit.”
“Now, that one,” he said, his own frustration showing, “I would put money on being prompted by a call from someone on the senator’s personal staff.”
Anne was angrier than she had been in…she couldn’t remember when. She forced the worries aside. “We heading to the men’s department now?”
“Yeah. Let’s get this done and get out of here.”
They started that way, and then she realized she hadn’t asked him about his call.
“Everything okay on your end?”
“My call was all good.” He flashed her a grin.
She liked his smiles, and she was immensely thankful he hadn’t laid another issue at her feet. “We’ll need to stop at health and beauty aids too.”
“Deodorant,” he noted with a nod.
“For sure.”
