Reap a Wicked Harvest Read Online Free Page B

a piece of statuary.”
    My heart sank. “I can think of at least six different statues in this garden.”
    Dad said, “It was a big piece of marble.”
    â€œThat’s helpful,” muttered Sid. “Let’s get started.” He motioned for my father and me to follow him.
    When Natalie, Allison, and several others fell into step behind us, Sid roared, “Holy crap! This ain’t no sideshow. You all stay put. Deputy, I don’t want anyone in these gardens except authorized personnel. Got it?”
    â€œYes, sir,” said the deputy. “Let’s go, folks. Everyone up on the porch where I can keep an eye on you.”
    As we entered the garden, I glanced back. About thirty people were being herded toward the lodge. I wanted to see who was present and who was missing, but Sid nudged me. “Keep walking,” he said. “Stay next to me. Don’t go off on any of your wild tangents.”
    I had no intention of doing anything except making sure my father was all right. He was shakier than usual, unsteady on his feet. I realized he didn’t have his walking stick.
    Sid had his head turned, talking into his walkie-talkie. In an undertone, I asked Dad, “Where’s your walking stick?”
    He cast a swift look ahead of us. I had no doubt that he’d dropped it when he’d stumbled over the body. I decided it would be in my father’s best interests if I explained before Sid put his own spin on the situation.
    â€œUh … Sid,” I began. “My father—”
    â€œShh!” he hissed at me. Into the radio, he said, “Yeah. Go ahead.” He listened intently, but all I heard was gibberish and static.
    Sid finished his conversation and turned to me. “We’ve had an unexpected stroke of luck. We’ve located the body, so I don’t
need your father’s help in that respect. But I need an ID. I can have Natalie Parker brought to me, but since you’re this close, will you do it?”
    The nerves under my skin crawled with apprehension. I didn’t want to perform this gruesome task, but I didn’t want Natalie to face it either. I took a shaky breath. “I’ll try, but there were people here today I didn’t know.”
    Sid’s voice was grave. “According to one of my deputies it’s bad, Bretta. We’re dealing with a savage murder. Prepare yourself.”
    Sid’s concern increased my anxiety. How was I supposed to prepare? As a florist I deal with death on a regular basis, speaking with bereaved families, delivering flowers to the local funeral homes. But those events were after the fact. After the body had been cleaned and dressed in his Sunday best. After makeup had been applied to conceal the harsh reality of what had led to his demise. On the other hand, my amateur detecting had unearthed a few victims, but none had saturated the ground with freshly spilled blood. It was the blood that was getting to me.
    We turned the corner of the path. In a quiet voice, Sid explained, “I’ve called the fire department to bring their halogen lights so we can make a thorough search of the crime scene. They should be here pronto, but I’m not waiting. My deputies have flashlights, and we also have these little path lamps to help light the area.” He nodded to the spot ahead of us. “I think you’ll be able to see enough to try to make an identification.”
    Six deputies and two paramedics watched our approach. Flashlights cast an eerie glow on their faces, revealing the heightened tension. I kept my gaze off the ground and on the marble cornucopia that loomed ahead of me. I’d always admired this piece of statuary. Dan’s grandfather had commissioned
a sculptor to create a piece of art that would commemorate the productiveness of this land. The horn was approximately fifteen feet in length and about eight feet wide. It was cantilevered on a base with washtub-sized