The Easter Egg Murder by Patricia Smith Wood Read Free Book Online Page B

paid for. There were people who thought one of those higher office holders might have been involved with Chipper Finn or at least had some knowledge or involvement with her death.”
    Harrie shook her head. “It’s hard to believe things were that bad. If they started cleaning things up, why didn’t they ever find her killer ?”
    “Is that your real question?” Philip Lawrence was certainly direct.
    Harrie took a deep breath and plunged ahead. “Okay. Who do you think murdered Chipper Finn?”
    Philip studied her face for a moment with those penetrating eyes. She could imagine him in a courtroom or on the floor of the senate, evaluating his opponent, looking for the weak points. She reminded herself she wasn’t an opponent and had no reason to feel intimidated.
    After what seemed like minutes, he spoke. “Well, that is the question, isn’t it? I’m not prepared to answer just yet. Who do you think the culprit is?”
    Harrie didn’t know what to say. Why ask her? Why would he think she knew anything about it? Then she remembered telling him about her dream. She said, “I didn’t know anything about this case before we started editing your book, so there’s no way I would know.”
    Philip patted her hand in a soothing way. “ Maybe there is. I sense you have an unusual gift. Call it intuition, psychic ability, whatever you want, but you do sometimes know things, don’t you?”
    Harrie didn’t want the conversation to continue in this direction. She looked to Ginger for help, but Ginger just sat there.
    “I had a strong sense that you were in danger. I saw the body in the dream – the one I then saw here in the clipping – and I knew something else bad was going to happen.” She looked at him, her eyes pleading for understanding.
    “What about the dream you had last night?” Ginger gave her a questioning look. “You said you saw a man. Maybe that’s the person who’s the threat.”
    “But he didn’t have a face, and I’m not even sure it was a man. It was dark, and he, or whoever, was dressed in dark clothes and wearing a hooded jacket or sweater. Maybe that didn’t have anything to do with this,” Harrie finished lamely.
    Philip watched her thoughtfully. “Then why do you think you dreamed something so frightening? Do you often have such nightmares?”
    He sounded like a psychiatrist, and it was somewhat annoying.
    “I doubt I have them any more often than anybody else. I’ve just had some since we started working on the book. Maybe I’m more open to suggestion than the average person.” Harrie paused and tried to sound less defensive before she continued. “You have more answers to these ques tions than I do. You were there. You investigated. I don’t know anybody connected with this case except you, and I don’t know anybody like this spooky character from my dreams.”
    Ginger spoke again. “What about the guy outside the office last night?”
    Philip finally shifted his attention from Harrie to Ginger. “What guy?”
    Ginger explained about their interview with Caroline Johnson and the person in the black SUV outside their office. Philip’s concern was apparent.
    “Did anybody get a license number on this SUV?” he asked.
    “ No,” Ginger said, sounding contrite.
    “Did you happen to notice what kind of SUV it was?”
    “You mean was it a Ford or a Chevrolet or something?”
    Philip nodded. “ Yes. It would help to know that.”
    Harrie shook her head, and looked at Ginger. Ginger shrugged her shoulders. “Who knows anymore? They all look alike to me.”
    Philip spoke carefully. “I want you to stay alert and pay attention to what’s going on around you. If somebody really is watching you, we need to find out who and why.”
    “ There’s no reason for anybody to be watching us,” Harrie said unconvincingly. “We don’t know anything.”
    Ginger said, “What about Sunglasses?”
    Philip looked confused. “Sunglasses?”
    “ That’s what Harrie called the guy she