Read Death Loved A Woman (Happy Holloway Mystery Book 2) for Free Online

out to his family’s home in Gaston County.”
    “Did something else happen instead?”
    “His buddy from the army took sick, and Robert stayed by his side all night. Near morning, he passed away. Robert took it very hard.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that. You didn’t want to say anything because you weren’t ready to talk about your relationship?”
    “Yes, and…” Stacy twisted her hands together.
    “And?”
    “There are other complications.”
    “Well, that’s your business, Stacy. If you don’t feel comfortable, I won’t push you.”
    Stacy relaxed a bit. “Thank you, but how are you doing, Annie? With Jane gone. I haven’t had the chance to talk to you much, but I know it must be hard. We all miss her and, well, I can’t believe—”
    “I know.” Annie waved her hands. “Please, I can’t talk about her now.”
    “Of course.”
    Annie’s cell phone rang, and she pulled it from her pocket. She didn’t recognize the number and answered. “Hello?”
    “Annie Holloway?”
    “Yes.”
    “This is Sheriff Appleton. We met a couple days ago.”
    “I remember, sheriff. What can I do for you?”
    “I’d like to talk to you about Flynn Aikens.”
    Her heartbeat kicked up, and she looked at Stacy, who tried to hear the other end of the conversation without shame. “What about Flynn?”
    “I’d rather speak in person. You can either come in to the station, or I can come to your house.”
    The thought of a policeman coming to her house again made the hair stand up on Annie’s neck and arms. Her throat closed so much she almost panted. She tried to breathe deep.
    “Have you heard of Sam’s Coffee Shop?” she asked quickly. “If it’s okay, I’d prefer if we meet there.”
    “All right. That’s fine. An hour?”
    He meant business. Annie had no choice. “Okay.”
    She disconnected and made excuses with Stacy then left her house. First Annie went home and cleaned up the kitchen a little. She used the excuse of a spot or two to coat the entire counter with liquid bleach spray.
    Afterward, she sniffed her arm. Sheriff Appleton might pass out from the aroma of bleach she gave off, not to mention half the customers at the coffee shop. As she stepped into the shower, Annie almost laughed at the other thought that popped into her head—that the sheriff would think she’d just been getting rid of evidence.
    Once she was dressed and smelling less like a lab accident, Annie phoned Flynn. She hadn’t talked to him since the day Barbara Jean was arrested. She assumed he had gotten his ex off on bail or managed to get the charges dropped. With all that had happened, she hadn’t returned to the firehouse.
    He answered on the first ring. “Annie, I’m kind of in the middle of something right now.”
    She frowned. “I just wanted to let you know I’m about to meet with Sheriff Appleton.”
    “Why? Wesley’s death has nothing to do with you.”
    His attitude irked her. “I suppose he felt I could share some insight about you.”
    He said nothing.
    “Flynn?”
    “Annie, what do you plan to say to him?”
    “The truth.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” he snapped. “You’re not foolish enough to think BJ killed Wesley, are you?”
    “Foolish? I don’t know him or her. I can’t say what Barbara Jean did or didn’t do, so I doubt anything I tell the sheriff will help or harm his investigation. You on the other hand haven’t been level-headed since this happened.”
    “What are you saying?”
    Annie never imagined the two of them would argue. Yet, here they were. Flynn was definitely ticked off, and her ire rose at him behaving as if she and the rest of the world was the enemy.
    “I’m saying if Barbara Jean is guilty, you can’t see it!”
    Something in the background banged, and she assumed he slammed his fist against whatever it was. “She’s not guilty.”
    “Can you prove it?”
    “I will, and I was going to talk to you about it, but now I’m not sure that’s a good idea.