Read Online Barbara Graham - Quilted 05 - Murder by Sunlight by Barbara Graham - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbara Graham
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was wondering if Dammit can stay with you. I hate to leave him home alone for very long or maybe overnight.”
“Of course I’ll keep him.” Tony said. “Is there a problem? Do you need extra time off?”
“No. Ruby and the baby are fine.”
Tony thought Mike sounded more defiant than assured. “What’s going on?”
“They just want to make sure the baby’s heart is growing properly.” Mike gnawed on his lower lip. “The test is not supposed to take long, and everyone says it’s probably just fine. Just a precaution.”
“Leave the dog here and go home.” Tony leaned forward. “Now. Call me when you know something.”
Mike wasted no time following his instructions. Dammit flopped on the rug near the door and stared at Tony, giving him the baleful bloodhound stare, acting as if his life would be a misery if he had to stay with Tony overnight. His homely face with its loose skin was the picture of sorrowful abandonment.
Tony had to laugh. The dog was a fraud. Dammit loved to visit the Abernathy house because Daisy lived there. The bloodhound and golden retriever were great friends and playmates. Together the dogs weighed about two hundred and fifty pounds, and running up and down the stairs made the old house shake.
“The man we think might have been driving the car surfer has turned up.” Wade’s voice came through the radio. “Should I wait for you, or do you just want me to bring him in?”
“Where are you? I’ll come there.” Tony wasn’t sure he was prepared to learn what happened, and he was sure he wasn’t going to like it.
“I’m at Santhe Flowers’s home. She called in to let us know our suspect, David Logan, is back,” Wade said. He lowered his voice. “She’s trying to make up for Blossom’s mistake.”
A very different Santhe Flowers, having repented her former bad attitude, shepherded them into her rooming house, smiling and chatting with Tony. The large two-story house was at least a hundred years old and in need of some paint. The old white house had a wide front porch that wrapped around to one side, where the door leading into the kitchen was located. They went in through the front door. A staircase was directly in front of them, dividing the lower floor of the house in half. She waved one hand upwards. “There’s four bedrooms up there, one bathroom, and four men. No women. Not even visiting. I have my rules and standards.”
Tony thought the glare she focused on him would intimidate anyone. “Do you spend any time with the guys, or do they come in and immediately go upstairs?”
“Oh, I see what you want to know.” Santhe led them to the left, through the kitchen, and into an alcove. “This refrigerator is theirs to share. They can keep small amounts of food and beverages in it. Same thing with this cupboard. No food is allowed anywhere except in here, in the kitchen, out on the porch, and in the TV room. Make a mess, clean it up.” She pointed to a half-closed door. “Television’s in there. First man in gets the remote. No fighting. They can bring dates here if they want.”
Wade pushed the door open a bit wider. “Looks very pleasant.”
Glancing past his deputy, Tony saw a large-screen television, a row of older style but comfortable looking recliners, a video-game system, and a stack of oversized floor pillows. He’d expected a caveman atmosphere, but the room was well lighted and had nice curtains and didn’t reek of sweat and tobacco. “Very nice.”
At his compliment, Santhe seemed to relax a bit. “My roomers are nice or they leave.”
“Tell me about David Logan.” Tony shepherded Santhe out onto the shady porch. “How long has he lived here?”
“Hmm.” Santhe mimicked her sister Blossom’s habit of pressing an index finger to the indentation between chin and lower lip when she was thinking. “I’d say six months, give or take a bit.”
“Did he tell you what happened the other night?”
“Not really. When I told him you
“Of course I’ll keep him.” Tony said. “Is there a problem? Do you need extra time off?”
“No. Ruby and the baby are fine.”
Tony thought Mike sounded more defiant than assured. “What’s going on?”
“They just want to make sure the baby’s heart is growing properly.” Mike gnawed on his lower lip. “The test is not supposed to take long, and everyone says it’s probably just fine. Just a precaution.”
“Leave the dog here and go home.” Tony leaned forward. “Now. Call me when you know something.”
Mike wasted no time following his instructions. Dammit flopped on the rug near the door and stared at Tony, giving him the baleful bloodhound stare, acting as if his life would be a misery if he had to stay with Tony overnight. His homely face with its loose skin was the picture of sorrowful abandonment.
Tony had to laugh. The dog was a fraud. Dammit loved to visit the Abernathy house because Daisy lived there. The bloodhound and golden retriever were great friends and playmates. Together the dogs weighed about two hundred and fifty pounds, and running up and down the stairs made the old house shake.
“The man we think might have been driving the car surfer has turned up.” Wade’s voice came through the radio. “Should I wait for you, or do you just want me to bring him in?”
“Where are you? I’ll come there.” Tony wasn’t sure he was prepared to learn what happened, and he was sure he wasn’t going to like it.
“I’m at Santhe Flowers’s home. She called in to let us know our suspect, David Logan, is back,” Wade said. He lowered his voice. “She’s trying to make up for Blossom’s mistake.”
A very different Santhe Flowers, having repented her former bad attitude, shepherded them into her rooming house, smiling and chatting with Tony. The large two-story house was at least a hundred years old and in need of some paint. The old white house had a wide front porch that wrapped around to one side, where the door leading into the kitchen was located. They went in through the front door. A staircase was directly in front of them, dividing the lower floor of the house in half. She waved one hand upwards. “There’s four bedrooms up there, one bathroom, and four men. No women. Not even visiting. I have my rules and standards.”
Tony thought the glare she focused on him would intimidate anyone. “Do you spend any time with the guys, or do they come in and immediately go upstairs?”
“Oh, I see what you want to know.” Santhe led them to the left, through the kitchen, and into an alcove. “This refrigerator is theirs to share. They can keep small amounts of food and beverages in it. Same thing with this cupboard. No food is allowed anywhere except in here, in the kitchen, out on the porch, and in the TV room. Make a mess, clean it up.” She pointed to a half-closed door. “Television’s in there. First man in gets the remote. No fighting. They can bring dates here if they want.”
Wade pushed the door open a bit wider. “Looks very pleasant.”
Glancing past his deputy, Tony saw a large-screen television, a row of older style but comfortable looking recliners, a video-game system, and a stack of oversized floor pillows. He’d expected a caveman atmosphere, but the room was well lighted and had nice curtains and didn’t reek of sweat and tobacco. “Very nice.”
At his compliment, Santhe seemed to relax a bit. “My roomers are nice or they leave.”
“Tell me about David Logan.” Tony shepherded Santhe out onto the shady porch. “How long has he lived here?”
“Hmm.” Santhe mimicked her sister Blossom’s habit of pressing an index finger to the indentation between chin and lower lip when she was thinking. “I’d say six months, give or take a bit.”
“Did he tell you what happened the other night?”
“Not really. When I told him you
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