Streak of Lightning Read Online Free Page B

circumstances.”
    She was right, of course. More than once we’d found killers among trusted friends. But I didn’t want to think Greg could be included in that group, and I could tell from the expression on Jesse’s face that he didn’t either.
    Jesse shrugged. “I just don’t think . . . Well, whatever happened, we’ll find out in the morning. I told him to get some sleep and we’d talk about it tomorrow.”
    â€œHow long do you think we have until she arrests him?” I asked.
    â€œWe have tomorrow,” he said. “I doubt we have much longer. And it’s not just what Terri Adkin might do. A prisoner died in Greg’s custody. I’m going to have to suspend him until this is all cleared up.”
    â€œBut isn’t that going to hurt his career?” I asked. “Greg talks about working in the city or joining the FBI.”
    â€œOr taking my job.” Jesse smiled. “And yes, it could hurt him, but I’ll have no other options.”
    â€œUnless we can prove he wasn’t to blame,” I added.
    â€œAnd do it before the state police file their report,” Jesse said. “Greg has made himself a great target for an ambitious police detective. She’s going to want to clear this up quickly, so we’re playing beat the clock here. And I don’t have access to any of the reports or the crime scene.”
    â€œYou have us.” Carrie patted his hand. “We’ll do whatever you need.”
    Jesse smiled a little, but he didn’t look relieved. He’d relied on us a few times during the last year to solve some of the unfortunate crimes that had befallen our little town, but none of them had happened in his police station and none had involved a member of his police force. He looked out of place, surrounded as he was by fabric and thread instead of crime scene photos and trained officers. But even he knew he had no choice.
    As we sat there trying to come up with a plan to investigate Joe’s death, the sound of car horns and fireworks broke the night’s silence. The New Year had started, and though it was meant to signal a new beginning, we were too focused on what could be lost to care.

Chapter 7
    When I woke up the next morning, I needed coffee. My head was pounding.
    It was one in the morning by the time we left the shop, but at least we’d come up with a plan. Jesse was going to talk with Greg first thing in the morning; Eleanor offered to call on Joe’s widow, Lori; and Carrie and I offered to track down Rich and Violet to see what they remembered about their encounters with Joe. Then we were all going to meet up at Someday Quilts to compare notes and have lunch. But first I needed caffeine.
    â€œI was thinking. . . .” Eleanor didn’t bother with a “good morning” as I walked into the kitchen of the Victorian house we shared; she was already in investigation mode.
    â€œGood for you. I’m hoping to try that once I have a cup of coffee.”
    She smiled. “I couldn’t sleep last night. And as I was lying in bed, it occurred to me that Joe and Lori have lived in this town for more than ten years and I know almost nothing about them from before their time here. And while they attended their share of town functions, Lori especially, there’s so much I don’t know about either of them.”
    â€œYou think they might be on the run from something? Maybe Joe was a criminal or something and he’s hiding from his past.”
    â€œOh, Nell, you have such an imagination!” She laughed. “I was thinking that maybe Joe had a health problem. Lori hinted at it. Maybe he had problems with his heart or high blood pressure or something. . . .”
    â€œOr his secret past caught up with him last night somehow. . . .”
    â€œHow? Even if he had a secret past, there was no one with him except Greg. That’s something