No One Else to Kill (Jim West Series) by Bob Doerr Read Free Book Online Page A

minority owner.   It’s a family owned business.   A lot of friction among the
family members.”
    “Sounds like you know the family pretty well,” I said.
    “No, just Rick. He’s a great guy.
Only one fault,” she said looking at me like I should know the punch line.   “He’s married.   You’re not married, are you, Jim?”
    “No way,” I said, playing her game.
    “Good.   Someday I
need to break the habit.”
    “You’ll let me know if I can help, won’t you?”
    “Where did you say you’re from?” she asked.
    “Clovis.”
    “Not too far away.   I’ll have to put you on my list.”
    “Bev,” Rick called to her from the doorway.
    “Hey, Rick,” she walked hurriedly to him. “How are you
doing?”   She took one of his arms in her
hands.
    Some of the stress appeared to melt from his face.
    “Oh thanks, babe. I appreciate your coming in to help,” he
said in a soft voice.
    “Just what the doctor ordered,” I thought.   She followed him back into the lodge. The
door had barely swung shut, when it opened again and Geri walked out of the
lodge.
    “Well, that was a waste of time,” she remarked when she
saw me. She took possession of the spot where Bev had been standing. I didn’t
see a cigarette, but I imagined seeing some smoke, which was more likely steam,
rising from her head.
    “What happened?”
    “Really nothing, but that’s just it.   I explained that I knew nothing, nothing at
all.”
    “That’s all you could do,” I said.
    “I know, but they wouldn’t tell me anything. They have to
have some idea what happened to Cross, but they wouldn’t tell me anything.   Idiots!   They wouldn’t even tell me when we could leave.”
    “Give them a few more hours,” I said. “It’ll take them a
while to get organized.”
    “Are you a cop?” she asked, some of the hostility still
there.
    “No, but I’m familiar with their procedures.   Where’s Vic?”
    “Who knows?”   She
said it like “who cares,” and I didn’t think she did.
    “Have you heard any more from Randi?” I asked.
    “No.   I imagine
she’s still sleeping.”
    “Do you know if anyone has contacted Cross’ wife?”   She shook her head. “This will be on the news
fairly soon,” I said.
    “I need a drink,” she said after a moment’s silence.
    “I think the bar will be opening soon.”
    “Hope so.”
    “Geri, Cross mentioned to me that this trip, the fall
ones, don’t include spouses--”
    “They don’t, except this year Vic wormed his way onto it
when Fred had to cancel out at the last minute.”
    “Guess I can’t blame him.   Under normal circumstances this could have been a great trip for you
all.”
    She looked at me with a puzzled expression and then looked
away.   “I hope they catch this guy and
fast. None of this makes any sense.”
    “Well, I guess there’s no reason why I would hear anything
before you, but if I hear anything from the police about all this, I’ll let you
know.”
    She looked at me and smiled, “Thanks.”
    “No problem,” I said.   I wondered why I lied to people in times like this. A character flaw
from the old days, no doubt.   I might or
might not tell her what I learned from the police.
    “Who are you, Mr. West ?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I mean you’re like an anomaly here at the lodge. You’re
by yourself--”
    “Too easily explainable, unfortunately.”
    “More interesting, everyone else is either walking around
in shock, or stressed out, or both. You, on the other hand, are as cool as the
proverbial cucumber.”
    “Think I’m the murderer?”
    “No.   I don’t sense
that in you, but then why should I think I could?”   She stared off at the trees.
    “For the record, I didn’t have anything to do with his
death,” I said.
    “For the record, I didn’t either.” She gave me a
halfhearted smile and walked back into the lodge.
    I thought about staying on the porch a few minutes longer,
but a gust of cold air convinced me