Page 21 of Lawman’s Witness

“Maybe your expectations aren’t realistic,” Liz would tell her. “Does he have to be rich, handsome, successful and crazy about you and ready to get married?”

“I’m not like you,” Whitney would say. “No offense, but I’m not going to settle.” Liz had married Robert, who had his own roofing business. But when his business failed, they were quickly overwhelmed by debt and the marriage failed as well.

Liz knew she had no business advising anyone on relationships. “I just worry that you’re always going to be disappointed. Did you ever consider your dream man might not exist?”

Whitney had scoffed at that. “I know that there’s a man out there who can give me the amazing life I deserve. I just have to find him.”

A few months ago, Whitney called to say she’d found the man of her dreams. She’d been over-the-moon excited. “He’s perfect. He has his own business. He’s very successful and handsome along with being rich.”

“Who is this amazing man?” Liz had asked, trying not to sound skeptical.

“I’m dying to tell you, but we have to keep it hush-hush for now. He’s in the middle of a really ugly divorce, but once the divorce goes through, we’re going to get married.” In the middle of an ugly divorce and yet ready to get married again right away? Liz must not have hidden her feelings quickly enough, because Whitney added, “He’s having our house built for us to move into right after the wedding.”

Building them a house? Getting married when the divorce goes through? Oh, Whitney, what have you gotten yourself into this time, was Liz’s first thought. Was the man even getting a divorce, or was he lying like so many of the others had?

Liz had to bite her tongue. She didn’t want to be the one who always tried to reason with her friend. Maybe it was true. Maybe Whitney had hit the jackpot. Liz certainly hadn’t.

But she couldn’t help feeling that this man was going to break her friend’s heart. There was nothing Liz could say that wouldn’t hurt Whitney, so she tried to be supportive. “He sounds like exactly what you’ve been looking for.”

“He is. He said I’m going to love the house, and he can’t wait to show it to me. It’s still under construction, but he wants me to pick out everything so it’s exactly the way I want it. He thinks I have a flair for decorating.” She’d beamed. “He’s promised to show me the house soon so I can start planning what I want to do. It’s really happening, Liz. I know you’ve always thought I was being too picky and I was going to be disappointed.”

“I stand corrected. I can’t wait to meet him,” she’d said, hoping this time Whitney really would get the man and the life she’d always dreamed possible.

“Once the divorce is over and we’re in our new home, I’ll have you and Robert or whoever you’re with over for dinner. I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

“That sounds terrific,” Liz had said, wondering if it would really happen. She definitely wouldn’t be with Robert or maybe anyone for that matter. “You know I just want you to be happy.”

“I am. I’m so lucky. Wait until you meet him. It’s going to blow your mind.”

Something in her tone had made Liz ask, “Is he someone I know?”

“I’ve probably already said too much,” her friend had said with a laugh. “His wife is really awful. We have to keep our relationship quiet so she doesn’t use it to get more of his money. She’s one of those.”

That was the last time Liz had spoken to her. She’d been worried ever since after what Whitney had—and hadn’t—told her and then gone silent for the past two weeks. One thing was clear. The man was married and maybe in the middle of a bad divorce. It sounded like a dangerous place for Whitney to be. Liz had been expecting one of her friend’s late-night drunk sobbing calls for several weeks now. But she also hadn’t had one of her excited, my-life-is-going-to-be-amazing calls either.

Liz didn’t have to be at work for several hours so she decided to drive to Laurel to the house Whitney had rented. Her friend wasn’t answering her phone, which was unusual enough. She had a bad feeling she should have checked on her sooner.

On the drive from her own house south of Billings, she turned at the Laurel exit. Her hope was to find her friend planning her wedding or busy making decorating plans for her new house. What worried her that was this time Whitney might not be able to handle another broken heart. This time the disappointment might be too much for her. Liz knew firsthand what disappointment did to a person.

Russ couldn’t get Amy Sue off his mind. Back at his desk, he pulled up the information she had given them about the person she’d rented the apartment from online. It was another piece of the puzzle and would prove that she was telling the truth if he could track it down. When he’d called the number she’d given him that night to verify what she’d told them about the rental, he’d left a message for the man to call him back. No one had and he’d dropped it, telling himself that it didn’t really have anything to do with the murder that allegedly hadn’t really happened.

But now he tried the number again and found that it was no longer in service. Well, that solved one mystery. When he’d called, he’d left his name and number at the police department. Amy Sue Brand was right, it had been a scam. Her money was gone, and he knew the department wasn’t going to chase it down for her. But he thought he might look into it to see if it led anywhere.

What interested him was why the scammer had picked that specific address with the door around back and an entry pad and light next to it. Clearly, the person was familiar with the address. Had Amy Sue tried the code he’d given, she would have found out what Russ had. The numbers didn’t work.

But why not give her a bogus address? It bothered him enough that he drove back to the construction site to find the crew still working on the apartment. Getting out of his patrol SUV, he flashed his badge to each employee he came across, looking for someone to react as he asked basic questions about the job.

He was beginning to think he was wrong until he spotted a young man with stringy dishwater-blond hair and worn work boots leaning on a shovel, visiting with several of his coworkers.

Russ flashed his badge and asked, “Did you work on the apartment house over there?” The man nodded and glanced over as his coworkers moved off as if not wanting anything to do with whatever it was. “What can you tell me about the apartment in the back?”

The man shrugged and shook his head. “I need to get back to work.”

“I just have a few more questions,” Russ said. “Let’s start with your name.” He saw the man hesitate. “Better yet, show me some ID.”

“I don’t have it on me,” he claimed, and looked toward a beat-up older model brown pickup parked at the curb.

“Is it in your vehicle?”