Blind Trust Read Online Free PDF Page B

up?”
    â€œI heard about Kate’s run-in with the law.”
    â€œWhy am I not surprised?”
    Lucetta stopped to examine a rack of blouses outside a dress shop.
    Phone pressed to his ear, Tom stepped to the edge of the sidewalk as if the call required his full attention.
    â€œYeah, I guess the Franklin sisters figured I should know what kind of woman my brother’s been seen fraternizing with,” Tess teased.
    He groaned. “I trust you set them straight.” To the old spinsters, Tom and Kate sitting together in church a few Sundays in a row no doubt meant they were practically engaged.
    She laughed. “About the fraternizing? Or Kate’s trustworthiness?”
    â€œTess, I don’t have time for this. Is there a point to your call?”
    A beat-up pickup pulled to the curb, blocking his view of Lucetta.
    â€œYes. After the Franklin sisters left, I did an inventory of the bills in my cash register and found a phony ten-dollar bill.”
    Tom pulled a notebook and pen from his pocket as he maneuvered to get a view of Lucetta. “Any idea which customer paid with it?”
    â€œYes, sort of. He didn’t pay exactly. A teenage boy, Pedro,brought in his aunt’s antique tea set. He said she was interested in selling it and wanted to know what I’d pay.”
    â€œWeren’t you suspicious that the set might be stolen?”
    â€œSure. He gave me her number to confirm. Which”—she continued before Tom could point out that the boy could have given her an accomplice’s phone number—“I did a reverse look up on, on the pretense of looking up the item on the computer in my office. The number belonged to her landlady, who also happens to be a friend of mine. She confirmed Pedro’s story, so I made him an offer.”
    â€œYou paid him . So how’d you wind up with phony cash?”
    â€œI didn’t have the exact amount. I gave him three twenties, and he gave me a ten-dollar bill as change.”
    â€œHow can you be sure that the bill in your register came from the kid?”
    â€œThat was the only cash transaction I’d done in the last couple of days, and the bill was on top of the pile.”
    Lucetta climbed into the pickup.
    Tom quickly jotted down the license plate number, then, phone still to his ear, jogged the block back toward his car. “I don’t suppose you happened to catch the boy’s last name?”
    â€œNo, but his aunt’s name is Lucetta.”
    Tom came to an abrupt halt.
    â€œI remember her name because it’s so pretty. Don’t you think?”
    Tom squinted at the pickup pulling away from the curb and the teen behind the wheel. “Was the kid Latino?”
    â€œI assumed Mexican, but yeah, from somewhere in South or Central America would be my guess.”
    â€œAnd this happened today?”
    â€œYesterday afternoon.”
    Tom unlocked his car and tossed his notepad onto the passenger seat. “Thanks, Tess, you’ve been a big help.” A note flapped against his windshield, anchored under his wiper.
    He snatched it up and slid behind the wheel. He skimmed the words:
    Are you reading your Bible? “The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy; he is put under oath and dare not testify.” You can’t protect her forever.
    Tom’s gaze shot to the street, the sidewalks, store windows. No one appeared to be watching him. The pickup had disappeared. Tom headed straight for Kate’s, his mind racing. What did this guy want? Did he intend to hurt her? Tom caught sight of the pickup turning the opposite direction. Forget it. There’d be time enough to follow up on Verna’s housekeeper and her supposed nephew later.
    Five minutes later, he rapped on Kate’s door.
    She didn’t answer.
    But her car was in the driveway. She couldn’t be far. With the way rumors were flying, maybe she didn’t want to face anyone. Or maybe she was working out