Read and Buried Read Online Free

serious.”
    “I’m very serious. You’re not going up there alone.”
    Lizzie looked at Mark, who had come up behind Officer Craig. “I don’t want my cats
     getting out with all the doors opening and closing. Please, Mark.”
    His face softened. “Can you take them next door? I’m afraid we’ll have to go through
     your house.”
    “What? Why? What are you looking for?”
    “I don’t know at this stage of the investigation. But we have to be thorough. We don’t
     usually get second chances with crime scenes.”
    “But he was shot in the living room, not upstairs.”
    “Is there something you don’t want us to see?” Officer Craig queried.
    “Yes. My private life.” She looked directly at Mark. “Derek Alton was never upstairs
     in my house; therefore, there’s nothing for you to investigate up there. It just feels
     like such an invasion of privacy.”
    Mark took a few moments before replying. “Go and find your cats, Lizzie. Officer Craig
     will help you carry them next door.”
    Lizzie straightened her shoulders and continued up the stairs. She heard Craig behind
     her, grumbling under her breath. That brought a small smile to Lizzie’s face.
    “Brie . . . Edam . . . come on kitties. Where are you?”
    She checked in her bedroom. No cats on the bed. They weren’t obvious in the guest
     room or in her office, either. She went back to her bedroom, with Officer Craig trailing
     behind her, and kneeled beside the bed. Both cats stared back at her from their hiding
     place under it. She spoke softly to them and slid partway under, snagging Brie and
     handing her to Officer Craig. Then she moved around to the other side of the bed and
     went through the same process to catch Edam.
    “Hang on tightly,” she told Officer Craig, who grunted in return.
    They walked slowly down the stairs, out the front door and over to Nathaniel’s. He
     relieved Craig of her charge and she left immediately, brushing cat fur from her uniform
     jacket, and muttering.
    “You don’t mind the cats being here, do you?” Lizzie asked.
    “Not in the slightest, my dear. In fact, I’ve put out a dish of water for them in
     the kitchen and made sure all the doors and windows are shut.”
    “Thank you, Nathaniel. I’ll go over again in a while and see if I can get their food
     and cat cages. Oh boy, what a day. And poor Derek. Who would want to kill him?” Now
     that the initial horror had passed, she still couldn’t quite get her head around what
     had happened. She didn’t know the guy well but she did feel sad his life had ended
     so brutally.
    “Who indeed?” Molly Mathews announced as she stepped into the living room. “Oh, Lizzie
     honey . . . what a terrible, terrible thing for you to go through. You’re sure you’re
     okay? You weren’t injured in any way?”
    Lizzie looked quickly at Nathaniel.
    “I took the liberty of giving Molly a call,” he explained.
    Molly walked over to Lizzie and wrapped her arms around her. Molly’s white woven cape
     fell from her shoulders, revealing bold yellow and black silk Chinese lounging pajamas.
    “I’m just fine, Molly,” Lizzie said, torn between giving in to the urge to cry now
     that she was being coddled and keeping her eyes glued to Molly. “I just can’t believe
     it, though.” She wasn’t sure if she meant the murder or Molly’s outfit.
    “Nathaniel, how about making us all some sweet tea?” Molly suggested as she guided
     Lizzie over to the couch. “Now, do you feel up to telling me what happened?”
    Lizzie nodded as she sank back against the overstuffed cushions. She couldn’t tear
     her eyes from Molly. This wasn’t the elegant, stylish Molly Mathews who had been a
     rock in Lizzie’s somewhat turbulent growing-up years. True, she hadn’t seen her friend
     in several weeks and that had been cause for concern. Molly seemed to have turned
     in on herself over the past few weeks, retreating from the world and her friends as
     she sorted