Deadly Obsession by Katie Reus Read Free Book Online

was the sheriff, not some randy teenager with his first crush.
    “Let’s go in. I want to get this over with,” she murmured after a moment.
    He knocked once, then entered without waiting for Hailey to respond. Half the time the coroner couldn’t hear him because she worked while listening to her MP3 player.
    Hailey was bent over a body when they walked in.
    “Hailey?” he shouted.
    The coroner glanced up and though he couldn’t be sure because of her surgical mask, it looked like she smiled when she spotted Lilly.
    After putting down her scalpel and taking out her earphones, she tugged off the mask and walked toward them with a bright smile. “Lilly. It’s so good—oh my God! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it was good that you’re here. It’s horrible that—I only meant—”
    “It’s okay. I know what you meant.” Lilly cut her off with a wry smile.
    Braden cringed at Hailey’s brash manner. He was used to her, but he’d forgotten how she acted around the living. The woman could dissect a body and eat spaghetti at the same time.
    Hailey took a step closer. “I’m really sorry about your aunt.”
    “Thank you. I guess I need to sign some paperwork so she can be cremated?” Lilly shoved her hands deep into her pockets.
    “Well…” Hailey glanced back and forth between Lilly and Braden.
    Lead settled inside him. He’d seen that look before and knew he wasn’t going to like whatever she had to say next.
    “What?” he asked.
    “With everything going on lately, I want to be sure about cause of death before I sign off on anything. I’ve got a couple of med students coming down from Campbell University and Duke tomorrow as part of a fellowship program and I’m going to let them take a look at…a few of the bodies.”
    Braden frowned. “I thought they only came down in the summer.”
    “They’re getting extra credit and extra practice by coming now. It’s a win-win for both of us. God knows I need the help.” She turned her gaze to Lilly. “If you’re uncomfortable with anyone else looking at your aunt, I understand.”
    Her lips pulled into a thin line as her eyebrows furrowed together. “I’m a little confused. I thought my aunt fell down her stairs.”
    Hailey shrugged. “As far as I know she did, but something about her head wound is bothering me. I want a second opinion.”
    Lilly bit her bottom lip but nodded. “Do what you need to do.”
    Hailey quickly refocused her attention back on Braden. “I need to show you something before you leave.”
    Braden looked at Lilly, hating to keep her there any longer than necessary. “I’ll only be a sec, then we’ll get out of here.”
    “Actually, I wouldn’t mind Lilly’s opinion on this too. Don’t move.” Without waiting for a response, Hailey strode past two tarp-covered bodies toward a desk in the far corner of the expansive room. Her shoes squeaked across the linoleum floor as she hurried back. She held a piece of paper to her chest, but didn’t turn it around. “Braden, I want Lilly’s opinion on this as an outsider. I want to see what she thinks this is so don’t say anything.”
    “Fine,” he said.
    Wordlessly, Lilly nodded.
    Hailey flipped the paper over and held it out. It was a print out of a colored flower. A lily to be exact. And it looked eerily similar to the abstract carvings on their four victims. Not exactly the same, but the lines and shapes, minus the purple and green coloring, followed the exact pattern. He hadn’t realized what the carving was until this instant. Seeing it filled in with color made a complete difference.
    His palms dampened as he stared at the picture. The possible significance hit him like lightning. A lily . “Where did you find this?” Braden asked.
    “Online. Now shush.” Hailey didn’t even glance his way.
    He opened his mouth to respond but Lilly frowned, then looked back and forth between them. “Is this some sort of joke? If it is, I don’t get it.”
    “Joke? Does this look