Valentine Murder Read Online Free Page A

Mountain last weekend.”
    â€œReally? How was the snow?”
    â€œFresh powder.”
    â€œUh-hmm.” Miss Tilley interrupted their little exchange. “Everyone’s waiting for us. It’s time we joined the meeting.”
    â€œWho’ll watch the desk?” asked Corney.
    â€œBitsy will have to do it—there’s no one else,” said Miss Tilley. “It’s not very busy, and she can leave story hour if the need arises.”
    Chuck and Corney’s eyes met; Corney gave a little shrug, and they followed Miss Tilley toward the waiting group.

    Having left the others at the office, Lucy hurried across the children’s room where she was happy to see that Zoe was busy chatting with her friend, Sadie Orenstein. Whatever do four-year-olds talk about? she wondered, as she pulled open the steel door to the stairs. As she thumped down in her snow boots she noticed the mess of paper and art supplies spilled at the foot of the stairs, and quickly picked them up, wondering what had happened. She set the box down in the corner and pulled open the door to the conference room, flicking on the lights.
    â€œBitsy?” she called. “Are you down here?”
    Receiving no answer, Lucy went on through to the workroom door. She gave a little knock and pulled it open.
    It took a moment or two for her to register the sight: Bitsy was lying flat on her back, legs and arms awkwardly akimbo, like one of Zoe’s discarded dolls.
    â€œOh, my God,” exclaimed Lucy, rushing toward her. She bent over the fallen woman, noticing her eyes were wide open and there was an odd look of surprise on her face. Lucy instinctively stepped back, and saw a hole in Bitsy’s cardigan sweater, just above her heart. It was then she noticed the puddle of blood seeping beneath Bitsy’s body.
    Repulsed, Lucy forced herself to search for a pulse and reached for Bitsy’s wrist with trembling hands, hoping to find a flutter of life. Her arm felt heavy, like a dead weight, and Lucy knew it was futile. It was obvious Bitsy was dead.
    Lucy’s heart was racing and she felt dizzy and sick to her stomach as she backed away from the body. This was no longer Bitsy; this was something horrifying and frightening. She was shaking all over, and her teeth were chattering. She had only one thought: she had to get away. She turned and fled, running out of the workroom, across the conference room, and up the stairs. Throwing open the door, she ran smack into the group of directors. Suddenly speechless, her mouth made a noiseless little “O”.

CHAPTER THREE

    The Gingerbread Man was afraid to cross the stream, but along came a clever fox . . .

    â€œW hat’s the matter?” asked Gerald, taking her hands in his.
    â€œIt’s B-b-b,” said Lucy, her eyes darting wildly at the group clustered around her. Their faces seemed distorted, as if they were reflections in a convex mirror. She suddenly felt woozy and the room began to whirl around her.
    â€œLucy, get a grip on yourself,” scolded Miss Tilley.
    She turned toward the voice, and her eyes settled on her old friend. Then, looking beyond the group, she saw the mothers and children waiting for story hour to begin. She watched as Zoe settled beside Sadie and opened a book for them to look at together. It was all so normal, so peaceful. Nothing like the awful thing downstairs.
    â€œIs Bitsy hurt? Has she fallen?” Gerald peered over her shoulder, at the stairs.
    Lucy straightened her back and took a deep breath. “She’s dead.”
    â€œThat can’t be,” insisted Miss Tilley.
    â€œThere must be some mistake,” added Corney.
    â€œI’d better take a Look,” said Ed, stepping to the front of the group.
    â€œI don’t think you should,” protested Lucy, as the group surged past her and hurried down the stairs. “At least not until the police get here,” she added, leaning against the