Read Twelve to Murder (A Mac Faraday Mystery) for Free Online Page A

“If you think she should get chocolates, order them. Order a box for yourself, too, and put it on my account.”
    “You don’t have to offer that twice,” Tonya said. “What do you want the note to say?”
    “See you tonight.”
    “Do you want me to dog sit?” Tonya asked.
    “Nah, I’ll send Gnarly to Chelsea’s place,” Mac said. “Let Gnarly spend the night with his other girlfriend.”
    “Molly’s going to smell Lady Tala on him and she’s going to be ma-ad.”
    “They’re dogs.”
    “I’m just saying…” Shaking her hand, Tonya waved both of her hands. “Once Molly gets a whiff of another dog on her man, there’s going to be big trouble in paradise.”
    “Gnarly’s a German shepherd,” Mac said. “He can handle it.”

    Zachery Harris looked like the stereotype of a writer: slender with shaggy hair in need of a haircut and glasses on a thin face. He had the look down to his baggy khaki slacks, button-down shirt, and a corduroy sports coat with patches on the elbows.
    When Mac stepped into the interview room, Zachery had his recorder resting in the middle of the table and his notepad out. After closing the door, Mac turned off the machine. “I’m interviewing you , not the other way around.”
    “Actually, this is for my protection.” Zachery reached for the device, only to have Mac move it out of his reach.
    “I’ll give this to you when we’re done.” Mac set the recorder aside and sat across from him. Tapping his pen on the notepad, Mac sat back to regard the writer. It was a coin toss as to whether he had information to give them about the murders or was seeking it for himself. Mac guessed that if the writer had anything to offer, it wasn’t much. It was too soon. The media didn’t have enough details, even by way of rumors, to generate tips from the public. “You told the desk sergeant that you had information about the Stillman murders.”
    “I have a boatload of stuff for you,” Zachery said.
    “How is that?”
    “Janice Stillman used to be Lenny Frost’s agent back in Hollywood,” Zachery said. “She was the one who got him that movie that won him the Oscar. She made him the teen idol of the nineties.”
    “I know all that,” Mac said. “Now tell me something we don’t know.”
    “Why he killed her,” Zachery said.
    In all his years of being a police detective, Mac had become an expert at keeping a poker face in order to not betray his emotions.
    It’s easier to control an interview or interrogation when the witness or suspect has no idea if the detective believes or is doubtful of what he’s hearing. Keeping your body posture and face void of emotion keeps the subject on edge so that he doesn’t know which direction to go in the interview to achieve his objective.
    Even with the announcement that Zachery knew the motive for the Stillman’s murder, Mac kept his face blank. “Why do you think Lenny Frost killed his former agent?”
    “He did, didn’t he?” Zachery was practically panting for Mac to confirm his suspicion.
    “If you have information about these murders and you don’t tell us what you know, then you can be arrested for obstruction of justice and impeding an investigation,” Mac said. “So don’t sit there asking me questions. I’m asking the questions. You’re answering them. Now, why do you think Lenny Frost killed Janice Stillman and her husband?”
    “Because she had him kidnapped and held captive for four days for a million-dollar ransom from the studio.”
    “She had her star client abducted?” Mac asked.
    With a smirk, Zachery said, “How do you think the Stillmans got the money for her husband to set up that public relations firm like two years after the kidnapping? And how would she have had the money to buy that club where Lenny worked for her? It’s blood money that came from Lenny’s blood and sweat.”
    “She engineered his kidnapping?” Mac asked.
    “Are you familiar with Lenny Frost’s kidnapping?” Zachery