Had a Great Fall (An Olivia Thompson Mystery) by Jullian Scott Read Free Book Online Page A

staring at him.
    “Nothing.” She blushed and looked away. “I was just lost in thought.”
    “You were thinking about that move I did in the shower, weren’t you?” he teased.
    She almost agreed just so they could move on. “I was thinking about how stupid we were to wait so long for this.”
    “We were pretty stupid,” he agreed with a crooked smile. “Better late than never, right?”
    “As long as you come home to me every night, I’ll be a happy woman for the rest of my days.” She quickly looked away. “I need more coffee. You?”
    “Sure,” he said quietly.
    When she smiled and placed the full mugs on the table, Nate hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap.
    “All you have to do is smile at me and I’m the happiest man alive.” He gave her a long kiss, one that she hoped would never end.
    It ended when Nate’s phone rang, terminating their quiet morning.
    “Tucker,” he said into the phone, his arms still around Olivia.
    She saw a familiar cloud darken his face and slipped away. Boyfriend Nate had instantly been replaced by Detective Tucker.
    Olivia took her coffee to the living room and turned on the news. She caught the tail end of the traffic report and was just in time for the breaking news.
    “If you are just tuning in, we are going back to a story that has been developing over the last hour. A body has been found in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, about two miles from where a previous body was found yesterday.” The broadcaster made a big effort to look extra intense. “Sources are telling us that the two incidents are clearly related.”
    “Nate!” Olivia knew this wasn’t going to be good. A second story had been leaked from the police department.
    Nate appeared, still on the phone. His eyes immediately went to the television screen. “Damnit,” he said, seeing the live footage of the scene. “I’ll be there as soon as possible.”
    He hung up and turned to Olivia.
    “Go,” she said, before he could apologize.
    “Thanks for breakfast.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you after your night class?”
    “Of course.” She forced a smile. “Go easy on Vince today. He looks up to you.”
    Nate laughed. “Vince appreciates my tough love. You be careful today and call me if you need anything.”
    “Yes, dear.” She turned her head so he wouldn’t see her roll her eyes. “Come home safe.”
    Almost the second he was gone, Olivia felt the need to get away. She wasn’t in the mood to have a conversation with her dead sister. After throwing a few things in her bag, she grabbed her keys and slipped out the door.
    Whatever faint sunlight had been peeking through the clouds was long gone. It was dark as nighttime outside. Olivia hurried down the street toward her favorite coffee shop. She was lucky that it was just a block away because as soon as she stepped inside, the rain came rushing down.
    She ordered her usual, non-fat cappuccino, and found a seat by the window. Her laptop fit neatly on the table and after taking a few deep breaths, she began to type.
    The idea had come to her a few days earlier. If she was ever going to find closure, she needed to tell someone her story. But she couldn’t tell Nate. He was already having a hard enough time with what had happened to her. She also had no desire to talk to a professional. Her last option was to write it all down. Maybe someday she would look to get the story published. But for now, she was telling the story only for herself.
    Once the words started filling the page, she couldn’t stop them. They came like waves along a rocky shore, crashing onto the page. Lightning crackled outside, and thunder rumbled so hard that it shook the window pane. Olivia glanced up in surprise. Over an hour had passed without her noticing.
    Her eyes flitted to the window as a movement caught the corner of her eye. Across the street, nearly hidden behind a large van, a man stood motionless in the rain. He was staring