Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie Read Free Book Online Page A

Milo asked.
    “I . . . I don’t know. Maybe? I have no idea; that’s just who came to mind when I was wondering who Abby was talking about.”
    “He’s your next-door neighbor?”
    “Yeah, he lives in the redbrick ranch right next to ours. He’s always trying to talk to me when Kenny isn’t home. He’s creepy too. Last summer I caught him spying through the fence between our properties when I was sunbathing.”
    “You know his name?”
    “I think it’s Jeff, or John . . . something with a J . . .”
    “It’s Jeff. Jeff Zimmer,” said a voice from behind us. We all looked up quickly, and around the curtain stepped a young man with sandy-blond hair and eyes full of pain. Cathy’s boyfriend, no doubt.
    “Hi, sweetheart,” Cathy said with longing in her voice. Quickly the young man moved to the opposite side of the bed from me and took his girlfriend’s hand protectively. Cathy began to melt again with emotion, and I sent Milo a look as I got up and stepped away. These two people needed some alone time. Milo nodded at me and closed his notebook after jotting down the name Cathy’s boyfriend had given him. “Thanks, Ken,” he said. “We’ll check it out. Cathy, why don’t you rest, and if you remember anything more just call my cell phone. You have the card, right?”
    Cathy nodded as tears made tracks down her face. Milo and I waved a small good-bye, exiting the room.
     
    On the way back to my house, Milo filled me in on what else Cathy had remembered, which was very little. She’d gotten to the market just before closing, and the staff was already locking up as she left. She was halfway to her car when she was grabbed from behind, dragged backward behind the building, beaten and hit over the head into unconsciousness. Luckily she had no recollection of her rape—a small blessing, in my opinion.
    Milo pulled his car into my driveway, and after shifting into park he reached over and squeezed my hand. “Thanks for coming. I’m sorry I was a little hard on you this morning.”
    “No, you were absolutely right,” I said, looking at him, still feeling chagrined. “Mornings have never been good for my personality, and I’m sorry I was so insensitive.”
    “I won’t tell if you don’t,” Milo replied with a mischievous grin.
    “Deal.” I laughed as I got out of the car. Right before closing the door I asked, “Call me if anything new develops, okay?”
    “You got it,” Milo answered, giving me a small salute.
    I walked up my walkway and into the house, where an impatient Eggy pestered me until I’d cooked his morning egg. Then, glancing at the clock, which now read eight, I ran upstairs for a quick shower. While I was shampooing I heard the phone ring, and being one of those impulsive types who can’t let a phone ring without answering it, I got out of the shower and grabbed the cordless before the call went to voice mail.
    “Morning,” came my favorite baritone.
    “Hey, there, Dutch,” I said, feeling relieved that he seemed to be in a better mood this morning. “Listen, I’m in the shower. Can I call you back in a couple of minutes?”
    “Need someone to scrub your back?”
    The flirtatiousness of the question caught me off guard, and I dissolved into a fit of nervous giggles. Sometimes I’m so sophisticated. “Uh, ha-ha, no, actually, I’m just rinsing off . . . I mean I’m almost done . . . I mean, hee-hee, not that I would normally turn down your offer . . . ha-ha, I’m just running late this morning and—”
    “Just call me when you’re through, okay, babe? I’m at home,” Dutch said, obviously recognizing that I needed help putting an end to my embarrassment.
    “Deal,” I said hanging up the phone and rushing back into the shower. Quickly I rinsed off and folded myself into my favorite flannel robe; then, with my hair bound up into a giant turban I called Dutch back. “Morning, sailor,” I sang when he picked up.
    “Hey, there. I wanted to catch you before you