if the shoe fit. I didn’t say that though. She was already mad at me as it was. I didn’t think she’d be inviting me to anymore family reunions.
She stepped forward a couple steps and placed her hands on her hips. “Just because we didn’t like him doesn’t mean we murdered the man.”
I held my hands up. “I didn’t say that and I’m sorry if you thought I implied such.”
I was not getting off to a good start with Reed’s family. Melody stared for a second longer, then spun around in a huff and stomped off. Well, that hadn’t ended well.
With my hand on the police station door, a voice captured my attention.
“ There’s a little more to the story than that,” the male voice said from over my shoulder.
I spun around so fast that I almost toppled to the ground. A tall man with cropped black hair and small charcoal-colored eyes stood in front of me. His hands were stuck in his front pockets and his white T-shirt had small rips in the front. The clothing was either old or he’d been in a fight. We locked stares and my stomach did a little flip. The dark circles under his eyes made him look haunted, as if an eerie and menacing spirit followed his every step.
“ Excuse me?” I squeaked out.
“I said that wasn’t the only reason she didn’t like Gordon Millerton.”
I wasn’t sure if I needed to scream for the police. What if they didn’t come quickly enough and I needed to run? It was a good thing I’d worn my sneakers. But this guy had long legs and he could probably run a heck of a lot faster than me. Why hadn’t I brought my pepper spray? Wouldn’t the police notice if I was being attacked on their front step? I had to admit I was fascinated by his statement though. What did he mean? There was only one way to find out. I couldn’t run away. I had to stay and listen to what he had to say.
“ Who are you?” I asked, looking him up and down.
“ I’m Melody’s husband, Doug.” He looked me straight in the eyes.
Why hadn’t he said something before she left? Maybe he wanted me alone so he could kill me. Would he kill me right there on the sidewalk in front of the police station? There was a streetlight overhead and the police could likely see us. Surely he’d rather commit a crime under the cover of darkness. That was when my mind started imagining him dragging me off into the alley. I was prepared to start running in ten seconds.
Why was I being so paranoid? He had no reason to harm me. Melody said he had a temper, but I’d done nothing to him. Sure, I’d had words with his wife, but still…
“ You see, Melody didn’t give you the real reason why she’s upset with him.” He crossed his arms in front of his large chest.
I swallowed hard. “What is the real reason?” I asked, almost afraid of what his answer would be.
His gaze didn’t leave mine as he said, “They were having an affair.”
Well, that statement smacked me over the head. I definitely hadn’t expected that. Wouldn’t that make this man a prime suspect though? The murdered man was sleeping with his wife. With all this dirty laundry, why in the world would they question Reed? There were plenty of other people who had reasons to kill Gordon.
“Was what she said about Gordon owing you money true?” I glanced over my shoulder to see if anyone was around.
We were all alone. Just my luck. Where had Melody run off to?
Doug nodded. “Yeah, that part was true, but it wasn’t the main reason she was mad at him. You see, she doesn’t know that I know about her little dalliance. But I knew, believe you me, I knew about them.”
“ If she was having an affair, then why would she be mad at him?” I asked.
He stared at m e for a second, then said, “Because he was through with her. He broke it off and that made her irate.”
That had to make Doug livid too. I refused to believe he wasn’t angry that his wife was cheating on him. Unless he just didn’t love her.
“ How did you know all this?” I
She stepped forward a couple steps and placed her hands on her hips. “Just because we didn’t like him doesn’t mean we murdered the man.”
I held my hands up. “I didn’t say that and I’m sorry if you thought I implied such.”
I was not getting off to a good start with Reed’s family. Melody stared for a second longer, then spun around in a huff and stomped off. Well, that hadn’t ended well.
With my hand on the police station door, a voice captured my attention.
“ There’s a little more to the story than that,” the male voice said from over my shoulder.
I spun around so fast that I almost toppled to the ground. A tall man with cropped black hair and small charcoal-colored eyes stood in front of me. His hands were stuck in his front pockets and his white T-shirt had small rips in the front. The clothing was either old or he’d been in a fight. We locked stares and my stomach did a little flip. The dark circles under his eyes made him look haunted, as if an eerie and menacing spirit followed his every step.
“ Excuse me?” I squeaked out.
“I said that wasn’t the only reason she didn’t like Gordon Millerton.”
I wasn’t sure if I needed to scream for the police. What if they didn’t come quickly enough and I needed to run? It was a good thing I’d worn my sneakers. But this guy had long legs and he could probably run a heck of a lot faster than me. Why hadn’t I brought my pepper spray? Wouldn’t the police notice if I was being attacked on their front step? I had to admit I was fascinated by his statement though. What did he mean? There was only one way to find out. I couldn’t run away. I had to stay and listen to what he had to say.
“ Who are you?” I asked, looking him up and down.
“ I’m Melody’s husband, Doug.” He looked me straight in the eyes.
Why hadn’t he said something before she left? Maybe he wanted me alone so he could kill me. Would he kill me right there on the sidewalk in front of the police station? There was a streetlight overhead and the police could likely see us. Surely he’d rather commit a crime under the cover of darkness. That was when my mind started imagining him dragging me off into the alley. I was prepared to start running in ten seconds.
Why was I being so paranoid? He had no reason to harm me. Melody said he had a temper, but I’d done nothing to him. Sure, I’d had words with his wife, but still…
“ You see, Melody didn’t give you the real reason why she’s upset with him.” He crossed his arms in front of his large chest.
I swallowed hard. “What is the real reason?” I asked, almost afraid of what his answer would be.
His gaze didn’t leave mine as he said, “They were having an affair.”
Well, that statement smacked me over the head. I definitely hadn’t expected that. Wouldn’t that make this man a prime suspect though? The murdered man was sleeping with his wife. With all this dirty laundry, why in the world would they question Reed? There were plenty of other people who had reasons to kill Gordon.
“Was what she said about Gordon owing you money true?” I glanced over my shoulder to see if anyone was around.
We were all alone. Just my luck. Where had Melody run off to?
Doug nodded. “Yeah, that part was true, but it wasn’t the main reason she was mad at him. You see, she doesn’t know that I know about her little dalliance. But I knew, believe you me, I knew about them.”
“ If she was having an affair, then why would she be mad at him?” I asked.
He stared at m e for a second, then said, “Because he was through with her. He broke it off and that made her irate.”
That had to make Doug livid too. I refused to believe he wasn’t angry that his wife was cheating on him. Unless he just didn’t love her.
“ How did you know all this?” I
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