Read Grace Sees Red for Free Online

Percy and Kyle. “It isn’t what she saw,” Percy said. “It’s what the cops think she
did
.”
    Bennett stiffened.
    â€œWhat are you saying?” I asked.
    â€œI’m not sure, but . . .” Percy flexed his jaw.
    Kyle interrupted. “Frances may have killed Gus.”

Chapter 5

    â€œWhoa, whoa, whoa,” I said without even attempting to keep my voice down. “No way. No. Way.” Though Frances had never been a suspect in any of the murders around Marshfield Manor, she was abrasive enough that Detectives Rodriguez and Flynn—Flynn, in particular—would have leapt at the chance to lock my assistant up. Who knew how she was handling herself with these Rosette cops? This was not good. At all. “How long has she been in with them?”
    â€œFifteen, twenty minutes?” Kyle said. “Not long.”
    In the world of interrogations, twenty minutes was an eternity.
    Bennett got to his feet. “This is preposterous. Let me talk to the officer in charge. They’ve made a grave mistake.”
    â€œWe know,” Percy said. When Bennett paid him no heed, Percy raised his voice. “Please, sit. It’s going to be fine. They’re questioning everyone who was around this morning. They questioned me and Kyle, too. I’m sure this is all routine and she’ll join us here soon.”
    â€œBut you said she’s been in there for twenty minutes,” I reminded him.
    â€œYeah,” he agreed. “They have a little more to cover with Frances.”
    â€œI don’t like this,” I said. “Should we call a lawyer?”
    Bennett had already pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll get one down here immediately. Gracie, go talk with the officer at the door. Tell him that Frances refuses to answer any more questions until her attorney is present.”
    I got up, even though I knew the mission would be a futile endeavor. Neither Bennett nor I could prevent the police from questioning Frances. If she wanted counsel present, Frances would have to demand that herself.
    â€œWait a moment,” Bennett said. “There’s no signal here. I’ll go out front to make the call myself and discuss this matter with the officer in charge. You stay with these two gentlemen and find out all you can about what happened here today.”
    Kyle rotated his chair to observe Bennett’s progress out of the Sun Gallery. “You guys don’t mess around, do you?”
    I didn’t bother answering. “You said they have more to cover with Frances. That she might be a suspect. What do you mean?”
    Percy hunched a shoulder. “I’m telling you she’s going to be released any second now.”
    His confidence was beginning to gnaw on my nerves. “And I’m telling you that it isn’t always that simple. What more can you tell me? How did Gustave die?”
    â€œThey won’t give us specifics,” Percy said. “When Frances and I got back to the apartment, police were swarming the East Wing and wouldn’t let us back into our room. That’s the first we heard about Gus being dead. When they shuttled us over here, Cathy told us she heard them use the word
murder
. But you’ve met Cathy. She exaggerates.”
    I turned to Kyle. “Where were you?”
    â€œPhysical therapy. I left about the same time Percy and Frances took off for church. So I heard the fight.”
    â€œFight?” I asked.
    â€œFrances and Gus got into it, big-time,” Kyle said. “Their worst one ever.”
    I dropped my head into my hands. “Oh no.”
    â€œIt’s not like that,” Percy said. “Everyone knew that Frances and Gus didn’t like each other very much, but today’s argument was normal. Nothing special.”
    I lifted my head. “Except this time one of the combatants is dead.”
    â€œThat’s beside the point.” Percy worked his lips.