Read Online Murder Strikes a Pose by Tracy Weber - Free Book Online Page A
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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seven days, they’ll assess her. If she’s deemed adoptable—” She paused and glanced at Bella, still ferociously barking in the crate.
“If she’s safe to adopt, they’ll try to find a home for her.”
I knew the chances of that were somewhere between slim and
none. In this horrible economy of home foreclosures and double-
digit unemployment, more and more people were forced to give
up their pets. Normally easy-to-place animals were euthanized ev-
ery day. And Bella wouldn’t be easy. Not only did she have behav-
ior problems, she had an expensive health condition.
Bella clearly needed an advocate. I hesitated, but just for a second.
“Let me take her. I promised George that if anything ever hap-
pened to him, I’d find Bella a new home.” I lied. George and I
never talked about anything of the sort. Like most people, George simply assumed he’d outlive his dog.
Martinez looked at Bella, who was still snarling and showing
her teeth. “Sorry, I can’t take the risk.”
Out of desperation, I named the one person I thought she’d
trust. “Call Detective O’Connell at the West precinct. He was my
father’s partner, and he’ll vouch for me.” I pulled out my phone.
“He’s probably off duty now, but I have his home number in my
cell.” Martinez looked doubtful, but she gave the number to a uniformed officer, who walked away to make the call. Sensing that
the drama was over, the other officers left to continue processing 56
the crime scene. Bella finally stopped barking and sat in her cage, watching me intently.
“Your father’s a cop?” Martinez asked.
“Was. He died two years ago.”
“I’m sorry. Was he young?”
The answer was yes. He was only fifty-three the day he died.
But I couldn’t talk about my father’s death. Not with a stranger.
Especially not so soon after finding my friend’s body. I changed
the subject instead.
“Hey, look. That’s Bella’s leash over there. If you open her cage, I swear I won’t mess anything up. I’ll carefully put on her leash and take her home. I’ll come right to the station if you have more questions, but please let me leave. I need to go home, shower off this horrible night, and collapse into bed.”
The officer came back wearing a lopsided grin. “O’Connell
vouches for her. Says she’s a pain in the ass but otherwise harmless.”
Bella continued to sit still, now quiet and apparently calm.
“You’ll come right to the station if we call?” Martinez asked.
“Yes, immediately. I promise.”
Martinez looked to the side for a moment, thinking. “I’m
probably going to get my ass chewed for this, but OK. You’ve had
a tough night. No need for me to make it any tougher. Go ahead
home and take the dog with you; she’s your responsibility now.”
She gave me a stern look. “Don’t make me regret this.”
Martinez opened the crate. I hooked on Bella’s leash and
coaxed her out. Bella seemed stressed and unsure, but she came
out quietly, gently swishing her tail back and forth.
So far, so good.
At least until Detective Henderson walked around the cor-
ner. One look at him and Bella rose up like a hound from Hell.
57
Her hair stood on end and foam sprayed in all directions, as she
lunged, barked, and viciously snapped her teeth. I could barely
hold onto the leash as she pulled me to the ground. One more sec-
ond and I’d have flown through the air like a kite behind her.
Martinez grabbed the leash. Henderson took three quick steps
back and drew his weapon.
Adrenaline surged through my body. “Don’t shoot her!” I
begged. I couldn’t bear the thought of another death. “I don’t
know why she’s doing this. She must be terrified!”
“Get that dog under control or I will shoot it!” he yelled.
Martinez and I dragged Bella around the corner. Once Hen-
derson was out of sight, Bella stopped lunging. Although she ap-
peared to calm down, her facial expression belied her true
“If she’s safe to adopt, they’ll try to find a home for her.”
I knew the chances of that were somewhere between slim and
none. In this horrible economy of home foreclosures and double-
digit unemployment, more and more people were forced to give
up their pets. Normally easy-to-place animals were euthanized ev-
ery day. And Bella wouldn’t be easy. Not only did she have behav-
ior problems, she had an expensive health condition.
Bella clearly needed an advocate. I hesitated, but just for a second.
“Let me take her. I promised George that if anything ever hap-
pened to him, I’d find Bella a new home.” I lied. George and I
never talked about anything of the sort. Like most people, George simply assumed he’d outlive his dog.
Martinez looked at Bella, who was still snarling and showing
her teeth. “Sorry, I can’t take the risk.”
Out of desperation, I named the one person I thought she’d
trust. “Call Detective O’Connell at the West precinct. He was my
father’s partner, and he’ll vouch for me.” I pulled out my phone.
“He’s probably off duty now, but I have his home number in my
cell.” Martinez looked doubtful, but she gave the number to a uniformed officer, who walked away to make the call. Sensing that
the drama was over, the other officers left to continue processing 56
the crime scene. Bella finally stopped barking and sat in her cage, watching me intently.
“Your father’s a cop?” Martinez asked.
“Was. He died two years ago.”
“I’m sorry. Was he young?”
The answer was yes. He was only fifty-three the day he died.
But I couldn’t talk about my father’s death. Not with a stranger.
Especially not so soon after finding my friend’s body. I changed
the subject instead.
“Hey, look. That’s Bella’s leash over there. If you open her cage, I swear I won’t mess anything up. I’ll carefully put on her leash and take her home. I’ll come right to the station if you have more questions, but please let me leave. I need to go home, shower off this horrible night, and collapse into bed.”
The officer came back wearing a lopsided grin. “O’Connell
vouches for her. Says she’s a pain in the ass but otherwise harmless.”
Bella continued to sit still, now quiet and apparently calm.
“You’ll come right to the station if we call?” Martinez asked.
“Yes, immediately. I promise.”
Martinez looked to the side for a moment, thinking. “I’m
probably going to get my ass chewed for this, but OK. You’ve had
a tough night. No need for me to make it any tougher. Go ahead
home and take the dog with you; she’s your responsibility now.”
She gave me a stern look. “Don’t make me regret this.”
Martinez opened the crate. I hooked on Bella’s leash and
coaxed her out. Bella seemed stressed and unsure, but she came
out quietly, gently swishing her tail back and forth.
So far, so good.
At least until Detective Henderson walked around the cor-
ner. One look at him and Bella rose up like a hound from Hell.
57
Her hair stood on end and foam sprayed in all directions, as she
lunged, barked, and viciously snapped her teeth. I could barely
hold onto the leash as she pulled me to the ground. One more sec-
ond and I’d have flown through the air like a kite behind her.
Martinez grabbed the leash. Henderson took three quick steps
back and drew his weapon.
Adrenaline surged through my body. “Don’t shoot her!” I
begged. I couldn’t bear the thought of another death. “I don’t
know why she’s doing this. She must be terrified!”
“Get that dog under control or I will shoot it!” he yelled.
Martinez and I dragged Bella around the corner. Once Hen-
derson was out of sight, Bella stopped lunging. Although she ap-
peared to calm down, her facial expression belied her true
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