Read Online Dead In The Water (Rebecca Schwartz Mystery #4) (The Rebecca Schwartz Series) by Julie Smith - Free Book Online

something she hates! Wow, does she hate them—with a deep, primal loathing the way some people hate spiders. Libby, too—all the kids do. Can’t say that I blame them either. Some things are hard even for an aquarist to stomach. It’s a hagfish—I’ve got three of them in there. Disgusting, but they’ll keep your tank clean for you.”
    “A hagfish?”
    “Otherwise knows as a slime eel. Does that ring a bell?” I shook my head. “I guess I’ve led a more sheltered life than I thought.”
    “No eyes; one rasping tooth.” He shuddered. “Among its other charming qualities, it can tie itself in knots.”
    “What about the slime?”
    But Esperanza, who had heretofore not uttered a peep, called, “Daddy, are you back? Did you get it?”
    “Uh-oh.” Julio looked sheepish, a provider who’d failed to bring home the bacon. “I guess I’d better break the news.”
    “I didn’t realize she was here. She was so quiet.”
    He sighed. “That’s how she’s been.”
    “I mean, I guess I imagined you’d left her with a neighbor.”
    He saw what I was getting at. “You don’t think I should have left her alone?”
    “She seems so little.”
    “She’s just short, like her mom. She’s ten—you don’t think that’s old enough?”
    I considered. “I guess so.”
    It was comical, really. I could tell he genuinely didn’t know if she was old enough to be left alone, and he thought I might because I’m a woman. I hadn’t a clue. Who did know anything about kids, and how did they find out? I’d never thought to wonder before.
    “I’ll tell her the bad news. Then you can go in.” Julio walked to the back of the house, and I thought I could hear a drone, his voice. There was one stifled wail and nothing else from Esperanza.
    He came back looking like some sitcom depiction of an expectant father in a waiting room—terrified by the alien world of women and children. “She’s a wreck.”
    “Shall I go in alone, or do you want to come?”
    But he was staring past me, out the window. “Here comes Ricky. Maybe Amber’s with him.”
    I remembered that Amber was a young friend of Esperanza’s, and seeing a boy—or young man—getting out of his car, I thought he might be her brother. He was wearing a baseball cap, jeans, and tennies. He was fairly slight and fairly short—maybe a boy and maybe a man. Almost certainly the fleeing figure I’d so impulsively chased.
    Clearly hoping for a juvenile distraction, Julio strode past me and opened the door. “Ricky, boy, come in. Did you bring Amber?”
    “Amber’s grounded. We’re talking about a very, very naughty girl.”
    “What’d she do?”
    “Something so bad I don’t even want to say.” He came in, spotted me, and went, without missing a beat, into a none-too-subtle onceover. He wasn’t Amber’s brother. Either he was another single father or married life didn’t suit him.
    “Ricky Flynn, Rebecca Schwartz,” said Julio.
    I nodded, not offering to shake. Ricky’s staring had put me off.
    Ricky nodded back, gave me a worried look—did he recognize me?—and turned to Julio, all but jerking his head in my direction, spelling out that he wished I weren’t there. A polite person would have left the room. I thought I’d learn more if I stayed.
    Ricky said, “Hey, man, I’ve got to talk to you.”
    “Ricky, it’s not a good time. Esperanza’s really flattened by Sadie’s death.”
    “Oh, God! It’s true.” Ricky looked as if he might cry. “That’s what I came by to ask. I thought it was just some crazy rumor. Marty—”
    Julio looked a warning. “Rebecca’s Marty’s lawyer,” he said quickly.
    “
You’re
Marty’s lawyer?’’
    I nodded, slightly amused that he wanted it repeated. On second look, there was something appealing about Ricky, and it was the thing that had put me off at first—the boyish quality that included staring like a teenager. He took off the baseball hat and ran a hand through light hair that was cut