She elaborated, explaining, “I lost a pen some time ago, but it was found at the scene of the incident. Could you look into this?”
Once they discussed the matter, Stella’s tone softened as she regarded Dexter. “Have you noticed anything strange about Doreen Lately?”
When Dexter heard Stella’s question, his mind immediately jumped to Doreen and the money she had borrowed from him.
He hesitated briefly, considering the personal nature of the issue and the modest sum involved. Opting to preserve Doreen’s pride, he chose to remain silent on the matter.
Attempting to maintain a composed demeanor, Dexter responded, “I haven’t really spent much time with Doreen lately, and nothing out of the ordinary has caught my attention.”
Stella didn’t probe any further. She pointedly advised, “Ensure you thoroughly investigate this matter and keep a watchful eye on Lindsay.”
With a dismissive wave, she signaled him to exit.
The moment Dexter closed the door behind him, a sudden tug on his wrist startled him.
Instinctively, he jerked his hand away, only to discover a flustered Doreen beside him.
A flush of embarrassment warmed his cheeks as he stammered an apology.
“Oh, Doreen, I’m so sorry-I didn’t realize it was you. Everything alright?”
Regaining her balance, Doreen quickly reciprocated his apology, her voice tinged with discomfort. “No, no, I should apologize. I was too hasty. I just wanted to let you know I’ll pay you back in a few days.”
Her words were soft and filled with an awkward earnestness that underscored the delicate nature of their conversation.
Dexter brushed off the urgency with a nonchalant gesture, saying leisurely, “No rush, take all the time you need.”
Just as he was about to stride out the door, a sudden thought halted him;
Stella’s words had sparked a nagging curiosity. He swiveled back toward Doreen and probed, “Doreen, this sudden need to borrow money-—what’s going on? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
Doreen skirted around the truth with a dismissive shrug and a hasty switch in topic.
Sensing her reluctance to reveal more, Dexter decided not to pursue the matter further and exited.
Back inside his car, Dexter swiftly grabbed his phone and dialed Sanford.
“Mr. Quimby, Stella’s got me digging into Lindsay’s affairs.”
A chill of suspicion crept over Sanford upon receiving the news, and he felt an immediate urge to unravel this new enigma.
Over the phone, Dexter said, “It seems Stella suspects that Lindsay may be tangled up in Robin’s unfortunate demise.”
Memories of his previous interactions with Lindsay flashed through Sanford’s mind, alerting him to her possible motives.
After a brief pause to gather his thoughts, Sanford instructed with resolve, “Keep me updated with any developments immediately.”