The Fluorine Murder Read Online Free PDF

for
Danielle."
    Peter put his head in his hands; Stan looked
up at the ceiling, an uncomprehending look on his face.
    "What about Danielle?" Teresa's voice was
high pitched, her tone worried.
    Carson closed his mouth, folding his lips
inward. "It was an accident."
    Teresa looked at the photo in front of her.
"You killed Danielle?"
    "I didn't mean to." Carson raised his voice
to match Teresa's. "She wanted to stop the project."
    Stan slumped over. For a minute I feared the
revelation had given him a heart attack. Peter reached over and
rubbed Stan's shoulder seeming to console him.
    "What project are you talking about?" Teresa
was nearly screaming now.
    "'Big Boy,'" Stan said. "We called it Big
Boy. Danielle was fine with it for a while, but she didn't want to
use the nursing home. She came down there to stop me. We fought and
I pushed her away." Carson's voice grew more and more shaky. "She
fell … and … I … she hit her head."
    "And you left her there?" Teresa had assumed
Matt's role of interrogator. I was sure that was fine with him.
    Carson threw up his hands. "I had to get out
of there. The fire was coming at me. I couldn't help her. I knew
she was dead."
    Stan and Peter, who'd remained silent through
Carson and Teresa's shouting match, now stood together and, as if
they'd planned it, lunged toward Carson with faces and arms ready
for battle.
    Matt jumped up, handcuffs at the ready.
    Carson continued to babble through the
four-man struggle. "The fire was blazing. I couldn't breathe. I
panicked." I might have felt sympathy for Carson, except for his
last words: "And I had to test the compound."
    I buried my head in my hands and resigned
myself to the fact of a scientist gone bad.
    ****
    A lot had happened between two Sunday
brunches at the Galiganis'.
    "It was all there in the emails," Matt told
us during the omelet course the following week. We listened
attentively as he recounted how Carson had talked Danielle into
helping with Big Boy, convincing her that it would be good for the
environment in the long run. He'd assured her that no one would be
hurt.
    I swallowed hard at the outcome: only
Danielle ended up being hurt.
    "It was a different kind of motive for arson.
We've got to give him that," Frank said. "Nothing ordinary, like
vandalism, or insurance scamming, or a guy getting his kicks from
seeing the flames."
    "Or someone making a political statement,
like a terrorist," Rose said.
    "In a way it was a statement," I said. "About
how researchers have to struggle for funding." I put my hand up in
a STOP gesture to stem any backlash, and to protect my right to a
cannoli. "Not that I'm excusing Carson or Danielle," I said. "Not a
bit." I looked at my husband. "I'm a big fan of law and order."
    "Wonderful news," Rose said. "Now let's plan
that anniversary party."
    "I won't stall anymore, I promise. But I have
just one favor to ask."
    "Anything, as long as we can set a date,"
Rose said.
    I smiled a thank you at my best friend. "No
candles, please.

    The End!

    About the author:
    Camille Minichino has published eight novels
in the Periodic Table Mystery series and four in the Miniature
Mystery series (writing as MARGARET GRACE). Her thirteenth novel,
"Monster in Miniature" is due in April 2010 from Berkley Prime
Crime.
    Camille received her Ph.D. in physics from
Fordham University, New York City. She has had a long career in
research, teaching, and writing. She is currently on the faculty of
Golden Gate University in San Francisco, and on the staff of
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Camille is on the boards of
the California Writers Club and NorCal Sisters in Crime, and a past
president and member of NorCal Mystery Writers of America.

    Visit me:
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http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com