A Sinister Sense by Allison Kingsley Read Free Book Online

tormented her.
    “You’re looking really fierce,” a deep voice said above her head. “Am I that late?”
    She glanced up to see Rick looking down at her. He was smiling, but she could see the uncertainty in his expression and was immediately apologetic. She’d turned him down so many times it was no wonder he was uneasy.
    “No, of course not.” She smiled up at him. “I was thinking about…” She was going to say the murder, but under the circumstances, that didn’t seem a good way toopen the conversation. “My mother,” she said after a short pause.
    Rick didn’t look too convinced as he took a seat opposite her. “Sorry I kept you waiting.” He glanced at his watch. “Tatters decided to make a run for it as I was coming out the door. I had to chase him around four blocks before I finally got hold of him.”
    Clara hid a grin. “Have you been taking him for walks?”
    Rick raised an eyebrow. “Walks? That dog doesn’t know the meaning of the word. His idea of a walk is to lunge at everything that moves, and if it looks like it’s getting away from him, he takes off after it, dragging me with him.”
    She studied him for a moment before answering. He didn’t look like a man accused of murder. In fact, now that he’d been reassured she wasn’t going to jump up and run away, he seemed perfectly relaxed and ready to enjoy the evening. “How are you doing?” she asked, trying not to sound as if doomsday were just around the corner.
    “I’m doing fine. How are you doing?”
    “You know what I mean.”
    The humor faded from his gray eyes. “I think I could be in a lot of trouble.”
    “I’m sorry.” She had an insane urge to reach across the table and grasp his hand. Resisting it with some difficulty, she added, “They still haven’t identified the victim?”
    “As far as I know.” He glanced around the room, as ifto make sure no one could hear him. “They found the murder weapon. It came from my store, and it was found just a few yards away from where my truck was parked.”
    “Yes, I know. I saw it in the paper.”
    “Unfortunately the killer had gone to the trouble of wiping it clean, so no prints. Dan wanted me to take a look at the body. I told him I’d never seen the guy before. I also told him I think someone is trying to frame me.”
    Shocked, she stared at him. “Who would want to do that?”
    “I have no idea. I don’t have any enemies. At least, I thought I didn’t.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Why else would someone use a tool from my store to kill someone and dump the dead body in my truck?”
    “I can’t imagine. I—” She paused as the whispers interrupted her thoughts.
They’re not related.
Not sure what that meant, she struggled to finish what she was going to say. “I…they may not be related.”
    She hadn’t meant to repeat what the voice had told her. Rick was looking at her as if she’d said something radical. “What does that mean?”
    She wished she knew. Groping blindly for an explanation, she said slowly, “Well, think about it. Parson’s Hardware is the only place in town that sells specialty hammers, so it’s not surprising the murder weapon came from your store.” She frowned. “How did the police know that’s where it came from?”
    “It still had the price tag attached to it.”
    “Oh, so it wasn’t something that had been used a lot, then.”
    “Exactly. When I checked the inventory, there was one missing. Whoever took it didn’t bother to pay for it. I think it was taken specifically for the purpose of committing murder.”
    Clara shivered. “Even if it was, how would the killer know you would be at the bowling alley that night? Did you tell anyone you were going there?”
    “Only Tatters, and I don’t think he would pass it on to anyone.”
    She wrinkled her nose at him. “Funny. Well,
I
think your truck just happened to be in the parking lot at the time of the murder and provided the perfect hiding place to get