Read Online Dead Wrong by J. M. Griffin - Free Book Online

there on the leg press.” I pointed toward the right, guiding them through the double doors.”
    â€œYou can come in if you want, but not if you’ll be sick. This is a crime scene now. You were sick, right?” Porter asked.
    Nodding up and down, I could feel the sweat break out on my forehead again. “If I have to go in, I will, but I don’t want to.”
    â€œWe just need you to make the ID for us.”
    â€œUh, okay. I can’t imagine where Nurse Crisp went. She was here when I arrived. She said there were other patients and that the clinic was booked solid.” I babbled, I knew, but I seemed unable to stop.
    The doors creaked and groaned as we entered the room. Nothing had changed since I’d left to barf. Not that I expected it to, I’d only hoped the dead body was a mirage or something stupid like that. We moved across the floor, the cop and Porter, with me sandwiched between. Their eyes scanned the contents of the room taking in every detail just as they were taught to do. I could almost see the wheels turning in their heads as they memorized the scene.
    We’d nearly reached the corpse when I started to shake in earnest. Porter put a hand on my arm in an effort to calm me. My stomach heaved. Before I made a complete fool of myself, I turned and ran from the room.
    In the lavatory, I dry-heaved until I thought my stomach would come out through my mouth. It finally stopped as my phone jingled from inside my handbag. I dug deep into my purse for it. My brother’s number blazed across the small screen. The last thing I wanted to do now was speak with family. I let the call go to voice mail and chucked the phone back into the bag.
    A few seconds later, the phone jingled again. Frustrated, I dug the phone from the bottom of the bag and answered it.
    â€œGiovanni, you’ve arrived?” I asked, my voice shaky and breathing rapid.
    â€œJust landed. I wanted to let you know. Is something the matter?” he asked. A worried tinge filtered through the richness of his deep voice.
    â€œI just found a dead guy. He’s my physical therapist.” I hadn’t meant to blurt that out, but I couldn’t hold it in. Sort of like the pastry, it had come out.
    â€œWhere are you? I’ll be right there.” He really sounded worried now.
    â€œNo, the cops are here. Everything is fine. I really can’t talk now.” I realized I sounded a bit hysterical. After all, it isn’t every day I find a dead man.
    â€œIf you’re sure. I’ll call you later then.” Gio hesitated. “Are you positive you don’t want me to come there?”
    â€œGio, everything is going to be fine. I know one of the cops, and he’ll keep the other two on a leash. Don’t tell Mom and Dad, please.”
    â€œYou got it. Talk to you later.”
    I hung up, wiped my sweaty face with my sleeve and returned to the therapy gym. Anderson spoke in a hushed voice to the other cop who took notes. The third officer must have stayed in the front of the building, I thought.
    â€œIs everything all right, Vin?” Porter asked as he approached me.
    â€œYeah, I’m okay. I’ll ID this guy now.” I stepped forward, but Porter held my arm.
    â€œNo need. We searched him and found a driver’s license in his wallet. His name is Stanley Gristle, correct?”
    I nodded.
    â€œHe had a second ID on him as well. He went by another name. Did you know that?” His eyebrow arched when I shook my head no.
    â€œWhat was the name?”
    â€œStephen Gurrelli. Ring any bells?”
    â€œNo, none. Same initials though. How strange is that?”
    â€œMmm. Have you seen him anywhere other than here?”
    â€œNo, I haven’t. I told you earlier about this place and the doctor who sent me here. It’s really fishy, ya know?”
    He nodded. “When I ran a check, nothing came up. No license to practice as a clinic, nothing registered with