Read First Murder for Free Online Page B

he worked his specific questions in when he could.
    Scotty had been studying Sunday night with a group until ten or after, then came back to the house. Tony wrote down the names of the people in the study group and numbers from Scotty’s cell phone. They played some video games, him and Hong and Swenson, until about midnight. On Monday he had taken an Econ test at ten. He remembered huddling with some of the study group early over coffee before the test. He remembered calling his mom from the bus stop. Scotty cried when he added that he left a message, guessing she had already left for the day and realized she’d been dead.
    The phone rang. Scotty’s father asked him to come to the hotel he was staying at. Tony shook his hand when he left, thanked him for the help, and moved on to Mr. Swenson.
    Swenson had been at the house all night Sunday, alone until about 11:00. When Tony frowned he fetched his computer and showed the detective the time stamps on the papers he had been working on. Swenson was in the Carlson School of Business. A quick glance at the material told Tony the kid was bright, literate, and knew a hell of a lot more about investments and the stock market than he ever would. De Luca noted the professor’s names for Swenson’s early Monday classes so he could check attendance.
    Hong had been working, slinging pizza until 10:00, then back to the house for some Halo gaming with a hot pie. He didn’t have any early classes on Monday and had been at the house alone until close to noon. Tony frowned again and asked him if he remembered talking to anyone Monday morning, if he’d gone for coffee or anything where someone could back him up. Hong drew a blank. He’d slept in, showered, and poked around on ‘Facebook’ for about an hour. Did it leave a time stamp? Would have been around 10:30 or 11:00. No idea.
    Then David remembered the fight. A girl who lived in the house next door, Erin was her name—a thin, blonde, ultra-hot girl with a tongue stud. She’d had a shouting match with her boyfriend. Hong smiled, told Tony it had woken him up it was so loud, but that was okay because maybe now she’d go out with him. Swenson knocked on the door asking if they were about done or if he could come in to get something to eat. Tony told him to come on in. He had what he needed. If everything checked out all the roommates had alibis…except for the Stuckey kid.
    “Tell me about Scott’s mom, what did you call her?”
    “Missus F. She was one cool lady.”
    “Cool how?”
    “Care packages for one thing. She’d cook these meals, like real meals like pot roast and gravy and drop them off for us.”
    “And Christmas presents last year. I mean what mom gets her son’s roommate’s presents…”
    “Nice ones, too. And birthdays, too.”
    “So you’ve all lived together for a couple of years?”
    “All but Sean. He took over Tiko’s lease this summer. Transferred from out west. LA.”
    “Any idea when he might show up?” Tony checked his watch. He’d been there for more than two hours already.
    “You never know with Stuckey.”
    “He’s got a girlfriend.”
    “More than one.”
    Tony noticed the two share a quick look. Swenson frowned. Hong rolled his eyes. He wondered what that was about.
    “I saw Sean Monday morning on campus, on the bridge actually.” Swenson offered.
    “What time?”
    “Had to be a little after noon. Classes were done. I was going over to the West Bank to hook up with some people.” Swenson hoped he had been helpful. It showed. Still, it wasn’t in the time frame Tony was curious about.
    “So anyway, about the vic?” Tony regretted it as soon as it came out of his mouth. Street cop talk did not work in this new gig. “I’m sorry guys.” They were glaring at him. Deanna Fredrickson wasn’t a ‘vic’ to them. She was their friend.
    “It’s okay, detective. You didn’t know her, like Scotty said.” Hong shrugged. He was getting to like the detective.
    “I’m getting