Read Online The Cursed by Heather Graham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Graham
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tonight. It’s filled.”
“It is a Saturday night,” Katie pointed out.
“Right. And what do you want to bet that people expect me to show them where a man was killed last night?”
“Want me to get this place covered and come with you?” Katie asked.
“No, don’t be silly. I’m not afraid of tourists.”
Katie laughed. “Be afraid—be very afraid,” she teased. “Seriously, I can go with you.”
“And seriously, I’m okay. And when I get back, since I don’t have a single guest, the night will be all mine.”
“You’ll get guests back, I promise you.”
Katie would know. Her husband, David, had once been accused of killing his high school sweetheart. In proving his innocence, he’d caught the real killer. And the museum where the killings had taken place belonged to Katie now—and it was thriving.
“Hey,” Katie said. “There’s Liam.”
Hannah jerked around quickly. Liam was blinking against the darkness of the pub in contrast to the brilliance of a Key West summer afternoon.
Katie jumped up to greet her brother-in-law. Hannah followed and then stopped. Liam wasn’t alone. Agent Samson was with him.
There was no way to miss him when he walked into a room. He was tall—six-three or -four—but it wasn’t just his height. It was the way he carried himself. She couldn’t help but note that every female in the pub was staring at him. The men were watching him, as well—wary, perhaps.
“Hey, Katie,” Liam said, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. “I guess Hannah’s brought you up to speed.”
“Yes, she told me she found a dead man in her alley,” Katie said, giving nothing away. She looked inquiringly at Agent Samson.
“Katie, this is Dallas Samson. We were best friends until his dad got himself a top job in Washington. He’s down here again, and we’re working on this case together.”
“Hey,” Katie said, studying the man, then glancing at Hannah with a little grin. “Nice to meet you, Agent Samson. I heard you were here.”
“And we need your help,” Samson said. He, too, looked at Hannah—suspicious, probably, that she was there.
“I need to head back home,” Hannah said. “I’ll see you soon, Katie.”
“Don’t leave,” Samson said.
It sounded like an order given by a drill sergeant. Hannah instantly felt her temperature rise.
Then he added, “Please.”
It still sounded like a command.
“You want me to stay?” she asked, her skepticism clear.
“For a few minutes. Liam and I can talk to the Hardwickes later, but for now I’d like you to take me back to your place after I talk to Katie.”
“Oh?” She knew her one word had attitude, but she couldn’t help it. He was obnoxious.
“I was hoping you would come with me to meet your handyman neighbor, Mr. Holloway.”
Hannah nodded slowly. “All right. If it will help, if you think it’s necessary.”
“Katie, the group that was staying at the Siren of the Sea noticed a group wearing hoodies who might have been in here earlier in the evening. Do you remember seeing a bunch of guys like that?” Liam asked.
“Let’s see, it was Friday and pretty busy. You know I’m not here all the time, right? I just run the karaoke and help out Uncle Jamie when needed,” Katie said.
“Were you here around seven, by any chance?”
“Yes, I was,” she said, frowning. “Let me think. Hoodies?”
“Dark hoodies,” Liam said.
“I don’t remember anybody wearing one, but I do remember seeing one on the back of a barstool,” Katie said. “I saw some guy pick it up, and it looked like he was with three or four friends. They were young—early twenties, I’d say. One looked a little older. They looked like they were in town for a bachelor party or a frat weekend, something like that.”
“Would you recognize any of them if you saw them again?” Liam asked her.
“I might,” Katie said.
“Can you come with me to the station?” he asked her.
Katie looked at Hannah worriedly. “Yes, I
“It is a Saturday night,” Katie pointed out.
“Right. And what do you want to bet that people expect me to show them where a man was killed last night?”
“Want me to get this place covered and come with you?” Katie asked.
“No, don’t be silly. I’m not afraid of tourists.”
Katie laughed. “Be afraid—be very afraid,” she teased. “Seriously, I can go with you.”
“And seriously, I’m okay. And when I get back, since I don’t have a single guest, the night will be all mine.”
“You’ll get guests back, I promise you.”
Katie would know. Her husband, David, had once been accused of killing his high school sweetheart. In proving his innocence, he’d caught the real killer. And the museum where the killings had taken place belonged to Katie now—and it was thriving.
“Hey,” Katie said. “There’s Liam.”
Hannah jerked around quickly. Liam was blinking against the darkness of the pub in contrast to the brilliance of a Key West summer afternoon.
Katie jumped up to greet her brother-in-law. Hannah followed and then stopped. Liam wasn’t alone. Agent Samson was with him.
There was no way to miss him when he walked into a room. He was tall—six-three or -four—but it wasn’t just his height. It was the way he carried himself. She couldn’t help but note that every female in the pub was staring at him. The men were watching him, as well—wary, perhaps.
“Hey, Katie,” Liam said, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. “I guess Hannah’s brought you up to speed.”
“Yes, she told me she found a dead man in her alley,” Katie said, giving nothing away. She looked inquiringly at Agent Samson.
“Katie, this is Dallas Samson. We were best friends until his dad got himself a top job in Washington. He’s down here again, and we’re working on this case together.”
“Hey,” Katie said, studying the man, then glancing at Hannah with a little grin. “Nice to meet you, Agent Samson. I heard you were here.”
“And we need your help,” Samson said. He, too, looked at Hannah—suspicious, probably, that she was there.
“I need to head back home,” Hannah said. “I’ll see you soon, Katie.”
“Don’t leave,” Samson said.
It sounded like an order given by a drill sergeant. Hannah instantly felt her temperature rise.
Then he added, “Please.”
It still sounded like a command.
“You want me to stay?” she asked, her skepticism clear.
“For a few minutes. Liam and I can talk to the Hardwickes later, but for now I’d like you to take me back to your place after I talk to Katie.”
“Oh?” She knew her one word had attitude, but she couldn’t help it. He was obnoxious.
“I was hoping you would come with me to meet your handyman neighbor, Mr. Holloway.”
Hannah nodded slowly. “All right. If it will help, if you think it’s necessary.”
“Katie, the group that was staying at the Siren of the Sea noticed a group wearing hoodies who might have been in here earlier in the evening. Do you remember seeing a bunch of guys like that?” Liam asked.
“Let’s see, it was Friday and pretty busy. You know I’m not here all the time, right? I just run the karaoke and help out Uncle Jamie when needed,” Katie said.
“Were you here around seven, by any chance?”
“Yes, I was,” she said, frowning. “Let me think. Hoodies?”
“Dark hoodies,” Liam said.
“I don’t remember anybody wearing one, but I do remember seeing one on the back of a barstool,” Katie said. “I saw some guy pick it up, and it looked like he was with three or four friends. They were young—early twenties, I’d say. One looked a little older. They looked like they were in town for a bachelor party or a frat weekend, something like that.”
“Would you recognize any of them if you saw them again?” Liam asked her.
“I might,” Katie said.
“Can you come with me to the station?” he asked her.
Katie looked at Hannah worriedly. “Yes, I
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