Clothe My Villainy: A Violet Carlyle and Friends Mystery (A Smith Investigates Mystery Book 3) by Beth Byers

Author:Beth Byers [Byers, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-01-29T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Smith wasn’t in his office, but someone had been. I stared from the doorway, Lila peering over my shoulder. “I’m guessing we won’t find much.”

All of Smith’s files were spread about the office. Someone had then taken a gallon of paint and thrown it over the space. The picture of me Smith kept on his desk was missing, and I think that was the thing that bothered me the most.

“This is terrible,” Lila said as she stepped inside. Then she paused. “Look.”

I followed her pointing finger and realized that someone else had been there and walked through the paint. “Was it Smith?”

“If so, where did he go?”

“Maybe to your house?” I suggested.

Lila lifted the telephone and then sighed, pulling on the cord. Whoever had destroyed this place hadn’t left the telephone alone.

“I’m not cleaning this up,” I announced.

“I don’t clean,” Lila added.

“And we aren’t going to find anything with those paint-covered papers.”

“Too true,” Lila said. “Why don’t we find a pub?”

“I’m never drinking again,” I told her.

“I’m fine with that. I want chips with extra vinegar.”

I started to lead the way out of Smith’s office when someone grabbed my wrist and yanked me into his chest. I gasped and jerked back, but the man didn’t let me go.

“Here now!” Lila gasped, but she remained at a distance.

This chest was not Smith’s, and I couldn’t get enough distance to see who it was. I grunted, trying to twist away, but I couldn’t even gain an inch. I tried going boneless, but the man just laughed and hauled me closer. “None of that now, lovey.”

He lifted me and threw me over his shoulder. I desperately grabbed at my bag that was dangling from the crook of my arm, just able to get the hatpin out of the lining.

Lila darted forward, hitting at the man with her handbag, and I gripped the hatpin tight, jabbing it hard into the man’s side. He shouted and I twisted, pulling myself over his back and flopping onto the floor. My bag thumped heavily to the ground next to me, and Lila must have realized what the thud meant because she grabbed it, swept it upward and swung it down over her head at his face while I crawled away.

He shouted in pain as I scrambled to my feet.

Once I was upright, she darted around him and we raced down the steps and out the door, shouting for a constable. Of course, there wasn’t a single one in sight.

A man was just outside the doors, however. He wore a tan linen suit, his hat low over his eyes. He looked a bit older and a bit weathered. “You ladies all right?”

I hesitated while Lila answered, still looking for a constable.

“No,” Lila scoffed. “Obviously not. We’re screaming for the constables.”

“Do you need help?” he offered, leaning in and grabbing my wrist.

I gasped, yanking myself back just as the door to the building opened. Lila screeched and knocked the new man in the face with my bag while

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.