She Cradled the Smoking Gun: Ch 12
A chill grips Lisa and she escapes the house for safety with a friend
Click here for Ch 1 | Ch 2 | Ch 3 | Ch 4 | Ch 5 | Ch 6 | Ch 7 | Ch 8 | Ch 9 | Ch 10 | Ch 11
As Stone pulled out of the driveway, Lisa did something she hadn’t done before and that was think through how Paul was killed. Was he asleep upstairs and he came down and …?
A chill settled over her and she realized her vulnerability, like she could be next. The police weren’t standing guard around the clock. Getting out of the house seemed the best thing to do. Before panic set in she grabbed her phone and texted Selena. Hey, you busy?
The reply came several minutes later. No, why?
I wanted to come up. Spend the night if I could.
Selena typed back. Sure. Of course. Want to grab dinner together?
Yeah. That’d be nice.
How soon will u be here?
I’ll leave shortly.
Ok. Drive safely.
Thanks. Lisa set her phone aside and got ready, packing a few things. At least she had a friend to go see. She wondered if Stone might still believe that she was capable of murder.
Relaxing and breathing easier felt good, and clutching a travel bag with walking shoes and sweats felt even better. She wanted company and needed to talk, but she also wanted to walk on the beach alone and clear her mind, though the heaviness would never leave.
Leaving and taking her bag to the car was like bringing closure until a Lexus pulled up, one she recognized. The car stopped and Joel Burman got out.
She froze.
“Hello, Lisa.” He waved and closed the door. “Did you get my text?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“I was in the area so thought I’d stop by. I wanted to go over some things with you.”
“Like what?”
“First, tell you how sorry I am about what happened to Paul. His loss affects many of us.” He paused.
“Thank you.”
“Listen, I’ve been thinking. I’d like to cut you in on the deal I was trying to work out with Paul. I have new investors.”
“Okay.” Lisa waited.
“I want to honor his memory. Just put in a small amount, and it’s totally passive income for you.”
You shameless son-of-a-bitch, thought Lisa. “Seriously, Joel. Now’s not the time.”
“I understand. I’d like to talk, though.”
“Talk to my accountant. All business goes through him.” Lisa stood by her car. “I’d like for you to leave.”
Burman sounded reluctant. “Sure. Makes sense. If you want to go over the numbers— ”
“No.” She kept a close eye on Burman as he climbed back into his car and slowly drove away.
Maybe the property would need to be gated and more surveillance cameras installed. But the thought of turning a home into a fortress didn’t seem right. This was her place and while she wasn’t known for entertaining and throwing parties, she liked the friendliness of an open property.
Hitting the road for a drive up the coast and into the arms of a friend seemed best, but Lisa didn’t feel like she was seeking comfort. She felt like she was escaping.
The traffic flowed well and Burman’s visit played over in her mind. She hit her phone and called Stone.
“Hello, Stone here.”
“Detective, it’s Lisa Kaye.”
“Yes?”
“I started feeling uneasy around the house so I’m heading up to Santa Barbara for a couple of days.”
“Okay. Thanks for letting me know.”
“It’s bothering me that whoever killed my husband knows how to get in the house, and the thought of sleeping there’s making me nervous.”
“Understandable.”
“And Joel Burman came by for a visit unannounced. He’s wanting me to invest in his project in memory of Paul. It made me think he could have paid Paul a visit and … oh, my God. I don’t want to say anymore. I can’t imagine just going into someone’s house and — ” She struggled to hold back tears and keep driving.
“It’s normal to be upset after what you’ve been through. Give me a call anytime.”
“Thanks. Detective. I will.” She hung up, breathing deeply and realizing that crying was becoming easier than she ever had imagined.
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