Organize Your Corpses by Mary Jane Maffini Read Free Book Online Page A

smile. This one practically left freezer burn on my nose.
    “She’s dead. That’s not quite right.”
    “Why don’t you save it for the station?”
    “I’m in my pajamas for heaven’s sake. If it’s absolutely necessary, I’ll go and see you after I get dressed and walk the dogs and have breakfast and—”
    “You actually don’t get to pick the time.”
    “Why are you acting like this, Pepper?”
    At that moment, Jack thundered up the stairs and into the already explosive situation. “What’s going on?” he said.
    “Police business.” Pepper shot him a warning glance. “Do you mind?”
    “What kind of police business?”
    “The kind that’s none of yours. We’re taking Charlotte in for a statement.”
    “But I gave a statement at the scene!” I squeaked.
    “We need to verify your version of what happened.”
    “My version? I don’t have a version . I told you what happened. I went to see Miss Henley and I found her under the pile of collapsed paper. She was dead, cold.”
    “You don’t have to say anything, as I’m sure you know. However, it’s my duty to inform you that whatever you do say may be held against you in a court of law.”
    I gawked at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Keep quiet, Charlotte,” Jack said.
    I flashed him a dirty look. “What could I say that anyone would hold against me in a court of law?”
    “That’s what we intend to find out,” Pepper said.
    “Wait a minute.” My knees wobbled. “You think someone killed her?”
    The perfectly tweezed eyebrow arched.
    I said, “But who would want to harm Miss Henley?”
    Pepper burst out laughing. As glad as I was to see she was human, that laugh seemed very wrong under the circumstances.
    I said, “Okay. But she’d become harmless. Sort of. Who would kill her?”
    Pepper said, “I’m guessing someone with an old grudge, someone in the vicinity. Someone vile and untrustworthy.”
    “Vile and un . . . ?You mean me? Well, that’s just horrible, Pepper.”
    Jack said, “Stop talking. I’ll call Margaret Tang.”
    “You’re arresting me?” I turned to Jack. “What will happen to Truffle and Sweet Marie?”
    Pepper’s eyes glittered. I hadn’t remembered them having that metallic quality. “It’s just a statement. Of course, you are entitled to a lawyer.”
    All I heard was a buzz of words from Pepper, because, at that instant, Truffle shot forward and sunk his sweet little teeth into her elegant ankle.

Keep an interesing book with you, in case you find yourself in a boring place with time on your hands.
    4
    Forget what you see on cop shows. There can’t be many activities in this world more tedious than a police interview. To start, the interview rooms are bland without a single interesting feature or object, designed to bore you into shouting out a confession, I suppose. But at least when I was hustled into the downtown station, I’d been able to change. If Jack hadn’t shown up in my apartment and mentioned Margaret Tang’s name loudly, I might have been dragged out in my pj’s and bunny slippers.
    An hour after I arrived, there was still no sign of Margaret. Time ticked by slowly as I waited alone. I have nothing good to say about that room. Hard molded-plastic chairs that put your bum to sleep. Harsh yet ineffective lighting, protected with some kind of wire guard. No windows or posters. Nada. Paint the color of a mine shaft. Ick. One lonely, pathetic, disposable ashtray in the center of the boring rectangular table. I tried drumming my fingers on the table, but that didn’t help much. The space needed a makeover from a skilled decorator. I could have recommended someone.
    How did they expect a person to be at her best in these surroundings? You don’t even get a cup of coffee. But then again, I was pretty sure Pepper didn’t want me at my best. She’d prefer to deal with a sobbing wreck, eager to confess to anything. Maybe everything.
    When she finally sashayed through the door,