Dead Certain - Mariah Stewart [50]
He’d caught up with her in the office, thought about looping his belt around her neck to strangle her from behind, then thought, What the hell, let’s go for broke here, and he’d slit her throat. One nice slick slice and it was over. Sprayed blood like a son of a bitch, though. He was glad he’d thought to bring a change of clothing. She bled out so fast, it had almost been a disappointment to him to have it over so quickly. He had toyed with the idea of cutting off her head, but with his hands so sticky and the handle of the knife so slippery, it was just too much work. Why should he exert himself, when she was already dead, maybe from the chest wound? Why strain himself?
He wondered idly if perhaps he shouldn’t think of a different, even more exciting means of dispatch for Ms. Crosby. He smiled, contemplating the possibilities, and drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER
TWELVE
“Chief, a Detective Crosby has been calling you. Called twice in the past twenty minutes.”
Officer Dana Burke had slipped into the hallway to make the call to Mercer, who was still at the crime scene. Her boss hadn’t said whether Amanda Crosby was to be treated like a witness or a suspect, but either way, Burke didn’t think Amanda should be privy to the chief’s calls. Even if the caller said he was Amanda’s brother.
“What did he say?”
“He said if he didn’t hear from you within the next ten, he’d have the county D.A. up your ass before noon.”
“Did he leave a number?” Sean stole a look at his watch. He had one minute.
“Yeah, it’s right here.” She read it off to him. “She called him. I let her. You didn’t say that she couldn’t make any calls, so when she asked, I said okay. I hope that was all right.”
“It was fine, Dana. Keep her company for a while longer. I’ll be here for another hour or two.”
“Well, I’ll try. I mean, I’ll keep her here as long as I can, but unless she’s a suspect, if she wants to leave . . .”
“She’s not a suspect. If she leaves, you leave with her. Just don’t let her out of your sight.”
“Chief?” Dana stopped him before he could disconnect. “She’s been swabbed and all. Can I take her home and let her shower and all? I’ll bring the clothes back to the station, but it doesn’t seem right to make her sit there, covered in her friend’s blood.”
Sean cursed softly. “Jesus. I’d forgotten . . . yes, of course. Take her home. Take someone else with you to watch the house while you and she are inside. Help her clean up if she needs it. See if she wants anything to eat. I’ll meet you at the station in about an hour.”
Shaking his head and embarrassed at his own thoughtlessness, he hung up, then dialed the number she’d given him.
“Crosby.”
“Mercer here. I understand you wanted to—”
“Mercer, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing with my sister, but I want it stopped,” Evan Crosby exploded. “You had damn well better have a good reason to be holding her.”
“I’m trying to keep her alive.”
“What?”
“I said, I’m trying to keep her alive,” Sean repeated calmly. “I’m sure she’s told you about what happened to Marian O’Connor, so you’ve got to be feeling at least as nervous as I am when you start thinking about the fact that both her business partner and her close friend have been murdered within the past two weeks. Right now Amanda’s in the company of two officers, which is where she will remain until we figure out what the hell is going on and if there’s any danger to her.”
He paused. “Good enough reason, Crosby, or will the D.A. still be looking for a way up my ass by . . . what was it, noon?”
“I’ll be there in an hour or so. I’m going to want to hear the whole thing.” Evan didn’t bother to say good-bye.
“Nice talking to you, too, Detective.”
Sean closed his mobile phone and slid it back into his pocket, then stepped around the tape that ran from Marian’s shop to Amanda’s.
“You almost done in there?” he asked one of the crime scene techs.
“Another few minutes, I