Page 63 of Mission: Possible

"'What-ifs will also drive you crazy. Be patient, let me help you. Don't forgot we're also looking for a legitimate reason for all that cash." I paused to change the subject. "How is Sophie today?"

"Actually there's some good news. An increase in her brain activity! Her doctor says that's very positive."

"Great! I'm glad to hear it."

"Do you have any other updates for me? I could really use some more good news right now."

"I wish I did. I actually called to find out which museum Sophie used to work at?"

"The city museum."

"When did she stop working there?"

“Shortly after we got married."

"Do you know why she left?"

"I think I can honestly say I don't know anything about my wife for certain, but she told me she decided it wasn't the right path for her because she didn't really enjoy retail work although she loved the museum. She was passionate about art and history. She read a lot about both subjects. I suggested she put her knowledge to work at a charity I could create but she said no. She wanted to do something else, possibly interior design after she found herself enjoying all the work going on at the house."

"Was she close to any of the museum employees?"

"She got on well with everyone. She spoke to Melinda and Brian the most. They came to our wedding. Her boss was called Laetitia."

"Great. I plan to talk to them all today," I said.

"Did you reach Zach?"

"I did at Sky Outdoors. He didn't seem all that thrilled to answer my questions." I paused before telling Austen some of the nasty things Zach said. "Why?"

"He stormed in here first thing and demanded to know why he was being questioned about his sister. I told him it was normal routine for insurance companies. I'm not sure he believed me though."

"Is there any particular reason you don't want to tell him why you hired me?"

"He's her brother. If she's hiding something, he probably already knows about it. And I don't like him. There, I've said it. I never liked the guy."

"If I speak to him again, I'll make sure to tell him I was sent by your insurers."

Austen was silent so long that I opened my mouth to prompt him, but before I could, he said, "Zach wanted to know what kind of insurance policy I had on Sophie."

"Do you mean life or unforeseeable injury?"

"He wanted to know how much money the payoff was," said Austen. "He said she promised to always make sure he was okay and then said he knew I wouldrespectthat. I didn't like his tone. Plus, he jumped straight into asking about the value of her life insurance policy. You could have been an agent from our home insurance for all he knew!"

"Did he directly ask you for money?" I doodled on the notepad, wondering why Zach wanted to know the value of the policy. Was he fed up watching his sister enjoy a lifestyle he could never afford? Did he feel entitled to some of her good fortune? As I doodled the dollar signs, another thought came to me. Was Zach more driven by money than his sister was? I couldn't imagine any of my siblings wondering what they might gain financially through my death. And Lily already knew she would inherit my entire closet.

"No, but he certainly made it clear that he expected to get some."

"But did he say that explicitly?" I pressed.

"No," Austen conceded, "he didn't. It was fully expressed in his tone."

"Have you updated him on Sophie's condition?"

"Not yet. I expect he'll be at the hospital today so I'll tell him the latest improvement then."

I said goodbye and disconnected, grabbing my purse, and heading downstairs. Not having a car to zip around the city sucked, and I knew it was an issue I would have to address soon. Until then, I called my favorite car service: Lily. Lily agreed to pick me up before dropping Poppy off at day care. "This is so exciting," she said when I got in the car after flagging her down from the sidewalk outside the agency. "We haven't cracked a case together in ages."

"Why is Poppy wearing a false moustache?" I asked, wagging my fingers at the baby. The moustache wiggled as Poppy flapped her hands in glee.