Read Online Experiment in Terror (Koehler Brothers Book 1) by Alene Anderson - Free Book Online Page A

narration.
    “It is, isn’t it? To think they found each other after all those years. We’re so happy for them. Needless, to say Sloan and his dad are crazy about each other. Samantha and Devlin are commuting back and forth between Boulder and Chicago until Samantha’s boss can find someone to take over her job.”
    Charlie ate in silence for a few minutes. “Now tell me about your homeless man. Since it’s been a few days since you first saw him, has the attraction disappeared? Obviously, not on his part, judging by the way he was looking at you.”
    “I’m afraid it hasn’t on my part, either,” Amanda admitted. “In fact, you’re probably going to kill me when you find out what I’m doing this afternoon.”
    “Amanda, what are you up to now? You’re not meeting him someplace, are you?”
    “I wouldn’t do that,” Amanda assured her friend. “When I told you I had spoken to Sloan a couple of days ago, it was because I was wanting the name of the detective he uses sometimes.”
    “Whatever for?”
    “I want to hire him so I can get some information about that man. I want to know what his background is. Why he’s homeless. If he’s lost his business or something. If he’s looking for another job. Whatever he can find out about him.”
    “Do you think that’s a good idea?” Charlie asked, a concerned look on her face. “What if he’s the Boulder Creek Killer? You know another girl was killed last night? Not far from where you live.”
    “I know, but I can’t believe he’s the killer. I’m hoping whatever Gary finds out about him will help me get over this obsession. I can hardly bear the thought of him leaving Boulder, which I’m sure he will do eventually. I’ve got to find out something to make me lose interest.”
    “One way to do that would be to quit riding your bike to work where you see him every day. How about taking the bus to work? Use that free pass of yours.”
    Amanda didn’t immediately reply. She took a drink of her Coke and then said, “I’m sure that would be the smart thing to do, but I can’t be smart about this man.”
    “Didn’t he show up about the time of those rapes and murders? You have to accept the possibility that he might be the Boulder Creek Killer.”
    “Charlie, can you look into those eyes and really believe he’s the killer?”
    “I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. Take Ted Bundy. He was good looking and charming. No one suspected him of being a serial killer. Look at all the girls he was able to pick up and they never suspected a thing.”
    “I know. But why has he warned me twice now, about riding my bike after dark? You would think if he was the killer, he would want me to ride after dark.”
    Amanda wasn’t going to tell Charlie how he had stepped out from behind a tree the previous night and frightened her. She justified it by telling herself, if he was going to harm her, he would have done it then, when they were alone.
    Charlie put her hand on Amanda’s where it lay on the table. “Just be careful. I would absolutely die if something happened to you and I had promised to keep everything you have told me a secret.”
    Amanda turned her hand over and gave Charlie’s a warm squeeze. “I promise I’ll be careful. But right now, it’s time to keep my appointment with Gary Kaufmann.”

Chapter 6
    When Amanda arrived back at her store Gary Kaufmann was waiting for her. The investigator was slender and of medium height. He wore a baseball cap and didn’t remove it when she motioned him to a chair after shaking hands with him.
    “What can I do for you, Miss Barton?” he asked.
    “Oh, please, call me Amanda,” she said, sitting down at her desk.
    He nodded, and she said, “As I told you on the phone, you were recommended to me by Sloan Harrison. He says you are the best in the business.”
    “I hope I can live up to that reputation.” Removing a small spiral notebook out of his shirt pocket, he laid it on the desk in