Page 54 of Line of Sight (Second Sight #4)

GARY POURED himself a second cup of coffee. “I think I needed a day off.”

“We both did,” Dan called from the kitchen. “And you know what I’d love to do with it?”

Gary smiled to himself.

“Gary Mitchell, get your mind out of the gutter. We’re having lunch with your parents later, but I thought we could go for a walk.”

He glanced toward the window. “Only if we put on snowshoes or skis. It must be at least four inches thick out there.”

Dan laughed as he came over to the dining table. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“I left it huddled under the comforter, demanding hot buttered toast and slippers.” His phone rang.

Dan froze. “Don’t answer it. Because you know what’s going to happen.”

He peered at the screen. “It’s Riley.” He clicked on Answer, then put the call on speaker. “What’s up?”

“Boss, can you and Dan come to 55 Devon Street, Dorchester? Apartment 5.”

“Who lives there?”

“Amy Walsh. Well, she did until last night. Del Maddox is on his way.”

Dan stared at him, wide-eyed.

Gary was on his feet in a heartbeat. “So are we. Is it the same MO as the others?”

“Not this time. Boss, she hanged herself.”

Gary paused as he reached for his coat. “Suicide? There’s a note? Never mind. I’ll see when we get there.”

Dan grabbed the keys. “I didn’t see this coming.”

“When you’ve been investigating deaths as long as I have, you learn a few lessons.” Gary opened the front door. “One of which is that nothing is ever as cut-and-dried as it appears at first glance.”

AN AMBULANCE, the pathologist’s vehicle, and two police cars were parked in front of the building, a three-story house covered in sand-colored siding.

Riley stood at the top of the steps. As they approached, the door opened and medics carried out a body bag on a gurney, followed by Del Maddox. Gary waited until the medics had safely stowed their cargo in the ambulance.

Del paused in front of Gary. “She died sometime last night. I’ll let you know my initial findings and a more exact time of death as per usual.” He headed for his car.

“I’m most interested in the tox screen,” Gary called out after him. Del raised his hand in acknowledgment before getting behind the wheel. Gary returned his attention to Riley. “Who found the body?

“Her neighbor. Says she brought Amy some cookies like she always did when she baked. The door was open, and there was no answer, so she went inside. CSIs have already taken photos and dusted.”

“How did she do it?”

“From the ceiling fan. Frankly, I’m amazed it didn’t pull right out with her weight, not that she weighed all that much.” Riley handed him a plastic wallet. “She left a note.”

Gary scanned the printed sheet.

I can’t live with the guilt anymore.

One year ago today, I killed Jeff Murphy.

It was either him or me.

Jeff was going to tell my bosses that I was selling tech secrets to Evolve in exchange for a management job with them. He wanted me to take him with me when I left. He would have bled me dry for the rest of my life.

May God forgive me.

He passed it to Dan, who frowned as he read it.

“This makes no sense. She says she killed him, but not how. From a restaurant half an hour away or more? That server said she was there.”

Riley shook his head. “No, that’s not what he said, remember? He said the photo looked like her. That doesn’t sound conclusive, at least not to me.”

Dan glanced at Gary. “Let’s go talk to the neighbor.”

“Go easy on her,” Riley suggested. “She’s really upset.”

They went inside and climbed the stairs to the third floor. The apartment was on the left, the door open. A female police officer sat on the couch, talking in a low voice to a red-eyed woman who jerked her head up as they entered.

Riley indicated Gary and Dan. “This is Detective Mitchell and Mr. Porter. Guys, this is Wendy Farrell.”

Wendy clutched a scrunched paper handkerchief. “I can’t believe it.”

Gary took the armchair facing her. “Did you hear anything last night?” Dan didn’t sit but wandered over to the dresser, peering at a group of framed photos. He stilled, then turned his head to stare at her before looking once more at the photos.

Wendy shook her head. “I was out with my girlfriends. Amy is—was—such a sweetheart.” She gulped, and fresh tears streaked her cheeks.

“How long has she lived here?” Dan asked her.

Wendy sniffed. “A little over a year. She was the kindest person ever. She was always asking if I needed anything from the store. She brought me my mail. She was so sweet.” She wiped her eyes with the handkerchief.

“Just after she moved in, I was going through a bad patch. I’d broken up with my boyfriend, I’d lost my job…

. Amy did her best to cheer me up, and she didn’t even know me all that well.

She even treated me to a dinner when she was too ill to go. ”

Gary exchanged glances with Riley and Dan. “When was this?”

“Late last January, I think. She was supposed to be going out with friends, but she got sick. Anyway, she asked me if I’d go in her place.

She said the people I’d be having dinner with were really nice and that one of them was even a senator.

They wouldn’t mind. Then she called one of them to let them know I’d be there, and whoever it was said that was fine.

” Wendy swallowed. “It was a lovely evening, and Amy was right—they were really nice. Senator Kelly was just the sweetest man ever, but I was too tongue-tied to talk much.”

Dan stood next to Gary’s chair. “And when the meal was over, did you stop by Amy’s apartment when you got back?”

Wendy nodded. “She was sick as a dog, and she wouldn’t let me get too close in case whatever she had was catching.

” Another wipe of her eyes. “And to walk in and find her like that? I had no idea she was struggling. Except….” Wendy frowned.

“Now I think about it, she seemed kinda agitated the last week or so. I asked her if there was anything wrong, and she said there wasn’t.

” She stared at Gary. “Did… did she say why she did it?”

“She left a note,” he told her. Then he stood. “Thank you for your assistance, Ms. Farrell.” He gave the female officer a nod before leaving the apartment.

Dan waited until the door closed behind them. “Did either of you notice?” He kept his voice low.

“Notice what?” Riley asked.

“She’s changed her hair color.”

Riley blinked. “Okay, firstly, how do you know that, and second, what does it matter? She could’ve dyed her hair purple if she wanted to.”

Dan locked gazes with him. “It matters because before she dyed it, Wendy Farrell could easily pass for Amy Walsh. You might not have looked at her photos, but I did.”

Gary expelled a breath. “So maybe Amy wasn’t at the restaurant after all. Maybe she really did kill Jeff.”

Riley huffed. “I guess one of that group had to be guilty of murder eventually.” He froze. “Sperm.”

Dan arched his eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

“Remember Murphy’s autopsy report stated there were sperm cells present in his mouth.” He rubbed his cheek. “Okay, you’re gonna have to bear with me on this one, because this isn’t something I’ve ever… participated in, so I can’t describe it with any degree of accuracy, but—”

“Will you stop dancing around and come out with it?” Gary demanded.

“Might this be a possible scenario? Murphy on his back, the killer’s dick in his mouth—and Amy delivers the fatal blow with the heel of her shoe?”

Across the hallway, a uniformed officer opened the door to Amy’s apartment.

“Detectives?”

Gary glanced at Riley. “Hold that thought. Yes, Officer Lomax?”

“There’s something I think you should see.”