Read Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry for Free Online Page B

the right places, and she enjoyed seeing him move.
    She rolled down the window. “Hi, handsome. What are you doing here?”
    He leaned in for a quick kiss, then answered, “I figured you might have some trouble finding a place to park, so I saved you a space.” He leaned further into the car. “Hi, May. I’ll pull out so you can pull in.”
    May nodded, but otherwise didn’t respond.
    Wally’s smile cooled at May’s cold shoulder, but it warmed back up when he turned to Skye and said, “Come ride with me. I need to talk to you for a minute before you go in.”
    “You don’t have time.” May’s hand clamped down on Skye’s wrist as she opened the car door. “We’re on a tight schedule. You’ll make everyone late.”
    “It’ll be fine, Mom.” Skye freed herself and stepped out of the car. She definitely had to make it clear to her mother that she needed to be nicer to Wally. After the contest they’d have a little daughter-to-mother talk, and May had better straighten up. “Go inside and save me a seat.”
    For a moment Skye was afraid that May would run them over when they crossed in front of the Olds, but she only revved the engine.
    Wally helped Skye into the passenger side of the squad car, then slid into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and pulled out. He was silent as he maneuvered the cruiser into the lot’s lane of traffic and around the corner. He parked next to the Dumpsters in a space that said, RESERVED FOR DELIVERIES.
    Skye bit her bottom lip. What was up? She studied Wally. He was a handsome man who filled out his crisply starched police uniform in exactly the right way. His warm brown eyes melted her heart, and his shiny black hair edged in silver made her itch to run her fingers through the waves. Healso had a gorgeous year-round tan. But his most attractive feature was his kind and generous nature.
    Now his expression was serious and unhappy. He half turned, took her hand, and opened his mouth, then seemed to change his mind and instead said, “Did I tell you how beautiful you look?”
    Skye shook her head. “How could you? This is the first time you’ve seen me today.”
    “Mmm.” He brought her hand up to his lips and nibbled on her fingers. “You taste good, too.”
    “That’s because I haven’t started cooking yet,” Skye teased.
    Wally continued to nibble. “When’s your next time off from school?”
    “Well…” Skye wasn’t prepared for the question, and she stammered, “If you mean more than one day, that would be the end of school, which is June eleventh. Why?”
    “We should plan a trip together.” Wally’s lips were now on the inside of her elbow.
    “That’d be fun.” Was this what he had needed to talk to her about? Skye glanced at the dashboard clock. She had to get inside pretty soon, or May would send the cavalry to find her—and her orders
wouldn’t
be to hold their fire until they saw the whites of Wally’s eyes. Skye prodded. “So, you had something important to discuss?”
    “Right. Sorry. I know you don’t have long. It’s just that I wanted to tell you … that is, before someone else did … that, uh …”
    He hesitated, then opened his mouth, but before a single word escaped his lips the radio squawked to life. “Chief, there’s been an accident over by the I–55 exit. Car versus semi. Traffic is completely stopped, and the ambulance and fire truck can’t get through.”
    “I’ll be there in five.” Wally had let go of Skye’s hand to work the radio. Now he leaned toward her and opened the door for her. “Sorry, sugar—I’ll explain when I pick you up for the dinner tonight. And remember, don’t believe anything you hear until I get a chance to talk to you.”
    It almost felt as if he had pushed her out of the squad car.Skye’s shoulders drooped. What in the world did he have to tell her? Whatever it was, she was pretty sure it wasn’t something she wanted to hear.
    Scumble River might be a small town, but it