Read Online Bake Me a Murder by Carole Fowkes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carole Fowkes
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being a hard-boiled private detective. I held my hand out and he placed Coco’s phone in it.
“Yeah.” He licked his lips. “I could use a drink about now.”
“I have a chocolate shake in my car. It’s probably a little warm. I’m going to get it for you.” I didn’t want to offer him anything alcoholic.
I returned and handed him the beverage. He took it and sucked on the straw. His heart didn’t appear to be in it.
“Eric, I have to make a call but I’ll be back before the police get here.”
He nodded and took another draw from the milkshake.
I sat in my car and dialed the numbers I’d written down. They didn’t belong to anyone anymore. Probably disposable phones. I went through the pictures on her phone, taking my time. Besides the numerous selfies, were multiple photos of worn furniture in a room with grey walls. Her living quarters? The last photo was of a dark haired girl, early twenties, in the tiniest of bathing suits. Her mouth hung open like she was drunk or high. Asking Eric if he knew who she was seemed like a good idea.
Before getting the chance, a car pulled up. Corrigan, making it here in record time. He must have been in the vicinity. I jumped out of my car and hurried over to Eric, slipping him Coco’s phone.
When Corrigan saw me he shaded his eyes with his hand and shook his head. “What a surprise. It’s DeNardo.” He removed his hand and glared at me. “I’d ask you what you were doing here, but I’m sure the answer would just irritate me.”
Eric chimed in. “I asked Claire to be here.” Corrigan scowled, but didn’t offer a response. Eric set the shake down on the sidewalk and continued. “Coco gave me her phone to hold for her.”
Corrigan bagged the phone. “This is evidence. You should have turned it in when you found out Ms. Sanchez was dead.”
Eric nodded. “I know.”
As if contemplating his next action, Corrigan said, “I should run you in.”
It was time for my two cents. “But he did turn it in of his own free will.”
Eric’s fists clenched and unclenched. “Yeah. That should count for something”
“All right, all right.” Corrigan rubbed his forehead. “Anything else you’d like to come clean with?”
“That was it.”
“It’d better be. You’re free to go for now. Just don’t go far. Claire, a word.”
I wasn’t falling for that trick this go-round. Last time he wanted a word with me he’d locked me in his car. But when he crooked his finger again I decided maybe I’d better follow.
Chapter Seven
O nce we were out of Eric’s hearing, Corrigan stared at me like he was trying to read my thoughts. “I suppose you deserve some thanks for getting him to turn in the phone.”
“Don’t strain yourself.”
He stifled a smirk then grew serious. “We already have a warrant for Ms. Sanchez’s phone records, but any pictures she took could help.” He pulled out gloves and opened the camera app. When he found the furniture photos, he checked the date they were taken and the location. “The pictures of furniture are from about two weeks before Ms. Sanchez died.” He showed me the pictures. “Could be, this was where she was living. We’ll check it out.”
He looked at the photo of the dark-haired girl last. “Same location and date as the others. She looks familiar. Maybe she’s in our system.” He slipped Coco’s phone back into an evidence bag.
“Or maybe Eric knows who she is.”
His eyebrows rose, like he was surprised I had a good idea.
Eric had disappeared, but I had a good idea where he was. Opening the door to the lounge, I pointed at him sitting at the bar, tapping his hands on it. No doubt waiting for a drink.
Corrigan followed me inside.
Eric spun on his stool and stiffened when he saw us.
“Relax. We want you to look at a photo. Tell us if you know this woman.” Corrigan held out the phone to Eric and I held my breath.
Eric glanced at the picture and shook his head. “Nope.”
“Look again,
“Yeah.” He licked his lips. “I could use a drink about now.”
“I have a chocolate shake in my car. It’s probably a little warm. I’m going to get it for you.” I didn’t want to offer him anything alcoholic.
I returned and handed him the beverage. He took it and sucked on the straw. His heart didn’t appear to be in it.
“Eric, I have to make a call but I’ll be back before the police get here.”
He nodded and took another draw from the milkshake.
I sat in my car and dialed the numbers I’d written down. They didn’t belong to anyone anymore. Probably disposable phones. I went through the pictures on her phone, taking my time. Besides the numerous selfies, were multiple photos of worn furniture in a room with grey walls. Her living quarters? The last photo was of a dark haired girl, early twenties, in the tiniest of bathing suits. Her mouth hung open like she was drunk or high. Asking Eric if he knew who she was seemed like a good idea.
Before getting the chance, a car pulled up. Corrigan, making it here in record time. He must have been in the vicinity. I jumped out of my car and hurried over to Eric, slipping him Coco’s phone.
When Corrigan saw me he shaded his eyes with his hand and shook his head. “What a surprise. It’s DeNardo.” He removed his hand and glared at me. “I’d ask you what you were doing here, but I’m sure the answer would just irritate me.”
Eric chimed in. “I asked Claire to be here.” Corrigan scowled, but didn’t offer a response. Eric set the shake down on the sidewalk and continued. “Coco gave me her phone to hold for her.”
Corrigan bagged the phone. “This is evidence. You should have turned it in when you found out Ms. Sanchez was dead.”
Eric nodded. “I know.”
As if contemplating his next action, Corrigan said, “I should run you in.”
It was time for my two cents. “But he did turn it in of his own free will.”
Eric’s fists clenched and unclenched. “Yeah. That should count for something”
“All right, all right.” Corrigan rubbed his forehead. “Anything else you’d like to come clean with?”
“That was it.”
“It’d better be. You’re free to go for now. Just don’t go far. Claire, a word.”
I wasn’t falling for that trick this go-round. Last time he wanted a word with me he’d locked me in his car. But when he crooked his finger again I decided maybe I’d better follow.
Chapter Seven
O nce we were out of Eric’s hearing, Corrigan stared at me like he was trying to read my thoughts. “I suppose you deserve some thanks for getting him to turn in the phone.”
“Don’t strain yourself.”
He stifled a smirk then grew serious. “We already have a warrant for Ms. Sanchez’s phone records, but any pictures she took could help.” He pulled out gloves and opened the camera app. When he found the furniture photos, he checked the date they were taken and the location. “The pictures of furniture are from about two weeks before Ms. Sanchez died.” He showed me the pictures. “Could be, this was where she was living. We’ll check it out.”
He looked at the photo of the dark-haired girl last. “Same location and date as the others. She looks familiar. Maybe she’s in our system.” He slipped Coco’s phone back into an evidence bag.
“Or maybe Eric knows who she is.”
His eyebrows rose, like he was surprised I had a good idea.
Eric had disappeared, but I had a good idea where he was. Opening the door to the lounge, I pointed at him sitting at the bar, tapping his hands on it. No doubt waiting for a drink.
Corrigan followed me inside.
Eric spun on his stool and stiffened when he saw us.
“Relax. We want you to look at a photo. Tell us if you know this woman.” Corrigan held out the phone to Eric and I held my breath.
Eric glanced at the picture and shook his head. “Nope.”
“Look again,
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