Read Gone to Her Grave (Rogue River Novella Book 2) for Free Online Page B

Loretta went into the kitchen and flicked her cigarette over an ashtray on the table. It was a small room, with just enough space for a two-by-two table pushed against the wall and three mismatched chairs. Since Carly had been there last, Loretta had cleaned up. Dirty dishes were confined to the sink. No overflow onto the counters. No beer cans in sight. The gold pattern on the vinyl tiles was worn completely off except for a thin strip close to the baseboards, but the floor appeared to have been swept in the recent past. Loretta would never be nominated for housekeeper of the year, but she’d clearly made an effort since Ted was killed.
    Leaning a hip on the edge of the table, Loretta crossed her arms and sucked hard on her cigarette. A scraggly gray tabby rubbed against her ankles.
    “Do you know anything about the drugs Ted was selling?”
    “I’ve gone over this a hundred times with the cops. Ted didn’t tell me nothing.” Loretta mashed out her cigarette. Ashes slid over the side of the ashtray and landed on the table. “If I had drugs worth selling, I wouldn’t still be livin’ in this shit hole.”
    Interesting argument, and in Carly’s opinion, more persuasive than a straight denial.
    Carly leaned against the doorway. “What about Russ? Are you sure he doesn’t have the drugs?”
    Loretta stopped to light a fresh smoke. She waved the match out and dropped it in the ashtray. “I don’t think so. We might not look like we’re that close, but him and me, we’re all that each other’s got. We spent a lot of years ducking Ted’s fists together. Russ wouldn’t leave me out of anything that big.”
    Carly knew the police had thoroughly searched the house and outbuildings in May. They hadn’t found any drugs or drug-manufacturing equipment. Ted had either been a middleman or had been making the drug elsewhere. The acreage around the property was a vast and dense forest capable of hiding a small production facility.
    “Are you going to see Russ?”
    “Yeah. I just got home from work. I’m going now. Supposed to be a lawyer there too.” She dragged on her cigarette. Her hand shook, giving away her nerves. “Am I allowed to take him anything?”
    “Since he’s in summer school, they might let him have his textbooks,” Carly said. “Hopefully, he won’t be there very long.” She was crossing her fingers that the marijuana possession wouldn’t get Russ real time in juvenile detention. If Carly could prove he was innocent of dealing, he might get off with some community service and drug counseling. “I know he’s been trying hard these last few weeks.”
    Loretta chewed on her thumbnail. Her eyes moistened. “I thought we were finally gonna be okay. Not great, but okay. Now this. Why would that kid say he bought drugs from Russ?”
    “I don’t know. Does Russ have any friends?” Carly asked.
    “There are a couple of kids he mentioned. Mostly he hangs with Gary Fisher. Gary’s daddy, Darren, used to come over to see Ted sometimes and bring Gary with him. The boys have a lot in common. They both know what it’s like to have an asshole for a father,” Loretta said in a bitter tone. “Gary already knew what was going down. It wasn’t like Russ could bring other kids home when Ted was around.”
    “No, I guess not,” Carly said. “Darren and Ted were friends?”
    “Not exactly friends. More like acquaintances,” Loretta clarified.
    Carly shouldn’t have been surprised. Solitude was a microscopically small town. That Ted and Darren had known each other didn’t mean much. “Does Russ have any other friends? Maybe one of them could verify that he was home on Monday.”
    Loretta rattled off a few names that were vaguely familiar to Carly.
    “I really thought we were going to make it.” Loretta stubbed out the cigarette. “We just can’t get a break.”
    “I don’t believe Russ is guilty,” Carly said.
    “Then you are the only one in town.” Loretta wiped an angry finger under her