Read Online Death Come Quickly by Susan Wittig Albert - Free Book Online

when they heard that she’s on life support, they thought they would probably be in the way. They decided to send flowers instead.” She turned around. “What should I put this leftover chicken into?”
    I got a dish out of the cupboard. “Here—this one’s about the right size.” I paused. “I understand that Felicity—Dr. Prior’s daughter—thought her mother got a phone call from somebody before she went to the mall. About the documentary, I mean.”
    Jake scraped the chicken into the dish. “That’s what Kitt told Gretchen. They were wondering who it could be.”
    â€œIt wasn’t one of them? Kitt or Gretchen?”
    â€œNope.” She looked up at me, her blue eyes troubled. “In fact, Gretchen got a call herself.”
    I turned on the water to rinse the plates. “About the documentary, you mean?”
    â€œYeah.” Jake put the dish in the fridge. “Some guy. Gretchen asked who it was, but he wouldn’t give his name. He was, like . . . warning her. He said it wasn’t a good idea to go around stirring up hard feelings about something that was over and done with. She should stop doing it and make sure her film never came out. And then he hung up.” She paused. “Gretchen said it was kind of creepy.”
    â€œI’ll bet.” I began putting the plates into the dishwasher. “When did this happen? Did she tell Dr. Prior about it?”
    â€œLast week sometime. I don’t remember when. And no, she didn’t tell Dr. Prior, at least not right away. She and Kitt talked and decided it wasn’t important enough to bother her with it.” She paused. “But a couple of days later, Kitt got a call, too, so they changed their minds.” She gave me a sideways glance. “Kitt recorded it. The call, I mean, on her cell phone. She wasn’t sure it was legal to do that, though. So please don’t tell anybody.”
    â€œShe doesn’t have to worry.” I rinsed the silver and began dropping it into the dishwasher bin. “Texas has a one-party-consent wiretapping law. Kitt can record any call she’s on without telling the other party.” I paused. “We’re assuming, of course, that the other party to the call is in Texas. If he—it was a guy?”
    Jake nodded.
    â€œIf he was calling from a state that requires two-party consent, it would be illegal. But it was somebody who knew about the documentary, so we’re safe in assuming that he’s from Pecan Springs.” I paused. “And that he might be the same guy who called Gretchen.”
    Jake nodded again.
    â€œDo you know what he said?”
    â€œIt was pretty much the same message that Gretchen got. A warning. She should stop filming because the documentary was stirring up old bad feelings. Stuff like that.”
    â€œShe still has the recording?”
    â€œWell, she did—I guess she still does. She came over to our house and played it for Gretchen. It sounded . . . well, it was a little scary. That’s when she and Gretchen decided they should tell Dr. Prior.”
    â€œWhen was that?”
    â€œThe call? A couple of days ago. They told Dr. Prior right away.” Jake looked worried. “Do you think those calls had anything to do with the mugging?”
    â€œMaybe. But Gretchen and Kitt really ought to talk to the police, Jake. There’s obviously something going on here.”
    â€œThey don’t want to get involved,” Jake replied. “They’ve mostly finished filming and they’re ready to start editing. Their deadline is coming up in a few weeks.”
    â€œI understand about not getting involved,” I said. “And that was pretty much okay—until Dr. Prior was assaulted. Now that’s happened, the girls need to come forward with what they know, so the cops can put all the information together.”
    As I spoke, I thought of