slender hands atop the file folders on her desk. âI was in the process of my routine morning check of the aisles.â A snapshot image of Dr. Dresdenâs lifeless body flashed in her mind. âAt first I thought it was a pile of clothing left behind by the cleaning crew last night. But obviously it wasnât.â She focused on Emily, took in her outfit.
Emily shifted her body weight. âWhat are the police saying?â
âThey say itâs an apparent accident. He must have gotten dizzy and fallen from the top of the ladder.â
Emily tilted her mop of red hair to the side. âYou donât sound as if you believe that.â
Feliciaâs lips pinched into a tight line of concentration. Sheâd spewed her theory to an allegedly experienced detective and heâd shot her down. There was certainly no point in sharing her suspicions and having them spread like influenza through the staff.
âI have no reason not to believe them. Do you?â
Emilyâs face flushed. Her long red lashes batted over her eyes so rapidly they could cool a room. âUh, no, of course not. I was just wondering.â Her smile flickered around the edges like a bulb ready to blow.
Felicia studied Emily for a moment. The red in the dress is too bold for her pale skin . âWell, Iâm sure the police are on top of it.â She pushed out a long breath.
Emily nodded. âIâd better get back to work.â She turned for the door.
âWeâre still working on Dr. Dresdenâs project, so please continue documenting the data.â
âOf course.â She slipped out as quietly as she crept in.
For several moments Felicia stared at the closed door. The events of her day marched across her line of vision like dutiful soldiers. She knew she was right about Dr. Dresden. She felt it way down in the pit of her stomach. And if that handsome asshole Mark Rizzo wasnât going to do anything about it, then she would.
Chapter Five
Mark sat behind his cluttered desk writing up his report on the death at the library. Cut and dry, he kept telling himself as he pecked his way through the report on the computer keys. Yet, even as he tried to convince himself of his belief, he couldnât help but wonder how much validity he could place in Felicia Swiftâs assertion that it was not an accident.
His thick fingers paused over the keys. Visions of Feliciaâs exquisite legs crisscrossed in front of him. âThey sure donât make librarians like they used to,â he muttered.
âSay something?â his desk partner asked.
Mark glanced up. Eddie McKnight had been on the detective squad sinceâwell, since the beginning of time. He was the oldest guy on the force and for some reason he was still collecting a salary instead of a pension. The bottom line was Eddie had a nose for digging out information that escaped everyone else. And losing him to a leisurely life of fishing and Medicare wasnât something that Captain âHardassâ was ready to deal with.
Mark leaned forward. His dark brows drew together as he rocked his jaw back and forth while he decided how silly what he was about to say was going to sound.
âGot a call this morning about a dead guy over at the library.â
Eddie bobbed his gray head. âYeah, heard something about that.â
âAnyhow, I figure itâs pretty open and shut, ya know. Old guy falls off a ladder and cracks his head, ya know.â
Eddie nodded. âBut that ainât all, I take it.â
Mark rocked his jaw again. âSee thereâs this broadâ¦a woman, a librarianââ
Eddie chuckled. âFigured there had to be a woman involved.â
Mark scowled. âItâs not like that.â
âNot yet, but go âhead.â
âAnyhow, seems she really knew this doctorâthe dead guyâand she swears it couldnât have been an accident.â He flipped open his notes.