Read Color Me Love for Free Online Page B

tale.”
    “Fine.
I’m taking Herbie to Pleasant Ridge Park and I saw Carl’s car here. I’m tired
of you hiding the fact that you two are dating from me.” I turned and walked
back to my car, then turned around to face them again. “I approve.”
    I
left her and Carl standing on her porch, still hand in hand.
    Color
Me Love was dark when I drove past and I didn’t see Erin’s car parked in front.
The only movement was next door at Vive’s store, The Surplus. The windows read “Happy
Valentine’s Day” in hot pink paint, and “Special” written in black underneath.
    There
wasn’t a time I hadn’t seen her store busy. I guess everyone was worried about
their personal safety.
    I
made it to Pleasant Ridge Park and pulled into an empty parking space in front
of the apartments across the street. I picked up my cell and dialed Michael
Schultz.
    Michael
and I had become fast friends after we were both suspects in the investigation
into Dabi’s death. With a lot of sneaking around and doing my own “Murder She
Wrote” detective work, I’d cleared our untarnished, non-murderous names.
    “Hello,
Olivia.” Michael answered.
    I
got out of the car and started up the stairs to his apartment.
    “Hey,
I’m outside,” I said. “And I’m going to take Herbie for a walk. You and Belle
want to join us?”
    His
malti-poo, Belle and Herbie had become good friends too.
    I
didn’t wait for him to answer. I hit the red button on my phone, and I knocked
on his door.
    “Michael,
I’m here,” I sang in front of the door.
    Belle
was sniffing around the bottom and was yelping.
    “Happy
freakin’ Valentine’s. Open up!” I knocked louder.
    He
was just as single as I was.
    I
put my ear up to the door. I didn’t hear any footsteps, just Belle and a few
whispers.
    “Michael?”
I questioned and knocked again. “I know you’re in there.”
    “Olivia,
I’m really sick.” He coughed out. “I’ll call you later.”
    What
was he up too? Who did he think he was dealing with?
    “I
hope you feel better soon!” I yelled back and pulled on Herbie’s leash.
    Michael
had never kept anything from me, but he sure was today. I had heard whispering
and he wasn’t whispering to Belle.
    Herbie
and I got back into the car. I pulled out of the parking space and made a
u-turn. I drove to the end of the street, made another u-turn and parked on the
street a little distance down from Michael’s. I had nothing to do all day but
watch his apartment and see what was going on.
    He
had to come out at some point; he and his whispering partner.
    I
hit the dashboard. Not only did the radio turn on, but the glove box popped
open too.
    “How
appropriate,” I commented on the song playing on the oldie’s channel, Spies
Like Us .
    I
grabbed my pair of mini binoculars out of the glove box and made some
adjustments. I had a clear, clean shot of Michael’s apartment entrance. I took
out the mini camera I had stashed in there too. It had excellent resolution for
getting the clearest images. I had to make sure I got all the evidence, because
sometimes you only have one shot.
    If
Michael was hiding something, or someone, I didn’t want to miss my shot.
    “There’s
definitely something in the air, Herbie.” I patted his head.
    Yes,
there was. Aunt
Matilda and Carl, Erin’s crystal aura had become muddy, and Michael was even acting
weird.
    I
couldn’t stand Valentine’s Day.
    I
focused my camera on Michael’s building to take the closest shots I could.
There was nothing better than the rapid picture button to capture every single
step.
    In
my heart, I secretly hoped nothing, but my instincts told me that he was hiding
something. And my instincts were rarely wrong.
    Before
I even saw Michael, Belle was barking like she always did when she was going to
go outside. Her bark was so high-pitched, I’m sure it could have been heard
from miles away.
    Steady . I held the
camera up, looked through the eye hole, and pushed the button. The