At Risk Read Online Free Page A

the past few minutes had bonded them together.
    “I’m so sorry this happened,” she murmured.
    “It’s not your fault, dear,” Gertie assured her.
    “I wish I could offer you something to eat, but under the circumstances, I don’t think I can.”
    “That’s perfectly understandable,” Martha said.
    Eugenia looked at Jillian whose face had turned paper-white. “Are you all right?” she asked.
    “Yes, I didn’t expect . . .” Her voice trailed off.
    “We’ve all had a shock. Can I get you some water?”
    “Yes, thanks.”
    Eugenia went into the kitchen and brought an unopened bottle of spring water and three glasses to the table.
    “Thank you so much,” Jillian said as she twisted the top off the bottle and poured water into the glass, then took a gulp.
    Eugenia nodded and looked around to see Rafe running his cell phone over the names and addresses of the patrons, photographing the information.
    He had just put his phone away when the door opened and another man wearing an expensive pin-striped suit stepped into the room. She heard Rafe swear under his breath as the newcomer strode over to him.
    oOo
    Oh shit . The cherry on top of the sundae, Rafe thought. The police. And not just any cop, but Gordon Cumberland. From the way he was dressed, it looked like he’d graduated from patrol officer to the detective squad.
    His gaze flicked around the room, spotted Rafe and stopped. For a moment he looked confused. Then a look of recognition bloomed on his narrow face. He had been the cop who had come to the antique shop when Villars had called to accuse Rafe of stealing the brooch.
    After that, the guy had kept tabs on him. He was a hard-ass who thought all juvenile delinquents should be locked up, and it didn’t help that Rafe had been involved in a couple of minor incidents that had drawn the cop’s notice. Like when he and a kid from a rival school had gotten into a fight after a football game. Cumberland had been the cop who showed up—again. Rafe had the feeling that the history they had together wasn’t going to make the next few hours any easier.
    “I want to know exactly what happened here,” Cumberland said.
    Eugenia stepped forward. “I’m Eugenia Beaumont, the restaurant owner.”
    Cumberland gave her a long look. “As in the high-society Beaumonts?”
    She took a quick breath. “If you want to put it that way; but how is that relevant? And why are you here?”
    “I heard the emergency call and checked with the hospital. The man is dead.”
    Eugenia sucked in a quick breath. Cumberland kept his gaze on her for a few moments before turning to Rafe. “What are you doing here?”
    “I work for Decorah Security. We were hired to keep an eye on Chez Eugenia.”
    “Why?”
    “There have been a series of muggings in the area.”
    “That’s police business.”
    “The police haven’t found out who’s doing it,” Eugenia interjected.
    Cumberland must have realized he was getting way off topic. Turning back to Rafe, he said, “Since you’re on security detail, why don’t you tell me what happened here?”
    The way he said it implied that Rafe was making up the assignment, or maybe Eugenia had hired him for show to make it look like she was protecting her customers. Ignoring the tone of the man’s voice, he said, “As you heard over the radio, a voodoo ceremony was being held here, and one of the participants had some kind of attack and died.”
    Cumberland turned to look at Calista and the men and women she’d brought with her who were all clustered at one side of the dining room. “What kind of ceremony?”
    “We were asking the aid of the loa.”
    “The voodoo gods?”
    “Yes.”
    “In an upscale restaurant?”
    “The gods are welcome here.”
    Cumberland snorted, then inspected the chicken in the cage. “What’s that for?”
    “Part of the ceremony.”
    He shook his head as though he couldn’t believe what he’d walked into.
    “Do you still want a summary of the