Love Kills Read Online Free Page B

back into that cop shop straight into the office of their lieutenant—who, of course, just happens to be a sister,” Lottie said sweetly. “You would’ve demanded that those detectives be reprimanded and ordered to apologize—and to cooperate fully and respectfully with her in the future.” She blinked coquettishly. “Isn’t that what you would’ve done?”
    â€œShe didn’t!” I whispered.
    â€œShe did, bless her heart.”
    I pressed my napkin to my mouth but failed to suppress the laughter. “You know how obnoxious K.C. can be,” I gasped, when finally able to speak. “You know how ferociously she backs up her detectives. Is Nell still alive?”
    â€œAlive but not well. K.C. got all red in the face, cussed Nell out, and had two patrolmen escort her out of the building. The front desk sergeant was told to bar Nell from the station.” Lottie gazed out at the soft palm-shaded twilight, shaking her head sadly. “Too bad it happened to be windy and raining real hard, what with her car parked such a distance away and all. Poor thing.”
    â€œYou are the worst.” I laughed aloud.
    â€œNell showed up back in the newsroom, hair all plastered down, teary-eyed and totally pissed. Looked like a drowned rat. You could see her nipples right through that little blouse she wears. Said she won’t go back there, ever. Nobody covers the police beat now, Britt, at least not like you did.”
    â€œHow is K. C. Riley?” I asked quietly.
    â€œSeems to be coping. Better than you are, I guess. Feisty as ever. Fights the good fight every day. Heard she went to hostage negotiation school, passed at the top.”
    â€œI guess it’s easier for someone like her. She’s cold,” I said.
    â€œYou shouldn’t hate her ’cause you both wanted the same man. She had him first, as I recall. And you have a lot more than that in common.”
    I grimaced, shook my head in disbelief, and changed the subject. “Anyone else ever ask about me?”
    â€œNope,” she said shortly. “You know what a short memory Miami has.”
    My misery must have shown.
    â€œI’m kidding.” Lottie leaned forward, her honest brown eyes sympathetic. “Every day. Especially lately. Your ears must have been burning all last week.”
    â€œIs that so?”
    â€œYup. Another reason to come home, Britt: The Cold Case Squad is looking for you. I said I didn’t know where you were. They want to talk to you.”
    â€œWhat about?”
    â€œSome homicide.”
    â€œWhich one?” I asked, suddenly interested.
    â€œWouldn’t say. But I get the impression they think you’re somehow involved.”
    â€œWhat sort of case?” I scrolled my memory bank for possibilities and came up blank. “When did it happen? Did they mention the victim?”
    She shook her head. “You know how we can usually finesse information out of Burch, Nazario, Stone—even Joe Corso if you play ’im right. But they’re stonewalling till they talk to you.”
    I frowned.
    She looked pleased when I agreed to go back to Miami with her. “I didn’t aim to push you,” she said. “Sure you’re all right with it?”
    I nodded. I’d known my exile was nearing its end before she arrived.
    â€œI’m broke,” I confessed. “Think I’ll have any trouble getting my old job back?”
    â€œNo way.”
    It was the end of one chapter and the beginning of a whole new one.

CHAPTER THREE
    We shot the mystery camera’s last three frames on the beach at dawn.
    A shell collector snapped the last one of us together, with our surfboards. She was an elderly woman, her skin turned to parchment beneath a big straw hat, and the pockets of her baggy shorts stuffed with long-spined stars, baby’s ear moons, and other jewels from the deep. Then we hurried back to the cottage to gulp tea,