Deadly Fall by Susan Calder Read Free Book Online Page A

attended years ago with Kenneth and came up to them during the first intermission.
    â€œI couldn’t tell who your nephew was flirting with more,” Paula said. “Callie or Leah.”
    â€œEither way, he kept them occupied so you and I could get acquainted.”
    Hayden left the second intermission with her phone number.
    â€œI still can’t believe she’s dead,” Paula said. “Evidently, it happened sometime before 7:00 AM .”
    â€œSix forty-eight, to be precise.”
    â€œHow do you know?”
    â€œA witness heard the gunshot.”
    â€œDid the detectives tell you that?”
    â€œIt’s in the Sun. ”
    â€œYou read a tabloid?”
    â€œOne of my co-workers does.”
    He fumbled beneath the files and dug out the newspaper. His telephone rang. While he talked to his client, she studied the tabloid’s full front-page picture of the yellow tape running across the entrance to the trail. Superimposed were Callie’s photograph and a quote from her husband, Sam: “I didn’t know she was there.”
    She scanned the inside page. Two nearby residents heard a sound . . . initially dismissed as a backfiring car . . . dog walker recognized Callie from the news report. For the past month . . . he passed her daily at that hour on the trail. Police conclude . . . jogged to Ramsay and back at a set time.
    But yesterday morning, for some reason, Callie had placed two calls. Was she planning to change her routine and continue to Paula’s house?
    Paula returned to the article. The murder weapon wasn’t found at the site. So, the police couldn’t trace it, if it was registered.
    Hayden’s conversation wound down. He hung up the phone.
    She closed the newspaper. “I wish I’d been home to answer her calls, but what difference would it have made? I would have put on a pot of coffee and waited for her to never show up.” Her voice broke. She blinked back tears.
    Hayden’s face softened in sympathy. “It should be over soon. They usually arrest the culprit within a week.”
    â€œYou know what I hate most about this?”
    â€œYou getting arrested and going to jail?”
    â€œVery funny.”
    â€œMe going to jail?”
    â€œI hate that all the murder talk, including suspicions against you and me, prevents me from properly thinking about her and grieving. Can’t you beg off work tonight?”
    He cast another glance at his clutter. “I’d still have to come in tomorrow morning. You don’t like me waking you up early on Saturday.”
    He didn’t sleep well in her bed, yet. Nights before work were always spent at his place.
    â€œI’m sure I can wrap it all up by tomorrow noon,” he said. “Then, we’ll unwind with tennis, cook a great dinner, rent a movie, drink wine, et cetera.”
    â€œI can’t wait, especially for the et cetera.” After last night’s restlessness, she could use a good dose of sex. Hopefully, it would send her sailing to sleep.
    From his office, Paula drove to the fitness center, even though she was exhausted and didn’t need more exercise today after her walk to and from Sam’s house. Since she would be busy with Hayden all weekend, this would be her only chance to talk to Anne before the funeral.
    During a brief university romance, Anne and Sam had produced a son, Dimitri, now age thirty-one and a prominent federal politician. He won his first seat in the June election. Sam’s participation in his son’s upbringing had kept Anne and him in contact. Their mutual friends included Kenneth and Callie. When the couple split, Anne had landed on the Kenneth side due to his friendship with her husband. Callie left the fitness center around the same time. Was that a coincidence or not? Paula wondered if Callie’s involvement with Sam made her feel awkward with Anne.
    The center’s