The Scum of All Fears: Squeaky Clean Mysteries, Book 5 Read Online Free PDF Page B

could breathe a little easier if that was the case, no matter how paranoid that might sound. I’d intended on watching the news this morning, but my pressing work schedule had won over the TV.
    I hit TALK. “Hey, Riley. What’s up?”
    He got right to the point, not mincing any words. “A woman has been snatched here in Norfolk.”
    Okay, that wasn’t the normal greeting I was expecting from Riley. “What?”
    “It’s on the news. A woman was snatched from her bedroom in Norfolk last night.”
    “That’s horrible, but why did you call to tell me that?” Riley wasn’t one to be random, so I knew he had a point. I had a feeling I knew what that point was, but I wanted to hear him say it, lest I sound paranoid.
    “It’s got Milton Jone s’ M.O. all over it, Gabby.”
    I leaned against the wall and lowered my voice so Clarice wouldn’t hear. “It’s ridiculous to think he’s in this area, Riley. Are the police sure the woman didn’t just disappear?”
    “He left a photo there.”
    My blood got a little colder. “What kind of photo?”
    “It was a snapshot of the woman taken at a Tides’ baseball game.” The Tides were our minor league here in Norfolk. “She had no idea it was taken. Her eyes had Xs over them.”
    I shivered. That was Milton Jone s’ signature calling card. I shoved aside my emotions for a moment. “How do you know the police in Norfolk found the photo? Are they actually saying it on the news?”
    “No, Detective Adams called me a few minutes ago. He knew I was prosecutor on the Milton Jones case, and he wanted to talk to me about some details.”
    My throat burned as I swallowed. “I see. It has to just be a terrible coincidence or a copycat. Jones can’t make it across the country without being caught, especially not in two days.” I was going to keep telling myself that, at least. It made sense to me.
    “You’d be surprised what that man can do. Promise me you’ll be careful? Keep your eyes open?”
    “Of course.” I was always careful and kept my eyes open. Even then, I’d almost been killed several times.
    “I love you, Gabby.”
    “I love you, too, Riley.” My hands still trembled as I put my phone away and slipped into my Hazmat suit.
    “Everything okay? You look like a ghost . . .” Clarice raised her arms and crossed her eyes again. “Or, should I say, a zombie?”
    “Yeah, everything’s fine.” I didn’t want to discuss this with Clarice, of all people. I nodded toward a room down the hall. “Let’s get scrubbing.”
    “Aren’t you going to spray the place with that chemical again?”
    I scoffed. “Why would I do that?”
    “Maybe someone left another message for you.”
    “They didn’t leave a message for me. They left it for the police.”
    “Then why did that officer say the message had been left after the crime scene unit had already been through?” She crossed her arms and stared at me.
    “Good question.” I’d thought about that myself.
    “ Maybe someone wanted you to discover it.”
    “Nice theory, but it doesn’t work. I don’t usually spray Luminol,” I admitted. “Yesterday was just kind of a . . . test. An initiation for the new girl, you could say.”
    “I get that. But was there any other way you might discover that message?”
    “I t was just a fluke. There’s no way anyone could have known I was going to do that. I hadn’t done it before. I won’t do it again.”
    “M aybe someone knew you ordered the Lysol . . . inol.”
    “Luminol.” I shook my head. “I really think that you’re overthinking this. Let’s suit up.”
    “So how’d you become a crime scene cleaner anyway?” Clarice asked as she pulled on her Hazmat suit.
    “It’s a long story. I went to school to study forensics, but I had to drop out. I was looking for something to keep me connected to the crime scenes and give me more experience. You know, something I could use later on. I heard about crime scene cleaning and decided to give it a