Killing Her Softly Read Online Free

Leslie said. As far as she knew. “We lived in a nice house, which he had before I met him. He seemed to have plenty of money."
    "Maybe things went downhill later. That's what I'm getting at. If he's alive, maybe he doesn't want you here. Maybe he's angry because of the divorce."
    Leslie sighed. “I don't think so."
    Jimmy looked relieved. “That's it, then. The gossip's probably all wrong, anyway. And I'm sure this was an accident. Let me know if you have any more problems."
    "I will,” she promised, getting up and standing in the doorway as he turned his Land Rover and drove off.
    Nerves jumping under her skin, she sank back down on the stairs. She hugged the gray cat, taking comfort from the soft warmth of the furry creature.
    In the past twelve hours, two people had voiced the theory that Jason might still be alive. She couldn't deny that the thought had crossed her own mind, in spite of the police report and Jason's brief note included with the lawyer's letter.
    Why had word of his death taken so long to reach her, more than a month after the fact. She'd asked the lawyer. They hadn't known of her existence until they'd located Jason's personal papers, which had been misfiled in the office.
    The whole thing gave her an unsettled feeling, as if Jason were reaching from the grave to put her under some obligation to him. After all this time.
    Their divorce had been amicable, if insomuch as such transactions could be. She would have sworn that Jason was as relieved as she at the dissolution of their marriage, a marriage that had limped along during its last years, with Jason away half the time.
    And now she found herself in his house.
    A shadow slanted into the hall, and she jumped to her feet. It was stupid not to have closed the door. Then she laughed ruefully. This was a small village in Greece, not downtown Toronto. Still, nobody had killed her mirror there.
    "Hello? Anyone home?” The deep voice washed over her and she closed her eyes. This was all she needed, that annoying man from last night.
    To her chagrin, the cat squirmed out of her arms and leaped to the floor, stropping himself on the visitor's ankles in effusive welcome.
    Simon bent and stroked the thick fur. “Hi, cat. You remember me, do you?"
    "You know this cat?” Leslie asked. “What's his name?"
    "No name. Just ‘cat'. He used to hang around the docks when the fishing boats came in. Still does, sometimes. But last year he decided he would preside over the garden here."
    A man who liked cats couldn't be all bad. Some of Leslie's leftover resentment faded.
    "Has there been a problem, Mrs. Adams? I saw Jimmy coming down the hill."
    Would it matter if she told him? Jimmy hadn't said to keep it quiet. Besides, she wanted to see his reaction. He hadn't made any secret of his animosity toward her. What if he'd followed her last night, and tried to scare her?
    "Someone shot at me.” She gave a short laugh. “Unless they were aiming at the mirror they hit.” She gestured toward the shards of glass on the floor, without taking her eyes from his face.
    "What?” Unless he was a superb actor, his shock was real. In fact, she could have sworn his face paled. “When was this? Last night? Why didn't you call the cops sooner? This house is pretty isolated. Or doesn't the phone work?"
    "It works. As I told Jimmy, I thought last night the mirror had simply fallen. I couldn't use the lights. You wouldn't know a good electrician, would you?"
    He glanced at the chandelier, which was casting rainbows around the hall, even though it was off. “The lights work, don't they? I know an electrician went over all the wiring less than a year ago, when Jason came back. Everything checked out."
    "Well, the switch gave me a shock last night.” With some trepidation, she reached out her hand toward it, hesitated, then, biting her lip, flipped the switch. She yanked back her hand, feeling like an idiot when nothing happened, other than the chandelier lighting up. No flash. No