Dead in the Water by Glenda Carroll Read Free Book Online Page B

the window and turned to face me. His body blocked the sun and his face was hidden in black shadows.
    “I…uh…The other day, Dick’s swim bag fell over in the trunk of my car. I think when I was putting things back, I stuffed in one of my tee shirts by mistake. I wanted to find it.”
    I strained to see his face.
    He walked over to the bed and picked up the bag. He looked down at the baggie I held between my thumb and forefinger.
    “That doesn’t belong to you,” he said and held out his hand.
    I dropped it into his open palm.
    “I’ll check on your shirt later. Now, your sister’s waiting. She’s outside. It’s time for you to leave.”
    Spencer’s eyes never left my face as he opened Waddell’s closet and put the swim bag on the floor way in the back behind several pairs of cowboy boots, tasseled loafers, and running shoes.
    Spencer followed me out into the living room. His phone rang and he walked into the kitchen to answer it.
    I was alone with Waddell’s sister.
    “Pamela, I…uh…have to confess. I went into your brother’s bedroom. I thought I had stuffed one of my old shirts into his swim bag by mistake before I dropped it off. I noticed a baggie with a few capsules in it. I don’t want to insinuate that your brother did anything wrong, but maybe they were the cause of his death. A bad interaction with, maybe, other prescription drugs he was taking. It might be worth getting them tested. I’d be glad to…”
    Spencer walked back into the room, glanced at me and then at Pamela.
    “You’d be glad to—what? Trish…it is Trish, isn’t it?”
    I nodded.
    “In the past and in my current business, I have had numerous dealings with lawyers. Some have been on my side; some not. Everything can be litigated. So it has become my policy…our policy… that neither Pamela nor I discuss anything unless a lawyer is present. Nothing against you. It’s just better for everyone.”

    “What took you so long?” Lena asked.
    We were flying down the freeway headed back to Marin. The visit was full of discrepancies. For starters, an outstanding swimmer with a squeaky clean reputation drowned, according to his doctors.
    “What’s with Spencer? He couldn’t get us out of there fast enough.”
    “Seems that he doesn’t talk to anyone unless there is a lawyer present. Understandable, I guess. I don’t think they have any real answers yet on Dick’s death. Oh, and he found me in Waddell’s bedroom. I was looking for…”
    “What? You were looking for what? A pill bottle with a skull and crossbones on it? No wonder they threw us out. I’d do the same thing.”
    “I saw the baggie. I had it in my hand. That’s when Spencer walked in. I think those capsules have something to do with Waddell’s death. I told Pamela as much and asked her to have them tested.”
    “I can’t believe you did that.”
    Checking the speedometer, I noticed that if I went any faster, we would soon be airborne. I backed off my 85 miles an hour pace and just hoped I hadn’t passed a highway patrol hiding by the roadside.
    “By the way, do you want to explain that comment you made about jail,” said Lena.
    “I don’t want to talk about it.”
    I kept my eyes on the road and ignored my sister. There is no way she would understand what it was like after mom died and our dad left. I was old enough to take care of her, but we didn’t have much money. Some of my friends—acquaintances, really—were burglarizing homes. They paid me to keep the things they stole until they could get rid of them. We needed the money, so I did it. Not the smartest of moves. Once I even went with them on a job. But I couldn’t take anything. Not one thing. My life of crime ended that night. Well, not quite and jail did come later.
    Lena didn’t need to know any of this. I looked in my rear view mirror and kept driving.

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    6
    Friday evening before the next open water swim, Lena, dressed in sweats and wrapped in a comforter, was stretched out on