Read Online Murder Games by Elisabeth Crabtree - Free Book Online Page B

“What difference does it make? The woman in the pond didn’t have any tattoos.”
    “Oh, how would you know?” Ivy huffed.
    Rupert crossed his arms. “I know things.”
    Ivy took a deep steadying breath. “Regardless, it wasn’t Erica.”
    “I never said it was.” Rupert rubbed a hand over his scraggly beard. “The woman’s name was Belinda Forest.”
    “ Where did you hear that?” Ivy asked.
    “I hear things. People talk to me,” he said defensively. “I heard she checked in yesterday and nobody’s seen her since. According to Billy, there are only two people unaccounted for. One was a woman—this Belinda Forrest—and the other was her boyfriend. So, ergo—”
    Ivy raised an eyebrow. “Ergo?”
    “So, ergo , the woman in the pond is Belinda Forrest.” Clearly proud of his deductive skills, he leaned backed and nodded. “Now she’s dead.” He shook his finger in Ivy’s face. “How much do you want to bet the boyfriend killed her and is on the run?”
    Sabrina turned frightened eyes to the kitchen window. “On the run?”
    Glaring at Rupert, Ivy slammed her cup onto the table. “If you knew who it was, then why didn’t you say so? We’ve been speculating about it for the last ten minutes.”
    “No one asked me.”
    Ivy gave him a dirty look. She picked up her cup and brought it to her lips. “Belinda Forrest?” She set the cup down without taking a drink. “Why does that name sound familiar?”
    “You’re thinking of Linda Fox,” Rupert said.
    “I know who Linda Fox is, and no, I’m not thinking of her. I know I’ve heard that name before.” Ivy shook her head. “Well, I’m sure it’ll come to me sooner or later.”
    “I’m surprised the police have released the woman’s name so soon,” Grace said.
    “T his isn’t coming from the police.” Rupert reached over and slid the tablet back to his side of the table. “I got that information from a reliable source.” He pushed the tablet over to Grace. “See for yourself.”
    Grace swiped her finger across the screen. An image of the pond appeared. She scrolled down a little more. “It says here that someone saw a man and two women arguing near the pond at about three o’clock last night. Apparently, the argument almost became physical.”
    “ Let me see that.” Ivy reached over and slid the tablet back to her side of the table. Pursing her lips, she read the message. “Billy? That’s your reliable source?”
    “What’s wrong with Billy?” Rupert asked defensively.
    “Plenty,” Ivy said.
    Grace gestured toward the tablet. “According to this, he almost had to break them apart.”
    Ivy snorted delicately. “Billy was probably hiding in the bushes praying no one would notice him. I wouldn’t believe a thing he says.”
    Rupert glared at Ivy. “He’s a very important witness.”
    “To what?” Ivy asked hotly.
    “He witnessed three people arguing and then the very next day, a dead body turns up.”
    “Big deal.” Ivy looked down at the tablet. “He has no idea if that poor soul in the pond was one of the ladies he saw.”
    “If he goes to the police , he might be able to identify the body,” Sabrina said. “If she is one of the ladies, he may even be able to identify the killer.”
    “Unlikely,” Ivy replied.
    Rupert shook his head. “He wouldn’t be able to identify them. They were bundled up, head to toe.”
    “Billy ’s just looking for attention.” Ivy took a sip from her cup.
    “Did he say what they were fighting about?” Grace asked.
    “He thinks one of them said something about tickets to the Haunted Theater.” Rupert shrugged his broad shoulders. “He couldn’t hear them that well. He was too far away.”
    “Then how does he know they were fighting?” Ivy asked.
    “You can tell when people are fighting,” Rupert spat back. “You don’t have to hear them arguing to know. I’m sure he could tell by their body language.”
    Ivy rolled her eyes. “Some witness.” She snapped her