Digging for Cash

New York City
“I am so glad that you contacted me while you were in New York, Elaine. When we met briefly at the Mason-Phillips offices after that horrendous Rubens case, I didn’t know I’d get to see you again so soon,” Chloe Meyers said as she looked at the attractive brunette sitting across from her at the restaurant table.
“Gosh, that has been a couple of months now, hasn’t it? It seems longer. Your kidnapping had everyone on the agency staff really worried. We were concerned for all the missing women, but especially you, since you are a good friend of Kelly Mason, my boss’s daughter-in-law. I wish all five kidnapped women had been released or found safe. It was so sad that Loretta Morris was killed.”
“Yes, and Mac Mason still carries the emotional scars over the death of Don Rubens.”
Several weeks earlier, Mason-Phillips Investigative Services in which Mac Mason was a partner, had been instrumental in the solving of a case in which young, beautiful women were kidnapped and procedures performed so their eggs could be extracted for use in women who were unable to conceive. Chloe Meyers had been one of the women kidnapped and later released. Elaine Alston was a private investigator employed by Mason-Phillips. “How long will you be in the Big Apple?” Chloe asked.
“I’m flying back to Florida tomorrow. I’m looking forward to getting back in the saddle after my vacation. I wish Cashar could have come with me, but he was right in the middle of a huge case and couldn’t get away,” Elaine shared.
“That’s right! You’re engaged to Cashar Merritt. Have you two set a date yet?” Chloe asked.
“No, Cashar is not one to move too quickly. But, I think we’ll tie the knot soon. You know, it’s funny; we have three couples associated with the staff who might well be married before year-end. Besides Cashar and me, there’s Moose Williamson and Pepper Parker, as well as Paul Landers and Brenda Vinson.”
Chloe thought for a moment and then said, “I’ve met Moose, Paul, and Brenda at Mason-Phillips, but don’t think I know Pepper.”
“Pepper is from South Africa; she works in a consulting firm in Venice, and met Moose a few months ago. It seems they are as slow to tie the knot as Paul and Brenda and Cashar and I,” Elaine laughed.
“What is it about Florida? Maybe I’d better move back there if I’m to find a husband,” Chloe said, also laughing.
“It’s the water, Chloe. It’s the water!”
As the two women continued to chat, voices could be heard from a nearby booth. Elaine, hearing familiar words, began straining to listen.
Picking up on bits and pieces of the conversation, she heard:
“She has no idea.”
“You know……detective agency……Venice.”
“Do you think ….. find out?”
“Hmmm,” thought Elaine. “Detective agency? Venice? Is that just a coincidence?”
Elaine returned her attention to Chloe as they finished their lunch.
As the two women left their table, Elaine stopped briefly at the nearby booth.
“I’m sorry to seem as if I am an eavesdropper, but I thought I heard you mention a detective agency in Venice. I work for Mason-Phillips Investigations there and couldn’t help but wonder about the coincidence,” Elaine shared with the two men in the booth.
One of the men responded. “You’re right to be apologetic about listening in, but you must be mistaken. I don’t know anything about a detective agency in Venice. I’ve never even been in Italy.”
Elaine thought a moment. “Well, it’s Venice, Florida, and I guess I was wrong. Again, my apologies.”
Elaine and Chloe left the restaurant.
“Do you think she heard everything we said?” one man asked.
“I don’t know, but if she did, that could ruin everything,” the other man replied.
“Let me think about it. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
*****
Chloe hailed a cab and hugged Elaine goodbye. Elaine began the short walk back to her hotel. As she walked the few blocks, she didn’t notice the man across the street that was following her and was not letting her out of his sight.