Lemon Tart Read Online Free PDF Page B

look.
    “What?” he said, standing to look out the window over the
sink.
    “Oh, Carrie just drove by. She started a new job last week so
I’m a little surprised to see her home.”
    “You said she went to the gym.” He watched her face closely.
“Not work.”
    “Yes, the job is from 9:30 to 4:00 so she goes to the gym
first, then goes straight to the office. Maybe the job was only a week
long—she works for a temp agency, filling in at different
places.” She would have sworn that Carrie told her it was a
three-week assignment. But then again she didn’t know the specifics
of her sister-in-law’s life the way she once had. When Jack
left, things had changed between them. They were still friends, but it was
awkward and they both seemed to be waiting for Jack to come home and put things
back the way they used to be.
    “You didn’t see anything unusual this morning?”
Detective Madsen asked, interrupting Sadie’s thoughts. She looked at
him again and went back to putting the jars into the canner.
    “Other than the two police cars in two minutes, no,” she said
with a shake of her head. “Detective Cunningham, would you mind lowering this
rack of bottles into the canner?”
    Detective Cunningham nodded, wiping his hands on his apron as
she moved out of his way. He held the rack nice and level as he slowly lowered
it into the pan.
    Sadie smiled at his precision. “You’re welcome in my kitchen
anytime,” she complimented him when he finished and put the lid on the huge
pan.
    He chuckled silently and she hoped she wasn’t giving him the
wrong idea—she was dating Ron after all—but
neither did she want to appear ungracious about his help.
    “You didn’t see anything else out of place?” Madsen asked
again.
    Sadie set the digital timer stuck to the fridge and pushed the
start button. “Jack and Carrie’s tree blocks my view, so all I get to look at
are the empty lots across the circle from me and nothing happens over there.”
She attempted a smile at her joke but it went unnoticed by both men.
    Detective Cunningham finished filling his last jar, and she
wiped the rims and put on the lids and rings. He didn’t sit down, but simply
moved aside and leaned against the counter.
    “And you were here, inside, at the window all morning?”
Detective Madsen pressed.
    “Yes,” Sadie said, her annoyance rising. “All morning.”
    “Making applesauce?” the disbelief in his voice was obvious and
she couldn’t understand why it was so hard for him to believe her. The evidence
was right in front of him.
    Sadie opened her mouth to tell him so, but Detective Cunningham
didn’t give her a chance, reentering the game after his self-imposed
time-out.
    “And there is no other access to the
cul-de-sac?” Detective Cunningham asked. It may have been
Sadie’s imagination but she felt sure his tone was softened on purpose in order
to make Detective Madsen’s seem even harder. He still had on the apron, and his
crossed arms covered everything but “give her chocolate!”
    “Our little cul-de-sac was considered the
outskirts of town when it was built more than twenty-five years ago, and
despite recent developments, we’re still surrounded by fields. It’s certainly
not convenient to get in from that direction, but there is an old farm road
that provides access to the barbed wire fence that runs a few yards past the
property line behind Anne’s house and Mr. Henry’s. The neighbor kids ride their
bikes and build forts in the trees on the south side.” Her own kids had loved
playing in the field when they were young. Then she remembered that Anne had
died there. She swallowed. She’d never feel the same about that field.
    Detective Madsen spoke again. “And did you have reason to go to
Ms. Lemmon’s home this morning?”
    “No,” Sadie said. She finished preparing the remaining jars and
set them aside so they could wait their turn for the water bath. She took off
her apron and indicated for Detective