Read Online Murder Strikes a Pose by Tracy Weber - Free Book Online
Authors: Tracy Weber
Tags: realtor Darby Farr gets pulled into the investigation and learns that Kyle had a shocking secret—one that could've sealed her violent fate. Suspects abound, south Florida's star broker. But her career ends abruptly when she is fatally stabbed at an open house. Because of a family friend's longstanding ties to the Cameron clan, including Kyle's estranged suicidal husband; her ex-lover, Million-dollar listings and hefty commissions come easily for Kyle Cameron, a ruthless billionaire developer; and Foster's resentful, politically ambitious wife. And Darby's investigating puts her next on the killer's hit list., Foster McFarlin
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the
jugular. “Unless there’s something you’re not telling us …”
Dad taught me to be tough—to stand up to bullies and never
give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry. But my head pound-
ed, my body ached with exhaustion, and I couldn’t hold back
anymore. Tears streamed down my face. “I don’t know anything!
Please, please, please let me go, so I can look for Bella.”
53
Martinez gave Henderson a “back off now” look. “Just a few
more minutes, ma’am,” she said. “How did you know the de-
ceased?”
“I told you that already. He sells—” I bit back a sob. “I mean,
he sold the Dollars for Change newspaper outside my store. We became friends.”
“See, that’s what I don’t get,” Henderson sneered. “Why would
a pretty young thing like you be friends with a deadbeat like him?”
At that moment, Detective Henderson joined Jake the Jerk on
my short list of truly odious people. My tears stopped. The hair on the back of my neck rose. An image of my fist smashing into Henderson’s face entered my head and refused to leave. Cold-cocking
him would land me in jail, so I looked at him steadily and enunciated clearly.
“George wasn’t a deadbeat. He had an addiction. There’s a dif-
ference.”
Martinez stepped between us. “Did the victim have any ene-
mies?”
“No, George was a sweet man. People aren’t always courteous
to the homeless, but I can’t imagine why anyone would hurt him.”
I remembered the incident with Charlie. “He did have an argu-
ment with someone earlier today, but he said it was nothing—that
they had it all worked out.” I described the dispute over the black duffel bag. “The guy seemed kind of odd, but George said they
were friends.”
“We didn’t find a bag with the body, but we’ll look into it,”
Martinez assured me. “But if this ‘Charlie’ isn’t a regular in the area, he might be hard to track down. And the bag is probably
long gone by now.”
54
“Did anything else seem different than normal?” Henderson
asked.
“Not really. George had some money worries, but I think he
had a plan to fix that.”
The two detectives exchanged a knowing look. Henderson
spoke. “Perhaps he decided to consort with the wrong people to
get that money and got himself killed for his efforts?”
I felt my face flush with anger.
“George was the victim here. You keep forgetting that. George was an alcoholic, not a criminal. And if he planned to meet with
someone dangerous, why didn’t he take his dog? Bella would never
have let anyone hurt him.”
They were about to press me further when a uniformed officer
interrupted. “Excuse me, detectives. You might want to take a look at this. We found a dog in the alley behind the pet store. It might be the one the witness has been talking about.”
I jumped out of the police car, pushed past the two detectives,
and ran as fast as my legs would take me. Bella’s low bark filled the air as I rounded the corner.
She huddled, cowering in the back of her crate. “That’s her!
That’s Bella!”
Martinez grabbed my arm before I could open the cage. “Don’t
touch anything! That crate is evidence. Wait until we call Animal Control.” Bella snarled and lunged against the door. “Besides, that dog looks dangerous. The Animal Control officers will know how
to handle it.”
Animal Control? Wasn’t that a fancy name for the dog catcher?
Were they going to take Bella to the pound?
“There’s no need to call anyone,” I quickly replied. “Bella’s not dangerous, she’s just upset. I’m sure I can calm her down.”
55
“Maybe so,” Martinez replied. “But we still need to call Animal
Control. They’ll take her to the shelter and contact her owners.”
I imagined Bella trapped in a cage, surrounded by strangers
and barking dogs. “But there’s no one to contact. Her owner is
dead.”
“They’ll call his next of kin, in that case. If no one claims her in
jugular. “Unless there’s something you’re not telling us …”
Dad taught me to be tough—to stand up to bullies and never
give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry. But my head pound-
ed, my body ached with exhaustion, and I couldn’t hold back
anymore. Tears streamed down my face. “I don’t know anything!
Please, please, please let me go, so I can look for Bella.”
53
Martinez gave Henderson a “back off now” look. “Just a few
more minutes, ma’am,” she said. “How did you know the de-
ceased?”
“I told you that already. He sells—” I bit back a sob. “I mean,
he sold the Dollars for Change newspaper outside my store. We became friends.”
“See, that’s what I don’t get,” Henderson sneered. “Why would
a pretty young thing like you be friends with a deadbeat like him?”
At that moment, Detective Henderson joined Jake the Jerk on
my short list of truly odious people. My tears stopped. The hair on the back of my neck rose. An image of my fist smashing into Henderson’s face entered my head and refused to leave. Cold-cocking
him would land me in jail, so I looked at him steadily and enunciated clearly.
“George wasn’t a deadbeat. He had an addiction. There’s a dif-
ference.”
Martinez stepped between us. “Did the victim have any ene-
mies?”
“No, George was a sweet man. People aren’t always courteous
to the homeless, but I can’t imagine why anyone would hurt him.”
I remembered the incident with Charlie. “He did have an argu-
ment with someone earlier today, but he said it was nothing—that
they had it all worked out.” I described the dispute over the black duffel bag. “The guy seemed kind of odd, but George said they
were friends.”
“We didn’t find a bag with the body, but we’ll look into it,”
Martinez assured me. “But if this ‘Charlie’ isn’t a regular in the area, he might be hard to track down. And the bag is probably
long gone by now.”
54
“Did anything else seem different than normal?” Henderson
asked.
“Not really. George had some money worries, but I think he
had a plan to fix that.”
The two detectives exchanged a knowing look. Henderson
spoke. “Perhaps he decided to consort with the wrong people to
get that money and got himself killed for his efforts?”
I felt my face flush with anger.
“George was the victim here. You keep forgetting that. George was an alcoholic, not a criminal. And if he planned to meet with
someone dangerous, why didn’t he take his dog? Bella would never
have let anyone hurt him.”
They were about to press me further when a uniformed officer
interrupted. “Excuse me, detectives. You might want to take a look at this. We found a dog in the alley behind the pet store. It might be the one the witness has been talking about.”
I jumped out of the police car, pushed past the two detectives,
and ran as fast as my legs would take me. Bella’s low bark filled the air as I rounded the corner.
She huddled, cowering in the back of her crate. “That’s her!
That’s Bella!”
Martinez grabbed my arm before I could open the cage. “Don’t
touch anything! That crate is evidence. Wait until we call Animal Control.” Bella snarled and lunged against the door. “Besides, that dog looks dangerous. The Animal Control officers will know how
to handle it.”
Animal Control? Wasn’t that a fancy name for the dog catcher?
Were they going to take Bella to the pound?
“There’s no need to call anyone,” I quickly replied. “Bella’s not dangerous, she’s just upset. I’m sure I can calm her down.”
55
“Maybe so,” Martinez replied. “But we still need to call Animal
Control. They’ll take her to the shelter and contact her owners.”
I imagined Bella trapped in a cage, surrounded by strangers
and barking dogs. “But there’s no one to contact. Her owner is
dead.”
“They’ll call his next of kin, in that case. If no one claims her in
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