Blood Ties by Josephine Barly Read Free Book Online Page A

used for the home-made device.”
    “Whole fingerprints survived the explosion? I mean, half my table was blown up!”
    “Fragments of fingerprints were recovered, Sam. And Riley had them checked out with the criminal database, and they found a match against a DUI case from a couple of years ago.”
    I had no idea of what Jared was talking about. I knew people who’d gotten DUI’s: friends, my brother and sister…but none would actually build a bomb and try to kill me.
    “Just get to the point Jared,” I stated, slightly pissed off.
    “The match was your sister’s DUI case, Sam. I’m sorry.”
    As the words sunk in, I became paralyzed. My own sister tried to kill me? Surely, it had to be a mistake. I stared at Jared and shook my head. Kelly would never hurt me, no matter what. She had no reason and, honestly, no knowledge of bombs.
    “Look Jared, I know fingerprints are unique, but maybe they transferred or were planted, or…I don’t know, they could have gotten there in so many ways. And you’ve met Kelly; she isn’t mad at me or anything of sorts, and she doesn’t know how to build a bomb. She can’t even use her microwave!”
    Jared sighed and gazed sadly at me.
    “Building a bomb, today, with Internet, is a piece of cake, no matter how many or few skills the maker may possess. And reasons, Sam…We don’t know how her mind works. Even you, being her sister, having known her for all her years, you don’t know absolutely everything about her. I’m sorry Sam, but Kelly is being taken in for questioning. Aidan will be the interrogator, and he said we can be there, if you want to.”
    “Of course I want to be there! But she won’t say anything if I’m sitting in front of her; not that I think she did it…”
    “We’ll be behind mirror-glass. She’ll see her reflection, and we’ll see her.”
    “Okay. When will the questioning take place?”
    “They’re tracking her down. You’ll make it in time for your eleven am meeting, in case you still want to handle it.”
    “Yes, Cameron will be here in ten minutes, he’s always early,” I said, checking the time on my computer screen. “I’ll be done at half past eleven and then we’ll be on our way, okay?”
    “Yes Sam, and bear in mind, we’ll get to the bottom of this, so try to stay calm, okay?”
    “Sure thing , Jared. I’ll be meeting Cameron here, so…” I looked at the door and Jared obligingly walked out, closing the door behind him.
    I stared at the wall as a knot formed in my throat. Had my own sister tried to kill me? She couldn’t have. We weren’t very close, but we were on good terms and we certainly didn’t hate each other. Then again, as Jared had said, I didn’t know her to the marrow.
    Cameron arrived and Maggie let him in. I noticed Jared was standing by her desk; they were probably chatting. I motioned Cameron to sit down and, after offering a cup of coffee and having Maggie bring two in, we got down to business.
    I managed to clear his doubts and to answer all his questions; his queries were nothing out of the ordinary. Cameron wondered which stores would sell his book, when the presentation would take place, in which newspapers and magazines we would make press releases of the publication, and stuff of that sort. As I’d already gone over these decisions with the marketing and publicity departments, I didn’t hesitate at all when he asked me, and he was quite pleased with the coverage his book was going to receive.
    At half past eleven, I led Cameron towards the elevator; when I returned to my office, I found Maggie giggling at something Jared had said. He was smiling at her, and the whole scene pissed me off. I guessed I was still annoyed at my sister’s potential involvement in the attempt on my life.
    He was annoying me.
    I went back into my office, grabbed my coat and bag, and closed the door behind me. I told Maggie I’d be gone for the rest of the day, and looked exasperated at Jared. He understood my