J.M. Griffin - Vinnie Esposito 06 - Death Gone Awry Read Free

but didn’t,” Aaron agreed. “I think your victim had company.”
    A chill skittered along my spine, followed by a shiver. If the person who inflicted the head wound on the floater had seen me, then my life was likely to take a turn for the worse any time now. Dang, it sucks when that happens.
    “You may be right. My concern was to get the man out of the water and onto dry land,” I said thoughtfully. The implications of what had taken place brought on a round of questions that concerned the why, who, and other stuff.
    “Wait until Marcus hears this one.” Lola’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she sipped her glass of soda.
    “I can hardly wait,” I answered with a sense of dread. Marcus Richmond, a Rhode Island State Trooper, is my paramour. He’s a man who thinks I’m way too nosy for my own good, a man who loses his temper with me from time to time, but a man who cares for me all the same. Though, of late, he’d begun to complain over my lifestyle and antics.
    Within the past few months, Marcus had become less patient with my nosiness and the problems that plagued me like a bad dream. While I’d brushed off his comments, I hadn’t appreciated them. After all, I had to put up with my father’s remarks, and that was no picnic either. I figured this might be one of Marcus’s temper-losing times. Hmmm.

Chapter 2
    After Lola and Aaron left, the rear entry door banged open, followed by a knock on the kitchen door. I glanced at the clock and found it was later than I’d thought. The day had sped by. The knocking persisted until I answered the summons.
    “Have I not taught you anything about asking ‘who is there?’” Marcus reprimanded me and brushed my cheek with a kiss.
    “I know I should ask, but I don’t always think of it. Besides, I expected you to come by.”
    His brows hiked a bit, he glanced at me. “You did? Why?”
    Crap, he hadn’t heard of my afternoon excitement.
    “I thought you would have heard by now.”
    “Heard what?” His expression grew serious. He leaned on the counter waiting. From the look on his chiseled features and the way his hazel green eyes had narrowed, he probably thought it would be bad news.
    As with most law enforcement officers, Marcus could wait with the best of them. He could out-wait me any day of the week. I got it over with and told him the story. Hell, he’d find out sooner or later anyhow.
    “You say you revived this guy? He had a head injury?”
    “Mmm, I did, and he does. I don’t think he got hurt from the fall into the water, though.”
    “You didn’t see anyone?”
    “For the hundredth time, no, I didn’t see anyone other than the floater.” I chewed my lip a second and then asked, “Do you think he’ll be all right?”
    Marcus shrugged and muttered something that sounded like, “Here we go again,” when the doorbell rang. I rolled my eyes in exasperation as I went to see who it was.
    What is this anyway, Grand Central Station?
    With a sweet grin, Bill MacNert stood on the step. I moved aside to let him in. He hustled into the kitchen, rocking side to side like a listing ship, on bunion-laden feet.
    “Got a report back on the fella that took a dip in the reservoir today. Thought you might like to know your CPR effort wasn’t wasted. He’s gonna be just fine and owes it all to you.”
    “How is his injury?” I asked Bill.
    “Took about ten stitches to close that wound. He’s gonna have one helluva headache, that’s for sure.” He snickered.
    “Who is this guy, and where did he come from? Did he say how he ended up in the water?” I settled onto the stool after I’d poured fresh coffee for both men.
    Bill sipped the brew, smacked his lips together, and said, “He’s from the City.”
    That meant Providence. If you were from Cranston or Johnston, or any other Rhode Island town, it would be named, but if you were from Providence, it was referred to as the City. It’s purely a Rhode Island thing.
    “Name of Tim Slaggard. He’s a