Read Online Never Sorry: A Leigh Koslow Mystery by Edie Claire - Free Book Online Page A
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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tragedy. By now, almost everyone in Pittsburgh must know. Dismemberment in a zoo was, after all, not your typical noon news. The trick would be finding out how much Frances knew without inadvertently adding to the arsenal. Lisa had said that the television reports had not given Leigh's name, and the murder had happened too late to make the morning papers. Perhaps there was hope. If Leigh could get to her mother before she found out who actually found the body, perhaps—
She shook her head and smiled sadly. It was pointless. Her mother would find out everything regardless. She always did. The questioning, the lawyer. A bad memory swept across Leigh's brain. The last time she'd needed a lawyer, her mother hadn't handled it well. Dr. Koslow didn't illegally script valium to relatives for nothing.
The last message on the machine was for Tanner, from Leo Martin, the zoo director. It cut off at an inopportune point, namely "I want to see you immediately because—"
Tanner left in a huff, and Leigh picked up the phone and dialed. The receptionist at the Koslow Animal Clinic answered promptly, but as usual, her father took his time getting to the phone. "Leigh?" he said finally, over a background of barking dogs.
"Hi, Dad. Could you tell Mom I'm okay?"
"Be happy to. Is that the truth?" Randall Koslow, DVM, was not one to get excited unnecessarily. Leigh was sure he knew everything her mother did about the murder, but wasn't too worried about it.
"Yes," Leigh said weakly, unsure if she were lying or not. "I found Carmen's body. It wasn't fun, but I'll survive. Just tell Mom I'm really busy running back and forth between the two jobs. And tell her that the zoo has quadrupled security—or some such thing."
Dr. Koslow gave a muffled order to an employee, then returned to the conversation. "Okay, honey. Anything else?"
"Yes," Leigh thought quickly. "The business in high school…didn't the lawyer say my record would be wiped clean?"
"I believe so." Dr. Koslow paused. "Should I ask why you want to know?"
"Probably not. I'll talk to you later, Dad."
Leigh finished the afternoon hospital chores, and when Tanner had not returned by five, she decided to take off. She'd given the zoo overtime already, and the lack of sleep and food was beginning to wear on her. Warren picked her up at the main gate, having graciously agreed to drive her to the strip district to reclaim her car. They arrived back at their apartment building in tandem.
"Did you ever get any lunch?" He asked, concerned.
Leigh shook her head. "I've got bologna in the fridge, and maybe I could make some macaroni and cheese. I'm out of milk, but if you double the butter—"
Warren raised a hand. "Enough with the violins already. You're invited. But since we're in a hurry, I'll just order pizza."
Leigh smiled. She could have really gone for some of Warren's homemade quesadillas, but she wouldn't push it. She owed him too many meals already. She hiked upstairs to her apartment, shucked the odiferous zoo uniform, and took a quick shower. Clean and ravenous, she ignored the blinking of her own answering machine and headed back down to Warren's place. Pizza—followed by a prolonged state of unconsciousness—sounded great.
But Warren was not alone. And given the two large pizzas laid out on his kitchen table, he hadn't expected to be. Maura Polanski shoveled in a mushroom-laden piece of pie, offering Leigh a wave in lieu of a greeting.
"I asked WonderCop to join us," Warren explained, using Maura's college tag line. "I thought you could use some more good advice. And moral support."
Leigh didn't want to think about anything but food and sleep, but she smiled weakly. "The more the merrier. Provided I get enough pepperoni." She dug into the second box, elated to see that Warren had ordered thin-crust—her favorite. She ate two pieces almost without chewing, then felt more sociable. Looking at Maura, she suddenly realized that despite the policewoman's healthy appetite,
She shook her head and smiled sadly. It was pointless. Her mother would find out everything regardless. She always did. The questioning, the lawyer. A bad memory swept across Leigh's brain. The last time she'd needed a lawyer, her mother hadn't handled it well. Dr. Koslow didn't illegally script valium to relatives for nothing.
The last message on the machine was for Tanner, from Leo Martin, the zoo director. It cut off at an inopportune point, namely "I want to see you immediately because—"
Tanner left in a huff, and Leigh picked up the phone and dialed. The receptionist at the Koslow Animal Clinic answered promptly, but as usual, her father took his time getting to the phone. "Leigh?" he said finally, over a background of barking dogs.
"Hi, Dad. Could you tell Mom I'm okay?"
"Be happy to. Is that the truth?" Randall Koslow, DVM, was not one to get excited unnecessarily. Leigh was sure he knew everything her mother did about the murder, but wasn't too worried about it.
"Yes," Leigh said weakly, unsure if she were lying or not. "I found Carmen's body. It wasn't fun, but I'll survive. Just tell Mom I'm really busy running back and forth between the two jobs. And tell her that the zoo has quadrupled security—or some such thing."
Dr. Koslow gave a muffled order to an employee, then returned to the conversation. "Okay, honey. Anything else?"
"Yes," Leigh thought quickly. "The business in high school…didn't the lawyer say my record would be wiped clean?"
"I believe so." Dr. Koslow paused. "Should I ask why you want to know?"
"Probably not. I'll talk to you later, Dad."
Leigh finished the afternoon hospital chores, and when Tanner had not returned by five, she decided to take off. She'd given the zoo overtime already, and the lack of sleep and food was beginning to wear on her. Warren picked her up at the main gate, having graciously agreed to drive her to the strip district to reclaim her car. They arrived back at their apartment building in tandem.
"Did you ever get any lunch?" He asked, concerned.
Leigh shook her head. "I've got bologna in the fridge, and maybe I could make some macaroni and cheese. I'm out of milk, but if you double the butter—"
Warren raised a hand. "Enough with the violins already. You're invited. But since we're in a hurry, I'll just order pizza."
Leigh smiled. She could have really gone for some of Warren's homemade quesadillas, but she wouldn't push it. She owed him too many meals already. She hiked upstairs to her apartment, shucked the odiferous zoo uniform, and took a quick shower. Clean and ravenous, she ignored the blinking of her own answering machine and headed back down to Warren's place. Pizza—followed by a prolonged state of unconsciousness—sounded great.
But Warren was not alone. And given the two large pizzas laid out on his kitchen table, he hadn't expected to be. Maura Polanski shoveled in a mushroom-laden piece of pie, offering Leigh a wave in lieu of a greeting.
"I asked WonderCop to join us," Warren explained, using Maura's college tag line. "I thought you could use some more good advice. And moral support."
Leigh didn't want to think about anything but food and sleep, but she smiled weakly. "The more the merrier. Provided I get enough pepperoni." She dug into the second box, elated to see that Warren had ordered thin-crust—her favorite. She ate two pieces almost without chewing, then felt more sociable. Looking at Maura, she suddenly realized that despite the policewoman's healthy appetite,
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