Read Online Naked Frame by Robert Burton Robinson - Free Book Online

along with me."
    "A loyal employee."
    "Yeah."
    "So, do you suppose anybody has found Big
Bill yet?"
    "I don't know. The door is unlocked, so
anybody could wander in and find him. And even if that doesn't
happen, at some point the stink is going to seep into the office
next door. So we may not have much time."
    "I guess we didn't accomplish much last
night."
    "Except to get your shop burned down. I'm
sorry, Gabby."
    "It wasn't your fault. It was probably one
of Big Bill's people who knew about my loan. I guess it's better
than getting my legs broken."
    "Or they might have done it because they
tracked Big Bill to my office and they think I killed him."
    "Yeah. It wouldn't have been difficult. They
could have tracked his cell phone. Or his car. It was parked in
front of your office. And if somebody recognized us last night at
Café Nue..."
    "Like Joey Ketrousie. Or Wiley."
    "But wouldn't they just let the police take
care of us? Wasn't that the purpose of framing us for Big Bill's
murder?"
    "Yeah." Rebecca thought for a moment. "But
if whoever framed us is afraid we're close to figuring out who he
is..."
    "He might try to take us out himself."
    "Right." She sighed. "How did you
sleep?"
    "I got about four hours."
    "Yeah, me too. I didn't think I would be
able to sleep at all." Rebecca set her phone on the night stand and
stood up. "I keep picturing Carly's face. It must have been a
horrible death."
    "You still think whoever it was that killed
her was working for Big Bill?"
    She nodded.
    "But what I still don't get is why he was
having Carly murdered on the same night he was trying to bribe you
to shut her up."
    "Yeah. That doesn't make sense. Unless...the
person who killed Carly was acting on his own."
    "Doing it for Big Bill—without his
knowledge? Why would he do that?"
    "Deniability. Big Bill would honestly know
nothing about Carly's murder. And if he got away with it, he could
go to Big Bill and take credit for keeping his butt out of prison.
And try to collect a pile of cash. Or, if it was Ms. Thagery or
some other employee, they might be looking for a big
promotion."
    "Or...how about this theory?" said Gabby.
"The same person who killed Big Bill also killed Carly.
    "Why kill Carly if Big Bill is dead?"
    "I don't know," said Gabby. "I hadn't
thought that far ahead."
    "Unless the killer was worried about Carly
suing the company. Big Bill's raping of Megan Cinaway involved
company business, since the sex was part of his job application
process. It would have to be somebody whose wealth or power is tied
to the company."
    "Well, if that's the case, I'm surprised he
didn't go after Megan, too."
    Rebecca panicked. "What if
he did? She may
already be dead." Rebecca picked up her phone and called Megan.
"Carly gave me her number, but I've never used it. Come on, Megan,
answer.
    "Is this Megan Cinaway?...this is Rebecca
Ranghorn. Your mother hired me to—...well, I'm glad you're okay,
but I need to tell you—...New York?...wait, Megan, I need to tell
you something...Megan?...It's important. Hello?..."
    Rebecca called again, but it went straight
to voicemail.
    "What was that about New York?"
    "She's flying to New York City today. Says
she's going to be a supermodel."
    "Obviously, she doesn't know her mother is
dead."
    "I doubt she knows about Big Bill either.
But somebody has got her believing she's going to be rich and
famous."
    "The same somebody who killed her mother and
Big Bill? But if that's the case, wouldn't he have already killed
her? Why send her to New York?"
    "Maybe he figured he was pushing his luck.
He's already got two dead bodies in the same town."
    "So, he's going to send her to New York, and
follow her up there and kill her?"
    "Or have somebody else do it. We've got to
stop her from getting on that plane."
    "What plane? Do you know what time her
flight leaves? And which airline?"
    "All I know is that she suddenly realized it
was after nine, and that she needed to get to the airport."
    "Well, assuming she's not too