Scared Stiff by Ryan Annelise

Author:Ryan, Annelise [Ryan, Annelise]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2010-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

Despite not going to bed until well after midnight, I’m wide awake at six A.M. Last night’s revelation is still at the forefront of my thoughts and I plan my day accordingly. At seven A.M. I make several quick phone calls: one to Bjorn to make sure he’s up, ready, and remembers who I am, one to Dairy Airs, one to my brother-in-law, Lucien, and one to Sally Hvam, the owner of the red convertible. I get lucky on the call to Lucien and reach his assistant, Caroline, instead.

“He headed for the courthouse a little bit ago,” Caroline tells me. “Erik Tolliver’s arraignment is later this morning.”

My call to Sally Hvam doesn’t go quite as smoothly.

“Who the hell is this?” she asks in a husky voice, clearly annoyed. There is an underlying grogginess that tells me I have most likely wakened her.

“My apologies if I woke you up,” I start. “But I’m—”

“Of course you woke me up,” she snaps. “What hours do you think bartenders keep anyway?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were a bartender.”

“Who the hell are you?”

I introduce myself, explaining that I’m a deputy coroner and that I’d like to ask her some questions about an acquaintance of hers.

“Coroner? Doesn’t that mean you investigate deaths?” she asks, sounding more alert now.

“It does. I’m looking into a murder.”

“Whose?”

“A woman here in Sorenson by the name of Shannon Tolliver. Do you know her?”

“Name doesn’t ring a bell but my bell’s like the Liberty these days. A bit cracked.” She chuckles at her own joke. “Was she the one I heard about who got shot around Halloween?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t help you. I suppose I might have served her at some point in my career. The bar I work is a busy place. But I don’t know the woman.”

“She’s not the one I want to ask you about. I’m checking background information on someone the victim was dating, a psychiatrist here in town by the name of Luke Nelson.” When I hear a quick inhalation of air on the other end of the phone, I know I’ve hit pay dirt.

“Oh, yeah, I know him all right. What’s the asshole gone and done now?”

“What do you mean? What has he done before?”

She lets out a deep throaty chuckle that makes me suspect she’s a smoker. “How much time do you have, honey?”

“As much as you need,” I tell her. “How about if I meet with you later this morning so we can talk?”

She hesitates, then says, “I can meet you in a couple of hours, if you want. But you’ll have to come here to Smithville.”

“That’s fine. Do you want to meet somewhere public or should I come to your house?”

She names a small café and gives me directions. After agreeing to meet there at twelve-thirty, I hang up and watch Izzy’s back door through my window, while sipping my coffee. As soon as I see Izzy emerge, I head out to greet him.

“Looking for a ride to the office?” he asks.

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