Read Online One Deadly Sister (Sandy Reid Mystery Series #1) by Rod Hoisington - Free Book Online

clothes?”
    “He doesn’t even know he’s in here yet, they’ll let him out when he wakes up, if he ever does.”
    “I’ll miss him, he was such a good listener. Does he have any family?”
    “If he does, they’ve forgotten about him. He’s a regular.”
    “Beau, has anyone been arrested besides me?”
    “Hey, it’s Saturday...hooker and drunk night. Oh, you mean for the senator’s murder. Don’t think so.”
    “For any other murder?”
    “Man, I don’t get that.” Beau gave him a blank stare. “What we talking about?”
    Ray couldn’t sort out Loraine and Barner just now. He tried to play it through in his mind—arrest, court, judge. New situations with new rules that didn’t belong in his world. Rules he didn’t want to learn.
    “Be back around in the morning, man. Forget about release, get comfortable.” Beau left.
    Ray was past mere fatigue. The exasperating mix of Loraine, Towson, Tammy and the detective added up to the worst day of his life; each was a puzzle piece that wouldn’t fit into place. No use trying to relax. His head buzzed with confusion plus a headache. His stomach felt sick, maybe nerves, maybe hunger.
    He heard some shouting outside, must be the TV people. From the hallway, he heard noises and the rising clatter of voices. He got up and stood at the bars. People noticed him and stared as they passed, looking in at the caged man on display. He moved to the back, far back, not wanting anyone to see him.
    He sat huddled in the corner on his bunk with his knees up under his chin, as far away from the bars as possible. His jumpsuit was itchy and hot. He could smell the snoring drunk a couple of feet away. Over the next few hours, he would hear the clang of a door and indistinct voices. Blurry shadows would move past in the hallway. More shadows and voices as he slipped in and out of troubled sleep.
     
     
     

Chapter Eight  
     
    T hat night the news about the shooting raced through the small town. As rumor had it, the perpetrator was a hit man with a Philadelphia crime connection; a thug who had wormed his way close to the trusting senator and brutally assassinated him. Half of the citizens were phoning the other half telling them to turn on the TV.
    When the Sunday paper hit the street the next morning, it confirmed the unbelievable. Outraged, the citizens read about the ruthless stranger who had shot the senator. Even those who had opposed Senator Towson in the past had to admit his death was an indisputable tragedy for the town and for Florida.
    A handful of people had met Ray at the party a week ago and forgotten about him. Others were trying to catch his name from the TV item repeated every hour. Now, thanks to the newspaper, the entire town had the opportunity to frown at his blurred photo and read about this shadowy stranger from up north.
    A record for Sunday circulation was set that morning, the paper sold out within an hour.
    Ray was oblivious to the commotion outside. He was sitting on his bunk craving a cup of coffee when Beau Cobb hurried up to his cell waving the newspaper. “Seen the paper, man?”
    “No, it was missing from my breakfast tray. They forgot the rosebud as well.”
    “Well, you’re all over the front page.” Beau passed the thick paper through the bars.
    Ray was stunned to see his scary driver’s license picture on the front page. Alongside, Al Towson smiled out in a charming studio pose. The headline, SENATOR TOWSON FOUND MURDERED. …his campaign manager and long time aide, Anthony Hackett, discovered the senator’s body in the Towson residence Saturday evening. Mr. Hackett was to accompany the candidate to a campaign function and became concerned when there was no answer on the victim’s phone. Mr. Hackett and the building maintenance man discovered the body. A person of interest is in custody. The Governor is expected to make a statement later today. The Miami Herald is reporting it as an assassination. Party officials in Tallahassee