Into The Heat (Sandy Reid Mystery Series Book 6) Read Online Free Page A

of my hair and not bothering us. Perhaps I shouldn’t have accused him. I was being mean. I wanted to punish him. But not like this. We argued and I got him all upset.”
    “That’s silly, your argument didn’t send him out in a murderous rage. They have the wrong man, and you’re not responsible for anything, period.”
    “I don’t want him to rot in prison, although that would solve a couple of problems for us, wouldn’t it?”
    He raised his voice, “We don’t have any problems, Julia. And don’t start making any. A man in my position needs to keep things just as they are.”
    “I won’t, don’t worry. My boat is rocking enough for the two of us.” She braced herself for when he found out just how bad it all was.
    His phone buzzed, and as he listened, a frown sagged down over his face. He said goodbye and slammed his hand against the steering wheel. “Damn! They’ve identified the victim. Do you realize who it is?”
    She mumbled something while shaking her head.
    He tilted his head back for a second and then stared at her. “Benjamin Coleman.”
    Her voice was weak, “I don’t understand.”
    “You don’t understand? You don’t understand? For chrissake, Julia, your husband shot Benjamin Coleman! I thought you had that situation under control.”
    She jumped at his words and cringed against the car door. “I mean, why would Lester do something like that?”
    Both thought in silence for a full minute, then he said, “I don’t know what evidence the prosecution has, but the word around the courthouse is your husband is as good as convicted unless he has an airtight alibi. Do you know where he was last night?”
    “He came in late.” She slowly shook her head. “What can we do?”
    “Don’t get me involved in this, Julia!”
    “Of course not, but you’re familiar with all this law stuff. Just tell me.”
    “Well, first of all he needs an airtight alibi.”
    “What sort of alibi would the police consider airtight?”
    “You are a well-known and respected businesswoman. If he were home with you at the time of murder, it would create reasonable doubt in the minds of a jury. You understand, I’m not suggesting that you lie.”
    “Of course not. And what else.”
    “What do you know about this woman Lester is running around with?”
    “I don’t even know her name.”
    “Well, should we know her? Does she travel in our circle?”
    “If she did I’d know her name.”
    “Good, low-class is better. Find out her name and I’ll check into her background.”
    “What does she have to do with this?”
    “I haven’t decided yet.”

Chapter Three
     
    S andy and Detective Sergeant Eddy Jaworski exchanged broad smiles of greeting as they walked up to each other in the lobby of the Park Beach police station. Eddy was a short, banty-rooster type of guy wearing jeans and a black T-shirt with his faded Chicago Bears baseball cap pulled down almost touching his mirrored sunglasses. The city police served under the direction of the state attorney’s office. Detective Eddy Jaworski was the one exception, as he was assigned directly to state attorney Melvin Shapiro, bypassing the Chief of Police. Shapiro’s private number was on Jaworski’s phone and vice versa. The reason Shapiro wanted it that way was simple: Eddy Jaworski was a discreet friend, a smart detective who seldom screwed up. If you’re a cop long enough, you’ll make your share of mistakes. Jaworski was smart enough to profit from them and tough enough to do better.
    In the past, Sandy and the detective had helped each other and would continue to do so without question, even though by the book they were adversaries. Clients of the defense attorneys were, by definition, in trouble with the police and the prosecutors. Over time, the trust had built up and the admiration and respect they had for each other made the odd relationship work. She had saved him from embarrassment many times by keeping her mouth shut or by giving him a heads