Read Online The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag 00 - Skeletons in the Closet by Jennifer L. Hart - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jennifer L. Hart
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chastity belt….” I trailed off as Neil gagged on a piece of mozzarella. “Do you need me to do the Heimlich?”
“No, I’m good. You just took me by surprise there. Maybe I should wait to eat anything until I hear this.”
“Well, I found out that Mr. Kline knew, you know, about Mrs. Kline, and he didn’t seem as intimidating, more like depressed.”
“So you thought you’d cheer him up,” Neil finished my thought.
“Exactly!” I said, elated that Neil understood.
“And you decided to hit on him.” Neil shook his head.
“NO! I mean, I didn’t intend to hit on him, more like I was trying to bolster him up, you know? But he took it the wrong way, and that’s when the cook walked in….” I bit my lip, wondering if I could explain my way out of this.
“What exactly did the cook walk in on, Maggie?” The words were dangerous, but amusement danced in his green gaze.
I put my hands on my hips. “You’re having way too much fun with this.”
“Gotta take it where I can get it.”
I was about to tell him exactly where he should put it, when the doorbell rang. I looked at the clock. Almost eleven. I tromped down to the front door and turned on the outside light. And began hyperventilating at the sight of two police officers on our door step.
Marty.
I looked at Neil, who was about to open the door, and he studied me for a second before squeezing my hand. I knew he understood what I was afraid of.
Oh, God . Please let my brother be all right.
“Mrs. Margaret Phillips?” The taller of the two police officers stepped forward.
I couldn’t speak. Neil answered for me. “This is Maggie.”
“Ma’am, I’m afraid we need to ask you a few questions.”
“Is he dead?” I practically shouted at the young officer, wishing he would get to the frigging point.
The policeman exchanged glances with his stockier companion before answering. “No, ma’am, he’s fine, but we have him in custody. If we could come in for a few minutes—”
“What’s he charged with?” I demanded. Marty arrested. Dear Lord, what had he gotten himself into now?
Neil pulled me back from the doorway so that the policemen could come in. I pushed against his chest, but his hold was like a vice.
“Officers, maybe you should start at the beginning.” Neil’s calm voice washed over me, but instead of calming me it upset me even more. He knew my brother needed me and he was standing there asking the officers to prolong the process.
“Mr. Kline was taken into police custody at fifteen-thirty hours. He claims you are his alibi.”
“What? I don’t understand. What about Marty?”
“Marty?” The men exchanged another one of those looks.
“Maggie, I don’t think they’re here about your brother.” Neil spelled it out for me. I sagged against him in relief. Marty wasn’t hurt or in jail. It was only then that the rest of the officer’s statement registered.
“Mr. Kline’s alibi? What does he need an alibi for?”
The stocky officer cleared his throat. “The murder of his wife.”
Chapter Five
S aturday morning arrived, frigid and glumly overcast. I donned a shapeless cobalt dress which Neil detests but gives me a feeling of comfort. I didn’t bother with makeup and after I twirled my hair into a fat bun, I walked down to the bottom of the driveway to collect the newspaper. I left the paper on the kitchen counter and started the coffee. Kenny and Josh wouldn’t be up for several hours yet, boys in training for the adolescent sleep patterns. I looked out at the gray morning and tried not to think about the night before.
It didn’t work.
The police officers had stayed for over an hour, questioning my whereabouts and my relationship with Mr. Kline. I’d protested that I didn’t have a relationship with Douglass Kline, informed them that I’d only spoken with him twice. The older officer asked me to come by the station after lunch today so I could speak with the chief investigator. I reluctantly
“No, I’m good. You just took me by surprise there. Maybe I should wait to eat anything until I hear this.”
“Well, I found out that Mr. Kline knew, you know, about Mrs. Kline, and he didn’t seem as intimidating, more like depressed.”
“So you thought you’d cheer him up,” Neil finished my thought.
“Exactly!” I said, elated that Neil understood.
“And you decided to hit on him.” Neil shook his head.
“NO! I mean, I didn’t intend to hit on him, more like I was trying to bolster him up, you know? But he took it the wrong way, and that’s when the cook walked in….” I bit my lip, wondering if I could explain my way out of this.
“What exactly did the cook walk in on, Maggie?” The words were dangerous, but amusement danced in his green gaze.
I put my hands on my hips. “You’re having way too much fun with this.”
“Gotta take it where I can get it.”
I was about to tell him exactly where he should put it, when the doorbell rang. I looked at the clock. Almost eleven. I tromped down to the front door and turned on the outside light. And began hyperventilating at the sight of two police officers on our door step.
Marty.
I looked at Neil, who was about to open the door, and he studied me for a second before squeezing my hand. I knew he understood what I was afraid of.
Oh, God . Please let my brother be all right.
“Mrs. Margaret Phillips?” The taller of the two police officers stepped forward.
I couldn’t speak. Neil answered for me. “This is Maggie.”
“Ma’am, I’m afraid we need to ask you a few questions.”
“Is he dead?” I practically shouted at the young officer, wishing he would get to the frigging point.
The policeman exchanged glances with his stockier companion before answering. “No, ma’am, he’s fine, but we have him in custody. If we could come in for a few minutes—”
“What’s he charged with?” I demanded. Marty arrested. Dear Lord, what had he gotten himself into now?
Neil pulled me back from the doorway so that the policemen could come in. I pushed against his chest, but his hold was like a vice.
“Officers, maybe you should start at the beginning.” Neil’s calm voice washed over me, but instead of calming me it upset me even more. He knew my brother needed me and he was standing there asking the officers to prolong the process.
“Mr. Kline was taken into police custody at fifteen-thirty hours. He claims you are his alibi.”
“What? I don’t understand. What about Marty?”
“Marty?” The men exchanged another one of those looks.
“Maggie, I don’t think they’re here about your brother.” Neil spelled it out for me. I sagged against him in relief. Marty wasn’t hurt or in jail. It was only then that the rest of the officer’s statement registered.
“Mr. Kline’s alibi? What does he need an alibi for?”
The stocky officer cleared his throat. “The murder of his wife.”
Chapter Five
S aturday morning arrived, frigid and glumly overcast. I donned a shapeless cobalt dress which Neil detests but gives me a feeling of comfort. I didn’t bother with makeup and after I twirled my hair into a fat bun, I walked down to the bottom of the driveway to collect the newspaper. I left the paper on the kitchen counter and started the coffee. Kenny and Josh wouldn’t be up for several hours yet, boys in training for the adolescent sleep patterns. I looked out at the gray morning and tried not to think about the night before.
It didn’t work.
The police officers had stayed for over an hour, questioning my whereabouts and my relationship with Mr. Kline. I’d protested that I didn’t have a relationship with Douglass Kline, informed them that I’d only spoken with him twice. The older officer asked me to come by the station after lunch today so I could speak with the chief investigator. I reluctantly
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