Building Blocks of Murder Read Online Free Page A

knew what she was talking about. “You have nothing legal from them, and I’m offering to sign the papers tonight. And, really, do you want people to know that you turned down a chance to save the Stakely building in favor of outsiders who are going to tear it down?”
    Behind the mayor, the council members were wavering.
    “You let this go, Hal, and I’ll make sure everyone knows,” Sheila threatened.
    Reluctantly, the mayor agreed, and just like that Lacy owned a building.
    She signed the papers in dismay, having no idea how such a thing came about. Tosh hovered approvingly in the background, handing her a pen whenever the need arose.
    “That was awesome,” he said as they finally exited the building late that night after all the bureaucracy had been handled. “I can’t believe you were like, ‘I’ll buy your building.’ Take that, city council!”
    Lacy pressed her fingertips to her throbbing temples. “I can’t believe I just did that.” She spun and studied the town hall. “Do you think it’s too late to back out?”
    Tosh took her hand and steered her once again toward the parking lot. “What’s the big deal? You bought a building. My family buys buildings all the time. My dad says real estate is always a good investment.”
    “My family doesn’t buy buildings all the time. We buy a house when we can afford the down payment and spend the next thirty years paying it off.” Lacy stopped and bent over, sucking oxygen. “I can’t believe I just did that. I think I’m going to be sick.”
    Tosh pressed his palm to her back. “Lacy, it’s no big deal. You could have bought ten of those buildings with what you have in the bank. If you don’t want to keep it, just find another buyer and resell it.”
    How could she explain to a trust-fund baby the dynamics of growing up middle class? She couldn’t, she realized. While Tosh was down to earth on many levels, he had no grasp of finances. He had no concept of how most people lived week to week, paycheck to paycheck, just hoping to get ahead. Before Lacy’s inheritance came through, she’d had exactly three hundred dollars to her name.
    “Let me drive you home,” Tosh volunteered.
    But as they took a step toward the parking lot, a body suddenly hurled itself at Lacy, knocking her backwards against the wall.

Chapter 3
     
     
    “Sorry, did I hurt you?” Sheila Whitaker asked as she released Lacy from a bear hug. “I’m just so happy.” Without giving her time to answer her previous question, she grabbed Lacy’s hands in a death grip and continued speaking. “Listen, I know it feels like we’re alone in this fight, but we’re not. We have friends. Big, important friends.” Her tone was cryptic, as was the narrow-eyed look she was giving Lacy. With one final, painful squeeze of Lacy’s hands, Sheila turned and walked away.
    “That was…weird,” Tosh whispered.
    Lacy nodded. “Do you think she was a marine?” How else to explain her bone-crushing strength?
    “Are we sure she’s always been a woman?”
    “Tosh,” Lacy exclaimed. She lightly shoved his arm, and he laughed.
    “What? She has a very masculine energy.”
    “Sometimes I have a really hard time believing you’re someone’s pastor.”
    “Not hers,” Tosh said. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to make fun of her.” He looped his arm around Lacy’s neck and gave her a playful squeeze. They walked in companionable silence to his car, and then he drove her home. He turned off his car, and they sat in comfortable silence a few minutes.
    “So, my brother’s coming tomorrow. Are you free for dinner?”
    “We don’t have to pretend to be a couple or anything, do we?” Lacy asked.
    “I won’t lie to him, Lacy.” Tosh fidgeted with a keychain. “Although, if we were a couple, we wouldn’t be lying.”
    Lacy squinted at the large maple tree in her grandmother’s front yard. Was it her imagination, or were the leaves beginning to fall early this year? “I don’t