Dancing With Detective Danger by Lynn Crandall

Author:Lynn Crandall [Crandall, Lynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Suspense, General
ISBN: 9781440564062
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2013-01-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Sterling cursed under her breath. Why do these things keep happening to me? In the two years since she and Lacey opened their detective agency, finding bodies had not been every day fare. Only twice before had investigations led to a body and both times the people were elderly subjects of missing person cases.

But here Sterling stood, staring down at the second dead body she’d come across in three days.

Following her instincts, Sterling had driven to Dewberry’s office in a converted old house in downtown Laurelwood. If her hunch proved correct, Dewberry had snapped the incriminating photos of Pamela and Jerry. Dewberry was one guy who did not do credit to the business. Sort of a sleazy gumshoe. Sterling had hoped to shake his chain, confident he’d spill a lead or two.

But Dewberry would be of little help now, she thought ruefully. Sitting in a leather chair behind his desk, the private investigator’s head slumped awkwardly to one side and his eyes looked widely vacant from inside the plastic bag covering his head. A half-eaten double cheeseburger sat in his lap and papers strewn at his feet belied a struggle. But even though it was after-hours and the building was deserted, the office door had been standing open when she’d arrived. A close scrutiny of the lock told Sterling there were no signs of a forced entry.

Footsteps coming down the hall sent Sterling into the adjoining room. She pulled the door nearly shut and hugged the wall, her heart pounding loudly inside her head.

Maybe her luck was changing. Maybe the killer was still around. Maybe she’d have this case closed by the end of the day and it would be safe to hand over all the information to the cops. Then it would be so long, Ben Kirby, not to mention a little gloating for beating him to the perp.

The steps barely paused at Dewberry’s office, then traveled toward the stairs.

More good luck, she thought, noticing the sign over a door across the room reading EXIT.

Sterling crossed the room, slowly turned the knob, quietly opened the door, and peeked out. The hall looked empty. Her heart raced as she scanned up and down the dimly lit corridor. Cautiously, she stepped into the hallway. Pulling her fedora down low and adjusting her coat collar closer around her neck, she walked toward the stairway, keeping a vigilant eye.

She’d made it just two steps down the hall when a voice sounded gruffly behind her.

“Hold it!”

Adrenaline and self-preservation surged through Sterling’s veins, compelling her steps to hasten on. Yes, she wanted this slime bag, but this was not the way she wanted it to come down. Sneaking up from behind her like this put the perp at an obvious advantage.

Suddenly, hands around her ankles yanked Sterling’s feet out from under her. She fell flat onto the floor, her arms stinging as they broke her fall. Before she could gather her defenses, the harsh hands forced her over onto her back, and she stared up into the barrel of a gun.

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