humorous,” Marnie
grumbled.
Bri glanced back at her. “And how was the
ride for you?”
“Oh, Dara didn’t mind at all,” Marnie
answered for her. “She and Detective Turner argued the whole way.
By the end of the drive, I’m sure he was thankful for the cage
between them.”
Both Annie and Reagan sat wide-eyed,
obviously stunned or better yet, insanely curious.
Bri lifted both eyebrows. “Mace hauled you to
the station in a cruiser?”
Marnie nodded. “To jail. To a cell complete
with several other colorful prisoners.”
“ Detective Turner assumed he proved a
point,” Dara added.
“But?”
“What do you think, Bri?” Marnie mumbled.
“There’s more?”
“Not yet.” Marnie folded her arms across her
chest. “Dara has a plan.”
“Sorry Dara, but this is way better than your
novels.” Annie leaned forward. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m going to solve the case.”
For several seconds, the table fell silent.
Not one eyelash blinked. Not one hair moved on any of the four
heads.
Bri finally broke the silence. “Need some
help?”
Dara couldn’t stop the whoosh that
left her lungs. “That would be wonderful.”
“Uh Bri, what about Jake?” Marnie unfolded
her arms and reached for her drink.
“I’ll keep it to myself. He knows he can’t
pry a secret from me. And if I need to, I’ll call Liberty. With all
of our brain power, we’re bound to come up with something.”
Reagan’s eyes sparkled. “I’ve never solved a
crime! Where do we start?”
Dara smiled at the other woman’s enthusiasm
and wished it could be directed at something other than murder. “So
far, we’ve come to the conclusion the suspect is male.”
“Messy crime scene.” Marnie shuddered. “The
things nightmares are made of.”
Bri laid a hand on her friend’s shoulder in a
comforting gesture. “What else, Dara?”
“How he gained entry is still a mystery.”
She could almost literally hear the wheels
spin in Bri’s head while she spoke. “Evelyn’s throat was slit,
correct?”
Dara nodded.
“Judging by that method, I would guess he’s a
quick thinker; he makes up his mind to do something and then
follows through without hesitation. Applying that hypothesis to
entering your condo, I would say he found the fastest way possible.
My guess is he had access to a key or even made one.”
Annie lifted an eyebrow. “Have you ever
called a locksmith?”
“No, and even the super wasn’t much help
during the times I’ve locked myself out. The HOA secretary let me
back inside with the master key.”
Bri tapped her bottom lip with one finger.
“Female?”
“Yes. She’s probably sixty years old and not
in the shape to pose much of a threat to anyone.”
Reagan snorted. “Not even with a knife in her
hand?”
Dara shook her head in the negative.
“Besides, she and her husband have fifteen grandchildren. I don’t
see her as murderous or threatening.”
“Are we absolutely sure there’s only one
master key?” Annie’s question didn’t surprise her considering the
other woman’s attraction to numbers.
“The same thought crossed my mind and yes,
when I signed the paperwork on my condo it stated very explicitly
that only one master was available per unit.” She paused to lift
her glass to her lips and swallow a generous amount of wine.
“Taking that fact even further, I’m only the second owner of my
condo and the locks were changed when I took possession. My theory
is that someone picked the lock.”
Reagan nodded. “That means the suspect may
have a criminal background.”
“If not, he will,” Marnie murmured.
“It also means,” Bri interjected, “that he’s
patient and that tedious activities do not dissuade him.
Individuals of this nature usually possess strong management and
people skills. Do you know anyone that fits that description,
Dara?”
“I can think of several agents, but I’m
almost certain none of them would commit murder due to a negative
review.”
Annie
grumbled.
Bri glanced back at her. “And how was the
ride for you?”
“Oh, Dara didn’t mind at all,” Marnie
answered for her. “She and Detective Turner argued the whole way.
By the end of the drive, I’m sure he was thankful for the cage
between them.”
Both Annie and Reagan sat wide-eyed,
obviously stunned or better yet, insanely curious.
Bri lifted both eyebrows. “Mace hauled you to
the station in a cruiser?”
Marnie nodded. “To jail. To a cell complete
with several other colorful prisoners.”
“ Detective Turner assumed he proved a
point,” Dara added.
“But?”
“What do you think, Bri?” Marnie mumbled.
“There’s more?”
“Not yet.” Marnie folded her arms across her
chest. “Dara has a plan.”
“Sorry Dara, but this is way better than your
novels.” Annie leaned forward. “What’s the plan?”
“I’m going to solve the case.”
For several seconds, the table fell silent.
Not one eyelash blinked. Not one hair moved on any of the four
heads.
Bri finally broke the silence. “Need some
help?”
Dara couldn’t stop the whoosh that
left her lungs. “That would be wonderful.”
“Uh Bri, what about Jake?” Marnie unfolded
her arms and reached for her drink.
“I’ll keep it to myself. He knows he can’t
pry a secret from me. And if I need to, I’ll call Liberty. With all
of our brain power, we’re bound to come up with something.”
Reagan’s eyes sparkled. “I’ve never solved a
crime! Where do we start?”
Dara smiled at the other woman’s enthusiasm
and wished it could be directed at something other than murder. “So
far, we’ve come to the conclusion the suspect is male.”
“Messy crime scene.” Marnie shuddered. “The
things nightmares are made of.”
Bri laid a hand on her friend’s shoulder in a
comforting gesture. “What else, Dara?”
“How he gained entry is still a mystery.”
She could almost literally hear the wheels
spin in Bri’s head while she spoke. “Evelyn’s throat was slit,
correct?”
Dara nodded.
“Judging by that method, I would guess he’s a
quick thinker; he makes up his mind to do something and then
follows through without hesitation. Applying that hypothesis to
entering your condo, I would say he found the fastest way possible.
My guess is he had access to a key or even made one.”
Annie lifted an eyebrow. “Have you ever
called a locksmith?”
“No, and even the super wasn’t much help
during the times I’ve locked myself out. The HOA secretary let me
back inside with the master key.”
Bri tapped her bottom lip with one finger.
“Female?”
“Yes. She’s probably sixty years old and not
in the shape to pose much of a threat to anyone.”
Reagan snorted. “Not even with a knife in her
hand?”
Dara shook her head in the negative.
“Besides, she and her husband have fifteen grandchildren. I don’t
see her as murderous or threatening.”
“Are we absolutely sure there’s only one
master key?” Annie’s question didn’t surprise her considering the
other woman’s attraction to numbers.
“The same thought crossed my mind and yes,
when I signed the paperwork on my condo it stated very explicitly
that only one master was available per unit.” She paused to lift
her glass to her lips and swallow a generous amount of wine.
“Taking that fact even further, I’m only the second owner of my
condo and the locks were changed when I took possession. My theory
is that someone picked the lock.”
Reagan nodded. “That means the suspect may
have a criminal background.”
“If not, he will,” Marnie murmured.
“It also means,” Bri interjected, “that he’s
patient and that tedious activities do not dissuade him.
Individuals of this nature usually possess strong management and
people skills. Do you know anyone that fits that description,
Dara?”
“I can think of several agents, but I’m
almost certain none of them would commit murder due to a negative
review.”
Annie
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