Dead in the Water (Kate Ryan Mysteries Book 10) Read Online Free PDF Page A

let you.”
    I looked at Hannah. “Can my girl Friday take notes?”
    “Yeah, go ahead. The autopsy report is in there, as well. I have an appointment with the mayor’s office. Leave it on my desk when you’re done.”
    I let out a barking laugh. “You? The mayor? Why?”
    “Shut up. Some bigwig is coming to town.” He walked around his desk, offering his hand to Hannah. “Hannah, it was a pleasure seeing you. Next time, leave this lug at the office.”
    “It was good to see you, too, Mike. Oh, and I’ll be calling you. I’ll need your address. Someone is getting married.” She wiggled her eyebrows and motioned to me.
    Mike seemed stunned when he looked at me. “Are you kidding?”
    “I don’t think so,” I said seriously. I looked at Hannah. “Am I?”
    “Well, I’ll be…” he said, shaking his head.
    I stood when he walked over to me, pulling me into another monstrous hug. “Your dad would be so proud of you,” he whispered.
    “Thanks, Mike,” I said and hugged him back.
    He pulled back and sniffed. “Well, you two go ahead and take notes, but that’s all. I’d better see that file on my desk when I get back.” He grinned and shook his head. “Kate Ryan getting married. Who would’ve thought it…?”
    “Certainly not me,” I called after him. I glanced at Hannah, who was already taking notes.
    “Why don’t you read this again, Kate, then tell me what’s important?”
    “This will take a while.”
    I opened the autopsy report and settled down for a nice morbid read.

Chapter 3

    After what seemed like a lifetime in Mike’s office, I was ready for lunch, and besides, Hannah’s expensive fountain pen was running out of ink. And she was having much too much fun taking pictures of the autopsy photos with the smallest camera I’d ever seen. And I’d seen many cameras. I wondered where she got that and how much it cost, if she put it on the company dime, or if she ever used the company dime. Knowing Hannah, she had plenty of her own dimes. But it was a good idea. This way, Maggie might be able to help.
    So we made our way down the block to Matt’s Café. I chuckled quietly when I saw Matt standing by the hostess desk examining the reservation book—he looked bored.
    “Got a reservation for me?” I asked.
    Matt’s head shot up, sporting that goofy grin. I swear, he still looked like a blond version of a young Jack Lemmon. He let out a screech that had me wincing as he ran around the desk with open arms. “Kate! And, Hannah! To what do I owe this wonderful pleasure?”
    “A friend of yours. Phil Bledsoe,” I said.
    “Really? Oh, that’s right.”
    I saw the morbid gleam in his eye before he led us to a table by the bar—smart man. He pulled out a chair for Hannah but left me standing there like a dummy.
    “Thank you,” I said dryly as I pulled out my chair.
    Hannah and he had a good laugh. “So tell me…no, wait. Something from the bar first,” he said. “I’ll join you.”
    “Well, it is a little early,” Hannah said, glancing at the bar. “Don’t look at me like that, Kate.”
    “It’s never too early, Hannah, my darling,” Matt said, kissing the back of her hand. He looked up. “How about a Tom Collins?”
    “Perfect, Matt. Thank you.”
    He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. “And a Guinness?”
    “Please and thank you.”
    “You got it. Be right back. Do not talk without me,” he said and hurried to the bar.
    “The place is always full.” I looked around, then realized it was later than I thought.
    “Well, it is lunchtime,” Hannah said, pulling out her notebook. “But we have so much to discuss.”
    “Here we go,” Matt said, placing Hannah’s drink in front of her. “I think the umbrella is the icing on the cake, as it were.”
    “That and the orange slice and cherry. Yum,” Hannah said.
    “Oh, here,” Matt said; he set my pint of Guinness on the table.
    “Thanks,” I said dryly.
    Matt laughed and pulled up a chair. “You know I love to