Read Online Never Sorry: A Leigh Koslow Mystery by Edie Claire - Free Book Online
Authors: Edie Claire
Tags: Fiction, General, Thrillers, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, Koslow; Leigh (Fictitious Character), Pittsburgh (Pa.), Women Cat Owners, Women Copy Writers, Zoos
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other instruments for prints too…
She started to get up, but stopped herself. Her lawyer would have a fit. Plus, it really wasn't incumbent on her to do Frank's job for him. Even if he was wasting a lot of time on her and Tanner when he should be looking for the real killer.
And who might that be? Leigh had no idea who Carmen's current enemies were, but surely Frank did, if he had spent all morning questioning the zoo staff. And what about Tanner? He obviously knew a lot about Carmen.
Maybe too much .
She shook her head to rid it of the unproductive thought. Carmen was dead; it wasn't as though they were in competition for Tanner's affections. Yet even as she reasoned with herself she realized that it was principles, rather than jealousy, that was the issue. She didn't think she could respect, much less fall for, any man who would get romantically involved with Carmen Koslow.
And she was definitely falling, despite the horrors of the last twenty-four hours. It seemed like months ago that she had first walked into the zoo hospital for an interview, but it had really only been two weeks. She hadn't seen Tanner in fourteen years—he could have put on weight and gone bald for all she knew. Yet there he was, handsome as ever, and he appeared just as pleased with time's effect on her.
She remembered the sparkle in his eyes as he'd looked her up and down. "Leigh! You look great!" he'd said. Most flattery made her suspicious, but from him, it made her feel wonderful. No more of the "nice little boss's daughter" routine—he had treated her like a woman from day one. And on day three of her zoo employment, he'd made his intentions clear.
Had it only been last night? She hadn't even had a chance yet to enjoy the memory. They had been talking and laughing as they prepared for what should have been a simple procedure—and as she brushed past him to load the x-ray machine, he swung out an arm, pulled her to him, and kissed her. Not an urgent, lust-filled kiss—it was one of the warm, soft, feathery kisses that merely hinted at more to come. There was more to come. And then, as she recalled ruefully, they were interrupted.
Leigh sat up in her chair in the waiting area, suddenly jerked out of her reverie. She had pulled herself out of Tanner's arms that night because she thought she had heard a noise. He had laughed at her and told her it was just one of the Cockatoos, clanging its water dish about. She hadn't thought so, but she wasn't inclined to argue with him. She had thought it was a door shutting.
She breathed in deeply. If her prints were on the bone saw, the killer must have taken it from the hospital between Tuesday and last night. And they wouldn't need it until after they'd killed Carmen.
The air in the stuffy waiting area seemed to have developed a chill, and Leigh put her legs up on the chair and hugged her knees. Could the killer have been in the hospital with them last night ?
"Are you okay?" a voice asked tenderly. Leigh looked up to find a concerned Tanner staring down at her. "You look upset."
She forced a smile. "I'm fine," she said quickly, bouncing up from the seat. "Let's get back to work."
***
The tape in the zoo hospital's answering machine was completely full, and the light blinked frantically. Half a dozen messages were from reporters; three were for Leigh.
The first one was good news—her car was ready to be picked up at the tow pound. The second—an invitation from her cousin Cara to visit the farm and see the baby—didn't seem urgent, but Leigh knew better. What her mystery-obsessed cousin really wanted was to pump her for information about the murder. The third message made her muscles tense and her head start to ache.
"Hello, this is Frances Koslow, calling to leave a message for my daughter, Leigh Eleanor Koslow. Please inform Leigh that she is to call home immediately . Thank you very much."
She sighed. It was inevitable, of course, that her mother would get wind of the
She started to get up, but stopped herself. Her lawyer would have a fit. Plus, it really wasn't incumbent on her to do Frank's job for him. Even if he was wasting a lot of time on her and Tanner when he should be looking for the real killer.
And who might that be? Leigh had no idea who Carmen's current enemies were, but surely Frank did, if he had spent all morning questioning the zoo staff. And what about Tanner? He obviously knew a lot about Carmen.
Maybe too much .
She shook her head to rid it of the unproductive thought. Carmen was dead; it wasn't as though they were in competition for Tanner's affections. Yet even as she reasoned with herself she realized that it was principles, rather than jealousy, that was the issue. She didn't think she could respect, much less fall for, any man who would get romantically involved with Carmen Koslow.
And she was definitely falling, despite the horrors of the last twenty-four hours. It seemed like months ago that she had first walked into the zoo hospital for an interview, but it had really only been two weeks. She hadn't seen Tanner in fourteen years—he could have put on weight and gone bald for all she knew. Yet there he was, handsome as ever, and he appeared just as pleased with time's effect on her.
She remembered the sparkle in his eyes as he'd looked her up and down. "Leigh! You look great!" he'd said. Most flattery made her suspicious, but from him, it made her feel wonderful. No more of the "nice little boss's daughter" routine—he had treated her like a woman from day one. And on day three of her zoo employment, he'd made his intentions clear.
Had it only been last night? She hadn't even had a chance yet to enjoy the memory. They had been talking and laughing as they prepared for what should have been a simple procedure—and as she brushed past him to load the x-ray machine, he swung out an arm, pulled her to him, and kissed her. Not an urgent, lust-filled kiss—it was one of the warm, soft, feathery kisses that merely hinted at more to come. There was more to come. And then, as she recalled ruefully, they were interrupted.
Leigh sat up in her chair in the waiting area, suddenly jerked out of her reverie. She had pulled herself out of Tanner's arms that night because she thought she had heard a noise. He had laughed at her and told her it was just one of the Cockatoos, clanging its water dish about. She hadn't thought so, but she wasn't inclined to argue with him. She had thought it was a door shutting.
She breathed in deeply. If her prints were on the bone saw, the killer must have taken it from the hospital between Tuesday and last night. And they wouldn't need it until after they'd killed Carmen.
The air in the stuffy waiting area seemed to have developed a chill, and Leigh put her legs up on the chair and hugged her knees. Could the killer have been in the hospital with them last night ?
"Are you okay?" a voice asked tenderly. Leigh looked up to find a concerned Tanner staring down at her. "You look upset."
She forced a smile. "I'm fine," she said quickly, bouncing up from the seat. "Let's get back to work."
***
The tape in the zoo hospital's answering machine was completely full, and the light blinked frantically. Half a dozen messages were from reporters; three were for Leigh.
The first one was good news—her car was ready to be picked up at the tow pound. The second—an invitation from her cousin Cara to visit the farm and see the baby—didn't seem urgent, but Leigh knew better. What her mystery-obsessed cousin really wanted was to pump her for information about the murder. The third message made her muscles tense and her head start to ache.
"Hello, this is Frances Koslow, calling to leave a message for my daughter, Leigh Eleanor Koslow. Please inform Leigh that she is to call home immediately . Thank you very much."
She sighed. It was inevitable, of course, that her mother would get wind of the
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