A Murder Among Friends by Christopher Hunter

Author:Christopher Hunter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: amateur detective, small town, amateur sleuth, mystery fiction, mystery cozy, general mystery, cozy detective, sleuth mystery, mystery adult, cozy adventure
Publisher: Christopher Hunter

Chapter 27 – Roll Of Thunder…

“I got the world on a string, sittin’ on a rainbow, got the string around my finger.” Daniel glided out of Neumann’s Diner at 1:15. “Life is a beautiful thing.”

The afternoon breeze was fresh and cool.

“As long as I…”

“Hey Daniel!”

Daniel turned and frowned as Joaquin neared him. “It’s you,” he sighed. “I half-expected you to scrounge bail for your friend Joseph.”

Joaquin popped his neck. “Jason didn’t kill Amanda.”

“He didn’t?” Daniel snickered. “Then who?”

“You Daniel,” Joaquin accused. “You glowed when Mrs. Calloway named you as Amanda’s replacement.” Joaquin drilled in a finger in Daniel’s shoulder. “A career move is a damn good motive.”

Daniel’s lip quivered. “This is ---

“Are you going to eulogize Amanda?” A mirthless laugh erupted from Joaquin’s mouth. “Are you gonna piss on her grave when no one’s looking?”

“I…. I don’t have to listen this.” Daniel brushed passed Joaquin.

“The police said there was no forced entry,” Joaquin wailed as the sky greyed. “Does your alibi check out?”

Heads turned and people murmured.

“It had to be someone she knew,” Joaquin continued, unconcerned at the passersby enveloped in the drama. “Her landlady saw a guy leave her place at 7:30. It was you, wasn’t it?”

Daniel’s shoulders tensed. “Lies.” He charged towards his accuser. “I didn’t kill her.” He flinched when a streak of lightning blazed the sky.

“Even God doesn’t believe you.” Joaquin inched closer to Daniel. “You wanted the online recruitment job from the jump. Must have ate you up when Amanda got it.”

“Listen I ---”

The horn of a metallic brown BMW X3 honked with Mrs. Calloway in the driver’s seat.

“Look at her.” Daniel noticed flowers piled in her backseat. “She bought them from Floralmania for the interview.”

“A change of subject won’t help.”

Thunder rumbled.

“The police checked my alibi,” Daniel admitted.

Drops of rain landed on the ground at an uneven pace.

“Good.” Joaquin searched Daniel’s face. “There’s something else you’re not telling me.”

They neared Daniel’s Taurus.

“What is it?” Joaquin pressed.

“Amanda’s office phone rang on Wednesday.” Guilt surged inside Daniel. “She was at class and her door was open.” His mouth dried. “I…I answered it.”

“Who called?” Joaquin made a sweeping motion with his hand.

“The voice was weird, like a computer,” Daniel said.

Excitement flowed through Joaquin’s veins as he recalled Amanda’s eerie diary entry. “What did they say?

“The caller said ‘you’re gonna die Thursday.” Daniel’s keys jangled in his hands. “I --- I thought it was a prank.”

“The number?” Joaquin asked.

“It was an out-of-state number.” Daniel recalled the area code. “From Kansas.”

Joaquin patted Daniel’s shoulder. “I’m sure the sheriff wants to hear this.”

“I’m sure you want to follow me to the station,” Daniel sneered.

“Nah, the front door is okay. Besides I have to pick up some pizzas from Marintinos and empanadas from Estrella’s.”

“Food?” Daniel frowned.

Water landed on Joaquin’s raised cheeks. “Consider it a part of my civic duty.”

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.