The Saucy Lucy Murders by Cindy Keen Reynders Read Free Book Online

police force that was a bit more accustomed to the occasional murder.
    Otis scowled at Whitehead’s house, then over at Lexie and pointed accusingly at her. “You,” he ordered. “Don’t go anywhere.” He disappeared inside Whitehead’s house with Harris trotting obediently after him.
    The police backup from Westonville arrived a short while after that and hurried into Whitehead’s house as well. Lexie tried not to think of what was going on. It was unreal. Like a television program or a movie.
    Lucy pulled up in her blue Ford sedan and got out. She shuffled quickly toward Lexie in her sensible brown loafers, her print housedress flapping. “Are you all right, baby sister?”
    “Of course. I find bodies all the time in my line of work.”
    “Don’t joke. This is not funny,” Lucy scolded.
    “I don’t think it’s one bit funny, either. But this is making me crazy. Do you realize Whitehead is the second man you’ve introduced me to who has wound up dead?
    “Oh, my.” Lucy’s face flushed and she began to fan herself madly. “Hot flash, you know. Happens when I’m upset.”
    “I thought it was just menopause.”
    Lucy pulled out a hankie and mopped her perspiration-dotted brow. “I am
not
going through menopause. I have got years before that happens.
Many, many
years.”
    “Right,” Lexie said.
    “What happened? Did you and Henry have a fight? Did he make advances toward you?”
    “He tried.”
    “Well for Pete’s sake! You didn’t have to off him.”
    “Lucy, I did not kill Whitehead. I forgot my purse last night after I left him at his house. This morning I came by to pick up the darn thing and I found Whitehead dead.”
    “This is not good, baby sister.”
    “No kidding it’s not good. Do you think Otis is capable of handling another murder investigation?”
    “I don’t know. He got pretty upset when Hugh was shot.”
    “Well, if he botches this investigation, you might be visiting me at the women’s correctional center down in Chamber City. Do you think you’ll still be able to fix me up on dates then?”
    A clanking noise drew their attention and Lexie saw the paramedics rolling Whitehead’s sheeted body over to the ambulance. They hefted him up, shut the double doors and drove away.
    As other uniformed officers looped yellow crime scene tape around Whitehead’s house, Otis and another man Lexie didn’t recognize walked toward her truck.
    Otis introduced his wife and sister-in-law to Detective Gabriel Stevenson. He’d recently moved to Westonville and had just started work with theirpolice department.
    A solidly built male, Stevenson wore jeans, a worn black leather jacket, and a black Stetson. He had a neatly trimmed brown mustache and beard sprinkled with gray and a healthy tan complexion. The badge attached to his belt had a frightening legal glint to it.
    Lexie and Lucy told Stevenson, “Hello,” at the same time.
    “Pleased to make your acquaintance, ladies,” Stevenson responded in a deep, rumbling voice as he shook their hands. He removed his hat and ran his hair through wavy brown hair shot with gray.
    “How well did you know Henry Whitehead?” Stevenson asked Lexie, his hazel eyes piercing.
    “I only met him yesterday. We went to the carnival with some friends of his last night.” Lexie couldn’t help but check Stevenson out a little closer, noting that he was pleasant to the eye. There weren’t many men as good looking as him in Moose Creek Junction. His looks made him a tad intriguing, although still frightening. He was the law, after all.
    Stevenson scribbled in a notebook, then sized Lexie up again, his gaze questioning. “What time did you return?”
    “I dropped him off here at about 9 p.m. Then I went home.”
    “Can anyone vouch for your story?”
    Lexie nodded. “My daughter, Eva.”
    He jotted down something else, and Lexienoticed Otis had produced a notebook and took notes every time Stevenson did.
Monkey see, monkey do.
    “Do you know of any