Read Online Scrapbook of the Dead by Mollie Cox Bryan - Free Book Online

to his head. He wore khakis and a blazer.
    â€œMr. Mendez,” the woman said, “This is—”
    â€œI know who you are,” the man said to Annie. “What do you want? To come in here and write a story about us? About the Martelino sisters? What tragic lives they led?” His tone was sarcastic, almost vicious. “We don’t need your stories. They are gone. Gone. What does it matter now?”
    Annie drew a breath. “I’m sorry, Mr. Mendez. I didn’t mean to offend you or anybody. I’d just like to give people a complete story of what happened to them. And maybe it would help find the killer. Maybe it would help save someone else.”
    His face was suddenly closer to Annie’s. She smelled cheap aftershave, with a hint of a breath mint—or was it mouthwash?
    Her heart started to race and pings of intuition raced through her. She needed to get out of there fast.
    He sneered. “ Bruja .”
    Annie stood straighter, looked him in the face, and said, “ Perdón, me permite, ¿cómo?”(Sorry, but how do I allow this?)
    Surprised, he drew back.
    Nobody calls me bitch and gets away with it.
    â€œLook, if you don’t want to talk to me, fine. I’ll find other people who will. Or hey, maybe I’ll make some stuff up,” Annie said, starting to walk toward the door. “Or maybe all I need to do is tell the truth about you and I’ll have the feds here in about five minutes, breathing down your back. Threatening a reporter? Not bright.”
    She trembled as she reached for the door, opened it, and walked out. Stop shaking. Don’t let him see you shake. The cool air hit her with relief. The guys at the end of the lot looked at her, then turned their faces. One of the young men looked vaguely familiar. She didn’t want to stare, but where had she seen him before? Something wasn’t right about this place. Mendez was hiding something.
    All the more reason to leave. She couldn’t get in her car quickly enough.
    She checked out the dashboard clock. She had about an hour before Sam and Ben came home from school so she decided to swing by the police station to see Detective Bryant. She had been so busy with her boys, her books, and life in general, that maybe she’d somehow lost track of what was happening in her own community.
    Annie pulled into the parking lot of the police station. Detective Bryant’s car was there so she girded her loins. There was nobody else who had their fingers on the pulse of Cumberland Creek like he did.
    She walked into the station and the woman behind the desk, looked up at her. “Can I help you?”
    â€œIs Bryant available?”
    â€œJust one moment,” the receptionist said, picking up the phone. She spoke quietly for a moment, then offered, “Annie Chamovitz.” After a pause, she hung up the phone and said, “Go right in.”
    When Annie walked into Bryant’s office, she was surprised to find another man there.
    â€œHi, Annie,” Adam Bryant said. “This is Detective Mendez.”
    Annie frowned. “Mendez?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œI just met a Mendez at the apartments on Druid. Any relation?”
    The man started to say something, but Bryant interrupted. “What were you doing down there?”
    â€œI’m working on the Martelino story,” she replied.
    â€œI’d advise you to not go there alone,” Bryant said.
    Annie crossed her arms. “What the hell is going on in this town?”
    The detectives looked at one another but didn’t say a word.

Chapter 14
    As Beatrice was gathering up some books to take to DeeAnn, her doorbell rang.
    â€œI’ll get it,” Jon said. He was so helpful.
    Bea placed a few books in a bag, then removed a couple. She didn’t want to overwhelm DeeAnn. She’d just tell her there were more, if she was interested. Bea placed the bag on her kitchen table next to the lasagna she