Grilled Rye Murder: Book 16 in The Darling Deli Series Read Online Free Page B

sheaf of notes, then shook his head.
    “We don’t have anything on file about a van being there,” he told her. “The only other vehicle was a blue pickup truck that was registered to Zander. Can you describe the vehicle in any more detail? Did you happen to see the license plate?”
    “I don’t remember,” she said, frustrated. “It was just a big black cargo van with tinted windows. I didn’t think too much of it at the time; I just thought he might have had guests or something.”
    “Don’t worry, that’s understandable. I’ll add a note about it to the case file, all right? We’ll do what we can to figure out who it belongs to.”
    She nodded, feeling tense and emotional. “So I’m really a murder suspect? What happens now?”
    “Well, like I said, I managed to get the charges dropped from murder to manslaughter,” the detective told her.
    “I don’t understand the difference. They’re still saying I killed someone, aren’t they?”
    “Murder is premeditated,” he explained. “Manslaughter is done in the heat of the moment. Bail for a murder suspect requires a court hearing, but the judge can set bail for a manslaughter suspect without one. It was the only thing I could think of to get you out of here as quickly as possible without you having to go to court for an arraignment. The fact that the gun found at the crime scene was registered to Zander himself made it easier; you obviously didn’t bring the weapon from home planning to kill him.”
    “Does this mean that I’m free to go once I pay bail?” Moira asked. “What happens then?”
    “Well, you won’t be able to leave the state, and you’ll have to show up for your court date—if this goes to court. I hope to figure out who the real killer is before then, of course. Other than that, you’ll be able to live your life as you normally do.”
    It could be worse , she thought. David and Detective Jefferson are the best investigators I know. With both of them trying to find the real killer, I’m sure my name will be cleared in no time.
    “So how much is my bail?”
    “Sixty thousand dollars,” Jefferson said.
    Moira spluttered.
    “There’s no way I can pay that!”
    “I know. I was going to start looking for a bail bond agency, but about an hour ago, I got an interesting call,” David said. He exchanged a look with the detective.
    “What?” she asked, looking between them.
    “Someone already paid your bail,” her fiancé told her. “All sixty thousand dollars of it. And whoever it was, didn’t leave a name.”
     

CHAPTER FIVE
    “I just don’t understand… who could have done it?”
    It was hours later. Their talk with Detective Jefferson done, Moira had gotten her personal items back from a grouchy woman at the front desk, and David was driving her home through a sudden summer downpour.
    “I’m just as much at a loss as you are,” he said.
    “That’s a lot of money.”
    “I know.” To her surprise, his voice was grim. “There’s definitely something going on here that we don’t understand.”
    “What do we do now? How do we even start figuring out who really killed Zander?”
    “We don’t,” he said sternly, shooting her a glance. “Let Detective Jefferson and I handle this, all right? I know it’s going to be hard for you to sit back and keep out of the investigation, but that’s exactly what you have to do. I don’t want you giving anyone anything to use against you. If you’re caught snooping around his property, it could be bad.”
    “I won’t do anything like that,” she told him. “But maybe I can talk with some of the other people that worked with him. They might have noticed if he was acting strange. One of the ladies I buy specialty bread from gets her wheat and rye from him. That might be a good place to start.”
    “Okay,” he said with a sigh. “If it will keep you out of trouble, go ahead. Just remember—don’t draw attention to yourself. One fingerprint in the wrong place, and