Deep in Death: A Shelby Nichols Adventure Read Online Free

getting scared. “That might work, only…blood makes me a bit queasy. Why don’t we talk to the husband again? I think that would be better. I mean…I get better reads off people than objects.”
    “Really? Hmm…okay. If you’re sure.” He could tell I was still rattled and wondered again if something had happened in the basement. Then he wondered if getting shot in the arm had gotten to me and I had post-traumatic stress syndrome. Maybe that was why I had over-reacted in the basement. He wouldn’t be surprised with all the close calls I’d had in the last few months, but if that was the case I should probably go see someone about it so I could get back to my normal upbeat self. He hated seeing me so upset that even my hands shook.
    What? He was serious, and I knew I’d better pull my act together. I stiffened my spine and looked him straight in the eyes. “Of course I’m sure. And there’s nothing wrong with me.” What did he mean I wasn’t upbeat? Getting shot made me more cautious, but it would do that to anyone. I certainly didn’t need to talk to someone about it, and I didn’t have a syndrome.
    “All right,” he said, realizing he’d struck a nerve with me but had no idea how he’d done it. “I’ll have to make up something to get him here. Can you stay a little longer?”
    “Of course.” I nodded pleasantly, eager to move on. “Why don’t you tell him we have a new lead on the case and we need him to come in to answer a few questions?”
    “Uh…yeah, that’s a great idea,” he answered. “I was just thinking that.”
    “Great minds think alike,” I said, tapping my finger to my head.
    He nodded and picked up his phone to make the call.
    With his focus off me, I slumped back in my chair. Always knowing what people thought of me was stressful, and I wondered if maybe I should have taken a little more time off to recover. I also had a bad habit of answering unspoken thoughts, and the last thing I needed was for Dimples to figure out I could read minds.
    My cell phone rang, and since Dimples was busy, I hurried to a quiet corner where I could talk in private. The caller ID said Thrasher Development, and my heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back to work for Uncle Joey, but at the same time, I was happy to hear from him. Did that mean I really did need some kind of counseling like Dimples thought? At least around Uncle Joey I didn’t have to pretend I couldn’t hear his thoughts.
    “Shelby!” Uncle Joey said. “How are you doing? How’s the arm?”
    “Getting better,” I replied. “How are you?”
    “I’m all right…but I find myself in a bit of a quandary. Could you come to the office? I could use your help right now.”
    “Um…are there any dead bodies involved?” I asked.
    He chuckled. “No…nothing like that. I just need your special ‘touch’ to solve a minor problem. How soon will you be done at the police station?”
    I gasped. “How…How did you…? Oh…never mind. It might be about an hour before I can get there, depending on how soon things happen here.”
    “That will be fine,” he assured me. “See you soon.”
    He disconnected and I sighed. Getting mixed up with Uncle Joey was never a good thing. I should have told him I was busy, but part of me looked forward to seeing him. I really was nuts. It also bothered me that my first day back at work was turning into a lot more than I bargained for. Besides helping the police, I didn’t mind helping Uncle Joey where I could, as long as it wasn’t too bad. But I really should be concentrating on my client and her missing mother. Although from that creepy feeling in the dead files room, I had a pretty good idea she wasn’t just missing, she was dead.
    A chill ran up my spine. I’d never experienced anything like that before, and I was pretty sure I didn’t want to again. Maybe it was just my imagination getting carried away. After all, the room was pretty creepy and cold to begin with.