Read Online In the Shadow of Evil by Robin Caroll - Free Book Online

the printer, took a deep breath, then returned to the main office. Layla handed the pages to Detective Wallace. "Here's all the information on everyone involved in the Hope-for-Homes site. I included most of the independents' phone numbers for you as well."
    "Thank you. This is very helpful." Detective Wallace scanned the pages she'd given him.
    Maddox glanced around the office. Just what was he looking for? She took a seat behind the reception desk, putting distance between the detectives and herself.
    "Nice office," Maddox mumbled under his breath.
    "Thank you. I designed it myself." She couldn't stop the pride from filling her voice, but she didn't really try. She'd worked hard to get to her current point in her career and she was proud of herself.
    He looked out the window. "Not too busy today?"
    "As Detective Wallace pointed out earlier, with all the rain we've had lately, everything's a mess." She smiled. "Hard to erect buildings when we can't lay a foundation."
    He slumped to one of the chairs facing the desk. "Guess so. Must be bad for business. All the rain, I mean."
    She shrugged. "Nature of the industry. Always slow in the beginning of the year, then we get swamped early spring to late fall."
    "So, that's pretty much normal?"
    What was he trying to ask? "Yes."
    "Says you were the site foreman on the job." Detective Wallace lifted his eyes from the papers.
    "That's correct."
    "Is that common practice?" Detective Wallace took the other seat in front of the desk. "For the contractor to also act as the site foreman?"
    "It depends."
    "On?" Maddox's stare pinned her to the chair and made her want to fidget.
    She forced herself to remain calm. "A number of things. In this particular instance, because it was a Hope for Homes—a charity—we didn't want the extra expense of a site foreman."
    "Do you act as foreman on the majority of your jobs?"
    "No."
    "But this one you did?" Detective Wallace asked.
    "Yes. As I said, because we didn't want the extra expense." The way they kept badgering her . . . made her sweat, and she'd done nothing wrong. She'd saved the project a good chunk of money. "A lot of contractors often act as site foremen on their jobs."
    "How many? How often?" Maddox's questions came as rapid-fire as nails from her air gun. His cynicism annoyed her.
    "I don't know." Her hackles rose. "You'd have to ask around."
    "How about on yours?"
    "I don't know, exactly. I'd have to pull records." What was their deal? She'd saved a charity project money. What was the crime? It wasn't like it was a shady business practice or anything.
    "Just give us a ballpark. Ten percent? Twenty? Fifty?" Maddox's arms were crossed tight over his chest.
    She swallowed. Hard. "If I had to guess, I'd say maybe fifteen to twenty percent."
    Detective Wallace scribbled in a little spiral notebook. "So, it's fair to say that it's not all that common. In your particular business."
    "Fifteen to twenty percent isn't rare, Detective."
    "Oh, of course not." Detective Wallace smiled, but this time she didn't see the kindness in his eyes.
    She stood. "If that's all, I have to get some work done."
    Both men took the cue and stood. Maddox glanced out the window again, then smirked at her. "Yeah, I can see that." The men exited without further conversation.
    She fisted her hands stiffly at her sides. In her profession she'd been exposed to the worst sexists in the state. Men who thought women should stay at home, preferably barefoot and pregnant. Construction workers were awful—viewing women as objects, not people. She'd had her fill of them.
    And Maddox Bishop came across as bad as a male chauvinist, as she'd seen in a long time. He reminded her of Randy.
    The phone rang, pulling her from her thoughts. She grabbed the receiver. "Hello."
    "Layla, you okay?" Alana's voice was laced with concern.
    She steeled her emotions. "Yeah. What's up?"
    "I'm on my way to the hospital."
    Layla's heart and stomach collided as she gripped the phone tighter. "What's