Scared to Death by Debby Giusti

Author:Debby Giusti [Giusti, Debby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Suspense
ISBN: 9781426804724
Google: neR77IterfYC
Amazon: B000SWV69E
Barnesnoble: B000SWV69E
Goodreads: 1701323
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2007-07-31T22:00:00+00:00

TEN

Kate stepped into the garage apartment and looked around, taking in the double bed, oak dresser and writing table with desk chair. An overstuffed recliner sat in the corner. A small bronze cross hung on the wall above the desk.

Lowering herself to the bed, Kate ran her hand over the knobby spread and touched the satin pillow propped against the headboard. Seek and Ye Shall Find was stitched across the fabric.

A photo sat on the desk. A snapshot Kate had taken of Tina, her mom and Eddie. Their arms entwined, the family resemblance so profound Kate could hardly pull her eyes from the threesome staring back at her.

Seek and ye shall find. Would she find the cross?

Hobbling to the dresser, she pulled open the top drawer. Neatly folded clothing. A few bracelets. The pearl necklace Mrs. Espinosa had worn to church each Sunday.

But no cross.

A search of the other drawers proved equally disappointing. Kate glanced again at the photo of Tina. Raven-black hair, laughing eyes, a wide grin as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

Kate remembered the Sunday afternoon when Tina had asked her to snap the photo. Life had been good then. Kate and Eddie had been dating for over a year. She’d given him her grandfather’s cross. Eddie had asked enough pointed questions about diamonds and her preference in rings that she felt certain he was ready to pop the question.

He’d also asked not-so-pointed questions about the chemicals she used in her lab, chemicals that could be cooked into a drug so pervasive even she didn’t recognize the signs in the man she’d thought she loved.

She’d been too caught up in the moment to recognize the signs of addiction.

Some people said God only gave what you could handle. Kate shook her head. What a lie. He’d given Kate too much heartache. Too much pain.

She shoved her chin up with determination. Not the time for memories. She needed to keep searching.

In the bottom desk drawer, she found a daily journal. Flipping through the pages, Kate recognized Tina’s bold script and hesitated. Should she intrude on her former friend’s privacy?

Kate thought back to the phone call, Tina’s frightened voice and her death just hours later. Any information might help explain what had happened that fateful day.

Nolan is a good man, Tina wrote. He’s thoughtful and generous, and taking care of Heather and his house hardly seems like work.

Another entry. Thank you, Lord, for leading me to this family so that our paths could cross exactly at the time I most needed a helping hand. With Eddie gone and Mom in the nursing home…

Nursing home? Had Mrs. Espinosa been ill?

A rumble sounded in the distance.

Kate slanted a glance at the clock on the desk. Three-ten. Nolan had said Heather would be home by three-fifteen.

As Kate lowered the journal to the drawer, her eyes locked on a slip of paper. A check Nolan had signed made out to Tina Espinosa. But the amount—

Kate let out the breath she had been holding.

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