Punish the Deed by Diane Fanning Read Free Book Online

She said she’d grab something when she got home.”
    “Did she say when she expected to get home?”
    “Uh, she said she wasn’t sure. She said she had some paperwork to do and a parent conference and she’d be home as soon as she could.”
    “Did she mention the parent’s name?”
    “Uh, uh,” Conrad bit his bottom lip and shook his head. “No. No she didn’t. And, damn it, I didn’t ask.”
    “That’s okay, Mr. Fleming. Stay calm for me, okay?”
    “Yeah, yeah,” he said, shaking his head, but his ragged breathing belied his words.
    “Do you remember what she was wearing when she left for work in the morning?”
    “Uh, I was still in bed. I-I-I, uh, she kissed me goodbye. I, uh, I told her I loved her. I didn’t pay any attention. I don’t know.” He threw his head on folded arms and sobbed. “It is true, isn’t it? She is dead.”
    Lucinda reached across the table and patted his forearm. “I’m still not certain, Mr. Fleming. But, yes, I think so.”
    “Oh, God,” he wailed as he raised his head. “Why didn’t I notice? I never paid enough attention to what she wore. She always looked so good and I hardly ever told her. Can I see her now?”
    “Mr. Fleming, you don’t want to see her.”
    “Yes, I do,” he said in an angry voice. “In fact, I demand to see her. She is my wife.”
    Lucinda shook her head, “No, Mr. Fleming, you don’t. You really don’t. Please trust me on this.”
    “What? Oh my God. What do you mean?” Conrad shouted. His mouth hung open. His eyes filled with tears. “What happened to Shari?”
    “We have the body of a woman. We have reason to believe it is your wife. But we can’t be certain just by looking at her.”
    He stood and paced back and forth in front of her, wringing his hands. “Ohmigod! What did they do to her? No, I don’t want to know. How will I ever know it’s her? Or maybe it’s not her? How will we ever know? Maybe this is a big mistake. A case of mistaken identity? That’s possible, isn’t it?”
    “Anything’s possible right now, Mr. Fleming. Let me check and see if her personal effects are available. You would recognize her watch and jewelry, wouldn’t you?”
    “Uh, some of it. Some of it, not. I bought some of it for her. I would remember that. She usually wore the watch I bought her two Christmases ago but not always. What – what did she have on?”
    “I don’t recall off-hand, sir. Let’s see what I can find out from the coroner’s office.”
    “The coroner’s office? Oh my God!” He slumped back into the chair and rested his head on the table, sobbing quietly.
    When the phone answered, Lucinda said, “Pierce here. Are Shari Fleming’s personal effects ready?”
    “Yes, ma’am, all wrapped up and ready to go,” the tech said. “If you’re in the building, I can bring them up.”
    “Thanks. I’m in interrogation room B.”
    “Be there in a flash.”
    Lucinda disconnected and turned to Conrad Fleming. “Is there anyone you need to call while we wait? Any family members that need to know?”
    He raised his hands and waved outward-facing palms in the air. “No. No. Not now. Not until we know for sure. Oh, God, I don’t know if I want to know,” he said, bowing his head.
    “We need to know, Mr. Fleming. If it’s not your wife, we need to be looking for her.”
    “Really?” his head lifted, his eyes brightened. “That officer who took my report said it had to be at least twenty-four before they’d do that.”
    “Things have changed, Mr. Fleming. She was last known to be in a building where someone was murdered. If she’s not the victim, she could be a witness, or, quite frankly, she could be responsible. But either way, we’ll need to find her immediately.”
    A rap on the door brought Lucinda to her feet. She signed for the small box wrapped in brown paper. She sat at the table and broke the seal. She slipped the contents out for Conrad to see.
    He grabbed the thin watch, held it up and stared at its