Read Online Deadly Image by Tamelia Tumlin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tamelia Tumlin
Ads: Link
going on, it just slipped my mind. But you didn’t have to bring it all the way out here. That’s way too much trouble.”
“I didn’t mind, Lexi. I know you’re dealing with a lot right now. I wanted to come by anyway and offer my help. If there is anything I can do, please let me know. My wife and I are praying for you and for Anna’s safe return. I know she’ll love her new room when…” James floundered for a moment, embarrassment coloring his features. Then finished without much conviction, “When she comes home.”
“Thank you.”
James reached into his pocket. “You left this at the store when we ordered the rest of your wall border. Bertha found it on her register.” He handed her a credit card. “I planned to call you and let you know we had your card, but after hearing about Anna on the news that evening, it slipped my mind. I apologize and hope it didn’t cause you an inconvenience.”
“No. Thank you, James. I didn’t even realize it was missing.” Lexi took the card and tucked into her jean pocket. “I haven’t been too many places since Anna disappeared, so I really didn’t need it.”
“You ordered the wall border the same day Anna disappeared?” Something clicked in the back of Ace’s mind.
“Well, yes. I came home and started working on the room, then I realized that I didn’t have enough of the border so I went back to the store to get some more, but they were out of the one I needed, so I had to order it. Bertha assured me it would be in the next day. I didn’t think Anna would really notice a bit of missing border.” Lexi bit her lip. “I figured she’d be so excited about her new bed that she’d never even realize it.”
“Who is Bertha?”
“My wife.” James interjected. “She runs the store most days while I’m out delivering or consulting on home projects.”
Ace turned to Lexi. “What time did you go to the store?”
Lexi knitted her brow. “Um … I’m not sure. Probably around three or four.”
“Here.” James reached into the box and pulled out the invoice. “The time of the order should be on there. It’s all computerized, so as soon as we placed the order it should have logged it for the invoice.”
Ace opened the folded paper and scanned the page. His heart galloped. The order went through at 3:46 the day Anna disappeared. There was absolutely no way Lexi could have been fifteen minutes south of Gator Bayou at Bill’s Best Burgers at 3:33 and made it back to the hardware store to order wall border by the time on the invoice. Not to mention she’d have had to dispose of Anna somewhere along the way between the two destinations.
A tingle of excitement fluttered through him. There was a chance Lexi was indeed innocent. He wasn’t quite sure why that should matter so much to him, but it did.
Ace arched an eyebrow at James. “You’re sure it was Lexi who placed the order for the wall border and not someone else who did it for her?”
The older man sputtered. “Well, now I wasn’t there, but I’m pretty sure Bertha said it was Lexi who came in the store to place the order. I don’t have a surveillance camera, but my wife wouldn’t lie.” James set his jaw. “She’s a fine Christian woman. One of the pillars of the Faith Community Church. She wouldn’t lie.”
Ace nodded. “I’m sure she is. We’ll have to talk to her, of course.” Then he turned to Sheriff Dawson. “Looks like we have a problem. Lexi couldn’t have been two places at once. If Bertha confirms James’ story and we can match the signature on the credit card order, then that means Anna’s abductor is still on the loose.” The implication that Sheriff Dawson had jumped to conclusions – possibly the wrong conclusions – hung in the air.
Sheriff Dawson paled. “But … then … why was Lexi on the surveillance video at Bill’s Best Burgers? You saw the video. She had Anna with her.”
He had seen it. But, unlike Sheriff Dawson, he hadn’t been one
“I didn’t mind, Lexi. I know you’re dealing with a lot right now. I wanted to come by anyway and offer my help. If there is anything I can do, please let me know. My wife and I are praying for you and for Anna’s safe return. I know she’ll love her new room when…” James floundered for a moment, embarrassment coloring his features. Then finished without much conviction, “When she comes home.”
“Thank you.”
James reached into his pocket. “You left this at the store when we ordered the rest of your wall border. Bertha found it on her register.” He handed her a credit card. “I planned to call you and let you know we had your card, but after hearing about Anna on the news that evening, it slipped my mind. I apologize and hope it didn’t cause you an inconvenience.”
“No. Thank you, James. I didn’t even realize it was missing.” Lexi took the card and tucked into her jean pocket. “I haven’t been too many places since Anna disappeared, so I really didn’t need it.”
“You ordered the wall border the same day Anna disappeared?” Something clicked in the back of Ace’s mind.
“Well, yes. I came home and started working on the room, then I realized that I didn’t have enough of the border so I went back to the store to get some more, but they were out of the one I needed, so I had to order it. Bertha assured me it would be in the next day. I didn’t think Anna would really notice a bit of missing border.” Lexi bit her lip. “I figured she’d be so excited about her new bed that she’d never even realize it.”
“Who is Bertha?”
“My wife.” James interjected. “She runs the store most days while I’m out delivering or consulting on home projects.”
Ace turned to Lexi. “What time did you go to the store?”
Lexi knitted her brow. “Um … I’m not sure. Probably around three or four.”
“Here.” James reached into the box and pulled out the invoice. “The time of the order should be on there. It’s all computerized, so as soon as we placed the order it should have logged it for the invoice.”
Ace opened the folded paper and scanned the page. His heart galloped. The order went through at 3:46 the day Anna disappeared. There was absolutely no way Lexi could have been fifteen minutes south of Gator Bayou at Bill’s Best Burgers at 3:33 and made it back to the hardware store to order wall border by the time on the invoice. Not to mention she’d have had to dispose of Anna somewhere along the way between the two destinations.
A tingle of excitement fluttered through him. There was a chance Lexi was indeed innocent. He wasn’t quite sure why that should matter so much to him, but it did.
Ace arched an eyebrow at James. “You’re sure it was Lexi who placed the order for the wall border and not someone else who did it for her?”
The older man sputtered. “Well, now I wasn’t there, but I’m pretty sure Bertha said it was Lexi who came in the store to place the order. I don’t have a surveillance camera, but my wife wouldn’t lie.” James set his jaw. “She’s a fine Christian woman. One of the pillars of the Faith Community Church. She wouldn’t lie.”
Ace nodded. “I’m sure she is. We’ll have to talk to her, of course.” Then he turned to Sheriff Dawson. “Looks like we have a problem. Lexi couldn’t have been two places at once. If Bertha confirms James’ story and we can match the signature on the credit card order, then that means Anna’s abductor is still on the loose.” The implication that Sheriff Dawson had jumped to conclusions – possibly the wrong conclusions – hung in the air.
Sheriff Dawson paled. “But … then … why was Lexi on the surveillance video at Bill’s Best Burgers? You saw the video. She had Anna with her.”
He had seen it. But, unlike Sheriff Dawson, he hadn’t been one
Similar Books
