Read Online Murder Is Private by Diane Weiner - Free Book Online Page A

stalking him when they just happened to be going the same way. He was headed toward the arboretum. Did he have a rendezvous scheduled?
    George abruptly stopped the mower several feet from the entrance and hid behind the same shrubs she’d used as camouflage the day she saw Kymani and hoodie boy exchange money. She took cover behind a tree and watched George watching the arboretum. After a few minutes, Kymani strutted in and sat on a cement bench in the arboretum. He tapped his foot and looked around. It was several minutes before a blond girl with a high pony tail appeared. She looked like a sorority girl, not a thug. What was she doing buying pot or, worse yet, an illegal gun? Maybe she was his girlfriend.
    Susan was too far away to see if any buying or selling was happening. She pushed her bifocals further up on her nose, but still no luck. The meeting was brief. The blond girl left through one entrance, while Kymani left the way he’d come in.
    George started up the riding mower again and headed back toward the auditorium and classrooms. Susan felt something drip on her head. Was it raining again? She looked up and realized she was standing under a tree which was bursting with pale pink flowers. Flowers identical to the ones she saw stuck to Alonzo’s jacket at lunch. The sky opened up and Susan ran toward Audrey’s, covering her head with her tote bag.

Chapter 15

    “Susan, you’re drenched,” said Audrey.
    “It started raining on my way home; I’m fine.”
    “You should know better than to leave the house without an umbrella, especially in the spring. It rains in New York in the spring, too, doesn’t it? Let me get you a towel.”
    Susan rolled her eyes at Audrey as she walked toward the bathroom.
    “Mom, I saw that,” whispered Lynette. “You rolled your eyes at Audrey. You rolled your eyes at your own mother. It’s annoying being treated like you don’t know how to take care of yourself, isn’t it?”
    “Hush. I don’t want Audrey to hear you.” The doorbell rang.
    “Hey, Kevin! Come on in,” said Lynette. Susan thought he looked like a male model––neat hair, freshly ironed shirt, clean shaven.
    “Mrs. Wiles, did you get caught in the storm?” Now I understand how he made detective, Susan thought. So observant.
    “So, Kevin, how’s the case going?” Susan avoided eye contact with Lynette.
    “Still working on it,” he replied.
    “Her husband came by the school today to get Celia’s things,” said Susan. “Scared me half to death when I walked in on him snooping through the desk. Did he have an alibi for the night of Celia’s murder?”
    “Says he was out drinking at a bar. We’re still trying to find someone who saw him that night.”
    Audrey returned with a fluffy yellow towel for Susan. “Hello, Detective. Come, have a seat.” Kevin joined the women.
    Susan wiped her bifocals and dried her arms and legs. She needed to change her clothes but didn’t want to miss anything Kevin might say regarding the case. Why was he here, anyway? Was it about the case, or did he just want an excuse to see Lynette again? He smelled like after shave.
    “We got an anonymous phone call down at the station. Someone reported seeing a person hanging around the arboretum the night of the murder. Said it was a man. The time fits with our window for time of death. I came to ask you if you think it could have been one of the boys in the dorm. The dorm overlooks the arboretum. Someone on the second or third floor may have witnessed the murder. Am I right?”
    “Yes, it’s possible,” replied Audrey.
    “We questioned all the boys in the dorm the day after the murder. No one admitted to seeing anything.”
    “They may have been frightened,” said Audrey. “That’s probably why the call was anonymous.”
    “Okay, thanks for your help, Mrs. Roberts,” Kevin said, “I’ll get out of your hair. Bye, Lynette.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Bye, Mrs. Wiles.”
    After the detective had left,