Page 50 of Night Watch
Erik looked at his brother. “Did you find anything suspicious in her background?”
Aiden nodded. “There seems to be some question about why she left her last job. Money went missing, and then she was fired.”
“Doesn’t mean she took it,” Kennedy said.
“True.” Aiden patted Pong, who sat between him and Erik. “But the detective who investigated the theft was suspicious because she was one of the few people who had access to the cash.”
“Still, if charges weren’t brought, we have no proof,” Erik said.
“No charges.” Aiden continued scratching Pong’s head as if the movement was helping him work this puzzle out. Pong rested his head on Aiden’s thigh looking content.
“Even if she did steal money,” Kennedy said, “it wouldn’t mean she tried to steal from my mom, much less kill her. I doubt Nora had access to my mom’s medicine.”
Aiden returned his arm to the chair back. “She could’ve lifted Wanda’s keys while she was working in the lab and had a copy made. And if she needed money, she might’ve given the key to someone else. Like the drug counterfeiters who wanted to stop your mom.”
Kennedy pinned her focus on Aiden. “I don’t know about Nora, but my mom was usually so focused on her work that she didn’t notice much of what was going on around her. Nora could easily swipe the keys and get them copied.”
“But there’s the matter of getting your mother to take the extra doses,” Erik pointed out.
“My mom’s schedule was like clockwork, rarely deviating. She took three breaks a day and powered down protein drinks in each of them. She kept them in a small refrigerator in the reception area, where Nora would have access. And my mom didn’t allow food or drinks in the lab due to potential contamination, so she took her breaks in the reception area. In fact, she frequently had lunch with Nora when she was there as Nora often picked up carryout on the way in.”
Aiden sat up, his eyes alight with enthusiasm. “So she could’ve crushed the tablets and mixed them in the food, though that might be too gritty. Better to dissolve them in the liquids.”
“Still, what’s her motive to kill my mom?” Kennedy looked at Aiden, then at Erik as if she really expected them to answer her.
“Men and women commit murder for different reasons,” Erik said. “For men, it’s often jealousy, revenge, arguments. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to be involved in gain homicides.”
“Gain?” Kennedy asked.
“They gain something from the killing. Money, the end of abuse, making life better for their children for various reasons, etcetera.”
Aiden tapped his finger on the chair. “I would think the only thing that works for Nora on that list would be money, but then I don’t know her.”
“Sheisstill working at her age, so maybe she doesn’t have enough savings or social security,” Erik suggested.
Kennedy frowned. “Or she just likes to work. At least she seemed glad to be there when I saw her.”
Erik was starting to like Nora as a suspect. “Think of her from the counterfeit drug manufacturers’ point of view. If she needed money, it’s not farfetched to believe they approached her and offered a payoff to help them stop the research.”
“Sounds possible,” Aiden said. “And maybe Nora learned about the safe, but she didn’t have the right combination so she sent the guy to the house to find it.”
“Why not just do it herself?” Kennedy asked.
Erik leaned forward. “Age. Insecurity. Maybe she’s working with this guy. A son maybe?”
“She does have five children,” Aiden said. “Three are male.”
Erik lifted the lid on his laptop. “Then we need their pictures to see if they fit the profile of our intruder. If they do, are they even in town?”
Aiden stood. “And if so, we’ll need to interview them and check their alibis for each incident.”
“I don’t know.” Kennedy grabbed that dangling lock of hair and swirled it around her finger. “I want to go on record as saying this seems pretty unlikely.”
“Unlikely or not, we have to follow up on every lead.” Erik looked up from his computer. “Starting with paying Nora a visit right after we pick up Wanda’s college files. Hopefully, we’ll get some answers to our many questions.”
13
Kennedy was thankful to be riding in the backseat of the Nighthawk SUV with Aiden driving and Erik riding shotgun. Erik hadn’t wanted her to come along to Nora’s place, but Kennedy persuaded him by pointing out that Nora would likely be more open to talk with Kennedy present. Still, she had to promise to follow his directions and wear a Kevlar vest. Plus, he’d done a thorough risk assessment and brought Aiden along for additional protection. Erik clearly took his job seriously, and she was impressed with the many skills he’d learned over the years.
