The Kill Read Online Free

having his rifle here.”
    “There’s been a coyote causing a nuisance at Possum Hollow, the farm just west of here, and Richard and I both spotted it at the racecourse, more than once. Richard mentioned it to Mrs. Fanning, the owner of Possum Hollow, and told her he’d take care of it if he saw it again. He’s been bringing his hunting rifle along with him when he comes to work on the course. As far as I know, he kept it in his SUV, but he could’ve spotted the coyote and taken his rifle up in the stewards’ stand to get a better shot at it.”
    “But why wouldn’t they have stolen the rifle?” Thompson said. “As I recall, Richard had it custom-made. It must have had quite some value.”
    “You got that right,” Smitty said. “It’s a Savage Model 99. A real beauty. That’s probably why they didn’t take it. It’s one-of-a-kind. Anyone who knows a lick about guns would know they’d have a hard time unloading a beauty like that one without getting caught.”
    A vibrating cell phone hummed. Thompson reached under his raincoat and dug his phone out of his back pocket. He looked at the display, then at Margaret. “It’s Wendy Brooks.”
    “Answer it.”
    Thompson flipped it open. “Hi, Wendy.”
    Margaret heard Wendy say something about the gate.
    “Hold on.” Thompson lowered the phone from his ear and covered the mouthpiece with his hand. “Wendy’s at the gate. She says they’ve got the whole entrance cordoned off. There are a couple of sheriff’s deputies out there.”
    “Does she know about Richard?”
    “No. She said the deputies won’t tell her what’s going on. She’s just upset because they’ve blocked access and the crew can’t get in to work on the racecourse. She called me because she couldn’t reach you, Richard, or Smitty. She thinks I’m in Reston, at work.”
    Margaret heaved a sigh, a breathy cloud that seeped into the mist. “Once word of Richard’s death gets out, it’s going to spread like wildfire in the community. We owe it to Richard’s friends to make sure they hear it from us first.”
    “I agree.”
    “Do you know who else is out there with Wendy?”
    “I’m not sure.”
    “Is Manning there?”
    Thompson raised his shoulders in an “I-don’t-know” shrug.
    “Find out.”
    He pressed the phone to his ear. “Who’s there with you, Wendy?”
    Thompson nodded slowly, as if counting off the names she mentioned. Margaret tapped her foot, arched an eyebrow, and he said, “Manning’s not there?”
    He covered the phone. “Manning hasn’t shown up. In fact, Wendy said she tried to call Manning a couple of times this morning to remind him that he’d promised to help with the course, but wasn’t able to reach him.”
    Margaret hugged her arms to her chest. “Tell Wendy we’re calling off the course work for today. Have her send everyone home.”
    “Okay.”
    “And ask Wendy to come to my house. I want to break the news to her. Then we’ll start calling folks. I’d like you there, too.”
    “Of course.”
    She glanced at Smitty. “And you.”
    “You bet.”
    Thompson took a step away as he resumed his conversation with Wendy, and Margaret glanced at the deputy. “Are you finished with me?”
    “I believe I have everything I need for now.”
    Thompson snapped his phone shut and Margaret raised an eyebrow at him and Smitty. “Ready?”
    Thompson jerked a thumb toward the ambulance. “Let me just check with Carol and make sure they don’t need my help. Then I’ll head over to your place.”
    “All right.” Margaret put her arm around Smitty’s shoulders. “Do me a favor, Thompson,” she said, urging Smitty toward the kennel truck.
    “Yes?”
    “Find Manning.”

CHAPTER
8

    T he scent of frying bacon wafted over Manning Southwell and a pang of hunger gnawed momentarily at his gut before it somersaulted with nausea. He groaned and rolled over, sliding a pink-and-white striped pillow over his head. Somewhere in the distance a door squeaked,