A Grave, Twice Cold: A Lacey Casket Cozy Mystery by R.M. Wild

Author:R.M. Wild [Wild, R.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mod 29 Media
Published: 2019-11-14T22:00:00+00:00

The cruiser stank like manure.

Lacey rode up front. She wasn’t wearing cuffs. She rolled down the window. It was freezing outside, but she rather shiver than suffer through the stink of Slate’s uniform.

Unwilling to let his hat sit on the dirty floor, he had given it to her. She sat rigid beside him, her head nearly as high as his. She picked off the tiny pieces of straw still clinging to the brim. Despite how cold it had been, the headband was slightly damp. Slate’s favorite quote, an off-the-cuff Einsteinian remark about choosing a humble life over one in relentless pursuit of riches, was tucked into the lining. He must have believed that keeping the words nestled against his forehead all day would eventually allow him to fully absorb their wisdom.

More like absorb their toxic ink.

In fact, Slate’s brow ridges were fairly dark this evening, as if colored in. After Reinhard Klaus assaulted him at the police station, the mere mention of his name made Slate bear his canines and kindled his anger. Seeing his car had set him on fire.

Now, he gripped the steering wheel as if he wanted to yank it off the column. Ahead, the high beams sliced through the darkness.

“I’ll drop you off at the inn. Don’t go anywhere and don’t do anything stupid and I’ll come back to get you tomorrow morning.”

“It’ll be midnight by the time we get back to Dark Haven. Why don’t you just stay over? We’ve got plenty of rooms.”

Slate’s eyes wandered off the road. “No. Can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“I, uh, don’t want to impose.”

“You’re not imposing. It’s not like I’m asking you to share my bed. We run an inn. People stay with us. That’s what we do.”

“I really shouldn’t.”

“I washed all the sheets myself. I will even make you a lobster omelette in the morning.”

“I’m trying to say no politely,” Slate said.

“I don’t accept.”

Slate chewed the tip of his tongue, his eyes wandering back to the road. The pebbles rushing under the hood were casting exaggerated shadows in the high beams.

“What? I can’t hear you over the wind.”

“I didn’t say anything else,” Slate said.

“Then stay with us.”

“My parents will be worried,” he said quietly.

“You have to speak up.”

“I said, I don’t want to worry my parents.”

“You still live with your parents?”

“Yeah, I mean, sometimes. When it’s convenient.”

“Where else do you live?”

“In my car,” he mumbled.

“You sleep in your car?”

“When I’m on graveyard shift.”

“So you live with your parents and in your car?”

“I mean, I don’t see the point of wasting money on an apartment when they have a perfectly good bedroom—”

Is that embarrassment? Or is there a cold wind in here? “I’m not judging you, Slate. If you want to live with your mommy, there’s no shame in that.”

“I’m not ashamed. It’s a financial decision.”

“Fine. Makes sense.”

“I mean, you still live with your uncle,” he said.

“You got me there.”

“Plus, my mom is a really good cook. I don’t see why I should live on Kellog’s and Twinkies when its no extra work to make an extra plate.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.