“The attorney’s office. His was the next call I received after the call from the sheriff informing me of my uncle’s death. The attorney said my uncle had left something for me that he was instructed to deliver upon my uncle’s death.”
“It would help if your uncle had left you a key to decipher his list of clues.” Grimm gave a crooked grin. “We couldn’t be that lucky.”
Dezi looked up the address and brought it up on her cell phone’s GPS maps system. They followed the directions to the attorney’s office. As they rounded the last corner, Grimm slowed.
Ahead of them, three Bozeman Police Department cars blocked the street from both sides, lights flashing. A fire truck and an ambulance were parked in front of a building.
Grimm pulled his truck to the curb and parked.
Dezi glanced down at the map on her cell phone and back up, frowning. “Something’s going on at the attorney’s office.”
CHAPTER4
Dezi didn’t waitfor a response from Grimm. She pushed open her door, jumped down and hurried toward the attorney’s office.
Grimm was quick to catch up.
This day was turning out to be harder than she’d thought it would be. Dezi was glad Grimm had come with her.
As they neared the building, a police officer stepped in front of them on the sidewalk. “I’m sorry, but this is as far as you can go. This area is now a crime scene.”
Dezi’s stomach roiled. “What happened?”
“I’m sorry,” the office said, “I’m not at liberty to say.”
“I was supposed to meet with Attorney Frank Young this morning,” Dezi said.
The officer shook his head. “You’ll have to find yourself another attorney, ma’am.”
Dezi’s breath caught in her lungs. “What the hell?” she murmured.
Grimm slipped an arm around Dezi’s waist and guided her away from the police officer. He didn’t take her back the way they’d come. Instead, he made a wide circle and came to a halt directly in front of the attorney’s office at a distance.
A woman was being led away from a clump of police officers and paramedics. A man had an arm around the woman’s shoulders, holding her close as they moved.
The woman appeared to be crying as she walked past the police officer standing guard to keep others from entering the crime scene.
As the woman neared Grimm and Dezi, Grimm spoke. “Excuse me, ma’am, could you tell me what happened?”
The woman looked up, tears streaming from her eyes. “Someone shot Frank in the face. I found him lying on the floor…” She sucked in a shaky breath. “There was so much blood…so much goddamn blood. I was gone only a few minutes.” She shook her head. “He insisted I go to his house and get the envelope he’d left on the counter.” The woman reached into the purse looped over her shoulder and pulled out a folder. “This damned envelope. If I hadn’t gone to his house to get it, he might still be alive.” More tears flowed.
Dezi reached out and touched the woman’s arm. “I’m so sorry. I was supposed to meet with Mr. Young today about my uncle’s death.”
The woman looked up, frowning. “Are you Dezi Thomas?”
“Yes, ma’am, I am,” Dezi replied.
The other woman took a shaky breath and held out the envelope. “This package was for you. Frank was determined to hand it over to you as soon as you arrived at the office. That’s why he had me go get it. I hope whatever is in it is worth Frank’s life.”
The man, with his arm around her shoulder, tightened his grip. “Come on, dear,” he said softly. “Let’s get you home.” The couple left them, hurrying away from the scene.
Dezi stared down at the letter in her hands.
Grimm leaned close to her. “Don’t open it here,” he said. “In fact, let me hold it.” He took it from her hands and tucked it beneath his jacket. Then he led her back to his truck, settled her in the passenger seat then handed her the envelope. After a quick glance around, he shut the door and hurried around to the driver’s seat.
“I’m surprised the police didn’t confiscate the envelope,” Grimm said as he performed a U-turn in the middle of the street and headed away from the dead attorney’s office.
“You think whoever killed Frank Young was looking for this envelope?” Dezi’s hands shook as she opened the envelope and looked inside.