BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

“I didn’t see anything else at all in your home that interests me, Mrs. Frawley,” he said disdainfully. “It’s the sideboard or nothing.”

“Nothing!” Edna stated. “Please leave! You are rude and insulting.”

“Well, excuse me!” He turned and charged out the door.

Jody tried to make amends. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Sometimes people say they don’t want to sell something but for the right price …”

Oh sure, Regan thought. I bet you’re making a percentage on everything that’s sold.

Regan conferred with Edna and Nora, then she went up to Karen’s room, shut the door, and called Jack.

“I’m getting there!” he said when he answered the phone. “Maybe another twenty minutes.”

Regan smiled. “Great. Come straight to Edna’s house,” she said, speaking quietly. Shoppers were outside in the hallway. Quickly she explained to him the latest developments. “You said you wanted to help?”

“Anything for you.”

“I’d love for your office to run a check on Cleo’s agent’s son. Maybe the agent, too. They claim to not know where Cleo is, and maybe they don’t, but I’m afraid if the son ran into her there would be trouble. He was furious when he left here.”

“What are their names?”

“Ronald Flake and Horace Flake. Horace is the son.”

“I’ll call the office right away,” Jack said.

After they hung up, Regan sat for a moment. I doubt Cleo went back to Los Angeles but it wouldn’t hurt to call her apartment building out there. Regan searched the Internet and found the name of the management company for Cleo’s building, then called their main number. Naturally she heard an automated recording that listed all her options. She pressed 0 for the operator and heard another recording. What does it take to get a human being to answer the phone? she wondered with frustration.

Three more tries.

“May I help you?” the operator asked.

“Yes, I’d like to speak to the manager of Kings Way.”

The operator didn’t feel the need to respond. She connected Regan to an extension without saying a word. A woman’s voice mail picked up. “Hi. This is Alicia Isabella Jurcisin. I’m not at my desk right now but …”

Regan left a message for Alicia to please call her back. Next Regan tried to reach the operator again. This time it took four tries.

“Hello,” Regan began when the operator picked up. “I was just connected to the manager of Kings Way but she’s not there. Can you give me the number of the superintendent of that building?”

“One moment.”

Regan waited.

“The number of the office in that building is 323 …”

“And the superintendent’s name?” Regan asked.

“Rufus Spells.”

“Thank you.” Regan hung up and dialed the number. Why am I not surprised to hear another voice mail message? she wondered.