Count to Ten Read Online Free PDF Page B

they once had been. “I thought all girls loved shopping.”
    Quickly Beth took over the task, fixing the tie tack and smoothing his tie with a practiced hand. The look he hated disappeared, replaced by a wicked grin that made her dark eyes sparkle. “I
love
shopping. I bet we could spend six hours in Marshall Field’s alone. Sweaters and jeans and skirts. And shoes! Just think of it.”
    Reed shuddered, the picture abundantly clear. “Now you’re just being mean.”
    She laughed. “Revenge for the fat comment. So you want to go shopping, Daddy?”
    He shuddered again. “Frankly, a root canal without novocaine seems less painful. Can Aunt Lauren take you?”
    “I’ll ask her.” Beth leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for the lunch money, Daddy. Gotta go.”
    Reed watched her dart away, the sloppy pup at her heels. The front door slammed as Beth headed out, the sheets on his bed still muddy from the dog she’d begged him to buy for her birthday. He knew if he wanted to sleep on clean sheets tonight, he’d best change them himself. But the smell of coffee tickled his nose. She’d remembered to flip the switch on the coffee machine, so he’d cut her slack on the puppy prints. Despite her sometimes volatile mood swings, she was a good kid.
    Reed would sell his soul to make sure she stayed that way. He glanced over at the picture on his nightstand. Christine serenely stared back as she had for eleven years. -Sitting on the edge of his bed, he picked up the picture and dusted the frame with the cuff of his shirt. Christine would have enjoyed Beth’s coming of age, the shopping trips, the “talk.” He doubted even the “look” would have fazed her. Once he would have damned the world that his wife hadn’t had the chance to find out. Today... he set the picture back on the nightstand so that it once again covered the dust-free strip of wood. After eleven years, the rage had become sad acceptance. What was, was. Shrugging into his suit coat, he shook himself. If he didn’t hit the road soon, traffic would make him late.
Coffee, Solliday, then get moving.
    He was pulling out of his garage when his cell phone rang. “Solliday.”
    “Lieutenant Solliday?” The voice was frantic. “This is Joseph Dougherty. I just got back from a charter fishing trip and my dad said you called.”
    Joe Junior at last. He put the car in park and pulled out his notepad. “Mr. Dougherty. I’m sorry to have to contact you this way.”
    There was a heavy sigh. “Then it’s true? My house is gone?”
    “I’m afraid it’s true. Mr. Dougherty, we found a body in the kitchen.”
    There was a beat of silence. “
What?
”
    Reed wished he could have spoken to the man in person, but his shock sounded sincere. “Yes, sir. The neighbors said you had somebody watching your house.”
    “Y-yes. Her name is Burnette. Caitlin Burnette. She’s supposed to be very responsible.” Panic had taken the man’s voice a little higher. “She’s dead?”
    Reed thought of the charred body and swallowed his sigh.
Yes, she’s very dead.
“We’re assuming the body we found was your house sitter, but we’ll have to investigate before we’re certain. We’d appreciate you leaving any notification of the family to us.”
    “Of...” He cleared his throat. “Of course.”
    “When will you be back in town, Mr. Dougherty?”
    “We weren’t supposed to come back until Friday, but we’ll try to get home today. When I know our flight times, I’ll call you back.”
    Reed tossed his phone to the passenger seat, only to have it ring again. Caller ID this time was the morgue. “Solliday.”
    “Reed, it’s Sam Barrington.” The new medical examiner. Barrington had taken over when the old ME went out on maternity leave. The old ME had been efficient, astute, and personable. Barrington... well, he was efficient and astute.
    “Hey, Sam. I’m on my way into the office. What do you have?”
    “Victim’s a woman, early twenties. Best I can