Deadly Dye and a Soy Chai: a Danger Cove Hair Salon Mystery (Danger Cove Mysteries Book 5) Read Online Free PDF Page A

about my uncle's murder. "Can you tell me about it?"
    "Vinnie's former receptionist said they often got strange calls from clients."
    "Strange how?"
    "That part's privileged." He slowed the car to a stop in front of the salon.
    "I understand." I opened the car door. "You know, I really appreciate your work on the case. I didn't really know my Uncle Vinnie, but his death has really taken a toll on me and my whole family. And honestly, if it's not solved soon, I'm not sure what will become of the salon. Or of me, for that matter."
    He turned to face me. "If you don't mind my asking, Miss Conti, why would you want to live and operate a business on the site where your uncle was murdered?"
    Detective Ohlsen wasn't the first person to ask me that question. I took a deep breath and decided to tell him the truth. After all, he was a cop. "I kind of made a mess of my life back home. And just when I was thinking that I needed a do-over, I inherited a home and a business in another state. All things considered, I figured it was a pretty sweet deal for a twenty-six-year-old."
    "I imagine so." He nodded. "Good day, Miss Conti."
    "Bye, Detective. And thanks for the ride." I stepped out of the car and walked up the sidewalk to the old Victorian building, wondering for around the hundredth time whether it really was such a sweet deal.
    There was no direct entrance to my house upstairs, so I decided to enter through the front door of the salon and see whether Lucy needed help closing up shop. As I pulled open the door, I glanced at the time on my phone. It was almost five o'clock, which meant that I had the evening to study for my quiz. And I was going to need every minute of it.
    I shoved my phone back into my bag and looked around the salon. There was no sign of Lucy, but Margaret was still dozing beneath the dryer. Apparently, the caffeine in the soy chai latte hadn't been enough to keep her from that date with her afternoon nap.
    "Date" turned out to be a poor choice of words because I got an instant visual of Margaret and Uncle Vinnie locked in a passionate embrace. I shook my head to dispel the icky image and grabbed the mail from the reception desk as a distraction. But the stack of bills was an equally sickening sight.
    I tossed the mail back onto the desk and headed to the break room. Like it or not, it was time to hit the books. But before I could do that, I had to find Lucy. She needed to wake up Margaret before the dye dried out her hair.
    "Lucy?" I peered into the room.
    But she wasn't there. Nor was she on the back porch or in the bathroom adjoining the break room.
    I was starting to get concerned. Lucy wouldn't leave during the middle of an appointment, especially not when she was the only stylist in the salon.
    "First things first," I muttered as I walked out to the dryers. "Time to rinse your hair, Ms. Appleby."
    As usual, she didn't budge.
    I bent over and reached out to shake her, but then my hand recoiled. And I blinked—hard.
    Because either my eyes were playing tricks on me, or Margaret Appleby had turned the exact same shade of blue as her hair.

CHAPTER THREE
     
    I let out a scream that would wake the dead. But it didn't wake Margaret Appleby.
    Lucy ran from the break room, holding her cell phone. "What is it? Are the statues back?"
    I gaped at her, astonished. How could she think that the statues would cause my bloodcurdling scream? But the truth was that if Tucker were to return Sadie and Pearl, I would scream blue murder—I mean, bloody murder. "Call 9-1-1! Margaret's unconscious."
    Lucy's finger trembled as she tapped the numbers on her phone.
    "Where were you? I looked everywhere."
    She put the phone to her ear, and her teeth began to chatter. "I-in the p-pine trees out back. Sven called, and we got into a fight. I-I didn't want Margaret to hear."
    I looked at Margaret's lifeless body and doubled over. The nausea was starting, and so was the dizziness. I was about to have a panic attack. But I couldn't let that