Read Debts and Debtors: (A Geeks and Things Cozy Mystery Novella #3) (Geeks and Things Cozy Mysteries) for Free Online Page A

waited until after 6:30 to grab some pizza and head over to the station. She’d picked up a couple extra slices in case Jimmy was around. He tended to horn in on their office dinners, even if he didn’t mean to. She found Chris hunched over his computer staring at some file or other.
    “Hey, I brought food,” she announced.
    He looked up and smiled. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced than they’d been that morning and he looked paler. “Thanks.”
    She settled in beside him and handed over a big slice of Hawaiian and a napkin. It was half gone with two bites. She nibbled on a slice of sausage and green pepper. They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before she set her food down and looked at him.
    “I know you can’t say much but how is Savannah doing?”
    “She seems to be holding up. She’s going through hell though. First her husband is killed and then her house is ripped apart.”
    “Did she know what they were looking for?”
    “She claims to have no idea.”
    “But you don’t believe her?”
    “It just seems odd that a real estate broker would be the target of these kinds of crimes. Especially in this town. Despite the few incidents recently, we aren’t a high crime area.”
    “He isn’t working for the firm anymore.”
    Chris propped his elbow on the arm of the chair and stared at her. “And you know this how?”
    Kalina studied her hands. “I called and asked for him and they said he didn’t work there anymore.”
    “I guess I would have found that out anyhow tonight.”
    “Oh?”
    “Mr. Chase’s … former boss is coming in for questioning in about an hour.”
    “That’s late isn’t it?” She took a bite of pizza.
    “It fit with his schedule.”
    Kalina nodded. “There’s more.”
    “Of course there is.”
    “There was a guy from the development company looking around and when I called and asked for Mr. Chase, the secretary told me he was out. That all but confirms he worked there. And the real estate firm is an affiliate of the developer. It says so right on their website.”
    “That’s definitely strange.” A new message bubble popped up on Chris’s computer screen. He turned to study it, his brow knitting together in concern. “That’s not good.”
    Kalina leaned forward to try to read over his shoulder. “What is it?”
    “I just got information back on the gun we found at the scene. It was registered to Mr. Chase.”
    “And I’m betting Mrs. Chase doesn’t know he had a gun.”
    “I’m thinking not.” He rubbed the back of his neck—a telltale sign of stress and frustration—and blew out a breath. “Honestly, none of this makes sense.”
    She rubbed his back gently to help ease some of the tension. “I’m sure it will.”
    Two sets of footsteps echoed on the linoleum behind them, drawing Kalina’s attention. Jimmy—her go to for inside information—walked by the front desk, accompanied by a man in a navy suit. He was balding with sparse hair left on the sides. It could have been brown at one point but it was grey now.
    “Sorry to interrupt, boss, but Mr. Linden is here to see you,” Jimmy announced. He eyed the extra slice of Hawaiian pizza on Chris’s desk.
    Chris spun around and took in the realtor before him. Without a word, Kalina grabbed an extra napkin to go with the pizza and offered Mr. Linden her chair. She and Jimmy retreated a safe distance—still within earshot—before she handed over the pizza.
    “You didn’t have to,” he said before taking a big bite.
    “You guys work too hard,” she said.
    Mr. Linden settled into the chair Kalina had vacated while Chris hastily cleared away the pizza remains and retrieved his pen and notepad. Kalina couldn’t keep from smiling at how he clung to old school traditions. It only made her love him more.
    “Thanks for coming down, Mr. Linden. I appreciate it.”
    Mr. Linden shrugged one shoulder. “Not sure what I can tell you. Thomas Chase is no longer an employee with our