Evelyn David - Sullivan Investigations 02 - Murder Takes the Cake by Evelyn David Read Free Book Online Page A

share your opinion. He’s dead.”
    Rachel picked up her purse and started digging for her keys. She was going with him. It was time she took some control back over this on-again, off-again relationship. She didn ‘t spend hours picking out an outfit only to stay home with her cat and a stressed out bride-to-be.
    “ Where do you think you’re going?” He stepped in front of her.
    She smiled and stepped around him, picking up her keys and a knit cap from the small table by the door. For a detective he was kind of slow on the uptake.
    “With you, of course, Mac. Remember, I grew up down there. I’ll take you the back way and it’ll cut off 20 minutes. Besides, I don’t know what old heap you’re driving now, but at least in my car we’ll actually get there and back tonight.” Rachel pulled the cap down over her unruly curls. “Come on, let’s go already.”
    Bridget stood up and buttoned her leather jacket. “Yeah, come on Uncle Mac. You don’t want to keep JJ waiting; she hasn’t been out of the hospital all that long.”
    Mac sighed and headed for the door Rachel was holding open. “I’m telling you right now, ladies, you’re sitting in the car while I get my dog, assistant, and whatever the heck Edgar is, and then we’re heading right back to D.C. I don’t need any more junior G-men on the team.”
    “ Of course,” Rachel answered with a reassuring smile.
    “ Yeah, right,” Bridget muttered, “and that’s G-women, buddy.”
     
    ***
     
    At least his dog still loved him. Mac braced himself against Rachel’s empty Jeep as Whiskey leaned more than stood next to him. He didn’t know why he’d ever expected them to follow his lead. He was a lousy dancer and according to the comment Rachel had made back at her house, his dating skills left something to be desired. They had been at the turkey farm all of two minutes, before he’d lost control of the situation.
    Bridget had pulled a press pass out of her jacket pocket and managed to talk her way into the farmhouse before the dazzled deputy could remember why he was supposed to keep the crime scene secure.
    And Rachel, well Rachel was in a clinch with the sheriff. Obviously, Rachel knew him very well.
    “ Rachel Thayer!”
    “ It’s Rachel Brenner now.”
    “ How long has it been?”
    “ Not nearly long enough,” Mac muttered, watching the reunion. Putting his jealousy aside–yes he could acknowledge to himself that he felt a twinge of it–he couldn’t help but sense there was something a little off about the guy.
    There was something a little off about his dog. Mac leaned down and took a whiff. “I spent $70 getting you a wash and blow dry this morning. What in the world have you been rolling in out here–turkey droppings?”
    Whiskey whined, turning her head away.
    “What? You want me to ignore how bad you smell?”
    The dog shifted her weight and stood upright. Without a backwards glance, she walked over and stood next to Rachel.
    Okay, it was time to get to work–or at least time to mark some territory. Mac put what he hoped passed for a smile on his face, took a half dozen steps forward, and introduced himself to the sheriff.
     
    ***
     
    “He was my client.” Mac had already explained this to the sheriff once. He knew JJ and Edgar had told him too. The man was playing games.
    “ But you never met him, never spoke to him, and never signed a contract.”
    “ That’s right.” In his mind he added a few choice words about the sheriff’s origins.
    “ So what proof can you offer that any of what you and your ragtag crew are saying is the truth? Why would Brian Crager hire you to find anything? His wife died last year after a long illness. He sold all his birds last month, most of the money going to pay off medical bills. Everyone around here knows that.” The sheriff tipped back his hat and waited.
    “ I’m not from around here.”
    “ Exactly.”
    “ What does that mean?” Mac realized the sheriff had no intentions of