Read Online Killing the Secret by Donna Welch Jones - Free Book Online
Authors: Donna Welch Jones
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make a deal with the devil himself to catch Abbey’s killer.
Chapter Nineteen
The Diffee newspaper reporter, Adam Cox, was waiting for her when she arrived at her office. He reached down from his near dizziness-producing height and opened the car door. His long skinny fingers reached out in an attempt to help her out of the car. She ignored his assistance. Apparently, Adam hasn’t grasped the concept of personal space. She squeezed herself between him and the door.
“Sheriff Wolfe,” Adam said as eyes narrowed on her face, “I want to write a story about your capture of Wilbur.” He stood about eighteen inches from Lexie, towering six to eight inches above her head. Lexie backed up, leaving a couple of yards between them.
“Sorry. No exciting news here.” Lexie rubbed her aching temple.
“Wilbur has gotten away from sheriffs in this county for the last three years. It’s big news that you caught him. How’d you do it?”
“Just luck. Tye and I captured him in the woods when we were investigating Abbey’s death.”
“Do you have an update on Abbey’s killer?”
“The investigation is continuing.”
“Do you have a suspect?” Adam probed, moving half the distance Lexie had maneuvered between them.
“Not at this time.” Her words reminded her of interview instructions from her cop courses.
“How soon before you make an arrest?” Adam edged closer to Lexie. She wondered if they taught him that move in high school journalism.
“Goodbye, Adam.”
Lexie returned to the car and unlocked Wilbur from the back seat. She escorted him into the office.
Delia sat at the three-legged table while she compiled all the information from Abbey’s murder. She glanced up when the two entered the room—then she quickly returned to her work.
Clay sat at his desk. His shoulders slumped and his chin rested on his chest. His bloodshot eyes followed Wilbur and Lexie into the room.
“Who told Adam about Wilbur’s capture?” Lexie’s lips tightened.
After a long pause, Clay spoke. “I did. We needed something so the town won’t think the sheriff’s office is a total joke. People ignore me since Abbey was murdered.”
Lexie wearily shook her head. “They cross the street when they see me coming. Anyway, don’t ever phone the newspaper again without clearing it with me.”
Clay nodded and turned back toward his desk.
“Another thing, go home and sleep off your drunk.” Lexie hoped the contempt in her voice stung through his alcoholic haze.
“Yes, boss.” Clay used the desk to leverage himself out of the chair then walked slowly toward the door.
“Ain’t you goin’ to speak to me?” Wilbur said gruffly as he faced the back of Delia’s head.
“Hadn’t planned on it.” Delia’s eyes didn’t stray from her paperwork.
“Too good for me, hey?” Wilbur’s smoke and weather exposed face tightened leaving squinting eyes in a bed of lines and wrinkles.
Delia swerved her chair to face him. “Yes, I am. About anyone is too good for a drug selling fool.”
“You didn’t have such a sharp tongue when you was a cute little gal in school. As I recall, you were sweet on me then.”
“With age comes wisdom. Thank God!” Delia turned back to her work. Her conversation with Wilbur was obviously over.
“Get in your new home, Wilbur.” Lexie held the cell door open.
“Well, thanks! I’ve been needin’ a rest.”
“I’m thinking you’re going to have a long one. However, most of it won’t be here. You’ll be moved to county jail after court.”
“If you change your mind about me helpin’ you find that murderer, you just speak right up, Sheriff Girlie.”
“If you decide to assist me so you can get a reduced sentence, you do the same,” Lexie responded.
“No can do, Sheriff Girlie. It’s all—or nothing.”
“I choose nothing,” Lexie snarled.
Wilbur’s laugh exploded out of his mouth. “Half the people in this town want to fire you. Another fourth wants to lynch you.
Chapter Nineteen
The Diffee newspaper reporter, Adam Cox, was waiting for her when she arrived at her office. He reached down from his near dizziness-producing height and opened the car door. His long skinny fingers reached out in an attempt to help her out of the car. She ignored his assistance. Apparently, Adam hasn’t grasped the concept of personal space. She squeezed herself between him and the door.
“Sheriff Wolfe,” Adam said as eyes narrowed on her face, “I want to write a story about your capture of Wilbur.” He stood about eighteen inches from Lexie, towering six to eight inches above her head. Lexie backed up, leaving a couple of yards between them.
“Sorry. No exciting news here.” Lexie rubbed her aching temple.
“Wilbur has gotten away from sheriffs in this county for the last three years. It’s big news that you caught him. How’d you do it?”
“Just luck. Tye and I captured him in the woods when we were investigating Abbey’s death.”
“Do you have an update on Abbey’s killer?”
“The investigation is continuing.”
“Do you have a suspect?” Adam probed, moving half the distance Lexie had maneuvered between them.
“Not at this time.” Her words reminded her of interview instructions from her cop courses.
“How soon before you make an arrest?” Adam edged closer to Lexie. She wondered if they taught him that move in high school journalism.
“Goodbye, Adam.”
Lexie returned to the car and unlocked Wilbur from the back seat. She escorted him into the office.
Delia sat at the three-legged table while she compiled all the information from Abbey’s murder. She glanced up when the two entered the room—then she quickly returned to her work.
Clay sat at his desk. His shoulders slumped and his chin rested on his chest. His bloodshot eyes followed Wilbur and Lexie into the room.
“Who told Adam about Wilbur’s capture?” Lexie’s lips tightened.
After a long pause, Clay spoke. “I did. We needed something so the town won’t think the sheriff’s office is a total joke. People ignore me since Abbey was murdered.”
Lexie wearily shook her head. “They cross the street when they see me coming. Anyway, don’t ever phone the newspaper again without clearing it with me.”
Clay nodded and turned back toward his desk.
“Another thing, go home and sleep off your drunk.” Lexie hoped the contempt in her voice stung through his alcoholic haze.
“Yes, boss.” Clay used the desk to leverage himself out of the chair then walked slowly toward the door.
“Ain’t you goin’ to speak to me?” Wilbur said gruffly as he faced the back of Delia’s head.
“Hadn’t planned on it.” Delia’s eyes didn’t stray from her paperwork.
“Too good for me, hey?” Wilbur’s smoke and weather exposed face tightened leaving squinting eyes in a bed of lines and wrinkles.
Delia swerved her chair to face him. “Yes, I am. About anyone is too good for a drug selling fool.”
“You didn’t have such a sharp tongue when you was a cute little gal in school. As I recall, you were sweet on me then.”
“With age comes wisdom. Thank God!” Delia turned back to her work. Her conversation with Wilbur was obviously over.
“Get in your new home, Wilbur.” Lexie held the cell door open.
“Well, thanks! I’ve been needin’ a rest.”
“I’m thinking you’re going to have a long one. However, most of it won’t be here. You’ll be moved to county jail after court.”
“If you change your mind about me helpin’ you find that murderer, you just speak right up, Sheriff Girlie.”
“If you decide to assist me so you can get a reduced sentence, you do the same,” Lexie responded.
“No can do, Sheriff Girlie. It’s all—or nothing.”
“I choose nothing,” Lexie snarled.
Wilbur’s laugh exploded out of his mouth. “Half the people in this town want to fire you. Another fourth wants to lynch you.
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