Read Online Dead Weight by Susan Rogers Cooper - Free Book Online Page B

Luna said, ‘no station. I can see you’re frightened of that. And I can understand. Police stations are scary places—’
    ‘My God, haven’t you been listening?’ Berta whispered. ‘I can’t come out of hiding! I certainly can’t go into Codderville! That’s where all this started. The people who are after me are in Codderville—’
    ‘But you were in Black Cat Ridge when your bathroom window was broken,’ Luna said softly.
    Berta sank into the nearest chair. ‘Oh my goodness. Yes, yes, I was.’
    ‘We need to get you somewhere safe,’ Luna said.
    ‘New York City?’ Berta suggested. ‘Lots of people there.’
    ‘I was thinking more like lock-up. We could keep you safe, make you comfortable—’
    ‘Hey!’ I interjected. ‘I’ve been in your lock-up. There’s nothing comfortable about that place!’
    ‘Pugh—’ Luna started.
    ‘She should just stay here,’ Willis said, surprising everyone, I think even himself.
    ‘Willis! I thought you were on my side!’ Luna said.
    ‘Come on, Elena,’ my husband said. ‘I wouldn’t want anyone having to stay in your lock-up. Ms Harris hasn’t done anything that I can see. Are you arresting her for something?’
    We all turned to stare at Luna.
    ‘No, of course not,’ she said, not all that convincingly.
    ‘What do you think she’s done?’ I demanded.
    There was a long pause. ‘We have questions about Mrs Killian’s death,’ Luna finally said.
    Berta grabbed my arm. ‘I don’t know anything about that!’ she said. ‘I heard about it on the TV at this bar I went to when I couldn’t get ahold of her.’ She teared up again. ‘My God, she was helping me! She was my only friend! Why would I kill her?’
    ‘I thought possibly we could discuss that,’ Luna said.
    ‘Give me one reason, one shred of evidence to indicate Berta had anything to do with Kerry’s death!’ I demanded.
    ‘I believe we can start with the fact that we have no idea who this woman is!’ Luna said. ‘We have no idea where she came from, and we only have her word about her relationship with Kerry Killian!’
    ‘Why would I lie?’ Berta demanded.
    ‘I don’t know,’ Luna said. ‘But I intend to find out.’ And then she began to read Berta her rights.

FIVE
    W illis made an emergency call to Tom McClure, Trisha’s husband, who was a criminal attorney. Since it was the middle of the night, he of course woke him up. I had to wonder if Trisha had actually gone to sleep yet, but I let that slide.
    Willis and Tom made arrangements for Tom to go into Codderville the next morning and see about getting Berta out on her own recognizance, or have Willis and me post bail. There went my new two-seater.
    Finally, around five a.m., we were able to fall into bed. Even though he had eventually managed to get on my side in the stand-off with Luna, he still wasn’t speaking to me. Which was OK since I was too tired for a coherent answer.
    By eight, Willis was up and getting dressed for work.
    ‘Honey, come back to bed,’ I said. ‘You didn’t get any sleep!’
    ‘And whose fault is that?’ he said, pulling on a Polo shirt. Every day is casual Friday in Willis-world.
    ‘Screw you,’ I said, and nestled under the covers and closed my eyes.
    The next time they opened it was to the noise in the kitchen, just beyond my bedroom door. I gingerly got out of bed and waddled to the door to take a peek.
    Graham was dressed and ready for his summer job (working concession at the Movies Six in Codderville), and just sitting down to a bowl of cold cereal. Bess was warming a bran muffin (she actually eats them like they taste good – you can certainly tell she’s not my biological child), and dressed for her summer job (working retail at a dress shop in the white rock mall here in Black Cat Ridge). Alicia was drinking orange juice and eating an apple (again, not my biological child, obviously), and dressed for her summer job (interning at the D.A.’s office in Codderville), while Megan