Amaretto Amber (Franki Amato Mysteries Book 3) by Traci Andrighetti Read Free Book Online Page B

called and said that the police wanted to question the employees about Amber."
    I pulled a pen and paper from my bag. "Who found her body?"
    "Eugene did when he came in early to let the cleaning crew in."
    I made a note to question the manager. "What time was that?"
    "Two o'clock," she said, stretching out a leg to pull up her stocking.
    I glanced up from my pad. "Early? I thought you once told me that the club opens at noon for lunch."
    "It does, but on Sundays we open at five since it's the Sabbath," she replied as though strip clubs routinely based their operations around religious practices.
    I rolled my eyes and noticed a camera hanging from the ceiling, and a thought occurred to me. "Has anyone checked the security system video for evidence?"
    "You'd have to ask Eugene about that, sugar."
    "Glenda?" Veronica called. "Where are you?"
    Without thinking, I opened the door and then stared at my hand in horror. "We're in here."
    Veronica entered dressed in a red sweater and a pink skirt, and I wondered whether she was aware of the sex-laden symbolism of her outfit.
    "Love the color of the room," she said. "It's so fresh and feminine."
    If you only knew , I thought as I reached into my bag for hand sanitizer.
    Veronica pulled her pink Miss Sicily bag into the crook of her arm. "Glenda, I heard from Carnie a little while ago. She made an appointment to meet with Franki and me tomorrow morning."
    "Did she tell you why she wants to contract a PI?" I asked, rubbing the sanitizing gel into my hands. "It seems kind of odd when the police haven't even begun their investigation, much less questioned her about it."
    "She was fairly vague on the phone." Veronica turned to Glenda. "I was hoping that you could tell us more."
    Glenda fluffed her ruffle. "All I know is that when I called Carnie to tell her about Amber, she asked me if she had a necklace on. When I told her that she was wearing a chain with a flower on it, she said that she was going to need a private investigator."
    "That's bizarre," I said, patting some sanitizer on my neck.
    "I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow for an explanation." Veronica began rummaging through her bag. "In the meantime, Franki, Detective Sullivan has granted us fifteen minutes to view the crime scene."
    "Yes," I said with a fist pump. "What did it? The old bat and twirl?"
    "A polite request," she replied, opening the door with a tissue.
    I definitely dislike that detective .
    "I'll call you later, Glenda," Veronica said. "I've got a business proposition for you."
    "Ooh, Miss Ronnie," she exclaimed, squeezing her breasts together with her biceps and giving them a little shake. "That sent shivers down my spine."
    Funny. It sent chills down mine .
    On the way downstairs, Veronica handed me a bottle of Binaca. "Before we talk to the detective, spray this on that booze breath of yours."
    "Jeez. All I had was a little limoncello."
    "Well, I'm surprised at you, Franki," she said, crossing the club at a clip. "That stuff is loaded with sugar, and you gave up sweets for Lent."
    I stopped and gave my mouth a couple of squirts and then jogged to catch up with her. "That's right—sweets, not alcohol. You can hardly expect me to give up liquor when I don't have dessert to comfort me."
    Veronica shook her head and climbed the steps to the main stage.
    I followed close behind her without paying much attention to my surroundings. But when I stopped and processed the scene in front of me, my breath caught in my throat. I'd never seen anything like it—not as a cop, not as a PI, not even as a devoted crime show watcher.
    At center stage was a vintage pink claw-foot tub with a high back, like the one in my bathroom. It was filled to the rim with water.
    And a human knee protruded from the surface.
    I averted my eyes, perhaps defensively, to the three items on the stage beside the tub—a wooden incense holder with a consumed stick of incense, which explained the sweet, acrid odor that I'd been unable to