A Dead End (A Saints & Strangers Cozy Mystery Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

As she began to pop off another floorboard, she heard Jordan cry out.
    “What are you doing?” he yelled. “Don’t tamper with evidence. Call the police.”
    “I just want to make sure it is what I think it is,” Kit explained. She didn’t want to be the laughingstock of her new neighborhood if she was mistaken. She’d been humiliated enough for one lifetime.
    “You’re not going to touch it, are you?”
    “When did you become such a baby?” Kit asked. “We touched weird things on set all the time.”
    “Fake things,” Jordan clarified. “Not actual human remains.”
    Kit bit her lip. “I guess four years in television desensitized me.” She studied the bones for a moment. “I’ll call you back when I’m done.” Before he could object, she tapped the phone and his face disappeared.
    Kit methodically removed each floorboard until the entire skeleton was visible. Yep, definitely human and, amazingly, all in one piece. Someone went to a lot of trouble to hide it. She noticed that the chest wall was concave, as though something heavy had been forced into it or pressed on top of it but didn’t actually break the bones. Unless there were hairline fractures she couldn’t see. Whatever caused this type of damage was probably the murder weapon. She was fairly certain one of the neighbors would have noticed a battering ram making its way through the neighborhood, though. Kit’s thoughts shifted to the neighbors. They certainly didn’t have anything nice to say about Ernie Ludwig. Disliked, debt-ridden Ernie Ludwig who disappeared without a trace. Kit stared at the skeleton.
    “Ernie?” she whispered.
    Jordan was right. It was time to call the Westdale police.

Chapter Two
    Rich Riley, Westdale’s chief of police, stood in Kit’s living room flanked by two police officers as they examined the skeleton. The two young police officers seemed more excited by Kit’s presence than the presence of a murder victim.
    “Do you remember that episode where you went undercover as the clown?” the shorter officer asked.
    “It’s hard not to remember all the episodes when you’re actually in them,” Kit said. “What’s your name again?”
    “Lucas. Officer Harley.” He straightened and puffed out his puny chest.
    “Brian Jamison,” the redheaded officer added, not to be left out of the introduction.
    Kit glanced at the chief. Was it Take Your Sons to Work Day? Even to someone as young as Kit, these two didn’t seem old enough — or smart enough — to be crime fighters.
    “Boys, let’s focus on the task at hand,” Chief Riley said, snapping his fingers impatiently.
    Reluctantly, the officers tore their attention away from Kit.
    “I hate to tell you this since you just moved in,” Chief Riley said to Kit, “but your living room is now a crime scene.”
    Kit’s shoulders slumped. “Can I stay in my house if I stay out of the living room?”
    “Let’s wait and see what the detective says,” Chief Riley replied. “He’s on his way now.”
    Kit hoped that they allowed her to stay in the house. The last thing she wanted was a reason to return to Greyabbey. She didn’t want to see her mother’s smug expression.
    “If you have somewhere to be, you’re welcome to leave while we work,” the chief said.
    “I had a date with a floor sander,” Kit said. “I guess that’s cancelled.” She glanced longingly at the equipment on the far side of the room.
    “Jamison, where’s the crime scene tape?” Chief Riley boomed. “We need to seal off the area.”
    Kit saw the fear in Officer Jamison’s eyes and realized that he didn’t bring the tape. She jogged over to the mantle where she’d left the present from Jordan.
    “Here it is,” she said brightly and handed the roll to Jamison.
    His confusion was evident but he accepted the tape without question. “I’m on it, Chief.”
    “This must be pretty interesting if the Chief was unchained from his desk,” a deep voice said.
    Kit turned to see a