Cropped to Death (Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Michael.
    “Jasper, collect it and then tag the evidence.” Roget removed his handcuffs from his belt.
    Was Marilyn going to jail? Was I? Were we?
    Marilyn glared at me. Blame clear in her eyes. If I had only thrown out the trash last night when I closed up, the police wouldn’t have this evidence against her.
    FIVE

       
    Whispers floated around me as I followed Jasper into the police station. Bobbi-Annie, the receptionist and our local town tattler, picked up the phone receiver and punched in a number.
    I hoped she wasn’t doing me the favor of calling my grandmothers to inform them of my whereabouts.
    Jasper opened up the door to a small room with no windows. “You can wait in here, Faith.”
    I rubbed my hands up and down my arms. “Why? What’s going to happen?”
    “I don’t know. It all depends on Detective Roget.”
    The words sounded ominous. I stepped inside and fought back the tears. Hurrying over to a metal chair, I sat down and tried thinking about something pleasant to stop from crying. I hated showing weakness. Unfortunately, the only thought creeping into my mind was I wished Marilyn hadn’t handed me the cut-up photos.
    And that I had thrown out the garbage last night.
    The door opened and Marilyn walked inside. Tear tracks stained her face.
    Roget narrowed his gaze at me. “Why is she in here? I want them separated.”
    “Clay Webber is in the other room. Drunk and disorderly,” Jasper said.
    While Clay wasn’t a violent man, he made inappropriate offers to every woman in town. He held the town status of “whipping post” after getting punched at least once by every husband, son, and brother in Eden. Of course that hadn’t stopped his comments.
    Except for Hilda Pancake, Karen’s grandmother. He steered clear after she broke his arm and nearly his skull with a baseball bat. No charges were brought because Clay swore he was too drunk to remember who hit him. More like too ashamed to admit an old woman gave him a beat down.
    Leaving the door open, Roget nodded and motioned for Jasper to step closer for a private talk.  Marilyn dropped into the chair beside me and shot me a glare that could’ve melted a glacier. At Christmas time, I’d probably be moved from the handmade card list to the picked-up-at-the-after-Christmas-sale card list.
    I inched away. “Do you know what’s going on?”
    Marilyn slashed her arms through the air. “Are you that dense, Faith? You really can’t figure out what’s happening? They brought us here because we’re suspects.”
    “But I didn’t do anything.” The words shook from my throat.
    “Oh, and I did.” 
    Heat blazed across my cheeks. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
    Marilyn covered her face, hunched over, and sobbed. I froze in my seat at her reaction. From livid to despair in two seconds. Things were going to get much worse for us.
    Now I wanted my grandmas. 
    Jasper stepped into the room and handed me a box of tissues. “Listen, Roget is using the break room to talk to two prosecutors right now, so you both have to stay in here. He wants no talking between you two. Got it?”
    I nodded while Marilyn continued sobbing.
    “I’ll be standing right outside.” Jasper took one step outside the small room. “The door will remain open. I mean no talking. Not one word to pass between you ladies. To make it easier, don’t even look at each other.”
    Did Jasper really expect me to just sit here and ignore the fact my friend wept? I squirmed and crossed my arms. I wanted to reach out and hug Marilyn but was afraid that would make the situation worse for us.
    Marilyn raised her head and I handed her some tissues. Anguish and anger sparkled in her eyes. She scrubbed her cheeks. “They’re going to arrest me for Michael’s murder.”
    Her matter-of-fact tone slugged me in the gut. “No they won’t,” I whispered.
    “I’m the wife,” she said. “I was there. They have those photos.”
    “There’s always the girlfriend.”
    Marilyn