Afraid to Die by Lisa Jackson Read Free Book Online Page A

could grab Chinese food from the deli and cookies and candy from the bakery, if Joelle’s stash failed her.
    Both kids would be home and they’d have a bit of “normal” home life, if there was such a thing.
    Satisfied that she was making a step in the right direction, she started into the bedroom when her cell phone rang. Finally. Jeremy decided to check in. But she was wrong. The number that appeared on her screen was unfamiliar.
    â€œPescoli,” she answered automatically.
    â€œOh, Detective. Hi. It’s Sandi. Down at the restaurant.” Sandi Aldridge was the owner and manager of Wild Will’s, an establishment that had been a landmark in Grizzly Falls for years. Tall and lanky, Sandi was a shrewd woman who wore enough makeup to make a runway model wince and always kept one of those over-shadowed eyes firmly focused on the restaurant’s receipts for the day. “I didn’t want to bother you, but I really don’t know what else to do.” That didn’t sound like Sandi, an opinionated woman who knew her own mind and didn’t mind telling you just how to run your life and anyone else’s as well.
    â€œIt’s fine.” Glancing at the clock on the microwave, Pescoli noted it was after ten. “What’s up?” She was getting a bad feeling, her cop senses heightened since never before had Sandi called her.
    â€œIt’s one of my waitresses. You know Brenda Sutherland, right?”
    â€œTall, blond, quick smile.” In her mind’s eye, Pescoli saw the woman, a friendly sort. Pretty. Always handy with a refill of coffee. Pescoli thought Brenda Sutherland had a kid around Bianca’s age. “Sure.”
    â€œWell, she didn’t come in today. Was scheduled for the lunch shift and to work through dinner. Never showed. Never called. I phoned her cell and her house and got no answer.”
    â€œThis is unusual?”
    â€œCompletely out of character. Brenda has never called in sick since she started with me. Never missed a day of work, unless one of her kids was down with the flu or something, and then she always called in and made sure her shift was covered. Most responsible waitress I’ve ever hired and I’ve had myself a few.”
    That she had. Sandi had been managing the restaurant for years, long before she split with her husband. She’d ended up with Wild Will’s in the divorce and had turned a mediocre restaurant into one of the most popular establishments in town.
    â€œI don’t think anyone’s filled out a missing persons report,” Sandi was saying. “Her boys are with their dad tonight; something to do with their custody arrangement and the holidays, I believe. I remember her saying that, so she would be alone. But I drove up to her house—it’s a cabin near September Creek on Elkridge Drive—and it was dark. No one there. Worse yet, I drove by her car parked on the side of the road just past the turnoff from the county road. It looks abandoned, a couple of inches of snow on it; I thought about calling nine-one-one but decided it might be smarter to phone you first, being as you know Brenda and all.”
    Pescoli’s heart sank. The abandoned car didn’t sound good. “Was her car disabled? Flat tire?”
    â€œDon’t know. Didn’t really look. I just went up to her house and knocked on the door, called her and heard the phone ringing inside. No answer. As I said, it’s just not like Brenda.” Sandi sounded worried and Pescoli didn’t blame her.
    â€œI’ll take a run up there,” she said, “and I’ll get back to you. In the meantime, if you could find her ex-husband’s name and phone number, maybe his address and any friends or relatives who might know where she is, that could help. Could be she broke down and had someone come get her. What direction was the car going when it was left?”
    â€œNorth. Toward her