Mortal Kiss Read Free

Then they all crowded upstairs, into the McCarrons’ small kitchen. Outside, the snow was beginning to fall again, huge soft flakes piling against the window frame.
    Liz’s dad sat at the large kitchen table, still frowning. Liz was worried and tried to think of something she might have done wrong. Her dad was pretty strict, but she couldn’t imagine what it could be. Unless—maybe somehow he’d got hold of her report card early? But it was only the first day of the term!
    Liz forced herself not to panic. She sat down opposite Faye and helped herself to a ginger cookie as Aunt Pam poured tea from a china pot.
    “So what is it, Dad?” Liz asked. “You look worried. What’s wrong?”
    The police officer sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair distractedly. “We found a body up in the woods, about half a mile out of town. A man. I don’t recognize him, so I don’t think he’s local. We’re trying to find out who he is right now.”
    “No!” said Liz, shocked. “That’s terrible. What happened to him?”
    “We don’t know yet. And I can’t tell you too much while the investigation is underway, obviously. But let’s just say we’re not ruling anything out at this stage.”
    Liz stared at Faye, who was obviously thinking the same thing she was. “You don’t mean … you don’t think he was murdered, do you, Dad?
Here?
In Winter Mill?”
    Her father took a mouthful of tea, and Liz saw him cast a strange look at Faye over the rim of the cup. She wondered what it meant, but a second later it was gone and her dad shrugged. “Like I said, we’re not ruling anything out.”
    “But—but Winter Mill is such a peaceful place,” Faye gasped, her eyes wide. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything like a murder happening here! Have you, Aunt Pam?”
    Aunt Pam shook her head. “Not in the time that I’ve been here, and I think I’d have to go back a long way to find the last one.”
    “Well, we don’t know for sure that it is murder yet,” Sergeant Wilson reminded them. “We haven’t established a cause of death. I’ll have to wait for the coroner’s verdict before I start a manhunt. And to be honest …” He shook his head. “Just getting around is going to be difficult in this weather. All the roads in and out of town are treacherous.”
    Liz was alarmed. “Do you think the town will get cut off if it keeps snowing like this? Are we—do we have enough food and stuff if that happens?”
    “I don’t think that’s likely to happen, Liz,” said Faye. “The town has measures in place for that kind of thing.”
    Liz’s dad covered her hand with his own, patting it gently. “Faye’s right. Don’t worry. We’re spreading sand to make sure that doesn’t happen. We just have to make sure we don’t run out—and hope that this freak cold snap doesn’t last.”
    “But what if it does?” Liz asked, worried. “It hasn’t given up for the last five days! What if it just keeps on snowing like this?”
    “It can’t, can it?” Faye asked. “This can’t be the start of winter. It’s only early September!”
    “You know, I was doing some research today,” said Aunt Pam. “And I can’t find any mention in the town records of snow falling this early in the year. Not back as far as 1680. It’s amazing—I think this snowfall may be unique in the history of Winter Mill, maybe even in the entire history of New England.”
    “I’m not so worried about the snow,” said Sergeant Wilson. “My big concern right now is the bikers.”
    “Do you think they have something to do with the body you found?” Faye asked.
    “There’s no direct link—not yet, anyway,” he told her. “It’s just a feeling. They’re trouble, and I don’t believe in coincidences. They turn up and a couple of days later I’m investigating the first unexplained death Winter Mill has had in decades.” He shook his head. “I don’t like it.”
    Aunt Pam poured him another cup of tea. “Try not to judge by