Scent of Gardenia (Scott Tucker Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

enjoyable than normal, given the thoughts
of spending some time with her in the near future.
     
    *.*.*
     
    Once
again, I was first into the office and opened up. I quickly made a pot of
coffee, and then went into my office getting ready for the others to arrive. I
looked at the card Mercedes had given me; Stephen Strong, Executive Officer,
Strong Realty Enterprises. I wonder how he feels about losing one of his
daughters.
    She was
one of four women who had killed four men in revenge for what had been done to
them or someone in their family. I had tracked her down, but was almost her
fifth victim until Mercedes intervened, and then fortunately Mike saved us both.
    Mercedes
sister, Melanie, had eluded capture by jumping through the open access port
into the icy waters of Boston Harbor. It was the dead of winter and she was
naked. The policemen who ran to the opening never saw her surface. Her body was
never recovered. Speculation was that the sea creatures consumed her body
before it could wash up on shore.
    I should
not bring her name up when I talk with Mr. Strong. If he brings it up that’s
one thing, but I better not. I wonder if he has red hair as well.
    Even
though I had blocked the memory of that ordeal for three years, seeing the Strong
Realty Enterprises name brought the memory back.
    I recalled
checking out suitable property where the victims could have been held, cut
apart and dumped in the ocean. The listings were supplied by Mr. Strong’s real
estate company, which Melanie worked for. Well I guess I got lucky and found
the right site, but I got unlucky finding it at the wrong time. Melanie knocked
me out. When I came to, I was naked and about to have my extremities detached.
However, that was after Melanie finished enjoying some of my parts before they
were removed.
    Mercedes,
who was suspected at being involved, put things together and found the missing
real estate listing and tried to rescue me. The two of them fought and Mercedes
wound up being tied up and forced to watch her sister’s actions. Then the cavalry
arrived several minutes later, saving both of us. Mike and the others watched
Melanie bolt for the hole in the floor. That was the last we ever saw of her.
    Now I
have to meet with their dad. This should be interesting, but I can’t overlook
the business lead. I heard Paddy’s and Mike’s voices and dialed the number on
the card.

Chapter 8
     
    “Strong
Realty Enterprises, this is Jean, how can I help you.”
    Paddy
and Mike slowed as they walked by my office. “Yes, my name is Scott Tucker and
Mr. Strong is expecting my call.” Paddy came back to my office door with a
questioning expression. I gave him the ‘thumbs up’ sign. He smiled and
disappeared.
    “Yes,
Mr. Tucker, he is expecting your call. Please hold while I see if he is
available to take your call now. Thank you for holding.” I was holding for just
a moment. “Mr. Tucker, I’m transferring your call now to Mr. Strong. Please
have a nice day.”
    “Scott,
its Stephen Strong. Mercedes said you would be calling me soon. You’re smart to
call me this early. I expect she told you what it’s about?”
    “Yes,
Mr. Strong, she—“
    He
interrupted, saying, “Please Scott, call me Stephen. Please continue.”
    “Thank
you. She told me you have some ideas on how to improve the real estate listing process.”
    “Yes,
and that’s a good introduction. The best approach, if you have some time, is to
show you what we deal with every day and then I can elaborate on the problems
associated with those methods, and make some suggestions. Mercedes says you’re
a bright Harvard graduate, and some other things more personal, and you’re helping
Paddy O’Brien expand his business. I have some contacts at the Real Estate
Board that can be influential if they see how positive changes can be made.
They just need to understand in more detail what I’ve been spouting about.
Regardless, when can you come over to see what we