Splintered Bones Read Online Free PDF Page B

ten minutes."
    "They have to select jurors who haven't been exposed to the facts, or gossip, of the crime," I reminded Cece.
    "What planet do you live on?" she asked archly, tapping one perfectly manicured Orange Tango nail on the table. "The more publicity Lee gets, the better her chances. As long as it's the right kind of publicity. That's where you come in."
    I had my doubts. "I'll ask her," I agreed, because I knew that Cece was as stubborn as Lee when it came to getting a story.
    "What can I do?" Tinkie asked.
    Tinkie was my wedge into society, and I had very specific plans for her. "What do you know about foxhunting?" My riding lessons had been curtailed, but Tinkie, as had all the Daddy's Girls, had ridden for years. Although they seldom continued the sport after marriage, it was considered a social necessity to be able to sit a blooded horse and ride to the hounds.
    "I've been a few times." She shook her head. "It's a great sport, except for the fox. I don't think it can be much fun to be chased like that. Getting caught is murder."
    "I need to build a list of possible suspects." All three women lifted their eyebrows. "Surely someone in that hunt crowd would want Kemper dead."
    "What's that going to help?" Millie asked. "Lee's already confessed."
    I nodded agreement. "I know, but I want to have a backup plan. Reasonable doubt is what I'm aiming for. If we can get Lee's confession suppressed, and if she does come to her senses, I want to be able to present at least one other person who could have killed, might have killed, or likely did kill Kemper."
    "Good idea," Millie said. She sipped her coffee, but her eyes held mine over the rim of her cup. "Got anyone in mind?"
    "Should I?"
    "Sometimes anger can push someone right over the edge."
    "Meaning?" I pressed.
    She put the cup down in a saucer before she answered. "Working in a cafe, I hear a lot of things. Kids come in after school and talk. Teachers get together and get a little loud." She shrugged. "About a month ago, Kip got in some trouble at the high school. Vandalism. Lee had to put her in counseling and pay the damages."
    All of the women were watching me. "How much damage?"
    "I heard it from the school secretary. She said Kip and another girl got into it over something. The other girl had a knife and Kip went straight at her, disarmed her, and then slapped her around some. No one was really hurt, but they took Kip down to the office along with the other girl. Kip explained that she was attacked and was protecting herself, but the principal still punished her. It was after that that Kip lost it. She waited until after school and ransacked the library. Mostly she just made a big mess, by throwing books and knocking over shelves. There wasn't a lot of monetary damage."
    My gut had that knotted feeling again.
    "When I see her hanging out in town," Cece said, "she reminds me of one of the lost girls. You know, an active member of the vampire cult of kids."
    "She wears a lot of makeup for her age," I conceded.
    "I feel sorry for her," Millie said. "She sometimes comes in here late at night. She's always by herself." She shook her head. "Teenagers don't like to be alone."
    Tinkie drummed her nails on the table. "I've got an appointment with Oscar." She turned to me. "So you want me to investigate Lee's clients and associates."
    "Yes. People who've been to Swift Level. Check out the hunt crowd. You can do that better than I can." I looked at Millie. "If you could keep an ear open to the conversations floating around in here, that would be a big help."
    "You bet," she said. "Content and source--I'll make notes."
    "I'll see what I can dig up on Kemper's past. For the obituary, you know," Cece volunteered.
    For a brief moment I felt my hopes for Lee lift. She had the four ablest women in the state of
Mississippi
working on her behalf. And three of them were basically working for free.
    4
    There was one stop I had to make before I went back to Dahlia House. Zinnia National