Read Online Cause for Murder by Betty Sullivan La Pierre - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Betty Sullivan La Pierre
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to change the sprinklers often, they still found it very hard. But fortunately, due to the smallness of the yard, it didn't take long to turn over the chunks of soil.
They'd just stopped for a cool drink and wiped the sweat from their brow when Sam noticed a white car slow to a stop in front of the house. A uniformed police officer stepped from the passenger side as Detective Williams came around the front of the vehicle. Sam shot a glance at Richard, whose gaze was already glued to the two men strolling up the sidewalk.
Sam grabbed his tee shirt off the ice chest and quickly slipped it over his head, then stepped onto the narrow walkway. “Hi, Detective Williams."
The detective stopped, smiled and put out his hand. “Sam Casey, my Lord, it's been a couple of years since I've seen you. You look great. How's school?"
"Real good.” Sam turned and motioned for Richard. “You remember Richard Clifford."
"I sure do.” They shook hands. “So what are you guys doing here? Looks like you've been hired to do some rather heavy work."
"We're volunteering to help Mrs. Parker out."
"That's mighty kind of you,” Williams said and glanced toward the door. “Is she home?"
Sam shrugged. “I don't know. Haven't seen her or Maryann this morning.” He pointed toward the station wagon in the driveway. “Her car's here. So, she must be inside.” He frowned. “Is there a problem?"
"Just some loose ends we need to tie up. Good seeing you two.” With that, the detective gave a wave, and the two men scurried up the porch steps.
Sam noticed the frightened look that crossed Lilly's face when she opened the door.
"Yes, what can I do for you?” she asked, a slight quiver in her voice.
"Mrs. Parker, we'd like to talk to you and your daughter. May we come in."
She stepped back to let them inside and closed the door.
Richard touched Sam's arm. “What'd he say to her? She looked scared."
"He just said they needed to talk to her and Maryann."
"She's got something to hide. I could tell by her eyes,” Richard said, staring at the house.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next morning, Lilly awoke to a loud noise in her front yard. She peeked out the window and spotted the two young men taking turns wrestling a rototiller. She didn't dare complain, but she sure could have slept another hour. Sighing, she padded into the bathroom and examined her puffy eyes in the mirror. “Oh, my,” she mumbled. “I look awful."
She splashed cold water on her face, then patted her skin dry with a soft towel. Going to her closet, she selected a loose fitting house dress since she planned to stay home until work time. She shoved back the shoe box that rested on the ledge above her clothes. That shelf must not be level, she thought. Seems like the box inches itself forward every few days.
Closing the closet, she left the room and moved softly past Maryann's door. She went into the kitchen and put on the coffee pot. Not feeling very hungry, she decided on a bowl of dry cereal. No sooner had she finished her breakfast and poured herself another cup of coffee, when someone knocked on the front door.
Thinking it must be one of the boys, it jolted her to come face to face with two men, one in a police uniform and the other flashing a badge.
"Yes?” she asked.
"Hello, Mrs. Parker. I'm Detective Williams of the Medford Police Department. This is Officer McDonnell. May we come in? We'd like to speak to you about the death of your husband."
Lilly felt her stomach tighten as she ushered the men into the living room and offered them a seat on the couch. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?"
"No, thanks. We're fine."
She sat on the edge of the overstuffed chair, her back straight and hands clenched on her lap. “What can I do for you gentlemen?"
Detective Williams straightened his tie. “Is your daughter here? It would be best if she were present."
"Yes, I'm here."
He jerked his head around and eyed the young woman. “Good."
Maryann crossed the room and sat
They'd just stopped for a cool drink and wiped the sweat from their brow when Sam noticed a white car slow to a stop in front of the house. A uniformed police officer stepped from the passenger side as Detective Williams came around the front of the vehicle. Sam shot a glance at Richard, whose gaze was already glued to the two men strolling up the sidewalk.
Sam grabbed his tee shirt off the ice chest and quickly slipped it over his head, then stepped onto the narrow walkway. “Hi, Detective Williams."
The detective stopped, smiled and put out his hand. “Sam Casey, my Lord, it's been a couple of years since I've seen you. You look great. How's school?"
"Real good.” Sam turned and motioned for Richard. “You remember Richard Clifford."
"I sure do.” They shook hands. “So what are you guys doing here? Looks like you've been hired to do some rather heavy work."
"We're volunteering to help Mrs. Parker out."
"That's mighty kind of you,” Williams said and glanced toward the door. “Is she home?"
Sam shrugged. “I don't know. Haven't seen her or Maryann this morning.” He pointed toward the station wagon in the driveway. “Her car's here. So, she must be inside.” He frowned. “Is there a problem?"
"Just some loose ends we need to tie up. Good seeing you two.” With that, the detective gave a wave, and the two men scurried up the porch steps.
Sam noticed the frightened look that crossed Lilly's face when she opened the door.
"Yes, what can I do for you?” she asked, a slight quiver in her voice.
"Mrs. Parker, we'd like to talk to you and your daughter. May we come in."
She stepped back to let them inside and closed the door.
Richard touched Sam's arm. “What'd he say to her? She looked scared."
"He just said they needed to talk to her and Maryann."
"She's got something to hide. I could tell by her eyes,” Richard said, staring at the house.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next morning, Lilly awoke to a loud noise in her front yard. She peeked out the window and spotted the two young men taking turns wrestling a rototiller. She didn't dare complain, but she sure could have slept another hour. Sighing, she padded into the bathroom and examined her puffy eyes in the mirror. “Oh, my,” she mumbled. “I look awful."
She splashed cold water on her face, then patted her skin dry with a soft towel. Going to her closet, she selected a loose fitting house dress since she planned to stay home until work time. She shoved back the shoe box that rested on the ledge above her clothes. That shelf must not be level, she thought. Seems like the box inches itself forward every few days.
Closing the closet, she left the room and moved softly past Maryann's door. She went into the kitchen and put on the coffee pot. Not feeling very hungry, she decided on a bowl of dry cereal. No sooner had she finished her breakfast and poured herself another cup of coffee, when someone knocked on the front door.
Thinking it must be one of the boys, it jolted her to come face to face with two men, one in a police uniform and the other flashing a badge.
"Yes?” she asked.
"Hello, Mrs. Parker. I'm Detective Williams of the Medford Police Department. This is Officer McDonnell. May we come in? We'd like to speak to you about the death of your husband."
Lilly felt her stomach tighten as she ushered the men into the living room and offered them a seat on the couch. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?"
"No, thanks. We're fine."
She sat on the edge of the overstuffed chair, her back straight and hands clenched on her lap. “What can I do for you gentlemen?"
Detective Williams straightened his tie. “Is your daughter here? It would be best if she were present."
"Yes, I'm here."
He jerked his head around and eyed the young woman. “Good."
Maryann crossed the room and sat
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