LIVING ON THE EDGE

CHAPTER: 42

Private detective Sharon spent well over an hour at Amy Davies' place and was rather sad to leave. Amy made spiced tea and continued providing the best information that Sharon had ever received on Adriana so far. By the time Sharon left, it was clear that Melanie Jackson would have to be paid another visit. She was hiding something. 

If Melanie and Adriana were not close friends, if there was distance, it seemed strange that Melanie was the last person to speak with Adriana before she died. Sharon needed to find out why they were meeting the day she was murdered. She was sure Melanie had more information than she was sharing. Perhaps Adriana and Melanie had worked together in some type of business, but why would that need to be a secret? Also, why would they meet in Maury County? Amy Davies had been very helpful, but Sharon still had more questions than answers.

The next morning, Sharon was out of bed by 5:00 a.m. and behind the wheel headed to Melanie's by 7:15 a.m. She managed to avoid traffic on the highway by starting before the rush hour was in full swing. It was cold and breezy outside, leaving a frosty layer on the roads. She cautiously maneuvered over what may or may not have been black ice and slowed to a crawl as she approached Melanie's driveway. She reached there by 8:00 a.m. The Toyota Avalon rolled over the frozen dirt roads with ease, but as soon as she stepped out of the car, a frigid wind hit her in the face.

The door was unlocked and the sign 'We are Open' dangling on the door. A little bell alerted Melanie to Sharon's presence at the entrance.

"I will be with you in a moment," Melanie called from the studio. Within a few minutes, she walked out into the foyer and stopped short.

"What brings you by, Mrs. Stone?"

"This." Sharon pulled out the picture of Adriana, the unidentified man, and the baby. Melanie winced.

"What is that?" Melanie asked.

"A photo, Ms. Jackson. Is this the type of different lifestyle you were living when you met Adriana?" Sharon asked her.

"I don't think that is any of your business," Melanie replied.

"Do you know who the man is? Speaking of business, did you and Adriana have some time of business? I have heard that your meetings were not exactly the typical girl's night out."

"Mrs. Stone, I am sorry that you are having trouble finding information, but that is why this is a cold case. There are just some things we do not know about Adriana's past."

"Ms. Jackson, I am trying to get closure for a man who lost his wife, the mother of his children. If you have information that will help me do that, I need it. I just want the truth," Sharon said.

"I have told you everything I know," Melanie told her.

"Do you know the man in this picture?" Sharon shoved the photo into her line of sight.

"No, Mrs. Stone. This is my business. If you have more questions, feel free to call, but don't come over unannounced. If it ever happens again, I will be forced to call the police."

The drawback of being a private detective. You do not have the right to continuously show up and question a witness or suspect. They have to be willing to talk to you.

Sharon put the picture back in her pocket. "Thanks for your time," she said, turning to leave.

It was clear that Melanie was lying, but Sharon needed more data to push her over the edge. Back at the office, Stuart and she discussed the possibilities.

"Melanie is doing well, but maybe her business is a front for running drugs," Stuart said.

"I don't see Melanie and Adriana as needing to run drugs. Why did they do that, if not for the money?" Sharon questioned herself.   

"There is the gang connection. They are both tied to this Sam DaCosta character. He is in prison, but he might have someone on the outside giving orders. He could have them do his bidding while he is locked up," Stuart said. "Are you going to take this to the husband?"

"Not yet," Sharon replied.

"Yeah, hearing that the yoga teacher or trophy wife lived a fervent life in the worst slum in Maury County would probably be pretty shocking to the doctor," Stuart stated.

"Not exactly the profile one would expect for either one of them," Sharon stated.

"What is the deal with the guy they have in common?" Stuart questioned.

"It looks like Sam DaCosta was just a high school fling kind of thing for both of them. I am pretty sure he is the father of Melanie's daughter, but he probably has children all over the city. It is not uncommon for Maury County babies to have idle, feckless dads. Adriana probably just got caught up in the mess. I bet that was Melanie and DaCosta's baby in the picture with him and Adriana," Sharon said.

"It could be a different guy. Regardless, it seems so weird that Adriana and Melanie were friends," Stuart said. 

"It definitely seems like an unlikely friendship. But, then again, I feel the same way about Adriana and Chase. I don't see the connection," Sharon said. She then took out the picture of Adriana, the man with the bandana, and the baby. Next, she pulled up the image of Kiara Jackson at the spelling bee and held the picture next to the image on the computer. Kiara's wide-set eyes were darker than they had been when she was an infant if the images were of the same child. Of course, that was not uncommon. Infants change so much as they grow.

"What is our next move?" Stuart asked.

"I do not know, Stuart. Think. Search what we have, and then find out what we have missed," Sharon revealed the next course of action.

"This job does not work the way it does on TV," he said.

"I know. The sidekick usually drops a brilliant clue right about now."

Stuart gave her a smirk before grabbing his laptop and heading to his desk. They searched for random online tidbits on Adriana and her connections for the next one hour.