Read Online If the Broom Fits by Liz Schulte - Free Book Online Page B

happened to these women. If someone or something is attacking our customers, we have to put a stop to it.”
    Her mouth settled into a line. “Fine, but I expect you to pick this up with more enthusiasm as soon as we figure this out. Deal?”
    â€œDeal,” I said. “But you know, it wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen if I didn’t get it back.”
    â€œDon’t even speak it. You will get it back. You will.”
    I went back to the room that was still spitting out hair supplies from the ceiling and dug our books off of the table and took them into the office. I dumped them all at her feet and took the desk. “I’m going to text Leslie and Frost to let them know what’s going on,” I said.
    I sent them a quick message and opened the police reports, skipping right to the narrative. The scene details were completely different. Rhonda was found hanging by a green leather purse strap in her bathrobe several hours after her death. There was no sign of forced entry, all the doors and windows were locked, and she had no signs of defensive wounds. However, there was also no note and there was one other thing the officer noted that seemed a little weird. There was a small cut just under her left ear. Emaleigh was found on her bed, the window was open and there were signs of a struggle around her room. The neighbors said they had heard fighting between her and Jasper Hixson the night before. Hixson was questioned and could not provide a confirmable alibi. Emaleigh had the same small cut just below her left ear.
    I started googling, next. I started with murders by strangulation and tried not to think about what sort of watch lists that put me on, not to mention the images I would never unsee. It didn’t produce much. Too broad. I stretched my neck to the side and searched “unsolved strangulation murders” next. Slightly better results, but still not narrowing the way I needed it to.
    I closed the laptop. “This isn’t going to work. I need a police database.”
    â€œWhat exactly are you looking for?” Katrina asked, looking up.
    â€œSimilar murders.” I showed her the police reports. “On the surface, they look completely different, but these marks. Those are strange. Those could connect the crimes and if the killer has a signature, I think the odds are good that he’s killed before.”
    â€œIf we had something belonging to the victims, or better yet, something the killer might have touched…”
    Of course. I hadn’t thought of it, but that would work. “You’re a genius. We could use a magic energy spell. It would, at the very least, tell us if we are looking for a human or an other.”
    She nodded. “And if it isn’t human, then what?”
    â€œThen we’ll hunt it down and take care of it.”
    The bells on the door jingled. “Hello,” Donavan called.
    Katrina and I met each other’s eyes. Oh—the hair ties! We ran at the same time.
    â€œHello. Coming,” I shouted, wading through the knee-deep debris. Luckily the ceiling had mostly stopped spitting objects. “I thought I told you we were finished,” I yelled.
    He stepped around the bookcase and his eyes bulged. “What the—”
    Katrina and I finally made it to him, doing our best to block his view and corral him away from the mess.
    â€œWhat in the hell happened here?” he asked.
    â€œCleaning,” Katrina said. “We’ve been cleaning.”
    â€œAre you sure?” he asked. “I think you’re doing it wrong.”
    There was a thump as a book dropped from the ceiling.
    â€œWhat was that?” he asked, trying to look around me.
    â€œWhat gives you any right to be so nosy? Have you ever heard of minding your own business?” His eyebrows pulled together. “You can’t call my store names, then come in here and stick your nose into our business. Why are you