No One Left to Tell by Karen Rose Read Free Book Online

Italy,’ she said.
    ‘Good. I thought something was wrong. You don’t sound like yourself.’
    She hesitated. ‘When Ford called, he was scared. He’d already heard about the sniper attack. He was worried because he knew I sometimes take that route to work.’
    Grayson blinked. ‘He’d already heard about it? In Europe?’
    ‘One of his friends posted it on Twitter. There were already videos online. One of them shows the victim’s face as she’s being shot.’ Her voice trembled. ‘The bastard who took the video gave her name, too. Before her family was notified. It was Elena Muñoz.’ She met his eyes and sighed. ‘You already know all this?’
    ‘Yeah. I don’t know much more than that, but I’m going to find out.’
    ‘She was here. Last week. I saw her go into your office. Why was she here?’
    ‘She wanted a new trial for her husband. He was convicted of murder.’
    ‘I remember reading the case when I was still in law school. What did you tell her?’
    ‘I said there was nothing to warrant a new trial. No new evidence.’ He blew out a breath. ‘And now she’s dead. I need to get some answers. If Anderson comes by again, can you hold him off for a while? He just wants me to cut a deal with Willis.’
    Daphne’s brows shot up. ‘Franklin Willis shot two women to death over a hundred bucks in their cash register. We have him on tape. Why the hell would you cut a deal?’
    ‘Because the defense is saying the police recovered the gun in a bad search and the tape is grainy. I’ve been trying to find a way around a deal. Buy me a little time if you would. I need answers on Elena Muñoz first. I’ll have to prepare a statement.’
    ‘Wait. Ford wasn’t the only one calling me, all worried.’
    Something in the way she said it told him who it had been. ‘My mom? Why?’
    ‘She wanted to be sure you were okay as you weren’t answering your cell phone. She asked me to remind you that you’re having dinner with her tomorrow tonight. I told her I’d fuss at you to call her. So call your mother, Grayson.’ She smiled kindly, taking the edge off her admonition. ‘And have a muffin.’
    ‘Poppy seed?’ he asked and she nodded.
    He used to be annoyed when Daphne brought baked goods into the office, but that was because she’d baked with peaches, which gave him hives. As soon as he’d come clean about his allergies, she’d made it a point to bake his favorite treats.
    Somewhere in her forties, she was brazen and bold, wore her hair too big and her suits too neon. She mothered the entire office, himself included. But she was smart and resourceful and a fierce combatant in the courtroom. She’d gone to law school when her son was in high school, which couldn’t have been easy. In the year they’d worked together Grayson had come to respect her highly. He had also grown to like her far more than he’d ever admit.
    ‘I’ll hold off Anderson as long as I can, but please call him soon so he stops yelling.’
    Grayson snagged a muffin. ‘Soon,’ he promised. He closed his office door and called the person he could trust to give him the truth. While the phone rang, he found the video on the news station’s website. By the time he heard ‘Hello?’ he was staring once again at the woman with the dark eyes.
    ‘Stevie, it’s Grayson.’
    ‘Grayson?’ Homicide Detective Stevie Mazzetti’s voice was immediately concerned. ‘What’s wrong?’
    He frowned. ‘Why do you always ask me that when I call?’
    ‘Because you only call when something’s wrong.’
    He considered it. ‘So maybe I do. But you only call when you want a warrant.’
    She chuckled. ‘Fair enough. What’s up?’
    ‘The sniper shooting. I need everything you know.’
    ‘Hell.’ All the humor fled from her voice. ‘Not much. The vic was shot at two different locations. Ballistics is still out, but it’s two different weapons. A woman walking her dog stopped to help the victim and narrowly avoided being shot