See No Evil by Gayle Roper Read Free Book Online

wheeled away his wife’s body. I rubbed my arms to get rid of the emotional goose bumps, but they weren’t the kind I could rub away.
    Gray saw the motion, and he looked from me to my old Caravan.
    â€œWhy don’t you just go on home, Anna?” he said. “It’s been a hard night. I’m sure the sergeant wouldn’t mind if I showed him what he needs to see.”
    I sighed again. “I wish I could just leave, but I’ve got to go inside. My purse. And I’ve got to finish hanging that treatment before it gets too wrinkled.”
    â€œOkay, get your purse, but then go. It’s after eleven. You’ve got to be beat. Finish the window tomorrow.”
    â€œI can’t. I’ve also got to pin the drapes up off the floor so the rug can be installed tomorrow.”
    Gray frowned. “I’m not much of a decorator, but wouldn’t it have been easier to wait until the rug was in to hang the things?”
    â€œThe rug was originally laid yesterday, but the interior designer—”
    â€œThat would be you.”
    â€œNo, not me. The woman I work for. She took one look at the rug and screamed, ‘It’s the wrong color green! Too yellow. Too yellow. Get it out of here!’ I was hanging the treatments in the master bedroom at the time and heard the whole thing.”
    â€œSo a new rug in a different shade of green arrives tomorrow.”
    â€œYep, and since I don’t know what time, I have to leave everything ready tonight.”
    Gray nodded. “Let me get another shirt from my gym bag, and I’ll help.” He reached behind the seat of his silver pickup, parked behind my Caravan, pulled a black nylon bag out, and rooted around until he found a gray T-shirt. He pulled it over his head.
    He wrinkled his nose. “A bit ripe. I wore it to play basketball today at lunch, but at least I feel decent. I’d advise you not to get too close though.” He smiled, and in spite of the emotional intensity of the evening, my toes curled.
    Oh, for goodness sakes, Anna, get a grip!
    We walked to the house and went inside. We found Sergeant Poole in the living room, staring at the ceiling. I looked up, and there was a hole where the bullet had struck. I hadn’t noticed it before.
    â€œSee it, Schumann?” Poole bellowed.
    Schumann’s voice floated down the stairwell. “It’s lodged in the side of a night table.”
    Rather the night table than me. I walked to the Tuscan Vine draped over the slipper chair.
    â€œLet me hold the material for you.” Gray reached out a hand. “I promise not to bleed on anything.”
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Poole asked, his gaze suddenly fixed on me.
    I stopped, startled, one foot on the ladder. “I need to finish hanging this treatment.”
    The sergeant shook his head. “Not tonight. The crime scene guys need to go over the room first.”
    Gray made a noise of distress, then held up a hand as Poole glared at him. “I understand, Sergeant, but it does make things difficult for me and for Anna.”
    â€œThey shouldn’t be too long in here. Just pictures and the removal of the slug. Oh, and scrapings of the blood for analysis. I’ll let you know when the coast is clear.”
    â€œThere’s a rug being laid tomorrow,” I said.
    â€œNot until we’re finished here there isn’t.”
    â€œAnd the model house opens to the public Saturday.”
    â€œProbably.”
    Recognizing an immovable object when I saw one, I nodded at the sergeant and carefully laid the lovely silk fabric over the slipper chair again. This time I took care to smooth it.
    â€œGo on home, you two,” Sergeant Poole said. “We’ll make certain the place is locked when we’re finished.”
    I grabbed my purse. As Gray and I walked out of the room, the sergeant called, “By the way, the place looks very nice.”
    â€œThanks.” Nice. We