Read Online A Rip Roaring Good Time by Jeanne Glidewell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jeanne Glidewell
Ads: Link
with that loser. The very idea that such an ugly individual had been placed into such a beautiful body seemed unholy. But I realized God often worked in mysterious ways and that he probably viewed every living thing he created as beautiful, even perfect.
More than anything, I was upset that Lexie Starr had been taken to the police station for questioning. Even though the evidence all appeared to point her way, those of us who knew her personally knew there was more to this murder case than met the eye.
I was near tears when Wendy walked up to me and put her arm around my shoulder. She looked into my eyes and said, "Don't worry, Rapella. I'm sure that after Mom tells them exactly what happened from her perspective, she'll be released. I expect a call from her any minute, asking us to pick her up at the station."
"I know, honey. But I'm also sorry your party got spoiled the way it did."
"Stuff happens. It is what it is, I guess," Wendy responded. It was obvious that she wasn't overly gloomy about Trotter Hayes's untimely passing either.
* * *
Stone, Rip, Wendy, and I sat around the kitchen table. Detective Johnston had escorted Lexie to the police station, telling her it was only to make a statement about what she'd witnessed—a standard routine of the investigative process.
Stone looked as anxious as I felt. He said, "I've known Wyatt for long enough to judge his demeanor by his words, actions and expressions. He was a lot more concerned than he let on. In fact, he looked scared stiff—no pun intended."
"I hate to say this, Stone," Rip said. "I served as a police officer for thirty-seven years, including my last decade in law enforcement as the Aransas County Sheriff. I've worked very few cases of incredible violence such as this one, because fortunately, the crime rate in that county is relatively low. But I've seen detectives working many a crime scene and I got the distinct impression that all of the detectives, except Johnston, have put Lexie at the top of their suspects list."
"I got that impression too," Stone replied, nervously running his hand through his silver hair. His normally light blue eyes now looked almost battleship gray. A lone tear slipped out of his left eye and ran down his cheek, leaving a wet trail against his tanned face. Stone didn't wipe it off. It seemed as if he hadn't even realized the tear had escaped.
Rip, who often wasn't good at judging when to keep talking and when to shut up, adjusted his position in such a fashion that I knew his hip was bothering him. Then he said, "I saw Wyatt arguing with several of them before he put Lexie in his squad car. At one point, their voices were raised enough that I heard him say, 'You're crazy! I know her better than any of you do, and I can tell you she had nothing to do with killing the chief's boy.' Then he walked away from them, obviously teed off."
"Oh, good Lord!" Stone exclaimed. "I was so shocked that another guest was murdered in our inn, I completely forgot that Trotter was Chief Smith's stepson. And that does not bode well for Lexie because she and the chief have been at odds on several occasions. Even when he awarded her a certificate of appreciation last year for playing a crucial part in getting a killer off the street he hadn't appeared very appreciative to me. But perhaps it just seemed that way because he—"
"No, you read him right, Stone," Wendy said with a grimace, cutting Stone off. "I didn't tell Mom because I didn't want to take the wind out of her sails. But the chief fought long and hard with Mayor Bradley Dunn about presenting her with that award. I was actually surprised by the mayor's strong defense on Mom's behalf, as he's also had a run-in or two with her in the past. Dunn insisted that it was a well-deserved commendation. But Nate told me Chief Smith argued that he was tired of her intrusive meddling in police business and didn't want to encourage her to continue that ill-advised meddling. No disrespect toward Mom,
More than anything, I was upset that Lexie Starr had been taken to the police station for questioning. Even though the evidence all appeared to point her way, those of us who knew her personally knew there was more to this murder case than met the eye.
I was near tears when Wendy walked up to me and put her arm around my shoulder. She looked into my eyes and said, "Don't worry, Rapella. I'm sure that after Mom tells them exactly what happened from her perspective, she'll be released. I expect a call from her any minute, asking us to pick her up at the station."
"I know, honey. But I'm also sorry your party got spoiled the way it did."
"Stuff happens. It is what it is, I guess," Wendy responded. It was obvious that she wasn't overly gloomy about Trotter Hayes's untimely passing either.
* * *
Stone, Rip, Wendy, and I sat around the kitchen table. Detective Johnston had escorted Lexie to the police station, telling her it was only to make a statement about what she'd witnessed—a standard routine of the investigative process.
Stone looked as anxious as I felt. He said, "I've known Wyatt for long enough to judge his demeanor by his words, actions and expressions. He was a lot more concerned than he let on. In fact, he looked scared stiff—no pun intended."
"I hate to say this, Stone," Rip said. "I served as a police officer for thirty-seven years, including my last decade in law enforcement as the Aransas County Sheriff. I've worked very few cases of incredible violence such as this one, because fortunately, the crime rate in that county is relatively low. But I've seen detectives working many a crime scene and I got the distinct impression that all of the detectives, except Johnston, have put Lexie at the top of their suspects list."
"I got that impression too," Stone replied, nervously running his hand through his silver hair. His normally light blue eyes now looked almost battleship gray. A lone tear slipped out of his left eye and ran down his cheek, leaving a wet trail against his tanned face. Stone didn't wipe it off. It seemed as if he hadn't even realized the tear had escaped.
Rip, who often wasn't good at judging when to keep talking and when to shut up, adjusted his position in such a fashion that I knew his hip was bothering him. Then he said, "I saw Wyatt arguing with several of them before he put Lexie in his squad car. At one point, their voices were raised enough that I heard him say, 'You're crazy! I know her better than any of you do, and I can tell you she had nothing to do with killing the chief's boy.' Then he walked away from them, obviously teed off."
"Oh, good Lord!" Stone exclaimed. "I was so shocked that another guest was murdered in our inn, I completely forgot that Trotter was Chief Smith's stepson. And that does not bode well for Lexie because she and the chief have been at odds on several occasions. Even when he awarded her a certificate of appreciation last year for playing a crucial part in getting a killer off the street he hadn't appeared very appreciative to me. But perhaps it just seemed that way because he—"
"No, you read him right, Stone," Wendy said with a grimace, cutting Stone off. "I didn't tell Mom because I didn't want to take the wind out of her sails. But the chief fought long and hard with Mayor Bradley Dunn about presenting her with that award. I was actually surprised by the mayor's strong defense on Mom's behalf, as he's also had a run-in or two with her in the past. Dunn insisted that it was a well-deserved commendation. But Nate told me Chief Smith argued that he was tired of her intrusive meddling in police business and didn't want to encourage her to continue that ill-advised meddling. No disrespect toward Mom,
Similar Books
