A Real Page Turner by Rita Lawless Read Free Book Online

unless you’ve talked to your lawyer?”
    “If you’re a suspect,” April said. “I’m not.”
    “Right now,” Misty continued. “But they always try to pin it on someone who didn’t do it, at least at first.”
    “You’ve read too many mystery books,” April told her. “Just get here.”
    “On my way.”
    April clicked off the phone. The two detectives were talking quietly. Rogers turned to her. “Do you still have the books she brought in the last time she was here?”
    “Some of them,” April said. “She brought a lot. I sold some of the newer ones already. I keep track of numbers, and what genre of books my customers like, but not the titles they buy. I have no clue who bought those books.”
    “Regency romances,” Threadway said.
    “And some mysteries,” April said. “But most of them are still in the back.”
    “Can we see them?” Rogers asked.
    April said they could. It was close to closing time, and she didn’t think anyone else would be in today. She locked the door and led them toward the storeroom. When they were in the back, she indicated the boxes. She stood in the doorway as they bent to examine them.
    About ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. April hurried to the front. Misty stood there, pulling on the locked door. April let her in, and her friend hugged her tightly.
    “Where are the cops?”
    “In the storeroom, looking at the books Virginia brought in.” April started to cry. “I just can’t believe she’s dead. She was so sweet.”
    Misty wrapped her into a hug. April’s shoulders shook as she cried. The sound of a man clearing his throat brought April back to the reality. Now was not the time to fall apart. She could do that later, after everyone was gone. She kept her gaze averted as she wiped her eyes. She turned to find the two officers standing in the doorway.
    “Nothing there but books,” Rogers said.
    “Well, this is a bookstore,” April said, hoping she sounded normal.
    “Misty,” Threadway said. “Nice to see you again.”
    “You, too, Officer.”
    “Detective,” he corrected.
    “Sorry,” she countered.
    “We’ll be going, but we might be back if we have more questions,” Rogers said. “If you remember anything about the man you saw her with at Charlie’s, please let us know.”
    April nodded her assent, then let the men out. When they were gone, she turned toward Misty. “Have you slept with him?”
    “Yup. He’s a good Dom.”
    April shook her head. “I don’t believe you. You’ve slept with everyone.”
    “Not his partner. I’ve never met him.”
    April couldn’t help but laugh.
    “Do you think they’re having the same conversation? Do you think Rogers is asking Sir James if he’d slept with me, and then saying he’s a ho-dog?”
    “I didn’t say you were a ho-dog.” April plopped herself down in one of the cushiony wingback chairs near the door of the shop. Misty sat in the other. April’s hands still shook, and she felt as if she might lose whatever food she’d eaten that day.
    “How is it that the cops came to see you about her?” Misty asked. “I didn’t think the two of you were that good of friends.”
    April hadn’t thought of that. “Well, I called her this afternoon. Maybe they were monitoring her phone. She’d brought some books in to the store for trade. That’s what they were doing in the storeroom, going through Virginia’s boxes.”
    An image of the smile on Virginia’s face the last time she’d been in the shop took hold in April’s mind. How was it possible that she was gone? That someone had come into her home and… She sobbed and put her head in her hands.
    “I’m so sorry.” Misty knelt in front of her and took April’s hands between hers. She squeezed them hard.
    April sniffled. “This just seems like a bad dream.”
    Misty hugged her, which made April feel as if things might be fine. “Want to go get something to eat?”
    “Yes.” April straightened and wiped away the tears