The Stone of Sadness (An Olivia Miller Mystery Book 3) by J A Whiting Read Free Book Online

and being invited in to hear how he had coped with the loss of his mother and sister. She rested back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling. No matter how many ways she tried to convince herself that arriving unannounced at Monahan’s front door would work out well, she couldn’t shake the reality that he would find her visit intrusive. Olivia decided to talk it over with Brad the next day. She pushed herself up from the sofa and leaned forward to blow out the candle. She turned off the lamp, called to Lily, and the two climbed the stairs and went to bed.

Chapter 8
    Emily Bradford, the girl who had dated the nineteen year old murder suspect, contacted Olivia and they arranged to meet at a coffee shop in Brookline center. From her seat near the window, Olivia watched a sleek silver Mercedes pull into the lot and park. An attractive, slender woman with honey blonde hair cut into a long bob emerged from the driver side. She was wearing a tight, bright blue skirt, heels, and a fitted navy blazer. She looked trim and strong. Olivia calculated she must be in her late fifties.
    The woman strode to the door of the coffee shop with confidence and purpose, entered, and spotted Olivia right away. She crossed the space to Olivia’s table and extended her hand as she took a seat on the opposite side of the booth.
    “Emily Bradford.”
    “Thanks for getting in touch with me,” Olivia said as she shook hands with the woman.
    “I was surprised as hell when my sister called to tell me someone wanted to speak with me about the murders,” Emily said. Her voice carried a tone of authority. “No one has asked me anything about it since the year it all happened.”
    “I just wanted to get some of your impressions from the time. I understand you were dating one of the original suspects?” Olivia asked.
    “Yes. Kenny. Kenny Overman. We dated off and on through high school and during my first year of college. I thought he was so cool, smoking, drinking…even in the ninth grade.” She leaned forward, a slight smile on her face. “He seemed so dangerous and outlandish. Just did whatever he wanted. So different from my straight-laced, rule-based, Catholic parents.” She chuckled. “That was part of the appeal. That and how good-looking he was.” She sipped her coffee. “He was sweet at heart…when he wasn’t drinking.”
    “What about the priest at St. Catherine’s? Father Anthony?” Olivia asked.
    Emily’s eyebrows went up. “What about him?”
    “Your family attended the church. Did you know him at all?’
    “Sure. He led the youth group. Why do you ask about him?”
    “People mentioned his name…suggested I look him up…said he might have some information. I was hoping to get his take on what happened since he lived here in Howland at the time of the murders,” Olivia said. “Do you know where he might be located now? Which parish he’s assigned to?”
    “I don’t. No,” Emily said. Her face was blank. “I haven’t seen him for years. I don’t know what people think he could offer about the murders.”
    “What did you think of him?” Olivia asked.
    “He was good at organizing. Friendly. It was an active youth group. It was more of a young adult group, I guess. We were all between seventeen and twenty. We had a lot of fun.”
    “Did he seem overly friendly with the women?” Olivia asked.
    Emily shifted in her seat. “How do you mean?”
    “Some people have said that he enjoyed being around women.”
    “I hadn’t heard that.” Emily’s face took on a hard look. “I never noticed.”
    Olivia worried that she might have offended Emily and decided she better change her line of questioning. “Why do you think the police suspected Kenny? Was there evidence that tied him to the crime? Was he connected to the victims somehow?”
    “Kenny knew the husband more than the wife and daughter. He had done some work around their house. Some painting, raking, things like that. They suspected him because Kenny’s