Read The Opposite of Dark for Free Online Page A

was, he hadn’t cared as much about exteriors as he had interiors. Casey studied the thirty-foot high cliff. Rocks and boulders provided a gradual incline. She hitched up her narrow skirt and began to climb.
    â€œYou can’t be serious,” Rhonda said.
    â€œI want a closer look at the house.”
    The cold rocks were sprinkled with damp sand, pebbles, twigs, and the occasional beer can. By the time Casey reached the police tape along the perimeter, her hands were gritty.
    Open, vertical blinds covered first-floor windows that ran the length of the house. Second-floor windows were exposed. The left half of the sloping roof was mostly skylight.
    â€œPull your skirt down,” Rhonda called from behind. “We’re attracting attention.”
    Casey spotted a guy leaning over the second-floor balcony of the house on their left. Brown, shoulder-length hair shielded most of his face. A moment later, she saw Lalonde strolling toward her. Damn.
    â€œWhat are you doing here, Miss Holland?”
    â€œSatisfying my curiosity.” She ducked under the tape and rubbed grit from her hands. “Do you always start this early?”
    â€œThere’s been a break-in, and I got your message about the Saab.” He watched Rhonda climb up. “You should have called before you went after him.”
    â€œThere wasn’t time,” she mumbled, so Rhonda couldn’t hear.
    â€œWhat if he hadn’t driven away, Miss Holland? What would you have done?”
    â€œCasey, help.” Clinging to a boulder, Rhonda struggled to climb onto the property.
    After Casey hauled her up, Rhonda extended her hand to Lalonde. “I’m Rhonda Stubbs, Casey’s friend.”
    â€œLalonde.”
    She lowered her hand. “You’re the one who made her go to the morgue.”
    Lalonde stared at her.
    â€œHave you been able to tell if anything was stolen?” Casey asked.
    â€œSo far, everything looks exactly as we left it. The neighbor next door woke early and heard a loud noise about an hour ago, so he called us.” Lalonde nodded toward the guy on the deck. “It looks like someone took a hammer to the window pane in the door on the neighbor’s side.”
    â€œThere’s no alarm system?” Casey asked.
    â€œIt’s been sabotaged.” He watched her. “Is this a return visit, by any chance?”
    â€œFirst time. Okay if we look inside?”
    â€œNo, the crime lab technicians are still working.”
    â€œAre they using portable lasers to look for fingerprints and threads?”
    She’d never seen Lalonde smile before and wished he hadn’t. His teeth were yellow and slightly crooked. “You a wannabe cop?”
    â€œI’m working toward a criminology degree, and forensics interests me.” Dad had hoped she’d earn a degree, but Greg hadn’t wanted a wife with more education than he had.
    Lalonde looked at Rhonda. “Did you know the deceased?”
    â€œMarcus was my fiancé, at least he was three years ago.” She shook her head. “We didn’t know he was alive, Detective, I swear. I don’t understand any of this.” Rhonda turned and wandered toward the house.
    Lalonde signalled to an officer to go after her.
    â€œDid your license check on the Saab turn up anything?” Casey asked.
    â€œThe car’s been rented by a man named Theodore Ziegler from San Francisco. Your father’s address book also shows a Geneva address for Mr. Ziegler as well as an email address.” Lalonde looked at her closely. “Is the name familiar?”
    â€œNo. Have you questioned him?”
    â€œZiegler’s proving difficult to find. He hasn’t checked into the hotel listed on the rental agreement or any others we’ve contacted so far, nor is he answering messages sent to the email address we found for him. If you see him again, call us immediately.” Lalonde watched Rhonda argue with the cop who