Checking Inn Read Online Free PDF Page A

reaction to go anywhere near the door.  Detective Gable is the first to move and puts his body between Becky and the door opening.  He looks over his shoulder, taking in the situation in a few short seconds, before returning his attention to Becky’s face.
    “Becky,” he shakes her shoulders hard to get her attention.  “Becky!”
    She stops screaming and moves her eyes away from the door.
    “Becky, this is very important.  I need to know exactly what you touched.”
    I’m not sure Becky hears anything he says.  She just keeps staring at the bedroom door as her body shakes.
    I propel myself into motion and rush over to Becky, putting my arm around her.  I know it’s the detective’s job, but he obviously can’t see that Becky is in a state of shock.
    “Becky, come sit down,” I instruct, but the detective grabs my arm. 
    “No, no one can move.  This whole scene could be contaminated,” he looks around with a frown.
    “She’s going to pass out,” I say, taking in Becky’s stark white face and the weight of her body.  She is  getting heavier and heavier as she slumps against me. 
    “No one moves,” he orders and lifts his gaze to the other detective.  “We’re going to need a team.”
    At this point I feel like I may pass out.  But I also know what I have to do.  I have to look.  I have to know.
    I lift my gaze over the Detective’s shoulder and I think I might be sick.  There, on the bed, is Samantha Manning. 
    Her face is pale, her brown eyes open wide, her mouth slightly ajar as though she is attempting to scream but no sound is coming out.    She’s wearing the same red dress she wore to dinner last night and her hands are gripping the bed sheet.    I can see the vivid red color of her nail polish, a stark contrast to the crisp white duvet cover that her body is resting on.    Her throat– oh God, I can’t even talk about it.
    Just last night she was at dinner, and now…
    Now she’s dead.
    The dinner started out fine, and by fine I mean Samantha made jokes at my expense while I laughed nervously.
    I felt Vivienne squeeze my hand under the table and I really appreciated her support, especially because Greg was texting and not paying attention. 
    And all I can say is, thank God Mom wasn’t able to come last night because she would have leaned across that table and strangled Samantha herself.
    Okay, maybe a bad analogy.
    Mom could never understand why I didn’t stand up to Samantha in school, but I honestly didn’t think it was worth the effort.  The more you show them it bothers you, the more they will keep on doing it.
    Though, apparently with Samantha, that reasoning didn’t really work because she never did stop.  Last night being the shining example.
    “And then Kate had those terrible braces,” she smiled and looked at me sadly.  Like she felt sorry for me.  But you know what, no one would have noticed the braces if she didn’t point them out any chance she got.  “It must have been terrible for you getting all that food stuck in them all the time.”
    “Hmm,” I smiled, nodding my head.  Two nights.  That’s all I had to do: put up with Samantha for two nights.
    “And what’s that name everyone used to call her?” Samantha asked, looking to Tracy, who seemed mortified at the conversation.  I saw the argument on the tip of her tongue and I quickly intervened.
    “Brace face,” I offered, subtlety shaking my head at Tracy. 
    Two nights, how hard could two nights be?
    Samantha shrieked with laughter, her chest inching closer and closer to the edge of her dress with each movement.  It reminded me of a wave at high tide, coming and going just an inch closer every time.  Honestly, I didn’t know how she got those things in there.
    Her red dress was skin tight, and without a zipper in sight I’m at a loss for how she got it on.  Her shoes were at least four inches tall and her long blond hair seemed to constantly sway.
    I ran my sweaty