Read Evelyn David - Sullivan Investigations 02 - Murder Takes the Cake for Free Online

woman paused, vaguely remembering that sound. She associated it with blood…and with pain. She rubbed a hand over her ribs. She could feel the scar from the bullet wound she ‘d received six weeks earlier.
    What she smelled probably wasn ‘t decomposing turkeys.
    Walking up the staircase, she pulled out her Blackberry and punched in 9-1-1.
     
    ***
     
    “ Red or purple? I was thinking the purple because then I could wear the scarf Sam gave me for my birthday.”
    Rachel held up the hangar holding a lavender wool jacket trimmed with black velvet on the collar and pockets. She tossed a purple paisley scarf around the neckline. “What do you think?”
    Snickers, her butterscotch feline butterball, sniffed and offered a disgusted mewl.
    She knew what that sound meant. The cat’s human had been home for thirty minutes, tried on six different outfits, and had yet to open a single packet of Meow Mix.
    “ Soon I promise. What do you think of a black sweater underneath the jacket and black pants?”
    “ Or,” she hung the jacket on the corner of her mirror, “Does that look too funereal? I don’t want it to look like I just came from work. I thought the scarf added a festive touch.”
    Snickers jumped down from the bureau where she ‘d been giving running commentary on the fashion show and flounced to the door, parking herself in the threshold.
    Rachel ignored the cat ‘s less than enthusiastic response.
    “ I think the scarf could also go with the red jacket, although that may be a tad too festive. I don’t want him to think I’m taking on part-time work as one of Santa’s elves…although if I wore one of those Missy Claus outfits from that catalogue I found under Sam’s bed, I could probably get a job at the Camelot Showbar. Oh, who am I kidding?” Rachel sighed and slumped down on the bed. “My days as Missy Claus or Cutie Claus are long gone.”
    Apparently giving up on food, the cat jumped up on the bed and snuggled into her owner ‘s lap.
    Rachel scratched behind the perky ears, and both human and feline relaxed for a moment to the steady thrum of contented purring.
    “I don’t even know where we’re going for dinner. Last time Mac Sullivan paid for a meal was three weeks ago. It was lunch at Taco Bell on New York Avenue.”
    Snickers closed her eyes and stretched out her right paw, then her left. The cat flipped over on her back and Rachel gently rubbed the furry belly.
    “He said tonight’s meal was to make up for the two dinners he had to cancel last week. Since lunch was a total of seven dollars, plus a dollar fifty for antacids, I figure tonight’s date might actually top twenty bucks.”
    Rachel glanced over to the jacket. “It’s not like he’s exactly going to make Esquire’s best-dressed list anytime soon. That brown corduroy jacket of his probably was on the final markdown rack when Woodie’s closed. They probably paid him to take it off their hands.”
    Rachel stood up and unceremoniously plopped Snickers on the floor. “Come on.”
    The cat growled at the sudden displacement.
    “I think there’s some leftover meatloaf. Who knows what we’re going to eat tonight and fashion always makes me hungry.”
    Feline fur flying, the cat quickly followed her owner downstairs for dinner.
     

 
    Chapter 4
     
    It was too early for Christmas music but that was what came out of the open window of the patrol car. The deputy must have left his AM/FM radio on along with the police scanner. The music was overlaid with calls about a loud party and a stolen car.
    “ Edgar Freed. That’s F R E E D.”
    JJ only half listened as Edgar gave his statement to the young Landon sheriff ‘s deputy. The sheriff, a George Clooney clone, was still upstairs.
    “ So you were here doing missionary work? We don’t see a lot of that out here.”
    Edgar chuckled. “No, that was my cover. I work for a P.I. firm. My associate and I were here on a missing person case.”
    Had a very shiny nose . JJ didn’t say