Read Online Suspicious Minds (Squeaky Clean Series, Book 2) by Christy Barritt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christy Barritt
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awkward glances Riley and Parker were giving each other. The two had nothing in common but me, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't a good topic of conversation. I should be a saint and try to make them feel more comfortable. I would-after I found out what Chad Davis wanted.
"Why would someone want a clean-up guy dead?" Chad asked, as if I had the answers. Sure, I liked to refer to myself as the all-knowing one, but who actually believed it?
Besides, Chad Davis had been at that crime scene first. Maybe I should be asking him that question. "How do I know you weren't the one who shot him?"
"The police already tested my hands for trace evidence. They didn't find anything. Ask your detective friend."
I stared at my vinyl floor, making a mental note that I needed to mop it soon. I could still see splatters of tomato sauce from when I'd attempted to make spaghetti last week and dropped the whole pot. Can you blame me for ordering Chinese? "You could have been wearing gloves:"
"Did you see any when you ran into me?" His voice didn't change pitch, as it might if my insinuation bothered him. He still sounded laid-back and surferish.
"You could have hidden them, stuffed them into your pockets even"
All the teasing left his voice. "I didn't do it, Gabby."
"That's what they all say."
"`They all' being who?"
"Killers"
"You think I killed the man? You really think that?"
Actually, no, I didn't. But I didn't want to freely admit that. Better to keep Chad guessing. Maybe he'd move his business to West Virginia. "I heard the man had been dead for less than an hour. If you didn't kill him, you must have brushed elbows with whoever did. If you're the one behind this homicide, I'll find out"
"What do you mean `you'll find out'?"
"I mean I've been hired to investigate the death of Darnell Evans, the Elvis impersonator. Whoever killed him most likely killed the mold remediation man too"
"Hired you? You're not a private investigator, are you?"
"It doesn't matter. I've been hired"
"You want company?" he asked. "I can't get that man out of my head. It could have been me"
What if Chad Davis was the killer? It was true-I didn't see any gloves or a gun when I walked up on him at the house. Still, he could have hidden them. But what motive would he have? Of course, if he helped me with the investigation, he wouldn't have as much time to steal my crime-scene cleaning jobs. And I could keep an eye on him.
It almost seemed too good to be true.
Providing he wasn't the killer, of course.
"If any evidence points to you, I refuse to ignore it;" I finally said.
"So that's a yes?"
I wouldn't mind some help. I wouldn't get it from Parker, and I didn't dare ask Riley. And let's face it, Chad was cute. This could be a win-win situation. "I guess"
"Even if the company is competition?"
I leaned against the kitchen counter and considered his words. "Don't expect any special favors in the job market"
"Let's meet tomorrow at the Ocean View Cafe. Three oclock sound good?"
"I'll be there:"
I hung up, feeling smug about the open invitation to snoop, and saw Parker and Riley staring at me with blatant exasperation. They both knew me too well.
I tried to hide my smirk, but I realized the only way I'd be more obvious was if I had pointy ears, whiskers, and some canary feathers sticking out from my mouth.
PARKER STEPPED into the kitchen and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "What kind of trouble are you getting yourself into now, Gabby?"
I offered my innocent smile. It was a good one. I'd been perfecting it since third grade when I, being of curious mind, blew up a box of matches with a battery and a wire coat hanger. Looking back, I never should have included the lighter fluid, but the pursuit of science carries some risks, right? Ask Einstein. You think his hair got like that naturally?
I laid my hand, delicately dramatic, over my heart. "Trouble? Who said anything about trouble?"
He didn't back down. Maybe Parker and I were good together.
"Why would someone want a clean-up guy dead?" Chad asked, as if I had the answers. Sure, I liked to refer to myself as the all-knowing one, but who actually believed it?
Besides, Chad Davis had been at that crime scene first. Maybe I should be asking him that question. "How do I know you weren't the one who shot him?"
"The police already tested my hands for trace evidence. They didn't find anything. Ask your detective friend."
I stared at my vinyl floor, making a mental note that I needed to mop it soon. I could still see splatters of tomato sauce from when I'd attempted to make spaghetti last week and dropped the whole pot. Can you blame me for ordering Chinese? "You could have been wearing gloves:"
"Did you see any when you ran into me?" His voice didn't change pitch, as it might if my insinuation bothered him. He still sounded laid-back and surferish.
"You could have hidden them, stuffed them into your pockets even"
All the teasing left his voice. "I didn't do it, Gabby."
"That's what they all say."
"`They all' being who?"
"Killers"
"You think I killed the man? You really think that?"
Actually, no, I didn't. But I didn't want to freely admit that. Better to keep Chad guessing. Maybe he'd move his business to West Virginia. "I heard the man had been dead for less than an hour. If you didn't kill him, you must have brushed elbows with whoever did. If you're the one behind this homicide, I'll find out"
"What do you mean `you'll find out'?"
"I mean I've been hired to investigate the death of Darnell Evans, the Elvis impersonator. Whoever killed him most likely killed the mold remediation man too"
"Hired you? You're not a private investigator, are you?"
"It doesn't matter. I've been hired"
"You want company?" he asked. "I can't get that man out of my head. It could have been me"
What if Chad Davis was the killer? It was true-I didn't see any gloves or a gun when I walked up on him at the house. Still, he could have hidden them. But what motive would he have? Of course, if he helped me with the investigation, he wouldn't have as much time to steal my crime-scene cleaning jobs. And I could keep an eye on him.
It almost seemed too good to be true.
Providing he wasn't the killer, of course.
"If any evidence points to you, I refuse to ignore it;" I finally said.
"So that's a yes?"
I wouldn't mind some help. I wouldn't get it from Parker, and I didn't dare ask Riley. And let's face it, Chad was cute. This could be a win-win situation. "I guess"
"Even if the company is competition?"
I leaned against the kitchen counter and considered his words. "Don't expect any special favors in the job market"
"Let's meet tomorrow at the Ocean View Cafe. Three oclock sound good?"
"I'll be there:"
I hung up, feeling smug about the open invitation to snoop, and saw Parker and Riley staring at me with blatant exasperation. They both knew me too well.
I tried to hide my smirk, but I realized the only way I'd be more obvious was if I had pointy ears, whiskers, and some canary feathers sticking out from my mouth.
PARKER STEPPED into the kitchen and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "What kind of trouble are you getting yourself into now, Gabby?"
I offered my innocent smile. It was a good one. I'd been perfecting it since third grade when I, being of curious mind, blew up a box of matches with a battery and a wire coat hanger. Looking back, I never should have included the lighter fluid, but the pursuit of science carries some risks, right? Ask Einstein. You think his hair got like that naturally?
I laid my hand, delicately dramatic, over my heart. "Trouble? Who said anything about trouble?"
He didn't back down. Maybe Parker and I were good together.
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