Read Online Xs, An Allie Armington Mystery by Louise Gaylord - Free Book Online

I went downstairs to read. When your phone kept
ringing, I answered the extension in the kitchen. A most unhappy
man demanded to speak with you.
    He points to the portable on the nightstand.
    Duncan’s voice assaults my ear. “And who exactly was
that?” “Carolina Montoya’s brother.”
    “Well, that explains it. Don’t worry, I asked for
Angela. Your sister gave me the drill.” “Thanks. What’s up?”
    “Angie seems to have settled in—” Duncan’s voice
fades as I concentrate on Montoya’s leisurely exit from my bedroom.
The man is studying a painting on Angela’s wall. He doesn’t fool
me. He’s trying to hear what I’m talking about. What cheek.
    Duncan is saying, “—been seeing her quite a bit.
Allie, are you listening?”
    When Montoya finally disappears, I try to pick up
the lost threads. “Of course I’m listening. That’s so nice of
you.”
    “Angie says you’re standing in for her. Something to
do with her roommate’s murder?”
    Did he say Angie? Angela detests anyone that calls
her by nickname. She’ll set him straight in a nanosecond. “I guess
you could say that.”
    His next words are loaded with exasperation. “Oh,
dear God. Is this another one of your cockamamie escapades? I
haven’t forgotten what happened in Uvalde. You were almost killed.
Remember?”

Chapter 13
    DAMN TELEPHONE. The ringing won’t stop. In my
half-sleep I grab for it, push the “Talk” button and drag it to my
ear. “It’s Greene. Is your door locked?”
    I rise on one elbow and through slitted eyes make
out nine forty-five. “I’m not sure. What’s up?”
    “Please verify.”
    I stumble out of my warm cocoon and lurch toward the
door. Halfway there I remember that I locked it after hanging up
from Duncan’s call.
    I feel my way back to the bed. “It’s locked. What’s
this all about?”
    “Get dressed, but do not leave your room until I get
there. Understand?”
    I snap out of my haze. Greene must have gotten wind
of my visitor. “Is this about Caro’s brother?”
    Dead silence on the other end, then Greene’s wary,
“What about him?”
    “He’s here. Poor man was exhausted so I put him up
in Caro’s room. But listen, Greene, Montoya doesn’t know anything
about what happened to his sister. You know—the gory stuff? Isn’t
there some way we can smooth things over? The family doesn’t need
to know all the details.”
    “We’ll talk about that when I get there. Just stay
put.”
    “What’s with the cloak and dagger? Gunning for that
dreaded one percent?”
    “Very funny. I’ll explain when I see you. Just keep
that door locked.”
    Resisting the urge to alert poor Montoya, I shower
and dress, then plop on the chaise and turn on the TV. I flick
through the menu twice, not really paying attention to the
programs, since my main focus is on getting a caffeine fix.
    After what seems like an eternity, I hear footsteps
on the stairs. “It’s Greene. Open up. I brought you some Java.”
    “Bless you, bless you. I was about to have a
meltdown.”
    I take the steaming Styrofoam cup and sidle past him
to head downstairs when I realize he’s not alone. On the landing
below, two plainclothes have their weapons drawn and pointed at the
entrance to Carolina’s suite.
    “What in hell is this about? That poor man is
probably dead asleep. You’re going to scare him out of his
wits.”
    “I doubt that.” Greene grabs my arm and pushes me
behind him.
    “Wait a minute. Do you have a warrant?”
    The detective flashes a familiar piece of paper. “I
was trained to go by the book, Miss Ex-DA. Okay. Let’s do it.”
    One of the men bangs on the door, “Police. Open
up.”
    I cower behind Greene’s protective mass, but manage
to squeak, “This is ridiculous. Montoya is here to claim his
sister’s body. This is no way to treat a grieving man.”
    In slow motion the man pushes the door into
Carolina’s suite and wraps into the darkness. “Nobody’s here.”
    I’m at Greene’s heels