Read Death By High Heels (The Kim Murphy PI Series Book 1) for Free Online Page B

I’m looking for a David Jenson.”
    “You found him.”
    “Great. My name’s Kim Murphy. I’d like to talk with you about your friend, Brian Lewis.”
    “He’s dead.”
    “Yes, I know. I’d like to find out how he got that way.”
    “He was stabbed.”
    “Sorry, I should have been clearer. I’m trying to find his killer.”
    “Lady, I don’t know nothin’ about it.”
    “Maybe you know something that doesn’t seem important.”
    “I know you’ve got some nice tits,” he said, glancing down once again at my chest. “You wanna come in and party?”
    “No, thanks.”
    “Fine, then get outta here,” he growled, and slammed the door in my face.
    “Asshole,” I muttered.
    I stomped down the stairs. As I stepped outside, my phone rang. “Hello.”
    “Kimberly, I’m so glad you answered. I was hoping you could come over.”
    “Sorry, Mom, I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
    “Oh, okay. I just thought you’d like to have dinner with us. I guess I could send the extra lasagna home with Michael.”
    My mother was up to something. I felt it much like Luke Skywalker sensed a disturbance in the Force. Despite this knowledge, I was about to willingly walk into whatever trap my mom had set. There wasn’t much I wouldn’t do for her lasagna and she knew it. “I’m on my way.”
    A few minutes later I opened the front door and followed the scents of garlic, fresh baked bread, and coffee into my parents’ kitchen.
    “Hi, sweetie. Can you help me set the table? Everything will be ready in a few minutes.”
    “Sure, Mom. Not that I’m complaining, but what’s up with the impromptu dinner?”
    “Kimberly, there’s nothing impromptu about dinner. I just thought it would be lovely if we had a nice meal together. With everyone’s crazy schedules we just don’t get together as often as we should.”
    My mom had taken out only four place settings. There was still hope. The trap could very well be for one of my brothers. It sure as heck wasn’t for my sister, Miss Baby Factory. She had married right out of college and started a family immediately after saying “I do.” My older brothers were also married and had provided my parents with several grandkids to spoil. That left my single brothers, Michael and Brandon, and me, the divorced daughter. This had better not be a setup or I was out of here, which would be a shame if I missed out on my mom’s amazing cooking, but with all the fast food restaurants, I wouldn’t starve.
    “Where’s everybody else?” I asked.
    “Brenna’s at home. She was a bit tired. Justin and Jason are both working. Your father is having dinner with your Uncle Charlie.”
    Charles Wellington wasn’t really my uncle; he was my dad’s best friend. Over the years I had dated his son, Zach, on and off, keeping it hidden from our families. Zach and my brother, Michael, were best friends and that would not have gone over well with Michael.
    Brandon and Michael walked into the kitchen from the mud room.
    “You’re late,” my mom chided. They slid into their chairs and began to shovel food onto their plates.
    “Sorry, Mom,” Brandon said.
    “God, who smells like pot?” Michael asked, glaring at me.
    “I don’t want to talk about it!” I grabbed my own plate and filled it with food.
    After grace, we dug into our food.
    “So, Kim, I heard this time you stabbed a guy. Nice going,” Brandon said.
    “Don’t be stupid. Knife wounds are too bloody for Kim. She prefers to shoot her victims from far enough away she doesn’t get any blood spatter on her,” Michael said.
    “You’re both so damn funny.”
    “Kimberly, language, and, boys, don’t tease your sister,” Mom said, using the voice that took no sass from any of us.
    “Yes, ma’am,” we muttered.
    “Since we’re discussing this unfortunate incident, Michael, the least you could do is help your sister.”
    “Help her with what?”
    “She has a client who needs help.”
    “Wait, how do you know