Greed Can Be Deadly Read online

“If you think that’s unbalanced you should take into account the amount of wealth that goes undeclared by both executives and criminals.” Jo raised an eyebrow.

  “But the point here is we need to figure out what’s going on with Colin,” Samantha said.

  “Hopefully, I’ll find out more tonight. It may be nothing, I may be overthinking it.” Eddy shrugged, then smiled at the waitress as his breakfast was delivered. “Thank you.”

  “Oh, this just isn’t right.” Walt grimaced as he looked at his plate. “There’s just too much food here, it’s completely out of balance for a meal. If I ate all of this it would equate to two meals, and I really like lunch, I don’t want to skip lunch.”

  “It’s okay.” Jo smiled at him as she slid one of his pancakes onto her plate. “We can share.”

  “Thanks.” Walt looked at her with a smile of relief.

  “Anytime.” Jo stole some of his sausage as well.

  Once everyone finished their food, Walt and Jo excused themselves. They had plans to take a walk in the park as Walt insisted it was the optimal temperature for low bug interference and high Vitamin D absorption. Samantha and Eddy lingered long enough to finish their coffee. She noticed that he was uncharacteristically quiet.

  “What’s on your mind, Eddy?” She studied him.

  “Oh, just thinking about Colin I guess. I wish we hadn’t lost touch. He was such a good kid.”

  “He’s not a kid anymore, Eddy, keep that in mind.” Samantha took the last sip of her coffee. “He may need your help for other reasons.”

  “What do you mean?” He finished his coffee as well, then looked across the table at her.

  “I mean, you’re thinking he might be caught up in some kind of investigation, but what if he’s the one that’s in trouble? He could be involved in something that could get you into deep water.” Samantha stood up from the table and dropped a few dollars on it for an extra tip.

  “You think he might be caught up in something illegal?” Eddy’s eyes widened as he stood up as well. “I didn’t even consider that.”

  “All I’m saying is that people stray. Maybe he thought he could handle whatever he got himself into, and now he’s discovered that he can’t. I just don’t want to see you pulled into something that you don’t belong in.” She walked beside him to the door.

  “You should know me better than that, Samantha.” Eddy pulled open the door for her.

  “I do.” Samantha stepped outside, then turned to face him as he joined her. “I know that for all of your tough exterior you have a very soft heart, and if someone you care about is in any kind of trouble, you will do whatever you can to help them. I just don’t want to see you put yourself at risk.”

  “I’ll be careful.” He smiled some as he looked into her eyes. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

  “Okay.” Samantha folded her arms across her stomach and gazed back at him. “What is it?”

  “I need a favor.” He cleared his throat. “But only if you don’t mind.”

  “Just spill, Eddy, you know you can talk about anything with me.”

  “Argue about anything, you mean.” He grinned.

  “At times.” She nodded with a short laugh. “So, what is it?”

  “I was thinking, it might help me to keep things in perspective, if I had another set of eyes there tonight. Someone with great instincts, someone that knows me well enough to pull me back if I do try to tread into something I shouldn’t.” Eddy tilted his head in her direction. “Someone like you?”

  “You want me to go to the birthday party with you?” She quirked her brow and smiled.

  “So, will you go?” His eyes narrowed.

  Samantha stared back at him. She hadn’t expected that he was serious, but now she could tell that he was.

  “Do you really want me to? Won’t it seem a bit awkward to invite someone?” Samantha frowned as she tried to deduce whether he really wanted her to be there.

  “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want you to. Colin said I could bring someone.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced out at the parking lot. “If you don’t want to, it’s fine.”

  “Of course, I’ll go with you, Eddy.” She touched the curve of his shoulder and met his eyes when he looked back at her. “I’m just surprised that you asked, that’s all.”

  “I’ll pick you up at six?” He smiled.

  “Sure, that’s fine.” She shivered as a strong breeze carried through the parking lot. “I thought it was supposed to warm up.”

  “Yes, well, those weathermen never get it right. I’ll see you tonight.” Eddy strode off towards his car. As she watched him go she couldn’t help but wonder what he was up to. No, it wasn’t unusual for him to want to spend time with her, they enjoyed each other’s company immensely, when they weren’t bickering over differing opinions, and often at times even when they were. But it was strange that he wanted her to come to the party with him. But now she was faced with another dilemma, what would she wear?

  As Samantha drove back to her villa she thought about the options in her closet. She kept a few fancy dresses for the events that the retirement community hosted, and she had lots of casual clothes, but she didn’t have much that was dressy casual. She didn’t have call for it often. When she arrived at home she sorted through what she had available. She was able to piece something together, but it was hard to decide what to wear without knowing much about the party. She decided to look up the name of the man who the party would honor. There might even be some posts about it that would give her a better idea.

  As she sat down at her computer her investigative mind kicked immediately into gear. She loved to dig into people, not always for the purpose of finding dirt, but just to get to know a person she otherwise might know nothing about. When she worked as an investigative journalist, her favorite part was getting to the truth. She still had a nose for it, which might account for why she wasn’t more popular around Sage Gardens. Many of the women there were all about appearances, and she wasn’t the type to put on an image for others. She believed that being herself was the best way to live. Not everyone understood that.

  It didn’t take Samantha long to find information about Hank Greer. His name was used frequently in news articles and splashed across social media. He had a dual-sided reputation. On one side, presented in news articles and headlines he was a brilliant detective, a top cop, someone that the entire community should be proud of, and celebrate. It said so, particularly on the announcement of his birthday celebration. He would be turning fifty, and the bash was also a fundraiser for charity. His large arrest record was touted, along with his involvement in youth programs. However, it only took a little more digging and reading to find the flip side of Hank Greer. There were many complaints on social media about how he bent the rules, and that he might be on the take.

  Someone splashed pictures of his high-end car, large house in a rich neighborhood, and him dining at a fancy restaurant as proof that he had to be getting more funds from somewhere. There was no way to tell if the complaints were justified or not. In one the author claimed that he had been targeted by Hank, despite being innocent. The charges were later dropped as it was a case of mistaken identity. She knew that Hank could have had legitimate reasons to arrest him, but she wasn’t sure.

  Samantha flipped through a few more complaints and made some notes on a pad of paper. She was not the type to believe every story. She knew that police officers had a hard job and often had to make split-second decisions that no other person would ever be confronted with, and they were often criticized without people knowing the full story.

  She’d written some stories about questionable actions taken by police, but had also written many about the good things they did. With all of the praise heaped on to Hank it was difficult not to weigh the good against the bad. Sure, he might have had some downfalls, but it sounded like he did quite a bit of good. Maybe it evened out in the end.

  She cringed at the thought.
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br />   “You are getting old, Samantha. You know better than to think that the end justifies the means,” she said to herself as she wiped her eyes which had grown dry from staring at the computer screen. At least she had an idea of whose party she would be going to that night, and why. The announcement indicated that it was at a high-end hotel, so she knew she needed to exchange her dressy casual outfit for one of the fancy dresses in the back of her closet. She smiled to herself as she smoothed the wrinkles out of the skirt. It would be nice to get to spend an evening with Eddy.

  Chapter 3

  By six Samantha was ready to go, and as expected, there was a sharp knock on the door. Eddy was rarely late, and it seemed he’d decided to stick to that pattern. She slung a small purse over her shoulder and tugged the skirt of her dress down over her hips. She was rounder than she used to be in all areas of her body. The dress hugged her tight, but she was still pleased with her reflection in the mirror. When she opened the door, she found Eddy outside. She was sure he was wearing a smart suit, but she couldn’t tell, as his trench coat covered everything but a few inches of pant legs and his shoes.

  “Wow, Sam, you look great.” He stared at her, his mouth half-open. When he realized it, he closed his mouth and smiled.

  “Just something from the back of the closet.” Samantha shrugged. “I saw that the event is at Admirals Hotel, so assumed it was a dressy occasion.”

  “How did you find that out?” Eddy escorted her through the door of her villa, and towards his car which waited at the end of the walkway.

  “I did a little research.” Samantha paused as he held open the door for her. Once they were both in the car, she looked over at him. “How much do you know about Hank Greer?”

  “Only that he’s some kind of hometown hero. I have heard a few rumors about him being a bit rough, but never seen any proof. Everyone seems to love him. He certainly appears charming and knows how to get people on his side.” He shrugged and turned the key in the ignition. “I don’t know him personally, really. I only met him a couple of times years ago. Honestly, I have no idea why Colin wants me there tonight, but I’m willing to see what plays out.”

  “Me, too.” Samantha narrowed her eyes as she decided not to reveal what she had found. It was better if Eddy came to his own conclusions. Besides, she had no idea if Hank Greer had anything to do with the problem that Colin needed help solving. She glanced over at Eddy and noticed that his usual trench coat had a large coffee stain from the cuff to almost the elbow.

  “Eddy, how in the world did you spill coffee up to your elbow?” Samantha laughed as she traced the pattern with her fingertip.

  “Don’t ask.” He rolled his eyes. “Let’s just say, recliners aren’t always where you expect them to be.”

  “Oh? Did yours get up and move?” She held back laughter.

  “Yes, yes it did.” He grimaced. “I’m sure I can get it cleaned.”

  “Maybe, or you could just buy a new coat.” Samantha raised an eyebrow. “What do you think of that?”

  “I think it’s rubbish. My coat is just fine, it’s been through a lot with me. It’s not going anywhere.”

  “All right then.” She grinned as she looked back out the window. Maybe Eddy was a little stuck in his ways, but she really enjoyed some of his quirks.

  When Samantha and Eddy arrived at the hotel, the parking lot was packed.

  “Wow, quite a big turn out.” She stepped out of the car as Eddy held the door.

  “Yes, he’s a big deal, I guess.” Eddy shrugged, then offered her his arm.

  They were greeted at the door by a doorman, who held the door open for both of them. Eddy adjusted the collar of his trench coat and wondered if this was all a big mistake. He certainly didn’t belong in a place like this. Samantha gave his arm a gentle squeeze, as if she might know what he was thinking. He smiled at her. Samantha had become a very close friend, if not a best friend. He spotted Colin in the lobby of the hotel as they stepped inside. Colin spotted him as well, and walked towards him.

  “Hi, Colin, I’d like you to meet my friend, Samantha.” Eddy smiled as he gestured to her.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Samantha.” Colin smiled as he offered her his hand. “Any friend of Eddy’s is a survivor.” He laughed.

  “Ouch.” Eddy grinned.

  “He’s not wrong.” Samantha laughed as well.

  “You could have told me this was going to be such a swanky event.” Eddy glanced past him, through the glass double doors that led into the ballroom.

  “Sorry I didn’t give you all of the details. But we should get inside before it gets too crazy. Once the alcohol starts flowing things get a little wild.”

  “Wild?” Samantha stared at the gathering of well-dressed people inside. She couldn’t picture any of them getting wild.

  “We’ll just drop off our coats, and meet you in there.” Eddy nodded to the woman behind the coat check counter as Colin walked through the double doors. Then Eddy turned and helped Samantha out of her coat.

  “Thanks.” Samantha smiled as he gathered her coat. She was impressed by the suit he wore. It was black with gray pinstripes and he paired it with a gray tie and a white button up shirt. He looked handsome, in a way that she didn’t expect. She got so used to his normal style, which usually involved wearing an old light-brown suit, that she forgot that he could dress up, too. Of course, his hat remained perched on the top of his head. As he took her arm she noticed that he carried himself with a certain level of confidence that she didn’t see in their day-to-day life. She guessed it was because he’d stepped back into the role he was most familiar with. For this night at least, he wasn’t retired.

  “Looks like the entire police force is here,” he mumbled as they moved through the doors. He saw many familiar faces, and many more that belonged to strangers. A pang of nostalgia carried through him as he realized that he was on the outside looking in now. In some ways that was a relief, but in the biggest way, it was a heavy blow to his self-image. He was still attempting to redefine who he was without a badge on his belt.

  “Do you think there’s anything to those rumors about Hank’s less than stellar behavior?” Samantha followed his lead as he approached a table where Colin sat, a man on either side of him.

  “I can’t say for sure.” Eddy lowered his voice as they neared the table. “There was once a time when I would have insisted that any bad word said about him was false, but experience has taught me that there are no certainties when it comes to people. Time can change everything.” He pulled out a chair for her.

  As she settled in it, she noticed that the men on either side of Colin sat rather close. Most men didn’t intrude on each other’s space. While women might lean close, touch shoulders, even whisper to one another, generally men left a safe distance. But these men were close enough to breathe down Colin’s neck.

  “Ah, Eddy, I was just talking about you.” Colin grinned. “Do you remember Mitch and Riley?”

  “Mitch and Riley?” Eddy squinted at them as he sat down beside Samantha. “Wait a minute, they can’t be?”

  “That’s right. Hank’s boy and his friend. All grown up.” Colin chuckled. “And they are managers at the furniture factory on Main, now.”

  “Eddy.” The older of the pair raised an eyebrow. “How are you, old man?”

  “Can’t be that old, if he has a date this pretty.” The younger man winked at Samantha.

  “Oh yeah, you’re Hank’s son all right.” Eddy rolled his eyes and laughed. “Your father always was a charmer. You guys were always inseparable, looks like that hasn’t changed.”

  “Do you remember that time you busted us, Eddy?” Mitch met his eyes. “Caught us at that party?”

  “I remember.” Eddy nodded. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about that.”

  “Great night.” Riley smiled. “We were getting along with some girls and were just about to score some drugs and then these two show up and break up the whole thing!” He groaned.

  Sam
antha pasted a smile on her lips. She was used to boy talk, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed listening to it.

  “Listen, you never should have been there in the first place. Only fifteen, what were you thinking?” Eddy shook his head, his eyes heavy as they shifted between the two of them. “But I guess you’re straightened up now, huh?”

  “Only because you let us slide.” Mitch picked up his beer and held it in the air towards Eddy. “We never would have gotten anywhere with a record.”

  “Never mind that.” Eddy waved his hand. “You should be celebrating with your dad. Where is he anyway?”

  “Eh, he’s always running late.” Mitch shrugged. “One of these days he’ll realize the world doesn’t revolve around him.”

  “Right, when will that be?” Riley chuckled.

  “According to him the sun doesn’t rise, unless he does,” Mitch said.

  “Giving the old man a hard time?” Colin’s eyes widened. “Sounds like sour grapes to me.”

  “No sour grapes. He is just a tough taskmaster.” Mitch rolled his eyes. “Trust me, he’s harder on me than he is on the officers under his command.”

  “Command?” Eddy looked between them. “I didn’t realize he’d been promoted.”

  “Sure, he’s a chief now, of 54th division.” Mitch coughed. “Apparently, they have the highest records of jaywalking tickets and dog poop complaints. Real tough area.”

  “Easy now.” Eddy wagged a finger at him. “Your father worked hard to get where he is, he deserves a little vacation in an easy division.”

  “To Dad.” Mitch raised his glass in the air again. “And to Eddy, the man that saved our tails from being skinned.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” Riley laughed as he raised his glass as well. Colin joined in the toast as they all laughed together.

  “Thanks, boys.” Eddy nodded.

  Mitch stood up, then rested his hand on Colin’s shoulder. He leaned close and murmured something in his ear.

  Colin’s body tensed as he looked up at Mitch, who was at least fifteen years his junior. “You’re mistaken.”