Major Crimes Read Online Free PDF Page A

attention back to the one thing that would help distract me—Archie’s murder.
    I reorganized my list of suspects into three categories: those with motive, those with access, and those least likely to have murdered Archie. Those with motive were Archie’s ex-wife Martha, Coral Beach’s administrator Vin, Bonnie’s assistant Dira, and Tina, the disgruntled employee. Not that someone should have a motive for just not liking the guy, but I had to start somewhere. Those with access were Bryce, Archie’s wife Pamela, and Archie’s teenage daughter, so far.
    My list of those least likely to have murdered Archie was enormous. Everyone who went to the retirement party was on it—Bonnie, my parents, other employees, friends of Archie, relatives, and at least fifty law enforcement officers. I decided not to focus on that list. Too many people and not worth my efforts to research them all. Not to mention I was short on time. Bryce couldn’t stay hidden for long, and I had to remove myself from the investigation in less than a week when my daughter returned.
    Bryce needed to give me a suspect list. I wanted to know who left the party and traveled with the guys to Savoy’s. I anticipated interviewing the bartenders to find out if they saw anything or anyone strange. I started a list of things to accomplish. Talking Bryce into seeking help from an expert was one of them. Freddy would help. Speaking to my mother about what she knew and learning more about Tina were also top priorities. Archie’s new employer needed to be checked out as well. Could there have been someone else who wanted that job? Someone who would’ve killed to get it?
    By ten o’clock, my eyelids drooped and my pillow beckoned me to rest. I fell asleep thinking about the big day ahead of me. I planned on rising early to get a good head start. I tried to stop my mind from thinking about Bryce’s good looks, great body, and sexy dimples, but I didn’t have a lot of luck with that.
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter 4
     
    Bryce
     
     
    The sun’s rays through the blinds seared through my eyelids. After a moment of delirium, I remembered I had fallen asleep on the couch at Chelsey’s house. Sitting up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and wondered if Chelsey was awake. My Movado said it was eight in the morning. Snickers stared at me like I was lunch.
    “What’s the matter, boy? Chelsey didn’t feed you?”
    Snickers tilted his head and wagged his tail. With Snickers on my heels, I dragged myself into the kitchen and found he hadn’t eaten his food.
    “Here’s your food, boy.”
    Snickers tilted his head again. I found where Chelsey kept the K-Cups and rummaged through them for one that wasn’t flavored. No luck. I popped a French vanilla into the Keurig and waited for magic to happen in my mug. It didn’t smell all that bad. A little caffeine running through my veins was an immediate need.
    Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed the ring. The first thing I did when I gained access to Chelsey’s house the previous day was put it into a plastic bag. Contaminating it further wasn’t in my best interest. I wondered how I could get it tested for DNA. Most of the residue would probably be Archie’s blood. DNA tests were expensive and I didn’t have the luxury of using the government’s dime to pay for it.
    The ring was unusual. It wasn’t a wedding ring. White gold with five rubies protruding from it. Hand crafted. Maybe I didn’t need DNA testing. Maybe a local jeweler would know more about it and lead me to its owner. If it wasn’t made in the area, an interrogation of local jewelers would prove futile. If I was working on a normal case, I could’ve posted the ring on social media to see if anyone recognized it. But in my situation, that wasn’t going to happen.
    I thought long and hard about who could’ve killed Archie. Three guys had accompanied Archie and me to Savoy’s. Two were trustworthy. The third I didn’t know. A friend of Archie’s