Murder Is a Piece of Cake by Elaine Viets Read Free Book Online

practice. That laziness will cost you your life.
    “I practice point shooting, too. If I’m threatened and have to fire at close range,
     I may not have time to align the sights. I can pull out this gun, look over the top
     of it, hopefully get the front sight on the target and shoot.”
    Lenore whipped the gun out of her purse and once again pointed it at the camera. Josie
     winced and backed away. The photographer moved in closer. Bill was either fearless
     or foolish.
    “I prefer the sighted fire method,” Lenore said, “but I’m prepared to defend myself
     when I don’t have that luxury. I believe self-protection is an important women’s issue.”
    The chunky Rona nodded and her dark hair danced. Bill kept the tape rolling as he
     focused on the .38.
    “I carry my pistol in a purse instead of a holster, but it’s just as deadly as any
     man’s long barrel,” Lenore said. “Maybe deadlier, because I can open my purse quicker
     than he can unsnap his holster. Besides, I’m an expert shot.”
    Josie didn’t think Lenore was bragging, not from the confident way she handled that
     pistol. Ted stifled a groan. Rona nodded like a dashboard dog. Josie wondered if the
     frizzy-haired TV producer was as enthusiastic about concealed weapons away from Lenore’s
     spell.
    “Why do you carry a gun?” Rona asked her.
    “Because I live in South Florida,” Lenore said, as if that were an explanation. “Protection
     is important everywhere, not just Florida. Today’s problem with that, uh, unfortunate
     person is a prime example. We were in a clinic in a quiet neighborhood, surrounded
     by decent people. There was even a large dog, but he was no use.”
    She glared at Festus, who’d come out from under the table to watch. Ted’s Lab wagged
     his tail.
    “None of that made any difference when that deluded woman burst in here,” Lenore said.
     “No one stopped her. She would have killed Dr. Scottsmeyer if I hadn’t had this weapon.”
    Lenore brandished the pistol and gave a dazzling smile. The producer applauded. “Perfect!”
     she said. “Now could you twirl your pistol and blow on the barrel as if you’ve just
     fired it?”
    Lenore did more stylish moves while Bill, the photographer, taped the glamorous gunslinger.
     He even climbed on a chair to shoot her from another angle.
    “Do you have enough tape for your interview?” Lenore asked.
    “More than enough,” Rona said. Josie noticed the producer’s ecstatic smile and felt
     uneasy.
    “Good,” Lenore said. “What’s going to happen to my son’s show? Are you going to finish
     taping it?”
    “Uh, we’re meeting about that later at the station,” Rona said. She avoided looking
     directly at Lenore.
    Josie’s heart sank. The producer is dodging the question, Josie thought. Molly not
     only wounded Ted; she’d killed his TV show.
    “I hope you won’t abandon a useful program like
Dr. Ted’s Pet Vet Tips
,” Lenore said. Josie thought she was trying to frown, but the Botox injections had
     left her smooth forehead immobile.
    The producer gulped. “Right now we’d like to interview Dr. Ted about today’s incident.”
    Ted shook his head. “I’d rather not,” he said. “I’m hoping Miss Deaver can be cured
     of her . . . problem. She is a former patient. No, I mean, Bella’s my patient. That’s
     her dog. Well, not my patient. Dr. Chris took over her case. But Miss Deaver is a
     client. I want to give her a chance to recover.”
    “Ted, you should talk to the TV station,” Lenore said. “Any TV time is good.”
    “At least give us a statement about today,” Rona said. “We need something for the
     record. Stand over there by the table, where you were with the cat.”
    Ted obediently got into place. Josie tried unsuccessfully to straighten his white
     coat and the rumpled blue shirt underneath.
    “You stand over here,” Rona said, and pulled Josie over near Lenore.
    “We’re rolling in one, two, three,” Rona