Think Murder by Cassidy Salem Read Free Book Online

you’re finished there?”
    I checked my watch, “I should be home by noon. What do you suggest?”
    I couldn’t see us talking in a crowded restaurant, and I definitely didn’t want to invite him to my apartment. In response to his silence, I continued, “What do you say I grab sandwiches at the shop on Wisconsin Avenue and we stake out a bench in River Road Park?”
    Food and fresh air always sound good to me. River Road Park is a small neighborhood park with paths that wind between elegant shade trees, well-tended flower beds, and wrought iron benches. Duncan agreed, and we made plans to meet in the park at 1 p.m.
    The washing machines beeped in rapid succession, and I transferred the contents to the dryers. An hour later, I packed up my clean dry clothes and headed home.
    After changing into freshly laundered jeans and a t-shirt, I popped into the sandwich shop. When I reached the park, Duncan was seated on an empty bench under a stately sycamore tree. He stood up as soon as he saw me approach, a forlorn expression on his face. Even so, he had his usual yuppie look going – tan Chinos, topped by a blue Abercrombie & Fitch polo shirt. Close to 6 feet with sandy brown hair and a fine build, he could have stepped out of a fashion catalog.
    We embraced briefly then sat down, tears threatening to erupt. At a rare loss for words, I busied myself with unpacking the food and drinks. Duncan took the sandwich I handed him, without showing any inclination to eat it.
    The silence was unbearable. “Duncan, I’m so sorry… I know you cared for Hilary.”
    “Adina, I know it might be hard for you to believe – I really loved her. I was planning to ask her to marry me.”
    Wow. I wasn’t expecting that.
    “The last time I went home, I asked my folks if I could give Hilary my grandmother’s engagement ring. I was going to propose to her on her birthday.”
    “Duncan, I had no idea it was that serious. I do know that Hilary loved you.” To think that Hilary had died worrying that he wanted to break up with her. “When did you find out what happened?”
    “While I was in Boston with Dr. Locke, Rick called.” Rick is one of Duncan’s pals in the office. “He left a message for me to call him ASAP. When I called him back, he told me he had heard the news and asked how I was doing. I had no idea what he was talking about. He assumed I already knew.”
    “He’s braver than me – I thought of calling you, but I wasn’t sure if you were up to talking.” Translation: I had chickened out.
    Duncan continued, “Anyway, I got a call later that day from the police requesting that I come in and talk to a detective.”
    “Probably Detective Saks. I’ve already spoken to him several times.”
    “Yup. That’s the one. I met with him late Thursday afternoon when we got back from Boston. He asked lots of questions, but he didn’t offer much by way of answers.”
    Duncan turned to face me. “Adina, what happened? I got a text from Hilary that afternoon telling me you guys were heading out to McSweeney’s. It sounded like everything was fine.”
    “I don’t know what happened, I wish I did. We went to McSweeney’s after work, same as we did on most Wednesdays. After we had been there a while, Hilary went to the restroom and never came back.” I decided against telling him that Hilary had suspected he was cheating on her. It would only compound his pain.
    “The detective said she was found in the bathroom,” he prompted me to continue.
    “When I went looking for her, she was already dead. I keep going over it in my mind. Maybe things would have been different if I had gone after her sooner…”
    “Adina, you can’t blame yourself. You had no way of knowing what was going to happen. The detective said they don’t know why Hilary was killed. They aren’t even sure whether someone was after her or she was a random victim.”
    “I realize that. Still, it doesn’t make it any easier to put out of my mind. I can’t