Skeleton Letters Read Online Free Page B

I’m very sorry.”
    Carmela gave a vigorous nod. “So it’d be nice . . .” She stopped herself and started over. “No, it would be more than nice, I’d be grateful if you could kind of oversee the whole investigation.”
    â€œI already spoke with Gallant,” said Babcock. “When I found out you and Ava were present at St. Tristan’s this morning . . . I sort of nudged my way in.”
    â€œOh, that’s great,” said Carmela, breathing a sigh of relief. Babcock was smart, dogged, and determined. With one of the highest clear rates on the police force.
    Ava, who’d fixed herself a fortifying cup of tea, suddenly came breezing toward them. “You’re here,” she said to Babcock. “Thank goodness. Because this is gonna be a tough one.”
    â€œWhat makes you say that?” he asked, in measured tones.
    â€œNo suspects,” said Ava, looking wide-eyed. “St. Tristan’s was almost empty. Except, of course . . .” She motioned toward Carmela, then touched her own chest. “For the two of us.”
    Babcock shook his head, looking a little annoyed. “On the contrary,” he told her. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out a black leather notebook and flipped it open. “According to the information Gallant passed on to me, choir practice had just ended, so three or four choir members were still wandering about the premises.” He cleared his throat. “A board meeting was set to convene in five minutes and two brothers were in a side room polishing candlesticks.”
    â€œSeriously?” said Ava. She looked stunned. “I didn’t see those people.” She frowned and glanced toward Carmela. “Did you see those people?”
    Carmela shook her head no. “Then again,” she added, “I wasn’t exactly looking for anyone. We were talking about . . . um . . . the poster, I suppose.”
    Babcock held up an index finger and continued. “A couple of docents were also arranging flowers, and a delivery van was parked out back.” He snapped his black notebook shut, as if to punctuate his sentence. “And if you add in the dozen or so tourists who were wandering through the garden, graveyard, and archaeology dig out back, that makes for an awful lot of people.”
    â€œYou mean an awful lot of suspects,” said Carmela. She was glad Babcock had decided to take an interest, but worried that so many people had suddenly cropped up. People who, obviously, hadn’t been on her radar screen at all.
    Babcock gazed at her. “Lots of suspects . . . yes. That’s why we have officers conducting interviews and taking sworn statements right now.”
    â€œAre all those people suspects?” Ava asked.
    â€œIn my book they are,” said Babcock.
    â€œThat sounds more like Napoleonic law,” said Ava. “Guilty until proven innocent.”
    â€œSometimes,” said Babcock, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, “the old laws are the best.”
    â€œYou don’t really believe that, do you?” asked Ava.
    Babcock shrugged.
    â€œIf there were that many people in the vicinity,” said Carmela, “that many witnesses, then it stands to reason a few of them must have seen something .”
    â€œMaybe somebody else saw Byrle struggling,” suggested Ava, “or at least noticed the two of us thundering toward that altar like a herd of cattle.”
    â€œIt’s a possibility,” said Babcock.
    Ava clenched a fist and declared, “Gonna find that killer and send him to the ’lectric chair! Thank goodness Louisiana is still a progressive state that believes in capital punishment.”
    â€œThat part’s debatable,” said Carmela.
    â€œActually,” said Babcock, “the man of the hour, the guy we’re trying to track down right now, is the delivery guy. A fellow by the name of Johnny