Read Online Major Crimes by Michele Lynn Seigfried - Free Book Online Page B

I’ll give you his name.” Chelsey smiled.
    “Thanks. Why did you need a criminal attorney?”
    “Well, that’s a long story.”
    “It’s nearly an hour to get back to your house. We’ve got time.”
    “We have more important things to do. Less than a week, remember?”
    “What are we going to do driving in the car?”
    Chelsey looked at her watch. “It’s ten after one. We could make some phone calls.”
    “Where do you want to start?”
    “Freddy.”
    I glowered at her.
    “I know, I know. You don’t want me to call Freddy…yet.”
    “Dial Gabby’s Cabbies. Ask for Peter.”
    Chelsey looked up Gabby’s Cabbies on her smartphone and found the number. She dialed, asked for Peter, and left a message.
    “He wasn’t in again?” I asked.
    “No. You called there already?” Chelsey plugged her phone into the car charger.
    “Yeah, but I didn’t get far. The dope who answered told me Ralph was the cabbie who picked me up, but she gave me a cell number that didn’t work.”
    “He’ll be in after three today. We’ll call again later.” Chelsey patted my leg. I felt the chemistry between us, but the time for that wasn’t now.
    “So what next?”
    “Do you know anything about Archie’s ex-wives?”
    “I don’t think they did it. They weren’t at the retirement party. They weren’t at Savoy’s. No opportunity.”
    “They could’ve hired someone.”
    “Archie hadn’t talked to them in years. He never mentioned any animosity or arguments with them. His daughter, Brittany, is fifteen. It’s been at least that long since he’s spoken to either of his ex-wives.”
    Chelsey raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying we should take them off the list?”
    “Less than a week.”
    “So not enough time to look into everyone?”
    I nodded. “I’d rather focus my energy on who is in my gut.”
    “Solar?”
    I nodded again. Chelsey didn’t seem to agree with me. He had opportunity. Given what happened to his parents, I didn’t know why he wasn’t at the top of her suspect list. The questions were, what was his motivation? And how was I going to get proof?
     
    * * *
     
    Our remaining drive to Chelsey’s house was in silence. I certainly had a lot on my mind. She appeared to as well. With or without Chelsey’s help, I was going to prove my theory.
    My mind must’ve been in a cloud, because I didn’t notice the tail behind us. I pulled into the driveway at Chelsey’s house. We hopped out of the car and went into the house.
    Three unmarked vehicles pulled in front of Chelsey’s house. I could see them through her sheer curtains lining the front window. I grabbed Chelsey’s arm and yanked her into the kitchen.
    Chelsey looked at me in horror. “How did they figure out you were here?”
    “Drew, probably.”
    “What do we do now?”
    “I’m thinking.”
    The doorbell rang. Snickers went ballistic—barking and clawing at the door.
    Chelsey was a bundle of nerves. “Should I answer? Pretend I haven’t seen you?”
    “They’d know you’re lying. They saw me. You’re aiding and abetting.”
    “Crap.”
    “You’re a mess anyway.”
    Not that I wasn’t nervous, but I didn’t show it. I pulled Chelsey close to me. “Take a deep breath and let it out.”
    Chelsey followed my instructions. It didn’t work to calm her down.
    “Let’s go out the back. Quietly.” I held her hand and we crept through the back door.
    “Stay off the rocks,” Chelsey warned. “They’ll make too much noise.”
    Chelsey’s yard provided one of the greatest things about shore living—no grass to cut. Landscaping rocks extended from the back patio out to the lagoon. Luckily, she had stepping stones leading to her dock.
    The path to the dock was our only choice. There was nowhere to hide. We couldn’t make it into the neighbors’ yards without being seen or heard. If we tried to make a run for it, we’d surely be caught. There were two ways in or out of Chelsey’s neighborhood—the one-way street blocked by