Read Online Murder by Manicure by Nancy J. Cohen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nancy J. Cohen
Ads: Link
removed his sport coat and tie so that his dress shirt was unbuttoned at the neck. An empty coffee mug sat on his desk along with a cellophane sandwich wrapper.
"Was that your dinner?” she asked, putting his check in her purse.
"I didn't have time to go out.” His glance swept her body, heating her skin.
"Can you spare a few minutes to go downstairs for a snack?” Last time he'd given her a tour, she'd spotted vending machines in the briefing room.
"Sorry, I've too much to do.” Plowing a hand wearily through his peppery hair, he sighed. “Seems like I never have time at home anymore. I'm glad you were there to help out tonight, Marla.” His voice deepened. “Since you dropped by, I'd like you to look at something for me. Have a seat."
"What are you working on?” she asked, claiming a chair opposite his desk.
"I'll tell you shortly.” Sinking into an armchair, he shuffled through a sheaf of papers. “Here it is. This is a copy of the member sign-ins for Friday night at Perfect Fit Sports Club. Recognize any of the names?"
Marla perused the list. Wrinkling her nose, she pointed to each name in turn. “Here's Cookie Calcone. I told you about her. Apparently, she left the club before Jolene's accident. Tally and I had a run-in with her on Sunday. She's the type who looks for any excuse to pick an argument."
Marla shuddered before pushing Cookie's mental image aside.
"Wallace Ritiker was in the steam room with Sam Zelman. Sam's wife, Eloise, was changing in the locker room when she heard screams. Oh, I didn't know Hank Goodfellow was there.” The pharmacist had signed in after Cookie. Where had he been during the whole debacle?
"I dropped a prescription off for my mother on Sunday,” she added. “I was talking to Hank when Wally popped in. Ritiker mentioned a break-in at the pharmacy and was upset Hank hadn't notified him."
"I'm not surprised."
Vail's wry tone made her glance at him sharply. “What do you know about it?"
The detective shrugged. “Another division is investigating. It's not my jurisdiction. Hank's pharmacy has had a couple of robberies in this past year."
"Really?” Narrowing her eyes, she gave him back the piece of paper. “You didn't tell me what case you're working on. Is it related to Jolene's accident?"
He withdrew another paper from the file. “Here's a list of staff members from the club. Anything unusual that you've learned about these people?"
She smiled inwardly, gratified that he was asking for her input. “Who's this?” she asked, pointing to an unfamiliar name.
"Tesla Parr, one of the massage therapists. Nickname is Tess."
Marla tapped her chin. “Sharon told me the other therapist, Manny Kosmo, had been out sick when Jolene had her appointment Friday night. I remember Jolene saying she wouldn't go back to Slate. Maybe she'd made an appointment with Tess.” Memorizing the woman's address in case she needed it later, she lifted her questioning gaze to Vail's somber face. “Dalton, what does all this mean?"
"A multi-drug screening showed sedatives in Jolene's blood. The drug would have been administered about an hour before she went into the Jacuzzi. Those capsules in her bag were gelatin, like you said. So how did she ingest a substance that made her so drowsy that she sank beneath the water and drowned?"
Chapter Six
"Jolene was too smart to knowingly take sedatives before immersing herself in the whirlpool. It doesn't make sense,” Marla said quietly.
"I agree."
"Poor thing. I would have attended her funeral if it was local.” Her head lowered, she reflected upon this latest loss. Jolene had been a cheerful client, and always complimentary of Marla's efforts. She'd revealed little about her personal life. Rarely did Jolene speak about her background, and even less about her work. Yet Marla had always admired the stylish manner in which she dressed, and the solicitous way she inquired about her concerns. Usually it was the other way around with
"Was that your dinner?” she asked, putting his check in her purse.
"I didn't have time to go out.” His glance swept her body, heating her skin.
"Can you spare a few minutes to go downstairs for a snack?” Last time he'd given her a tour, she'd spotted vending machines in the briefing room.
"Sorry, I've too much to do.” Plowing a hand wearily through his peppery hair, he sighed. “Seems like I never have time at home anymore. I'm glad you were there to help out tonight, Marla.” His voice deepened. “Since you dropped by, I'd like you to look at something for me. Have a seat."
"What are you working on?” she asked, claiming a chair opposite his desk.
"I'll tell you shortly.” Sinking into an armchair, he shuffled through a sheaf of papers. “Here it is. This is a copy of the member sign-ins for Friday night at Perfect Fit Sports Club. Recognize any of the names?"
Marla perused the list. Wrinkling her nose, she pointed to each name in turn. “Here's Cookie Calcone. I told you about her. Apparently, she left the club before Jolene's accident. Tally and I had a run-in with her on Sunday. She's the type who looks for any excuse to pick an argument."
Marla shuddered before pushing Cookie's mental image aside.
"Wallace Ritiker was in the steam room with Sam Zelman. Sam's wife, Eloise, was changing in the locker room when she heard screams. Oh, I didn't know Hank Goodfellow was there.” The pharmacist had signed in after Cookie. Where had he been during the whole debacle?
"I dropped a prescription off for my mother on Sunday,” she added. “I was talking to Hank when Wally popped in. Ritiker mentioned a break-in at the pharmacy and was upset Hank hadn't notified him."
"I'm not surprised."
Vail's wry tone made her glance at him sharply. “What do you know about it?"
The detective shrugged. “Another division is investigating. It's not my jurisdiction. Hank's pharmacy has had a couple of robberies in this past year."
"Really?” Narrowing her eyes, she gave him back the piece of paper. “You didn't tell me what case you're working on. Is it related to Jolene's accident?"
He withdrew another paper from the file. “Here's a list of staff members from the club. Anything unusual that you've learned about these people?"
She smiled inwardly, gratified that he was asking for her input. “Who's this?” she asked, pointing to an unfamiliar name.
"Tesla Parr, one of the massage therapists. Nickname is Tess."
Marla tapped her chin. “Sharon told me the other therapist, Manny Kosmo, had been out sick when Jolene had her appointment Friday night. I remember Jolene saying she wouldn't go back to Slate. Maybe she'd made an appointment with Tess.” Memorizing the woman's address in case she needed it later, she lifted her questioning gaze to Vail's somber face. “Dalton, what does all this mean?"
"A multi-drug screening showed sedatives in Jolene's blood. The drug would have been administered about an hour before she went into the Jacuzzi. Those capsules in her bag were gelatin, like you said. So how did she ingest a substance that made her so drowsy that she sank beneath the water and drowned?"
Chapter Six
"Jolene was too smart to knowingly take sedatives before immersing herself in the whirlpool. It doesn't make sense,” Marla said quietly.
"I agree."
"Poor thing. I would have attended her funeral if it was local.” Her head lowered, she reflected upon this latest loss. Jolene had been a cheerful client, and always complimentary of Marla's efforts. She'd revealed little about her personal life. Rarely did Jolene speak about her background, and even less about her work. Yet Marla had always admired the stylish manner in which she dressed, and the solicitous way she inquired about her concerns. Usually it was the other way around with
Similar Books
