Deadly Fall by Susan Calder Read Free Book Online Page B

sign, Fit for Life, underscored with an infinity symbol, glowed pink and blue neon. Lights shone from the converted church. Anne had bought the building for next to nothing during the 1980s bust. Rather than tear down the one-hundred-year-old structure, she had gutted it, installed beams and floors to support the load of exercise machines and painted the exterior royal blue. The former square steeple became a free weights room with a view of the yuppifying neighborhood. The plumbing and lights could get wonky at times—a burst pipe once closed the center for three days—but during her eight years of membership, Paula had noticed a steady increase in customers. Anne said the business was finally in the black.
    Dance music drowned out the whirr of machines, all of which seemed occupied. Paula rarely worked out during the peak evening time, when she tended to be occupied by meetings with insurance claimants. She went through the security gate. Anne rushed toward her. They hugged, which they had never done before. Anne’s shoulder muscles felt taut and strong. She spent a good twelve hours at her center every day and pumped machines and weights when she wasn’t involved in administrative or supervisory duties. All the way to the changing room, they shared feelings about Callie’s murder. “Shock.” “Unbelievable.” The same words they had used on the phone this morning. Anne’s workout gear hugged her hips and thighs. Paula changed into her baggy T-shirt and shorts. What did looks matter in an all-female facility, unless you were the owner and had to project an image? They managed to find two spare adjacent treadmills. Paula’s feet moved forward and back on the treadmill belt. “I told you about Callie’s phone message on Monday. If I’d returned that damn call, she might have told me what was bothering her, if something was. Maybe I couldn’t have prevented the murder, but I’d know enough now to steer the cops in the right direction. They came to my house this morning.” She described their visit. Her feet pounded the belt so fast she had no trouble keeping up to Anne’s pace. “They can’t seriously believe, for one minute, I killed her.”
    â€œWe all feel guilty for what we might have done,” Anne said. “The last time I saw her, Callie told me she was thinking of coming back to the center when the weather got colder. Instead, it got warmer. If only I’d pushed her to rejoin us sooner.”
    Paula sipped water. “I finally met Sam, today, when I dropped by unexpectedly to pay my respects. Did you know Callie’s niece, Isabelle, was living with them?”
    â€œI only found out a few weeks ago. I gather she moved in last May.”
    â€œIs she planning to stay on alone with Sam?”
    Anne frowned. “Dimitri mentioned she might. He told Sam to consider the optics.”
    â€œAs Callie’s husband, Sam’s an automatic suspect. Does he inherit her money?”
    â€œMost of that went into their house.”
    â€œWhich could be worth a million dollars, after the reno.”
    â€œDimitri didn’t tell me the terms of her will. I didn’t think to ask about it.”
    â€œDo you think Sam is sleeping with Isabelle?” Paula asked.
    Anne’s hazel eyes flashed surprise, as though she hadn’t considered the possibility. “I hope not, for his and Dimitri’s sake. He’s staying with Sam during this crisis.”
    Before Dimitri bought his condo in his riding last spring, he had shuttled between Sam’s house and Ottawa. Anne had said his relationship with Sam was more like that of two friends than father and son.
    â€œWhy did you say, ‘for Dimitri’s sake’?”
    â€œDimitri wasn’t specific, but he’s concerned about Sam. He said the cops have been giving him a hard time.”
    Paula wished Anne was more curious about people. Callie would have