On a Killer's Trail Read Free Page A

home for dinner. Could you call Adri and tell her?”
    “I just talked to her. She says she and Mom have everything under control, and we’ll have the big dinner this evening. Whenever you can be there.”
    “Thanks.”
    Kate looked deliberately at Neil. “Hi, Neil.”
    “Hi.”
    Ten yards of four-inch-deep snow separated them. For a second, Neil wished they were closer; then he wished they were miles apart. Could they ever feel comfortable in the same universe again? He turned to Connor. “Hey, there’s a deli a couple of blocks from here. Why don’t you and Kate run over and see if they’re open? Get a sandwich and give her enough to start her story with.”
    Connor’s phone rang again and he pulled it out with a sigh as he answered it. “Yeah? Can’t it wait?” He shook his head slightly. “Okay, I’ll be there in a little while.” He stuffed the phone back in his pocket and turned to Neil. “I’ve got to go back to the office. Sergeant Legere needs me for a few minutes. How about you take Kate for a bite and bring her up to speed?”
    “Well…” Neil’s pulse kicked up a notch, and he zipped another glance at Kate. Throwing him and Kate together was the last thing he’d expected from Connor. “Sure, if Kate doesn’t mind.”
    She eyed him cautiously. “Sure. You can tell me about the murder, and…maybe we can clear the air on a few other things.”
    Neil swallowed hard.
    Connor nodded. “You can give her the basics. Nothing sensitive. You understand. And when you come back, you, Joe and Elaine tear this house apart. Figuratively speaking, of course.” He turned toward Kate. “Neil will know what information we can let you publish. If there’s anything new this afternoon, I’ll brief you when I get home.”
    “Really? Thanks.”
    Suddenly Neil wanted to be with Kate again, up close, looking into those vivid blue eyes. But that could never happen. Could it? The last time he’d seen her, she’d made it clear she didn’t want to see him again, and he didn’t really blame her. But things had changed. She must recognize that, too, or she wouldn’t consent to letting him brief her on the case. In that moment, Neil knew he wanted to straighten things out with her. Could he possibly wangle an invitation at the Larson house tonight?
    Remorse struck him. He hadn’t even called his mother to let her know his presence at the traditional dinner at one o’clock was out of the question. He couldn’t duck out on leftover roast beef tonight at his parents’ house, too. Not even for a chance to make things right with Kate. But would their impromptu lunch give them time enough to really talk?
    “Neil!”
    He jumped. “Yeah?”
    Connor scowled at him. “I said, send Elaine and Joe for a lunch when you come back. I’ll be gone an hour or so.”
    “Right.” Neil looked over at Kate. “I’ll come through the house and meet you out front.”
    She nodded and started walking around the corner of the house.
    Neil realized Connor was watching him.
    “You sure you’re all right with that? Lunch with Kate, I mean?”
    “Yeah. I guess.”
    Connor’s brows drew together. “Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested it. If I weren’t so swamped—”
    “It’s okay.” Neil smiled and tried to believe it.
    Connor glanced at his watch again. “Okay, about that missing weapon.”
    “Yeah?” Neil asked.
    “I can only think of one thing Riley could have done with it, short of stashing it in the house.”
    “What’s that?” It came to Neil in a flash, and he looked up at the window again. “You think he threw it out the window?”
    Connor shrugged. “I don’t, really, but it was the only thing that was unlocked. You’d better examine this area.” He waved his arm to encompass the back lawn. Dozens of divots in the snow showed where melting clumps had fallen from the branches of the one big maple tree in the yard. Any one of them could have been made by a thrown object. “Keep on with the house