Beyond Suspicion Read Online Free PDF

the floor as he walked out. Detective Grimes righted it without a word.
    The interrogation room door opened. A police officer in uniform handed Detective Grimes a sheet of paper. His head jerked as he examined it. “Thanks,” he said. The officer left.
    Her heart thudded. They found him. It was bad news. “Have they found him? Is Josh okay?” Her voice squeaked and she cleared her throat.
    Detective Grimes put the paper on the table and swung it around so she could see it. He leaned in. Shelby braced for the bad news by gripping her knees under the table.
    â€œThis is a copy of your recent text messages.” He tapped the paper with the blunt nail of his index finger. “You had a fight with your stepdad because he was making you miss a party. You tell this Valerie how you hate him and can’t stand babysitting your little brother. You said Roger would be sorry he did this to you. You storm out of the house with the baby and an hour later he conveniently gets kidnapped.” Detective Grimes slammed his fist on the table.
    Shelby jumped.
    â€œWhere did you dump his body?”
    Body? Her stomach heaved. Shelby covered her mouth with both hands. Grimes grabbed a small plastic trash bin and shoved it at her. She grasped it around the middle and heaved. It was disgusting, the smell made it worse, and all the time she could hear his voice repeating over and over the same words.
    â€œConfess, Shelby, tell us everything. You’ll feel better.”
    Shelby struggled clumsily out of her chair. “Bathroom,” she managed to get out as she heaved into the bin again. Grimes threw the door open. Across the hall in another interview room, she saw Detective Rutherford—and her mom, face contorted into a startled expression. Detective Rutherford shot to his feet, but her mother moved faster.
    â€œMom…”
    Her mom helped Shelby to the bathroom where she took the trash bin from her. Shelby darted into a stall and dropped on her knees in front of the toilet. Her mother gently took her glasses. The strong smell of disinfectant made the heaving worse.
    Body. They think she murdered Josh. Tears flowed as she threw up again. She could hear her mother pull paper towels from the dispenser and wet them under the cold water tap. Shelby raised her head, crying freely, as her mother handed her the dampened towels. She wiped her mouth, flushed the toilet, and got to her feet. Her mother held the stall door.
    After rinsing her mouth at the sink, she grabbed a couple of towels. The sudden movement made her sway. She grabbed the counter to steady herself.
    â€œSit, Shelby, on the cool floor and lean against the wall.”
    Shelby did as she was told. Her head kept pounding and her sinuses ached. She used the towels to blow her nose. Her mother took them, tossed them, then went to the sink and wet a clean one. She came back and placed the folded towel across her forehead. Shelby placed one hand over it while her mother crouched in front of her.
    â€œJoshie’s gone, Mom, we have to find him.”
    â€œWe will,” her mother said. She was crying too. “This is too much for you. We’ll go home soon.”
    â€œThey think I killed him,” Shelby said, crying harder. “When he asked me where I dumped his body it made me hurl. How could he say that?” Shelby snatched the paper towel from her forehead. “He kept telling me to confess!”
    Melissa Butler’s hands gripped both sides of Shelby’s face. “Shelby, tell me what happened.” Her mother’s desperate, questioning eyes raked across Shelby’s face. They showed fear and even worse—doubt.
    â€œI didn’t hurt him, Mom! I didn’t!” Feeling the panic engulf her at the thought her mother might think the same thing made Shelby desperate. “Maybe it was the people in the van. Or the joggers at the park.” Shelby grasped her mother’s hands. “Valerie told them I