Honeymoon With Murder Read Online Free PDF

stormed. His blunt head swung toward Billy, and the lights from the patrol car glittered on his wire-frame glasses. “Goddammit, stop standing there! Let’s organize. We’ve got to find Ingrid.”
    Billy flushed. “Who’re you?”
    “Duane Webb. Cabin Four. If it matters a goddam. C’mon. You’ve got a flash in your patrol car.” Webb glanced toward Max. “You’ve got a flash. I’ll grab one from my place. That gives us three. We’ll split up.”
    “Women see quite as well as men in the dark,” an acidulous voice announced.
    “All right, Adele, you lead the women. Check down by the shore and the piers. You”—the commanding finger jabbed again at Max—“you go south. I’ll—”
    Billy yelled, “Wait a minute, mister! This is a murder investigation. You people are going to trample everything—”
    “Cop, you go cuddle the goddam body. Jesse wasn’t worth shit alive, and he’s not worth that much dead. We’re looking for a woman who’s probably being held hostage right this minute by a killer. You worried about warm flesh or cold?”
    Billy struggled to look as though he were in charge. Drawing himself up to his full six foot three, he said bullishly, “You people stay clear of this cabin. I’m going to radio to the mainland for help.”
    A motorboat roared to a stop at the far end of one of the piers. Everyone swung round to look toward a man in navy blue warmups who swarmed up a ladder, then jogged up to join them.
    As he came into the light from the patrol car, Annie waved hello and saw total surprise in his eyes. Which was understandable. The last time they’d exchanged glances was at the reception, when he’d lifted a glass of champagne in toast to her and Max as they danced by They knew him only casually, but they’d invited all the harbor merchants and their employees to the wedding. He worked for Betsy Raines at the Piping Plover Gallery, one of the shops that faced on the plaza side. Alan. That was it. Alan Nichols. The newcomer looked past Annie at the young patrolman. “What’s going on? A boat out? I saw the lights from across the inlet. My cabin’s over there. Can I help?”
    Clearly, Billy Cameron wished the earth would swallow up at least a half dozen of these interfering bystanders. Before the policeman could explain what little he knew, Duane Webb accepted the offer. “Ingrid’s missing, Alan. We’re going to search. Be glad of your help.”
    “Sure thing. Do anything I can.”
    Billy said sharply, “Stay clear of this cabin,” and started for the squad car.
    He was intercepted by a plump little woman wearing a turban and a housecoat with cardinals fluttering among thumb-thick green vines. “Officer, Officer, is there a dangerous maniac running loose? Who’s been killed? What’s happened? I told Ingrid there was a black cloud. I could see it drooping above her head. It was so real I could almost reach out and touch it.” Her voice rose into a keen. “Black. Black. The color of death.”
    “Ophelia, shut your goddam mouth,” Webb snarled. “You’re a bore and an idiot, and we don’t need any of your witless maunderings. All right, let’s get started, everybody.” He wheeled around and headed for Ingrid’s cabin.
    “Mister. Hey, mister, you stay the hell out of that cabin!” Billy’s face was red now with frustration.
    Webb stumped toward Ingrid’s carport, shouting over his shoulder. “Coing to look in the damn car, then search the goddam premises. Which should have been done immediately.”
    The young policeman started after him, then whirled and ducked back into the squad car, leaning in to grab up his microphone.
    Annie felt a quiver of dread. The microphone. Calling for help from the mainland. Oh, my God. Hurriedly, she poked her head in the squad car’s open back window. “Billy, don’t worry. I’ll stand guard over the body.”
    He flashed her a grateful glance, then, as static crackled, turned back to his microphone.
    Max was staring at her