Ax to Grind Read Online Free Page B

It’s bad enough being stabbed in the back, but with an ax.”  She shook her head. 
    “Yeah.  It’s pretty grisly.”
    Meg switched gears.  “Wait a minute.  How do you know he was killed with the same ax from the show?”
    “It was found at the scene.”
    Meg took a deep breath.  “Oh, boy.”
    Connor nodded.  “On top of that, Liz doesn’t have a verifiable alibi.”
    “She does have an alibi, though, right?” Meg asked. 
    “According to her, between eleven and midnight she was at home getting ready for bed.”
    “And you don’t believe her?”
    “It’s not that I don’t believe her.  Every suspect has a story.  The only way to really separate fact from fiction is if they have someone to verify that story.”
    Meg took a deep breath, then groaned. 
    “Do you see why I can’t eliminate her as a suspect?  I mean, on a personal level, I hate to consider her a suspect.  On a professional level, you can’t ignore the facts.”
    “That’s just it, though.  Facts can be misleading.” 
    Connor furrowed his brow.  “What are you talking about?”
    “One thing doesn’t make sense to me.  Liz is a smart woman.  Even if I bought into the ridiculous theory that she could have committed this murder, why would she kill Ethan, then leave the murder weapon lying around at the scene of the crime?  It just screams guilt.”
    “People panic in the heat of the moment.”
    Meg shook her head.  “No, she would have brought the ax with her, or at least disposed of it somewhere other than at the scene.  Leaving it next to the body is like asking to get arrested.”
    “So, what are you suggesting then?”
    “That someone swiped the prop after the last performance knowing it would point the finger of suspicion at Liz.  Then, once the killer murdered Ethan, they left the ax beside the body to frame her.” 
    “That’s an interesting theory,” Connor said. 
    “It’s more than just a theory.  Did you find any prints on the murder weapon?” Meg asked. 
    “Now that you mention it, the weapon seemed to have been wiped clean.”
    “Just as I thought.  The killer had to wipe the prints. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to frame Liz.”
    “Or, Liz could have wiped her prints off the ax.”
    Meg shook her head.  “That doesn’t make any sense.  So you’re telling me she took the time to wipe the prints off the weapon but didn’t have the awareness to bring it with her as she fled the scene?”
    Connor bit the corner of his lip.  “Look, we could go around and around like this all day.  In the end, we’re just speculating.”
    Meg switched gears.  “Who found the body?”
    “Our 911 operator got an anonymous tip.”
    “Anonymous?”  She scoffed.  “The case against Liz gets shakier with each question I ask.”
    “I never said she did it, just that things aren’t looking good for her.”
    “How many more holes do I have to poke before you’ll eliminate her as a suspect?”
    “Meg, I really care about you.  That’s why I’m begging you to just let me do my job.  Please, it’s hard enough already.” 
    Meg could see the turmoil in her boyfriend’s eyes.  As much as it pained her to do so, she backed off.

 
    Chapter Seven
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    When Connor and Meg returned from talking outside, Liz quickly jumped on the defensive. 
    “I didn’t do this,” Liz declared.
    Unfortunately, her voice was filled with more panic than confidence. 
    Both Connor and Meg could see the desperation and fear in Liz’s eyes.  For Connor especially, just hearing Liz say she was innocent didn’t mean anything.  Suspects never volunteered their guilt.  Most of them pleaded complete innocence even after being put behind bars. 
    Connor tried to focus on the work at hand instead of getting sidetracked by Liz’s proclamation.   
    “I’m just gathering the facts,” he said. 
    Liz’s eyes got as wide as saucers.  “Are you going to arrest me?”
    As Connor