One Millhaven Lane by Bliss Addison Read Free Book Online Page A

said.
    ***
    From the corridor outside the cubicle where Asia rested, Nate called the station on his cell. "Is the chief in?" he asked when Stacey, the dispatcher, answered.
    "Yes, he is. First though, how's Asia?"
    "Doc says she can come home in a few hours."
    "She's lucky you happened by," Stacey said.
    His visit hadn't been impromptu as he'd told the chief when he'd called in the incident. Nate hadn't been able to get comfortable with the idea of Asia traveling to Boston, not with the threat of a Nor'easter looming. He'd gone to Joanna's intending to convince her not to leave. Good thing he did, otherwise he might be waiting on the coroner rather than a physician to release her to his care.
    "The right place and the right time," Nate said. "The chief?"
    "Oh right," Stacey said, like she'd forgotten why Nate called.
    "Nate," Carter Branch said when he came on the line. "How's Asia?"
    He gave the chief the rundown on her condition. "When the doc gives the go-ahead, I'll take her home. I intend to stay with her until we apprehend the lunatic responsible for the assault."
    "We've got everything covered here. The men will appreciate the overtime. Christmas is coming."
    Nate hadn't given any thought to Christmas. Maybe this festive season would be better for him than the last dozen and a half.
    "Were you able to get any prints? Did the assailant leave anything behind?"
    "Maybe his DNA. We found a drop of blood on the dining room floor. Hopefully, it belongs to Asia 's attacker. We'll know soon enough. The lab is doing the analysis now. There was a good quarter of an inch of dust on everything in the house that wasn't covered. Prints were easy and they all belong to Asia. As far as anything gone missing, it doesn't look that way. Boxes are sealed and neatly stacked. Asia would have to confirm it, but it doesn't look like anything was stolen. There's no evidence that the assailant searched the house, either. Seems like Asia was the target. Given what you told me about Joanna's will, it could be Bobby, but we shouldn't put all bets on him. Is there anyone besides him who stands to gain from her death?"
    Nate remembered her brother's animosity toward Asia. He'd referred to her as 'The Good Twin'. Mama's pet, he'd taunt. Bobby's ill will toward his sister ran deeper than sibling rivalry. With Asia out of the way, he'd inherit Joanna's house solely, and if Asia didn't have a will, everything she possessed would go to Bobby as her next-of-kin. A nice chunk of change for a drug addict. In addition, she owned a profitable business in Boston and the insurance proceeds from her mother's insurance. Bobby would become a wealthy man with Asia dead.
    Nate also remembered how Asia had come by Aphrodite. Maybe her benefactor's heirs weren't complacent like she assumed. Maybe they saw Asia as an opportunist, cashing in on something that wasn't rightfully hers and were back to make her sorry she'd gotten in their way. He wouldn't mention anything about that until the blood analysis came back.
    "She's been incoherent since I brought her in, so I haven't been able to question her," Nate said. Asia's plea for him not to kill her played over and over in his mind. She thought he was her attacker. Didn't she know he could never hurt her, that he could never raise a hand in anger to her?
    "What did you get on Bobby?"
    "Nothing that either of us wouldn't expect. He's got a rap sheet an arm long, as we know, and is presently on bail for an assault. Trial's next month. A uniform in Portland dropped by his last known address and no one was home. The landlord said Bobby hasn't been around for several days. Owes him rent. The usual stuff. Mailbox jammed with bills and sales flyers. The uniform had a peek inside, and it looked to him like Bobby left in a hurry. A carton of milk sat next to a bowl of cereal on the table."
    "Did anything come of the canvass of Asia's street?" Nate asked.
    "Nothing. No one saw or heard anything. It looks like he brought the knife