Love Lies Bleeding by Laini Giles Read Free Book Online Page A

ways?”
    “Tolstoy. But yeah, something like that.”
    “I knew it was a Russian. I’ll do whatever I can to solve this case,” he continued. “My mother has lived with something her whole life. It’s some secret that she refuses to let go of, and I’m hoping I can give her some closure, some kind of peace before she dies. I may have six months; I may have less.”
    “Well, you can count on me. Whatever you need, just ask.”
    “Thanks. We both know it’s going to be a challenge. Chances are, whoever did this to her is long dead too. But it would be nice to find out what happened to Libbie and at least put the case to bed. For my mother, for your book, for all of us.”
    She smiled. “I don’t suppose there’s much of a handbook when you’re solving something this old, huh?”
    Marco arrived with Linda’s wine and Frank’s Coke, setting them in front of the couple with a dramatic flourish. Then he retreated to the bar.
    “I’m sure that someday in the not-too-distant future, there will be amazing tools for investigations like this. Advances are being made every year in the area of DNA research. Right now, we can analyze blood to find out what subtype it is. And that’s it. But someday, Linda, we’re going to be able to save spit and blood and we’re going to be able to identify criminals that way.”
    “Wouldn’t that be amazing!” Linda took a sip of her wine, and they sized each other up. She raised her glass. “Here’s to solving those cold cases, pardner.”
    They clinked glasses, and Frank had to admit he hadn’t noticed Linda that much when she managed the restaurant. He’d always found her pleasant enough. But he was seeing her in a new way. Her love of history, her interest in this case, and the fact that she had rebuilt a Karmann Ghia granted her new cache. She wasn’t hard on the eyes, either. But her tenderness about his mother’s illness evoked feelings he had pretty much told himself he’d killed for good.
    “I haven’t seen you around for a while,” Frank noted. “You said you went back to college?”
    “Yeah, I started graduate school up on the hill, and I am now about four credits shy of my Masters in English,” she said, the pride in her achievement making her even more attractive. “Frank, can you just imagine having that credit after my name and then getting this book published? It’s something I’ve been wanting for so long, and now I may get there at last. I even have a literary agent interested in my proposal.” Her face was already alight with happiness, and the wine was causing a becoming flush to creep over her cheeks.
    “That’s fantastic,” Frank said, smiling. “Congratulations.”
    “Thanks. Russ and Janet and I had some great conversations, and they convinced me that I should just bite the bullet and do it. Janet’s actually my academic advisor, in addition to being one of my good friends. That’s why I was there today. I always got As in school and felt like I was selling myself short, I guess. I was running the café and liked it, but I needed something new.”
    “That place has been there a long time, hasn’t it?”
    “It’s been there forever. And the plumbing is proof!” she laughed. “This lady started it back around 1909—they called it Birdie’s back then. Her picture’s on the wall in the dining room. With all that history behind the place, I just felt this responsibility to keep it going. It’s hard to describe. But Samantha, my sister, is doing just fine running it. She’s hired some great staff, and it’s been a good learning experience for her.”
    They finished their pasta and then split a tiramisu. He picked up the check and then drove Linda back to her car, still parked at Russ’s.
    “Thanks for a great time,” she said, handing him her number. “Let me know if you need more help.”
    “That’d be great.” He leaned down for a chaste, somewhat awkward peck on the cheek, which Linda returned. Linda had been fun.