Engaged in Murder (Perfect Proposals Mystery) Read Online Free PDF

“Anyway, I might be here a bit so go ahead and start without me.”
    Disappointed that I couldn’t talk to him live and in person during this scary time in my life, I pressed the Off button and glanced around. The shadows lengthened and I wondered how much longer it would be before the police got here.
    “Miss Pomeroy?”
    I heard Jeb calling my name and ran out of the bathroom. “I’m here.” I hurried forward toward the open hangar door.
    The hangar door was wide-open so he could see me from one hundred feet away. He hitched his gun belt on his narrow hips as he hurried toward me. “I thought I asked you to stay outside the hangar.”
    “I wanted to make sure the guy was still in the ladies’ room,” I said. “He is, by the way.”
    “All right,” he said. His wide shoulders and muscular biceps were reassuring. “Did you touch him?”
    “No,” I said and followed Jeb down the hallway. “I have to admit, I’m kind of worried that he may be more than passed out.”
    “What do you mean by ‘more than passed out’?” He stopped at the bathroom door and studied me with his intense brown gaze.
    “I don’t know.” I worried my bottom lip. “He may be dead.”
    “You’re telling me that you think the drunk in the ladies’ room is dead?”
    “Yes.”
    “Did you check for a pulse?” He pushed the door open and I followed him into the ladies’ room.
    “You told me not to touch him.”
    Jeb went straight to the third stall and looked inside. He muttered something dark under his breath and then turned on his heel. “You need to leave. This is a crime scene and I need to secure it.”
    I took off at the sound of his voice. He spooked me with his hand on his gun belt and his serious gaze. I was outside and beside old blue before I realized it.
    The sound of an approaching police car echoed through the wide-open hangar. I waved at the car, and the inhabitants cut their sirens. The sudden loss of noise was nearly as deafening as the sirens themselves. The police car lights flashed in a rhythm that was the opposite of the security vehicle’s, and the effect was rather like a disco ball.
    I rushed to the two officers as they exited the cars. “Hi, I’m Pepper Pomeroy. I called 911.”
    The driver of the car was about six feet tall and slender. “Officer O’Riley,” he said, his blue eyes solemn. “You called regarding a drunk in the ladies’ room?”
    “Yes, only I’m thinking he may be more than drunk.”
    Officer O’Riley narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean by ‘more than drunk’?”
    “I think he might be dead.” I winced. “I’m sorry. I would have called sooner if I’d thought he was dead dead and not simply a dead drunk.” Okay, so I babbled when I was scared. I shut my mouth and tried to slow my racing heart.
    “How do you know he’s dead?” the second officer asked.
    “This is my partner, Officer Vandall,” Officer O’Riley said.
    “Hi.” I waved then stuffed my hands in my pockets. “He didn’t move when I tried to wake him. I thought he was just passed out, but he smells kind of funky and he’s really stiff.”
    “Call in backup,” O’Riley ordered his partner. “Where is he?”
    “This way.” I pointed down the hall. “I discovered him in the third stall of the ladies’ room.” I led them down the beige-painted cinder block hall. The doors were painted beige to match the walls. The only way you knew it was a door was the silver-plated handle and the little black outline of a stick figure in a skirt.
    “Stay here.” Officer O’Riley held up his left hand to stop my progress. His right hand was on the butt of his gun.
    “Jeb Donaldson is in there,” I said. “He’s head of airport security.”
    “Did he find the body?”
    “No, I did,” I said. “I called him after I called 911.” I wrapped my hands around my waist, leaned against the wall, and watched. There was quite a commotion when the officers entered the restroom. After a moment of chaos,