Read Online Deadly Gamble: The First Charlie Parker Mystery by Connie Shelton - Free Book Online Page A

a diffident sort of way, while Ron's
soft-spoken manner suggests thoughtfulness. Not to say that we
don't butt heads now and then. But I really am glad he's my
partner.
    I let Ron have the visitors all to himself
for awhile. I offered drinks but no one was interested. I busied
myself cleaning up the kitchen and gathering the guest towels and
sheets into the washer. When Ron stood up to leave an hour later,
the others did, too. It was a long drive back to Phoenix, they
said.
    I spent the rest of the evening gathering my
sanity, cleaning up all traces of visitors, enjoying the
peacefulness of my home without anyone else in it. Rusty lay
sprawled out on his side near me, apparently exhausted. It wasn't
until I was getting ready for bed that night that I remembered I
hadn't even mentioned the case to Ron.
    I dreamed that I was sitting in the living
room holding a baby that was obviously mine. It screamed constantly
despite everything I tried to calm it. Two other children, who
looked suspiciously like Annie and Joe, romped through the house
knocking over a porcelain figurine I'd had since I was a child. A
nameless, faceless man in the picture was stretched out on the
sofa, watching a ball game on TV and reaching occasionally for his
beer can which left a huge wet ring on the coffee table. I awoke
perspiring and breathing hard.
    The bedside clock said it was almost six. No
point in trying to get back to sleep now. I put on a robe and
slippers and went to the kitchen. The winter sky was faintly gray,
the air cold. I started the coffee maker and let Rusty out to the
back yard. By the time I'd gone to the bathroom and brushed my
teeth, Rusty was waiting at the door, nose to the crack, shivering.
The coffee was ready, so I poured a mug and curled up on the couch
watching the morning news on TV while the hot liquid gradually woke
me up.
    By eight I had showered, dressed in gray wool
slacks and a thick sweater, and was on my way to the office. I had
to figure out a way to tell Ron that I'd taken a case in his
absence and that I'd actually started to work on it. I didn't have
long to plan my speech, either. He was already at his desk when I
arrived.
    "For who!" His brown eyes were
incredulous.
    "Whom, Ron."
    He shot me a look. "You know what I
mean. Why on earth would you want to get mixed up with Stacy
North?"
    "I didn't really want to," I tried to
explain. "Well, she just looked so pitiful when she came in here
that day. I thought I'd just be finding a stolen watch, which I did
quite well, I believe."
    "And now it's a murder case. You know I can't
legally step into that," he reminded me.
    "And you haven't," I reminded him. "I'm not
the investigator here. I'm just an interested party asking a few
questions."
    "Have you been representing this agency?"
    I thought of the few business cards I'd
handed out. "I won't do it any more," I assured him.
    "Charlie, Charlie." He took on that
older-and-wiser older brother look. "I know you can't seem to
resist somebody in trouble. You were always the kid who picked up
wounded birds, too. But nowadays things are different. You can get
yourself hurt, maybe even killed, maybe even get this agency sued."
Now that really would be the worst.
    "I get the feeling Stacy is afraid of Brad,"
I told him. "You should have seen her when she thought Brad was
going to find out her watch was lost. Can you imagine what he'd do
if he found out about this other man? Especially if Stacy is
implicated in a murder? Ron, I'm really afraid for her safety."
    "What have you done so far?" he sighed.
    I filled him in on the interviews with the
family and the list of names I'd found and so brilliantly
deciphered.
    "You're withholding evidence." His voice was
flat, like nothing I did anymore would surprise him.
    "Wait a minute! The wallet was on the victim
when the police found him. The list was in the wallet. If they'd
thought it important, they would have taken it."
    He pressed his lips together. He didn't agree
with my logic, I