Read Online Wanted by Mila McClung - Free Book Online

work as a wardrobe
supervisor at CBS, is that right?”
    “Yes.”
    “And you have
access to all sorts of costumes, is that correct?”
    “I suppose so.
I dress the actors in a popular crime series.”
    “So you would
easily be able to borrow, shall we say, a couple of FBI suits with fake
badges?”
    “No, I
wouldn’t. The studio would fire me if I stole from them.”
    “What are you
getting at, Fortune?” Ernie stepped forward, physically protecting his wife
from Kiel ’s stony glare.
    “Yeah, Kiel ,
you don’t suspect Lu?”
    “I never said I
did, Tierney. I’m just asking questions.”
    “Well, I don’t
like the tone of your questions,” Ernie spat. “Lu couldn’t hurt a flea.”
    “Fine. But what
about you?”
    “Me?” Ernie
laughed, nervous.
    “Do you visit
your wife at the studio wardrobe department?”
    “Of course not.
Why would I?”
    Lu Jiang seemed
upset.
    “Do you
disagree, Mrs. Saunders?”
    “He probably
forgot, but Ernie did visit me several times in the wardrobe department last
month. Once, he was locked in there, by mistake. Don’t you remember, honey?”
    “Oh, sure, it
was awhile ago so I guess I did forget.”
    “It wasn’t that
long ago. Saunders, did you take those suits and badges?”
    “I did not!
Tierney probably told you I was the one who was suspicious of those fake FBI
guys in the first place.”
    “That’s true, Kiel .”
Tierney came close; wrapped her arm around his.
    “She told me.
She also told me how those same two jerks showed up at Travers’ yacht, way out
in the ocean, not long after she talked to you.”
    “Anybody could
have let them know where she was … her parents, her brother … he’s your best suspect.
He was always jealous of Tierney.”
    “Ah, but you
see … she didn’t tell him where she was, or her parents, or anyone else … just
you! She thought you were the only one she could trust. But as it turns out …
YOU are the only one she can’t trust!”
    “ Kiel ,
no!” Tierney cried.
    Lu Jiang glared
at her husband; he avoided her eyes. “Ernie, what have you done?”
    “Nothing, I
swear! You can’t believe this guy.”
    “I knew it,
deep down inside, I truly did. But I wouldn’t let myself think it. I was
suspicious when you started hanging out at the studio, a place you hated. And
then a co-worker mentioned that two suits and some props had gone missing. She
was afraid she’d have to pay for them. I told her I would, that I had misplaced
them. What I can’t understand is why you would want Tierney dead? You love
her.”
    “You love money
more, is that right, Saunders? You’re in debt, up to your skull! Too many
maxed-out credit cards, too many student loans …”
    “Ernie, I
thought you always paid your own way!” Tierney said, trying desperately to hold
back a flood of impending tears. “I admired how you worked and struggled to get
what you wanted.”
    “He only worked
to pay off the debts. The house, the loans, the credit cards … I begged him to
stop borrowing. I told him we could sell the house and make do with so much
less but he wanted to look prosperous, to impress people.”
    “But I don’t
get it … how would killing me help you? Oh …” she paused, “was it because I
said I had named you in my will?”
    “Did you,
Tierney?”
    “Yeah, Kiel ,
I did. A few months ago I was feeling really despondent. I actually went so far
as to make out a legal will at my lawyer’s office. In it, I left most of the
money I’ve received from the reality show to Ernie and Lu Jiang. It adds up to
quite a lot, thanks to endorsements and all. I had lunch with Ernie that day
and told him all about it. It never would have entered my mind that he’d use that
knowledge to plan my death.”
    “But I didn’t!”
    “No use denying
it, Saunders. I’ve got video of you stealing the suits and badges, plus …” Kiel looked at Tierney, “those two hired goons have been picked up in Anaheim .
Probably won’t take much persuading