married. The other dentist is a man but definitely not interested in women.â She puffed out her chest. âI can attest to that personally.â
âNo married dentist with four children works here?â
âNope.â
I was confused. Iâd been sure Marjory was having an affair. Why else would she have demanded to work here? Too many random events had happened with Marjory at their center. My mind was making connections but they werenât adding up. I needed to find out more about her past. That meant tracing back through her life and anyone who knew her.
âDo you happen to know who her last dentist was before she transferred here?â
Cindyâs face clouded over and then brightened. âI only remember because I overheard her cancel an appointment when she first arrived and thought what a small world. Dr. Bloom is my motherâs dentist too. Thatâs why his name stuck in my head. Heâs not taking on new clients though. He plans to retire in the fall.â
âThanks so much for your help,â I said. I tapped the counter twice with the palm of my hand. âHave a nice day.â
I put my head down and trotted for the door.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I âd gotten behind on my work at the station. The chief wanted some forms filled in before I left for the day. That put my investigation on hold. I sat at my desk typing in information with a knot of frustration in my stomach. It was hard to concentrate on paperwork when I would rather be tracking down clues on Marjoryâs murder. My mind had been sprung out of a box, and I couldnât put it back in. The thrill of the chase and the excitement of solving a puzzle had given me energy. I now had a reason to get up in the morning. I hadnât even known what I was missing. I wondered if I would ever be happy sitting at a desk again.
The nightshift had arrived by the time I stepped outside. It was still daylight, but the sun was on its way down. I wasnât paying much attention to anything as I walked toward my car. I was thinking about Brian and what a sitting duck heâd been. He was a middle-aged man working in a shoe store. Marjory had played on his memories of youthâoffered him a chance to find the excitement long gone. It made me sad to think he hadnât tried to find it in our marriage.
I waved at two police officers heading out on patrol. I just needed to make a few more phone calls before I had all the information to prove how the murder had happened. I was starting to like being a detective. It was exciting when the facts began to make sense.
It wasnât until I reached the parking garage that I noticed somebody behind me. Iâd caught movement out of the corner of my eye. My first thought was to run, but I didnât want to go deeper into the garage. Iâd be trapped like a bug in a jar. I turned to face whoever was standing across the sidewalk from me in the shadows. I could make out a manâs shape but not his face. He stepped forward and started running toward me. It was a shock to see Jason bearing down on me like a tank. His face was red and angry. He was bigger than I remembered.
âCan I help you, Jason?â I tried to sound in control. Even so, I could hear my voice tremble. I put my hands on my hips. I wouldnât let him know that he scared me. For the first time since I took the desk job, I wished I had my gun. It was locked up in a safe at home. Thereâd been no need for a gun or a uniform when I was doing paperwork. I looked around. We were alone and all but hidden from view.
Jason stopped a few feet away from me. âYou told me you were a friend of my motherâs. Then I find out youâre a cop, asking about her murder. I also find out you were married to Brian. You lied to me.â He shouted the last bit. His fists were clenched at his sides. âYour name isnât Wendy. Itâs Gwen Lake. You must have thought you were so smart lying to