The Fall That Kills You by K. J. Emrick

Author:K. J. Emrick [Emrick, K. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cozy Mystery
Goodreads: 37788285
Publisher: Author
Published: 2018-01-11T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

He was still dressed all in black, but at some point, he had added a pair of black gems pinned to the tabs of his shirt collar. They shone darkly in the light of early evening. I couldn’t tell if they were real gems or not, but considering the treasure he’d been hiding in a stone enclosure at the top of Hartz Peak, I wouldn’t have doubted it.

I closed the door on Rosie’s house quickly and stepped away down the street with Malik. I kept him at arm’s length though. Something about this whole business didn’t sit right and him showing up at Rosie’s door just as I was about to speak his name… that was downright creepy.

Odd, with a capital O.

“What’re you doing here?” I ask him when we’re a few houses away. Hopefully Rosie will forgive my abrupt exit. I just really didn’t want to get into a discussion of whatever this was right on her doorstep.

“You were about to tell my secrets,” he says again, his long legs keeping an easy pace with me. “I’m sure we discussed this. No one can know about the item that was stolen from me.”

“Rosie isn’t just anyone. She’s my best friend, and I trust her with my life.” Stuff him if he doesn’t believe that. It’s true.

He watches me, as if he can read my very thoughts, and then he snorts loudly. “I’m sure you believe that. It may even be true, but as I’ve said, where I come from we value truth and honor above friendship.”

“Sometimes, Malik, they’re one and the same.”

He opens his mouth to argue with me and then snaps it shut, and I have to wonder how he would never have thought of that before.

“The point,” he says to me, “is not whether you and Rosie are best friends. The point is that my private business shall remain exactly that. Private.”

While he’s speaking down to me he folds his hands behind his back. We must’ve made an interesting sight to anyone looking on. Little old me, pumping my legs to keep ahead of Malik, and him easily outpacing me with those long legs of his.

“I’ve already told my Kevin about it,” I remind him. “You didn’t pop up out of nowhere to stop me when I did that.”

His voice is tight with annoyance. “Kevin is someone who might help you solve this mystery. Your friend Rosie, on the other hand, is not. She will be much more likely to feed this to the rumor mill and then I would lose more than just my diamond. I would lose my reputation.”

“Now, how on Earth do you figure that?”

“If people began to suspect I can’t take care of my own affairs, if they start to believe anything can be taken from me without repercussion, then I will be pecked to death by small people looking to take advantage of me. Strength perceived is strength achieved, Dell. I need whoever did this to know I can not be crossed.

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