Read Online Grace Against the Clock (A Manor House Mystery) by Julie Hyzy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Julie Hyzy
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fast. And some of my friends can really pound down a lot of liquor super quick.”
“Did Dr. Keay say or do anything before he left you alone that could explain where he was going?”
“He said he needed to talk with someone privately, and that it was better if I stayed back.”
Flynn went back to note-taking and took a step forward, effectively, though gently, elbowing me out of the way. “Who was he meeting?”
“I don’t know.”
“A friend?” Flynn asked. “Coworker?”
“I don’t know,” she said again.
Flynn’s voice hardened. “He must have told you why he was leaving you alone for so long.”
She shook her head. “He kissed me on the cheek and told me to wait for him at the bar while he talked with someone. He said he’d be right back.”
“How long was he gone?” I asked, ignoring Flynn’s glare at my interruption.
“I’m not sure. It seemed like a long time. I didn’t know anyone else at the party so I wandered around for a while, then came in here to wait.”
“Why would you sit here if the rest of the party was in there?” Flynn asked, gesturing.
“When I came in here to look for him, I saw all the empty chairs.” She pointed. “My feet hurt.”
Flynn rolled his eyes.
“Partner,” Rodriguez called. Whether or not Flynn expected me to stay with Serena, I didn’t care. I accompanied him as he made his way to the stage. Rodriguez grimaced, struggling to get up from his position on the floor. When he was upright, I noticed how much the man was perspiring. His breathing was fast and shallow.
“Are you all right?” I asked him. Some maternal instinct caused me to place the back of my hand against his forehead. Cold and clammy, a lot like Keay had been seconds before he died. “You don’t look so great.”
He massaged his chest and quirked up one side of his mouth. “Indigestion,” he said. “Too many hot peppers with dinner tonight.”
“You had a turkey sandwich,” Flynn said. He moved closer, assessing his partner. “Maybe we need to take you in.”
Rodriguez waved a pudgy hand. “No worries, amigo. Catching my breath is all.” He showed teeth, but I couldn’t tell whether he was smiling or experiencing pain. “I wasn’t prepared for more excitement at Marshfield tonight. I’m fine.”
I could tell Flynn didn’t believe it. I didn’t, either.
At that moment, someone touched my arm. I turned to face Jack. “You need any help?”
I looked past him to see Becke waiting far back, in the doorway. “I think we’ve got it handled. Thanks.”
“You and I need to talk,” he said.
“I don’t think we do.”
“I invited Becke only because you were bringing a date,” he said quietly. “Davey wasn’t using his ticket so I asked him for it. If I would have known—”
“Jack, this is not the time or the place.”
His expression tightened. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Let me know if I can do anything. I mean it.”
“I will,” I said. We both knew I was lying.
When he was gone, I left Flynn and Rodriguez to go find Frances. She and Bennett had formed a sort of anti-receiving line, thanking guests for attending the benefit, expressing their sorrow at the loss of Dr. Keay, and promising to keep everyone updated about the man’s sudden demise, as details became available.
The music had been silenced, the waitstaff had begun to clean up, and there were only a few stragglers left, waiting to say good night.
“I’m sorry for Dr. Keay’s family,” I started to say to Frances, then blurted out, “Joyce! His ex-wife. Someone ought to let her know.”
Frances sniffed. Bennett, overhearing, leaned closer. “I’ll call her as soon as we’re wrapped up here. Better coming from a friend than hearing it secondhand, I’ll wager.”
Serena’s friend, a young man about her age with unruly hair and silver chains hanging from his low-slung jeans, came in, escorted by one of Terrence’s staff.
Frances said, “I’ll get her.”
There was a lot
“Did Dr. Keay say or do anything before he left you alone that could explain where he was going?”
“He said he needed to talk with someone privately, and that it was better if I stayed back.”
Flynn went back to note-taking and took a step forward, effectively, though gently, elbowing me out of the way. “Who was he meeting?”
“I don’t know.”
“A friend?” Flynn asked. “Coworker?”
“I don’t know,” she said again.
Flynn’s voice hardened. “He must have told you why he was leaving you alone for so long.”
She shook her head. “He kissed me on the cheek and told me to wait for him at the bar while he talked with someone. He said he’d be right back.”
“How long was he gone?” I asked, ignoring Flynn’s glare at my interruption.
“I’m not sure. It seemed like a long time. I didn’t know anyone else at the party so I wandered around for a while, then came in here to wait.”
“Why would you sit here if the rest of the party was in there?” Flynn asked, gesturing.
“When I came in here to look for him, I saw all the empty chairs.” She pointed. “My feet hurt.”
Flynn rolled his eyes.
“Partner,” Rodriguez called. Whether or not Flynn expected me to stay with Serena, I didn’t care. I accompanied him as he made his way to the stage. Rodriguez grimaced, struggling to get up from his position on the floor. When he was upright, I noticed how much the man was perspiring. His breathing was fast and shallow.
“Are you all right?” I asked him. Some maternal instinct caused me to place the back of my hand against his forehead. Cold and clammy, a lot like Keay had been seconds before he died. “You don’t look so great.”
He massaged his chest and quirked up one side of his mouth. “Indigestion,” he said. “Too many hot peppers with dinner tonight.”
“You had a turkey sandwich,” Flynn said. He moved closer, assessing his partner. “Maybe we need to take you in.”
Rodriguez waved a pudgy hand. “No worries, amigo. Catching my breath is all.” He showed teeth, but I couldn’t tell whether he was smiling or experiencing pain. “I wasn’t prepared for more excitement at Marshfield tonight. I’m fine.”
I could tell Flynn didn’t believe it. I didn’t, either.
At that moment, someone touched my arm. I turned to face Jack. “You need any help?”
I looked past him to see Becke waiting far back, in the doorway. “I think we’ve got it handled. Thanks.”
“You and I need to talk,” he said.
“I don’t think we do.”
“I invited Becke only because you were bringing a date,” he said quietly. “Davey wasn’t using his ticket so I asked him for it. If I would have known—”
“Jack, this is not the time or the place.”
His expression tightened. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Let me know if I can do anything. I mean it.”
“I will,” I said. We both knew I was lying.
When he was gone, I left Flynn and Rodriguez to go find Frances. She and Bennett had formed a sort of anti-receiving line, thanking guests for attending the benefit, expressing their sorrow at the loss of Dr. Keay, and promising to keep everyone updated about the man’s sudden demise, as details became available.
The music had been silenced, the waitstaff had begun to clean up, and there were only a few stragglers left, waiting to say good night.
“I’m sorry for Dr. Keay’s family,” I started to say to Frances, then blurted out, “Joyce! His ex-wife. Someone ought to let her know.”
Frances sniffed. Bennett, overhearing, leaned closer. “I’ll call her as soon as we’re wrapped up here. Better coming from a friend than hearing it secondhand, I’ll wager.”
Serena’s friend, a young man about her age with unruly hair and silver chains hanging from his low-slung jeans, came in, escorted by one of Terrence’s staff.
Frances said, “I’ll get her.”
There was a lot
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