Keegan 00 Soft Case by John Misak Page A

script was finished. Either way, she stood up.
    “If you don’t mind, I have many things to handle.”
    “Of course,” I said, standing up. Rick looked like he wanted to stay, ask more questions. It would have been of no use. I handed Sondra a business card. “Please contact us if you think of anything else.”
    She looked up at me, that seductive look coming back. I figured she just couldn’t turn that off, ever. No wonder they had some problems in the past. The woman was a five-alarm fire. “I will.”
    We got up and left the sitting room. Sondra made her way up the stairs to the left of the room. Standing in the foyer was the security guard. I really wondered why the Mullins’ needed so much security. I decided to ask the guy a few questions. Partly because I wanted to break his balls, and partly because it might help the investigation. In that order.
    “Thanks for the help, um,” I said.
    “Steve.”
    “Yes, Steve. And being that you’ve been such a big help today, I figured you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions.”
    Stevie wasn’t too happy about it, but I think he realized it was best to give me what I wanted, to get rid of me. Maybe he was porking the missus, and wanted to get back to business. I couldn’t blame him for that. As a matter of fact, I developed a new respect for him because it was possible.
    “What do you want to know?” he asked.
    “Well, did you see Mr. Mullins leave yesterday?”
    “I did.”
    “Did he say where he was going?”
    “He had to meet someone.”
    “Who?”
    “Don’t know.”
    “Of course you don’t.”
    “I don’t.”
    I raised my hands. “Okay, okay. What time did he leave?” “Around 3pm.”
    “Cameras pick him up as he was leaving?”
    He hesitated. “Yes.”
    “Might we see those tapes?”
    “No. I mean, I am not in charge of that.”
    “You are in charge of security, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, but it’s up to the Mullins’ as far as those tapes are concerned.”
    “I guess we’ll need a warrant, then.”
    “I guess so. Sorry.” He didn’t sound sincere. Something was up with the tapes, I thought. Either he didn’t have the tape, he never recorded it, or something was on it. All of those possibilities led to different scenarios. If he didn’t have it, then someone else did. If he didn’t record it, that was either a decision he or someone above him made, and I would have loved to know why. If there was something on the tape, something that hinted toward foul play, well, then, that’s self-explanatory. Or, perhaps it was nothing. Perhaps I was getting ahead of myself again.
    I didn’t think so either.
    “How long you been working here?”
    “Four years.”
    “As head of security.”
    “It’s not really called that.”
    “How many men they have?”
    “Two.”
    “Where’s the other guy?”
    “Been sick for a week now.”
    “Interesting.”
    “You think so.”
    “Yes, I do. Got his phone number?”
    “Yes.”
    “Convenient that he got sick, don’t you think? That might have something to do with the tapes, huh? Couldn’t record that day?”
    “I never said that. What the hell is your problem?”
    “No problem,” Rick said, interjecting. He saw what I was up to. I wouldn’t say that he disagreed with what I was doing, just how I was going about it. I shouldn’t have brought so much attention to the tape. If gave him too much warning. I realized that right when I looked at Rick’s face. Dipshit I am. “Anything strange happen yesterday?”
    “Other than my boss killing himself?”
    “You know what I mean,” Rick said, holding back a bit of anger. I really wanted to see Rick go off. He needed it, and I knew it would be nothing short of hilarious. I needed a good laugh. “Nothing that I can think of.”
    “What was Mr. Mullins’ mood like?”
    “He seemed distracted.”
    “Just distracted?”
    “Yeah.”
    “He didn’t seem suicidal?”
    “What does suicidal seem like?”
    This guy was a real