Nightingale's Nightmare (Cassadaga Book 4 Read Online Free

candidates by far and deserved to win.
    The phone rang, jarring Nightingale back to reality.
    “Hello?”
    “It’s me; I’m on my way, finally.”
    “That’s okay. I won’t put the pasta in the water till you get here.”
    “Okay, be there in ten.”
    Nightingale smiled. If Brad were to be late, he’d never call to tell her. Bill was another sort of animal from him, the considerate type. She got out another wine glass for Bill and sat back down at the table, sipping her wine until he arrived.
    “Hey there!” he called out as he came in the front door. "I brought some cannolis.”
    “Great,” Nightingale said with a grimace, glancing down at her tummy. He was not helping her maintain her weight at all.
    “You’ll never guess what delayed me?”
    “I have no idea.”
    “Your neighbor, Helen.”
    “Helen? What did she do?”
    “ You know how we see groups of bicyclists dressed in their gear riding on Cassadaga Road?”
    “Yes, sure. They do it all the time.”
    “Well, Helen sideswiped four bicyclists with her car. They all went to the hospital for observation.”
    “Holy shit!” Nightingale stared wide eyed at Bill from her chair. “How badly are they hurt?”
    “Not too.  Scrapes, mostly.” Bill removed his holster, placing it on the couch.
    “Oh, my god! It could have been so much worse.” Nightingale rose to get the bottle of wine from the refrigerator.
    “That’s for sure,” he remarked, reaching for the glass of wine Nightingale poured for him. “The good news is, we took her license at the scene.”
    “Yes, that’s good news. Helen has no business driving,” Nightingale said. “I don’t think she sees well.”
    “That’s an understatement. A row of four bicyclists is a hard thing to miss seeing.”
    Nightingale grinned. “Are you going to eat in your uniform or change?” She stood up to cook the pasta.
    “I’ll stay in uniform for now.”
    “Then I’ll put on the pasta in a bit.” Nightingale stood in front of Bill, wearing a concerned look on her face. “I was called in today for interrogation about Brad’s murder.”
    “Really? They actually suspect you had something to do with that?” Bill’s expression also look ed concerned.
    “Apparently so, or they’re just covering every possibility. You would know better than me.”
    “You’re his ex-wife,” he noted.
    “What does that mean? All ex-wives want to murder their former husbands?”
    “Some do.”
    Nightingale frowned at Bill. “I didn’t.”
    “But they think you might have.”
    “So?”
    “So, you’re on the list of potential suspects.”
    “Can’t you do something?”
    “Nope. This is way out of my hands.”
    Nightingale sat back down in the chair.
    “Detective Martinez actually called you in?” Bill asked.
    “Yes, this morning.”
    “Then you are definitely a suspect.” Bill sat back in his chair, looking disturbed. “This is not good.”
    “Well, I know that, but it will work out okay. I’m innocent.”
    Bill studied her face, trying to figure a delicate way to tell her what was on his mind.
    “What’s wrong?” Nightingale asked.
    “I have to go,” he said. “I can’t stay for dinner.”
    “What?”
    “Nightingale, I don’t know how to say this, but I can’t see you as long as you’re a suspect.”
    “What?!”
    “You are a suspect in a murder investigation, Nightingale. A deputy can’t be cavorting with a murder suspect.”
    “Cavorting? Our relationship is cavorting ?” Nightingale stared at Bill in total disbelief.
    “You know what I mean.”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “Nightingale, it doesn’t look correct to be associating with a murder suspect, even if I believe you’re innocent.”
    Nightingale stared at Bill silently.
    “I’m sorry,” he said, looking like he meant the words he’d spoken.
    “Get your sorry ass out of here,” Nightingale said quietly.
    “Nightingale…”
    “Out, before I call a cop.”
    Bill hesitated one full second, then turned away from