Read Online Duffel Bags And Drownings by Dorothy Howell - Free Book Online
Authors: Dorothy Howell
Tags: Mystery & Crime
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the doorbell. Nobody answered so
I rang it again. Eventually, I heard muffled noises from inside, and the door opened
slowly. An extra-large guy with close-cropped brown hair, dressed in jeans and a white
T-shirt, looked out at me. I figured him for mid-twenties.
“Tanner Stephens?” I asked.
He glanced up and down the hallway, then looked at me.
“That’s me,” he said quietly.
Okay, he looked like a nice guy, but he definitely seemed weirded-out. Was it because
he’d killed Jeri?
I should be so lucky. Once more I flashed on calling Detective Grayson and making
him leprechaun-green with envy that I’d solved the case before he did.
“I’m here to pick up the costume,” I said.
Tanner drew back a little. “They really sent somebody for it?”
Oh my God. This guy had the costume. Had I found my murder suspect?
My heart beat a little faster. I didn’t want to spook him and have him run off before
I got to call Dan and gloat. I forced myself to play it cool.
“Haley Randolph. I’m the costume police.”
I did look very official in my awesome black business suit I’d expertly complemented
with white and gray accessories, and teamed with a no-nonsense black-and-white checked
Kate Spade satchel.
“I can explain,” he said. “I just—wait, come inside.”
Tanner stood back and I walked in. I didn’t feel so great about going into the apartment
of a possible murderer, but what choice did I have?
His place was small and decorated with what looked like yard sale treasures. The living
room held a futon, a couple of chairs, crates that served as bookshelves, and a big
computer desk.
Nothing smelled funny.
“Please, sit down,” he said, motioning me toward a futon.
I sat and he dropped next to me.
“I admit I took the costume,” he said. “But I wasn’t stealing it. Why would I want
a leprechaun costume?”
He had a point.
“Look, I had to get out of there,” Tanner said. “As soon as I heard that girl had
been found dead, I had to take off.”
My senses jumped to high alert. Was Tanner about to confess?
Mentally, I rehearsed my I-solved-the-murder chant for Dan and his partner, and considered
adding a Snoopy happy dance and a booty-pop or two.
“Did you kill her?” I asked.
“No,” Tanner said. He pulled back and looked stunned. “No. God, no. I didn’t kill
her. I didn’t even know her.”
“You have to admit that taking off dressed in a leprechaun costume makes you look
guilty,” I pointed out.
He nodded. “Yes, I realize that. But you have to see it from my point of view. I’m
almost finished with school and I’m trying to get a job at JPL, the Jet Propulsion
Lab near Pasadena. I’ll need a security clearance. I couldn’t take a chance that hanging
around, getting questioned by the police might screw that up, somehow.”
I definitely understood his problem, but I wasn’t willing to let it go so quickly.
“Did you have anything to do with Jeri’s death?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I work all kind of jobs. Anything, really, to bring in some money.
I’ve worked for that catering company a couple of times, setting up, serving food,
bartending sometimes. But I don’t really know anybody there.”
He sounded sincere and his story made sense. I believed him.
“Did you see anything suspicious going on?” I asked.
Tanner thought for a couple of seconds, then said, “Nothing unusual.”
“Have the police contacted you?” I asked.
“No,” Tanner said. “I figured they might track me down, somehow, but they haven’t
shown up. Just you.”
It was kind of cool knowing I’d tracked down a lead that the detectives had missed.
For a few seconds I considered telling them—just for the sake of full disclosure and
not because I wanted to throw it in their faces, of course—then decided that I didn’t
want to be responsible for blowing Tanner’s big chance at a job at JPL.
I headed for the door.
“Do
I rang it again. Eventually, I heard muffled noises from inside, and the door opened
slowly. An extra-large guy with close-cropped brown hair, dressed in jeans and a white
T-shirt, looked out at me. I figured him for mid-twenties.
“Tanner Stephens?” I asked.
He glanced up and down the hallway, then looked at me.
“That’s me,” he said quietly.
Okay, he looked like a nice guy, but he definitely seemed weirded-out. Was it because
he’d killed Jeri?
I should be so lucky. Once more I flashed on calling Detective Grayson and making
him leprechaun-green with envy that I’d solved the case before he did.
“I’m here to pick up the costume,” I said.
Tanner drew back a little. “They really sent somebody for it?”
Oh my God. This guy had the costume. Had I found my murder suspect?
My heart beat a little faster. I didn’t want to spook him and have him run off before
I got to call Dan and gloat. I forced myself to play it cool.
“Haley Randolph. I’m the costume police.”
I did look very official in my awesome black business suit I’d expertly complemented
with white and gray accessories, and teamed with a no-nonsense black-and-white checked
Kate Spade satchel.
“I can explain,” he said. “I just—wait, come inside.”
Tanner stood back and I walked in. I didn’t feel so great about going into the apartment
of a possible murderer, but what choice did I have?
His place was small and decorated with what looked like yard sale treasures. The living
room held a futon, a couple of chairs, crates that served as bookshelves, and a big
computer desk.
Nothing smelled funny.
“Please, sit down,” he said, motioning me toward a futon.
I sat and he dropped next to me.
“I admit I took the costume,” he said. “But I wasn’t stealing it. Why would I want
a leprechaun costume?”
He had a point.
“Look, I had to get out of there,” Tanner said. “As soon as I heard that girl had
been found dead, I had to take off.”
My senses jumped to high alert. Was Tanner about to confess?
Mentally, I rehearsed my I-solved-the-murder chant for Dan and his partner, and considered
adding a Snoopy happy dance and a booty-pop or two.
“Did you kill her?” I asked.
“No,” Tanner said. He pulled back and looked stunned. “No. God, no. I didn’t kill
her. I didn’t even know her.”
“You have to admit that taking off dressed in a leprechaun costume makes you look
guilty,” I pointed out.
He nodded. “Yes, I realize that. But you have to see it from my point of view. I’m
almost finished with school and I’m trying to get a job at JPL, the Jet Propulsion
Lab near Pasadena. I’ll need a security clearance. I couldn’t take a chance that hanging
around, getting questioned by the police might screw that up, somehow.”
I definitely understood his problem, but I wasn’t willing to let it go so quickly.
“Did you have anything to do with Jeri’s death?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I work all kind of jobs. Anything, really, to bring in some money.
I’ve worked for that catering company a couple of times, setting up, serving food,
bartending sometimes. But I don’t really know anybody there.”
He sounded sincere and his story made sense. I believed him.
“Did you see anything suspicious going on?” I asked.
Tanner thought for a couple of seconds, then said, “Nothing unusual.”
“Have the police contacted you?” I asked.
“No,” Tanner said. “I figured they might track me down, somehow, but they haven’t
shown up. Just you.”
It was kind of cool knowing I’d tracked down a lead that the detectives had missed.
For a few seconds I considered telling them—just for the sake of full disclosure and
not because I wanted to throw it in their faces, of course—then decided that I didn’t
want to be responsible for blowing Tanner’s big chance at a job at JPL.
I headed for the door.
“Do