Chapter 13

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Barlow finished studying the newspaper archives, and as far as he could determine, the theft at the convention center taking place during the Summer National Sports and Outdoor Show had never been solved. From the sketchy information found in the news articles, someone had entered the vault during the busiest day of the summer show, one of the largest, most well-attended in the country, and made off with a lot of cash.

The gate and parking money were held in the vault with the cash scheduled to be picked up by an armored car service early the next morning. The quantity of money stolen wasn't disclosed, although one unnamed source speculated the amount to be well into six figures.

Barlow calculated the robbery occurred about four hours before the incident with the submerged car. The amount of cash would've been consistent with what he had seen in the trunk, and Harrisburg was located across the river only about an hour away.

Had the driver, Neil Mantener, been the perpetrator? If so, it still didn't answer what had happened to the money and who had drowned the man and moved him back into the car.

Why didn't the police make the connection between Mantener and the robbery? Then again, with no cash at the scene of the accident, why should they? They would see the accident as a random event caused by a university student driving too fast on an unknown road.

Barlow digested the information and decided he would call Pet and let her know what happened. She had access to information that might not be readily available to the general public.

Would Pet think he had an ulterior motive for calling? Did he? He pulled his phone and the business card she had given him the night before. Would she think this to be a cheesy excuse, something he invented to talk to her again. He reminded himself that she was married.

He reconsidered. "It's not as if I'm asking her out. This really is a matter for the police." He punched in her number.

She picked up on the second ring. "Trooper Petronia Henning speaking."

"Pet, um, this is Barlow."

"So, you decided to call? I gotta say I'm surprised, but Barlow, I'm on duty right now. Can I call you back in a few minutes?" She sounded genuinely happy to hear from him.

"I just want to ask if we can meet later after you get off."

"You sound tense. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Instead of calling me back we should meet. What I have to tell you is complicated."

She giggled. "My life is full of complications. I don't want any more."

"I need your help as a law enforcement officer. Official business."

With an amused tone, she said, "If you got a speeding ticket, I can't do anything about it."

"Pet, listen to me. It has to do with the night we broke up and about that freak accident."

"You mean when that guy drove his car into the river and drowned?"

"Yeah. I found out something about the accident today that I hadn't known before."

"Hmm. You've piqued my curiosity. When and where do you want to meet?"

"The Dancing Bear at seven. Does that work for you?"

"Why there? I assumed you were staying at your dad's old house?"

Too many bad vibes at that place. He was happy with his decision to stay at the inn. "I have a room here. We can talk in my room or at the bar if you prefer."

"I'm done at six. I should be able to meet you around seven."

He noted how she hadn't balked at meeting him in his room. "I'd appreciate if you came alone."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Her tone took on a suspicious edge. Maybe he had assumed too much. Maybe she wanted to bring Charlie.

"Someday I want to meet your husband." Yeah, when hell froze over. "But not tonight. What I have to tell you about that incident is weird, so I'd like to keep it confidential for now. Between you and me."

She considered his request and agreed. Barlow ended the call. Husband or not, his heart beat a little faster in anticipation of seeing her again.

Petronia arrived early and didn't see Barlow at the bar. She thought about ordering a drink while waiting but decided instead to find him. She got the attention of Anson, the bartender, and asked which room Barlow was staying in.

"That guy you were with last night?"

She scoffed. "I was not with him. He's an old friend who asked me to stop by tonight to inform me about something that's official police business."

Anson laughed. "In his room? What kind of police business would that be?"

"Police business that's none of your business."

Anson leaned with both hands on the bar. "You have a warrant?" The smile on his face signaled he was just messing with her.

She smiled back at him. "No, but during some busy evening I could park my cruiser outside your door. I wonder what effect that would have on business? I'm sure you would like to explain that to your boss."

Anson raised his hands in mock surrender. "Room seven."

Petronia walked up the stairs, found room seven, and knocked.

Barlow opened and greeted her, his eyes settling on the gap in her V-neck sweater. It was tight and exposed a little too much of her, but she had chosen it on purpose to remind him what he had given up.

"Let's talk downstairs in the dining room," Barlow said. "I could use a drink."

"Me too," Petronia said, although she felt a bit disappointed losing the intimacy of meeting in his room.

They chose a corner table farthest from the bar.

Barlow motioned for Anson. The man sauntered over, a look of annoyance on his face. "Why such a faraway table? You want to make sure I get my exercise tonight or what?"

As far as Petronia was concerned, the guy just lost a few percentage points off his tip.

"We need privacy," Barlow explained.

"Yeah, right," Anson said in a flat tone while tapping a pencil against his pad. "Official police business. What'll you have?"

They both ordered draft beer. After last night, Petronia couldn't stomach anything stronger. She would nurse her one drink. Or maybe she'd have two.

Since it was a slow night, it took only a minute for Anson to return with the drafts. When he left, Barlow took a long pull and ran a sleeve across his lips. He looked her in the eye. "I'm hoping we can pick up on our conversation we started last night."

Petronia felt the same way, but she didn't want to appear too eager. "I thought this meeting was about some information you wanted to share."

"It is. Let me start by telling you about my walk home during our final night together."

The story he told about the steamer trunk full of cash and a man he had saved from drowning contradicted everything Pet knew about that accident. What he said seemed hard to believe but given their history, she knew Barlow well. He wasn't the kind of man to make up fantastic stories.

In the back of her mind, she had to wonder. Why was he telling her all these things now?

Do you think Pet will be able to help Barlow get to the truth?

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