Read Online Played to Death by Meg Perry - Free Book Online Page B

he’s moved back. Alone .”
    “Abby broke up with him about a month ago. He bought a condo on Beverly Glen, across the street from Liz.” I leaned back and crossed my arms. “Ms. Beach. Are you interested in my brother?”
    She grinned. “Maybe.”
    “He’s not your type, you know. He’s three years younger than you.” Both Kristen’s ex-husband and most recent boyfriend had been considerably older.
    Kristen dismissed that with a wave of her hand. “I’m beginning to think I need a new type.”
    “So does Kevin. His ex-wife and Abby were both redheads who left him with big debts.”
    “He didn’t seem to be in mourning.”
    I considered that. “It fell apart gradually. Abby had been keeping secrets for over a year. And he’s been working all the time, and he’s moved twice in the past few weeks - I don’t know if he’s had much time to grieve.”
    “I gave him my number.”
    That stunned me to silence for a minute. “Um - did he ask for it?”
    She grinned. “No, but he wanted it. He just hadn’t thought of asking. And he gave me his back. But I wanted to find out what his situation was from you before I called him.”
    “Right now he’s tied up with the murder that happened at Graham’s wedding. But he might ask you to go hiking or take you up on the offer of a drink. I don’t think he’ll be making any long-term arrangements for a while.”
    “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.”
    “Just don’t ask him to go to the movies.”
    She chuckled. “I’ll keep you informed.”
    As soon as she left the office, I texted Kevin. Kristen Beach?
    He texted back almost immediately. Why not?
    Why not, indeed. I texted, We will discuss this .
    His response was LOL .
     
    Liz and I were at the research desk when my phone buzzed with a call. I glanced at the ID; it was Donna Aguilar. I said, “I’d better get this.”
    Liz shooed me away. “Go.”
    I answered as I pushed through the door to the outside. “This is Jamie.”
    “Hi, Jamie, it’s Donna Aguilar. I’m at the UCLA PD. Are you able to come down here for a few minutes?”
    “Um - sure. I’m on my way.” I went back inside to let Liz know where I was going, then hurried to the campus police department.
    When I got there, I was pointed down the hall to a cramped conference room. Donna Aguilar, Dr. Fleming from the music library, and a UCLA police detective were gathered. Donna said, “Ah, Jamie, good. This is Detective Sharmaine Poston from Property Crimes.”
    “Detective Poston.” I shook her hand. “What’s going on?”
    Donna said, “We have something we’d like you to see.”
    “Is this the footage from the music library security camera?”
    Dr. Fleming said, “Yes. It’s from last Friday, at ten ‘til five. Right before closing.”
    “Okay.” I wasn’t sure what I’d be able to add to the conversation, but I watched. Detective Poston cued up the recording. There were three patrons at circulation, all apparently returning reserve items and getting IDs back. So the person at circ didn’t see the young woman who strolled to the door, yawning, and stretched her arms over her head as she walked through the security gates, her bag gripped firmly in her hand rather than hung over her shoulder.
    There was something about the bag… I said, “Is there a way to make that clearer?”
    “No, but you can see the original.” Detective Poston turned her laptop toward me. I squinted at the screen and saw a dark-haired young woman whose face was mostly obscured - but I had no trouble identifying the distinctive pattern on the bag.
    I said, “Oh, my God ,” just as Dr. Fleming said, “Is that Hello Kitty?”
    Donna stared at me. “Do you know who that is?”
    I said, “West LA Homicide is working a murder that happened at a wedding in Holmby Hills this past Saturday. The victim was a young woman with dark hair who was a member of the string quartet that played at the wedding. She’d arrived with a big Hello Kitty tote bag