Murder Under the Covered Bridge by Elizabeth Perona Read Free Book Online Page B

there’s very little graffiti on the bridge?”
    Jonathan snapped the reins on the horse and the carriage started moving again. “I’ll leave you ladies to battle that out, but I wouldn’t do it for very long. You need to get back to Rockville.”
    As Jonathan left, Charlotte moved toward the window. “I know we need to leave, but you’re right. For as remotely located as this bridge is, there’s almost no graffiti.”
    â€œMaybe someone comes along and cleans it up.”
    Charlotte indicated the sides of the bridge nearest them. “You could cover up spray paint with other paints, but you couldn’t cover up carvings, and I don’t see a lot of paint or carvings. Where did you see this heart and arrow?”
    Francine pointed at a spot directly below them. “There.” The beams that ran parallel to the river holding up the bridge were beyond their ability to reach, but they could see what was on the one below the window. “The graphic is a heart pierced by an arrow. I spotted it when we were crouched below the window with Jonathan.”
    Charlotte was skeptical. “I don’t know. It seems pretty crude.”
    Francine juggled the costume she was carrying and pulled out her cell phone. She used the flashlight app to shine a light on the beam. “Look at the arrow. There are three vertical slashes on the back end of the arrow, just like on the journal.”
    â€œYou’re right. Better take a photo.”
    Francine turned off the light beam and switched on the photo app. She snapped a picture.
    Joy’s SUV entered the bridge noisily, startling Charlotte and Francine. She beeped the horn and rolled down her window as they approached them. “Get in or we’ll leave you behind,” Joy said.
    The two women threw their stuff in the back seat.
    â€œI’ll give you this,” Charlotte told Francine. “Those wooden beams are pretty old. The graffiti engraved in that wood could go way back.”
    Marcy turned around from the front seat. “What are you talking about?”
    â€œNothing,” they said at the same time.
    â€œNow you’ve got me curious. Francine, what was it you were taking a photo of ?”
    â€œGraffiti. Could be something, probably not. We’ll worry about it later.”
    Charlotte buckled in. “Could you get some heat going in this car?”
    â€œIt’s trying,” Joy said. “Soon as the engine warms up, I’ll put the heater on full blast.”
    Joy took the bridge at a slow pace, but once they were on CR 350W, she got her speed up as fast as she could.
    Francine turned around to look back at the Rock Run Café & Bakery. There were still a few sheriffs’ cars in the parking lot. “I hope William’s all right. I wonder where they took him.”
    â€œYou won’t find out till we get back to Rockville and can make a call.” Marcy sounded disgusted. “You remember there’s no cell service out here.”
    â€œHow could I forget? I hope the detective is able to find the person who was shooting at him quickly before this gets pushed to the back burner.”
    â€œI’m confident he will,” Joy said. “I’ll be following up on this as a reporter, so I’ll keep the pressure on him.”
    The car got quiet. “What?” Joy asked.
    â€œNothing,” Charlotte said. Francine could see her smirking. She wondered if Marcy was doing the same.
    Joy continued, “Plus, he used to be the sheriff, so he knows what he’s doing. Don’t you think he looks like a sheriff ?”
    They could all agree on that.
    â€œI think what Francine is saying,” Charlotte said, “is that if William turns out to be okay, and we hope so, there will be other things to keep the sheriff busy. With none of the rest of us hurt and tourists flocking to Parke County like lawyers to a twenty-car pileup, this could drop off his radar in no