Read Online Homecoming Homicides by Marilyn Baron - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marilyn Baron
Tags: Suspense, Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Thrillers, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, romantic suspense, Mystery & Suspense, Action Suspense
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tears threatening to spill over.
“As I recall, the homecoming queen was killed,” the director said. “That was before I got here. It was actually the reason I was recruited. That case was never solved.”
“No.”
“But there was talk, there were rumors, that you might have been involved, since you were in line for the crown, is that right?”
Flippy was suddenly tired. Her shoulders sagged and the bluster seeped right out of her, like from a defective balloon. She should have known she would never get away from the cruel accusations, the snide remarks, the speculation, the headlines casting doubt on her innocence. The jokes about Philippa Tannenbaum, the Susan Lucci of beauty pageants, who’d finally found a way to win the crown.
Of course, she hadn’t killed Melinda Crawford. Anyone who knew her knew that was utter nonsense. Melinda Crawford had been a first-class bitch who’d connived her way to the crown, spreading lies and stabbing the competition in the back on her way to the top, but Flippy hadn’t hated her enough to kill her. She hadn’t even wanted the crown. Her mother wanted the crown, and Flippy had suffered the indignity of every beauty pageant since grade school to please her mother.
It was ridiculous for anyone to even think she was capable of murder. She had the opportunity and the motive, but that’s as far as it got. Luke Slaughter had been there, too, supposedly shepherding them through the homecoming parade and the crowning ceremony on the field at halftime during the homecoming game. Melinda had died on his watch. If anyone should be blamed, it should be him. She supposed he’d paid for his mistakes. He’d been busted down to giving out traffic tickets to students who parked illegally on campus, and after a couple of months his application with the city police department had come through and he’d taken the job as a city cop. Then somehow he’d wangled his way onto the Homecoming Homicides Task Force. He had been given another chance. Didn’t she deserve one?
Okay, this director could take her job and shove it. Flippy rose to go. She had tried to make things right. She’d spent a year wearing a crown that didn’t rightfully belong to her. She had even taken the job as homecoming pageant director in the next pageant to try to set things straight. To give back. She should have known people had long memories. Now this serial killer was on the loose, and all the rumors were swirling around in the universe. She’d wanted to remain in the background and now she was the story—again. Not the place for a PR person to be.
“Where are you going, Miss Tannenbaum?” Flippy hadn’t realized she’d left her seat and was halfway to the door.
She turned to face the director, red-faced.
“If you think I had anything to do with—”
“Of course I don’t. I know you didn’t. The former director of the campus police was looking for a scapegoat because he couldn’t do his job, and that’s why they brought me in. I deal in facts, Miss Tannenbaum, not fiction.”
Not exactly a glowing endorsement, but the director’s support offered a glimmer of hope.
“All I want is a chance, a chance to do this job I know I can do, to...make things right.”
“And I want to give you that chance, so take a seat and let’s get on with the interview.”
Flippy slipped back into her chair across from the director, submitting once again to her iron gaze. This woman could give Maggie Thatcher a run for her money.
They skirted over the train wreck of her paltry six days in law school while she was trying to find her way. But from then on, the director gave Flippy every opportunity. She’d started out as the campus police Victim’s Advocate, where she learned a lot about being the victim. And once the pageant contestants started turning up dead, she wanted on the high profile Homecoming Homicides Task Force being formed by the campus police, the city police, and the FBI.
It was her chance to
“As I recall, the homecoming queen was killed,” the director said. “That was before I got here. It was actually the reason I was recruited. That case was never solved.”
“No.”
“But there was talk, there were rumors, that you might have been involved, since you were in line for the crown, is that right?”
Flippy was suddenly tired. Her shoulders sagged and the bluster seeped right out of her, like from a defective balloon. She should have known she would never get away from the cruel accusations, the snide remarks, the speculation, the headlines casting doubt on her innocence. The jokes about Philippa Tannenbaum, the Susan Lucci of beauty pageants, who’d finally found a way to win the crown.
Of course, she hadn’t killed Melinda Crawford. Anyone who knew her knew that was utter nonsense. Melinda Crawford had been a first-class bitch who’d connived her way to the crown, spreading lies and stabbing the competition in the back on her way to the top, but Flippy hadn’t hated her enough to kill her. She hadn’t even wanted the crown. Her mother wanted the crown, and Flippy had suffered the indignity of every beauty pageant since grade school to please her mother.
It was ridiculous for anyone to even think she was capable of murder. She had the opportunity and the motive, but that’s as far as it got. Luke Slaughter had been there, too, supposedly shepherding them through the homecoming parade and the crowning ceremony on the field at halftime during the homecoming game. Melinda had died on his watch. If anyone should be blamed, it should be him. She supposed he’d paid for his mistakes. He’d been busted down to giving out traffic tickets to students who parked illegally on campus, and after a couple of months his application with the city police department had come through and he’d taken the job as a city cop. Then somehow he’d wangled his way onto the Homecoming Homicides Task Force. He had been given another chance. Didn’t she deserve one?
Okay, this director could take her job and shove it. Flippy rose to go. She had tried to make things right. She’d spent a year wearing a crown that didn’t rightfully belong to her. She had even taken the job as homecoming pageant director in the next pageant to try to set things straight. To give back. She should have known people had long memories. Now this serial killer was on the loose, and all the rumors were swirling around in the universe. She’d wanted to remain in the background and now she was the story—again. Not the place for a PR person to be.
“Where are you going, Miss Tannenbaum?” Flippy hadn’t realized she’d left her seat and was halfway to the door.
She turned to face the director, red-faced.
“If you think I had anything to do with—”
“Of course I don’t. I know you didn’t. The former director of the campus police was looking for a scapegoat because he couldn’t do his job, and that’s why they brought me in. I deal in facts, Miss Tannenbaum, not fiction.”
Not exactly a glowing endorsement, but the director’s support offered a glimmer of hope.
“All I want is a chance, a chance to do this job I know I can do, to...make things right.”
“And I want to give you that chance, so take a seat and let’s get on with the interview.”
Flippy slipped back into her chair across from the director, submitting once again to her iron gaze. This woman could give Maggie Thatcher a run for her money.
They skirted over the train wreck of her paltry six days in law school while she was trying to find her way. But from then on, the director gave Flippy every opportunity. She’d started out as the campus police Victim’s Advocate, where she learned a lot about being the victim. And once the pageant contestants started turning up dead, she wanted on the high profile Homecoming Homicides Task Force being formed by the campus police, the city police, and the FBI.
It was her chance to
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