Guilt by Association by Gilbert Morris

Author:Gilbert Morris [Gilbert Morris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781441239884
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2012-01-23T05:00:00+00:00

10

Inquiry

* * *

Dani finally gasped, “It’s Rosie, Karl! He’s dead!” She rose, and ran blindly out of the room, back into the sleeping quarters.

“Dani, what is it?” Rachel cried out.

Dani lurched through the door of the bathroom, where she threw up violently. A few minutes later, as she washed her face in cold water, voices came from the men’s side. On rubbery legs she walked back to the rec room. Her face had become so white that her eyes seemed like dark stains against the pallor.

They had moved the body to the couch, she saw with relief, and those who watched blocked her view of Karen examining the body. Holtz turned, and his own face was pale. “You found him like this?”

“Y-yes,” Dani said haltingly. “I got up a little early—and at first I didn’t see him.”

Holtz considered that, then shot a look at Karen. “How long would you say he’s been dead?”

Karen turned from her examination. “I don’t know for sure. Rigor mortis hasn’t set in, so it can’t have been too long ago.” She gave them a grim look. “I’ve got to examine him. If any of you feel squeamish, you’d better get out.”

All of them turned at once to leave. Pale faced, Betty offered, “I’ll fix some coffee.” Candi said with a quiver in her voice, “I—I guess I’ll get dressed.”

It was something to do, to get away from that still form, and most of them walked away. Rachel shrugged and said to Karen, “What difference does it make what we wear? Nobody’s going anywhere.” She moved back to the kitchen and began mixing some hot chocolate, adding glumly, “If the killer keeps on knocking us off, there won’t be enough of us left to have breakfast!”

When Dani and Candi returned, they found the others all assembled, most of them seated at the tables. Both sat down at a table with Holtz, and Betty brought them coffee, which neither could drink.

“Who saw him alive last?” Ben asked.

“Why, I suppose I did.” Betty stopped on her way back to the stove with the coffeepot. She blinked her eyes rapidly, adding, “Dani and Rosie and I did the cleanup after the rest of you went to bed. But Dani left while I was cutting up the chickens.”

“What did Rosie do after I left?” Dani asked.

“Why, nothing!” Betty shrugged and added, “He was in that chair, reading, and he never got out of it. Never even said good night when I left.”

Vince said suddenly, “One thing is sure. It wasn’t Stone who killed Rosie! One of us did the job!”

Silence blanketed the room, until Bix piped up, “Poor guy! He was always talking about his kids and his grandchildren and what he’d do when he got out of here!” Something came into his eyes, and he cast a calculating glance at Lonnie, who was sitting silently, his head bowed as he stared at his hands. “You won’t grieve too much, Lonnie,” he said bitterly.

Lonnie’s head jerked up, and his voice was shrill.

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