Why Not Murder

62. New Direction

62. New Direction

"Have you seen me before?" Maya asked Harmony,

"No, this is the first time," Harmony replied, "Why were you hiding in the backseat?"

"An investigation I am involved with, led me to the bungalow. I wasn't expecting you to be the one who would get in this car," Maya said, "usually its driven by someone else, a man."

"That's right," Harmony said, "Yesterday a light on the dashboard of the car I usually drive was flashing and the car is going to be checked over."

"I'd like to help you in your search for Mitchell, but Mitchell does not want to be found, and if you uncover information as to his whereabouts, others may also, and clearly he wants to remain incognito," Maya said, "Do you have a plan for your investigation?"

"No. I started training hoping that being a police officer may give me access to information I wouldn't otherwise have," Harmony said, "but like I said, I don't want to be a police officer any more. I miss Mitchell so much. I don't know what to do. I lost my job when the executive I was working for was murdered. I tried to get another job there but they didn't need me. Then Mr. Purcell gave me this job and I thought that was a piece of luck at first. Not anymore. What's going to happen now?"

"You give me your contact information and learn all you can about Mr. Purcell and the others. You said you don't have a daughter. Do you have close family?" Maya asked,

"I have a brother, he's single, overseas somewhere," Harmony said, "I don't even know what country. Parents have died of cancer. No one else."

"That's actually good," Maya said, "For types like you're dealing with, it's best not to have loved ones that can be kidnapped. Also, when I get in contact with you by email, I will pretend to be your daughter and that way you will know it's really me. You won't reply to my emails but I will tell you where we can meet. The date and time of the meeting will be one day earlier and one hour earlier than what I say in the email. Now you go back to the house you are surveilling and continue as usual. Write in your report as though you were surveilling the entire time so that there will be no gap for our meeting. Keep everything you learn in your head for when we meet again. I'll go with you as far as city limits. If you feel you are in any danger, use this to contact me. It's got GPS so I will find you." Maya gave Harmony the device Dog had given to Maya that looked like a small coin. Maya showed her that she also had one which was a receiver. On each side there was a dark circle. "Press here," Maya continued, "and I will know you are in trouble. I will get to you as soon as I can. Keep this hidden. No one must know you have it. I will help you and help Mitchell to stay alive and return to you."

Maya drove to city limits. Then Harmony took the wheel and Maya walked away. Maya looked behind her at the endless expanse of farm fields, houses on one side of the city limits and fields on the other. It was a clear, sunny morning. The sunshine made the wheat growing look like gold. As Maya was making her way to the train station, she passed a one-story office building. The sign outside indicated it was an insurance company. Maya recognized the name as the one that was stalling on the payout for Winnie and Tara's claim on the jewelry.

Maya entered the office building and approached the young receptionist. Maya said that she wanted to speak to George Thomson, her insurance agent. He was the agent, Tara had told her, who obtained the policy on the jewelry. The receptionist replied that everyone else but her was in a meeting and under no circumstances were they to be disturbed. The receptionist glanced down a list of names, some had numbers alongside them, and then looked at Maya, saying, "We don't have a George Thomson with us," she said.

"Strange," Maya replied, "He told me to come see him and this was where I last knew he worked. Would he be off site?"

The receptionist ran her finger down the list again and replied, "No, we haven't had a George Thomson with us in the last thirty years. This is the list of all agents who are associated with us and it includes those who were in the past associated with us but for one reason or another, no longer are. Was he here further back than that? Because if so, we wouldn't have records for him anymore. This company has only been in business for thirty years anyway."