Read Online A Nose for Death by Glynis Whiting - Free Book Online Page B

production of The Princess and the Pea . She recognized Rudy Weiss sitting on the edge of the stage holding a ukulele. The next few pages featured athletic teams. A fuzzy shot of Hazel lifting the regional volleyball trophy above her head, the photo poorly framed and out of focus, was credited to “Marly”, some aspiring photographer who, hopefully, had developed more skill over the years. Joan tentatively flipped to the headshots of the graduating class. There she was, in the middle of the bottom row. She stared into the eyes of her younger self. This girl’s entire life was about to change seconds after the picture was snapped. Had already changed, but she hadn’t known it. She scanned the page and saw both Candy and Peg. It was odd how they had switched personalities. Candy was the bouncing and familiar middle-aged woman. Peg was now tired and unsettled looking. Joan turned to the next page. The smell of the old high school overwhelmed her as it wafted up from the pages. With a certainty that she couldn’t explain, she felt that the solution to Roger’s murder was in the pages of this book but, as she scanned the rows of faces, nobody whispered any clue.
    Joan hadn’t been in a high school washroom in years but the aroma hadn’t changed: heavy bleach and hairspray. She found Peg dabbing at her eyes with a long tail of toilet paper. After polite comments about Joan’s purple hair, Peg broke down in tears again.
    â€œThis flu makes me madder than a drunken, tired hornet. I’ve spent three years planning this reunion. Three years. I thought it would be a party — my party .” She stopped then blurted out, “I haven’t had a man since one of my patients took me out five years ago. What if that was my last sex? I thought this weekend would change all that. One more romance, even a weekend fling, that’s all I want! Hell, I even fantasized about ol’ Roger. Until he was so rude to me about paying for his motel room.” She blew her nose. “I feel so stupid. Please don’t tell anyone.”
    When Joan emerged from the bathroom, Gabe took her arm and steered her away from the crowd. “I know it was hard for you to come back to Madden. It shouldn’t have happened this way.” He spoke breathlessly, as though he had to rush the words out or they’d get stuck behind formality, dissolved by the light of day. “But I’m glad you’re here. I woke up thinking about you.”
    She was floored by his candor. Joan was accustomed to erecting steely walls of propriety when it came to professional situations. It flustered her that he was so open, especially at the centre of a murder investigation. She wanted to know if “thinking of you” meant he was plotting her arrest or imagining her dancing naked. As he asked her about Roger, she suppressed the questions that she had for him.
    No, she hadn’t had contact with Roger since leaving Madden thirty years before. No, she hadn’t kept up with anyone. Several times Gabe had to repeat his questions because Joan’s mind was wandering. What kind of relationship had developed between him and Roger? And there was one question she was most interested in having answered. Finally she blurted it out: “Do you believe what Marlena told you last night, Gabe, about Roger and me?”
    He looked awkward. “I can’t answer that. It’s my job to listen.” He was embarrassed, which worried Joan. If Gabe doubted her, what chance did she have of convincing anyone else?
    â€œYou know it isn’t true.” She watched his tortured expression and could tell it was hard for him. “Roger the Dodger?” she laughed nervously. “Me and Roger? Can you even begin to imagine it?”
    This dragged a crooked smile out of him. He told her he had to meet with his officers to go over all the interview material.
    â€œWhen can I go home, Gabe?”
    â€œSoon.