Twisted Reason by Diane Fanning Read Free Book Online Page A

talk to the district attorney as soon as she could catch up with him. As Lucinda brought the car to a stop, Evan asked, “You want to come up and see Charley, maybe stay for dinner.”
    “I really have to get back to the office. I left some loose ends there when I came to your rescue.”
    “Another time, then. And thanks – you look great astride a white horse. You need a white hat?”
    “Nah, I did a Texas thing last year and it didn’t work out too well and besides, I wanna keep the bad guys guessing,” she said, putting her car in gear and driving out of the parking lot and back to her office.
    Walking through her office door, she said, “Oh, jeez, Ted. I didn’t mean you had to wait until I got back. I thought you’d mind the phone until five and then head out. Any calls?”
    “Nothing that mattered. What are you going to do now?”
    “I’ve got to write my preliminary report, organize my notes and make plans for my course of action tomorrow on this possible homicide I picked up today.”
    “Okay, I’ll get out of your hair, but once you’re past the first forty-eight, I’d like a few minutes of your time.”
    “I can make time for you now, Ted, if it’s important.”
    “Nah. I’ll catch you later.”
    Lucinda watched Ted’s retreating back and wondered what was on his mind. His demeanor with her seemed more subdued than usual. It was almost as if he were saying goodbye. An instant of alarm forced her to her feet with thoughts of following him down the hall. She reconsidered the impulse, sat back down and got to work.

 
     
    Nine
     
     Sherry dressed for dinner. She pulled on her stockings, shoes and a skirt but before putting on a blouse, she reached for her silver locket. It wasn’t where it should have been. She looked everywhere for it. She threw underwear and socks out of the top drawer of her dresser. As the items piled up on the floor, she muttered, “Where is it? Where is it?”
    She slammed the top drawer shut and opened the second one for the third time that evening. The first two times through the dresser’s contents, she’d shuffled through the clothing. Now, it was panic time. T-shirts and sweaters flew out and joined the other clothing sprawled on the tile.
    When it was empty, she shoved it in and jerked out the bottom drawer. Normally, it took a lot of effort for her to get down on her knees, but now she was fueled by desperation and she dropped down totally unaware of the pain. An involuntary “oof” escaped through her lips before she continued her non-stop mantra of “Where is it? Where is it?”
    The noise drew the attention of the nurse walking past the bungalow. She knocked on the door. When Sherry didn’t respond, she cracked it open. “Miss Sherry? Miss Sherry? Is everything okay?”
    Sherry popped to her feet. “No. It’s not. Did you steal it?”
    “Steal what, Miss Sherry?”
    “You did, didn’t you? You steal from me all the time, don’t you? Now give it back,” Sherry said, thrusting out an open palm.
    “What’s missing, Miss Sherry?”
    “My locket, damn it. My locket. The one my Henry gave me. Now give it back!”
    “Miss Sherry, I don’t have your locket, hon, but I’d be glad to help you look for it.”
    “Somebody stole it! If you didn’t, it was somebody else. And I want it back,” Sherry pushed the woman aide aside with a strength no one suspected she still possessed. She hit the door and fast-walked down the path toward the dining room.
    “Miss Sherry! Miss Sherry!” the nurse aide shouted. “You forget your blouse, hon. Come back, get dressed.”
    Sherry didn’t slow her pace. Her bosom heaved as she barreled in through the double doors of the dining room. “Who stole my locket?”
    A few forks clattered to the table as all eyes turned to the entrance.
    “I want it back. Whoever took it, give it back now!”
    A few of the diners tittered like school children. The woman sitting closest to her hung her head and sobbed out