Gilt Trip Read Online Free

“Why is she here?” But the uniformed officer just shifted nervously.
    â€œBut I was the one who . . .” Carmela began. She was shocked by the murder, but certainly intrigued, too. Who would murder a man who’d just been released from prison? And in his own house!
    â€œI know, I know,” said Gallant. “Still . . .” He hooked a thumb and jabbed it in the air, indicating for them to both move away.
    â€œCome on,
cher
,” said Ava. “Let’s go wait in that big office.”
    They trooped past Gallant, trying to peer into the laundry room as they did, but he carefully blocked their view with his shoulders. “I’ll talk to you two later,” he told them.
    Margo Leland turned her tearstained face toward Carmela and said, “Why? Why?”
    Carmela crossed the room quickly, knelt down next to Margo on the whisper-soft Chinese carpet, and said, “I don’t know, honey. But I promise you, the police are going to figure all of this out.”
    Beetsie gazed at Carmela, a look of despair on her narrow face. “You seem like you know some of those officers.”
    Carmela nodded. “I do. And please believe me when I say that they’re really good at what they do. They
will
find out who killed Jerry Earl.”
    â€œJust when I finally got him back!” wailed Margo. “My poor sweetie!”
    Beetsie patted her friend’s shoulder. “I know, dear, I know.”
    Margo twisted a hanky in her hands. “So . . . Carmela. They tell me that you were the one who . . . found him? In the laundry room?”
    Carmela nodded. “I’m afraid so.”
    â€œDid you think . . . did it look like he suffered?” Margo asked hopefully.
    Carmela thought about all the blood and the horrible bumping around that Jerry Earl’s body had sustained, but said without hesitation, “No. I’m pretty sure he didn’t suffer.”
    â€œThat’s a huge relief,” said Margo.
    â€œA blessing,” agreed Beetsie.
    A lie
, thought Carmela. But certainly one told out of kindness.
    Bobby Gallant suddenly pulled open the door and stepped into the room, causing everyone to immediately stop talking and stare at him. He wiggled his fingers at Carmela and Ava and said, “Okay, now we can have our little confab.”
    Carmela gave Margo’s hand a final, reassuring pat, then she and Ava joined Bobby Gallant in the hallway.
    Gallant pulled the office door closed behind them and said, “Okay, I want the straight poop.”
    â€œSweet talk will get you everywhere,” said Ava, batting her eyelashes. She’d gone from scared to flirtatious in about ten seconds flat. A new land speed record.
    â€œI’m serious,” said Gallant. He looked at Carmela with hooded brown eyes and said, “Walk me through it.”
    So they all went out to the patio and Carmela started from the very beginning.
    â€œWe were all right here,” said Carmela.
    â€œWho’s we?” said Gallant.
    Carmela and Ava started to run through their story. And all the while, Carmela kept wishing she’d never gone looking for a towel. Why didn’t she carry one of those detergent sticks in her purse? That would have neatly solved the problem of a stain on Ava’s blouse. More important, she and Ava could have finished their cherries jubilee and been long gone before Jerry Earl finished the dewrinkle cycle. Instead, she’d encountered a gruesome laundry room scene that was sure to haunt her nightmares forever!
    â€œSo then you went inside to get a towel?” Gallant prompted.
    â€œThat’s right,” said Carmela. She had to force herself to focus.
    â€œAnd you were the only one around?” Gallant asked.
    â€œNo,” said Carmela. “I saw a waiter in the hallway.”
    â€œDo you remember which one?”
    â€œAre they all still here?” she asked.
    Gallant