Dying to Kill (Angel Delaney Mysteries Book #2) by Patricia H. Rushford Read Free Book Online

before suppressing it again. Ten minutes later, they pulled up in front of Sunset Cove High School.
    Gracie was waiting on a bench in front of the school, arms folded and mouth set in a grim line. She eyed Angel suspiciously and frowned when her mother stepped out of the car. Something told Angel that Gracie didn’t share her brother’s enthusiasm for riding in an official vehicle. Candace took three steps toward Gracie and stopped.
    “You’re half an hour late.” Gracie stood and picked up her book bag.
    “I’m sorry.” Candace just stood there, arms stiff at her sides.
    “What’s wrong?” Gracie demanded. “Where’s the van? Who is she? Why are you riding in a . . . a police car?” Gracie was a tall, slender girl with her mother’s silky blonde hair and blue eyes. She glanced around, a panicky look in her eyes. Angel half expected her to bolt.
    “I . . . honey, it’s your father. He’s . . .”
    “What? What’s wrong?”
    “He’s dead.”
    Gracie’s eyes narrowed as she assessed her mother. The girl said nothing, but Angel noticed the strange, almost conspiratorial, look that passed between them.
    Candace wrapped an arm around Gracie’s shoulder. “Come on.” She introduced Angel before opening the back door to let Gracie climb into the backseat with her siblings.
    Minutes later they pulled into the driveway of the Delaney home. The single-story rambler had a warm brick exterior and was surrounded by lush plants, with rhododendrons four to six feet in height, all in bloom.
    “Oh, the rhodies are gorgeous,” Candace commented as they exited the car.
    “My mother’s pride and joy.” Angel ushered Candace and the children inside and stood aside while her mother hugged them all, murmuring words of comfort and assuring Candace that she and the children were more than welcome to stay as long as they needed to.
    Before showing them to their rooms, Anna took Angel aside.“Don’t look so worried. You’ve done the right thing bringing them here. Now run to the market and get some romaine and tomatoes so we can have salad with your soup.”
    “Should I get the seafood too?”
    Anna pursed her lips. “Better not. The children may not like it. I’ll just toss in some sautéed chicken.”
    On the way to the market, Angel thought again about Candace cleaning up the crime scene. She thought too about the look that had passed between Gracie and her mother at the school. Did Gracie know something? Did she suspect her mother?
    Concern shivered through her. What have you done, Angel? At the time, bringing Candace and her children home to her parents had seemed the logical solution. Now she wasn’t so sure.

EIGHT
     

     
    A ngel picked up the groceries, adding strawberries, angel food cake, and whipping cream to her list, along with some snacks for the kids, then went back to the house. She still hadn’t heard from Callen and decided that if he didn’t call by 9:00, she’d call him.
    Anna met her at the door, taking one of the bags and heading into the kitchen. Angel hurried behind her, noting that the children were lounging on the sofa, Gracie writing in a notebook, Brian and Dorothy reading. “You guys look studious.”
    “We are.” Dorothy gave her a toothless grin. “We’re doing our homework. We hafta, or we can’t watch TV after dinner.”
    Gracie glanced up and rolled her eyes. “Right, like you really have to study.”
    “I do. Mom says.”
    Gracie moved her head from side to side and continued writing. They seemed oddly unaffected by their father’s death. Candace apparently believed in maintaining normalcy at all cost.
    Angel ducked into the kitchen and set the groceries on the counter. Candace stood at the sink, folding a dishcloth. The table had already been set.
    “Looks like you’ve been busy,” Angel said.
    “Everything’s ready except the salad,” Anna told her. “I’ll let you put that together while I check on your father.”
    “Is he eating with