Read Online 2 Multiple Exposures by Audrey Claire - Free Book Online Page B

there might be any number of reasons to kill Dr. Bloomberg if one thought his habits were about to be revealed to the public. My mind swirled with the endless implications.
    “Can I send you the list, Makayla?”
    “Yes, let me give you my email address.” I relayed the information to her.
    “Thank you so much. I will send it in a couple hours after I verify everyone is on there and get it in some sort of order you can follow easily enough.”
    “Okay, I’ll do my best. Talk to you soon, Lissa.”
    “Good bye.”

Chapter Seven
     
    Edna’s house stood on the end of a quiet street where many of the residents were families with small children. When I first visited her little two-story home with light green siding and dark gray shutters, I had asked her if the noise of the kids playing outside bothered her. She had assured me that their energy was what kept her going. Edna loved family, but she had none of her own, and that made me sad. So, I made a point of visiting with her whenever I could.
    When I strode up to the door, Edna’s kitty, Spector, sat in the front window watching me with wide, pale eyes. Edna and I had enjoyed a laugh previously comparing the color of Spector’s eyes to Spencer’s and the similarity in their names. Thank goodness our town sheriff didn’t sport such a freaky expression in his eyes that his feline twin did. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have accepted his first invitation to dinner or indulged a second of confidence in his police skills.
    The door opened before I had the chance to knock, and Edna drew me into a hug while Spector tangled between my legs. “Come in, come in,” Edna urged me. “You took longer than expected, and I worried you weren’t coming. I was all prepared to do a special delivery of my Caramel Pumpkin Italian Cream Cake.”
    I sagged with a hand to my chest and one pressed to the wall with dramatic flare. Edna, I loved her so much! “Edna, tell me you didn’t. Of course you did. I smell the pumpkin, the coconut, the caramel, the cinnamon and nutmeg…” I could have gone on all day, but you and Edna I’m sure got the picture. I had a problem, and therapy probably wouldn’t help. “This is another reason why I’ve adopted you as my grandma, Edna. I love you.”
    She beamed and practically floated as she tugged me toward the kitchen. “I knew you would like it, which is why I chose this recipe. It’s that time of year. Just wait until I start making my homemade eggnog.”
    “Oh, Edna, I feel myself getting plumper.”
    “Don’t worry, dear. The sheriff will still love you.”
    I sat down in her kitchen amid an explosion of sunflowers. They covered every surface from the dainty curtains in the window to the dishtowels and potholders to the tablecloth. Even the clock on the wall was a sunflower. I’m guessing Edna liked sunflowers, but I could be off the mark.
    “Spencer and I aren’t dating, per se,” I corrected her. “We’re just friendly.”
    Edna blushed. “I’ve been out of that arena for a very long time, so I guess ‘friendly’ is what young people call it now?”
    I smirked as she set a glass of sweet tea before me, and I took a sip. Refreshing. When you go to “tea” at Edna’s house, you are served ice-cold sweet tea. If you want hot tea, you have to specify. I’m telling you, it captured me by surprise how serious North Carolinians took their sweet tea. Since I loved the flavor, I didn’t mind a bit.
    “No, that’s what I call Spencer’s and my…um…relationship, for lack of a better definition.” I had a better descriptive, and it was simply lovers, but if Edna blushed with just a hint at his and my connection, I thought she might faint if I said anything more specific.
    Edna began setting out plates of sandwiches cut in small triangles with their crusts removed. She had gone all out as usual, and I already knew not to complain that she was doing too much. From my last visit, I had learned Edna thrived off of playing hostess to