Sinnerman by Cheryl Bradshaw Read Free Book Online

couldn’t help but focus on all the people who swarmed around it without much care for the young woman whose remains lay beneath. It was dusted and searched for prints and evidence that would never be found.
    “What I want to know is how’d this Sinnerman character know she was going to be here today?” Coop said.
    Taye shrugged his shoulders.
    “Who knows,” he said.
    Coop turned to me with a baffled look on his face.
    “Why you?” he said. “I don’t get it.”
    I did. Sinnerman had grown tired of the little game he played with the person who never caught him the first time around and had moved on to who he hoped would be a more worthy adversary.
    “I don’t know,” I said. “But since he reached out to me, it might help if we work together on this.”
    “That your idea of a joke?” Coop said. “Because it’s not funny. What makes you think I’d ever work with you?”
    I guess the fact the killer had now decided to communicate with me wasn’t a good enough reason for him.
    “Have you considered for a moment that I might be able to help you?” I said. “I know everything about this case.”
    Coop sneered and had a look on his face like I’d just asked him to sit with me through every single scene of The Notebook.
    “Go ahead and laugh,” I said. “We’ll see who finds him first.”
     

CHAPTER 11
     
    By the time I arrived at Moll’s Tavern for dinner, everyone was there, even Nick. With all that was going on between the two of us, I wasn’t sure he’d show. And he was there alright, but not with bells on. He appeared to be the only one at the table who hadn’t opted to participate in the jovial repartee that was in full swing, which meant he was still pouting over the recent events that rocked our lives.
    Maddie’s eyes were focused on the chief, who was clearly in awe of her. It was something I didn’t see from him too often. Next to them sat Marty, the former mayor of Park City and his wife, and on the other side were some of my old friends from my college days and Gabby’s former boyfriend. All in all, it had been a crappy birthday thus far, but my heart swelled to see everyone gathered around the table in spite of all that was going on.
    “There’s the birthday girl,” Maddie shouted when I walked in.
    Everyone at the table gazed up at me at the same time with smiles smeared across their faces except Nick. He ogled the drink in his hand with all the fascination of a paleontologist who had just discovered a rare dinosaur fossil within the cavity of a rock.
    I said my hello’s and then walked around the table and sat down next to him.
    “I went ahead and ordered your favorite martini,” Maddie said.
    “Thanks, it’s been a long day.”
    Nick rose from the table, and for a moment, I thought he was going to propose a toast.
    “Excuse me for a minute,” he said and he turned and walked away.
    Once he was out of earshot, Maddie piped up.
    “What’s his freakin’ deal?”
    “Who knows?” I said.
    “Well, don’t let his pissy attitude ruin your special night. Besides,” she said with a finger pointed to the center of the table, “look at all those presents.”
    “You guys didn’t need to get me anything,” I said. “Just being here is enough.”
    “Oh please, Sloane,” Maddie said. “What’s a birthday party without presents? I don’t care how old I get; it’s still all about the gifts, and on that note, I want everyone here to know that my birthday is coming up next month, and early gifts are accepted.”
    I looked around the table and realized how good it felt to be among friends. Every single person seated there had been an important part of my life in some way. Even the chief, who at the moment was beguiled by Maddie’s charms. They’d known each other for years, and never once had I considered them a match.
    “How’s the birthday girl?” said a voice from behind.
    I turned around and almost missed the pint-sized Moll standing beside me. She was the owner