Classic Indigo

  Classic Indigo

  An Indigo Investigations Cozy Mystery

  R. A. Wallace

  2019

  Book Two

  Author’s Note

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, dialogue, places, technologies, references to code, and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual events, technologies, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Material in this book is not intended as a substitute for legal or medical advice from qualified professionals. The author has no connection to any software or website mentioned.

  © 2019 R. A. Wallace. All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Brandi McCann www.ebook-coverdesigns.com

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Books by R. A. Wallace

  Chapter One

  Callie entered the air-conditioned building and paused in the large foyer to give herself time to acclimate to the temperature. It was a welcome change to the mercurial Florida weather currently threatening to storm. The tall office building she had entered housed multiple businesses. All of them were listed on a large directory board lining the wall of the entrance but Callie didn’t need to study it. She’d been to the headquarters of her current client before when she had originally accepted the assignment.

  She nodded to the security guard at the front desk on her way to the elevator. After exiting on the third floor, she walked down the tiled hall, the low heels of her shoes tapping loudly with each step. When she reached the glass door of the impressive space housing her client, she stepped inside and greeted the receptionist with a smile.

  “Ms. Benning will be with you in just a moment,” the cool blonde said with a cultured tone.

  Callie gave a nod of acknowledgement and unbuttoned her suit jacket before taking a seat. She was careful to smooth the suit skirt before placing the thick folder on her lap. As she waited, she discreetly studied the office. She had been attracted to it from the first time she’d seen it. It was the type of office that she would love to have for her private investigation firm, Indigo Investigations. It wasn’t so much the building that attracted her. Rather, it was the office itself. The colors, furniture, and entire atmosphere screamed understated success. The efficient receptionist was the epitome of professionalism.

  Callie thought about the increase in business that she had been enjoying since her recent highly publicized case involving a bank heist. Although one part of her worried about the new business drying up as quickly as it came, another part told her that she should take advantage of the gift she had been given and run with it. Of course, there was one minor problem with her new-found success.

  “Ms. Benning will see you now,” the receptionist said.

  Callie rose and walked to the large wooden door behind the receptionist. The gold plate on the door identified the name and position of the occupant. It was another touch that Callie appreciated. She opened the door and greeted the austere woman on the other side of the large desk.

  Ms. Benning looked expectantly behind Callie after she entered.

  “I was hoping Mr. Divine would be with you this time.” Alison Benning wore the easy self-assurance of a successful businesswoman.

  Callie closed the door noiselessly behind her and crossed the room to take the deeply padded leather chair on her side of the CEO’s uncluttered desk.

  “Unfortunately, he’s on another assignment,” Callie said. She hoped the astute woman couldn’t sense the lie.

  “Perhaps the next time,” Alison said with a slight tilt of her head as she studied Callie.

  “Perhaps,” Callie agreed. She placed the folder on the large desk and pushed it across with her fingertips, leaning forward in her seat as she did. “I have the results of my screening for the candidates who applied for a position with your corporation.”

  “I trust everything is as thorough as we discussed?” Alison asked.

  “I believe you will be pleased.” Callie watched as the other woman opened the folder and skimmed the contents.

  Alison’s eyes narrowed and her mouth tightened when she reached the results of the last candidate.

  “Too bad. She looked so promising,” Alison murmured. She looked up at Callie. “I’m impressed that you were able to discover this.”

  Callie had strongly suspected that the candidate in question had been a test of her abilities. Actually, she corrected herself, as far as Alison Benning was concerned, it was a test of Callie and Greyson’s abilities. To the rest of the world, Callie and Greyson were partners. A mistaken impression fostered by members of the media after the completion of the bank heist case.

  Callie offered an enigmatic smile.

  Alison Benning reached into the top drawer of her desk and pulled out an envelope. She pushed it across the desk to Callie.

  “I’m sure we’ll be in touch again soon,” Alison Benning said as she rose to her feet.

  Callie picked up the envelope and stood. After shaking the other woman’s hand, she made the return trip to the first floor of the building. She waited until she reached her car before checking the numbers on the check inside the envelope. What she saw brought a smile to her face. It would go a long way toward an office redesign that imitated the one she had just left.

  A short drive brought her to her next client. The lot of The Regal Pomelo had few cars. Callie knew that they belonged to the employees who arrived prior to the restaurant opening to the customers. She parked her car outside of the front door but remained in her seat to text her friend. A few moments later, the front door of the restaurant opened. Callie moved quickly to join the owner of the restaurant inside. She was immediately enveloped in a hug.

  “You look like a professional,” Ginny Regal said as she released Callie and took in her friend’s professional business attire. It was a long way from the shorts and tee Ginny was accustomed to seeing her old school friend wear.

  “So do you,” Callie said as she quickly took stock of Ginny’s appearance.

  Her friend was comfortably dressed for a long session in a hot kitchen. Ginny wore her dark hair short. She always said she’d rather spend her time on the food she prepared than worrying about her hair. Callie didn’t know yet why her friend had asked to see her. She couldn’t help but notice the dark circles under Ginny’s eyes.

  “I would look a lot better if I would quit eating my own cooking,” Ginny said with a self-deprecating smile. She had often lamented the few extra pounds that carried. She had even joked that it was an occupational hazard. She waved at Callie to follow her.

  “The restaurant is looking good too,” Callie said.

  “From you, that’s a true compliment,” Ginny said as she led Callie to a small office. “Considering that you used to work here, you know all of our secrets.”

  Callie chuckled as she took a seat across from Ginny in the small office she used to run her business. She hadn’t worked for Ginny for long, but her friend had given her a job at a time when she’d needed one. It
was before she had met her former partner, Corky Travis, and discovered her desire to become a private investigator.

  “What brings me here today?” Callie asked. She knew that Ginny was busy and hadn’t asked her to the restaurant for a social visit.

  In lieu of an answer, Ginny slid a section of a newspaper across to Callie. It was the section that held the information relevant to the residents of the county and surrounding area such as events. Callie gave Ginny a questioning look as she picked up the paper.

  “Check the restaurant review,” Ginny said quietly.

  Callie flipped through the pages of local happenings, weddings, deaths, and commentary until she found the review written by Krista Danforth. It was a full-page article that went into detail with many of the dishes on the menu, the service, and the ambiance. According to the author of the review, The Regal Pomelo failed on all counts. The author even hinted that the authorities should consider a surprise inspection.

  “That’s horrible!” Callie said. She looked back up at Ginny. Now she understood the dark circles under her eyes.

  “Tell me about it,” Ginny agreed. “The thing is, I swear she didn’t even taste the food during the few minutes she was here.”

  Callie leaned back in her chair. “Can I assume you want me to investigate her?” Callie looked at the byline again. “Krista Danforth?”

  Ginny let out a sigh. “I was hoping you would. I’ll pay you, of course. I know you must be pretty swamped with your own business right now what with taking on a new partner and all.”

  Callie pressed her lips together to stop herself from saying anything about Greyson. Ginny didn’t need to hear it right now.

  Ginny motioned to the paper. “I just know there has to be some sort of hidden agenda, or motive, behind the things she wrote.”

  “You’re hoping I can find out what that is.” Callie stated the obvious.

  “And fast. Please,” Ginny implored. “My business is suffering because of this. I’m not sure how much longer The Regal Pomelo can bleed out the way I have been and remain open.”

  Callie thought about Ginny’s predicament as she drove to her mother’s house. If there was a hidden agenda, Callie was sure she could find it. She couldn’t think of any other reason for the reviewer to have written such an article. The Regal Pomelo had always been a popular establishment and with good reason.

  She parked in front of her mother’s double wide trailer. It was in the retirement community where her mother had lived for several years. She found her mother sitting in her sunroom, sipping a glass of sweet iced tea.

  Margaret set her ebook reader aside. “Darling, how nice to see you. I was hoping you’d stop by.”

  Callie settled into the seat next to her mother with a sigh. She loved her mother dearly, but Margaret Milne had a long history of dreaming up problems for Callie to resolve.

  Margaret ignored the sigh. “You’ll never believe what Elliot asked me.”

  Callie raised her eyebrows. She doubted her mother would be this excited if it had been a proposal of marriage. She knew her mother was very fond of Elliot. She just didn’t know if the independent woman was ready to try a third marriage.

  “Well, you’ll never guess so I’ll just tell you,” Margaret said. “He wants me to act as his hostess.”

  “You’ve done that before,” Callie pointed out. Multiple times, in fact. It was one of the many things her mother excelled at.

  “Oh, but never like this. It’s for the auto show,” Margaret clasped her hands together. “The Pomelo Cove Classic. It’s a week-long affair that attracts people from all over the world. Parts of it will even be televised.”

  Now she understood her mother’s excitement. “You look good on camera,” Callie said truthfully.

  “Thank you, dear. That’s very sweet.”

  “Is Elliot one of the sponsors this year?” She couldn’t remember him being involved in the past.

  “He is. He’s excited about some of the concept cars.” Margaret lowered her voice as though someone might hear them. “I think he’s considering investing in one of the companies.”

  “It sounds like something you’ll enjoy,” Callie said as she relaxed in her seat. Given that she had expected her mother to try roping her into something, it was a pleasant surprise.

  “You should plan on attending with your partner,” Margaret said. “I’m sure Greyson would love it.”

  “He isn’t my partner,” Callie said automatically as she felt the tension return.

  Chapter Two

  The cold air escaped the refrigerator and settled at her bare feet on the tile floor as she stood staring at the barren shelves with a wistful gaze. She needed to get to the grocery store. Callie opened a crisper drawer and pulled out a bruised apple. She had noticed it rolling around in the drawer each time she had reached for something else during the past week or so. There was no longer anything else to choose in its place.

  She stood in front of her aquarium and watched the colorful fish as she ate her apple, careful to avoid the large bruised area. The largest fish in the tank was a betta fish. It had been a recent gift from someone to replace the one she’d lost. She’d assumed it had come from Greyson Divine. He was one of the few people who knew she had fish and the only one who knew she’d lost her previous betta. She still had no idea how it had mysteriously appeared on the desk in her office. She’d never asked Greyson. Her office mates had sworn they hadn’t let anyone in.

  As she took the last bite of her apple, the automatic feeder in the aquarium dispensed the fish food. Callie glanced at the clock. It was right on time. The fish immediately began swimming around after the food. It had been one of the first gifts to herself once the jobs had begun rolling in. She probably had Greyson to thank for that also but she wasn’t yet ready to acknowledge it. She was still hoping to make a go of her private investigation agency on her own.

  Unfortunately, all of her new clients had seen the media splash that incorrectly listed both of them as the owners of Indigo Investigations. Everyone who called expected to see Greyson and Callie together. No matter what excuses she had devised so far, they continued to ask for the elusive, but very, photogenic man.

  Callie quickly finished getting ready for work then took the short drive to her sister’s place of business. The front window of the small modular home her sister used for her business proudly listed the name of Sumner Curtains and Blinds. The woman working inside only vaguely resembled Callie. Gemma was three years older than Callie. Instead of Callie’s brown hair, Gemma’s was a dark blonde that she now had strategically highlighted.

  “Hey, stranger.” Gemma finished typing something on her computer then stood up from her desk.

  “Are you running bills?” Callie guessed.

  “Yes, I’m happy to say. I’ve finished several jobs recently.” Gemma leaned against the front counter of her shop. “Creating the invoices isn’t my favorite part of the job but I do love it when the payments come in.”

  “I’m happy to say that I know the feeling.” Callie had gone a long time without a lot of business. Having the money to pay her bills now was something she hoped would become commonplace.

  “Have you figured out what to do with your new partner?” Gemma asked.

  “He isn’t my partner,” Callie responded automatically.

  “You know that, and maybe I even know that,” Gemma said with a wry grin. “But what does he say?”

  Callie turned and focused on a room-darkening blind sample hanging nearby.

  “I haven’t heard from him recently,” she said as she fingered the pull chain.

  “How long is recently?” Gemma narrowed her eyes at her younger sister.

  Callie shrugged. “Not since we caught the bank robbers.”

  “Really? He hasn’t called or anything?”

  “Nope.” Callie turned back toward her sister. “Have you been to The Regal Pomelo lately?”

  “Ginny’s place?” Gemma made a face as she thought back
. “Probably not since last month. Why do you ask?”

  “I haven’t been going out to eat much lately.” It was an understatement. Before she was getting calls for jobs, she didn’t have the money to go. Now that her finances were getting a little better, she realized that she didn’t have anyone to go with. She hadn’t really been keeping up with her friends. That was partly due to the fact that she didn’t have the time now that she was getting more jobs.

  “Maybe that’s something you could do with our younger sister?” Gemma suggested.

  “Ariana?” Callie would never have thought to ask her half-sister.

  “You said you wanted to spend more time with her,” Gemma pointed out.

  “You’re right. It’s a great idea.” She’d have to make the time. With a seventeen-year difference in their ages, they’d never spent time together in the past. It was something Callie and Ariana had agreed recently to rectify.

  “Why were you asking me about Ginny’s place?” Gemma asked.

  Callie explained the bad review.

  Gemma looked horrified. “I have nightmares about things like that. Anyone who runs a business has to take their reviews seriously. What is she hoping you’ll do?”

  “I think that depends on the motivation for the reviewer’s comments,” Callie said.

  Realization dawned in Gemma’s eyes. “That’s why you were asking if I’d eaten there.” She nodded her head. “I see. All I can say is, everything was fine, as usual, when we were there last month.”

  “I figured it would be.” Callie glanced at the clock on the wall. “I should go. I need to get started on this. If you get a chance, call mom and ask her about her new hostess duties.”

  Gemma pushed away from the counter and began walking back to her computer.

  “Something Elliot dreamed up for her?” Gemma guessed.

  “She’s acting as hostess for a week-long auto festival. Parts of it will even be televised, apparently.”

  “Does he know our mother, or what?” Gemma sat down in front of her computer.

  Callie agreed on her way out the door. The drive across town didn’t take long. When she got to her own office, she pulled onto the lesser-used side street around the corner and parked. Both the large front window and the door had a sign for Indigo Investigations. The smaller window closest to the corner of the building had a second sign for Knox & Wolfe Software and Consulting. Unable to afford the rent for the office space on her own since the death of her former partner, Callie had come up with the idea of sharing the space. Fortunately for her, the two programmers who rented the office space had also become her friends.