Speak No Evil Read Online Free PDF Page B

Her friend Kayla convinced her to get the restraining order.”
    “Did you threaten her?”
    “No.”
    “Then why was she scared of you?”
    Steve clenched his fists. “She wasn’t scared of
me,
she was scared of what I
said.
She just took it out on me.”
    “What did you say that scared her?”
    He paused, looked at his hands, which were clasped tightly in front of him. “It sounds bad, but I wanted her to see that her actions have consequences.”
    “What did you say?” Carina repeated.
    His face reddened as he stared at Carina. Anger? Guilt? Fear? His voice was low. “I told her if she didn’t watch herself she’d end up dead.”

FOUR
    T HE S AND S HACK was across the highway from the beach. A cross between a Hawaiian luau and surfer haven, the outside eating area was larger than the indoor, and there were racks for surfboards, towels, and backpacks. Several people were eating monster-size hamburgers wearing nothing but bathing suits and flip-flops. A half-dozen Web hookups along one wall allowed patrons to surf the Internet after surfing the waves.
    When Carina was in college, the Sand Shack had been called Big John’s and was one of the last fifties-style soda shops, less casual, but still a hangout for students. She’d have loved a place like the Shack, though she missed the old-fashioned soda fountain and jukebox that only played fifties and sixties bubble-gum rock.
    She and Will approached one of the waitstaff, who wore a “uniform” of jeans and red T-shirt with “The Sand Shack” in white across the back. “We need to speak to the owner or manager.”
    “Sure.” He scurried off.
    Moments later a man approached. “I’m the manager. Kyle Burns. Can I help you?”
    Burns was in his mid-to-late twenties with short sandy brown hair, inquisitive blue eyes, and the body of a weight lifter.
    They identified themselves and Will said, “Do you have an office or somewhere private we can talk?”
    He frowned, opened his mouth, then closed it and led the way to the back of the restaurant. A small alcove off the large, spotless stainless-steel kitchen served as an office.
    Burns glanced at his watch and Carina asked, “Are we keeping you?”
    “No, it’s okay. I have a class at three. I just came in for the lunchtime rush because my assistant manager didn’t show up.”
    He pulled a sliding pocket door from the jamb and closed them into the office, then sat on the corner of the organized desk. It was a tight fit for the three of them, and Will leaned in a deceptively casual stance against the narrow wall.
    “What can I help you with?” Burns asked.
    “When was the last time you saw Angela Vance?” Will asked.
    Burns looked from Will to Carina and back to Will. “She’s my assistant who didn’t show up. Did something happen? Is she okay?”
    “Did you see her this weekend?”
    Burns’s jaw tightened, as if he didn’t like that Will hadn’t answered his questions. “She worked Friday night and I haven’t seen her since.”
    “Do you have her schedule handy?”
    The manager reached over to a swinging file system on the corner of the desk and pulled a folder from near the back. “Here.”
    Will looked through it while Carina asked, “Do you know if Angie was dating someone? Who her close friends were? If anyone has been giving her problems here at work?”
    “She’s been seeing this guy Doug Masterson. I told her to watch out for him after I had to kick him out for trying to sell drugs on the premises. I told her he wasn’t welcome, and if I found out she let him come in when I was off, I’d fire her. I didn’t want to, but this is a clean place. I want to keep it that way.” He paused and asked in a voice tinged with worry, “What happened? You wouldn’t be here unless something happened to Angie.”
    Carina answered. “Angie’s body was found on the beach early this morning.”
    “Her body? You mean she’s dead?”
    Burns seemed genuinely surprised and hurt by the news. But,